Photoionization of resonantly driven atomic states by an extreme ultraviolet-free-electron laser: intensity dependence and renormalization of Rabi frequencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, B; Brand, A; Glässl, M; Vagov, A; Axt, V M; Pietsch, U

2013-01-01

We analyze theoretically the high intensity photoionization dynamics of a system with two atomic states resonantly coupled by coherent extreme ultraviolet laser radiation that also gives rise to the ionization. The ground state occupation of such a system is shown to exhibit damped Rabi oscillations. The corresponding ionization, which is responsible for the damping, scales almost linearly with the field intensity when the pulse length exceeds the Rabi period. For shorter pulses a quadratic scaling is found. The Rabi frequency is shifted compared to its value for an isolated two-level system. The shift increases with excitation intensity and can acquire a high percentage of the unrenormalized frequency at high intensities. Analytical results obtained within a simplified solvable model demonstrate that the damping and the shift both result from the coupling of the discrete states to the ionization continuum and are therefore closely related. Numerical simulations for a two-electron system reveal at high intensities the importance of off-resonant ionization channels. (paper)

Effects of extremely low-frequency magnetotherapy on proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasi, Francesca; Sanna, Samuele; Paolini, Alessandro; Alquati, Marco; Lascialfari, Alessandro; Corti, Maurizio Enrico; Liberto, Riccardo Di; Cialdai, Francesca; Monici, Monica; Nano, Rosanna

2016-01-01

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) applied in magnetotherapy have frequency lower than 100 Hz and magnetic field intensity ranging from 0.1 to 20 mT. For many years, the use of magnetotherapy in clinics has been increasing because of its beneficial effects in many processes, e.g., skin diseases, inflammation and bone disorders. However, the understanding of the microscopic mechanisms governing such processes is still lacking and the results of the studies on the effects of ELF-EMFs are controversial because effects derive from different conditions and from intrinsic responsiveness of different cell types.In the present study, we studied the biological effects of 1.5 h exposure of human dermal fibroblasts to EMFs with frequencies of 5 and 50 Hz and intensity between 0.25 and 1.6 mT. Our data showed that the magnetic treatment did not produce changes in cell viability, but gave evidence of a sizeable decrease in proliferation at 24 h after treatment. In addition, immunofluorescence experiments displayed an increase in tubulin expression that could foreshadow changes in cell motility or morphology. The decrease in proliferation with unchanged viability and increase in tubulin expression could be consistent with the triggering of a transdifferentiation process after the exposure to ELF-EMFs.

Fixed-site high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for treatment of chronic low back and lower extremity pain

OpenAIRE

Gozani, Shai

2016-01-01

Shai N Gozani NeuroMetrix, Inc., Waltham, MA, USA Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if fixed-site high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (FS-TENS) is effective in treating chronic low back and lower extremity pain. Background: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is widely used for treatment of chronic pain. General-purpose transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation devices are designed for stimulation anywhere on the body and often cannot be ...

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field in combination with β ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fatemeh Sanie-Jahromi

Extremely low frequency (<300 Hz) electromagnetic field (EMF) is shown to decrease ... Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under ..... mouse liver induced by morphine and protected by antioxidants.

Characteristics of low-frequency oscillation intensity of airsea turbulent heat fluxes over the northwest Pacific

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2009-01-01

Based on the daily turbulent heat fluxes and related meteorological variables datasets (1985-2006) from Objectively Analyzed air-sea Fluxes (OAFlux) Project of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), characteristics of low-frequency oscillation intensity of air-sea turbulent heat fluxes over the northwest Pacific are analyzed by linear perturbation method and correlation analysis. It can be concluded that: 1) the distribution of low-frequency oscillation intensity of latent heat flux (LHF) over the northwest Pacific is mainly affected by that of low-frequency oscillation intensity of anomalous air-sea humidity gradient (Δq′) as well as mean air-sea humidity gradient ( Δ q), while the distribution of low-frequency oscillation intensity of sensible heat flux (SHF) is mainly affected by that of low-frequency oscillation intensity of anomalous air-sea temperature gradient (ΔT′). 2) The low-frequency oscillation of turbulent heat fluxes over the northwest Pacific is the strongest in winter and the weakest in summer. And the seasonal transition of low-frequency oscillation intensity of LHF is jointly influenced by those of low-frequency oscillation intensity of Δq′, low-frequency oscillation intensity of anomalous wind speed (U′), Δ q and mean wind speed (U ), while the seasonal transition of low-frequency oscillation intensity of SHF is mainly influenced by those of low-frequency oscillation intensity of ΔT′ and U . 3) Over the tropical west Pacific and sea areas north of 20°N, the low-frequency oscillation of LHF (SHF) is mainly influenced by atmospheric variables qa′ (Ta′) and U′, indicating an oceanic response to overlying atmospheric forcing. In contrast, over the tropical eastern and central Pacific south of 20°N, qs′ (Ts′) also greatly influences the low-frequency oscillation of LHF (SHF).

Effect of low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles on prostate cancer hypoxia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Rui; Xu, Yanjun; Lu, Qijie; Zhang, Yang; Hu, Bing

2017-10-01

Angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor growth, invasiveness, and metastasis. It is well established that prostate cancer is exposed to fluctuating oxygen tensions and both acute and chronic hypoxia exist, and these conditions can upregulate angiogenesis-associated proteins such as hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor A. Low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles can induce obvious microvessel damage in tumors, cause cell necrosis or apoptosis. However, there is no information about whether the blocking blood effect of low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles has an influence on hypoxia environment of prostate cancer. Therefore, we investigated the impact of different low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles radiation times on prostate tumors, observed the change in the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor A protein levels, as well as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor volume. The results indicated that as the radiation was repeated four times on each treatment day, the effects of interruption were durable, the cell proliferation was inhibited, and apoptosis was promoted, and the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor A expression levels were lower in the treatment group than in the control group. When the radiation was carried out once per treatment day, the hypoxia response was stimulated, the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor A expression levels were higher compared with the control group, and cell proliferation was promoted. In addition, the tumor volume increased obviously in the hypoxia-stimulated group, whereas tumors grew slowly in the hypoxia-suppressed group. The results of this work demonstrated that under the same conditions, different radiation times of low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound with microbubbles affect the hypoxia response differently, and the

Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and risk of childhood leukemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schüz, Joachim; Dasenbrock, Clemens; Ravazzani, Paolo

2016-01-01

Exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) was evaluated in an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" in 2001, based on increased childhood leukemia risk observed in epidemiological studies. We conducted a hazard assess...

The enhanced effects of antibiotics irradiated of extremely high frequency electromagnetic field on Escherichia coli growth properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Torgomyan, Heghine; Trchounian, Armen

2015-01-01

The effects of extremely high frequency electromagnetic irradiation and antibiotics on Escherichia coli can create new opportunities for applications in different areas—medicine, agriculture, and food industry. Previously was shown that irradiated bacterial sensitivity against antibiotics was changed. In this work, it was presented the results that irradiation of antibiotics and then adding into growth medium was more effective compared with non-irradiated antibiotics bactericidal action. The selected antibiotics (tetracycline, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, and ceftriaxone) were from different groups. Antibiotics irradiation was performed with low intensity 53 GHz frequency during 1 h. The E. coli growth properties—lag-phase duration and specific growth rate—were markedly changed. Enhanced bacterial sensitivity to irradiated antibiotics is similar to the effects of antibiotics of higher concentrations.

Assessment of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF Electric and Magnetic Fields in Hamedan High Electrical Power Stations and their Effects on Workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farshid Ghorbani Shahna

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Public and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF electric and magnetic fields induced by electrical equipment is a significant issue in the environment and at the workplace due to their potential health effects on public health. The purpose of this study was assessment of the electric and magnetic fields intensities and determination of mental and psychological effects of occupational exposure in the high voltage electric power stations in the city of Hamadan, Iran. Material and Methods: The intensities of the magnetic and electric fields were measured at eight high voltage electric power stations at three different intervals of sources using an HI-3604 instrument. A two-part questionnaire was used to assess mental and psychological effects of the exposure to these fields. Two groups of control and case workers including 30 samples were selected to determine the exposure effects. Results: The results of field measurements showed the highest average electric field intensity was related to the CVT unit with 3110 V/m at a 2 m distance from the source and the lowest average was related to the control room with 1.35 V/m next to the source. Also, the highest and lowest magnetic field intensities were close to the transformator 2 and the battery room (50.42 and 1.31 mG, respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: The intensities of electric and magnetic fields in the selected stations are lower than the ACGIH and ICNIRP standard levels for occupational exposures. The results obtained indicate that the distribution of these fields was nonlinear around the sources and the effects observed on exposed workers were non-thermal.

Assessment of extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure from GSM mobile phones

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Calderón, Carolina; Addison, Darren; Mee, Terry; Findlay, Richard; Maslanyj, Myron; Conil, Emmanuelle; Kromhout, Hans; Lee, Ae Kyoung; Sim, Malcolm R.; Taki, Masao; Varsier, Nadège; Wiart, Joe; Cardis, Elisabeth

2014-01-01

Although radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones have received much attention, relatively little is known about the extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields emitted by phones. This paper summarises ELF magnetic flux density measurements on global system for mobile

Characteristics of low-frequency oscillation intensity of air-sea turbulent heat fluxes over the northwest Pacific

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LI Gen; REN BaoHua; ZHENG JianOiu; WANG Jun

2009-01-01

Based on the daily turbulent heat fluxes and related meteorological variables dataeets (1985-2006) from Objectively Analyzed air-sea Fluxes (OAFlux) Project of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), characteristics of low-frequency oscillation intensity of air-sea turbulent heat fluxes over the northwest Pacific are analyzed by linear perturbation method and correlation analysis. It can be concluded that: 1) the distribution of low-frequency oscillation intensity of latent heat flux (LHF) over the northwest Pacific is mainly affected by that of low-frequency oscillation intensity of anomalous air-eea humidity gradient (△q') as well as mean air-eea humidity gradient (△q), while the distribution of low-frequency oscillation Intensity of sensible heat flux (SHF) is mainly affected by that of low-frequency oscillation intensity of anomalous air-sea temperature gradient (△T'). 2) The low-frequency oscillation of turbulent heat fluxes over the northwest Pacific is the strongest in winter and the weakest in summer. And the seasonal transition of low-frequency oscillation intensity of LHF is jointly influenced by those of low-frequency oscillation intensity of △q', low-frequency oscillation intensity of anomalous wind speed (U'), △q and mean wind speed (U), while the seasonal transition of low-frequency oscillation intensity of SHF is mainly influenced by those of low-frequency oscillation Intensity of △T' and U. 3) Over the tropical west Pacific and sea areas north of 20ON, the low-frequency oscillation of LHF (SHF) is mainly influenced by atmospheric variables qa' (Ta') and U', indicating an oceanic response to overlying atmospheric forcing. In contrast, over the tropical eastern and central Pacific south of 20°N, qs' (Ts') also greatly influences the low-frequency oscillation of LHF (SHF).

Induction of chromosomal aberrations in human primary fibroblasts and immortalized cancer cells exposed to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyyedi, S. S.; Mozdarani, H.; Rezaei Tavirani, M.; Heydari, S.

2010-01-01

Rapidly increasing possibilities of exposure to environmental extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields have become a topic of worldwide investigation. Epidemiological and laboratory studies suggest that exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields may increase cancer risk therefore assessment of chromosomal damage in various cell lines might be of predictive value for future risk estimation. Materials and Methods: Primary cultures of fibroblasts from human skin biopsy were exposed to continuous extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (3, 50 and 60 Hz, sinusoidal, 3h, and 4 m T). Also immortalized cell lines, SW480, MCF-7 and 1321N1 were exposed to continuous extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (50 Hz, sinusoidal, 3 h, 4 m T). Metaphase plates Were prepared according to standard methods and stained in 5% Giemsa solution. Chromosomal aberrations of both chromosome and chromatid types were scored to evaluate the effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on primary or established cell lines. Results: Results indicate that by increasing the frequency of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields, chromosomal aberrations were increased up to 7-fold above background levels in primary human fibroblast cells. In addition, continuous exposure to a 50 Hz electromagnetic field led to a significant increase in chromosomal aberrations in SW480, MCF-7 and 1321N1 cell lines compared to sham control. Conclusion: Results obtained indicate that extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields has the potential for induction of chromosomal aberrations in all cell types.

[Effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field on glutathione in rat muscles].

Science.gov (United States)

Ciejka, Elzbieta; Jakubowska, Ewa; Zelechowska, Paulina; Huk-Kolega, Halina; Kowalczyk, Agata; Goraca, Anna

2014-01-01

Free radicals (FR) are atoms, molecules or their fragments. Their excess leads to the development of oxidizing stress, the cause of many neoplastic, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases, and aging of the organism. Industrial pollution, tobacco smoke, ionizing radiation, ultrasound and magnetic field are the major FR exogenous sources. The low frequency magnetic field is still more commonly applied in the physical therapy. The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field used in the magnetotherapy on the level of total glutathione, oxidized and reduced, and the redox state of the skeletal muscle cells, depending on the duration of exposure to magnetic field. The male rats, weight of 280-300 g, were randomly devided into 3 experimental groups: controls (group I) and treatment groups exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) (group II exposed to 40 Hz, 7 mT for 0.5 h/day for 14 days and group III exposed to 40 Hz, 7 mT for 1 h/day for 14 days). Control rats were kept in a separate room not exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic field. Immediately after the last exposure, part of muscles was taken under pentobarbital anesthesia. Total glutathione, oxidized and reduced, and the redox state in the muscle tissue of animals were determined after exposure to magnetic fields. Exposure to low magnetic field: 40 Hz, 7 mT for 30 min/day and 60 min/day for 2 weeks significantly increased the total glutathione levels in the skeletal muscle compared to the control group (p magnetic therapy plays an important role in the development of adaptive mechanisms responsible for maintaining the oxidation-reduction balance in the body and depends on exposure duration.

LEVELS OF EXTREMELY LOW-FREQUENCY ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS FROM OVERHEAD POWER LINES IN THE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT OF RAMALLAH CITY-PALESTINE.

Science.gov (United States)

Abuasbi, Falastine; Lahham, Adnan; Abdel-Raziq, Issam Rashid

2018-05-01

In this study, levels of extremely low-frequency electric and magnetic fields originated from overhead power lines were investigated in the outdoor environment in Ramallah city, Palestine. Spot measurements were applied to record fields intensities over 6-min period. The Spectrum Analyzer NF-5035 was used to perform measurements at 1 m above ground level and directly underneath 40 randomly selected power lines distributed fairly within the city. Levels of electric fields varied depending on the line's category (power line, transformer or distributor), a minimum mean electric field of 3.9 V/m was found under a distributor line, and a maximum of 769.4 V/m under a high-voltage power line (66 kV). However, results of electric fields showed a log-normal distribution with the geometric mean and the geometric standard deviation of 35.9 and 2.8 V/m, respectively. Magnetic fields measured at power lines, on contrast, were not log-normally distributed; the minimum and maximum mean magnetic fields under power lines were 0.89 and 3.5 μT, respectively. As a result, none of the measured fields exceeded the ICNIRP's guidelines recommended for general public exposures to extremely low-frequency fields.

Effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field on brain histopathology of Caspian Sea Cyprinus carpio.

Science.gov (United States)

Samiee, Farzaneh; Samiee, Keivandokht

2017-01-01

There is limited research on the effect of electromagnetic field on aquatic organisms, especially freshwater fish species. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) (50 Hz) exposure on brain histopathology of Cyprinus carpio, one of the important species of Caspian Sea with significant economic value. A total of 200 healthy fish were used in this study. They were classified randomly in two groups: sham-exposed group and experimental group, which were exposed to five different magnetic field intensities (0.1, 1, 3, 5, and 7 mT) at two different exposure times (0.5 and 1 h). Histologic results indicate that exposure of C. carpio to artificial ELF-EMF caused severe histopathological changes in the brain at field intensities ≥3 mT leading to brain necrosis. Field intensity and duration of exposure were key parameters in induction of lesion in the brain. Further studies are needed to elucidate exact mechanism of EMF exposure on the brain.

Millimeter waves or extremely high frequency electromagnetic fields in the environment: what are their effects on bacteria?

Science.gov (United States)

Soghomonyan, Diana; Trchounian, Karen; Trchounian, Armen

2016-06-01

Millimeter waves (MMW) or electromagnetic fields of extremely high frequencies at low intensity is a new environmental factor, the level of which is increased as technology advance. It is of interest that bacteria and other cells might communicate with each other by electromagnetic field of sub-extremely high frequency range. These MMW affected Escherichia coli and many other bacteria, mainly depressing their growth and changing properties and activity. These effects were non-thermal and depended on different factors. The significant cellular targets for MMW effects could be water, cell plasma membrane, and genome. The model for the MMW interaction with bacteria is suggested; a role of the membrane-associated proton FOF1-ATPase, key enzyme of bioenergetic relevance, is proposed. The consequences of MMW interaction with bacteria are the changes in their sensitivity to different biologically active chemicals, including antibiotics. Novel data on MMW effects on bacteria and their sensitivity to different antibiotics are presented and discussed; the combined action of MMW and antibiotics resulted with more strong effects. These effects are of significance for understanding changed metabolic pathways and distinguish role of bacteria in environment; they might be leading to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The effects might have applications in the development of technique, therapeutic practices, and food protection technology.

Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Fields Induce Spermatogenic Germ Cell Apoptosis: Possible Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sang-Kon Lee

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The energy generated by an extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF is too weak to directly induce genotoxicity. However, it is reported that an extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF is related to DNA strand breakage and apoptosis. The testes that conduct spermatogenesis through a dynamic cellular process involving meiosis and mitosis seem vulnerable to external stress such as heat, MF exposure, and chemical or physical agents. Nevertheless the results regarding adverse effects of ELF-EMF on human or animal reproductive functions are inconclusive. According to the guideline of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP; 2010 for limiting exposure to time-varying MF (1 Hz to 100 kHz, overall conclusion of epidemiologic studies has not consistently shown an association between human adverse reproductive outcomes and maternal or paternal exposure to low frequency fields. In animal studies there is no compelling evidence of causal relationship between prenatal development and ELF-MF exposure. However there is increasing evidence that EL-EMF exposure is involved with germ cell apoptosis in testes. Biophysical mechanism by which ELF-MF induces germ cell apoptosis has not been established. This review proposes the possible mechanism of germ cell apoptosis in testes induced by ELF-MF.

High-resolution stochastic generation of extreme rainfall intensity for urban drainage modelling applications

Science.gov (United States)

Peleg, Nadav; Blumensaat, Frank; Molnar, Peter; Fatichi, Simone; Burlando, Paolo

2016-04-01

Urban drainage response is highly dependent on the spatial and temporal structure of rainfall. Therefore, measuring and simulating rainfall at a high spatial and temporal resolution is a fundamental step to fully assess urban drainage system reliability and related uncertainties. This is even more relevant when considering extreme rainfall events. However, the current space-time rainfall models have limitations in capturing extreme rainfall intensity statistics for short durations. Here, we use the STREAP (Space-Time Realizations of Areal Precipitation) model, which is a novel stochastic rainfall generator for simulating high-resolution rainfall fields that preserve the spatio-temporal structure of rainfall and its statistical characteristics. The model enables a generation of rain fields at 102 m and minute scales in a fast and computer-efficient way matching the requirements for hydrological analysis of urban drainage systems. The STREAP model was applied successfully in the past to generate high-resolution extreme rainfall intensities over a small domain. A sub-catchment in the city of Luzern (Switzerland) was chosen as a case study to: (i) evaluate the ability of STREAP to disaggregate extreme rainfall intensities for urban drainage applications; (ii) assessing the role of stochastic climate variability of rainfall in flow response and (iii) evaluate the degree of non-linearity between extreme rainfall intensity and system response (i.e. flow) for a small urban catchment. The channel flow at the catchment outlet is simulated by means of a calibrated hydrodynamic sewer model.

Extreme High-Temperature Events Over East Asia in 1.5°C and 2°C Warmer Futures: Analysis of NCAR CESM Low-Warming Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Donghuan; Zhou, Tianjun; Zou, Liwei; Zhang, Wenxia; Zhang, Lixia

2018-02-01

Extreme high-temperature events have large socioeconomic and human health impacts. East Asia (EA) is a populous region, and it is crucial to assess the changes in extreme high-temperature events in this region under different climate change scenarios. The Community Earth System Model low-warming experiment data were applied to investigate the changes in the mean and extreme high temperatures in EA under 1.5°C and 2°C warming conditions above preindustrial levels. The results show that the magnitude of warming in EA is approximately 0.2°C higher than the global mean. Most populous subregions, including eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan, will see more intense, more frequent, and longer-lasting extreme temperature events under 1.5°C and 2°C warming. The 0.5°C lower warming will help avoid 35%-46% of the increases in extreme high-temperature events in terms of intensity, frequency, and duration in EA with maximal avoidance values (37%-49%) occurring in Mongolia. Thus, it is beneficial for EA to limit the warming target to 1.5°C rather than 2°C.

Study of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF) radiation produced by consumer products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roha Tukimin; Ahmad Fazli Ahmad Sanusi; Rozaimah Abd Rahim; Mohd Yusof Mohd Ali; Mohamad Amirul Nizam Mohamad Thari

2006-01-01

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field ( ELF EMF) radiation falls under category of non-ionising radiation (NIR).ELF EMF consists of electric and magnetic fields. Excessive exposure to ELF EMF radiation may cause biological and health effects to human beings such as behavioral changes, stochastic and as initiator of cancer. In daily life, the main source of extremely low frequency electromagnetic radiation are consumer products in our home and office. Due to its ability to cause hazard, a study of ELF EMF radiation produced by consumer product was conducted. For this preliminary study, sample of 20 types electrical appliances were selected. The measurement was covered electric and magnetic field strength produced by the sample. PMM model EHP50A were used for measurement and data analysis. The results were compared with the permissible limits recommended by International Commission of Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for members of public (1000 mGauss and 5000 V/m). The results showed that all tested sample produced magnetic and electric field but still under the permissible limit recommended by ICNIRP. Besides that we found that field strengths can be very high at closer distance to the sample. (Author)

Spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and attribution of extreme regional low temperature event

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Tai-Chen; Zhang Ke-Quan; Wang Xiao-Juan; Zhang Wen-Yu; Su Hai-Jing; Gong Zhi-Qiang

2015-01-01

Based on an objective identification technique for regional low temperature event (OITRLTE), the daily minimum temperature in China has been detected from 1960 to 2013. During this period, there were 60 regional extreme low temperature events (ERLTEs), which are included in the 690 regional low temperature events (RLTEs). The 60 ERLTEs are analyzed in this paper. The results show that in the last 50 years, the intensity of the ERLTEs has become weak; the number of lasted days has decreased; and, the affected area has become small. However, that situation has changed in this century. In terms of spatial distribution, the high intensity regions are mainly in Northern China while the high frequency regions concentrate in Central and Eastern China. According to the affected area of each event, the 60 ERLTEs are classified into six types. The atmospheric circulation background fields which correspond to these types are also analyzed. The results show that, influenced by stronger blocking highs of Ural and Lake Baikal, as well as stronger southward polar vortex and East Asia major trough at 500-hPa geopotential height, cold air from high latitudes is guided to move southward and abnormal northerly winds at 850 hPa makes the cold air blow into China along diverse paths, thereby forming different types of regional extreme low temperatures in winter. (paper)

Climate Change: A New Metric to Measure Changes in the Frequency of Extreme Temperatures using Record Data

Science.gov (United States)

Munasinghe, L.; Jun, T.; Rind, D. H.

2012-01-01

Consensus on global warming is the result of multiple and varying lines of evidence, and one key ramification is the increase in frequency of extreme climate events including record high temperatures. Here we develop a metric- called "record equivalent draws" (RED)-based on record high (low) temperature observations, and show that changes in RED approximate changes in the likelihood of extreme high (low) temperatures. Since we also show that this metric is independent of the specifics of the underlying temperature distributions, RED estimates can be aggregated across different climates to provide a genuinely global assessment of climate change. Using data on monthly average temperatures across the global landmass we find that the frequency of extreme high temperatures increased 10-fold between the first three decades of the last century (1900-1929) and the most recent decade (1999-2008). A more disaggregated analysis shows that the increase in frequency of extreme high temperatures is greater in the tropics than in higher latitudes, a pattern that is not indicated by changes in mean temperature. Our RED estimates also suggest concurrent increases in the frequency of both extreme high and extreme low temperatures during 2002-2008, a period when we observe a plateauing of global mean temperature. Using daily extreme temperature observations, we find that the frequency of extreme high temperatures is greater in the daily minimum temperature time-series compared to the daily maximum temperature time-series. There is no such observable difference in the frequency of extreme low temperatures between the daily minimum and daily maximum.

Simultaneously Suppressing Low-Frequency and Relaxation Oscillation Intensity Noise in a DBR Single-Frequency Phosphate Fiber Laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Yu; Li Can; Xu Shan-Hui; Feng Zhou-Ming; Yang Chang-Sheng; Zhao Qi-Lai; Yang Zhong-Min

2015-01-01

Effective multiple optoelectronic feedback circuits for simultaneously suppressing low-frequency and relaxation oscillation intensity noise in a single-frequency phosphate fiber laser are demonstrated. The forward transfer function, which relates the laser output intensity to the pump modulations, is measured and analyzed. A custom two-path feedback system operating at different frequency bands is designed to adjust the pump current directly. The relative intensity noise is decreased by 20 dB from 0.2 to 5kHz and over 10 dB from 5 to 10 kHz. The relaxation oscillation peak is suppressed by 22 dB. In addition, a long term (24 h) laser instability of less than 0.05% is achieved. (paper)

Modifying effects of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation on content and composition of fatty acids in thymus of mice exposed to X-rays.

Science.gov (United States)

Gapeyev, Andrew B; Aripovsky, Alexander V; Kulagina, Tatiana P

2015-03-01

The effects of extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR) on thymus weight and its fatty acids (FA) content and FA composition in X-irradiated mice were studied to test the involvement of FA in possible protective effects of EHF EMR against ionizing radiation. Mice were exposed to low-intensity pulse-modulated EHF EMR (42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm(2), 20 min exposure, 1 Hz modulation) and/or X-rays at a dose of 4 Gy with different sequences of the treatments. In 4-5 hours, 10, 30, and 40 days after the last exposure, the thymuses were weighed; total FA content and FA composition of the thymuses were determined on days 1, 10, and 30 using a gas chromatography. It was shown that after X-irradiation of mice the total FA content per mg of thymic tissue was significantly increased in 4-5 h and decreased in 10 and 30 days after the treatment. On days 30 and 40 after X-irradiation, the thymus weight remained significantly reduced. The first and tenth days after X-rays injury independently of the presence and sequence of EHF EMR exposure were characterized by an increased content of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and a decreased content of monounsaturated FA (MUFA) with unchanged content of saturated FA (SFA). Exposure of mice to EHF EMR before or after X-irradiation prevented changes in the total FA content in thymic tissue, returned the summary content of PUFA and MUFA to the control level and decreased the summary content of SFA on the 30th day after the treatments, and promoted the restoration of the thymus weight of X-irradiated mice to the 40th day of the observations. Changes in the content and composition of PUFA in the early period after treatments as well as at the restoration of the thymus weight under the combined action of EHF EMR and X-rays indicate to an active participation of FA in the acceleration of post-radiation recovery of the thymus by EHF EMR exposure.

Assessing Climate Variability using Extreme Rainfall and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user1

extreme frequency); the average intensity of rainfall from extreme events ... frequency and extreme intensity indices, suggesting that extreme events are more frequent and intense during years with high rainfall. The proportion of total rainfall from ...

Quantifying Changes in Future Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves Using Multimodel Ensemble Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Ragno, Elisa; AghaKouchak, Amir; Love, Charlotte A.; Cheng, Linyin; Vahedifard, Farshid; Lima, Carlos H. R.

2018-03-01

During the last century, we have observed a warming climate with more intense precipitation extremes in some regions, likely due to increases in the atmosphere's water holding capacity. Traditionally, infrastructure design and rainfall-triggered landslide models rely on the notion of stationarity, which assumes that the statistics of extremes do not change significantly over time. However, in a warming climate, infrastructures and natural slopes will likely face more severe climatic conditions, with potential human and socioeconomical consequences. Here we outline a framework for quantifying climate change impacts based on the magnitude and frequency of extreme rainfall events using bias corrected historical and multimodel projected precipitation extremes. The approach evaluates changes in rainfall Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves and their uncertainty bounds using a nonstationary model based on Bayesian inference. We show that highly populated areas across the United States may experience extreme precipitation events up to 20% more intense and twice as frequent, relative to historical records, despite the expectation of unchanged annual mean precipitation. Since IDF curves are widely used for infrastructure design and risk assessment, the proposed framework offers an avenue for assessing resilience of infrastructure and landslide hazard in a warming climate.

Low-frequency-high-intensity limit of the Keldysh-Faisal-Reiss theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, Jaroslaw

2006-01-01

When a frequency of the circularly polarized laser field approaches zero the above threshold ionization rate should approach the well-known static-field limit of tunneling ionization. In the high-intensity limit of the laser field the Keldysh-Faisal-Reiss (KFR) theory is expected to be valid. For the ground state of a hydrogen atom we study various forms of the KFR theory when both conditions: ω<<1 a.u. and γ<<1 (ω is the frequency and γ the Keldysh parameter) are satisfied. For the circularly polarized laser field ionization rate in the Keldysh theory [which utilizes the length gauge (d(vector sign)·E(vector sign)) form of the matrix element] is calculated analytically. We show numerically that if the WKB Coulomb correction in the final state of the ionized electron is included, the Keldysh theory gives the correct result in the tunneling domain. In the barrier-suppression regime the Keldysh theory without this correction gives ionization rates close to the exact static-field results. The Reiss theory [which utilizes the velocity gauge (p(vector sign)·A(vector sign)) form of the matrix element] leads to too small ionization rates in the limit ω→0, γ→0

Inhibition of Salmonella typhi growth using extremely low frequency electromagnetic (ELF-EM) waves at resonance frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Fadel, M A; Mohamed, S A; Abdelbacki, A M; El-Sharkawy, A H

2014-08-01

Typhoid is a serious disease difficult to be treated with conventional drugs. The aim of this study was to demonstrate a new method for the control of Salmonella typhi growth, through the interference with the bioelectric signals generated from the microbe during cell division by extremely low frequency electromagnetic waves (ELF-EMW-ELF-EM) at resonance frequency. Isolated Salmonella typhi was subjected to square amplitude modulated waves (QAMW) with different modulation frequencies from two generators with constant carrier frequency of 10 MHz, amplitude of 10 Vpp, modulating depth ± 2 Vpp and constant field strength of 200 V m(-1) at 37°C. Both the control and exposed samples were incubated at the same conditions during the experiment. The results showed that there was highly significant inhibition effect for Salm. typhi exposed to 0·8 Hz QAMW for a single exposure for 75 min. Dielectric relaxation, TEM and DNA results indicated highly significant changes in the molecular structure of the DNA and cellular membrane resulting from the exposure to the inhibiting EM waves. It was concluded that finding out the inhibiting resonance frequency of ELF-EM waves that deteriorates Salm. typhi growth will be promising method for the treatment of Salm. typhi infection either in vivo or in vitro. This new non-invasive technique for treatment of bacterial infections is of considerable interest for the use in medical and biotechnological applications. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

[Pulse-modulated Electromagnetic Radiation of Extremely High Frequencies Protects Cellular DNA against Damaging Effect of Physico-Chemical Factors in vitro].

Science.gov (United States)

Gapeyev, A B; Lukyanova, N A

2015-01-01

Using a comet assay technique, we investigated protective effects of. extremely high frequency electromagnetic radiation in combination with the damaging effect of X-ray irradiation, the effect of damaging agents hydrogen peroxide and methyl methanesulfonate on DNA in mouse whole blood leukocytes. It was shown that the preliminary exposure of the cells to low intensity pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation (42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm2, 20-min exposure, modulation frequencies of 1 and 16 Hz) caused protective effects decreasing the DNA damage by 20-45%. The efficacy of pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation depended on the type of genotoxic agent and increased in a row methyl methanesulfonate--X-rays--hydrogen peroxide. Continuous electromagnetic radiation was ineffective. The mechanisms of protective effects may be connected with an induction of the adaptive response by nanomolar concentrations of reactive oxygen species formed by pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation.

Molecular gyroscopes and biological effects of weak extremely low-frequency magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binhi, V.N.; Savin, A.V.

2002-01-01

Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields are known to affect biological systems. In many cases, biological effects display 'windows' in biologically effective parameters of the magnetic fields: most dramatic is the fact that the relatively intense magnetic fields sometimes do not cause appreciable effect, while smaller fields of the order of 10-100 μT do. Linear resonant physical processes do not explain the frequency windows in this case. Amplitude window phenomena suggest a nonlinear physical mechanism. Such a nonlinear mechanism has been proposed recently to explain those 'windows'. It considers the quantum-interference effects on the protein-bound substrate ions. Magnetic fields cause an interference of ion quantum states and change the probability of ion-protein dissociation. This ion-interference mechanism predicts specific magnetic-field frequency and amplitude windows within which the biological effects occur. It agrees with a lot of experiments. However, according to the mechanism, the lifetime Γ -1 of ion quantum states within a protein cavity should be of unrealistic value, more than 0.01 s for frequency band 10-100 Hz. In this paper, a biophysical mechanism has been proposed, which (i) retains the attractive features of the ion interference mechanism, i.e., predicts physical characteristics that might be experimentally examined and (ii) uses the principles of gyroscopic motion and removes the necessity to postulate large lifetimes. The mechanism considers the dynamics of the density matrix of the molecular groups, which are attached to the walls of protein cavities by two covalent bonds, i.e., molecular gyroscopes. Numerical computations have shown almost free rotations of the molecular gyroscopes. The relaxation time due to van der Waals forces was about 0.01 s for the cavity size of 28 Aa

Exposure of Extremely-Low Frequency (ELF magnetic field may cause human cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daryoush Shahbazi-Gahrouei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Chronic exposure of non-ionizing extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-EMF is considered as a health hazard due to its adverse effects on human body such as generation of any type of cancer. Stem cells are appropriate models to assess the effects of ELF-EMF on other cell lines and human beings. Materials and methods: Adipose tissue has been known as source of multi potent stromal human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs which can be obtained in less invasive method and in large amounts; so adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs were used in this study. Effect of ELF-EMF (intensities of 0.5 and 1 mT and 50 Hz on proliferation rate of hADSCs was assessed in 20 and 40 min per day for 7 days. Trypan blue assay was performed to assess cell proliferation rate. Result: The results shown that 0.5 and 1 mT magnetic fields can promote the proliferation rate of adipose derived hMSCs according to the duration of exposure. Conclusion: These outcomes could approve the effect of ELF-EMF on cancer induction; although the effective mechanisms in this process are still unknown.

Spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and attribution of extreme regional low temperature event

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Tai-Chen; Zhang, Ke-Quan; Su, Hai-Jing; Wang, Xiao-Juan; Gong, Zhi-Qiang; Zhang, Wen-Yu

2015-10-01

Based on an objective identification technique for regional low temperature event (OITRLTE), the daily minimum temperature in China has been detected from 1960 to 2013. During this period, there were 60 regional extreme low temperature events (ERLTEs), which are included in the 690 regional low temperature events (RLTEs). The 60 ERLTEs are analyzed in this paper. The results show that in the last 50 years, the intensity of the ERLTEs has become weak; the number of lasted days has decreased; and, the affected area has become small. However, that situation has changed in this century. In terms of spatial distribution, the high intensity regions are mainly in Northern China while the high frequency regions concentrate in Central and Eastern China. According to the affected area of each event, the 60 ERLTEs are classified into six types. The atmospheric circulation background fields which correspond to these types are also analyzed. The results show that, influenced by stronger blocking highs of Ural and Lake Baikal, as well as stronger southward polar vortex and East Asia major trough at 500-hPa geopotential height, cold air from high latitudes is guided to move southward and abnormal northerly winds at 850 hPa makes the cold air blow into China along diverse paths, thereby forming different types of regional extreme low temperatures in winter. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41305075), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2012CB955203 and 2012CB955902), and the Special Scientific Research on Public Welfare Industry, China (Grant No. GYHY201306049).

Optimization of low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound-mediated microvessel disruption on prostate cancer xenografts in nude mice using an orthogonal experimental design.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Y U; Bai, Wenkun; Chen, Yini; Lin, Yanduan; Hu, Bing

2015-11-01

The present study aimed to provide a complete exploration of the effect of sound intensity, frequency, duty cycle, microbubble volume and irradiation time on low-frequency low-intensity ultrasound (US)-mediated microvessel disruption, and to identify an optimal combination of the five factors that maximize the blockage effect. An orthogonal experimental design approach was used. Enhanced US imaging and acoustic quantification were performed to assess tumor blood perfusion. In the confirmatory test, in addition to acoustic quantification, the specimens of the tumor were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and observed using light microscopy. The results revealed that sound intensity, frequency, duty cycle, microbubble volume and irradiation time had a significant effect on the average peak intensity (API). The extent of the impact of the variables on the API was in the following order: Sound intensity; frequency; duty cycle; microbubble volume; and irradiation time. The optimum conditions were found to be as follows: Sound intensity, 1.00 W/cm 2 ; frequency, 20 Hz; duty cycle, 40%; microbubble volume, 0.20 ml; and irradiation time, 3 min. In the confirmatory test, the API was 19.97±2.66 immediately subsequent to treatment, and histological examination revealed signs of tumor blood vessel injury in the optimum parameter combination group. In conclusion, the Taguchi L 18 (3) 6 orthogonal array design was successfully applied for determining the optimal parameter combination of API following treatment. Under the optimum orthogonal design condition, a minimum API of 19.97±2.66 subsequent to low-frequency and low-intensity mediated blood perfusion blockage was obtained.

Effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field on the health of workers in automotive industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xin; Zhao, Longyu; Yu, Duo; Ma, Shumei; Liu, Xiaodong

2013-12-01

To observe the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) in automotive industry on occupational workers. A total of 704 workers were investigated, and 374 workers were chosen and divided into two groups (control group and exposure group) according to the inclusive criteria, namely male with age 20-40 years old and ≥ 2 years of exposure. The intensities of ELF-EMFs and noise were detected with EFA-300 Field Analyzer (Narda company, Pfullingen, Germany) and AWA5610D integrating sound level meter (Hangzhou Aihua Instruments Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, China), respectively. Survey data were collected by questionnaire, and the physical check-up was done in hospital. All the data were input into SPSS17.0 software (SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA), and the appropriate statistic analyses were carried out. The intensity of EMFs in exposure group was significantly higher than that in control group (p 0.05). The survey data collected by questionnaires showed that the symptoms of loss of hair in exposure group were significantly different as compared with that in control group (p effects on the nervous, cardiovascular, liver, and hematology system of workers.

Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (Emf) of extremely low frequency and Alzheimer disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mir, L.

2008-01-01

Occupational exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (between 3 and 3000 hz) is one potential risk factor for Alzheimer disease. this critical meta-analysis of the published epidemiologic work suggests the existence of an association in a very heterogeneous dataset. It looks for potential sources of error, examines the areas of uncertainty, and calls for the pursuit of further research. (author)

Recent Intensified Winter Coldness in the Mid-High Latitudes of Eurasia and Its Relationship with Daily Extreme Low Temperature Variability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuhan Lu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Observational records in recent decades show a large-scale decrease in the cold-season temperature variance in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes under continuous global warming. However, severe low temperature events in winter frequently occurred in midlatitude Eurasia (MEA in the last decade. Here, we define a new coldness intensity (CI index for the near-surface based on the amplitude of daily anomalously cold temperatures in winter to demonstrate the CI of the variability of low temperature extremes. The results show that a sign-consistent mode dominates the CI variation in MEA, with a marked intensification during the last decade via empirical orthogonal function (EOF analysis. This leading mode is significantly related to the frequency of winter extreme events. The associated circulations are characterized by a remarkable anomalous anticyclone in Northwest Eurasia, which induced substantial cold advection in MEA. The widespread intensified CI in MEA is closely linked with strong surface anticyclones and synoptic blocking in the mid-high latitudes (25°E–85°E. Coincidently, positive phase shifts of the first two leading modes of the extratropical circulation, which feature similar blocking-like anomalies in the northwestern Eurasian subarctic, jointly play an important role in the recent frequency of severe winters.

The extreme condition analyzing for NEMPI shielding of electronic system in high-intensity pulsed radiation diagnosing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Xiaolei; Liu Fang; Ouyang Xiaoping

2012-01-01

The difficulty for estimating the NEMPI (electromagnetic pulsed interference caused by the nuclear reaction) on the electronic system in high-intensity pulsed radiation diagnosing is analyzed in this article. To solve the difficulty, a method called 'Extreme Condition Analyzing' is presented for estimating the NEMPI conservatively and reliably. Through an extreme condition hypothesizing which could be described as 'Entire Coupling of Electric Field Energy', the E max (maximum electric field intensity which could be endured by the electronic system in the high-intensity pulsed radiation) could be figured out without any other information of the EMP caused by the nuclear reaction. Then a feasibility inspection is introduced, to confirm that the EMPI shielding request according to E max is not too extreme to be achieved. (authors)

Evolution in Intensity and Frequency of Extreme Events of Precipitation in Northeast Region and Brazilian Amazon in XXI Century

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, P. M.; Veiga, J. A.; Correia, F. S.; Brito, A. L.

2013-05-01

The aim of this research was evaluate changes in frequency and intensity of extreme events of precipitation in Brazilian Amazon and Northeast Region, doubling CO2 concentration in agreement of IPCC A2 emissions scenarios (Nakicenovic et al., 2001). For this evaluation was used ETA model (Chou et al., 2011), forced with CCSM3 Global model data (Meehl, 2006) to run 4 experiments, only for January, February and March: 1980-1990, 2000-2010, 2040-2050 and 2090-2100. Using the first decade as reference (1980-1990), was evaluated changes occurred in following decades, with a methodology to classify extremes events adapted from Frich (2002) and Gao (2006). Higher was the class, more intense is the event. An increase of 25% was observed in total precipitation in Brazilian Amazon for the end of XXI century and 12% for extreme events type 1, 9% for events type 2 and 10% for type 3. By the other hand, a 17% decrease of precipitation in Brazilian Northeast was observed, and a pronounced decay of 24% and 15% in extreme events contribution type 1 and 2 to total amount of precipitation, respectively. The difference between total normal type events was positive in this three decades compared with reference decade 1980-1990, varying positively from 4 to 6 thousand events included in normality by decade, these events was decreased in your majority of Class 1 events, which presented a decay of at least 3.500 events by each decade. This suggests an intensification of extreme events, considering that the amount of precipitation by class increased, and the number of events by class decreased. To Northeast region, an increasing in 9% of contribution to events type 3 class was observed, as well as in the frequency of this type of events (about of 700 more events). Major decreasing in number of classes extreme events occur in 2000-2010, to classes 1 and 3, with 7,2 and 5,6%, and by the end of century in class 3, with 4,5%. For the three analyzed decades a total decrease of 8.400 events was

Atmospheric and Fog Effects on Ultra-Wide Band Radar Operating at Extremely High Frequencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Balal, Nezah; Pinhasi, Gad A; Pinhasi, Yosef

2016-05-23

The wide band at extremely high frequencies (EHF) above 30 GHz is applicable for high resolution directive radars, resolving the lack of free frequency bands within the lower part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Utilization of ultra-wideband signals in this EHF band is of interest, since it covers a relatively large spectrum, which is free of users, resulting in better resolution in both the longitudinal and transverse dimensions. Noting that frequencies in the millimeter band are subjected to high atmospheric attenuation and dispersion effects, a study of the degradation in the accuracy and resolution is presented. The fact that solid-state millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation sources are producing low power, the method of continuous-wave wideband frequency modulation becomes the natural technique for remote sensing and detection. Millimeter wave radars are used as complementary sensors for the detection of small radar cross-section objects under bad weather conditions, when small objects cannot be seen by optical cameras and infrared detectors. Theoretical analysis for the propagation of a wide "chirped" Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) radar signal in a dielectric medium is presented. It is shown that the frequency-dependent (complex) refractivity of the atmospheric medium causes distortions in the phase of the reflected signal, introducing noticeable errors in the longitudinal distance estimations, and at some frequencies may also degrade the resolution.

Response identification in the extremely low frequency region of an electret condenser microphone.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeng, Yih-Nen; Yang, Tzung-Ming; Lee, Shang-Yin

2011-01-01

This study shows that a small electret condenser microphone connected to a notebook or a personal computer (PC) has a prominent response in the extremely low frequency region in a specific environment. It confines most acoustic waves within a tiny air cell as follows. The air cell is constructed by drilling a small hole in a digital versatile disk (DVD) plate. A small speaker and an electret condenser microphone are attached to the two sides of the hole. Thus, the acoustic energy emitted by the speaker and reaching the microphone is strong enough to actuate the diaphragm of the latter. The experiments showed that, once small air leakages are allowed on the margin of the speaker, the microphone captured the signal in the range of 0.5 to 20 Hz. Moreover, by removing the plastic cover of the microphone and attaching the microphone head to the vibration surface, the low frequency signal can be effectively captured too. Two examples are included to show the convenience of applying the microphone to pick up the low frequency vibration information of practical systems.

Response Identification in the Extremely Low Frequency Region of an Electret Condenser Microphone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shang-Yin Lee

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study shows that a small electret condenser microphone connected to a notebook or a personal computer (PC has a prominent response in the extremely low frequency region in a specific environment. It confines most acoustic waves within a tiny air cell as follows. The air cell is constructed by drilling a small hole in a digital versatile disk (DVD plate. A small speaker and an electret condenser microphone are attached to the two sides of the hole. Thus, the acoustic energy emitted by the speaker and reaching the microphone is strong enough to actuate the diaphragm of the latter. The experiments showed that, once small air leakages are allowed on the margin of the speaker, the microphone captured the signal in the range of 0.5 to 20 Hz. Moreover, by removing the plastic cover of the microphone and attaching the microphone head to the vibration surface, the low frequency signal can be effectively captured too. Two examples are included to show the convenience of applying the microphone to pick up the low frequency vibration information of practical systems.

Plate-type metamaterials for extremely broadband low-frequency sound insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaopeng; Guo, Xinwei; Chen, Tianning; Yao, Ge

2018-01-01

A novel plate-type acoustic metamaterial with a high sound transmission loss (STL) in the low-frequency range ( ≤1000 Hz) is designed, theoretically proven and then experimentally verified. The thin plates with large modulus used in this paper mean that we do not need to apply tension to the plates, which is more applicable to practical engineering, the achievement of noise reduction is better and the installation of plates is more user-friendly than that of the membranes. The effects of different structural parameters of the plates on the sound-proofed performance at low-frequencies were also investigated by experiment and finite element method (FEM). The results showed that the STL can be modulated effectively and predictably using vibration theory by changing the structural parameters, such as the radius and thickness of the plate. Furthermore, using unit cells of different geometric sizes which are responsible for different frequency regions, the stacked panels with thickness ≤16 mm and weight ≤5 kg/m2 showed high STL below 2000 Hz. The acoustic metamaterial proposed in this study could provide a potential application in the low-frequency noise insulation.

DEVELOPMENT OF EXTREMELY LOW FREQUENCY PASSIVE SHIELDING APPLICATION USING MAGNETIC AQUEOUS SUBSTRATE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NOOR ASHIKIN MOHD RASHID

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Public concerns on Extremely Low Frequency (ELF Electromagnetic Field (EMF exposure have been elongated since the last few decades. Electrical substations and high tension rooms in commercial buildings were among the contributing factors emanating ELF magnetic fields. This paper discussed various shielding methods conventionally used in mitigating the ELF exposure. Nevertheless, the standard methods were found to be impractical and incapable of meeting currents shielding demands. In response to that, remarkable researches were conducted in effort to invent novel methods which is more convenient and efficient such as magnetic aqueous shielding or paint, textiles and papers shielding. A magnetic aqueous substrate, Manganese Zinc Ferrite was used as shielding material. The magnetic field and flux distribution inside the aqueous magnetic material are evaluated to optimize shielding against ELFEMF exposure, as to mitigate its exposure.

High and low spatial frequencies in website evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Thielsch, Meinald T; Hirschfeld, Gerrit

2010-08-01

Which features of websites are important for users' perceptions regarding aesthetics or usability? This study investigates how evaluations of aesthetic appeal and usability depend on high vs. low spatial frequencies. High spatial frequencies convey information on fine details, whereas low spatial frequencies convey information about the global layout. Participants rated aesthetic appeal and usability of 50 website screenshots from different domains. Screenshots were presented unfiltered, low-pass filtered with blurred targets or high-pass filtered with high-pass filtered targets. The main result is that low spatial frequencies can be seen to have a unique contribution in perceived website aesthetics, thus confirming a central prediction from processing fluency theory. There was no connection between low spatial frequencies and usability evaluations, whereas strong correlations were found between ratings of high-pass filtered websites and those of unfiltered websites in aesthetics and usability. This study thus offers a new perspective on the biological basis of users' website perceptions. This research links ergonomics to neurocognitive models of visual processing. This paper investigates how high and low spatial frequencies, which are neurologically processed in different visual pathways, independently contribute to users' perceptions of websites. This is very relevant for theories of website perceptions and for practitioners of web design.

Occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and risk for central nervous system disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Camilla; Poulsen, Aslak Harbo; Rod, Naja Hulvej

2017-01-01

Purpose: Evidence of whether exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) is related to central nervous system diseases is inconsistent. This study updates a previous study of the incidence of such diseases in a large cohort of Danish utility workers by almost doubling the period...

The Biological Effect of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields and Vibrations on Barley Seed Hydration and Germination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Armine Amyan

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The changes of wet and dry weights and germination of barley seed in different periods of its swelling in nontreated (control, extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMF –treated, and extremely low frequency vibrations (ELFV–treated cold (4°C and warm (20°C distilled water (DW were studied. The metabolic-dependent seed hydration, dry weight dissolving, germination, and water binding in seed were modulated by preliminary EMF- and ELFV-treated DW. Frequency “windows” for the effect of EMF and ELFV on seed hydration, solubility, water binding in seed, and germination were discovered. These “windows” were different for EMF and ELFV, as well as in various phases of seed swelling. It is suggested that EMF-induced water structure modification has a different biological effect on the process of seed hydration, solubility, water binding in seed, and germination compared to ELFV.

Occupational Exposure Assessment of Tehran Metro Drivers to Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

mohammad reza Monazzam

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Occupational exposure to Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Fields (ELF-MFs in train drivers is an integral part of the driving task and creates concern about driving jobs. The present study was designed to investigate the occupational exposure of Tehran train drivers to extremely low frequency magnetic fields. Methods: In order to measure the driver’s exposure, from each line, a random sample in AC and DC type trains was selected and measurements were done according to the IEEE std 644-1994 using a triple axis TES-394 device. Train drivers were then compared with national occupational exposure limit guidelines. Results: The maximum and minimum mean exposure was found in AC external city trains (1.2±1.5 μT and DC internal city trains (0.31±0.2 μT, respectively. The maximum and minimum exposure was 9 μT and 0.08 μT in AC trains of line 5, respectively. In the internal train line, maximum and minimum values were 5.4 μT and 0.08 μT in AC trains. Conclusions: In none of the exposure scenarios in different trains, the exposure exceeded the national or international occupational exposure limit guidelines. However, this should not be the basis of safety in these fields

High-Frequency, Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Enhances Alveolar Bone Healing of Extraction Sockets in Rats: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Kyung Lhi; Kim, Eun-Cheol; Park, Joon Bong; Heo, Jung Sun; Choi, Yumi

2016-02-01

Most studies of the beneficial effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on bone healing have used frequencies between 1.0 and 1.5 MHz. However, after consideration of ultrasound wave characteristics and depth of target tissue, higher-frequency LIPUS may have been more effective on superficially positioned alveolar bone. We investigated this hypothesis by applying LIPUS (frequency, 3.0 MHz; intensity, 30 mW/cm(2)) on shaved right cheeks over alveolar bones of tooth extraction sockets in rats for 10 min/d for 2 wk after tooth extraction; the control group (left cheek of the same rats) did not receive LIPUS treatment. Compared with the control group, the LIPUS group manifested more new bone growth inside the sockets on histomorphometric analysis (maximal difference = 2.5-fold on the seventh day after extraction) and higher expressions of osteogenesis-related mRNAs and proteins than the control group did. These findings indicate that 3.0-MHz LIPUS could enhance alveolar bone formation and calcification in rats. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interaction of extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields with humans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenforde, T.S.

1991-07-01

At a macroscopic level, the effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields on humans are well understood based on fundamental physical principles, but far less is known about the nature of the interactions at a cellular or molecular level. Current evidence suggests the effects of ELF on cellular biochemistry are due to interactions with the cell membrane. Elucidation of the mechanism that underlies this transmembrane signaling is critical for a molecular-level understanding of ELF field effects. Further research is also required to clarify a possible link between ELF exposure and increased cancer risk, since estimated ELF exposure in occupational or residential settings is much lower that the levels used in laboratory studies. There is a clear need for additional epidemiological research in which qualitative dosimetry is used to characterize ELF exposure and careful attention is given to possible effects of confounding variables. 24 refs

Solidification at the High and Low Rate Extreme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meco, Halim [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2004-12-19

The microstructures formed upon solidification are strongly influenced by the imposed growth rates on an alloy system. Depending on the characteristics of the solidification process, a wide range of growth rates is accessible. The prevailing solidification mechanisms, and thus the final microstructure of the alloy, are governed by these imposed growth rates. At the high rate extreme, for instance, one can have access to novel microstructures that are unattainable at low growth rates. While the low growth rates can be utilized for the study of the intrinsic growth behavior of a certain phase growing from the melt. Although the length scales associated with certain processes, such as capillarity, and the diffusion of heat and solute, are different at low and high rate extremes, the phenomena that govern the selection of a certain microstructural length scale or a growth mode are the same. Consequently, one can analyze the solidification phenomena at both high and low rates by using the same governing principles. In this study, we examined the microstructural control at both low and high extremes. For the high rate extreme, the formation of crystalline products and factors that control the microstructure during rapid solidification by free-jet melt spinning are examined in Fe-Si-B system. Particular attention was given to the behavior of the melt pool at different quench-wheel speeds. Since the solidification process takes place within the melt-pool that forms on the rotating quench-wheel, we examined the influence of melt-pool dynamics on nucleation and growth of crystalline solidification products and glass formation. High-speed imaging of the melt-pool, analysis of ribbon microstructure, and measurement of ribbon geometry and surface character all indicate upper and lower limits for melt-spinning rates for which nucleation can be avoided, and fully amorphous ribbons can be achieved. Comparison of the relevant time scales reveals that surface-controlled melt

The Source of Variation in Policies around the World: The Case of Protection of Human Health from Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kandel, S.

2006-01-01

Scientific evidence supposedly plays a dominant role in environmental and public health regulation. This paper uses the example of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields regulation to test whether this is indeed the case. The paper first shows that there exists a significant variation in health protection policies for Extremely Low Frequencies Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields around the world. Some countries adopt the international scientific-based guidelines while other countries choose to apply additional precautionary regulations of varying severity. Electromagnetic Fields policy makers around the world indicate that the Cost Benefit Analysis is one of the parameters considered for their choice among various policy options. A simple Cost Benefit Analysis framework is presented, utilizing scientific evidence on health risks from Extremely Low Frequencies as well as parameter values used in the Cost Benefit Analysis studies from California, Netherlands, Israel, and the United Kingdom to determine the justification of using several mitigation techniques. This Cost Benefit Analysis using data from the different countries leads to a clear conclusion: under all parameter values considered, only the low cost intervention measures, such as re-phasing and compacting lines, are justified. Re-routing lines, except in cases of very close proximity to residences, and under grounding existing lines cannot be justified due to the high costs involved and the small health benefits that are projected. Since the stringent policies cannot be accomplished with the low-cost measures, this suggests that if the Cost Benefit Analysis were indeed the basis for the policies implemented in different countries, one would expect a smaller variation in the worldwide policies observed today. The divergence between the policies that are implemented and those that can be supported by the Cost Benefit Analysis suggests that the Cost Benefit Analysis is either not used to

Negative beliefs about low back pain are associated with persistent high intensity low back pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Sin Ki; Cicuttini, Flavia M; Wang, Yuanyuan; Wluka, Anita E; Fitzgibbon, Bernadette; Urquhart, Donna M

2017-08-01

While previous cross-sectional studies have found that negative beliefs about low back pain are associated with pain intensity, the relationship between back beliefs and persistent low back pain is not well understood. This cohort study aimed to examine the role of back beliefs in persistent low back pain in community-based individuals. A hundred and ninety-two participants from a previous musculoskeletal health study were invited to take part in a two-year follow-up study. Beliefs about back pain were assessed by the Back Beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) at baseline and low back pain intensity was measured by the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire at baseline and follow-up. Of the 150 respondents (78.1%), 16 (10.7%) reported persistent high intensity low back pain, 12 (8.0%) developed high intensity low back pain, in 16 (10.7%) their high intensity low back pain resolved and 106 (70.7%) experienced no high intensity low back pain. While participants were generally positive about low back pain (BBQ mean (SD) = 30.2 (6.4)), those with persistent high intensity pain reported greater negativity (BBQ mean (SD) = 22.6 (4.9)). Negative beliefs about back pain were associated with persistent high intensity low back pain after adjusting for confounders (M (SE) = 23.5 (1.6) vs. >30.1 (1.7), p back beliefs were associated with persistent high intensity low back pain over 2 years in community-based individuals. While further longitudinal studies are required, these findings suggest that targeting beliefs in programs designed to treat and prevent persistent high intensity low back pain may be important.

Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schüz, J; Grell, K; Kinsey, S

2012-01-01

A previous US study reported poorer survival in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) exposed to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) above 0.3 μT, but based on small numbers. Data from 3073 cases of childhood ALL were pooled from prospective studies conducted in Canada......, Denmark, Germany, Japan, UK and US to determine death or relapse up to 10 years from diagnosis. Adjusting for known prognostic factors, we calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival and event-free survival for ELF-MF exposure categories and by 0.1 μT increases...

Determination of the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on the percentages of peripheral blood leukocytes and histology of lymphoid organs of the mouse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicekcibasi, Aynur E.; Salbacak, A.; Buyukmumcu, M.; Okudan, N.; Celik, I.; Ozkan, Y.

2008-01-01

Objective was to determine the effects of very weak, extremely low frequency (50Hz) electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on the relative spleen weight, lymphoid organ histology, peripheral blood leukocyte and alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase positive (ANAE-positive) lymphocyte percentages of mouse. The study was carried out in the Scientific Research and Application Center of Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey in 2005. A total of 120 Swiss albino mice were divided into 6 groups (20 in each group). The experimental animals were exposed to 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 uT flux intensities (rms) of EMF at 50 Hz for 40 days. In the exposure groups with 20 animals, the body weight (BW) increased gradually in higher field intensities and reached at peak level in the 4 uT and then slightly decreased. The relative spleen weight (% of BW) was not affected. The ELF-EMF treatment did not cause any significant change in lymphocyte, monocyte and ANA-positive lymphocyte ratios, whereas percentages of neutropholis and basophiles changed non-linearly. Any change in the lymphoid organ histology which attributable to the field effect, was not observed in the exposure groups. Extremely frequency-EMF exposure with the flux intensities between 1-5 uT for 40 days did not cause any effect on the relative spleen weight, lymphoid organ histology, leukocyte and ANAE-positive lymphocyte percentages of the mouse. (author)

Assessment of extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure from GSM mobile phones.

Science.gov (United States)

Calderón, Carolina; Addison, Darren; Mee, Terry; Findlay, Richard; Maslanyj, Myron; Conil, Emmanuelle; Kromhout, Hans; Lee, Ae-kyoung; Sim, Malcolm R; Taki, Masao; Varsier, Nadège; Wiart, Joe; Cardis, Elisabeth

2014-04-01

Although radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones have received much attention, relatively little is known about the extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields emitted by phones. This paper summarises ELF magnetic flux density measurements on global system for mobile communications (GSM) mobile phones, conducted as part of the MOBI-KIDS epidemiological study. The main challenge is to identify a small number of generic phone models that can be used to classify the ELF exposure for the different phones reported in the study. Two-dimensional magnetic flux density measurements were performed on 47 GSM mobile phones at a distance of 25 mm. Maximum resultant magnetic flux density values at 217 Hz had a geometric mean of 221 (+198/-104) nT. Taking into account harmonic data, measurements suggest that mobile phones could make a substantial contribution to ELF exposure in the general population. The maximum values and easily available variables were poorly correlated. However, three groups could be defined on the basis of field pattern indicating that manufacturers and shapes of mobile phones may be the important parameters linked to the spatial characteristics of the magnetic field, and the categorization of ELF magnetic field exposure for GSM phones in the MOBI-KIDS study may be achievable on the basis of a small number of representative phones. Such categorization would result in a twofold exposure gradient between high and low exposure based on type of phone used, although there was overlap in the grouping. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Field (ELF-EMF and childhood leukemia near transmission lines: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. A. Kokate

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This article presents a systematic review of most cited studies from developed countries those shed light on the potential relation between childhood leukemia and extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF. All the findings of articles critically segregated as per some neglected parameters like number of samples, exposure duration, frequency range, distance from the radiation sources, and location during measurement of magnetic field density near power lines. Literature of major 50 studies are divided according to pooled analysis / meta-analysis, residential zone assessment and case-control studies.

Study of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields in infant incubators.

Science.gov (United States)

Cermáková, Eleonora

2003-01-01

The aim of the work was to present the results of measurements of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMF), namely the magnetic flux density, inside infant incubators, and to compare these results with the data published by other authors who point out to a possible association between leukemia or other diseases observed in newborns kept in incubators after the birth and the ELF EMF exposure in the incubator. The measured magnetic flux densities were compared with the reference values for this frequency range indicated in the European Union (EU) recommendations. The repeated measurements in incubators were made with a calibrated magnetometer EFA 300 in the frequency range of 5-30 kHz. Effective values of magnetic flux densities of ELF EMF were determined taking account of the reference values. The results of many repeated measurements showing the values of magnetic flux density in modern incubators with plastic supporting frame, were compared with those obtained in old type incubators with iron skeleton. A power frequency of 50 Hz was detected in the incubator and the ELF EMF values were by over two orders lower than the EU reference values. The paper emphasizes the need to take a special care of newborns kept in incubators even if only the sub-reference values are detected. The EU reference values are intended for the adult human population. A baby in an incubator has much smaller dimensions, higher electric conductivity and maybe trigger another mechanism of response to ELF EMF than that indicated in this paper.

Precipitation extremes on multiple timescales - Bartlett-Lewis rectangular pulse model and intensity-duration-frequency curves

Science.gov (United States)

Ritschel, Christoph; Ulbrich, Uwe; Névir, Peter; Rust, Henning W.

2017-12-01

For several hydrological modelling tasks, precipitation time series with a high (i.e. sub-daily) resolution are indispensable. The data are, however, not always available, and thus model simulations are used to compensate. A canonical class of stochastic models for sub-daily precipitation are Poisson cluster processes, with the original Bartlett-Lewis (OBL) model as a prominent representative. The OBL model has been shown to well reproduce certain characteristics found in observations. Our focus is on intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) relationships, which are of particular interest in risk assessment. Based on a high-resolution precipitation time series (5 min) from Berlin-Dahlem, OBL model parameters are estimated and IDF curves are obtained on the one hand directly from the observations and on the other hand from OBL model simulations. Comparing the resulting IDF curves suggests that the OBL model is able to reproduce the main features of IDF statistics across several durations but cannot capture rare events (here an event with a return period larger than 1000 years on the hourly timescale). In this paper, IDF curves are estimated based on a parametric model for the duration dependence of the scale parameter in the generalized extreme value distribution; this allows us to obtain a consistent set of curves over all durations. We use the OBL model to investigate the validity of this approach based on simulated long time series.

Biophysical control of the growth of Agrobacterium tumefaciens using extremely low frequency electromagnetic waves at resonance frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Fadel, M Ali; El-Gebaly, Reem H; Mohamed, Shaimaa A; Abdelbacki, Ashraf M M

2017-12-09

Isolated Agrobacterium tumefaciens was exposed to different extremely low frequencies of square amplitude modulated waves (QAMW) from two generators to determine the resonance frequency that causes growth inhibition. The carrier was 10 MHz sine wave with amplitude ±10 Vpp which was modulated by a second wave generator with a modulation depth of ± 2Vpp and constant field strength of 200 V/m at 28 °C. The exposure of A. tumefaciens to 1.0 Hz QAMW for 90 min inhibited the bacterial growth by 49.2%. In addition, the tested antibiotics became more effective against A. tumefaciens after the exposure. Furthermore, results of DNA, dielectric relaxation and TEM showed highly significant molecular and morphological changes due to the exposure to 1.0 Hz QAMW for 90 min. An in-vivo study has been carried out on healthy tomato plants to test the pathogenicity of A. tumefaciens before and after the exposure to QAMW at the inhibiting frequency. Symptoms of crown gall and all pathological symptoms were more aggressive in tomato plants treated with non-exposed bacteria, comparing with those treated with exposed bacteria. We concluded that, the exposure of A. tumefaciens to 1.0 Hz QAMW for 90 min modified its cellular activity and DNA structure, which inhibited the growth and affected the microbe pathogenicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A mathematical model of extremely low frequency ocean induced electromagnetic noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dautta, Manik; Faruque, Rumana Binte; Islam, Rakibul

2016-01-01

Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) system uses the principle that ferromagnetic objects disturb the magnetic lines of force of the earth. These lines of force are able to pass through both water and air in similar manners. A MAD system, usually mounted on an aerial vehicle, is thus often employed to confirm the detection and accomplish localization of large ferromagnetic objects submerged in a sea-water environment. However, the total magnetic signal encountered by a MAD system includes contributions from a myriad of low to Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) sources. The goal of the MAD system is to detect small anomaly signals in the midst of these low-frequency interfering signals. Both the Range of Detection (R_d) and the Probability of Detection (P_d) are limited by the ratio of anomaly signal strength to the interfering magnetic noise. In this paper, we report a generic mathematical model to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio or SNR. Since time-variant electro-magnetic signals are affected by conduction losses due to sea-water conductivity and the presence of air-water interface, we employ the general formulation of dipole induced electromagnetic field propagation in stratified media [1]. As a first step we employ a volumetric distribution of isolated elementary magnetic dipoles, each having its own dipole strength and orientation, to estimate the magnetic noise observed by a MAD system. Numerical results are presented for a few realizations out of an ensemble of possible realizations of elementary dipole source distributions.

Intensity changes in future extreme precipitation: A statistical event-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Manola, Iris; van den Hurk, Bart; de Moel, Hans; Aerts, Jeroen

2017-04-01

Short-lived precipitation extremes are often responsible for hazards in urban and rural environments with economic and environmental consequences. The precipitation intensity is expected to increase about 7% per degree of warming, according to the Clausius-Clapeyron (CC) relation. However, the observations often show a much stronger increase in the sub-daily values. In particular, the behavior of the hourly summer precipitation from radar observations with the dew point temperature (the Pi-Td relation) for the Netherlands suggests that for moderate to warm days the intensification of the precipitation can be even higher than 21% per degree of warming, that is 3 times higher than the expected CC relation. The rate of change depends on the initial precipitation intensity, as low percentiles increase with a rate below CC, the medium percentiles with 2CC and the moderate-high and high percentiles with 3CC. This non-linear statistical Pi-Td relation is suggested to be used as a delta-transformation to project how a historic extreme precipitation event would intensify under future, warmer conditions. Here, the Pi-Td relation is applied over a selected historic extreme precipitation event to 'up-scale' its intensity to warmer conditions. Additionally, the selected historic event is simulated in the high-resolution, convective-permitting weather model Harmonie. The initial and boundary conditions are alternated to represent future conditions. The comparison between the statistical and the numerical method of projecting the historic event to future conditions showed comparable intensity changes, which depending on the initial percentile intensity, range from below CC to a 3CC rate of change per degree of warming. The model tends to overestimate the future intensities for the low- and the very high percentiles and the clouds are somewhat displaced, due to small wind and convection changes. The total spatial cloud coverage in the model remains, as also in the statistical

Effect of grazing frequency and intensity on Lolium perenne L ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

) system. Low frequency, low intensity grazing produced lower CDMD and herbage N levels than higher grazing frequencies and intensities. These differences were, however, generally small. Overall, levels of herbage digestibility (estimated ...

Correlation analysis of extremely low-frequency variations of the natural electromagnetic Earth field and the problem of detecting periodical gravitational radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balakin, A.B.; Murzakhanov, Z.G.; Grunskaya, L.V.

1994-01-01

A proposal on the experimental detection of extremely low-frequency variations of the electromagnetic Earth field at the gravitational-wave frequency and method for correlation processing results of the experiments are described. 14 refs

WHO's health risk assessment of extremely low frequency electric fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Repacholi, M.H.

2003-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), WHOs scientific collaborating centres (including the UKs National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) and over 50 participating Member States are participants of WHOs International EMF Project. As part of WHOs health risk assessment process for extremely low frequency fields (ELFs), this workshop was convened by NRPB to assist WHO in evaluating potential health impacts of electrical currents and fields induced by ELF in molecules, cells, tissues and organs of the body. This paper describes the process by which WHO will conduct its health risk assessment. WHO is also trying to provide information on why exposure to ELF magnetic fields seems to be associated with an increased incidence of childhood leukaemia. Are there mechanisms that could lead to this health outcome or does the epidemiological evidence incorporate biases or other factors that need to be further explored? (author)

Transient phenomena in cosmic ray intensity during extreme events

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Rekha; Mishra, Rajesh K.

2008-04-01

In the present work an analysis has been made of the extreme events occurring during July 2005. Specifically, a rather intense Forbush decrease was observed at different neutron monitors all over the world during 16 July 2005. An effort has been made to study the effect of this unusual event on cosmic ray intensity as well as various solar and interplanetary plasma parameters. It is noteworthy that during 11 to 18 July 2005 the solar activity ranged from low to very active. Especially low levels occurred on 11, 15, and 17 July whereas high levels took place on 14 and 16 July 2005. The Sun is observed to be active during 11 to 18 July 2005, the interplanetary magnetic field intensity lies within 15 nT, and solar wind velocity was limited to ˜500 kms-1. The geomagnetic activity during this period remains very quiet, the Kp index did not exceed 5, the disturbance storm time Dst index remains ˜-70 nT and no sudden storm commencement has been detected during this period. It is noted that for the majority of the hours, the north/south component of the interplanetary magnetic field, Bz, remains negative, and the cosmic ray intensity increases and shows good/high correlation with Bz, as the polarity of Bz tends to shift from negative to positive values, the intensity decreases and shows good/high anti-correlation with Bz. The cosmic ray intensity tends to decrease with increase of interplanetary magnetic field strength (B) and shows anti-correlation for the majority of the days.

Extremely short duration high intensity interval training substantially improves insulin action in young healthy males

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Babraj, John A; Vollaard, Niels B J; Keast, Cameron

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Traditional high volume aerobic exercise training reduces cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk but involves a substantial time commitment. Extremely low volume high-intensity interval training (HIT) has recently been demonstrated to produce improvements to aerobic function...... cycle sprints per session). Aerobic performance (250-kJ self-paced cycling time trial), and glucose, insulin and NEFA responses to a 75-g oral glucose load (oral glucose tolerance test; OGTT) were determined before and after training. RESULTS: Following 2 weeks of HIT, the area under the plasma glucose......, to substantially improve insulin action in young sedentary subjects is remarkable. This novel time-efficient training paradigm can be used as a strategy to reduce metabolic risk factors in young and middle aged sedentary populations who otherwise would not adhere to time consuming traditional aerobic exercise...

A mathematical model of extremely low frequency ocean induced electromagnetic noise

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dautta, Manik, E-mail: manik.dautta@anyeshan.com; Faruque, Rumana Binte, E-mail: rumana.faruque@anyeshan.com; Islam, Rakibul, E-mail: rakibul.islam@anyeshan.com [Research & Development Engineer, Anyeshan Limited, Dhaka (Bangladesh)

2016-07-12

Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) system uses the principle that ferromagnetic objects disturb the magnetic lines of force of the earth. These lines of force are able to pass through both water and air in similar manners. A MAD system, usually mounted on an aerial vehicle, is thus often employed to confirm the detection and accomplish localization of large ferromagnetic objects submerged in a sea-water environment. However, the total magnetic signal encountered by a MAD system includes contributions from a myriad of low to Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) sources. The goal of the MAD system is to detect small anomaly signals in the midst of these low-frequency interfering signals. Both the Range of Detection (R{sub d}) and the Probability of Detection (P{sub d}) are limited by the ratio of anomaly signal strength to the interfering magnetic noise. In this paper, we report a generic mathematical model to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio or SNR. Since time-variant electro-magnetic signals are affected by conduction losses due to sea-water conductivity and the presence of air-water interface, we employ the general formulation of dipole induced electromagnetic field propagation in stratified media [1]. As a first step we employ a volumetric distribution of isolated elementary magnetic dipoles, each having its own dipole strength and orientation, to estimate the magnetic noise observed by a MAD system. Numerical results are presented for a few realizations out of an ensemble of possible realizations of elementary dipole source distributions.

Biological effects of low frequency high intensity ultrasound application on ex vivo human adipose tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Palumbo, P; Cinque, B; Miconi, G; La Torre, C; Zoccali, G; Vrentzos, N; Vitale, A R; Leocata, P; Lombardi, D; Lorenzo, C; D'Angelo, B; Macchiarelli, G; Cimini, A; Cifone, M G; Giuliani, M

2011-01-01

In the present work the effects of a new low frequency, high intensity ultrasound technology on human adipose tissue ex vivo were studied. In particular, we investigated the effects of both external and surgical ultrasound-irradiation (10 min) by evaluating, other than sample weight loss and fat release, also histological architecture alteration as well apoptosis induction. The influence of saline buffer tissue-infiltration on the effects of ultrasound irradiation was also examined. The results suggest that, in our experimental conditions, both transcutaneous and surgical ultrasound exposure caused a significant weight loss and fat release. This effect was more relevant when the ultrasound intensity was set at 100 % (~2.5 W/cm², for external device; ~19-21 W/cm2, for surgical device) compared to 70 % (~1.8 W/cm² for external device; ~13-14 W/cm2 for surgical device). Of note, the effectiveness of ultrasound was much higher when the tissue samples were previously infiltrated with saline buffer, in accordance with the knowledge that ultrasonic waves in aqueous solution better propagate with a consequently more efficient cavitation process. Moreover, the overall effects of ultrasound irradiation did not appear immediately after treatment but persisted over time, being significantly more relevant at 18 h from the end of ultrasound irradiation. Evaluation of histological characteristics of ultrasound-irradiated samples showed a clear alteration of adipose tissue architecture as well a prominent destruction of collagen fibers which were dependent on ultrasound intensity and most relevant in saline buffer-infiltrated samples. The structural changes of collagen bundles present between the lobules of fat cells were confirmed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which clearly demonstrated how ultrasound exposure induced a drastic reduction in the compactness of the adipose connective tissue and an irregular arrangement of the fibers with a consequent alteration in

The Influence of High-Frequency Envelope Information on Low-Frequency Vowel Identification in Noise.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wiebke Schubotz

Full Text Available Vowel identification in noise using consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC logatomes was used to investigate a possible interplay of speech information from different frequency regions. It was hypothesized that the periodicity conveyed by the temporal envelope of a high frequency stimulus can enhance the use of the information carried by auditory channels in the low-frequency region that share the same periodicity. It was further hypothesized that this acts as a strobe-like mechanism and would increase the signal-to-noise ratio for the voiced parts of the CVCs. In a first experiment, different high-frequency cues were provided to test this hypothesis, whereas a second experiment examined more closely the role of amplitude modulations and intact phase information within the high-frequency region (4-8 kHz. CVCs were either natural or vocoded speech (both limited to a low-pass cutoff-frequency of 2.5 kHz and were presented in stationary 3-kHz low-pass filtered masking noise. The experimental results did not support the hypothesized use of periodicity information for aiding low-frequency perception.

The Influence of High-Frequency Envelope Information on Low-Frequency Vowel Identification in Noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Schubotz, Wiebke; Brand, Thomas; Kollmeier, Birger; Ewert, Stephan D

2016-01-01

Vowel identification in noise using consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) logatomes was used to investigate a possible interplay of speech information from different frequency regions. It was hypothesized that the periodicity conveyed by the temporal envelope of a high frequency stimulus can enhance the use of the information carried by auditory channels in the low-frequency region that share the same periodicity. It was further hypothesized that this acts as a strobe-like mechanism and would increase the signal-to-noise ratio for the voiced parts of the CVCs. In a first experiment, different high-frequency cues were provided to test this hypothesis, whereas a second experiment examined more closely the role of amplitude modulations and intact phase information within the high-frequency region (4-8 kHz). CVCs were either natural or vocoded speech (both limited to a low-pass cutoff-frequency of 2.5 kHz) and were presented in stationary 3-kHz low-pass filtered masking noise. The experimental results did not support the hypothesized use of periodicity information for aiding low-frequency perception.

Modulation of cochlear tuning by low-frequency sound

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klis, J.F.L.; Prijs, V.F.; Latour, J.B.; Smoorenburg, G.F.

1988-01-01

An intense, low-frequency tone (about 30 Hz) modulates the sensitivity of the inner ear to high-frequency stimulation. This modulation is correlated with the displacement of the basilar membrane. The findings suggest that the modulation may also affect cochlear tuning. We have investigated

Electric and magnetic fields at extremely low frequencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, L.E.; Kaune, W.T.

1989-01-01

Whole-body exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF, 30-300 Hz) electric fields may involve effects related to stimulation of the sensory apparatus at the body surface (hair vibration, possible direct neural stimulation) and effects within the body caused by the flow of current. Magnetic fields may interact predominantly by the induction of internal current flow. Biological effects observed in a living organism may depend on the electric fields induced inside the body, possibly on the magnetic fields penetrating into the body, and on the fields acting at the surface of the body. Areas in which effects have been observed often appear to be associated with the nervous system, including altered neuronal excitability and neurochemical changes, altered hormone levels, changes in behavioural responses, and changes in biological rhythms. No studies unequivocably demonstrate deleterious effects of ELF electric or magnetic field exposure on mammalian reproduction and development, but several suggest such effects. Exposure to ELF electric and magnetic fields does produce biological effects. However, except for fields strong enough to induce current densities above the threshold for the stimulation of nerve tissues, there is no consensus as to whether these effects constitute a hazard to human health. Human data from epidemiological studies, including reported effects on cancer promotion, congenital malformations, reproductive performance and general health, though somewhat suggestive of adverse health effects, are not conclusive. 274 refs, 13 figs, 6 tabs

Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields can impair spermatogenesis recovery after reversible testicular damage induced by heat.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenorio, Bruno Mendes; Ferreira Filho, Moisés Bonifacio Alves; Jimenez, George Chaves; de Morais, Rosana Nogueira; Peixoto, Christina Alves; Nogueira, Romildo de Albuquerque; da Silva Junior, Valdemiro Amaro

2014-06-01

Male infertility is often related to reproductive age couples experiencing fertility-related issues. Men may have fertility problems associated with reversible testicular damage. Considering that men have been increasingly exposed to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields generated by the production, distribution and use of electricity, this study analyzed whether 60 Hz and 1 mT magnetic field exposure may impair spermatogenesis recovery after reversible testicular damage induced by heat shock using rats as an experimental model. Adult male rats were subjected to a single testicular heat shock (HS, 43 °C for 12 min) and then exposed to the magnetic field for 15, 30 and 60 d after HS. Magnetic field exposure during the spermatogenesis recovery induced changes in testis components volume, cell ultrastructure and histomorphometrical parameters. Control animals had a reestablished and active spermatogenesis at 60 d after heat shock, while animals exposed to magnetic field still showed extensive testicular degeneration. Magnetic field exposure did not change the plasma testosterone. In conclusion, extremely low-frequency magnetic field may be harmful to fertility recovery in males affected by reversible testicular damage.

Major enhancement of extra-low-frequency radiation by increasing the high-frequency heating wave power in electrojet modulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuo, S.P.; Lee, S.H.; Kossey, Paul

2002-01-01

Extra-low-frequency (ELF) wave generation by modulated polar electrojet currents is studied. The amplitude-modulated high-frequency (HF) heating wave excites a stimulated thermal instability to enhance the electrojet current modulation by the passive Ohmic heating process. Inelastic collisions of electrons with neutral particles (mainly due to vibrational excitation of N 2 ) damp nonlinearly this instability, which is normally saturated at low levels. However, the electron's inelastic collision loss rate drops rapidly to a low value in the energy regime from 3.5 to 6 eV. As the power of the modulated HF heating wave exceeds a threshold level, it is shown that significant electron heating enhanced by the stimulated thermal instability can indeed cause a steep drop in the electron inelastic collision loss rate. Consequently, this instability saturates at a much higher level, resulting to a near step increase (of about 10-13 dB, depending on the modulation wave form) in the spectral intensity of ELF radiation. The dependence of the threshold power of the HF heating wave on the modulation frequency is determined

Low- Versus High-Intensity Plyometric Exercise During Rehabilitation After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Chmielewski, Terese L; George, Steven Z; Tillman, Susan M; Moser, Michael W; Lentz, Trevor A; Indelicato, Peter A; Trumble, Troy N; Shuster, Jonathan J; Cicuttini, Flavia M; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan

2016-03-01

Plyometric exercise is used during rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction to facilitate the return to sports participation. However, clinical outcomes have not been examined, and high loads on the lower extremity could be detrimental to knee articular cartilage. To compare the immediate effect of low- and high-intensity plyometric exercise during rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction on knee function, articular cartilage metabolism, and other clinically relevant measures. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Twenty-four patients who underwent unilateral ACL reconstruction (mean, 14.3 weeks after surgery; range, 12.1-17.7 weeks) were assigned to 8 weeks (16 visits) of low- or high-intensity plyometric exercise consisting of running, jumping, and agility activities. Groups were distinguished by the expected magnitude of vertical ground-reaction forces. Testing was conducted before and after the intervention. Primary outcomes were self-reported knee function (International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] subjective knee form) and a biomarker of articular cartilage degradation (urine concentrations of crosslinked C-telopeptide fragments of type II collagen [uCTX-II]). Secondary outcomes included additional biomarkers of articular cartilage metabolism (urinary concentrations of the neoepitope of type II collagen cleavage at the C-terminal three-quarter-length fragment [uC2C], serum concentrations of the C-terminal propeptide of newly formed type II collagen [sCPII]) and inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-α), functional performance (maximal vertical jump and single-legged hop), knee impairments (anterior knee laxity, average knee pain intensity, normalized quadriceps strength, quadriceps symmetry index), and psychosocial status (kinesiophobia, knee activity self-efficacy, pain catastrophizing). The change in each measure was compared between groups. Values before and after the intervention were compared with the groups

Low-volume high-intensity swim training is superior to high-volume low-intensity training in relation to insulin sensitivity and glucose control in inactive middle-aged women.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Luke J; Nordsborg, Nikolai B; Nyberg, Michael; Weihe, Pál; Krustrup, Peter; Mohr, Magni

2016-10-01

We tested the hypothesis that low-volume high-intensity swimming has a larger impact on insulin sensitivity and glucose control than high-volume low-intensity swimming in inactive premenopausal women with mild hypertension. Sixty-two untrained premenopausal women were randomised to an inactive control (n = 20; CON), a high-intensity low-volume (n = 21; HIT) or a low-intensity high-volume (n = 21; LIT) training group. During the 15-week intervention period, HIT performed 3 weekly 6-10 × 30-s all-out swimming intervals (average heart rate (HR) = 86 ± 3 % HRmax) interspersed by 2-min recovery periods and LIT swam continuously for 1 h at low intensity (average HR = 73 ± 3 % HRmax). Fasting blood samples were taken and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was conducted pre- and post-intervention. After HIT, resting plasma [insulin] was lowered (17 ± 34 %; P high-intensity intermittent swimming is an effective and time-efficient training strategy for improving insulin sensitivity, glucose control and biomarkers of vascular function in inactive, middle-aged mildly hypertensive women.

Mixed Stimulus-Induced Mode Selection in Neural Activity Driven by High and Low Frequency Current under Electromagnetic Radiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lulu Lu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The electrical activities of neurons are dependent on the complex electrophysiological condition in neuronal system, the three-variable Hindmarsh-Rose (HR neuron model is improved to describe the dynamical behaviors of neuronal activities with electromagnetic induction being considered, and the mode transition of electrical activities in neuron is detected when external electromagnetic radiation is imposed on the neuron. In this paper, different types of electrical stimulus impended with a high-low frequency current are imposed on new HR neuron model, and mixed stimulus-induced mode selection in neural activity is discussed in detail. It is found that mode selection of electrical activities stimulated by high-low frequency current, which also changes the excitability of neuron, can be triggered owing to adding the Gaussian white noise. Meanwhile, the mode selection of the neuron electrical activity is much dependent on the amplitude B of the high frequency current under the same noise intensity, and the high frequency response is selected preferentially by applying appropriate parameters and noise intensity. Our results provide insights into the transmission of complex signals in nerve system, which is valuable in engineering prospective applications such as information encoding.

Design study of a radio-frequency quadrupole for high-intensity beams

Science.gov (United States)

Bahng, Jungbae; Kim, Eun-San; Choi, Bong-Hyuk

2017-07-01

The Rare isotope Accelerator Of Newness (RAON) heavy-ion accelerator has been designed for the Rare Isotope Science Project (RISP) in Korea. The RAON will produce heavy-ion beams from 660-MeV-proton to 200-MeV/u-uranium with continuous wave (CW) power of 400 kW to support research in various scientific fields. Its system consists of an ECR ion source, LEBTs with 10 keV/u, CW RFQ accelerator with 81.25 MHz and 500 keV/u, a MEBT system, and a SC linac. In detail, the driver linac system consists of a Quarter Wave Resonator (QWR) section with 81.25 MHz and a Half Wave Resonator (HWR) section with 162.5 MHz, Linac-1, and a Spoke Cavity section with 325 MHz, Linac-2. These linacs have been designed to optimize the beam parameters to meet the required design goals. At the same time, a light-heavy ion accelerator with high-intensity beam, such as proton, deuteron, and helium beams, is required for experiments. In this paper, we present the design study of the high intensity RFQ for a deuteron beam with energies from 30 keV/u to 1.5 MeV/u and currents in the mA range. This system is composed of an Penning Ionization Gauge ion source, short LEBT with a RF deflector, and shared SC Linac. In order to increase acceleration efficiency in a short length with low cost, the 2nd harmonic of 162.5 MHz is applied as the operation frequency in the D+ RFQ design. The D+ RFQ is designed with 4.97 m, 1.52 bravery factor. Since it operates with 2nd harmonic frequency, the beam should be 50% of the duty factor while the cavity should be operated in CW mode, to protect the downstream linac system. We focus on avoiding emittance growth by the space-charge effect and optimizing the RFQ to achieve a high transmission and low emittance growth. Both the RFQ beam dynamics study and RFQ cavity design study for two and three dimensions will be discussed. Supported by Korea University Future Research Grant

Study on the Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Field (EMF) emission from overhead High-Voltage Transmission Lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parthasarathy, S.R.; Roha Tukimin; Wan Saffiey Wan Abdullah; Zulkifli Yusof; Mohd Azizi Mohd Jali

2016-01-01

The paper highlights the study on the Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Field (EMF) emission performed at an overhead 275-kV High-Voltage Transmission Lines. The study comprised of assessment at the transmission lines on 3 different cases and locations in Klang Valley, specifically on a vacant land near the transmission line, inside and around the house at the vicinity of the transmission line and the area directly under the transmission line. The instrument setup and measurement protocols during the assessment were adopted from standard measurement method and procedures stipulated under the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard. The results were compared with the standards recommended in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. The results showed that the measured field strengths are within the safety limit with the highest measured exposure was 10.8 % and 1.8 % of the permissible exposure limit for the electric and magnetic field respectively. Both the field strengths were found to drop significantly against distance from the transmission lines where closer distances showed higher field strengths. Furthermore, the study revealed that buildings and other object such as trees and shrubs screen out the electric field, resulting in a lower value at indoor measurements and near the stated objects. In addition, higher value of electric and magnetic field strengths were recorded when assessment was being done directly under the transmission line compared to the lateral measurement. (author)

Low-Frequency Pulsed Current Versus Kilohertz-Frequency Alternating Current: A Scoping Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaz, Marco Aurélio; Frasson, Viviane Bortoluzzi

2018-04-01

To compare the effectiveness of low-frequency pulsed current versus kilohertz-frequency alternating current in terms of evoked force, discomfort level, current intensity, and muscle fatigability; to discuss the physiological mechanisms of each neuromuscular electrical stimulation type; and to determine if kilohertz-frequency alternating current is better than low-frequency pulsed current for clinical treatment. Articles were obtained from PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and SPORTSDiscus databases using the terms Russian current or kilohertz current or alternating current or pulsed current or Aussie current and torque or discomfort or fatigue or current intensity, and through citation tracking up to July 2017. Two independent reviewers selected studies comparing the use of the 2 neuromuscular electrical stimulation currents. Studies describing maximal current intensity tolerated and the main effects of the 2 different current types on discomfort, muscle force, and fatigability were independently reviewed. Data were systematized according to (1) methodology; (2) electrical current characteristics; and (3) outcomes on discomfort level, evoked force, current intensity, and muscle fatigability. The search revealed 15 articles comparing the 2 current types. Kilohertz-frequency alternated current generated equal or less force, similar discomfort, similar current intensity for maximal tolerated neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and more fatigue compared with low-frequency pulsed current. Similar submaximal levels of evoked force revealed higher discomfort and current intensity for kilohertz-frequency alternated current compared with low-frequency pulsed current. Available evidence does not support the idea that kilohertz-frequency alternated current is better than low-frequency pulsed current for strength training and rehabilitation. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier

Changes in Intense Precipitation Events in West Africa and the central U.S. under Global Warming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cook, Kerry H. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Vizy, Edward [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

2016-02-08

The purpose of the proposed project is to improve our understanding of the physical processes and large-scale connectivity of changes in intense precipitation events (high rainfall rates) under global warming in West Africa and the central U.S., including relationships with low-frequency modes of variability. This is in response to the requested subject area #2 “simulation of climate extremes under a changing climate … to better quantify the frequency, duration, and intensity of extreme events under climate change and elucidate the role of low frequency climate variability in modulating extremes.” We will use a regional climate model and emphasize an understanding of the physical processes that lead to an intensification of rainfall. The project objectives are as follows: 1. Understand the processes responsible for simulated changes in warm-season rainfall intensity and frequency over West Africa and the Central U.S. associated with greenhouse gas-induced global warming 2. Understand the relationship between changes in warm-season rainfall intensity and frequency, which generally occur on regional space scales, and the larger-scale global warming signal by considering modifications of low-frequency modes of variability. 3. Relate changes simulated on regional space scales to global-scale theories of how and why atmospheric moisture levels and rainfall should change as climate warms.

Frequency conversion of high-intensity, femtosecond laser pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banks, P S

1997-06-01

Almost since the invention of the laser, frequency conversion of optical pulses via non- linear processes has been an area of active interest. However, third harmonic generation using ~(~1 (THG) in solids is an area that has not received much attention because of ma- terial damage limits. Recently, the short, high-intensity pulses possible with chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) laser systems allow the use of intensities on the order of 1 TW/cm2 in thin solids without damage. As a light source to examine single-crystal THG in solids and other high field inter- actions, the design and construction of a Ti:sapphire-based CPA laser system capable of ultimately producing peak powers of 100 TW is presented. Of special interest is a novel, all-reflective pulse stretcher design which can stretch a pulse temporally by a factor of 20,000. The stretcher design can also compensate for the added material dispersion due to propagation through the amplifier chain and produce transform-limited 45 fs pulses upon compression. A series of laser-pumped amplifiers brings the peak power up to the terawatt level at 10 Hz, and the design calls for additional amplifiers to bring the power level to the 100 TW level for single shot operation. The theory for frequency conversion of these short pulses is presented, focusing on conversion to the third harmonic in single crystals of BBO, KD*P, and d-LAP (deuterated I-arginine phosphate). Conversion efficiencies of up to 6% are obtained with 500 fs pulses at 1053 nm in a 3 mm thick BBO crystal at 200 GW/cm 2. Contributions to this process by unphasematched, cascaded second harmonic generation and sum frequency generation are shown to be very significant. The angular relationship between the two orders is used to measure the tensor elements of C = xt3)/4 with Crs = -1.8 x 1O-23 m2/V2 and .15Cri + .54Crs = 4.0 x 1O-23 m2/V2. Conversion efficiency in d-LAP is about 20% that in BBO and conversion efficiency in KD*P is 1% that of BBO. It is calculated

No effects of power line frequency extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure on selected neurobehavior tests of workers inspecting transformers and distribution line stations versus controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Li; Xiong, De-fu; Liu, Jia-wen; Li, Zi-xin; Zeng, Guang-cheng; Li, Hua-liang

2014-03-01

We aimed to evaluate the interference of 50 Hz extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) occupational exposure on the neurobehavior tests of workers performing tour-inspection close to transformers and distribution power lines. Occupational short-term "spot" measurements were carried out. 310 inspection workers and 300 logistics staff were selected as exposure and control. The neurobehavior tests were performed through computer-based neurobehavior evaluation system, including mental arithmetic, curve coincide, simple visual reaction time, visual retention, auditory digit span and pursuit aiming. In 500 kV areas electric field intensity at 71.98% of total measured 590 spots were above 5 kV/m (national occupational standard), while in 220 kV areas electric field intensity at 15.69% of total 701 spots were above 5 kV/m. Magnetic field flux density at all the spots was below 1,000 μT (ICNIRP occupational standard). The neurobehavior score changes showed no statistical significance. Results of neurobehavior tests among different age, seniority groups showed no significant changes. Neurobehavior changes caused by daily repeated ELF-EMF exposure were not observed in the current study.

Developmental effects of extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juutilainen, J.

2003-01-01

Developmental effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields are briefly reviewed in this paper. The results of animal studies on ELF electric fields are rather consistent, and do not suggest adverse effects on development. The results of studies on ELF magnetic fields suggest effects on bird embryo development, but not consistently in all studies. Results from experiments with other non-mammalian species have also suggested effects on developmental stability. In mammals, pre-natal exposure to ELF magnetic fields does not result in strong adverse effects on development. The only finding that shows some consistency is increase of minor skeleton alterations. Epidemiological studies do not establish an association between human adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal exposure to ELF fields, although a few studies have reported increased risks associated with some characteristics of magnetic field exposure. Taken as a whole, the results do not show strong adverse effects on development. However, additional studies on the suggested subtle effects on developmental stability might increase our understanding of the sensitivity of organisms to weak ELF fields. (author)

Regional Frequency and Uncertainty Analysis of Extreme Precipitation in Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Mortuza, M. R.; Demissie, Y.; Li, H. Y.

2014-12-01

Increased frequency of extreme precipitations, especially those with multiday durations, are responsible for recent urban floods and associated significant losses of lives and infrastructures in Bangladesh. Reliable and routinely updated estimation of the frequency of occurrence of such extreme precipitation events are thus important for developing up-to-date hydraulic structures and stormwater drainage system that can effectively minimize future risk from similar events. In this study, we have updated the intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves for Bangladesh using daily precipitation data from 1961 to 2010 and quantified associated uncertainties. Regional frequency analysis based on L-moments is applied on 1-day, 2-day and 5-day annual maximum precipitation series due to its advantages over at-site estimation. The regional frequency approach pools the information from climatologically similar sites to make reliable estimates of quantiles given that the pooling group is homogeneous and of reasonable size. We have used Region of influence (ROI) approach along with homogeneity measure based on L-moments to identify the homogenous pooling groups for each site. Five 3-parameter distributions (i.e., Generalized Logistic, Generalized Extreme value, Generalized Normal, Pearson Type Three, and Generalized Pareto) are used for a thorough selection of appropriate models that fit the sample data. Uncertainties related to the selection of the distributions and historical data are quantified using the Bayesian Model Averaging and Balanced Bootstrap approaches respectively. The results from this study can be used to update the current design and management of hydraulic structures as well as in exploring spatio-temporal variations of extreme precipitation and associated risk.

High-precision and low-cost vibration generator for low-frequency calibration system

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui-Jun; Lei, Ying-Jun; Zhang, Lian-Sheng; Chang, Zhen-Xin; Fan, Kuang-Chao; Cheng, Zhen-Ying; Hu, Peng-Hao

2018-03-01

Low-frequency vibration is one of the harmful factors that affect the accuracy of micro-/nano-measuring machines because its amplitude is significantly small and it is very difficult to avoid. In this paper, a low-cost and high-precision vibration generator was developed to calibrate an optical accelerometer, which is self-designed to detect low-frequency vibration. A piezoelectric actuator is used as vibration exciter, a leaf spring made of beryllium copper is used as an elastic component, and a high-resolution, low-thermal-drift eddy current sensor is applied to investigate the vibrator’s performance. Experimental results demonstrate that the vibration generator can achieve steady output displacement with frequency range from 0.6 Hz to 50 Hz, an analytical displacement resolution of 3.1 nm and an acceleration range from 3.72 mm s-2 to 1935.41 mm s-2 with a relative standard deviation less than 1.79%. The effectiveness of the high-precision and low-cost vibration generator was verified by calibrating our optical accelerometer.

Neuronal cellular responses to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure: implications regarding oxidative stress and neurodegeneration.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcella Reale

Full Text Available Neurodegenerative diseases comprise both hereditary and sporadic conditions characterized by an identifying progressive nervous system dysfunction and distinctive neuopathophysiology. The majority are of non-familial etiology and hence environmental factors and lifestyle play key roles in their pathogenesis. The extensive use of and ever increasing worldwide demand for electricity has stimulated societal and scientific interest on the environmental exposure to low frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs on human health. Epidemiological studies suggest a positive association between 50/60-Hz power transmission fields and leukemia or lymphoma development. Consequent to the association between EMFs and induction of oxidative stress, concerns relating to development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease (AD, have been voiced as the brain consumes the greatest fraction of oxygen and is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. Exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF-EMFs are reported to alter animal behavior and modulate biological variables, including gene expression, regulation of cell survival, promotion of cellular differentiation, and changes in cerebral blood flow in aged AD transgenic mice. Alterations in inflammatory responses have also been reported, but how these actions impact human health remains unknown. We hence evaluated the effects of an electromagnetic wave (magnetic field intensity 1 mT; frequency, 50-Hz on a well-characterized immortalized neuronal cell model, human SH-SY5Y cells. ELF-EMF exposure elevated the expession of NOS and O2(-, which were countered by compensatory changes in antioxidant catylase (CAT activity and enzymatic kinetic parameters related to CYP-450 and CAT activity. Actions of ELF-EMFs on cytokine gene expression were additionally evaluated and found rapidly modified. Confronted with co-exposure to H2O2-induced oxidative stress, ELF-EMF proved not as well counteracted and resulted in a

Gender Identification Using High-Frequency Speech Energy: Effects of Increasing the Low-Frequency Limit.

Science.gov (United States)

Donai, Jeremy J; Halbritter, Rachel M

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of normal-hearing listeners to use high-frequency energy for gender identification from naturally produced speech signals. Two experiments were conducted using a repeated-measures design. Experiment 1 investigated the effects of increasing high-pass filter cutoff (i.e., increasing the low-frequency spectral limit) on gender identification from naturally produced vowel segments. Experiment 2 studied the effects of increasing high-pass filter cutoff on gender identification from naturally produced sentences. Confidence ratings for the gender identification task were also obtained for both experiments. Listeners in experiment 1 were capable of extracting talker gender information at levels significantly above chance from vowel segments high-pass filtered up to 8.5 kHz. Listeners in experiment 2 also performed above chance on the gender identification task from sentences high-pass filtered up to 12 kHz. Cumulatively, the results of both experiments provide evidence that normal-hearing listeners can utilize information from the very high-frequency region (above 4 to 5 kHz) of the speech signal for talker gender identification. These findings are at variance with current assumptions regarding the perceptual information regarding talker gender within this frequency region. The current results also corroborate and extend previous studies of the use of high-frequency speech energy for perceptual tasks. These findings have potential implications for the study of information contained within the high-frequency region of the speech spectrum and the role this region may play in navigating the auditory scene, particularly when the low-frequency portion of the spectrum is masked by environmental noise sources or for listeners with substantial hearing loss in the low-frequency region and better hearing sensitivity in the high-frequency region (i.e., reverse slope hearing loss).

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure does not modulate Toll-like receptor signaling in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleijn, de S.; Bouwens, M.; Verburg-van Kemenade, B.M.L.; Cuppen, J.J.M.; Ferwerda, G.; Hermans, P.

2011-01-01

The effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on human health remain unclear. It has been reported that ELF-EMF may modulate the innate immune response to microorganisms in animal models and mammalian cell-lines. With the recently gained insight in innate immune signaling

Carbon nanotube transistor based high-frequency electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Schroter, Michael

At the nanoscale carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have higher carrier mobility and carrier velocity than most incumbent semiconductors. Thus CNT based field-effect transistors (FETs) are being considered as strong candidates for replacing existing MOSFETs in digital applications. In addition, the predicted high intrinsic transit frequency and the more recent finding of ways to achieve highly linear transfer characteristics have inspired investigations on analog high-frequency (HF) applications. High linearity is extremely valuable for an energy efficient usage of the frequency spectrum, particularly in mobile communications. Compared to digital applications, the much more relaxed constraints for CNT placement and lithography combined with already achieved operating frequencies of at least 10 GHz for fabricated devices make an early entry in the low GHz HF market more feasible than in large-scale digital circuits. Such a market entry would be extremely beneficial for funding the development of production CNTFET based process technology. This talk will provide an overview on the present status and feasibility of HF CNTFET technology will be given from an engineering point of view, including device modeling, experimental results, and existing roadblocks. Carbon nanotube transistor based high-frequency electronics.

Extremely low temperature properties of epoxy GFRP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadotani, Kenzo; Nagai, Matao; Aki, Fumitake.

1983-01-01

The examination of fiber-reinforced plastics, that is, plastics such as epoxy, polyester and polyimide reinforced with high strength fibers such as glass, carbon, boron and steel, for extremely low temperature use began from the fuel tanks of rockets. Therafter, the trial manufacture of superconducting generators and extremely low temperature transformers and the manufacture of superconducting magnets for nuclear fusion experimental setups became active, and high performance FRPs have been adopted, of which the extremely low temperature properties have been sufficiently grasped. Recently, the cryostats made of FRPs have been developed, fully utilizing such features of FRPs as high strength, high rigidity, non-magnetic material, insulation, low heat conductivity, light weight and the freedom of molding. In this paper, the mechanical properties at extremely low temperature of the plastic composite materials used as insulators and structural materials for extremely low temperature superconducting equipment is outlined, and in particular, glass fiber-reinforced epoxy laminates are described somewhat in detail. The fracture strain of GFRP at extremely low temperature is about 1.3 times as large as that at room temperature, but at extremely low temperature, clear cracking occurred at 40% of the fracture strain. The linear thermal contraction of GFRP showed remarkable anisotropy. (Kako, I.)

Probabilistic Rainfall Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves for the October 2015 Flooding in South Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, R.; Samadi, S. Z.; Meadows, M.

2017-12-01

The potential for the intensity of extreme rainfall to increase with climate change nonstationarity has emerged as a prevailing issue for the design of engineering infrastructure, underscoring the need to better characterize the statistical assumptions underlying hydrological frequency analysis. The focus of this study is on developing probabilistic rainfall intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves for the major catchments in South Carolina (SC) where the October 02-05, 2015 floods caused infrastructure damages and several lives to be lost. Continuous to discrete probability distributions including Weibull, the generalized extreme value (GEV), the Generalized Pareto (GP), the Gumbel, the Fréchet, the normal, and the log-normal functions were fitted to the short duration (i.e., 24-hr) intense rainfall. Analysis suggests that the GEV probability distribution provided the most adequate fit to rainfall records. Rainfall frequency analysis indicated return periods above 500 years for urban drainage systems with a maximum return level of approximately 2,744 years, whereas rainfall magnitude was much lower in rural catchments. Further, the return levels (i.e., 2, 20, 50,100, 500, and 1000 years) computed by Monte Carlo method were consistently higher than the NOAA design IDF curves. Given the potential increase in the magnitude of intense rainfall, current IDF curves can substantially underestimate the frequency of extremes, indicating the susceptibility of the storm drainage and flood control structures in SC that were designed under assumptions of a stationary climate.

Early High-Intensity Versus Low-Intensity Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) by Bade et al

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mechlenburg, Inger; Skoffer, Birgit; Dalgas, Ulrik

2017-01-01

Recently, a paper entitled "Early High-Intensity Versus Low-Intensity Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial" was published in Arthritis Care Res by Bade et al. (1). We have read the paper with great interest and noted that the study shows essentially no diffe......Recently, a paper entitled "Early High-Intensity Versus Low-Intensity Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial" was published in Arthritis Care Res by Bade et al. (1). We have read the paper with great interest and noted that the study shows essentially...

A low-frequency high-voltage rf-barrier-bunching system for high-intensity neutron source compressor rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardek, T.W.; Ziomek, C.; Rees, D.

1995-01-01

A Los Alamos design for a 1-MW pulsed neutron source incorporates a ring utilizing an rf-barrier bunching system. This bunching concept allows uniform longitudinal beam distributions with low momentum spread. Bunching cavities are operated at the revolution frequency (1.5 MHz in this case) and each of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th revolution frequency harmonics. Their effects combine to maintain a beam free gap in the longitudinal distribution of the accumulated beam. The cavities are driven by low-plate-resistance common-cathode configured retrode amplifiers incorporating local rf feedback. Additional adaptive feed-forward hardware is included to reduce the beam-induced bunching-gap voltages well below that achievable solely with rf feedback. Details of this system are presented along with a discussion of the various feed-back and feed-forward techniques incorporated

The effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on the chromosomal instability in bleomycin treated fibroblast cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Yoon Hee; Kim, Yang Jee; Lee, Joong Won; Kim, Gye Eun; Chung, Hai Won

2008-01-01

In order to determine the effect of Extremely Low Frequency ElectroMagnetic Fields (ELF-EMF) on the frequency of MicroNuclei (MN), aneuploidy and chromosomal rearrangement induced by BLeoMycin (BLM) in human fibroblast cells, a 60 Hz ELF-EMF of 0.8 mT field strength was applied either alone or with BLM throughout the culture period and a micronucleus-centromere assay was performed. Our results indicate that the frequencies of MN, aneuploidy and chromosomal rearrangement induced by BLM increased in a dose-dependent manner. The exposure of cells to 0.8 mT ELF-EMF followed by BLM exposure for 3 hours led to significant increases in the frequencies of MN and aneuploidy compared to BLM treatment for 3 hours alone (p<0.05), but no significant difference was observed between field exposed and sham exposed control cells. The obtained results suggest that low density ELF-EMF could act as enhancer of the initiation process of BLM rather than as an initiator of mutagenic effects in human fibroblast

SALIVARY CORTISOL RESPONSES AND PERCEIVED EXERTION DURING HIGH INTENSITY AND LOW INTENSITY BOUTS OF RESISTANCE EXERCISE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alison D. Egan

2004-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to measure the salivary cortisol response to different intensities of resistance exercise. In addition, we wanted to determine the reliability of the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE scale to monitor resistance exercise intensity. Subjects (8 men, 9 women completed 2 trials of acute resistance training bouts in a counterbalanced design. The high intensity resistance exercise protocol consisted of six, ten-repetition sets using 75% of one repetition maximum (RM on a Smith machine squat and bench press exercise (12 sets total. The low intensity resistance exercise protocol consisted of three, ten-repetition sets at 30% of 1RM of the same exercises as the high intensity protocol. Both exercise bouts were performed with 2 minutes of rest between each exercise and sessions were repeated to test reliability of the measures. The order of the exercise bouts was randomized with least 72 hours between each session. Saliva samples were obtained immediately before, immediately after and 30 mins following each resistance exercise bout. RPE measures were obtained using Borg's CR-10 scale following each set. Also, the session RPE for the entire exercise session was obtained 30 minutes following completion of the session. There was a significant 97% increase in the level of salivary cortisol immediately following the high intensity exercise session (P<0.05. There was also a significant difference in salivary cortisol of 145% between the low intensity and high intensity exercise session immediately post-exercise (P<0.05. The low intensity exercise did not result in any significant changes in cortisol levels. There was also a significant difference between the session RPE values for the different intensity levels (high intensity 7.1 vs. low intensity 1.9 (P<0.05. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the session RPE measure was 0.95. It was concluded that the session RPE method is a valid and reliable method of

A Touch Sensing Technique Using the Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Fields on the Human Body.

Science.gov (United States)

Elfekey, Hatem; Bastawrous, Hany Ayad; Okamoto, Shogo

2016-12-02

Touch sensing is a fundamental approach in human-to-machine interfaces, and is currently under widespread use. Many current applications use active touch sensing technologies. Passive touch sensing technologies are, however, more adequate to implement low power or energy harvesting touch sensing interfaces. This paper presents a passive touch sensing technique based on the fact that the human body is affected by the surrounding extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields, such as those of AC power lines. These external ELF fields induce electric potentials on the human body-because human tissues exhibit some conductivity at these frequencies-resulting in what is called AC hum. We therefore propose a passive touch sensing system that detects this hum noise when a human touch occurs, thus distinguishing between touch and non-touch events. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is validated by designing and implementing a flexible touch sensing keyboard.

Simulation and Measurement of Through-the-Earth, Extremely Low-Frequency Signals Using Copper-Clad Steel Ground Rods.

Science.gov (United States)

Damiano, Nicholas William; Yan, Lincan; Whisner, Bruce; Zhou, Chenming

2017-01-01

The underground mining environment can greatly affect radio signal propagation. Understanding how the earth affects signal propagation is a key to evaluating communications systems used during a mine emergency. One type of communication system is through-the-earth, which can utilize extremely low frequencies (ELF). This paper presents the simulation and measurement results of recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research aimed at investigating current injection at ELF, and in particular, ground contact impedance. Measurements were taken at an outside surface testing location. The results obtained from modeling and measurement are characterized by electrode impedance, and the voltage received between two distant electrodes. This paper concludes with a discussion of design considerations found to affect low-frequency communication systems utilizing ground rods to inject a current into the earth.

Low frequency electric and magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Spaniol, Craig

1989-01-01

Following preliminary investigations of the low frequency electric and magnetic fields that may exists in the Earth-ionospheric cavity, measurements were taken with state-of-the art spectrum analyzers. As a follow up to this activity, an investigation was initiated to determine sources and values for possible low frequency signal that would appear in the cavity. The lowest cavity resonance is estimated at about 8 Hz, but lower frequencies may be an important component of our electromagnetic environment. The potential field frequencies produced by the electron were investigated by a classical model that included possible cross coupling of the electric and gravitation fields. During this work, an interesting relationship was found that related the high frequency charge field with the extremely low frequency of the gravitation field. The results of numerical calculations were surprisingly accurate and this area of investigation is continuing. The work toward continued development of a standardized monitoring facility is continuing with the potential of installing the prototype at West Virginia State College early in 1990. This installation would be capable of real time monitoring of ELF signals in the Earth-ionoshpere cavity and would provide some directional information. A high gain, low noise, 1/f frequency corrected preamplifier was designed and tested for the ferrite core magnetic sensor. The potential application of a super conducting sensor for the ELF magnetic field detection is under investigation. It is hoped that a fully operational monitoring network could pinpoint the location of ELF signal sources and provide new information on where these signals originate and what causes them, assuming that they are natural in origin.

Simulation and Measurement of Through-the-Earth, Extremely Low-Frequency Signals Using Copper-Clad Steel Ground Rods

OpenAIRE

Damiano, Nicholas William; Yan, Lincan; Whisner, Bruce; Zhou, Chenming

2017-01-01

The underground mining environment can greatly affect radio signal propagation. Understanding how the earth affects signal propagation is a key to evaluating communications systems used during a mine emergency. One type of communication system is through-the-earth, which can utilize extremely low frequencies (ELF). This paper presents the simulation and measurement results of recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research aimed at investigating current injection...

Cryogenic semiconductor high-intensity radiation monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmieri, V.G.; Bell, W.H.; Borer, K.; Casagrande, L.; Da Via, C.; Devine, S.R.H.; Dezillie, B.; Esposito, A.; Granata, V.; Hauler, F.; Jungermann, L.; Li, Z.; Lourenco, C.; Niinikoski, T.O.; Shea, V. O'; Ruggiero, G.; Sonderegger, P.

2003-01-01

This paper describes a novel technique to monitor high-intensity particle beams by means of a semiconductor detector. It consists of cooling a semiconductor detector down to cryogenic temperature to suppress the thermally generated leakage current and to precisely measure the integrated ionization signal. It will be shown that such a device provides very good linearity and a dynamic range wider than is possible with existing techniques. Moreover, thanks to the Lazarus effect, extreme radiation hardness can be achieved providing in turn absolute intensity measurements against precise calibration of the device at low beam flux

Direct excitation of a high frequency wave by a low frequency wave in a plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Takayasu

1993-01-01

A new mechanism is presented of an excitation of a high frequency wave by a low frequency wave in a plasma. This mechanism works when the low frequency wave varies in time in a manner deviated from a usual periodic motion with a constant amplitude. The conversion rate is usually not large but the conversion is done without time delay after the variation of the low frequency wave. The Manley Rowe relation in the usual sense does not hold in this mechanism. This mechanism can excite also waves with same or lower frequencies. (author)

Combined effects of extremely high frequency electromagnetic field and antibiotics on Enterococcus Hirae growth and survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohanyan, V.A.

2012-01-01

Combined effects of extremely high frequency electromagnetic field and antibiotics on Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790 bacterial growth and survival were investigated using 51.8 GHz and 53 GHz frequencies in combination with two commonly used antibiotics: ampicillin and dalacin. Results revealed that, despite bacterial type and membrane structure and properties, the combined effect, especially with 53 GHz and dalacin, suppresses bacterial growth and decreases their survival

Communicating adaptation with emotions : the role of intense experiences for concern about extreme weather

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vasileiadou, E.; Botzen, W.

2014-01-01

Adaptation to extreme weather is often considered as having a low urgency and being a low priority governance option, even though the intensity of extreme weather events is expected to increase as a result of climate change. An important issue is how to raise an adequate level of concern among

EFFECT OF HIGH & LOW INTENSITIES OF AEROBIC EXERCISE ON PHYSICAL FITNESS INDEX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madhusudhan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Aerobic exercise reduces body fat and improves weight control, increases HDL&Vo2 max. Also improves PFI (physical fitness index which is defined as ability to carry out daily tasks with vigour and alertness without undue fatigue. Though aerobic exercise is found to improve physical fitness, the relative merits of different intensities of aerobi c exercise in improving physical fitness is still uncertain. AIM: The present study was conducted to know the Effect of High & low intensity aerobic training on physical fitness index. MATERIALS & METHODS : 80 sedentary men (18 - 40 years were randomized in to 2 equal groups (High Intensity & low intensity group . The High [80% HR max] & Low intensity [50 % HR max] groups underwent aerobic exercise training using Bicycle ergo meter (COSCO at 900kpm & 540kpm, for 15mins/day & 30mins/day respectively, 5days a week, for a period of 14weeks. Physical fitness index of each subject was recorded by Modified Harvard step test before & after intervention. RESULTS : After 14 weeks of aerobic training both the exercise groups had improvement in PFI, but high intensity gr oup had a significant (p<0.05 improvement in PFI (97.18 - 101.14 than low intensity group (98.12 - 100.6. CONCLUSION : High intensity aerobic exercise is effective in improving physical fitness.

Trends in Northern Hemisphere surface cyclone frequency and intensity

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, G.J.; Clark, M.P.; Serreze, Mark C.

2001-01-01

One of the hypothesized effects of global warming from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases is a change in the frequency and/or intensity of extratropical cyclones. In this study, winter frequencies and intensities of extratropical cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere for the period 1959-97 are examined to determine if identifiable trends are occurring. Results indicate a statistically significant decrease in midlatitude cyclone frequency and a significant increase in high-latitude cyclone frequency. In addition, storm intensity has increased in both the high and midlatitudes. The changes in storm frequency correlate with changes in winter Northern Hemisphere temperature and support hypotheses that global warming may result in a northward shift of storm tracks in the Northern Hemisphere.

Noise measurements during high-frequency oscillatory and conventional mechanical ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Berens, R J; Weigle, C G

1995-10-01

To evaluate the noise levels with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation and conventional mechanical ventilation. An observational, prospective study. Pediatric intensive care unit. The caretakers and environment of the pediatric intensive care unit. High-frequency oscillatory and conventional mechanical ventilation. Caretakers evaluated noise using a visual analog scale. Noise was measured with a decibel meter and an octave band frequency filter. There was twice as much noise perceived by the caretakers and as measured on the decibel A scale. All measures showed significantly greater noise, especially at low frequencies, with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. High-frequency oscillatory ventilation exposes the patient to twice as much noise as does the use of conventional mechanical ventilation.

An investigation into the vector ellipticity of extremely low frequency magnetic fields from appliances in UK homes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainsbury, Elizabeth A; Conein, Emma; Henshaw, Denis L

2005-01-01

Elliptically polarized magnetic fields induce higher currents in the body compared with their plane polarized counterparts. This investigation examines the degree of vector ellipticity of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) in the home, with regard to the adverse health effects reportedly associated with ELF-MFs, for instance childhood leukaemia. Tri-axial measurements of the magnitude and phase of the 0-3000 Hz magnetic fields, produced by 226 domestic mains-fed appliances of 32 different types, were carried out in 16 homes in Worcestershire in the summer of 2004. Magnetic field strengths were low, with average (RMS) values of 0.03 ± 0.02 μT across all residences. In contrast, background field ellipticities were high, on average 47 ± 11%. Microwave and electric ovens produced the highest ellipticities: mean respective values of 21 ± 21% and 21 ± 17% were observed 20 cm away from these appliances. There was a negative correlation between field strength and field polarization, which we attribute to the higher relative field contribution close to each individual (single-phase) appliance. The measurements demonstrate that domestic magnetic fields are extremely complex and cannot simply be characterized by traditional measurements such as time-weighted average or peak exposure levels. We conclude that ellipticity should become a relevant metric for future epidemiological studies of health and ELF-MF exposure

Neurons in the inferior colliculus of the rat show stimulus-specific adaptation for frequency, but not for intensity

Science.gov (United States)

Duque, Daniel; Wang, Xin; Nieto-Diego, Javier; Krumbholz, Katrin; Malmierca, Manuel S.

2016-01-01

Electrophysiological and psychophysical responses to a low-intensity probe sound tend to be suppressed by a preceding high-intensity adaptor sound. Nevertheless, rare low-intensity deviant sounds presented among frequent high-intensity standard sounds in an intensity oddball paradigm can elicit an electroencephalographic mismatch negativity (MMN) response. This has been taken to suggest that the MMN is a correlate of true change or “deviance” detection. A key question is where in the ascending auditory pathway true deviance sensitivity first emerges. Here, we addressed this question by measuring low-intensity deviant responses from single units in the inferior colliculus (IC) of anesthetized rats. If the IC exhibits true deviance sensitivity to intensity, IC neurons should show enhanced responses to low-intensity deviant sounds presented among high-intensity standards. Contrary to this prediction, deviant responses were only enhanced when the standards and deviants differed in frequency. The results could be explained with a model assuming that IC neurons integrate over multiple frequency-tuned channels and that adaptation occurs within each channel independently. We used an adaptation paradigm with multiple repeated adaptors to measure the tuning widths of these adaption channels in relation to the neurons’ overall tuning widths. PMID:27066835

Examples of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields in a Finnish metro station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korpinen, L.; Sydaenheimo, L.; Laehdetie, A.; Amundin, A.; Piippo, H.

2015-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to present examples of extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields in a Finnish metro station. The metro trains are powered by 750 V DC voltage supplied through a conductor rail next to the running rails. We measured magnetic fields with a magnetic field meter MFM 3000 in 17 cases when a train was leaving the platform in the same metro station. The maximum measured magnetic field was 5400 nT (at 1 m height and 4.3 m from the conductor rail). The magnetic field stayed at this level for a very short time after the metro left the platform. It is possible that there are also DC magnetic fields near the metro as the train leaves the station because the trains are powered by DC voltage. Therefore, it is also important to measure DC fields and DC currents in the future. (authors)

The effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on mutation induction in mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, James W. [Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Haines, Jackie; Sienkiewicz, Zenon [Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RQ (United Kingdom); Dubrova, Yuri E., E-mail: yed2@le.ac.uk [Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom)

2015-03-15

Highlights: • The effects of 50 Hz magnetic fields on mutation induction in mice were analyzed. • The frequency of ESTR mutation was established in sperm and blood. • Exposure to 10–300 μT for 2 and 15 h did not result in mutation induction. • Mutagenic effects of 50 Hz magnetic fields are likely to be negligible. - Abstract: The growing human exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields has raised a considerable concern regarding their genotoxic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo effects of ELF magnetic fields irradiation on mutation induction in the germline and somatic tissues of male mice. Seven week old BALB/c × CBA/Ca F{sub 1} hybrid males were exposed to 10, 100 or 300 μT of 50 Hz magnetic fields for 2 or 15 h. Using single-molecule PCR, the frequency of mutation at the mouse Expanded Simple Tandem Repeat (ESTR) locus Ms6-hm was established in sperm and blood samples of exposed and matched sham-treated males. ESTR mutation frequency was also established in sperm and blood samples taken from male mice exposed to 1 Gy of acute X-rays. The frequency of ESTR mutation in DNA samples extracted from blood of mice exposed to magnetic fields did not significantly differ from that in sham-treated controls. However, there was a marginally significant increase in mutation frequency in sperm but this was not dose-dependent. In contrast, acute exposure X-rays led to significant increases in mutation frequency in sperm and blood of exposed males. The results of our study suggest that, within the range of doses analyzed here, the in vivo mutagenic effects of ELF magnetic fields are likely to be minor if not negligible.

The effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on mutation induction in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, James W.; Haines, Jackie; Sienkiewicz, Zenon; Dubrova, Yuri E.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The effects of 50 Hz magnetic fields on mutation induction in mice were analyzed. • The frequency of ESTR mutation was established in sperm and blood. • Exposure to 10–300 μT for 2 and 15 h did not result in mutation induction. • Mutagenic effects of 50 Hz magnetic fields are likely to be negligible. - Abstract: The growing human exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields has raised a considerable concern regarding their genotoxic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo effects of ELF magnetic fields irradiation on mutation induction in the germline and somatic tissues of male mice. Seven week old BALB/c × CBA/Ca F 1 hybrid males were exposed to 10, 100 or 300 μT of 50 Hz magnetic fields for 2 or 15 h. Using single-molecule PCR, the frequency of mutation at the mouse Expanded Simple Tandem Repeat (ESTR) locus Ms6-hm was established in sperm and blood samples of exposed and matched sham-treated males. ESTR mutation frequency was also established in sperm and blood samples taken from male mice exposed to 1 Gy of acute X-rays. The frequency of ESTR mutation in DNA samples extracted from blood of mice exposed to magnetic fields did not significantly differ from that in sham-treated controls. However, there was a marginally significant increase in mutation frequency in sperm but this was not dose-dependent. In contrast, acute exposure X-rays led to significant increases in mutation frequency in sperm and blood of exposed males. The results of our study suggest that, within the range of doses analyzed here, the in vivo mutagenic effects of ELF magnetic fields are likely to be minor if not negligible

A short-term extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure increases circulating leukocyte numbers and affects HPA-axis signaling in mice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleijn, de Stan; Ferwerda, Gerben; Wiese, Michelle; Trentelman, Jos; Cuppen, Jan; Kozicz, Tamas; Jager, de Linda; Hermans, Peter W.M.; Kemenade, van Lidy

2016-01-01

There is still uncertainty whether extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) can induce health effects like immunomodulation. Despite evidence obtained in vitro, an unambiguous association has not yet been established in vivo. Here, mice were exposed to ELF-EMF for 1, 4, and 24

Tuning and sensitivity of the human vestibular system to low-frequency vibration.

Science.gov (United States)

Todd, Neil P McAngus; Rosengren, Sally M; Colebatch, James G

2008-10-17

Mechanoreceptive hair-cells of the vertebrate inner ear have a remarkable sensitivity to displacement, whether excited by sound, whole-body acceleration or substrate-borne vibration. In response to seismic or substrate-borne vibration, thresholds for vestibular afferent fibre activation have been reported in anamniotes (fish and frogs) in the range -120 to -90 dB re 1g. In this article, we demonstrate for the first time that the human vestibular system is also extremely sensitive to low-frequency and infrasound vibrations by making use of a new technique for measuring vestibular activation, via the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). We found a highly tuned response to whole-head vibration in the transmastoid plane with a best frequency of about 100 Hz. At the best frequency we obtained VOR responses at intensities of less than -70 dB re 1g, which was 15 dB lower than the threshold of hearing for bone-conducted sound in humans at this frequency. Given the likely synaptic attenuation of the VOR pathway, human receptor sensitivity is probably an order of magnitude lower, thus approaching the seismic sensitivity of the frog ear. These results extend our knowledge of vibration-sensitivity of vestibular afferents but also are remarkable as they indicate that the seismic sensitivity of the human vestibular system exceeds that of the cochlea for low-frequencies.

SENSITIVITY OF PIGMENT CONTENT OF BANANA AND ORCHID TISSUE CULTURE EXPOSED TO EXTREMELY LOW FREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC FIEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riry Prihatini

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Natural exposure of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF occurs in the environment and acts as one of the abiotic factors that affect the growth and development of organisms. This study was conducted to determine the effect of ELF-EMF on the tissue cultured banana and slipper orchid chlorophyll content as one of the indicators in measuring plant photosynthetic capacity. Four days old banana (Musa sp. cv. Berangan corm and seven days old slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum rothschildianum cultures were exposed to 6 and 12 mT ELF-EMF generated by controllable ELF-EMF built up machine for 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 hours. After exposure, the banana and orchid cultures were incubated at 25° C for 8 and 16 weeks, respectively. The results showed that the ELF-EMF exposure had different effects on banana and slipper orchid cultures though both plant species belong to monocotyledon. The highest increase in chlorophyll content on banana was resulted by the high intensity and long duration of ELF-EMF exposure (12 mT for 4 hours, whereas on slipper orchid the modest and short duration of ELF-EMF exposure produced the most excessive chlorophyll content. Different ELF-EMF exposures (12 mT for 4 hours and 6 mT for 30 minutes had potential to be applied on each plant to improve in vitro plant (banana and slipper orchid, respectively growth. The increased chlorophyll and carotene/xanthophyll content on banana indicated that the banana was more tolerant to ELF-EMF exposure compared to slipper orchid. 

Short-term effects of extremely low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field and pulsed low-level laser therapy on rabbit model of corneal alkali burn.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezaei Kanavi, Mozhgan; Tabeie, Faraj; Sahebjam, Farzin; Poursani, Nima; Jahanbakhsh, Nazanin; Paymanpour, Pouya; AfsarAski, Sasha

2016-04-01

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of combining extremely low frequency-pulsed electromagnetic field (ELF-PEMF) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on alkali-burned rabbit corneas. Fifty alkali-burned corneas of 50 rabbits were categorized into five groups: ELF-PEMF therapy with 2 mT intensity (ELF 2) for 2 h daily; LLLT for 30 min twice daily; combined ELF-PEMF and LLLT (ELF + LLLT); medical therapy (MT); and control (i.e., no treatment). Clinical examination and digital photography of the corneas were performed on days 0, 2, 7, and 14. After euthanizing the rabbits, the affected eyes were evaluated by histopathology. The clinical and histopathologic results were compared between the groups. On days 7 and 14, no significant difference in the corneal defect area was evident between the ELF, LLLT, ELF + LLLT, and MT groups. Excluding the controls, none of the study groups demonstrated a significant corneal neovascularization in both routine histopathology and immunohistochemistry for CD31. Keratocyte loss was significantly higher in the MT group than in the ELF, LLLT, and ELF + LLLT groups. Moderate to severe stromal inflammation in the LLLT group was comparable with that in the MT group and was significantly lower than that in the other groups. In conclusion, combining LLLT and ELF was not superior to ELF alone or LLLT alone in healing corneal alkali burns. However, given the lower intensity of corneal inflammation and the lower rate of keratocytes loss with LLLT, this treatment may be superior to other proposed treatment modalities for healing alkali-burned corneas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alpha band frequency differences between low-trait and high-trait anxious individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Richard T; Smith, Shelby L; Kraus, Brian T; Allen, Anna V; Moses, Michael A; Simon-Dack, Stephanie L

2018-01-17

Trait anxiety has been shown to cause significant impairments on attentional tasks. Current research has identified alpha band frequency differences between low-trait and high-trait anxious individuals. Here, we further investigated the underlying alpha band frequency differences between low-trait and high-trait anxious individuals during their resting state and the completion of an inhibition executive functioning task. Using human participants and quantitative electroencephalographic recordings, we measured alpha band frequency in individuals both high and low in trait anxiety during their resting state, and while they completed an Eriksen Flanker Task. Results indicated that high-trait anxious individuals exhibit a desynchronization in alpha band frequency from a resting state to when they complete the Eriksen Flanker Task. This suggests that high-trait anxious individuals maintain fewer attentional resources at rest and must martial resources for task performance as compared with low-trait anxious individuals, who appear to maintain stable cognitive resources between rest and task performance. These findings add to the cognitive neuroscience literature surrounding the role of alpha band frequency in low-trait and high-trait anxious individuals.

Activation of Signaling Cascades by Weak Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Einat Kapri-Pardes

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Results from recent studies suggest that extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF interfere with intracellular signaling pathways related to proliferative control. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs, central signaling components that regulate essentially all stimulated cellular processes, include the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2 that are extremely sensitive to extracellular cues. Anti-phospho-ERK antibodies serve as a readout for ERK1/2 activation and are able to detect minute changes in ERK stimulation. The objective of this study was to explore whether activation of ERK1/2 and other signaling cascades can be used as a readout for responses of a variety of cell types, both transformed and non-transformed, to ELF-MF. Methods: We applied ELF-MF at various field strengths and time periods to eight different cell types with an exposure system housed in a tissue culture incubator and followed the phosphorylation of MAPKs and Akt by western blotting. Results: We found that the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 is increased in response to ELF-MF. However, the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 is likely too low to induce ELF-MF-dependent proliferation or oncogenic transformation. The p38 MAPK was very slightly phosphorylated, but JNK or Akt were not. The effect on ERK1/2 was detected for exposures to ELF-MF strengths as low as 0.15 µT and was maximal at ∼10 µT. We also show that ERK1/2 phosphorylation is blocked by the flavoprotein inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium, indicating that the response to ELF-MF may be exerted via NADP oxidase similar to the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in response to microwave radiation. Conclusions: Our results further indicate that cells are responsive to ELF-MF at field strengths much lower than previously suspected and that the effect may be mediated by NADP oxidase. However, the small increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation is probably insufficient to affect proliferation and oncogenic

Extremely short pulses via stark modulation of the atomic transition frequencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Radeonychev, Y V; Polovinkin, V A; Kocharovskaya, Olga

2010-10-29

We propose a universal method to produce extremely short pulses of electromagnetic radiation in various spectral ranges. The essence of the method is a resonant interaction of radiation with atoms under the conditions of adiabatic periodic modulation of atomic transition frequencies by a far-off-resonant control laser field via dynamic Stark shift of the atomic levels and proper adjustment of the control field intensity and frequency, as well as the optical depth of the medium. The potential of the method is illustrated by an example in a hydrogenlike atomic system.

Sensitivity of Pigment Content of Banana and Orchid Tissue Culture Exposed to Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fiel

OpenAIRE

Prihatini, Riry; Saleh, Norihan Mohamad

2016-01-01

Natural exposure of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) occurs in the environment and acts as one of the abiotic factors that affect the growth and development of organisms. This study was conducted to determine the effect of ELF-EMF on the tissue cultured banana and slipper orchid chlorophyll content as one of the indicators in measuring plant photosynthetic capacity. Four days old banana (Musa sp. cv. Berangan) corm and seven days old slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum rothsc...

Prototype fiber Bragg Grattings (FBG) sensor based on intensity modulation of the laser diode low frequency vibrations measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Setiono, Andi; Ula, Rini Khamimatul; Hanto, Dwi; Widiyatmoko, Bambang; Purnamaningsih, Retno Wigajatri

2016-02-01

In general, Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor works based on observation of spectral response characteristic to detect the desired parameter. In this research, we studied intensity response characteristic of FBG to detect the dynamic strain. Experiment result show that the reflected intensity had linier relationships with dynamic strain. Based on these characteristics, we developed the FBG sensor to detect low frequency vibration. This sensor is designed by attaching the FBG on the bronze cantilever with dimensions of 85×3×0.5 mm. Measurement results showed that the sensor was able to detect vibrations in the frequency range of 7-10 Hz at temperature range of 25-45 ˚C. The measured frequency range is still within the frequency range of digging activity, therefore this vibration sensor can be applied for oil pipelines vandalisation detection system.

Immunomodulatory effects of L-carnitine and q10 in mouse spleen exposed to low-frequency high-intensity magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arafa, Hossam M.M.; Abd-Allah, Adel R.A.; El-Mahdy, Mohamad A.; Ramadan, Laila A.; Hamada, Farid M.A.

2003-01-01

In the current study, we have investigated the bioeffects of repeated exposure to low-frequency (50 Hz) high-intensity (20 mT; 200 G) electromagnetic field (EMF) on some immune parameters in mice. The animals were exposed to EMF daily for 30 min three times per week for 2 weeks. We also studied the possible immunomodulatory effects of two anti-radical substances known to have non-specific immunostimulant effects namely, L-carnitine (200 mg/kg body weight i.p.) and Q10 (200 mg/kg body weight, p.o.). Both drugs were given 1 h prior to each EMF exposure. Immune endpoints included total body weight, spleen/body weight ratio, splenocytes viability, total and differential white blood cell (WBCs; lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils) counts, as well as the lymphocyte proliferation induced by the mitogens; phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin-A (Con-A) and lipoploysaccharide (LPS). Magnetic field decreased splenocyte viability, WBCs count, as well as mitogens-induced lymphocyte proliferation. L-carnitine, but not Q10 could ameliorate the adverse effects of EMF on the vast majority of the immune parameters tested, suggesting a possible immunoprotective role of L-carnitine under the current experimental conditions

Carcinogenic potential of extremely low frequency magnetic fields: proceedings of a workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delpizzo, V.; Keam, D.W.

1989-02-01

The debate over the suspected link between Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) magnetic fields and cancer is entering its second decade, but the end is not in sight. The epidemiological evidence is now somewhat stronger, mainly due to the Savitz study of residential exposure and childhood cancer, but far from overwhelming. The results of in-vitro studies are fragmentary, sometimes contradictory and, overall, confusing. Well designed animal studies are virtually non-existent. A plausible biological model has not yet been established. Although scant, the present body of knowledge is very complex encompassing several disciplines and this workshop brought together researchers of vastly different backgrounds. The nine papers presented deal with an overview of ELF and cancer; the biochemistry of processes implicated in ELF carcinogenesis; possible mechanisms of cancer promotion; the status of in-vitro ELF cellular interactions; epidemiological studies, both occupational and residential, and the use of wire coding configurations as indicators of magnetic field exposures in such studies. Discussion follows each paper. Refs., figs., tabs

Treatment of patients with vulgar psoriasis through electromagnetic field of extremely low frequency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batista Romagosa, Maritza; Soriano Gonzalez, Blanca Ines; Bergues Cabrales, Luis Enrique

2012-01-01

A controlled and randomized clinical therapeutical assay in phase III was carried out in 52 patients with vulgar psoriasis, who were assisted in the Dermatology department of 'Dr Joaquin Castillo Duany' Clinical Surgical Hospital in Santiago de Cuba, from 2005 to 2010 who were divided into 2 groups (26 members each): the active group which was conventionally treated with 20% cade ointment; and the experimental group, to which the extremely low frequency electromagnetic field was applied, with the objective of determining the effectiveness of this field in those affected during the periods of crisis and intercrisis. The studied population was clinically characterized by means of a frequency analysis, while the hypothesis tests were used for the evaluation of proportions which null hypothesis were accepted with 5 % as maximum error. In the series the used field was effective to treat the disorder during crisis and more effective than the cade ointment to prolong the intercrisis stage, without causing adverse reactions, so that it constituted a new alternative therapy that can be generalized in the dermatological services of the country, in order to improve the life quality of those who suffer that dermatosis

The differential effects of increasing frequency and magnitude of extreme events on coral populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabina, Nicholas S; Baskett, Marissa L; Gross, Kevin

2015-09-01

Extreme events, which have profound ecological consequences, are changing in both frequency and magnitude with climate change. Because extreme temperatures induce coral bleaching, we can explore the relative impacts of changes in frequency and magnitude of high temperature events on coral reefs. Here, we combined climate projections and a dynamic population model to determine how changing bleaching regimes influence coral persistence. We additionally explored how coral traits and competition with macroalgae mediate changes in bleaching regimes. Our results predict that severe bleaching events reduce coral persistence more than frequent bleaching. Corals with low adult mortality and high growth rates are successful when bleaching is mild, but bleaching resistance is necessary to persist when bleaching is severe, regardless of frequency. The existence of macroalgae-dominated stable states reduces coral persistence and changes the relative importance of coral traits. Building on previous studies, our results predict that management efforts may need to prioritize protection of "weaker" corals with high adult mortality when bleaching is mild, and protection of "stronger" corals with high bleaching resistance when bleaching is severe. In summary, future reef projections and conservation targets depend on both local bleaching regimes and biodiversity.

An approach toward incorporation of global warming effects into Intensity-Duration-Frequency values

Science.gov (United States)

Kunkel, K.; Easterling, D. R.

2017-12-01

Rising global temperatures from increasing greenhouse gas concentrations will increase overall atmospheric water vapor concentrations. There is a high level of scientific confidence that this will increase the future intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation events, even in regions where overall precipitation may decrease. For control of runoff from extreme rainfall, infrastructure engineering utilizes design values of rainfall known as Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) values. Use of the existing IDF values, which are based solely on historical climate records, is likely to lead to under-design of runoff control structures, and associated increased flood damages. However, future changes in IDF values are uncertain and probably regionally variable. Our paradigm is that changes in IDF values will result from changes in atmospheric capacity (water vapor concentrations) and opportunity (the number and intensity of heavy precipitation-producing storm systems). Relevant storm systems being investigated include extratropical cyclones and their associated fronts, tropical cyclones, and the North American Monsoon system. The overall approach involves developing IDF adjustment factors for changes in these components of the climate system. The adjustment factors have associated uncertainties, primarily from (1) uncertainties in the future pathway of greenhouse gas emissions and (2) variations among climate models in the sensitivity of the climate system to greenhouse gas concentration changes. In addition to meteorological considerations, the lifetime of projects designed using IDF values is an essential consideration because the IDF values may change substantially during that time. The initial results of this project will be discussed.

An investigation into the vector ellipticity of extremely low frequency magnetic fields from appliances in UK homes

Science.gov (United States)

Ainsbury, Elizabeth A.; Conein, Emma; Henshaw, Denis L.

2005-07-01

Elliptically polarized magnetic fields induce higher currents in the body compared with their plane polarized counterparts. This investigation examines the degree of vector ellipticity of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) in the home, with regard to the adverse health effects reportedly associated with ELF-MFs, for instance childhood leukaemia. Tri-axial measurements of the magnitude and phase of the 0-3000 Hz magnetic fields, produced by 226 domestic mains-fed appliances of 32 different types, were carried out in 16 homes in Worcestershire in the summer of 2004. Magnetic field strengths were low, with average (RMS) values of 0.03 ± 0.02 µT across all residences. In contrast, background field ellipticities were high, on average 47 ± 11%. Microwave and electric ovens produced the highest ellipticities: mean respective values of 21 ± 21% and 21 ± 17% were observed 20 cm away from these appliances. There was a negative correlation between field strength and field polarization, which we attribute to the higher relative field contribution close to each individual (single-phase) appliance. The measurements demonstrate that domestic magnetic fields are extremely complex and cannot simply be characterized by traditional measurements such as time-weighted average or peak exposure levels. We conclude that ellipticity should become a relevant metric for future epidemiological studies of health and ELF-MF exposure. This work is supported by the charity CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA, registered charity number 298405.

Assessment of every day extremely low frequency (Elf) electromagnetic fields (50-60 Hz) exposure: which metrics?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verrier, A.; Magne, I.; Souqes, M.; Lambrozo, J.

2006-01-01

Because electricity is encountered at every moment of the day, at home with household appliances, or in every type of transportation, people are most of the time exposed to extremely low frequency (E.L.F.) electromagnetic fields (50-60 Hz) in a various way. Due to a lack of knowledge about the biological mechanisms of 50 Hz magnetic fields, studies seeking to identify health effects of exposure use central tendency metrics. The objective of our study is to provide better information about these exposure measurements from three categories of metrics. We calculated metrics of exposure measurements from data series (79 very day exposed subjects), made up approximately 20,000 recordings of magnetic fields, measured every 30 seconds for 7 days with an E.M.D.E.X. II dosimeter. These indicators were divided into three categories : central tendency metrics, dispersion metrics and variability metrics.We use Principal Component Analysis, a multidimensional technique to examine the relations between different exposure metrics for a group of subjects. Principal component Analysis (P.C.A.) enabled us to identify from the foreground 71.7% of the variance. The first component (42.7%) was characterized by central tendency; the second (29.0%) was composed of dispersion characteristics. The third component (17.2%) was composed of variability characteristics. This study confirm the need to improve exposure measurements by using at least two dimensions intensity and dispersion. (authors)

Stress Recovery Effects of High- and Low-Frequency Amplified Music on Heart Rate Variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakajima, Yoshie; Tanaka, Naofumi; Mima, Tatsuya; Izumi, Shin-Ichi

Sounds can induce autonomic responses in listeners. However, the modulatory effect of specific frequency components of music is not fully understood. Here, we examined the role of the frequency component of music on autonomic responses. Specifically, we presented music that had been amplified in the high- or low-frequency domains. Twelve healthy women listened to white noise, a stress-inducing noise, and then one of three versions of a piece of music: original, low-, or high-frequency amplified. To measure autonomic response, we calculated the high-frequency normalized unit (HFnu), low-frequency normalized unit, and the LF/HF ratio from the heart rate using electrocardiography. We defined the stress recovery ratio as the value obtained after participants listened to music following scratching noise, normalized by the value obtained after participants listened to white noise after the stress noise, in terms of the HFnu, low-frequency normalized unit, LF/HF ratio, and heart rate. Results indicated that high-frequency amplified music had the highest HFnu of the three versions. The stress recovery ratio of HFnu under the high-frequency amplified stimulus was significantly larger than that under the low-frequency stimulus. Our results suggest that the high-frequency component of music plays a greater role in stress relief than low-frequency components.

Oscillographic Chronopotentiometry with High and Low Frequency Current

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2000-01-01

A novel electroanalytical method, oscillographic chronopotentiometry with high and low frequency current, is presented in this paper. With this method, the sensitivity of almost all kinds of oscillographic chronopotentiometry can be enhanced about one order.

Pilot study of extremely low frequency magnetic fields emitted by transformers in dwellings. Social aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaryabova, Victoria; Shalamanova, Tsvetelina; Israel, Michel

2013-06-01

A large number of epidemiologic studies examining the potential effect of residential exposure to extremely-low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields and childhood leukemia have been published. Two pooled analyses [Ahlbom A, Day N, Feychting M, Roman E, Skinner J, Dockerty J, Linet M, et al. (2000). A pooled analysis of magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia. Br J Cancer. 83(5):692-698; Greenland S, Sheppard AR, Kaune WT, Poole C, Kelsh AM (2000). A pooled analysis of magnetic fields, wire codes, and childhood leukemia. Epidemiology. 11(6):624-634], which included the major epidemiologic studies on ELF magnetic fields and childhood leukemia showed twofold increase in childhood leukemia risk in association with residential ELF exposure above 0.3-0.4 μT. Based on "limited" epidemiologic evidence linking ELF exposure to childhood leukemia and "inadequate evidence" for carcinogenicity of ELF in rodent bioassays, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified ELF magnetic fields as a possible human carcinogen (2B classification) [International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (2002). Non-ionizing radiation, Part 1: Static and extremely low-frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields. IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. Vol. 80. IARC Press: Lyon], confirmed by WHO on the basis of studies published after 2000 [World Health Organization. Extremely low frequency fields. In: 238 Environmental health criteria, Geneva: WHO; 2007]. The analysis of more recent studies of ELF magnetic fields and childhood leukemia had small findings and propose methodological improvements concerning the uncertainties in epidemiological approaches and exposure assessment, bias in selection of controls [Kheifets L, Oksuzyan S (2008). Exposure assessment and other challenges in non-ionizing radiation studies of childhood leukaemia. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 132(2):139-147]. By the end of 2010, 37 countries had been identified for possible participation

Measurement procedure to assess exposure to extremely low-frequency fields: A primary school case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso, A.; Bahillo, A.; De la Rosa, R.; Carrera, A.; Duran, R. J.; Fernandez, P.

2012-01-01

How to correctly measure the exposure of general public to extremely low-frequency (ELF) radiation is a key issue for ELF epidemiological studies. This paper proposes a measurement procedure to accurately assess the exposure of people to electric and magnetic field in the frequency band from 5 Hz to 100 kHz in buildings and their premises. As ELF radiation could be particularly harmful to children, the measurement procedure is focused on exposure to ELF in schools. Thus, the students' exposure to ELF fields can be assessed by correlating the ELF measurements to the hours of school activity. In this paper, the measurement protocol was applied to study the ELF exposure on students from Garcia Quintana primary school in Valladolid, Spain. The campaign of measurements for ELF exposure assessment in this primary school was of great interest for the Regional Council of Public Health because of the social alarm generated by the presence of a significant number cancer cases in children. (authors)

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...

Evaluation of changes in the behavior of the grey seal exposed to the electromagnetic field of extremely low frequencies (0.01–36 Hz

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yakovlev A. P.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the initial results of researching influence of low frequency electromagnetic field on the behavior of the grey seal. The authors have defined the frequency characteristics of the electromagnetic field which being exposed cause the changes in the behavior of the animal (the greatest deviation from the background values. The methodology of the experiment has been worked out and the criteria of evaluation of changes in the grey seal behavior in response to the electromagnetic field exposure with extremely low frequency characteristics have been proposed

Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers through Systemic Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Trejo-Núñez, A. D.; Pérez-Chávez, F.; García-Sánchez, C.; Serrano-Luna, G.; Cañendo-Dorantes, L.

2008-08-01

This study was designed to, investigate the healing effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on diabetic foot ulcers and test two different exposure systems aimed at reducing the ELF-EMF exposure time of patients. In the first system the ELF-EMF were applied to the arm where only 3% of the total blood volume/min circulates at any given time. In the second system the ELF-EMF were applied to the thorax where more than 100% of the total blood volume/minute circulates at any given time. Twenty-six diabetic patients, with superficial neuropathic ulcers unresponsive to medical treatment were included in this preliminary report. In the first group (17 patients), the arm was exposed two hours twice a week to a extremely low frequency electromagnetic field of 0.45-0.9 mTrms, 120 Hz generated inside a solenoid coil of 10.1 cm by 20.5 cm long. In the second group the thorax of 7 patients was exposed 25 minutes twice a week to an electromagnetic field of 0.4-0.85 mTrms, 120 Hz generated in the center of a squared quasi-Helmholtz coil 52 cm by side. One patient was assigned to a placebo configuration of each exposure system with identical appearance as the active equipment but without magnetic field. Patients with deep ulcers, infected ulcers, cancer, or auto-immune disease were excluded. These preliminary results showed that the two exposure systems accelerate the healing process of neuropathic ulcers. Complete healing of the ulcer had a median duration of 90 days in both exposure systems. Therefore thorax exposure where more blood is exposed to ELF-EMF per unit of time was able to reduce 4.8 times the patient treatment time. In those patients assigned to the placebo equipment no healing effects were observed. This study will continue with a parallel, double blind placebo controlled protocol.

Adiabatic perturbation theory for atoms and molecules in the low-frequency regime.

Science.gov (United States)

Martiskainen, Hanna; Moiseyev, Nimrod

2017-12-14

There is an increasing interest in the photoinduced dynamics in the low frequency, ω, regime. The multiphoton absorptions by molecules in strong laser fields depend on the polarization of the laser and on the molecular structure. The unique properties of the interaction of atoms and molecules with lasers in the low-frequency regime imply new concepts and directions in strong-field light-matter interactions. Here we represent a perturbational approach for the calculations of the quasi-energy spectrum in the low-frequency regime, which avoids the construction of the Floquet operator with extremely large number of Floquet channels. The zero-order Hamiltonian in our perturbational approach is the adiabatic Hamiltonian where the atoms/molecules are exposed to a dc electric field rather than to ac-field. This is in the spirit of the first step in the Corkum three-step model. The second-order perturbation correction terms are obtained when iℏω∂∂τ serves as a perturbation and τ is a dimensionless variable. The second-order adiabatic perturbation scheme is found to be an excellent approach for calculating the ac-field Floquet solutions in our test case studies of a simple one-dimensional time-periodic model Hamiltonian. It is straightforward to implement the perturbation approach presented here for calculating atomic and molecular energy shifts (positions) due to the interaction with low-frequency ac-fields using high-level electronic structure methods. This is enabled since standard quantum chemistry packages allow the calculations of atomic and molecular energy shifts due to the interaction with dc-fields. In addition to the shift of the energy positions, the energy widths (inverse lifetimes) can be obtained at the same level of theory. These energy shifts are functions of the laser parameters (low frequency, intensity, and polarization).

The high intensity solar cell: Key to low cost photovoltaic power

Science.gov (United States)

Sater, B. L.; Goradia, C.

1975-01-01

The design considerations and performance characteristics of the 'high intensity' (HI) solar cell are presented. A high intensity solar system was analyzed to determine its cost effectiveness and to assess the benefits of further improving HI cell efficiency. It is shown that residential sized systems can be produced at less than $1000/kW peak electric power. Due to their superior high intensity performance characteristics compared to the conventional and VMJ cells, HI cells and light concentrators may be the key to low cost photovoltaic power.

Extremely frequency-widened terahertz wave generation using Cherenkov-type radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Suizu, Koji; Koketsu, Kaoru; Shibuya, Takayuki; Tsutsui, Toshihiro; Akiba, Takuya; Kawase, Kodo

2009-04-13

Terahertz (THz) wave generation based on nonlinear frequency conversion is promising way for realizing a tunable monochromatic bright THz-wave source. Such a development of efficient and wide tunable THz-wave source depends on discovery of novel brilliant nonlinear crystal. Important factors of a nonlinear crystal for THz-wave generation are, 1. High nonlinearity and 2. Good transparency at THz frequency region. Unfortunately, many nonlinear crystals have strong absorption at THz frequency region. The fact limits efficient and wide tunable THz-wave generation. Here, we show that Cherenkov radiation with waveguide structure is an effective strategy for achieving efficient and extremely wide tunable THz-wave source. We fabricated MgO-doped lithium niobate slab waveguide with 3.8 microm of thickness and demonstrated difference frequency generation of THz-wave generation with Cherenkov phase matching. Extremely frequency-widened THz-wave generation, from 0.1 to 7.2 THz, without no structural dips successfully obtained. The tuning frequency range of waveguided Cherenkov radiation source was extremely widened compare to that of injection seeded-Terahertz Parametric Generator. The tuning range obtained in this work for THz-wave generation using lithium niobate crystal was the widest value in our knowledge. The highest THz-wave energy obtained was about 3.2 pJ, and the energy conversion efficiency was about 10(-5) %. The method can be easily applied for many conventional nonlinear crystals, results in realizing simple, reasonable, compact, high efficient and ultra broad band THz-wave sources.

Investigation of Resonance Effect Caused by Local Exposure of Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Field on Brain Signals: A Randomize Clinical Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasul Zadeh Tabataba’ei K

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Some studies have investigated the effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs on brain signals, but only few of them have reported that humans exposed to magnetic fields exhibit changes in brain signals at the frequency of stimulation, i.e. resonance effect. In most investigations, researchers usually take advantage of a uniform field which encompasses the head. The aim of present study was to expose different parts of the brain to ELF-MFs locally and to investigate variation of brain signal and resonance effect.Methods: The subjects consisting of 19 male-students with the mean age of 25.6±1.6 years participated in this study. Local ELF-MFs with 3, 5, 10, 17 and 45Hz frequencies and 240 μT intensity was applied on five points (T3, T4, Cz, F3 and F4 of participants scalp Separately in 10-20 system. In the end, relative power over this points in common frequency bands and at the frequency of magnetic fields was evaluated by paired t-test.Results: Exposure of Central area by local magnetic field caused significant change (p<0.05 in the forehead alpha band. Reduction in the alpha band over central area was observed when temporal area was exposed to ELF MF.Conclusion: The results showed that resonance effect in the brain signals caused by local magnetic field exposure was not observed and change in every part of the relative power spectrum might occur. The changes in the EEG bands were not limited necessarily to the exposure point.

The low-frequency encoding disadvantage: Word frequency affects processing demands.

Science.gov (United States)

Diana, Rachel A; Reder, Lynne M

2006-07-01

Low-frequency words produce more hits and fewer false alarms than high-frequency words in a recognition task. The low-frequency hit rate advantage has sometimes been attributed to processes that operate during the recognition test (e.g., L. M. Reder et al., 2000). When tasks other than recognition, such as recall, cued recall, or associative recognition, are used, the effects seem to contradict a low-frequency advantage in memory. Four experiments are presented to support the claim that in addition to the advantage of low-frequency words at retrieval, there is a low-frequency disadvantage during encoding. That is, low-frequency words require more processing resources to be encoded episodically than high-frequency words. Under encoding conditions in which processing resources are limited, low-frequency words show a larger decrement in recognition than high-frequency words. Also, studying items (pictures and words of varying frequencies) along with low-frequency words reduces performance for those stimuli. Copyright 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

Children’s Personal Exposure Measurements to Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Fields in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilaria Liorni

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs exposure is still a topic of concern due to their possible impact on children’s health. Although epidemiological studies claimed an evidence of a possible association between ELF-MF above 0.4 μT and childhood leukemia, biological mechanisms able to support a causal relationship between ELF-MF and this disease were not found yet. To provide further knowledge about children’s ELF-MF exposure correlated to children’s daily activities, a measurement study was conducted in Milan (Italy. Eighty-six children were recruited, 52 of whom were specifically chosen with respect to the distance to power lines and built-in transformers to oversample potentially highly exposed children. Personal and bedroom measurements were performed for each child in two different seasons. The major outcomes of this study are: (1 median values over 24-h personal and bedroom measurements were <3 μT established by the Italian law as the quality target; (2 geometric mean values over 24-h bedroom measurements were mostly <0.4 μT; (3 seasonal variations did not significantly influence personal and bedroom measurements; (4 the highest average MF levels were mostly found at home during the day and outdoors; (5 no significant differences were found in the median and geometric mean values between personal and bedroom measurements, but were found in the arithmetic mean.

Extremely low frequency magnetic field measurements in buildings with transformer stations in Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Röösli, Martin; Jenni, Daniela; Kheifets, Leeka; Mezei, Gabor

2011-08-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate an exposure assessment method that classifies apartments in three exposure categories of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) based on the location of the apartment relative to the transformer room. We completed measurements in 39 apartments in 18 buildings. In each room of the apartments ELF-MF was concurrently measured with 5 to 6 EMDEX II meters for 10 min. Measured arithmetic mean ELF-MF was 0.59 μT in 8 apartments that were fully adjacent to a transformer room, either directly above the transformer or touching the transformer room wall-to-wall. In apartments that only partly touched the transformer room at corners or edges, average ELF-MF level was 0.14 μT. Average exposure in the remaining apartments was 0.10 μT. Kappa coefficient for exposure classification was 0.64 (95%-CI: 0.45-0.82) if only fully adjacent apartments were considered as highly exposed (>0.4 μT). We found a distinct ELF-MF exposure gradient in buildings with transformer. Exposure classification based on the location of the apartment relative to the transformer room appears feasible. Such an approach considerably reduces effort for exposure assessment and may be used to eliminate selection bias in future epidemiologic studies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low frequency electrostatic modes in a magnetized dusty plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salimullah, M.; Hassan, M.H.A.

1991-09-01

The dispersion properties of low frequency electrostatic modes in a dusty plasma in the presence of a static homogeneous magnetic field are examined. It is found that the presence of the dust particles and the static magnetic field have significant effects on the dispersion relations. For the parallel propagation the electrostatic mode is slightly modified by the magnetic field for the ion acoustic branch. A new longitudinal mode arises at the extreme low frequency limit, which is unaffected by the magnetic field for the parallel propagation. For the transverse propagation the ion acoustic mode is not affected by the magnetic field. However, the undamped extreme low frequency mode is significantly modified by the presence of the magnetic field for the propagation transverse to the direction of the magnetic field. (author). 23 refs

Stable dynamics in forced systems with sufficiently high/low forcing frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartuccelli, M; Gentile, G; Wright, J A

2016-08-01

We consider parametrically forced Hamiltonian systems with one-and-a-half degrees of freedom and study the stability of the dynamics when the frequency of the forcing is relatively high or low. We show that, provided the frequency is sufficiently high, Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser (KAM) theorem may be applied even when the forcing amplitude is far away from the perturbation regime. A similar result is obtained for sufficiently low frequency, but in that case we need the amplitude of the forcing to be not too large; however, we are still able to consider amplitudes which are outside of the perturbation regime. In addition, we find numerically that the dynamics may be stable even when the forcing amplitude is very large, well beyond the range of validity of the analytical results, provided the frequency of the forcing is taken correspondingly low.

Changes in precipitation frequency and intensity in the vicinity of Taiwan: typhoon versus non-typhoon events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tu, Jien-Yi; Chou Chia

2013-01-01

The hourly rainfall at 21 ground stations in Taiwan is used to investigate changes in the frequency, intensity, and duration of rainfall, which can be divided into typhoon and non-typhoon rainfall, in the period of 1970–2010. As a whole, the frequency of rainfall shows a decreasing trend for lighter rain and an increasing trend for heavier rain. Also, the typhoon rainfall shows a significant increase for all intensities, while the non-typhoon rainfall exhibits a general trend of decreasing, particularly for lighter rain. In rainfall intensity, both typhoon and non-typhoon rainfall extremes become more intense, with an increased rate much greater than the Clausius–Clapeyron thermal scaling. Moreover, rainfall extremes associated with typhoons have tended to affect Taiwan rainfall for longer in recent decades. The more frequent, intense and long-lasting typhoon rainfall is mainly induced by the slower translation speed of the typhoons over the neighborhood of Taiwan, which could be associated with a weakening of steering flow in the western North Pacific and the northern South China Sea. (letter)

Neurodevelopmental sequelae in premature newborns with extremely low weight and with very low weight at two years of age who left the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins 2009-2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Fernández Sierra

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe the neurodevelopmental sequelae in premature newborns with extremely low weight and with very low weight at two years of age who left the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins. Materials and methods: A descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study in a population of 190 premature newborns with extremely low weight and with very low weight born from January 2009 to June 2014 who left the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and took part in the follow-up program. The psychomotor development, sensorineural hearing loss, retinopathy of prematurity, presence of cerebral palsy and convulsive syndrome were assessed. Results: The average weight at birth was 1,180.53 ± 212.40 grams with a gestational age of 29.86 ± 2.33 weeks, and 51.58% of the newborns were male. Forty-two point six three percent (42.63% of the premature newborns with very low weight showed retardation of psychomotor development; 25.26%, retinopathy; 13.68%, sensorineural hearing loss; 3.68%, cerebral palsy; and 3.68%, convulsive syndrome. Fifty-two point two seven percent (52.27% of the premature newborns with extremely low weight showed retardation of psychomotor development; 50%, retinopathy; 15.91%, sensorineural hearing loss; and 2.27%, convulsive syndrome. Conclusions: Retardation of psychomotor development and retinopathy were the most important complications shown by premature newborns with extremely low weight and with very low weight at two years of age.

Quantitative methods for stochastic high frequency spatio-temporal and non-linear analysis: Assessing health effects of exposure to extreme ambient temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Liss, Alexander

Extreme weather events, such as heat waves and cold spells, cause substantial excess mortality and morbidity in the vulnerable elderly population, and cost billions of dollars. The accurate and reliable assessment of adverse effects of extreme weather events on human health is crucial for environmental scientists, economists, and public health officials to ensure proper protection of vulnerable populations and efficient allocation of scarce resources. However, the methodology for the analysis of large national databases is yet to be developed. The overarching objective of this dissertation is to examine the effect of extreme weather on the elderly population of the Conterminous US (ConUS) with respect to seasonality in temperature in different climatic regions by utilizing heterogeneous high frequency and spatio-temporal resolution data. To achieve these goals the author: 1) incorporated dissimilar stochastic high frequency big data streams and distinct data types into the integrated data base for use in analytical and decision support frameworks; 2) created an automated climate regionalization system based on remote sensing and machine learning to define climate regions for the Conterminous US; 3) systematically surveyed the current state of the art and identified existing gaps in the scientific knowledge; 4) assessed the dose-response relationship of exposure to temperature extremes on human health in relatively homogeneous climate regions using different statistical models, such as parametric and non-parametric, contemporaneous and asynchronous, applied to the same data; 5) assessed seasonal peak timing and synchronization delay of the exposure and the disease within the framework of contemporaneous high frequency harmonic time series analysis and modification of the effect by the regional climate; 6) modeled using hyperbolic functional form non-linear properties of the effect of exposure to extreme temperature on human health. The proposed climate

Cellular processes involved in human epidermal cells exposed to extremely low frequency electric fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Collard, J-F; Hinsenkamp, M

2015-05-01

characterized by an accelerated regulation after extremely low frequency pulsed stimulation also confirms their role in the processes of cell proliferation and differentiation. Bioinformatics approach allows in-depth research, without the bias of pre-selection, on cellular processes involved in a huge gene list. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phase inversion and frequency doubling of reflection high-energy electron diffraction intensity oscillations in the layer-by-layer growth of complex oxides

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Zhangwen; Guo, Wei; Ji, Dianxiang; Zhang, Tianwei; Gu, Chenyi; Tang, Chao; Gu, Zhengbin; Nie*, Yuefeng; Pan, Xiaoqing

In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and its intensity oscillations are extremely important for the growth of epitaxial thin films with atomic precision. The RHEED intensity oscillations of complex oxides are, however, rather complicated and a general model is still lacking. Here, we report the unusual phase inversion and frequency doubling of RHEED intensity oscillations observed in the layer-by-layer growth of SrTiO3 using oxide molecular beam epitaxy. In contacts to the common understanding that the maximum(minimum) intensity occurs at SrO(TiO2) termination, respectively, we found that both maximum or minimum intensities can occur at SrO, TiO2, or even incomplete terminations depending on the incident angle of the electron beam, which raises a fundamental question if one can rely on the RHEED intensity oscillations to precisely control the growth of thin films. A general model including surface roughness and termination dependent mean inner potential qualitatively explains the observed phenomena, and provides the answer to the question how to prepare atomically and chemically precise surface/interfaces using RHEED oscillations for complex oxides. We thank National Basic Research Program of China (No. 11574135, 2015CB654901) and the National Thousand-Young-Talents Program.

Tha AGS Booster high frequency rf system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, R.; Cameron, P.; Damn, R.

1988-01-01

A high level rf system, including a power amplifier and cavity has been designed for the AGS Booster. It covers a frequency range of 2.4 to 4.2 Mhz and will be used to accelerate high intensity proton, and low intensity polarized proton beams to 1.5 GeV and heavy ions to 0.35 GeV per nucleon. A total accelerating voltage of up to 90kV will be provided by two cavities, each having two gaps. The internally cross-coupled, pushpull cavities are driven by an adjacently located power amplifier. In order to accommodate the high beam intensity, up to 0.75 /times/ 10 13 protons per bunch, a low plate resistance power tetrode is used. The tube anode is magnetically coupled to one of the cavity's two paralleled cells. The amplifier is a grounded cathode configuration driven by a remotely located solid state amplifier

High intensity signal of the posterior pituitary. A study with horizontal direction of frequency-encoding and fat suppression MR techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arslan, A.

1999-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the consistency of fat in the high intensity signals of the normal neurohypophysis and to differentiate the high signal of posterior pituitary from that of dorsum sella. Sagittal SE T1-weighted images with frequency encoding in the horizontal direction were used in order to differentiate the high signal of posterior pituitary and dorsum sella by the vertically-oriented chemical shift artifact. Material and methods: The sellae of 46 normal volunteers were imaged with a commercially available fat suppression technique and SE sequences with frequency encoding in vertical (25 cases) and horizontal (21 cases) axes. Results: The high signal intensity was absent in 9% of the normal volunteers with no predilection to any specific age group. None of the cases with posterior pituitary high intensity signals showed suppression of the signal with fat suppression technique. A fat suppression technique was helpful in documenting the hyperintensity in 7% of normal volunteers. Nineteen of the 21 (90%) cases with high signal intensity were detected by routine SE T1-weighted images, whereas 18 of the 19 (95%) cases were detected by imaging with frequency encoding in the horizontal direction. Conclusion: The high signal does not indicate the presence of fat. Fat suppression technique and a horizontal direction of frequency encoding help in differentiating the high signal of the neurohypophysis from that of dorsum sella. (orig.)

Geospatial Analysis of Extreme Weather Events in Nigeria (1985–2015 Using Self-Organizing Maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adeoluwa Akande

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The explosion of data in the information age has provided an opportunity to explore the possibility of characterizing the climate patterns using data mining techniques. Nigeria has a unique tropical climate with two precipitation regimes: low precipitation in the north leading to aridity and desertification and high precipitation in parts of the southwest and southeast leading to large scale flooding. In this research, four indices have been used to characterize the intensity, frequency, and amount of rainfall over Nigeria. A type of Artificial Neural Network called the self-organizing map has been used to reduce the multiplicity of dimensions and produce four unique zones characterizing extreme precipitation conditions in Nigeria. This approach allowed for the assessment of spatial and temporal patterns in extreme precipitation in the last three decades. Precipitation properties in each cluster are discussed. The cluster closest to the Atlantic has high values of precipitation intensity, frequency, and duration, whereas the cluster closest to the Sahara Desert has low values. A significant increasing trend has been observed in the frequency of rainy days at the center of the northern region of Nigeria.

Low-mass Stars with Extreme Mid-Infrared Excesses: Potential Signatures of Planetary Collisions

Science.gov (United States)

Theissen, Christopher; West, Andrew

2018-01-01

I investigate the occurrence of extreme mid-infrared (MIR) excesses, a tracer of large amounts of dust orbiting stars, in low-mass stellar systems. Extreme MIR excesses, defined as an excess IR luminosity greater than 1% of the stellar luminosity (LIR/L* ≥ 0.01), have previously only been observed around a small number of solar-mass (M⊙) stars. The origin of this excess has been hypothesized to be massive amounts of orbiting dust, created by collisions between terrestrial planets or large planetesimals. Until recently, there was a dearth of low-mass (M* ≤ 0.6M⊙) stars exhibiting extreme MIR excesses, even though low-mass stars are ubiquitous (~70% of all stars), and known to host multiple terrestrial planets (≥ 3 planets per star).I combine the spectroscopic sample of low-mass stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 (70,841 stars) with MIR photometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), to locate stars exhibiting extreme MIR excesses. I find the occurrence frequency of low-mass field stars (stars with ages ≥ 1 Gyr) exhibiting extreme MIR excesses is much larger than that for higher-mass field stars (0.41 ± 0.03% versus 0.00067 ± 0.00033%, respectively).In addition, I build a larger sample of low-mass stars based on stellar colors and proper motions using SDSS, WISE, and the Two-Micron All-Sky Survey (8,735,004 stars). I also build a galactic model to simulate stellar counts and kinematics to estimate the number of stars missing from my sample. I perform a larger, more complete study of low-mass stars exhibiting extreme MIR excesses, and find a lower occurrence frequency (0.020 ± 0.001%) than found in the spectroscopic sample but that is still orders of magnitude larger than that for higher-mass stars. I find a slight trend for redder stars (lower-mass stars) to exhibit a higher occurrence frequency of extreme MIR excesses, as well as a lower frequency with increased stellar age. These samples probe important

Influence of urban land cover changes and climate change for the exposure of European cities to flooding during high-intensity precipitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaspersen, Per Skougaard; Høegh Ravn, Nanna; Arnbjerg-Nielsen, Karsten

2015-01-01

The extent and location of impervious surfaces within urban areas due to past and present city development strongly affects the amount and velocity of run-off during high-intensity rainfall and consequently influences the exposure of cities towards flooding. The frequency and intensity of extreme...

[The features of high and low-frequency function of horizontal, semicircular canal in Meniere's disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ying; Zhao, Zhongxin; Zhuang, Jianhua; Xie, Xuewei; Jin, Zhe; Li, Fei

2015-05-01

To analyze the feature of horizontal semicircular canal function at high and low-frequencies in Meniere's disease. Thirty patients suffering from unilateral Meniere's disease were included in the research from 2013 June to 2014 June. Caloric test and video head impulse test were performed to evaluate the high low-frequency function of horizontal semicircular canal. these patients were devided by the severity of unilateral weakness in caloric test. The gain value in video head impulse test, which reflects the high-frequency function of semicircular canal, were not different between the normal and mild abnormal group (P > 0.05), but were obviously different between the normal and mild-severe abnormal group, slight abnormal and mild-severe abnormal group (P frequency function of both side, has no difference between three groups (P > 0.05). A part of Meniere's disease may have normal high, low-frequency function of horizontal semicircular canal. As patient suffering slight injury of low-frequency function, the high-frequency function keeps normal. As the injury of low-frequency function become mildly to severely, the damage of high-frequency function appears, but the symmetry still keeps balance.

Impacts of Extreme Events on Human Health. Chapter 4

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Jesse E.; Herring, Stephanie C.; Jantarasami, Lesley; Adrianopoli, Carl; Benedict, Kaitlin; Conlon, Kathryn; Escobar, Vanessa; Hess, Jeremy; Luvall, Jeffrey; Garcia-Pando, Carlos Perez;

Low-Intensity Repetitive Exercise Induced Rhabdomyolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mina Tran

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Rhabdomyolysis is a rare condition caused by the proteins of damaged muscle cells entering the bloodstream and damaging the kidneys. Common symptoms of rhabdomyolysis are muscle pain and fatigue in conjunction with dark urine; kidney damage is a common symptom among these patients. We present a case of a 23-year-old woman who displayed myalgia in the upper extremities caused by low-intensity and high-repetition exercise. She was successfully diagnosed and treated for exertional rhabdomyolysis. This patient had no significant medical history that would induce this condition. We urge the emergency medical community to observe and monitor patients that complain of myalgia to ensure they are not suffering from rhabdomyolysis even in atypical cases.

Characterization of extremely low frequency magnetic fields from diesel, gasoline and hybrid cars under controlled conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hareuveny, Ronen; Sudan, Madhuri; Halgamuge, Malka N; Yaffe, Yoav; Tzabari, Yuval; Namir, Daniel; Kheifets, Leeka

2015-01-30

This study characterizes extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field (MF) levels in 10 car models. Extensive measurements were conducted in three diesel, four gasoline, and three hybrid cars, under similar controlled conditions and negligible background fields. Averaged over all four seats under various driving scenarios the fields were lowest in diesel cars (0.02 μT), higher for gasoline (0.04-0.05 μT) and highest in hybrids (0.06-0.09 μT), but all were in-line with daily exposures from other sources. Hybrid cars had the highest mean and 95th percentile MF levels, and an especially large percentage of measurements above 0.2 μT. These parameters were also higher for moving conditions compared to standing while idling or revving at 2500 RPM and higher still at 80 km/h compared to 40 km/h. Fields in non-hybrid cars were higher at the front seats, while in hybrid cars they were higher at the back seats, particularly the back right seat where 16%-69% of measurements were greater than 0.2 μT. As our results do not include low frequency fields (below 30 Hz) that might be generated by tire rotation, we suggest that net currents flowing through the cars' metallic chassis may be a possible source of MF. Larger surveys in standardized and well-described settings should be conducted with different types of vehicles and with spectral analysis of fields including lower frequencies due to magnetization of tires.

Regional frequency analysis of extreme rainfall in Belgium based on radar estimates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Goudenhoofdt

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In Belgium, only rain gauge time series have been used so far to study extreme rainfall at a given location. In this paper, the potential of a 12-year quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE from a single weather radar is evaluated. For the period 2005–2016, 1 and 24 h rainfall extremes from automatic rain gauges and collocated radar estimates are compared. The peak intensities are fitted to the exponential distribution using regression in Q-Q plots with a threshold rank which minimises the mean squared error. A basic radar product used as reference exhibits unrealistic high extremes and is not suitable for extreme value analysis. For 24 h rainfall extremes, which occur partly in winter, the radar-based QPE needs a bias correction. A few missing events are caused by the wind drift associated with convective cells and strong radar signal attenuation. Differences between radar and gauge rainfall values are caused by spatial and temporal sampling, gauge underestimations and radar errors. Nonetheless the fit to the QPE data is within the confidence interval of the gauge fit, which remains large due to the short study period. A regional frequency analysis for 1 h duration is performed at the locations of four gauges with 1965–2008 records using the spatially independent QPE data in a circle of 20 km. The confidence interval of the radar fit, which is small due to the sample size, contains the gauge fit for the two closest stations from the radar. In Brussels, the radar extremes are significantly higher than the gauge rainfall extremes, but similar to those observed by an automatic gauge during the same period. The extreme statistics exhibit slight variations related to topography. The radar-based extreme value analysis can be extended to other durations.

Effect of 24 sessions of high-intensity aerobic interval training carried out at either high or moderate frequency, a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatle, Håvard; Støbakk, Per Kristian; Mølmen, Harald Edvard; Brønstad, Eivind; Tjønna, Arnt Erik; Steinshamn, Sigurd; Skogvoll, Eirik; Wisløff, Ulrik; Ingul, Charlotte Björk; Rognmo, Øivind

2014-01-01

The training response of an intensified period of high-intensity exercise is not clear. Therefore, we compared the cardiovascular adaptations of completing 24 high-intensity aerobic interval training sessions carried out for either three or eight weeks, respectively. Twenty-one healthy subjects (23.0±2.1 years, 10 females) completed 24 high-intensity training sessions throughout a time-period of either eight weeks (moderate frequency, MF) or three weeks (high frequency, HF) followed by a detraining period of nine weeks without any training. In both groups, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was evaluated before training, at the 9(th) and 17(th) session and four days after the final 24(th) training session. In the detraining phase VO2max was evaluated after 12 days and thereafter every second week for eight weeks. Left ventricular echocardiography, carbon monoxide lung diffusion transfer factor, brachial artery flow mediated dilatation and vastus lateralis citrate maximal synthase activity was tested before and after training. The cardiovascular adaptation after HF training was delayed compared to training with MF. Four days after ending training the HF group showed no improvement (+3.0%, p = 0.126), whereas the MF group reached their highest VO2max with a 10.7% improvement (ptraining of high-intensity aerobic exercise improves VO2max. The cardiovascular adaptation following a HF programme of high-intensity exercise is however delayed compared to MF training. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00733941.

Benign Effect of Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Field on Brain Plasticity Assessed by Nitric Oxide Metabolism during Poststroke Rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia Cichoń

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nitric oxide (NO is one of the most important signal molecules, involved in both physiological and pathological processes. As a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, NO regulates cerebral blood flow, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of the extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF on generation and metabolism of NO, as a neurotransmitter, in the rehabilitation of poststroke patients. Forty-eight patients were divided into two groups: ELF-EMF and non-ELF-EMF. Both groups underwent the same 4-week rehabilitation program. Additionally, the ELF-EMF group was exposed to an extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field of 40 Hz, 7 mT, for 15 min/day. Levels of 3-nitrotyrosine, nitrate/nitrite, and TNFα in plasma samples were measured, and NOS2 expression was determined in whole blood samples. Functional status was evaluated before and after a series of treatments, using the Activity Daily Living, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Mini-Mental State Examination. We observed that application of ELF-EMF significantly increased 3-nitrotyrosine and nitrate/nitrite levels, while expression of NOS2 was insignificantly decreased in both groups. The results also show that ELF-EMF treatments improved functional and mental status. We conclude that ELF-EMF therapy is capable of promoting recovery in poststroke patients.

Low-Frequency Interlayer Raman Modes to Probe Interface of Twisted Bilayer MoS2.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shengxi; Liang, Liangbo; Ling, Xi; Puretzky, Alexander A; Geohegan, David B; Sumpter, Bobby G; Kong, Jing; Meunier, Vincent; Dresselhaus, Mildred S

2016-02-10

van der Waals homo- and heterostructures assembled by stamping monolayers together present optoelectronic properties suitable for diverse applications. Understanding the details of the interlayer stacking and resulting coupling is crucial for tuning these properties. We investigated the low-frequency interlayer shear and breathing Raman modes (frequency and intensity changes of low-frequency modes. The frequency variation can be up to 8 cm(-1) and the intensity can vary by a factor of ∼5 for twisting angles near 0° and 60°, where the stacking is a mixture of high-symmetry stacking patterns and is thus sensitive to twisting. For twisting angles between 20° and 40°, the interlayer coupling is nearly constant because the stacking results in mismatched lattices over the entire sample. It follows that the Raman signature is relatively uniform. Note that for some samples, multiple breathing mode peaks appear, indicating nonuniform coupling across the interface. In contrast to the low-frequency interlayer modes, high-frequency intralayer Raman modes are much less sensitive to interlayer stacking and coupling. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of low-frequency Raman modes for probing the interfacial coupling and environment of twisted bilayer MoS2 and potentially other two-dimensional materials and heterostructures.

Stimulus-dependent modulation of spontaneous low-frequency oscillations in the rat visual cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Liangming; Liu, Yadong; Gui, Jianjun; Li, Ming; Hu, Dewen

2014-08-06

Research on spontaneous low-frequency oscillations is important to reveal underlying regulatory mechanisms in the brain. The mechanism for the stimulus modulation of low-frequency oscillations is not known. Here, we used the intrinsic optical imaging technique to examine stimulus-modulated low-frequency oscillation signals in the rat visual cortex. The stimulation was presented monocularly as a flashing light with different frequencies and intensities. The phases of low-frequency oscillations in different regions tended to be synchronized and the rhythms typically accelerated within a 30-s period after stimulation. These phenomena were confined to visual stimuli with specific flashing frequencies (12.5-17.5 Hz) and intensities (5-10 mA). The acceleration and synchronization induced by the flashing frequency were more marked than those induced by the intensity. These results show that spontaneous low-frequency oscillations can be modulated by parameter-dependent flashing lights and indicate the potential utility of the visual stimulus paradigm in exploring the origin and function of low-frequency oscillations.

Inactivation of Enterobacter aerogenes in reconstituted skim milk by high- and low-frequency ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Shengpu; Hemar, Yacine; Lewis, Gillian D; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian

2014-11-01

The inactivation of Enterobacter aerogenes in skim milk using low-frequency (20kHz) and high-frequency (850kHz) ultrasonication was investigated. It was found that low-frequency acoustic cavitation resulted in lethal damage to E. aerogenes. The bacteria were more sensitive to ultrasound in water than in reconstituted skim milk having different protein concentrations. However, high-frequency ultrasound was not able to inactivate E. aerogenes in milk even when powers as high as 50W for 60min were used. This study also showed that high-frequency ultrasonication had no influence on the viscosity and particle size of skim milk, whereas low-frequency ultrasonication resulted in the decrease in viscosity and particle size of milk. The decrease in particle size is believed to be due to the breakup of the fat globules, and possibly to the cleavage of the κ-casein present at the surface of the casein micelles. Whey proteins were also found to be slightly affected by low-frequency ultrasound, with the amounts of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin slightly decreasing. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Age related vascular endothelial function following lifelong sedentariness: positive impact of cardiovascular conditioning without further improvement following low frequency high intensity interval training

OpenAIRE

Grace, Fergal M.; Herbert, Peter; Ratcliffe, John W.; New, Karl J.; Baker, Julien S.; Sculthorpe, Nicholas F.

2015-01-01

Abstract Aging is associated with diffuse impairments in vascular endothelial function and traditional aerobic exercise is known to ameliorate these changes. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is effective at improving vascular function in aging men with existing disease, but its effectiveness remains to be demonstrated in otherwise healthy sedentary aging. However, the frequency of commonly used HIIT protocols may be poorly tolerated in older cohorts. Therefore, the present study invest...

Effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on human beings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lilien, J.L.; Dular, P.; Sabariego, R.; Beauvois, V.; Barbier, P.P.; Lorphevre, R.

2010-01-01

Since the early seventies, potential health risks from ELF (Extremely Low frequency electromagnetic Fields) exposure (50 Hz) have been extensively treated in the literature (more than 1000 references registered by WHO (World Health Organisation), 2007). After 30 years of worldwide research, the major epidemiological output is the possible modest increased risk (by a factor 2) of childhood leukaemia in case of a long exposure to an ambient magnetic flux density (B-field) higher than 0.4 μT. However, this fact has not been confirmed by in vivo and in vitro studies. Moreover it has not been validated by any adverse health biological mechanisms neither for adults nor for children. International recommendations (ICNIRP, International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection) are currently, for general public, not to exceed a B-field of 100 μT (50 Hz) and an E-field of 5 kV/m (50 Hz). Herein, a rough overview of typical values of ELF fields will be presented followed by a brief literature survey on childhood leukaemia and ELF The potential carcinogenic effect of ELF would be linked to electrical disturbances in cell behaviour. The major concern linking child-hood leukaemia and ELF is thus to determine the response of bone marrow cells under ELF fields. With that purpose, transmembrane potential will be targeted and linked to the E-field at that level. This paper is three-folded: (1) the electric interactions between ambient ELF fields and the body are studied both qualitatively and quantitatively. Different sources of internal E-field are analysed and classified according to their potential risk; (2) the hypothesis of contact current is detailed; (3) key actions to undertake are highlighted. Based on the current state of the art and some authors' own developments, this paper proposes simple low cost enhancements of private electrical installations in order to annihilate the major source of potential effects of ELF. (authors)

Vibro-Shock Dynamics Analysis of a Tandem Low Frequency Resonator—High Frequency Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darius Žižys

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Frequency up-conversion is a promising technique for energy harvesting in low frequency environments. In this approach, abundantly available environmental motion energy is absorbed by a Low Frequency Resonator (LFR which transfers it to a high frequency Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvester (PVEH via impact or magnetic coupling. As a result, a decaying alternating output signal is produced, that can later be collected using a battery or be transferred directly to the electric load. The paper reports an impact-coupled frequency up-converting tandem setup with different LFR to PVEH natural frequency ratios and varying contact point location along the length of the harvester. RMS power output of different frequency up-converting tandems with optimal resistive values was found from the transient analysis revealing a strong relation between power output and LFR-PVEH natural frequency ratio as well as impact point location. Simulations revealed that higher power output is obtained from a higher natural frequency ratio between LFR and PVEH, an increase of power output by one order of magnitude for a doubled natural frequency ratio and up to 150% difference in power output from different impact point locations. The theoretical results were experimentally verified.

Grid Frequency Extreme Event Analysis and Modeling: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Florita, Anthony R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Clark, Kara [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Gevorgian, Vahan [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Folgueras, Maria [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Wenger, Erin [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-11-01

Sudden losses of generation or load can lead to instantaneous changes in electric grid frequency and voltage. Extreme frequency events pose a major threat to grid stability. As renewable energy sources supply power to grids in increasing proportions, it becomes increasingly important to examine when and why extreme events occur to prevent destabilization of the grid. To better understand frequency events, including extrema, historic data were analyzed to fit probability distribution functions to various frequency metrics. Results showed that a standard Cauchy distribution fit the difference between the frequency nadir and prefault frequency (f_(C-A)) metric well, a standard Cauchy distribution fit the settling frequency (f_B) metric well, and a standard normal distribution fit the difference between the settling frequency and frequency nadir (f_(B-C)) metric very well. Results were inconclusive for the frequency nadir (f_C) metric, meaning it likely has a more complex distribution than those tested. This probabilistic modeling should facilitate more realistic modeling of grid faults.

Low Frequency Modulation of Extreme Temperature Regimes in a Changing Climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Black, Robert X. [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2014-11-24

The project examines long-term changes in extreme temperature episodes (ETE) associated with planetary climate modes (PCMs) in both the real atmospheric and climate model simulations. The focus is on cold air outbreaks (CAOs) and warm waves (WWs) occurring over the continental US during the past 60 winters. No significant long-term trends in either WWs or CAOs are observed over the US. The annual frequency of CAOs is affected by the (i) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) over the Southeast US and (ii) Pacific–North American (PNA) pattern over the Northwest US. WW frequency is influenced by the (i) NAO over the eastern US and (ii) combined influence of PNA, Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO), and ENSO over the southern US. The collective influence of PCMs accounts for as much as 50% of the regional variability in ETE frequency. During CAO (WW) events occurring over the southeast US, there are low (high) pressure anomalies at higher atmospheric levels over the southeast US with oppositely-signed pressure anomalies in the lower atmosphere over the central US. These patterns lead to anomalous northerly (for CAOs) or southerly (for WWs) flow into the southeast leading to cold or warm surface air temperature anomalies, respectively. One distinction is that CAOs involve substantial air mass transport while WW formation is more local in nature. The primary differences among event categories are in the origin and nature of the pressure anomaly features linked to ETE onset. In some cases, PCMs help to provide a favorable environment for event onset. Heat budget analyses indicate that latitudinal transport in the lower atmosphere is the main contributor to regional cooling during CAO onset. This is partly offset by adiabatic warming associated with subsiding air. Additional diagnoses reveal that this latitudinal transport is partly due to the remote physical influence of a shallow cold pool of air trapped along the east side of the Rocky Mountains. ETE and PCM behavior is also

Low-frequency 1/f noise in graphene devices

Science.gov (United States)

Balandin, Alexander A.

2013-08-01

Low-frequency noise with a spectral density that depends inversely on frequency has been observed in a wide variety of systems including current fluctuations in resistors, intensity fluctuations in music and signals in human cognition. In electronics, the phenomenon, which is known as 1/f noise, flicker noise or excess noise, hampers the operation of numerous devices and circuits, and can be a significant impediment to the development of practical applications from new materials. Graphene offers unique opportunities for studying 1/f noise because of its two-dimensional structure and widely tunable two-dimensional carrier concentration. The creation of practical graphene-based devices will also depend on our ability to understand and control the low-frequency noise in this material system. Here, the characteristic features of 1/f noise in graphene and few-layer graphene are reviewed, and the implications of such noise for the development of graphene-based electronics including high-frequency devices and sensors are examined.

Response of Cultured Neuronal Network Activity After High-Intensity Power Frequency Magnetic Field Exposure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atsushi Saito

2018-03-01

Full Text Available High-intensity and low frequency (1–100 kHz time-varying electromagnetic fields stimulate the human body through excitation of the nervous system. In power frequency range (50/60 Hz, a frequency-dependent threshold of the external electric field-induced neuronal modulation in cultured neuronal networks was used as one of the biological indicator in international guidelines; however, the threshold of the magnetic field-induced neuronal modulation has not been elucidated. In this study, we exposed rat brain-derived neuronal networks to a high-intensity power frequency magnetic field (hPF-MF, and evaluated the modulation of synchronized bursting activity using a multi-electrode array (MEA-based extracellular recording technique. As a result of short-term hPF-MF exposure (50–400 mT root-mean-square (rms, 50 Hz, sinusoidal wave, 6 s, the synchronized bursting activity was increased in the 400 mT-exposed group. On the other hand, no change was observed in the 50–200 mT-exposed groups. In order to clarify the mechanisms of the 400 mT hPF-MF exposure-induced neuronal response, we evaluated it after blocking inhibitory synapses using bicuculline methiodide (BMI; subsequently, increase in bursting activity was observed with BMI application, and the response of 400 mT hPF-MF exposure disappeared. Therefore, it was suggested that the response of hPF-MF exposure was involved in the inhibitory input. Next, we screened the inhibitory pacemaker-like neuronal activity which showed autonomous 4–10 Hz firing with CNQX and D-AP5 application, and it was confirmed that the activity was reduced after 400 mT hPF-MF exposure. Comparison of these experimental results with estimated values of the induced electric field (E-field in the culture medium revealed that the change in synchronized bursting activity occurred over 0.3 V/m, which was equivalent to the findings of a previous study that used the external electric fields. In addition, the results suggested that

Comparison of Two Intensities of Aerobic Training (low intensity and High Intensity on Expression of Perlipin 2 Skeletal Muscle, Serum Glucose and Insulin levels in Streptozotocin-Diabetic Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Ghafari

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract   Background & aim: Lipid metabolism disorder plays an important role in insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and lipid drop proteins such as perlipine 2 (PLIN2 are effective in regulating intracellular fat metabolism. One of the suggested pathways for the effects of endurance activity in metabolic diseases is the effect of physical activity on intramuscular. Therefore, the purpose of this study was compare the intensity of aerobic exercise intensity (low intensity and high intensity on expression of PLIN2 skeletal muscle, serum glucose and insulin levels in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.   Methods: In this experimental study, 24 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of 8, including two intervention groups (low intensity endurance training group and high intensity continuous exercise group and one control group. After induction of diabetic rats by injection streptozotocin (55 mg / kg body weight, Intraperitoneally, endurance training was applied for eight weeks, three sessions per week in diabetic rats. Exercise intensity in the low-intensity group was equal to 5-8 m / min (equivalent to 50-60% Vo2max, the intensity of training in a high intensity training group was equivalent to a speed of 22-25 m / min (equivalent to 80% Vo2max and the control group did not receive intervene in this time. Relative protein expression of PLIN2 was performed using western blot technique. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test.   Results: The results of the intergroup comparison revealed a significant difference among three groups in the PLIN2 variables (p = 0.037. The results of post hoc test showed a significant increase in PLIN2 in high intensity training diabetic group compared to the control group (p = 0.033 However, there was no significant difference in PLIN2 level in the low exercise group compared to the control group (p = 0.18. Also, there was no significant difference between the low intensity and

Low-frequency high-definition power Doppler in visualizing and defining fetal pulmonary venous connections.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lin; He, Yihua; Li, Zhian; Gu, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Ye; Zhang, Lianzhong

2014-07-01

The use of low-frequency high-definition power Doppler in assessing and defining pulmonary venous connections was investigated. Study A included 260 fetuses at gestational ages ranging from 18 to 36 weeks. Pulmonary veins were assessed by performing two-dimensional B-mode imaging, color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), and low-frequency high-definition power Doppler. A score of 1 was assigned if one pulmonary vein was visualized, 2 if two pulmonary veins were visualized, 3 if three pulmonary veins were visualized, and 4 if four pulmonary veins were visualized. The detection rate between Exam-1 and Exam-2 (intra-observer variability) and between Exam-1 and Exam-3 (inter-observer variability) was compared. In study B, five cases with abnormal pulmonary venous connection were diagnosed and compared to their anatomical examination. In study A, there was a significant difference between CDFI and low-frequency high-definition power Doppler for the four pulmonary veins observed (P low-frequency high-definition power Doppler was higher than that when employing two-dimensional B-mode imaging or CDFI. There was no significant difference between the intra- and inter-observer variabilities using low-frequency high-definition power Doppler display of pulmonary veins (P > 0.05). The coefficient correlation between Exam-1 and Exam-2 was 0.844, and the coefficient correlation between Exam-1 and Exam-3 was 0.821. In study B, one case of total anomalous pulmonary venous return and four cases of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return were diagnosed by low-frequency high-definition power Doppler and confirmed by autopsy. The assessment of pulmonary venous connections by low-frequency high-definition power Doppler is advantageous. Pulmonary venous anatomy can and should be monitored during fetal heart examination.

Multivariate hydrological frequency analysis for extreme events using Archimedean copula. Case study: Lower Tunjuelo River basin (Colombia)

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, Wilmar

2017-04-01

By analyzing the spatial and temporal variability of extreme precipitation events we can prevent or reduce the threat and risk. Many water resources projects require joint probability distributions of random variables such as precipitation intensity and duration, which can not be independent with each other. The problem of defining a probability model for observations of several dependent variables is greatly simplified by the joint distribution in terms of their marginal by taking copulas. This document presents a general framework set frequency analysis bivariate and multivariate using Archimedean copulas for extreme events of hydroclimatological nature such as severe storms. This analysis was conducted in the lower Tunjuelo River basin in Colombia for precipitation events. The results obtained show that for a joint study of the intensity-duration-frequency, IDF curves can be obtained through copulas and thus establish more accurate and reliable information from design storms and associated risks. It shows how the use of copulas greatly simplifies the study of multivariate distributions that introduce the concept of joint return period used to represent the needs of hydrological designs properly in frequency analysis.

Low-intensity red and infrared laser effects at high fluences on Escherichia coli cultures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barboza, L.L.; Campos, V.M.A.; Magalhaes, L.A.G. [Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Departamento de Biofisica e Biometria; Paoli, F. [Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil). Departamento de Morfologia; Fonseca, A.S., E-mail: adnfonseca@ig.com.br [Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Departamento de Ciencias Fisiologicas

2015-10-15

Semiconductor laser devices are readily available and practical radiation sources providing wavelength tenability and high monochromaticity. Low-intensity red and near-infrared lasers are considered safe for use in clinical applications. However, adverse effects can occur via free radical generation, and the biological effects of these lasers from unusually high fluences or high doses have not yet been evaluated. Here, we evaluated the survival, filamentation induction and morphology of Escherichia coli cells deficient in repair of oxidative DNA lesions when exposed to low-intensity red and infrared lasers at unusually high fluences. Cultures of wild-type (AB1157), endonuclease III-deficient (JW1625-1), and endonuclease IV-deficient (JW2146-1) E. coli, in exponential and stationary growth phases, were exposed to red and infrared lasers (0, 250, 500, and 1000 J/cm{sup 2}) to evaluate their survival rates, filamentation phenotype induction and cell morphologies. The results showed that low-intensity red and infrared lasers at high fluences are lethal, induce a filamentation phenotype, and alter the morphology of the E. coli cells. Low-intensity red and infrared lasers have potential to induce adverse effects on cells, whether used at unusually high fluences, or at high doses. Hence, there is a need to reinforce the importance of accurate dosimetry in therapeutic protocols. (author)

Exfoliated BN shell-based high-frequency magnetic core-shell materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Patel, Ketan; Ren, Shenqiang

2017-09-14

The miniaturization of electric machines demands high frequency magnetic materials with large magnetic-flux density and low energy loss to achieve a decreased dimension of high rotational speed motors. Herein, we report a solution-processed high frequency magnetic composite (containing a nanometal FeCo core and a boron nitride (BN) shell) that simultaneously exhibits high electrical resistivity and magnetic permeability. The frequency dependent complex initial permeability and the mechanical robustness of nanocomposites are intensely dependent on the content of BN insulating phase. The results shown here suggest that insulating magnetic nanocomposites have potential for application in next-generation high-frequency electric machines with large electrical resistivity and permeability.

Features of Physical and Neuro-Psychological Development of Children with Low, Very Low and Extremely Low Birth Weight in Different Age Periods of Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. A. Deev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Analysis of features of physical and neuro-psychological development of children with low, very low and extremely low birth weight in different age periods is carried out according to cohort studies of newborns with different gestational age and birth weight, presented in electronic databases PubMed and Medscape. It is revealed that the overwhelming number of children with low, very low and extremely low birth weight, gain physical and neuro- psychological development impairments, hearing and vision disorders of varying severity, violation of motor function, intelligence and cognitive skills infringement in an older age. In this regard, it is actual not only to develop new neonatal reanimation and intensive care technologies, but also to ensure adequate prevention of preterm birth in the group of women with a high degree of perinatal risk. All this will further allow preventing increase in children with disabling conditions number among premature infants.

Pump-To-Signal Intensity Modulation Transfer Characteristics in FOPAs: Modulation Frequency and Saturation Effect

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lali-Dastjerdi, Zohreh; Cristofori, Valentina; Lund-Hansen, Toke

2012-01-01

This paper reports a comprehensive study of pump- to-signal intensity modulation transfer (IMT) in single-pump fiber optic parametric amplifiers (FOPAs). In particular, the IMT is studied for the first time for high-frequency fluctuations of the pump as well as in the saturated gain regime. The IMT...... cut-off frequency in typical single-pump FOPAs is around 100–200 GHz. The possibilities to shift this frequency based on dispersion and nonlinearities involved in the parametric gain are discussed. The severe IMT to the signal at low modulation frequencies can be suppressed by more than 50...

In vivo photoacoustics and high frequency ultrasound imaging of mechanical high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Daoudi, Khalid; Hoogenboom, Martijn; den Brok, Martijn; Eikelenboom, Dylan; Adema, Gosse J; Fütterer, Jürgen J; de Korte, Chris L

2017-04-01

The thermal effect of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been clinically exploited over a decade, while the mechanical HIFU is still largely confined to laboratory investigations. This is in part due to the lack of adequate imaging techniques to better understand the in-vivo pathological and immunological effects caused by the mechanical treatment. In this work, we explore the use of high frequency ultrasound (US) and photoacoustics (PA) as a potential tool to evaluate the effect of mechanical ablation in-vivo , e.g. boiling histotripsy. Two mice bearing a neuroblastoma tumor in the right leg were ablated using an MRI-HIFU system conceived for small animals and monitored using MRI thermometry. High frequency US and PA imaging were performed before and after the HIFU treatment. Afterwards, the tumor was resected for further assessment and evaluation of the ablated region using histopathology. High frequency US imaging revealed the presence of liquefied regions in the treated area together with fragmentized tissue which appeared with different reflecting proprieties compared to the surrounding tissue. Photoacoustic imaging on the other hand revealed the presence of deoxygenated blood within the tumor after the ablation due to the destruction of blood vessel network while color Doppler imaging confirmed the blood vessel network destruction within the tumor. The treated area and the presence of red blood cells detected by photoacoustics were further confirmed by the histopathology. This feasibility study demonstrates the potential of high frequency US and PA approach for assessing in-vivo the effect of mechanical HIFU tumor ablation.

Recognition memory for low- and high-frequency-filtered emotional faces: Low spatial frequencies drive emotional memory enhancement, whereas high spatial frequencies drive the emotion-induced recognition bias.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohr, Michaela; Tröger, Johannes; Michely, Nils; Uhde, Alarith; Wentura, Dirk

2017-07-01

This article deals with two well-documented phenomena regarding emotional stimuli: emotional memory enhancement-that is, better long-term memory for emotional than for neutral stimuli-and the emotion-induced recognition bias-that is, a more liberal response criterion for emotional than for neutral stimuli. Studies on visual emotion perception and attention suggest that emotion-related processes can be modulated by means of spatial-frequency filtering of the presented emotional stimuli. Specifically, low spatial frequencies are assumed to play a primary role for the influence of emotion on attention and judgment. Given this theoretical background, we investigated whether spatial-frequency filtering also impacts (1) the memory advantage for emotional faces and (2) the emotion-induced recognition bias, in a series of old/new recognition experiments. Participants completed incidental-learning tasks with high- (HSF) and low- (LSF) spatial-frequency-filtered emotional and neutral faces. The results of the surprise recognition tests showed a clear memory advantage for emotional stimuli. Most importantly, the emotional memory enhancement was significantly larger for face images containing only low-frequency information (LSF faces) than for HSF faces across all experiments, suggesting that LSF information plays a critical role in this effect, whereas the emotion-induced recognition bias was found only for HSF stimuli. We discuss our findings in terms of both the traditional account of different processing pathways for HSF and LSF information and a stimulus features account. The double dissociation in the results favors the latter account-that is, an explanation in terms of differences in the characteristics of HSF and LSF stimuli.

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field radiation: a preliminary study case in Bangi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roha Tukimin; Wan Nor Liza Mahadi; Mohd Yusof Mohd Ali; Mohd Amirul Nizam Mohd Thari; Mohd Azizi Jali; Ahmad Fadhil Ahmad Sanusi

2008-08-01

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields radiation is known to be hazardous if amount received is excessive. The primary sources of ELF EMF are from the electricity supply system such as transmission line, substation, transformers and switch gears. Due to limited space, many substations were built very close to the residential area. A study was carried out in the selected houses located in Bangi, Selangor which located close to the TNB substation. The study was made in two conditions, before the area fully occupied and after the resident moved into the house. The aim of the study is for assessing the strength of ELF EMF that emitted by the substation. This study was also conducted to assess the potential exposure received by personnel living in the house. The surveys were carried out using PMM model EHP50A and EMDEX instruments based on standard measurement procedures and protocol recommended by IEEE. Results obtained were compared against the permissible exposure limits recommended by International Commission of Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).This paper highlights some of the findings at the study site. Results obtained suggest that ELF EMF radiation varies with location and the magnetic fields strength measured near the source of ELF EMF was found to be higher than the normal environment. (Author)

Climate Informed Low Flow Frequency Analysis Using Nonstationary Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, D.; Guo, S.; Lian, Y.

2014-12-01

Stationarity is often assumed for frequency analysis of low flows in water resources management and planning. However, many studies have shown that flow characteristics, particularly the frequency spectrum of extreme hydrologic events,were modified by climate change and human activities and the conventional frequency analysis without considering the non-stationary characteristics may lead to costly design. The analysis presented in this paper was based on the more than 100 years of daily flow data from the Yichang gaging station 44 kilometers downstream of the Three Gorges Dam. The Mann-Kendall trend test under the scaling hypothesis showed that the annual low flows had significant monotonic trend, whereas an abrupt change point was identified in 1936 by the Pettitt test. The climate informed low flow frequency analysis and the divided and combined method are employed to account for the impacts from related climate variables and the nonstationarities in annual low flows. Without prior knowledge of the probability density function for the gaging station, six distribution functions including the Generalized Extreme Values (GEV), Pearson Type III, Gumbel, Gamma, Lognormal, and Weibull distributions have been tested to find the best fit, in which the local likelihood method is used to estimate the parameters. Analyses show that GEV had the best fit for the observed low flows. This study has also shown that the climate informed low flow frequency analysis is able to exploit the link between climate indices and low flows, which would account for the dynamic feature for reservoir management and provide more accurate and reliable designs for infrastructure and water supply.

Extreme Precipitation Estimation with Typhoon Morakot Using Frequency and Spatial Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hone-Jay Chu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Typhoon Morakot lashed Taiwan and produced copious amounts of precipitation in 2009. From the point view of hydrological statistics, the impact of the precipitation from typhoon Morakot using a frequency analysis can be analyzed and discussed. The frequency curve, which was fitted mathematically to historical observed data, can be used to estimate the probability of exceedance for runoff events of a certain magnitude. The study integrates frequency analysis and spatial analysis to assess the effect of Typhoon Morakot event on rainfall frequency in the Gaoping River basin of southern Taiwan. First, extreme rainfall data are collected at sixteen stations for durations of 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours and then an appropriate probability distribution was selected to analyze the impact of the extreme hydrological event. Spatial rainfall patterns for a return period of 200-yr with 24-hr duration with and without Typhoon Morakot are estimated. Results show that the rainfall amount is significantly different with long duration with and without the event for frequency analysis. Furthermore, spatial analysis shows that extreme rainfall for a return period of 200-yr is highly dependent on topography and is smaller in the southwest than that in the east. The results not only demonstrate the distinct effect of Typhoon Morakot on frequency analysis, but also could provide reference in future planning of hydrological engineering.

Extreme metabolic alkalosis in intensive care.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathy, Swagata

2009-10-01

Metabolic alkalosis is a commonly seen imbalance in the intensive care unit (ICU). Extreme metabolic alkalemia, however, is less common. A pH greater than 7.65 may carry a high risk of mortality (up to 80%). We discuss the entity of life threatening metabolic alkalemia by means of two illustrative cases - both with a pH greater than 7.65 on presentation. The cause, modalities of managing and complications of this condition is discussed from the point of view of both the traditional method of Henderson and Hasselbalch and the mathematical model based on physiochemical model described by Stewart. Special mention to the pitfalls in managing patients of metabolic alkalosis with concomitant renal compromise is made.

Low intensity, high frequency vibration training to improve musculoskeletal function in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan A Novotny

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to determine if low intensity, high frequency vibration training impacted the musculoskeletal system in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, relative to healthy mice. Three-week old wildtype (n = 26 and mdx mice (n = 22 were randomized to non-vibrated or vibrated (45 Hz and 0.6 g, 15 min/d, 5 d/wk groups. In vivo and ex vivo contractile function of the anterior crural and extensor digitorum longus muscles, respectively, were assessed following 8 wks of vibration. Mdx mice were injected 5 and 1 days prior to sacrifice with Calcein and Xylenol, respectively. Muscles were prepared for histological and triglyceride analyses and subcutaneous and visceral fat pads were excised and weighed. Tibial bones were dissected and analyzed by micro-computed tomography for trabecular morphometry at the metaphysis, and cortical geometry and density at the mid-diaphysis. Three-point bending tests were used to assess cortical bone mechanical properties and a subset of tibiae was processed for dynamic histomorphometry. Vibration training for 8 wks did not alter trabecular morphometry, dynamic histomorphometry, cortical geometry, or mechanical properties (P ≥ 0.34. Vibration did not alter any measure of muscle contractile function (P ≥ 0.12; however the preservation of muscle function and morphology in mdx mice indicates vibration is not deleterious to muscle lacking dystrophin. Vibrated mice had smaller subcutaneous fat pads (P = 0.03 and higher intramuscular triglyceride concentrations (P = 0.03. These data suggest that vibration training at 45 Hz and 0.6 g did not significantly impact the tibial bone and the surrounding musculature, but may influence fat distribution in mice.

Scheme for efficient extraction of low-frequency signal beyond the quantum limit by frequency-shift detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, R G; Zhang, J; Zhai, Z H; Zhai, S Q; Liu, K; Gao, J R

2015-08-10

Low-frequency (Hz~kHz) squeezing is very important in many schemes of quantum precision measurement. But it is more difficult than that at megahertz-frequency because of the introduction of laser low-frequency technical noise. In this paper, we propose a scheme to obtain a low-frequency signal beyond the quantum limit from the frequency comb in a non-degenerate frequency and degenerate polarization optical parametric amplifier (NOPA) operating below threshold with type I phase matching by frequency-shift detection. Low-frequency squeezing immune to laser technical noise is obtained by a detection system with a local beam of two-frequency intense laser. Furthermore, the low-frequency squeezing can be used for phase measurement in Mach-Zehnder interferometer, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be enhanced greatly.

High frequency oscillatory ventilation with lung volume optimization in very low birth weight newborns – a nine-year experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Nona

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcome of very low birth weight newborns, submitted to high frequency oscillatory ventilation with a strategy of early lung volume optimization. Methods: Descriptive prospective study in a nine-year period, between 1999 January 1st to 2008 January 1st. All the very low birth weight newborns were born in Dr. Alfredo da Costa Maternity, Lisbon, Portugal, were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and submitted to high frequency oscillatory ventilation with early lung volume optimization; these newborns were followed-up since birth and their charts were analyzed periodically until hospital discharge. Rresults: From a total population of 730 very low birth weight inborns, 117 babies died (16% and 613 survived (84%. The median of birth weight was 975 g and the gestational age median was 28 weeks. For the survivors, the median ventilation and oxygenation times were 3 and 18 days, respectively. The incidence of chronic lung disease was 9.5%, with nine newborns discharged on oxygen therapy. The incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage III – IV (total population group was 11.5% and the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity grade 3 or higher was 8.0%. Cconclusions: High frequency oscillatory ventilation with early lung volume optimization strategy reduced the need of respiratory support, and improved pulmonary and global outcomes in very low birth weight infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

The AGS Booster high frequency rf system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, R.T.; Cameron, P.; Eng, W.; Goldman, M.A.; Jablonski, E.; Kasha, D.; Keane, J.; McNerney, A.; Meth, M.; Plotkin, M.; Puglisi, M.; Ratti, A.; Spitz, R.

1991-01-01

A high level rf system, including a power amplifier and cavity, has been designed and built for the AGS Booster. It covers a frequency range of 2.4 to 4.2 MHz and will be used to accelerate high intensity protons. Low intensity polarized protons and heavy ions, to the 1.5 GeV level. A total accelerating voltage of up to 90 kV will be provided by two cavities, each having two gaps. The internally cross coupled, pushpull cavities are driven by an adjacently located power amplifier. In order to accommodate beam intensities up to 0.75 x 10 13 protons per bunch, a low plate resistance power tetrode is used. The tube anode is magnetically coupled to one of the cavity's two parallel cells. The amplifier is a grounded cathode configuration driven by a remotely located solid-state amplifier. It has been tested in the laboratory at full gap voltage with satisfactory results. 5 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

High or low intensity aerobic fitness training in fibromyalgia: does it matter?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Santen, Marijke; Bolwijn, Paulien; Landewé, Robert; Verstappen, Frans; Bakker, Carla; Hidding, Alita; van der Kemp, Désirée; Houben, Harry; van der Linden, Sjef

2002-01-01

To determine the efficacy of training in fibromyalgia (FM), we compared the effects of high intensity fitness training (HIF) and low intensity fitness training (LIF). Thirty-seven female patients with FM were randomly allocated to either a HIF group (n = 19) or a LIF group (n = 18). Four patients (1

LOW-FREQUENCY OSCILLATIONS IN XTE J1550-564

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao Fengyun; Belloni, Tomaso; Stella, Luigi; Zhang Shuangnan; Li Tipei

2010-01-01

We present the results of a timing analysis of the low-frequency quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer data of the black hole binary XTE J1550-564 during its 1998 outburst. The QPO frequency is observed to vary on timescales between ∼100 s and days, correlated with the count rate contribution from the optically thick accretion disk: we studied this correlation and discuss its influence on the QPO width. In all observations, the quality factors (ν 0 /FWHM) of the fundamental and second harmonic peaks were observed to be consistent, suggesting that the quasi-periodic nature of the oscillation is due to frequency modulation. In addition to the QPO and its harmonic peaks, a new 1.5ν component was detected in the power spectra. This component is broad, with a quality factor of ∼0.6. From this, we argue that the peak observed at half the QPO frequency, usually referred to as 'sub-harmonic', could be the fundamental frequency, leading to the sequence 1:2:3:4. We also studied the energy dependence of the timing features and conclude that the two continuum components observed in the power spectrum, although both more intense at high energies, show a different dependence on energy. At low energies, the lowest-frequency component dominates, while at high energies the higher-frequency one has a higher fractional rms. An interplay between these two components was also observed as a function of their characteristic frequency. In this source, the transition between the low/hard state and the hard-intermediate state appears to be a smooth process.

rf coaxial couplers for high-intensity linear accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manca, J.J.; Knapp, E.A.

1980-02-01

Two rf coaxial couplers that are particularly suitable for intertank connection of the disk-and-washer accelerating structure for use in high-intensity linear accelerators have been developed. These devices have very high coupling to the accelerating structure and very low rf power loss at the operating frequency, and they can be designed for any relative particle velocity β > 0.4. Focusing and monitoring devices can be located inside these couplers

Efficacy of extremely low-frequency magnetic field in fibromyalgia pain: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Paolucci, Teresa; Piccinini, Giulia; Iosa, Marco; Piermattei, Cristina; de Angelis, Simona; Grasso, Maria Rosaria; Zangrando, Federico; Saraceni, Vincenzo Maria

2016-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the efficacy of an extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) in decreasing chronic pain in fibromyalgia (FM) patients. Thirty-seven females were recruited and randomized into two groups: one group was first exposed to systemic ELF-MF therapy (100 microtesla, 1 to 80 Hz) and then to sham therapy, and the other group received the opposite sequence of intervention. Pain, FM-related symptoms, and the ability to perform daily tasks were measured using the Visual Analog Scale, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Fibromyalgia Assessment Scale (FAS), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) at baseline, end of first treatment cycle, beginning of second treatment cycle (after 1 mo washout), end of second treatment cycle, and end of 1 mo follow-up. ELF-MF treatment significantly reduced pain, which increased on cessation of therapy but remained significantly lower than baseline levels. Short-term benefits were also observed in FIQ, FAS, and HAQ scores, with less significant effects seen in the medium term. ELF-MF therapy can be recommended as part of a multimodal approach for mitigating pain in FM subjects and improving the efficacy of drug therapy or physiotherapy.

Probability modeling of high flow extremes in Yingluoxia watershed, the upper reaches of Heihe River basin

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhanling; Li, Zhanjie; Li, Chengcheng

2014-05-01

Probability modeling of hydrological extremes is one of the major research areas in hydrological science. Most basins in humid and semi-humid south and east of China are concerned for probability modeling analysis of high flow extremes. While, for the inland river basin which occupies about 35% of the country area, there is a limited presence of such studies partly due to the limited data availability and a relatively low mean annual flow. The objective of this study is to carry out probability modeling of high flow extremes in the upper reach of Heihe River basin, the second largest inland river basin in China, by using the peak over threshold (POT) method and Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD), in which the selection of threshold and inherent assumptions for POT series are elaborated in details. For comparison, other widely used probability distributions including generalized extreme value (GEV), Lognormal, Log-logistic and Gamma are employed as well. Maximum likelihood estimate is used for parameter estimations. Daily flow data at Yingluoxia station from 1978 to 2008 are used. Results show that, synthesizing the approaches of mean excess plot, stability features of model parameters, return level plot and the inherent independence assumption of POT series, an optimum threshold of 340m3/s is finally determined for high flow extremes in Yingluoxia watershed. The resulting POT series is proved to be stationary and independent based on Mann-Kendall test, Pettitt test and autocorrelation test. In terms of Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Anderson-Darling test and several graphical diagnostics such as quantile and cumulative density function plots, GPD provides the best fit to high flow extremes in the study area. The estimated high flows for long return periods demonstrate that, as the return period increasing, the return level estimates are probably more uncertain. The frequency of high flow extremes exhibits a very slight but not significant decreasing trend from 1978 to

Intense low energy positron beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynn, K.G.; Jacobsen, F.M.

1993-01-01

Intense positron beams are under development or being considered at several laboratories. Already today a few accelerator based high intensity, low brightness e + beams exist producing of the order of 10 8 - 10 9 e + /sec. Several laboratories are aiming at high intensity, high brightness e + beams with intensities greater than 10 9 e + /sec and current densities of the order of 10 13 - 10 14 e + sec - 1 cm -2 . Intense e + beams can be realized in two ways (or in a combination thereof) either through a development of more efficient B + moderators or by increasing the available activity of B + particles. In this review we shall mainly concentrate on the latter approach. In atomic physics the main trust for these developments is to be able to measure differential and high energy cross-sections in e + collisions with atoms and molecules. Within solid state physics high intensity, high brightness e + beams are in demand in areas such as the re-emission e + microscope, two dimensional angular correlation of annihilation radiation, low energy e + diffraction and other fields. Intense e + beams are also important for the development of positronium beams, as well as exotic experiments such as Bose condensation and Ps liquid studies

High-energy sources at low radio frequency: the Murchison Widefield Array view of Fermi blazars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giroletti, M.; Massaro, F.; D’Abrusco, R.; Lico, R.; Burlon, D.

2016-01-01

Low-frequency radio arrays are opening a new window for the study of the sky, both to study new phenomena and to better characterize known source classes. Being flat-spectrum sources, blazars are so far poorly studied at low radio frequencies. In this paper, we characterize the spectral properties of the blazar population at low radio frequency, compare the radio and high-energy properties of the gamma-ray blazar population, and search for radio counterparts of unidentified gamma-ray sources. We cross-correlated the 6100 deg"2 Murchison Widefield Array Commissioning Survey catalogue with the Roma blazar catalogue, the third catalogue of active galactic nuclei detected by Fermi-LAT, and the unidentified members of the entire third catalogue of gamma-ray sources detected by Fermi-LAT. When available, we also added high-frequency radio data from the Australia Telescope 20 GHz catalogue. We find low-frequency counterparts for 186 out of 517 (36%) blazars, 79 out of 174 (45%) gamma-ray blazars, and 8 out of 73 (11%) gamma-ray blazar candidates. The mean low-frequency (120–180 MHz) blazar spectral index is (α_l_o_w) = 0.57 ± 0.02: blazar spectra are flatter than the rest of the population of low-frequency sources, but are steeper than at ~GHz frequencies. Low-frequency radio flux density and gamma-ray energy flux display a mildly significant and broadly scattered correlation. Ten unidentified gamma-ray sources have a (probably fortuitous) positional match with low radio frequency sources. Low-frequency radio astronomy provides important information about sources with a flat radio spectrum and high energy. However, the relatively low sensitivity of the present surveys still misses a significant fraction of these objects. Finally, upcoming deeper surveys, such as the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-Sky MWA (GLEAM) survey, will provide further insight into this population.

Discrete-time nonlinear damping backstepping control with observers for rejection of low and high frequency disturbances

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Wonhee; Chen, Xu; Lee, Youngwoo; Chung, Chung Choo; Tomizuka, Masayoshi

2018-05-01

A discrete-time backstepping control algorithm is proposed for reference tracking of systems affected by both broadband disturbances at low frequencies and narrow band disturbances at high frequencies. A discrete time DOB, which is constructed based on infinite impulse response filters is applied to compensate for narrow band disturbances at high frequencies. A discrete-time nonlinear damping backstepping controller with an augmented observer is proposed to track the desired output and to compensate for low frequency broadband disturbances along with a disturbance observer, for rejecting narrow band high frequency disturbances. This combination has the merit of simultaneously compensating both broadband disturbances at low frequencies and narrow band disturbances at high frequencies. The performance of the proposed method is validated via experiments.

Radiative cooling and broadband phenomenon in low-frequency waves

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2000-01-01

In this paper, we analyze the effects of radiative cooling on the pure baroclinic low-frequency waves under the approximation of equatorial -plane and semi-geostrophic condition. The results show that radiative cooling does not, exclusively, provide the damping effects on the development of low-frequency waves. Under the delicate radiative-convective equilibrium, radiative effects will alter the phase speed and wave period, and bring about the broadband of phase velocity and wave period by adjusting the vertical profiles of diabatic heating. when the intensity of diabatic heating is moderate and appropriate, it is conductive to the development and sustaining of the low-frequency waves and their broadband phenomena, not the larger, the better. The radiative cooling cannot be neglected in order to reach the moderate and appropriate intensity of diabatic heating.

Auditory filters at low-frequencies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orellana, Carlos Andrés Jurado; Pedersen, Christian Sejer; Møller, Henrik

2009-01-01

-ear transfer function), the asymmetry of the auditory filter changed from steeper high-frequency slopes at 1000 Hz to steeper low-frequency slopes below 100 Hz. Increasing steepness at low-frequencies of the middle-ear high-pass filter is thought to cause this effect. The dynamic range of the auditory filter...... was found to steadily decrease with decreasing center frequency. Although the observed decrease in filter bandwidth with decreasing center frequency was only approximately monotonic, the preliminary data indicates the filter bandwidth does not stabilize around 100 Hz, e.g. it still decreases below...

Low Frequency Space Array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennison, B.; Weiler, K.W.; Johnston, K.J.

1987-01-01

The Low Frequency Space Array (LFSA) is a conceptual mission to survey the entire sky and to image individual sources at frequencies between 1.5 and 26 MHz, a frequency range over which the earth's ionosphere transmits poorly or not at all. With high resolution, high sensitivity observations, a new window will be opened in the electromagnetic spectrum for astronomical investigation. Also, extending observations down to such low frequencies will bring astronomy to the fundamental limit below which the galaxy becomes optically thick due to free-free absorption. A number of major scientific goals can be pursued with such a mission, including mapping galactic emission and absorption, studies of individual source spectra in a frequency range where a number of important processes may play a role, high resolution imaging of extended sources, localization of the impulsive emission from Jupiter, and a search for coherent emission processes. 19 references

An Investigation on the Effect of Extremely Low Frequency Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on Human Electrocardiograms (ECGs).

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Qiang; Mahmoud, Seedahmed S; Yan, Jiayong; Li, Hui

2016-11-23

For this investigation, we studied the effects of extremely low frequency pulse electromagnetic fields (ELF-PEMF) on the human cardiac signal. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 22 healthy volunteers before and after a short duration of ELF-PEMF exposure were recorded. The experiment was conducted under single-blind conditions. The root mean square (RMS) value of the recorded data was considered as comparison criteria. We also measured and analysed four important ECG time intervals before and after ELF-PEMF exposure. Results revealed that the RMS value of the ECG recordings from 18 participants (81.8% of the total participants) increased with a mean value of 3.72%. The increase in ECG voltage levels was then verified by a second experimental protocol with a control exposure. In addition to this, we used hyperbolic T-distributions (HTD) in the analysis of ECG signals to verify the change in the RR interval. It was found that there were small shifts in the frequency-domain signal before and after EMF exposure. This shift has an influence on all frequency components of the ECG signals, as all spectrums were shifted. It is shown from this investigation that a short time exposure to ELF-PEMF can affect the properties of ECG signals. Further study is needed to consolidate this finding and discover more on the biological effects of ELF-PEMF on human physiological processes.

Extreme climate, not extreme weather: the summer of 1816 in Geneva, Switzerland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Auchmann

2012-02-01

Full Text Available We analyze weather and climate during the "Year without Summer" 1816 using sub-daily data from Geneva, Switzerland, representing one of the climatically most severely affected regions. The record includes twice daily measurements and observations of air temperature, pressure, cloud cover, wind speed, and wind direction as well as daily measurements of precipitation. Comparing 1816 to a contemporary reference period (1799–1821 reveals that the coldness of the summer of 1816 was most prominent in the afternoon, with a shift of the entire distribution function of temperature anomalies by 3–4 °C. Early morning temperature anomalies show a smaller change for the mean, a significant decrease in the variability, and no changes in negative extremes. Analyzing cloudy and cloud-free conditions separately suggests that an increase in the number of cloudy days was to a significant extent responsible for these features. A daily weather type classification based on pressure, pressure tendency, and wind direction shows extremely anomalous frequencies in summer 1816, with only one day (compared to 20 in an average summer classified as high-pressure situation but a tripling of low-pressure situations. The afternoon temperature anomalies expected from only a change in weather types was much stronger negative in summer 1816 than in any other year. For precipitation, our analysis shows that the 80% increase in summer precipitation compared to the reference period can be explained by 80% increase in the frequency of precipitation, while no change could be found neither in the average intensity of precipitation nor in the frequency distribution of extreme precipitation. In all, the analysis shows that the regional circulation and local cloud cover played a dominant role. It also shows that the summer of 1816 was an example of extreme climate, not extreme weather.

Effect of 24 sessions of high-intensity aerobic interval training carried out at either high or moderate frequency, a randomized trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Håvard Hatle

Full Text Available The training response of an intensified period of high-intensity exercise is not clear. Therefore, we compared the cardiovascular adaptations of completing 24 high-intensity aerobic interval training sessions carried out for either three or eight weeks, respectively.Twenty-one healthy subjects (23.0±2.1 years, 10 females completed 24 high-intensity training sessions throughout a time-period of either eight weeks (moderate frequency, MF or three weeks (high frequency, HF followed by a detraining period of nine weeks without any training. In both groups, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max was evaluated before training, at the 9(th and 17(th session and four days after the final 24(th training session. In the detraining phase VO2max was evaluated after 12 days and thereafter every second week for eight weeks. Left ventricular echocardiography, carbon monoxide lung diffusion transfer factor, brachial artery flow mediated dilatation and vastus lateralis citrate maximal synthase activity was tested before and after training.The cardiovascular adaptation after HF training was delayed compared to training with MF. Four days after ending training the HF group showed no improvement (+3.0%, p = 0.126, whereas the MF group reached their highest VO2max with a 10.7% improvement (p<0.001: group difference p = 0.035. The HF group reached their highest VO2max (6.1% increase, p = 0.026 twelve days into the detraining period, compared to a concomitant reduction to 7.9% of VO2max (p<0.001 above baseline in the MF group (group difference p = 0.609.Both HF and MF training of high-intensity aerobic exercise improves VO2max. The cardiovascular adaptation following a HF programme of high-intensity exercise is however delayed compared to MF training.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00733941.

Cascading effects of climate extremes on vertebrate fauna through changes to low-latitude tree flowering and fruiting phenology.

Science.gov (United States)

Butt, Nathalie; Seabrook, Leonie; Maron, Martine; Law, Bradley S; Dawson, Terence P; Syktus, Jozef; McAlpine, Clive A

2015-09-01

Forest vertebrate fauna provide critical services, such as pollination and seed dispersal, which underpin functional and resilient ecosystems. In turn, many of these fauna are dependent on the flowering phenology of the plant species of such ecosystems. The impact of changes in climate, including climate extremes, on the interaction between these fauna and flora has not been identified or elucidated, yet influences on flowering phenology are already evident. These changes are well documented in the mid to high latitudes. However, there is emerging evidence that the flowering phenology, nectar/pollen production, and fruit production of long-lived trees in tropical and subtropical forests are also being impacted by changes in the frequency and severity of climate extremes. Here, we examine the implications of these changes for vertebrate fauna dependent on these resources. We review the literature to establish evidence for links between climate extremes and flowering phenology, elucidating the nature of relationships between different vertebrate taxa and flowering regimes. We combine this information with climate change projections to postulate about the likely impacts on nectar, pollen and fruit resource availability and the consequences for dependent vertebrate fauna. The most recent climate projections show that the frequency and intensity of climate extremes will increase during the 21st century. These changes are likely to significantly alter mass flowering and fruiting events in the tropics and subtropics, which are frequently cued by climate extremes, such as intensive rainfall events or rapid temperature shifts. We find that in these systems the abundance and duration of resource availability for vertebrate fauna is likely to fluctuate, and the time intervals between episodes of high resource availability to increase. The combined impact of these changes has the potential to result in cascading effects on ecosystems through changes in pollinator and seed

Single image super-resolution via regularized extreme learning regression for imagery from microgrid polarimeters

Science.gov (United States)

Sargent, Garrett C.; Ratliff, Bradley M.; Asari, Vijayan K.

2017-08-01

The advantage of division of focal plane imaging polarimeters is their ability to obtain temporally synchronized intensity measurements across a scene; however, they sacrifice spatial resolution in doing so due to their spatially modulated arrangement of the pixel-to-pixel polarizers and often result in aliased imagery. Here, we propose a super-resolution method based upon two previously trained extreme learning machines (ELM) that attempt to recover missing high frequency and low frequency content beyond the spatial resolution of the sensor. This method yields a computationally fast and simple way of recovering lost high and low frequency content from demosaicing raw microgrid polarimetric imagery. The proposed method outperforms other state-of-the-art single-image super-resolution algorithms in terms of structural similarity and peak signal-to-noise ratio.

High-frequency resistance training is not more effective than low-frequency resistance training in increasing muscle mass and strength in well-trained men.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Gederson K; Franco, Cristiane M; Nunes, Paulo Ricardo P; Orsatti, Fábio L

2018-02-27

We studied the effects of two different weekly frequency resistance training (RT) protocols over eight weeks on muscle strength and muscle hypertrophy in well-trained men. Twenty-three subjects (age: 26.2±4.2 years; RT experience: 6.9±3.1 years) were randomly allocated into the two groups: low frequency (LFRT, n = 12) or high frequency (HFRT, n = 11). The LFRT performed a split-body routine, training each specific muscle group once a week. The HFRT performed a total-body routine, training all muscle groups every session. Both groups performed the same number of sets (10-15 sets) and exercises (1-2 exercise) per week, 8-12 repetitions maximum (70-80% of 1RM), five times per week. Muscle strength (bench press and squat 1RM) and lean tissue mass (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) were assessed prior to and at the end of the study. Results showed that both groups improved (ptrained subjects when the sets and intensity are equated per week.

High frequencies of elevated alkaline phosphatase activity and rickets exist in extremely low birth weight infants despite current nutritional support

Science.gov (United States)

Osteopenia and rickets are common among extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW, <1000 g birth weight) despite current practices of vitamin and mineral supplementation. Few data are available evaluating the usual course of markers of mineral status in this population. Our objectives in this study w...

Low-intensity conflict in multinational corporations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauring, Jakob; Andersen, Poul Houman; Storgaard, Marianne

2017-01-01

in four Danish MNCs. Findings: They describe consequences of low-intensity conflict and identify three types of actions by headquarters’ representatives that could lead to the development of low-intensity conflicts, namely, ignoring, bypassing and educating. Originality/value: Very few studies have dealt......Purpose: This paper aims to identify antecedents for, and consequences of, low-intensity inter-unit conflict in multinational corporations (MNCs). Inter-unit conflict in MNCs is an important and well-researched theme. However, while most studies have focused on open conflict acknowledged by both...... parties, much less research has dealt with low-intensity conflicts. Still, low-intensity conflicts can be highly damaging – not least because they are rarely resolved. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used a qualitative approach to understanding low-intensity conflict relying on 170 interviews...

Formation of a high intensity low energy positron string

Science.gov (United States)

Donets, E. D.; Donets, E. E.; Syresin, E. M.; Itahashi, T.; Dubinov, A. E.

2004-05-01

The possibility of a high intensity low energy positron beam production is discussed. The proposed Positron String Trap (PST) is based on the principles and technology of the Electron String Ion Source (ESIS) developed in JINR during the last decade. A linear version of ESIS has been used successfully for the production of intense highly charged ion beams of various elements. Now the Tubular Electron String Ion Source (TESIS) concept is under study and this opens really new promising possibilities in physics and technology. In this report, we discuss the application of the tubular-type trap for the storage of positrons cooled to the cryogenic temperatures of 0.05 meV. It is intended that the positron flux at the energy of 1-5 eV, produced by the external source, is injected into the Tubular Positron Trap which has a similar construction as the TESIS. Then the low energy positrons are captured in the PST Penning trap and are cooled down because of their synchrotron radiation in the strong (5-10 T) applied magnetic field. It is expected that the proposed PST should permit storing and cooling to cryogenic temperature of up to 5×109 positrons. The accumulated cooled positrons can be used further for various physics applications, for example, antihydrogen production.

Formation of a high intensity low energy positron string

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donets, E.D.; Donets, E.E.; Syresin, E.M.; Itahashi, T.; Dubinov, A.E.

2004-01-01

The possibility of a high intensity low energy positron beam production is discussed. The proposed Positron String Trap (PST) is based on the principles and technology of the Electron String Ion Source (ESIS) developed in JINR during the last decade. A linear version of ESIS has been used successfully for the production of intense highly charged ion beams of various elements. Now the Tubular Electron String Ion Source (TESIS) concept is under study and this opens really new promising possibilities in physics and technology. In this report, we discuss the application of the tubular-type trap for the storage of positrons cooled to the cryogenic temperatures of 0.05 meV. It is intended that the positron flux at the energy of 1-5 eV, produced by the external source, is injected into the Tubular Positron Trap which has a similar construction as the TESIS. Then the low energy positrons are captured in the PST Penning trap and are cooled down because of their synchrotron radiation in the strong (5-10 T) applied magnetic field. It is expected that the proposed PST should permit storing and cooling to cryogenic temperature of up to 5x10 9 positrons. The accumulated cooled positrons can be used further for various physics applications, for example, antihydrogen production

The anabolic activity of bone tissue, suppressed by disuse, is normalized by brief exposure to extremely low-magnitude mechanical stimuli

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, C.; Xu, G.; Judex, S.

2001-01-01

It is generally believed that mechanical signals must be large in order to be anabolic to bone tissue. Recent evidence indicates, however, that extremely low-magnitude (bone formation if induced at a high frequency. We examined the ability of extremely low-magnitude, high-frequency mechanical signals to restore anabolic bone cell activity inhibited by disuse. Adult female rats were randomly assigned to six groups: baseline control, age-matched control, mechanically stimulated for 10 min/day, disuse (hind limb suspension), disuse interrupted by 10 min/day of weight bearing, and disuse interrupted by 10 min/day of mechanical stimulation. After a 28 day protocol, bone formation rates (BFR) in the proximal tibia of mechanically stimulated rats increased compared with age-matched control (+97%). Disuse alone reduced BFR (-92%), a suppression only slightly curbed when disuse was interrupted by 10 min of weight bearing (-61%). In contrast, disuse interrupted by 10 min per day of low-level mechanical intervention normalized BFR to values seen in age-matched controls. This work indicates that this noninvasive, extremely low-level stimulus may provide an effective biomechanical intervention for the bone loss that plagues long-term space flight, bed rest, or immobilization caused by paralysis.

Projected changes of extreme weather events in the eastern United States based on a high resolution climate modeling system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Y; Fu, J S; Drake, J B; Liu, Y; Lamarque, J-F

2012-01-01

This study is the first evaluation of dynamical downscaling using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model on a 4 km × 4 km high resolution scale in the eastern US driven by the new Community Earth System Model version 1.0 (CESM v1.0). First we examined the global and regional climate model results, and corrected an inconsistency in skin temperature during the downscaling process by modifying the land/sea mask. In comparison with observations, WRF shows statistically significant improvement over CESM in reproducing extreme weather events, with improvement for heat wave frequency estimation as high as 98%. The fossil fuel intensive scenario Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 was used to study a possible future mid-century climate extreme in 2057–9. Both the heat waves and the extreme precipitation in 2057–9 are more severe than the present climate in the Eastern US. The Northeastern US shows large increases in both heat wave intensity (3.05 °C higher) and annual extreme precipitation (107.3 mm more per year). (letter)

Low preveance ion source bridges low and high intensities in ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orr, F.D.; Mayhall, D.

1976-01-01

The Low Perveance Ion Source developed by Accelerators, Inc. offers the Semiconductor Industry the advantage of processing medium to high intensity implants on a system which will also implant 200 to 300 wafers an hour at MOS doses. Stable source beam currents can be varied over three orders of magnitude by variation of a single source parameter. This source uses a new computer designed Low Perveance extraction optics which is completely new to the Ion Implantation Industry. Test data and calculations are shown which define the versatility of this system. Scanned currents from 1 microamp to 400 microamps allow for a variety of production processing. Beam characteristics feature low energy spread (less than 10 eV) and low divergence (less than 3 degrees). Beam control optics consist of a double focusing analyzing magnet and two triplet quadrupoles. The source may be fitted with an oven for feeding of solid materials and analyzed beam currents in the milliamp range for development purposes. The batch processing, hybrid scanning end station is most applicable for high current beams as well as high volume batch processings of MOS Implants. Results of development work toward increased currents using both solid and gas feed material with the Low Perveance source are presented. System improvements including Accel-Decel and a third extraction element are discussed

Keratomodelling with low-intensity ultraviolet radiation of excimer laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vitrishchak, I.B.; Vorontsov, V.V.; Murzin, A.G.; Polikarpov, S.S.; Soms, L.N.

1990-01-01

A study was made on possibility of keratomodelling with low-intensive UV-radiation of excimer laser with subablation energy density in a pulse. Model specimens of polymers and cornea tissue were used. It is shown that the range of threshold energy density in a pulse expands with increase of UV-radiation wave length and contracts with increase of pulse repetition frequency. This range appeared to be different for polymers and cornea tissue. It was revealed that cornea tissue represented a complex high-molecular bipolymer with high water content

Low frequency electric and magnetic fields - the topic of cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thommesen, G.

1988-01-01

A review is made of the literature about the biological effects of low frequency electric and magnetic fields. It is still an unsettled question whether extremely low frequency magnetic fields may increase the incidence of cancer. Experimental data arise mainly from exposure to field strengths or frequencies seldom or never encountered by people. The results give no clear explanation to the increase in cancer incidence reported in epidemiological works. The spectre of possible mechanisms imply that no simple dose/effect relationship should be expected, as conflicting mechanisms may dominate at different exposure levels. There is therefore no basis at present for giving numerical value to cancer risk from exposure to low frequency electric or magnetic fields

High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AC Bryan

1996-01-01

Full Text Available High frequency oscillatory (HFO ventilation using low tidal volume and peak airway pressures is extremely efficient at eliminating carbon dioxide and raising pH in the newborn infant with acute respiratory failure. Improvement in oxygenation requires a strategy of sustained or repetitive inflations to 25 to 30 cm H2O in order to place the lung on the deflation limb of the pressure-volume curve. This strategy has also been shown to decrease the amount of secondary lung injury in animal models. Experience of the use of HFO ventilation as a rescue therapy as well as several published controlled trials have shown improved outcomes and a decrease in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation when it has been used in newborns.

Novel all-extremity high-intensity interval training improves aerobic fitness, cardiac function and insulin resistance in healthy older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Chueh-Lung; Yoo, Jeung-Ki; Kim, Han-Kyul; Hwang, Moon-Hyon; Handberg, Eileen M; Petersen, John W; Christou, Demetra D

2016-09-01

Aging is associated with decreased aerobic fitness and cardiac remodeling leading to increased risk for cardiovascular disease. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the treadmill has been reported to be more effective in ameliorating these risk factors compared with moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in patients with cardiometabolic disease. In older adults, however, weight-bearing activities are frequently limited due to musculoskeletal and balance problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and safety of non-weight-bearing all-extremity HIIT in older adults. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that all-extremity HIIT will be more effective in improving aerobic fitness, cardiac function, and metabolic risk factors compared with all-extremity MICT. Fifty-one healthy sedentary older adults (age: 65±1years) were randomized to HIIT (n=17), MICT (n=18) or non-exercise control (CONT; n=16). HIIT (4×4min 90% of peak heart rate; HRpeak) and isocaloric MICT (70% of HRpeak) were performed on a non-weight-bearing all-extremity ergometer, 4×/week for 8weeks under supervision. All-extremity HIIT was feasible in older adults and resulted in no adverse events. Aerobic fitness (peak oxygen consumption; VO2peak) and ejection fraction (echocardiography) improved by 11% (PHIIT, while no changes were observed in MICT and CONT (P≥0.1). Greater improvements in ejection fraction were associated with greater improvements in VO2peak (r=0.57; PHIIT by 26% (P=0.016). Diastolic function, body composition, glucose and lipids were unaffected (P≥0.1). In conclusion, all-extremity HIIT is feasible and safe in older adults. HIIT, but not MICT, improved aerobic fitness, ejection fraction, and insulin resistance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel All-Extremity High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Aerobic Fitness, Cardiac Function and Insulin Resistance in Healthy Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Chueh-Lung; Yoo, Jeung-Ki; Kim, Han-Kyul; Hwang, Moon-Hyon; Handberg, Eileen M.; Petersen, John W.; Christou, Demetra D.

2016-01-01

Aging is associated with decreased aerobic fitness and cardiac remodeling leading to increased risk for cardiovascular disease. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the treadmill has been reported to be more effective in ameliorating these risk factors compared with moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in patients with cardiometabolic disease. In older adults, however, weight-bearing activities are frequently limited due to musculoskeletal and balance problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and safety of non-weight-bearing all-extremity HIIT in older adults. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that all-extremity HIIT will be more effective in improving aerobic fitness, cardiac function, and metabolic risk factors compared with all-extremity MICT. Fifty-one healthy sedentary older adults (age: 65±1 years) were randomized to HIIT (n=17), MICT (n=18) or non-exercise control (CONT; n=16). HIIT (4×4 minutes 90% of peak heart rate; HRpeak) and isocaloric MICT (70% of HRpeak) were performed on a non-weight-bearing all-extremity ergometer, 4x/week for 8 weeks under supervision. All-extremity HIIT was feasible in older adults and resulted in no adverse events. Aerobic fitness (peak oxygen consumption; VO2peak) and ejection fraction (echocardiography) improved by 11% (PHIIT, while no changes were observed in MICT and CONT (P≥0.1). Greater improvements in ejection fraction were associated with greater improvements in VO2peak (r=0.57; PHIIT by 26% (P=0.016). Diastolic function, body composition, glucose and lipids were unaffected (P≥0.1). In conclusion, all-extremity HIIT is feasible and safe in older adults. HIIT, but not MICT, improved aerobic fitness, ejection fraction, and insulin resistance. PMID:27346646

Evaluation of precipitation extremes over the Asian domain: observation and modelling studies

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, In-Won; Oh, Jaiho; Woo, Sumin; Kripalani, R. H.

2018-04-01

In this study, a comparison in the precipitation extremes as exhibited by the seven reference datasets is made to ascertain whether the inferences based on these datasets agree or they differ. These seven datasets, roughly grouped in three categories i.e. rain-gauge based (APHRODITE, CPC-UNI), satellite-based (TRMM, GPCP1DD) and reanalysis based (ERA-Interim, MERRA, and JRA55), having a common data period 1998-2007 are considered. Focus is to examine precipitation extremes in the summer monsoon rainfall over South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia. Measures of extreme precipitation include the percentile thresholds, frequency of extreme precipitation events and other quantities. Results reveal that the differences in displaying extremes among the datasets are small over South Asia and East Asia but large differences among the datasets are displayed over the Southeast Asian region including the maritime continent. Furthermore, precipitation data appear to be more consistent over East Asia among the seven datasets. Decadal trends in extreme precipitation are consistent with known results over South and East Asia. No trends in extreme precipitation events are exhibited over Southeast Asia. Outputs of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) simulation data are categorized as high, medium and low-resolution models. The regions displaying maximum intensity of extreme precipitation appear to be dependent on model resolution. High-resolution models simulate maximum intensity of extreme precipitation over the Indian sub-continent, medium-resolution models over northeast India and South China and the low-resolution models over Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. In summary, there are differences in displaying extreme precipitation statistics among the seven datasets considered here and among the 29 CMIP5 model data outputs.

Characteristics of Large Low-frequency Debris Flow Hazards and Mitigation Strategies

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Shige

2005-01-01

A low-frequency debris flow took place in the north coastal range of Venezuela on Dec. 16, 1999,and scientists all over the world paid attention to this catastrophe. Four characteristics of low-frequency debris hazard are discussed: long return period and extreme catastrophe, special rare triggering factors,difficulty in distinguishing and a series of small hazards subsequent to the catastrophe. Different measures, such as preventing, forecast - warning,engineering, can be used for mitigating and controlling the catastrophe. In engineering practice, it is a key that large silt-trap dams are used to control rare large debris flow. A kind of low dam with cheap cost can be used to replace high dam in developing countries. A planning for controlling debris flow hazard in Cerro Grande stream of Venezuela is presented at the end of this paper.

Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields of transformers and possible biological and health effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Sirav, Bahriye; Sezgin, Gaye; Seyhan, Nesrin

2014-12-01

Physiological processes in organisms can be influenced by extremely low-frequency (ELF) electromagnetic energy. Biological effect studies have great importance; as well as measurement studies since they provide information on the real exposure situations. In this study, the leakage magnetic fields around a transformer were measured in an apartment building in Küçükçekmece, Istanbul, and the measurement results were evaluated with respect to the international exposure standards. The transformer station was on the bottom floor of a three-floor building. It was found that people living and working in the building were exposed to ELF magnetic fields higher than the threshold magnetic field value of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Many people living in this building reported health complaints such as immunological problems of their children. There were child-workers working in the textile factories located in the building. Safe distances or areas for these people should be recommended. Protective measures could be implemented to minimize these exposures. Further residential exposure studies are needed to demonstrate the exposure levels of ELF magnetic fields. Precautions should, therefore, be taken either to reduce leakage or minimize the exposed fields. Shielding techniques should be used to minimize the leakage magnetic fields in such cases.

Synthesis of High-Frequency Ground Motion Using Information Extracted from Low-Frequency Ground Motion

Science.gov (United States)

Iwaki, A.; Fujiwara, H.

2012-12-01

Broadband ground motion computations of scenario earthquakes are often based on hybrid methods that are the combinations of deterministic approach in lower frequency band and stochastic approach in higher frequency band. Typical computation methods for low-frequency and high-frequency (LF and HF, respectively) ground motions are the numerical simulations, such as finite-difference and finite-element methods based on three-dimensional velocity structure model, and the stochastic Green's function method, respectively. In such hybrid methods, LF and HF wave fields are generated through two different methods that are completely independent of each other, and are combined at the matching frequency. However, LF and HF wave fields are essentially not independent as long as they are from the same event. In this study, we focus on the relation among acceleration envelopes at different frequency bands, and attempt to synthesize HF ground motion using the information extracted from LF ground motion, aiming to propose a new method for broad-band strong motion prediction. Our study area is Kanto area, Japan. We use the K-NET and KiK-net surface acceleration data and compute RMS envelope at four frequency bands: 0.5-1.0 Hz, 1.0-2.0 Hz, 2.0-4.0 Hz, .0-8.0 Hz, and 8.0-16.0 Hz. Taking the ratio of the envelopes of adjacent bands, we find that the envelope ratios have stable shapes at each site. The empirical envelope-ratio characteristics are combined with low-frequency envelope of the target earthquake to synthesize HF ground motion. We have applied the method to M5-class earthquakes and a M7 target earthquake that occurred in the vicinity of Kanto area, and successfully reproduced the observed HF ground motion of the target earthquake. The method can be applied to a broad band ground motion simulation for a scenario earthquake by combining numerically-computed low-frequency (~1 Hz) ground motion with the empirical envelope ratio characteristics to generate broadband ground motion

Calibration of semi-stochastic procedure for simulating high-frequency ground motions

Science.gov (United States)

Seyhan, Emel; Stewart, Jonathan P.; Graves, Robert

2013-01-01

Broadband ground motion simulation procedures typically utilize physics-based modeling at low frequencies, coupled with semi-stochastic procedures at high frequencies. The high-frequency procedure considered here combines deterministic Fourier amplitude spectra (dependent on source, path, and site models) with random phase. Previous work showed that high-frequency intensity measures from this simulation methodology attenuate faster with distance and have lower intra-event dispersion than in empirical equations. We address these issues by increasing crustal damping (Q) to reduce distance attenuation bias and by introducing random site-to-site variations to Fourier amplitudes using a lognormal standard deviation ranging from 0.45 for Mw  100 km).

Child leukaemia and low frequency electromagnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clavel, J.

2009-01-01

The author discusses the possible causes of child leukaemia: exposure to natural ionizing radiation (notably radon), to pesticides, and to hydrocarbons emitted by road traffic. Some studies suggested that an inadequate reaction of the immune system to an ordinary infection could result in leukaemia. Other factors are suspected, notably extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields, the influence of which is then discussed by the author. She evokes and discusses results of different investigations on this topic which have been published since the end of the 1970's. It appears that a distance less than 50 meters from high voltage lines or the vicinity of transformation stations may double the risk of child leukaemia

TCIQ: An identification by intensity and frequency of potent testing cues in science

Science.gov (United States)

Kermis, William J.

Everyone experiences some anxiety while taking an examination. High-test-anxious (HTA) and low-test-anxious (LTA) students are described by two characteristic differences: frequency and intensity of anxious responses and attentional direction to testing cues. The purposes of this study were threefold: (1) to report potent testing cues (i.e., 90% response agreement for both intensity and frequency) that were identified by HTA and LTA students; (2) to report differences between HTA and LTA students for frequencies and intensities of responses to testing cues; and (3) to report differences between HTA and LTA students of attentional direction to testing cues. A pool of 396 males and females who were enrolled in physical geology completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A random sample consisting of 93 HTA and 40 LTA subjects completed the Test Cues Identification Questionnaire (TCIQ). The TCIQ consists of 28 disruptive items and 27 helpful items. Subjects responded with both frequency and intensity ratings for all of the 55 items in the TCIQ. Results revealed that 22 items were viewed by subjects as potent testing cues. Empirical evidence obtained did not support previous theoretical reports of differences between HTA and LTA students for either frequency and intensity of anxious responses or attentional direction to the set of disruptive and helpful testing cues. Although test anxiousness did not appear to be associated with those two characteristics differences, a discriminant analysis revealed 24 items in the TCIQ which significantly, 2 (24) = 47.59, p < 0.004, separated HTA and LTA subjects responses. Apparently, HTA and LTA students differ in their responses to specific disruptive and helpful cues but not in their responses to the set of testing cues as was previously postulated.

A multi-center study on low-frequency rTMS combined with intensive occupational therapy for upper limb hemiparesis in post-stroke patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kakuda Wataru

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Both low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS and intensive occupational therapy (OT have been recently reported to be clinically beneficial for post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis. Based on these reports, we developed an inpatient combination protocol of these two modalities for the treatment of such patients. The aims of this pilot study were to confirm the safety and feasibility of the protocol in a large number of patients from different institutions, and identify predictors of the clinical response to the treatment. Methods The study subjects were 204 post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis (mean age at admission 58.5 ± 13.4 years, mean time after stroke 5.0 ± 4.5 years, ± SD from five institutions in Japan. During 15-day hospitalization, each patient received 22 treatment sessions of 20-min low-frequency rTMS and 120-min intensive OT daily. Low-frequency rTMS of 1 Hz was applied to the contralesional hemisphere over the primary motor area. The intensive OT, consisting of 60-min one-to-one training and 60-min self-exercise, was provided after the application of low-frequency rTMS. Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT were performed serially. The physiatrists and occupational therapists involved in this study received training prior to the study to standardize the therapeutic protocol. Results All patients completed the protocol without any adverse effects. The FMA score increased and WMFT log performance time decreased significantly at discharge, relative to the respective values at admission (change in FMA score: median at admission, 47 points; median at discharge, 51 points; p Conclusions The 15-day inpatient rTMS plus OT protocol is a safe, feasible, and clinically useful neurorehabilitative intervention for post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis. The response to the treatment was not influenced by age or time after stroke onset. The

DNA fragmentation and nuclear phenotype in tendons exposed to low-intensity infrared laser

Science.gov (United States)

de Paoli, Flavia; Ramos Cerqueira, Larissa; Martins Ramos, Mayara; Campos, Vera M.; Ferreira-Machado, Samara C.; Geller, Mauro; de Souza da Fonseca, Adenilson

2015-03-01

Clinical protocols are recommended in device guidelines outlined for treating many diseases on empirical basis. However, effects of low-intensity infrared lasers at fluences used in clinical protocols on DNA are controversial. Excitation of endogenous chromophores in tissues and free radicals generation could be described as a consequence of laser used. DNA lesions induced by free radicals cause changes in DNA structure, chromatin organization, ploidy degrees and cell death. In this work, we investigated whether low-intensity infrared laser therapy could alter the fibroblasts nuclei characteristics and induce DNA fragmentation. Tendons of Wistar rats were exposed to low-intensity infrared laser (830 nm), at different fluences (1, 5 and 10 J/cm2), in continuous wave (power output of 10mW, power density of 79.6 mW/cm2). Different frequencies were analyzed for the higher fluence (10 J/cm2), at pulsed emission mode (2.5, 250 and 2500 Hz), with the laser source at surface of skin. Geometric, densitometric and textural parameters obtained for Feulgen-stained nuclei by image analysis were used to define nuclear phenotypes. Significant differences were observed on the nuclear phenotype of tendons after exposure to laser, as well as, high cell death percentages was observed for all fluences and frequencies analyzed here, exception 1 J/cm2 fluence. Our results indicate that low-intensity infrared laser can alter geometric, densitometric and textural parameters in tendon fibroblasts nuclei. Laser can also induce DNA fragmentation, chromatin lost and consequently cell death, using fluences, frequencies and emission modes took out from clinical protocols.

Low- and high-frequency spectral behavior of cosmic-ray intensity for the period 1953–1996

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Mavromichalaki

2003-08-01

Full Text Available A study of the cosmic-ray intensity power spectrum using the Climax Neutron Monitor data in the frequency range from 10-9 Hz to 10-7 Hz (which corresponds to periodicities from 11 years to a few months during the period 1953–1996, was carried out by means of the successive approximations method of analysis and was compared against the power spectrum and the maximum entropy methods. The contributions of the time evolution of several peaks to the global one were obtained. Except for the well-known 11-year and the 1-year variations, peaks at 7.7, 5.5, 2 and 1.7 years are found. Several peaks with periods less than 10 months have appeared in our analysis, while the occurrence of 5.1 months is obtained in all the examined solar cycles with a strong signature in cycle 21. Transitions of these quasi-periodicities are seen in power spectra plots. Some of them can be attributed to the modulation of the cosmic ray intensity by solar activity. Others are sporadic and have been previously attributed to the interplanetary magnetic field. The results obtained support once again the argument regarding the difference in the solar activity between odd and even solar cycles.Key words. Interplanetary physics (Cosmic rays, Interplanetary magnetic fields

The blues broaden, but the nasty narrows: attentional consequences of negative affects low and high in motivational intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gable, Philip; Harmon-Jones, Eddie

2010-02-01

Positive and negative affects high in motivational intensity cause a narrowing of attentional focus. In contrast, positive affects low in motivational intensity cause a broadening of attentional focus. The attentional consequences of negative affects low in motivational intensity have not been experimentally investigated. Experiment 1 compared the attentional consequences of negative affect low in motivational intensity (sadness) relative to a neutral affective state. Results indicated that low-motivation negative affect caused attentional broadening. Experiment 2 found that disgust, a high-motivation negative affect not previously investigated in attentional studies, narrowed attentional focus. These experiments support the conceptual model linking high-motivation affective states to narrowed attention and low-motivation affective states to broadened attention.

DNA fragmentation in human fibroblasts under extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Focke, Frauke; Schuermann, David; Kuster, Niels; Schaer, Primo

2010-01-01

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) were reported to affect DNA integrity in human cells with evidence based on the Comet assay. These findings were heavily debated for two main reasons; the lack of reproducibility, and the absence of a plausible scientific rationale for how EMFs could damage DNA. Starting out from a replication of the relevant experiments, we performed this study to clarify the existence and explore origin and nature of ELF-EMF induced DNA effects. Our data confirm that intermittent (but not continuous) exposure of human primary fibroblasts to a 50 Hz EMF at a flux density of 1 mT induces a slight but significant increase of DNA fragmentation in the Comet assay, and we provide first evidence for this to be caused by the magnetic rather than the electric field. Moreover, we show that EMF-induced responses in the Comet assay are dependent on cell proliferation, suggesting that processes of DNA replication rather than the DNA itself may be affected. Consistently, the Comet effects correlated with a reduction of actively replicating cells and a concomitant increase of apoptotic cells in exposed cultures, whereas a combined Fpg-Comet test failed to produce evidence for a notable contribution of oxidative DNA base damage. Hence, ELF-EMF induced effects in the Comet assay are reproducible under specific conditions and can be explained by minor disturbances in S-phase processes and occasional triggering of apoptosis rather than by the generation of DNA damage.

DNA fragmentation in human fibroblasts under extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Focke, Frauke; Schuermann, David [Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 28, CH-4058 Basel (Switzerland); Kuster, Niels [IT' IS Foundation, Zeughausstrasse 43, CH-8004 Zurich (Switzerland); Schaer, Primo, E-mail: primo.schaer@unibas.ch [Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 28, CH-4058 Basel (Switzerland)

2010-01-05

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) were reported to affect DNA integrity in human cells with evidence based on the Comet assay. These findings were heavily debated for two main reasons; the lack of reproducibility, and the absence of a plausible scientific rationale for how EMFs could damage DNA. Starting out from a replication of the relevant experiments, we performed this study to clarify the existence and explore origin and nature of ELF-EMF induced DNA effects. Our data confirm that intermittent (but not continuous) exposure of human primary fibroblasts to a 50 Hz EMF at a flux density of 1 mT induces a slight but significant increase of DNA fragmentation in the Comet assay, and we provide first evidence for this to be caused by the magnetic rather than the electric field. Moreover, we show that EMF-induced responses in the Comet assay are dependent on cell proliferation, suggesting that processes of DNA replication rather than the DNA itself may be affected. Consistently, the Comet effects correlated with a reduction of actively replicating cells and a concomitant increase of apoptotic cells in exposed cultures, whereas a combined Fpg-Comet test failed to produce evidence for a notable contribution of oxidative DNA base damage. Hence, ELF-EMF induced effects in the Comet assay are reproducible under specific conditions and can be explained by minor disturbances in S-phase processes and occasional triggering of apoptosis rather than by the generation of DNA damage.

Low-frequency noise suppression of a fiber laser based on a round-trip EDFA power stabilizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Z Q; Zhou, J; Yang, F; Ye, Q; Cai, H W; Qu, R H; Fang, Z J

2013-01-01

We have designed a power stabilizer based on a round-trip erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) structure to suppress the low-frequency relative intensity noise (RIN) for a narrow linewidth fiber laser. The noise suppressor is analyzed theoretically and its feasibility is verified experimentally. For a short-cavity single-frequency fiber laser with this device, about 20 dB low-frequency RIN improvement is achieved (down to −120 dB Hz −1 at 10 Hz). The corresponding frequency noise is also reduced by a factor of 1.6. The proposed method is an effective solution to achieve a low-frequency low RIN laser source for highly coherent detection applications. (paper)

The change of electric potentials in the oral cavity after application of extremely low frequency pulsed magnetic field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piotr Skomro

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Electric potentials occurring in the oral cavity deserve attention as they may cause various diseases and subjective feelings, which are very difficult to treat. The aim of this study was to evaluate the electric potentials within the oral cavity in patients with metal fillings and metal prosthetic restorations, after using a pulsed electromagnetic field. The study was carried out on 84 patients. The Viofor JPS Classic device was used in the treatment. It generates a pulsed electromagnetic field with low induction of the extremely low frequency (ELF range. Average values of electric potentials in the preliminary test were about the same in both groups; they were 148.8 mV and 145.5 mV. After another appliance of ELF fields there was found a steady decline in the average value of electric potentials in the study group. This decrease was statistically highly significant, while mean values of electric potentials in the control group were characterized by a slightly upward tendency. The obtained statistically significant reduction of electric potentials in the oral cavity of patients having metal fillings and metal prosthetic restorations, after application of the Viofor JPS Classic device, implies a huge impact of ELF pulsed electromagnetic field on inhibition of electrochemical processes, as well as on inhibition of dental alloy corrosion. 

Modeling jointly low, moderate, and heavy rainfall intensities without a threshold selection

KAUST Repository

Naveau, Philippe

2016-04-09

In statistics, extreme events are often defined as excesses above a given large threshold. This definition allows hydrologists and flood planners to apply Extreme-Value Theory (EVT) to their time series of interest. Even in the stationary univariate context, this approach has at least two main drawbacks. First, working with excesses implies that a lot of observations (those below the chosen threshold) are completely disregarded. The range of precipitation is artificially shopped down into two pieces, namely large intensities and the rest, which necessarily imposes different statistical models for each piece. Second, this strategy raises a nontrivial and very practical difficultly: how to choose the optimal threshold which correctly discriminates between low and heavy rainfall intensities. To address these issues, we propose a statistical model in which EVT results apply not only to heavy, but also to low precipitation amounts (zeros excluded). Our model is in compliance with EVT on both ends of the spectrum and allows a smooth transition between the two tails, while keeping a low number of parameters. In terms of inference, we have implemented and tested two classical methods of estimation: likelihood maximization and probability weighed moments. Last but not least, there is no need to choose a threshold to define low and high excesses. The performance and flexibility of this approach are illustrated on simulated and hourly precipitation recorded in Lyon, France.

Low-frequency fluctuation in multimode semiconductor laser subject to optical feedback

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xu Zhang; Huiying Ye; Zhaoxin Song

2008-01-01

Dynamics of a semiconductor laser subject to moderate optical feedback operating in the low-frequency fluctuation regime is numerically investigated.Multimode Lang-Kobayashi(LK)equations show that the low-frequency intensity dropout including the total intensity and sub-modes intensity is accompanied by sudden dropout simultaneously,which is in good agreement with experimental observation.The power fluctuation is quite annoying in practical applications,therefore it becomes important to study the mechanism of power fluctuation.It is also shown that many factors,such as spontaneous emission noise and feedback parameter,may influence power fluctuation larger than previously expected.

Broadband low-frequency sound isolation by lightweight adaptive metamaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yunhong; Chen, Yangyang; Huang, Guoliang; Zhou, Xiaoming

2018-03-01

Blocking broadband low-frequency airborne noises is highly desirable in lots of engineering applications, while it is extremely difficult to be realized with lightweight materials and/or structures. Recently, a new class of lightweight adaptive metamaterials with hybrid shunting circuits has been proposed, demonstrating super broadband structure-borne bandgaps. In this study, we aim at examining their potentials in broadband sound isolation by establishing an analytical model that rigorously combines the piezoelectric dynamic couplings between adaptive metamaterials and acoustics. Sound transmission loss of the adaptive metamaterial is investigated with respect to both the frequency and angular spectrum to demonstrate their sound-insulation effects. We find that efficient sound isolation can indeed be pursued in the broadband bi-spectrum for not only the case of the small resonator's periodicity where only one mode relevant to the mass-spring resonance exists, but also for the large-periodicity scenario, so that the total weight can be even lighter, in which the multiple plate-resonator coupling modes appear. In the latter case, the negative spring stiffness provided by the piezoelectric stack has been utilized to suppress the resonance-induced high acoustic transmission. Such kinds of adaptive metamaterials could open a new approach for broadband noise isolation with extremely lightweight structures.

Floridian heatwaves and extreme precipitation: future climate projections

Science.gov (United States)

Raghavendra, Ajay; Dai, Aiguo; Milrad, Shawn M.; Cloutier-Bisbee, Shealynn R.

2018-02-01

Observational analysis and climate modeling efforts concur that the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves will increase as the Earth's mean climate shifts towards warmer temperatures. While the impacts and mechanisms of heatwaves have been well explored, extreme temperatures over Florida are generally understudied. This paper sheds light on Floridian heatwaves by exploring 13 years of daily data from surface observations and high-resolution WRF climate simulations for the same timeframe. The characteristics of the current and future heatwaves under the RCP8.5 high emissions scenario for 2070-2099 were then investigated. Results show a tripling in the frequency, and greater than a sixfold increase in the mean duration of heatwaves over Florida when the current standard of heatwaves was used. The intensity of heatwaves also increased by 4-6 °C due to the combined effects of rising mean temperatures and a 1-2 °C increase attributed to the flattening of the temperature distribution. Since Florida's atmospheric boundary layer is rich in moisture and heatwaves could further increase the moisture content in the lower troposphere, the relationship between heatwaves and extreme precipitation was also explored in both the current and future climate. As expected, rainfall during a heatwave event was anomalously low, but it quickly recovered to normal within 3 days after the passage of a heatwave. Finally, the late 21st-century climate could witness a slight decrease in the mean precipitation over Florida, accompanied by heavier heatwave-associated extreme precipitation events over central and southern Florida.

Effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on growth rate and morphology of bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Inhan-Garip, Ayse; Aksu, Burak; Akan, Zafer; Akakin, Dilek; Ozaydin, A Nilufer; San, Tangul

2011-12-01

To determine the effect of extremely low frequency (bacteria and to determine any morphological changes that might have been caused by ELF-EMF. Six bacterial strains, three Gram-negative and three Gram-positive were subjected to 50 Hz, 0.5 mT ELF-EMF for 6 h. To determine growth rate after ELF-EMF application, bacteria exposed to ELF-EMF for 3 h were collected, transferred to fresh medium and cultured without field application for another 4 h. Growth-rate was determined by optical density (OD) measurements made every hour. Morphological changes were determined with Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for two gram-negative and two gram-positive strains collected after 3 h of field application. A decrease in growth rate with respect to control samples was observed for all strains during ELF-EMF application. The decrease in growth-rate continued when exposed bacteria were cultured without field application. Significant ultrastructural changes were observed in all bacterial strains, which were seen to resemble the alterations caused by cationic peptides. This study shows that ELF-EMF induces a decrease in growth rate and morphological changes for both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

Bivariate frequency analysis of rainfall intensity and duration for urban stormwater infrastructure design

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, Changhyun; Qin, Xiaosheng; Gan, Thian Yew; Tung, Yeou-Koung; De Michele, Carlo

2017-10-01

This study presents a storm-event based bivariate frequency analysis approach to determine design rainfalls in which, the number, intensity and duration of actual rainstorm events were considered. To derive more realistic design storms, the occurrence probability of an individual rainstorm event was determined from the joint distribution of storm intensity and duration through a copula model. Hourly rainfall data were used at three climate stations respectively located in Singapore, South Korea and Canada. It was found that the proposed approach could give a more realistic description of rainfall characteristics of rainstorm events and design rainfalls. As results, the design rainfall quantities from actual rainstorm events at the three studied sites are consistently lower than those obtained from the conventional rainfall depth-duration-frequency (DDF) method, especially for short-duration storms (such as 1-h). It results from occurrence probabilities of each rainstorm event and a different angle for rainfall frequency analysis, and could offer an alternative way of describing extreme rainfall properties and potentially help improve the hydrologic design of stormwater management facilities in urban areas.

The Noisiness of Low Frequency Bands of Noise

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, B. W.

1975-01-01

The relative noisiness of low frequency 1/3-octave bands of noise was examined. The frequency range investigated was bounded by the bands centered at 25 and 200 Hz, with intensities ranging from 50 to 95 db (SPL). Thirty-two subjects used a method of adjustment technique, producing comparison band intensities as noisy as 100 and 200 Hz standard bands at 60 and 72 db. The work resulted in contours of equal noisiness for 1/3-octave bands, ranging in intensity from approximately 58 to 86 db (SPL). These contours were compared with the standard equal noisiness contours; in the region of overlap, between 50 and 200 Hz, the agreement was good.

Wavelet low- and high-frequency components as features for predicting stock prices with backpropagation neural networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salim Lahmiri

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a forecasting model that integrates the discrete wavelet transform (DWT and backpropagation neural networks (BPNN for predicting financial time series. The presented model first uses the DWT to decompose the financial time series data. Then, the obtained approximation (low-frequency and detail (high-frequency components after decomposition of the original time series are used as input variables to forecast future stock prices. Indeed, while high-frequency components can capture discontinuities, ruptures and singularities in the original data, low-frequency components characterize the coarse structure of the data, to identify the long-term trends in the original data. As a result, high-frequency components act as a complementary part of low-frequency components. The model was applied to seven datasets. For all of the datasets, accuracy measures showed that the presented model outperforms a conventional model that uses only low-frequency components. In addition, the presented model outperforms both the well-known auto-regressive moving-average (ARMA model and the random walk (RW process.

Influence of extreme pedal rates on pulmonary O(2) uptake kinetics during transitions to high-intensity exercise from an elevated baseline.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimenna, Fred J; Wilkerson, Daryl P; Burnley, Mark; Bailey, Stephen J; Jones, Andrew M

2009-10-31

We used extreme pedal rates to investigate the influence of muscle fibre recruitment on pulmonary V(O)(2) kinetics during unloaded-to-moderate-intensity (U-->M), unloaded-to-high-intensity (U-->H), and moderate-intensity to high-intensity (M-->H) cycling transitions. Seven healthy men completed transitions to 60% of the difference between gas-exchange threshold and peak V(O)(2) from both an unloaded and a moderate-intensity (95% GET) baseline at cadences of 35 and 115rpm. Pulmonary gas exchange was measured breath-by-breath and iEMG of the m. vastus lateralis and m. gluteus maximus was measured during all tests. At 35rpm, the phase II time constant (tau(p)) values for U-->M, U-->H, and M-->H were 26+/-7, 31+/-7 and 36+/-8s with the value for M-->H being longer than for U-->M (PM, U-->H, and M-->H were 29+/-8, 48+/-16 and 53+/-20s with the value for U-->M being shorter than for the other two conditions (Pinfluenced by an interaction of exercise intensity and pedal rate and are consistent with the notion that changes in muscle fibre recruitment are responsible for slower phase II V(O)(2) kinetics during high-intensity and work-to-work exercise transitions.

The Low-Frequency Encoding Disadvantage: Word Frequency Affects Processing Demands

OpenAIRE

Diana, Rachel A.; Reder, Lynne M.

2006-01-01

Low-frequency words produce more hits and fewer false alarms than high-frequency words in a recognition task. The low-frequency hit rate advantage has sometimes been attributed to processes that operate during the recognition test (e.g., L. M. Reder et al., 2000). When tasks other than recognition, such as recall, cued recall, or associative recognition, are used, the effects seem to contradict a low-frequency advantage in memory. Four experiments are presented to support the claim that in ad...

Perovskite oxynitride LaTiOxNy thin films: Dielectric characterization in low and high frequencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Y.; Ziani, A.; Le Paven-Thivet, C.; Benzerga, R.; Le Gendre, L.; Fasquelle, D.; Kassem, H.

2011-01-01

Lanthanum titanium oxynitride (LaTiO x N y ) thin films are studied with respect to their dielectric properties in low and high frequencies. Thin films are deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering on different substrates. Effects of nitrogen content and crystalline quality on dielectric properties are investigated. In low-frequency range, textured LaTiO x N y thin films deposited on conductive single crystal Nb–STO show a dielectric constant ε′ ≈ 140 with low losses tanδ = 0.012 at 100 kHz. For the LaTiO x N y polycrystalline films deposited on conductive silicon substrates with platinum (Pt/Ti/SiO 2 /Si), the tunability reached up to 57% for a weak electric field of 50 kV/cm. In high-frequency range, epitaxial LaTiO x N y films deposited on MgO substrate present a high dielectric constant with low losses (ε′ ≈ 170, tanδ = 0.011, 12 GHz).

Modelling stock order flows with non-homogeneous intensities from high-frequency data

Science.gov (United States)

Gorshenin, Andrey K.; Korolev, Victor Yu.; Zeifman, Alexander I.; Shorgin, Sergey Ya.; Chertok, Andrey V.; Evstafyev, Artem I.; Korchagin, Alexander Yu.

2013-10-01

A micro-scale model is proposed for the evolution of such information system as the limit order book in financial markets. Within this model, the flows of orders (claims) are described by doubly stochastic Poisson processes taking account of the stochastic character of intensities of buy and sell orders that determine the price discovery mechanism. The proposed multiplicative model of stochastic intensities makes it possible to analyze the characteristics of the order flows as well as the instantaneous proportion of the forces of buyers and sellers, that is, the imbalance process, without modelling the external information background. The proposed model gives the opportunity to link the micro-scale (high-frequency) dynamics of the limit order book with the macro-scale models of stock price processes of the form of subordinated Wiener processes by means of limit theorems of probability theory and hence, to use the normal variance-mean mixture models of the corresponding heavy-tailed distributions. The approach can be useful in different areas with similar properties (e.g., in plasma physics).

High-efficiency ventilated metamaterial absorber at low frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaoxiao; Au-Yeung, Ka Yan; Li, Xin; Roberts, Robert Christopher; Tian, Jingxuan; Hu, Chuandeng; Huang, Yingzhou; Wang, Shuxia; Yang, Zhiyu; Wen, Weijia

2018-03-01

We demonstrate a ventilated metamaterial absorber operating at low frequency (90%) has been achieved in both simulations and experiments. This high-efficiency absorption under the ventilation condition originates from the weak coupling of two identical split tube resonators constituting the absorber, which leads to the hybridization of the degenerate eigenmodes and breaks the absorption upper limit of 50% for conventional transmissive symmetric acoustic absorbers. The absorber can also be extended to an array and work in free space. The absorber should have potential applications in acoustic engineering where both noise reduction and ventilation are required.

Control of treatment size in cavitation-enhanced high-intensity focused ultrasound using radio-frequency echo signals

Science.gov (United States)

Tomiyasu, Kentaro; Takagi, Ryo; Iwasaki, Ryosuke; Yoshizawa, Shin; Umemura, Shin-ichiro

2017-07-01

In high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, controlling the ultrasound dose at each focal target spot is important because it is a problem that the length of the coagulated region in front of the focal point deviates owing to the differences in absorption in each focal target spot and attenuation in the intervening tissues. In this study, the detected changes in the power spectra of HIFU echoes were used by controlling the HIFU duration in the “trigger HIFU” sequence with the aim to increase coagulation size through the enhancement of the ultrasonic heating by the cavitation induced by the preceding extremely high intensity short “trigger” pulse. The result shows that this method can be used to detect boiling bubbles and the following generated cavitation bubbles at their early stage. By automatically stopping HIFU exposure immediately after detecting the bubbles, overheating was prevented and the deviation of the length of the coagulated region was reduced.

SHIELD: The Star Formation Law in Extremely Low-mass Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Teich, Yaron; McNichols, Andrew; Cannon, John M.; SHIELD Team

2016-01-01

The "Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs" (SHIELD) is a multiwavelength, legacy-class observational study of 12 low-mass dwarf galaxies discovered in Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) survey data products. Here we analyze the relationships between HI and star formation in these systems using multi-configuration, high spatial (~300 pc) and spectral (0.82 - 2.46 km s-1 ch-1) resolution HI observations from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, Hα imaging from the WIYN 3.5m telescope, and archival GALEX far-ultraviolet imaging. We compare the locations and intensities of star formation with the properties of the neutral ISM. We quantify the degree of local co-spatiality between star forming regions and regions of high HI column densities using the Kennicutt-Schmidt (K-S) relation. The values of the K-S index N vary considerably from system to system; because no single galaxy is representative of the sample, we instead focus on the narratives of the individual galaxies and their complex distribution of gaseous and stellar components. At the extremely faint end of the HI mass function, these systems are dominated by stochastic fluctuations in their interstellar media, which governs whether or not they show signs of recent star formation.Support for this work was provided by NSF grant AST-1211683 to JMC at Macalester College.

Numerical investigation of symmetry breaking and critical behavior of the acoustic streaming field in high-intensity discharge lamps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumann, Bernd; Schwieger, Joerg; Wolff, Marcus; Manders, Freddy; Suijker, Jos

2015-01-01

For energy efficiency and material cost reduction it is preferred to drive high-intensity discharge lamps at frequencies of approximately 300 kHz. However, operating lamps at these high frequencies bears the risk of stimulating acoustic resonances inside the arc tube, which can result in low frequency light flicker and even lamp destruction. The acoustic streaming effect has been identified as the link between high frequency resonances and low frequency flicker. A highly coupled three-dimensional multiphysics model has been set up to calculate the acoustic streaming velocity field inside the arc tube of high-intensity discharge lamps. It has been found that the velocity field suffers a phase transition to an asymmetrical state at a critical acoustic streaming force. In certain respects the system behaves similar to a ferromagnet near the Curie point. It is discussed how the model allows to investigate the light flicker phenomenon. Concerning computer resources the procedure is considerably less demanding than a direct approach with a transient model. (paper)

Extended low-frequency approximation for laser-modified electron scattering: Coulomb effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mittleman, M.H.

1988-01-01

The Kroll-Watson [N.M. Kroll and K. M. Watson, Phys. Rev. A 8, 804 (1973)] theory for electron scattering in the field of a low-frequency laser has been extended by L. Rosenberg [Phys. Rev. A 23, 2283 (1981); 28, 2727 (1983)] to apply to higher intensities. That result is rederived in another way so as to make the correction second order. The correction terms are obtained and shown to be small in the high-intensity low-energy regime in which the original theory is weakest. The special case of a Coulomb potential is analyzed and shown to present special peculiarities in the extended theory just as in the original Kroll-Watson theory

Wave-mixing with high-order harmonics in extreme ultraviolet region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dao, Lap Van; Dinh, Khuong Ba; Le, Hoang Vu; Gaffney, Naylyn; Hannaford, Peter

2015-01-01

We report studies of the wave-mixing process in the extreme ultraviolet region with two near-infrared driving and controlling pulses with incommensurate frequencies (at 1400 nm and 800 nm). A non-collinear scheme for the two beams is used in order to spatially separate and to characterise the properties of the high-order wave-mixing field. We show that the extreme ultraviolet frequency mixing can be treated by perturbative, very high-order nonlinear optics; the modification of the wave-packet of the free electron needs to be considered in this process

On the Influence of Global Warming on Atlantic Hurricane Frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, S. R.; Scaioni, M.; Marani, M.

2018-04-01

In this paper, the possible connection between the frequency of Atlantic hurricanes to the climate change, mainly the variation in the Atlantic Ocean surface temperature has been investigated. The correlation between the observed hurricane frequency for different categories of hurricane's intensity and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) has been examined over the Atlantic Tropical Cyclogenesis Regions (ACR). The results suggest that in general, the frequency of hurricanes have a high correlation with SST. In particular, the frequency of extreme hurricanes with Category 5 intensity has the highest correlation coefficient (R = 0.82). In overall, the analyses in this work demonstrates the influence of the climate change condition on the Atlantic hurricanes and suggest a strong correlation between the frequency of extreme hurricanes and SST in the ACR.

High Intensity Interval Training Leads to Greater Improvements in Acute Heart Rate Recovery and Anaerobic Power as High Volume Low Intensity Training

Science.gov (United States)

Stöggl, Thomas L.; Björklund, Glenn

2017-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to explore if training regimes utilizing diverse training intensity distributions result in different responses on neuromuscular status, anaerobic capacity/power and acute heart rate recovery (HRR) in well-trained endurance athletes. Methods: Thirty-six male (n = 33) and female (n = 3) runners, cyclists, triathletes and cross-country skiers [peak oxygen uptake: (VO2peak): 61.9 ± 8.0 mL·kg−1·min−1] were randomly assigned to one of three groups (blocked high intensity interval training HIIT; polarized training POL; high volume low intensity oriented control group CG/HVLIT applying no HIIT). A maximal anaerobic running/cycling test (MART/MACT) was performed prior to and following a 9-week training period. Results: Only the HIIT group achieved improvements in peak power/velocity (+6.4%, P 0.05). Acute HRR was improved in HIIT (11.2%, P = 0.002) and POL (7.9%, P = 0.023) with no change in the HVLIT oriented control group. Conclusion: Only a training regime that includes a significant amount of HIIT improves the neuromuscular status, anaerobic power and the acute HRR in well-trained endurance athletes. A training regime that followed more a low and moderate intensity oriented model (CG/HVLIT) had no effect on any performance or HRR outcomes. PMID:28824457

The Comparative Study of the Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields and Infrasound on Water Molecule Dissociation and Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species

Science.gov (United States)

2008-11-01

ISTC Project No. #1592P The Comparative Study of The Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields and Infrasound on Water Molecule...performed under the agreement with the International Science and Technology Center ( ISTC ), Moscow. REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704...dissociation and generation of reactive oxygen spaces. 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER ISTC Registration No: A-1592p 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT

A cervid vocal fold model suggests greater glottal efficiency in calling at high frequencies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingo R Titze

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Male Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni produce loud and high fundamental frequency bugles during the mating season, in contrast to the male European Red Deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus who produces loud and low fundamental frequency roaring calls. A critical step in understanding vocal communication is to relate sound complexity to anatomy and physiology in a causal manner. Experimentation at the sound source, often difficult in vivo in mammals, is simulated here by a finite element model of the larynx and a wave propagation model of the vocal tract, both based on the morphology and biomechanics of the elk. The model can produce a wide range of fundamental frequencies. Low fundamental frequencies require low vocal fold strain, but large lung pressure and large glottal flow if sound intensity level is to exceed 70 dB at 10 m distance. A high-frequency bugle requires both large muscular effort (to strain the vocal ligament and high lung pressure (to overcome phonation threshold pressure, but at least 10 dB more intensity level can be achieved. Glottal efficiency, the ration of radiated sound power to aerodynamic power at the glottis, is higher in elk, suggesting an advantage of high-pitched signaling. This advantage is based on two aspects; first, the lower airflow required for aerodynamic power and, second, an acoustic radiation advantage at higher frequencies. Both signal types are used by the respective males during the mating season and probably serve as honest signals. The two signal types relate differently to physical qualities of the sender. The low-frequency sound (Red Deer call relates to overall body size via a strong relationship between acoustic parameters and the size of vocal organs and body size. The high-frequency bugle may signal muscular strength and endurance, via a 'vocalizing at the edge' mechanism, for which efficiency is critical.

High frequencies of elevated alkaline phosphatase activity and rickets exist in extremely low birth weight infants despite current nutritional support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parker Bruce R

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Osteopenia and rickets are common among extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW, Methods We evaluated all ELBW infants admitted to Texas Children's Hospital NICU in 2006 and 2007. Of 211 admissions, we excluded 98 patients who were admitted at >30 days of age or did not survive/stay for >6 weeks. Bone radiographs obtained in 32 infants were reviewed by a radiologist masked to laboratory values. Results In this cohort of 113 infants, P-APA was found to have a significant inverse relationship with BW, gestational age and serum phosphorus. In paired comparisons, P-APA of infants Conclusion Elevation of P-APA >600 IU/L was very common in ELBW infants. BW was significantly inversely related to both P-APA and radiologic rickets. No single value of P-APA was related to radiological findings of rickets. Given the very high risk of osteopenia and rickets among ELBW infants, we recommend consideration of early screening and early mineral supplementation, especially among infants

Exposure to extremely low frequency (50 Hz electromagnetic field changes the survival rate and morphometric characteristics of neurosecretory neurons of the earthworm Eisenia foetida (Oligochaeta under illumination stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Banovački Zorana

2013-01-01

Full Text Available An in vivo model was set up to establish the behavioral stress response (rate of survival and morphometric characteristics of A1 protocerebral neurosecretory neurons (cell size of Eisenia foetida (Oligochaeta as a result of the synergetic effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF - 50 Hz, 50 μT, 17 V/m and 50 Hz, 150 μT, 17 V/m, respectively and constant illumination (420-450 lux. If combined, these two stressors significantly (p<0.05 increased the survival rate of E. foetida in the 150 μT-exposed animals, because of delayed caudal autotomy reflex, an indicator of stress response. In addition, morphometric analysis indicated that there were changes in the protocerebral neurosecretory cells after exposure to the ELF-EMF. The present data support the view that short-term ELF-EMF exposure in “windows” of intensity is likely to stimulate the immune and neuroendocrine response of E. foetida.

Use of historical information in extreme storm surges frequency analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Hamdi, Yasser; Duluc, Claire-Marie; Deville, Yves; Bardet, Lise; Rebour, Vincent

2013-04-01

The prevention of storm surge flood risks is critical for protection and design of coastal facilities to very low probabilities of failure. The effective protection requires the use of a statistical analysis approach having a solid theoretical motivation. Relating extreme storm surges to their frequency of occurrence using probability distributions has been a common issue since 1950s. The engineer needs to determine the storm surge of a given return period, i.e., the storm surge quantile or design storm surge. Traditional methods for determining such a quantile have been generally based on data from the systematic record alone. However, the statistical extrapolation, to estimate storm surges corresponding to high return periods, is seriously contaminated by sampling and model uncertainty if data are available for a relatively limited period. This has motivated the development of approaches to enlarge the sample extreme values beyond the systematic period. The nonsystematic data occurred before the systematic period is called historical information. During the last three decades, the value of using historical information as a nonsystematic data in frequency analysis has been recognized by several authors. The basic hypothesis in statistical modeling of historical information is that a perception threshold exists and that during a giving historical period preceding the period of tide gauging, all exceedances of this threshold have been recorded. Historical information prior to the systematic records may arise from high-sea water marks left by extreme surges on the coastal areas. It can also be retrieved from archives, old books, earliest newspapers, damage reports, unpublished written records and interviews with local residents. A plotting position formula, to compute empirical probabilities based on systematic and historical data, is used in this communication paper. The objective of the present work is to examine the potential gain in estimation accuracy with the

A low-frequency vibration energy harvester based on diamagnetic levitation

Science.gov (United States)

Kono, Yuta; Masuda, Arata; Yuan, Fuh-Gwo

2017-04-01

This article presents 3-degree-of-freedom theoretical modeling and analysis of a low-frequency vibration energy harvester based on diamagnetic levitation. In recent years, although much attention has been placed on vibration energy harvesting technologies, few harvesters still can operate efficiently at extremely low frequencies in spite of large potential demand in the field of structural health monitoring and wearable applications. As one of the earliest works, Liu, Yuan and Palagummi proposed vertical and horizontal diamagnetic levitation systems as vibration energy harvesters with low resonant frequencies. This study aims to pursue further improvement along this direction, in terms of expanding maximum amplitude and enhancing the flexibility of the operation direction for broader application fields by introducing a new topology of the levitation system.

Evidence for Separate Contributions of High and Low Spatial Frequencies during Visual Word Recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Winsler, Kurt; Holcomb, Phillip J; Midgley, Katherine J; Grainger, Jonathan

2017-01-01

Previous studies have shown that different spatial frequency information processing streams interact during the recognition of visual stimuli. However, it is a matter of debate as to the contributions of high and low spatial frequency (HSF and LSF) information for visual word recognition. This study examined the role of different spatial frequencies in visual word recognition using event-related potential (ERP) masked priming. EEG was recorded from 32 scalp sites in 30 English-speaking adults in a go/no-go semantic categorization task. Stimuli were white characters on a neutral gray background. Targets were uppercase five letter words preceded by a forward-mask (#######) and a 50 ms lowercase prime. Primes were either the same word (repeated) or a different word (un-repeated) than the subsequent target and either contained only high, only low, or full spatial frequency information. Additionally within each condition, half of the prime-target pairs were high lexical frequency, and half were low. In the full spatial frequency condition, typical ERP masked priming effects were found with an attenuated N250 (sub-lexical) and N400 (lexical-semantic) for repeated compared to un-repeated primes. For HSF primes there was a weaker N250 effect which interacted with lexical frequency, a significant reversal of the effect around 300 ms, and an N400-like effect for only high lexical frequency word pairs. LSF primes did not produce any of the classic ERP repetition priming effects, however they did elicit a distinct early effect around 200 ms in the opposite direction of typical repetition effects. HSF information accounted for many of the masked repetition priming ERP effects and therefore suggests that HSFs are more crucial for word recognition. However, LSFs did produce their own pattern of priming effects indicating that larger scale information may still play a role in word recognition.

Communication Characteristics of Faulted Overhead High Voltage Power Lines at Low Radio Frequencies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nermin Suljanović

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper derives a model of high-voltage overhead power line under fault conditions at low radio frequencies. The derived model is essential for design of communication systems to reliably transfer information over high voltage power lines. In addition, the model can also benefit advanced systems for power-line fault detection and classification exploiting the phenomenon of changed conditions on faulted power line, resulting in change of low radio frequency signal propagation. The methodology used in the paper is based on the multiconductor system analysis and propagation of electromagnetic waves over the power lines. The model for the high voltage power line under normal operation is validated using actual measurements obtained on 400 kV power line. The proposed model of faulted power lines extends the validated power-line model under normal operation. Simulation results are provided for typical power line faults and typical fault locations. Results clearly indicate sensitivity of power-line frequency response on different fault types.

Polymorph characterization of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) using low-frequency Raman spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Larkin, Peter J; Dabros, Marta; Sarsfield, Beth; Chan, Eric; Carriere, James T; Smith, Brian C

2014-01-01

Polymorph detection, identification, and quantitation in crystalline materials are of great importance to the pharmaceutical industry. Vibrational spectroscopic techniques used for this purpose include Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and terahertz (THz) and far-infrared (FIR) spectroscopy. Typically, the fundamental molecular vibrations accessed using high-frequency Raman and MIR spectroscopy or the overtone and combination of bands in the NIR spectra are used to monitor the solid-state forms of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The local environmental sensitivity of the fundamental molecular vibrations provides an indirect probe of the long-range order in molecular crystals. However, low-frequency vibrational spectroscopy provides access to the lattice vibrations of molecular crystals and, hence, has the potential to more directly probe intermolecular interactions in the solid state. Recent advances in filter technology enable high-quality, low-frequency Raman spectra to be acquired using a single-stage spectrograph. This innovation enables the cost-effective collection of high-quality Raman spectra in the 200-10 cm(-1) region. In this study, we demonstrate the potential of low-frequency Raman spectroscopy for the polymorphic characterization of APIs. This approach provides several benefits over existing techniques, including ease of sampling and more intense, information-rich band structures that can potentially discriminate among crystalline forms. An improved understanding of the relationship between the crystalline structure and the low-frequency vibrational spectrum is needed for the more widespread use of the technique.

Autonomic nervous system activity in purebred Arabian horses evaluated according to the low frequency and high frequency spectrum versus racing performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iwona Janczarek

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Emotional excitability influences horses’ performance in sports and races. The aim of the study was to analyse whether the balance of the autonomic system which can occur when sympathetic system activity is at various levels might impact the horses’ racing performance. The study was carried out on 67 purebred Arabian horses trained for racing. The following indices were analysed: low frequency (LF, high frequency (HF, and the ratio of spectrum power at low frequencies to high frequencies (LF/HF. The autonomic nervous system activity was measured × 3 during the training season, at three-month intervals. Each examination included a 30-min measurement at rest and after a training session. The racing performance indices in these horses were also analysed. Better racing results were found in horses with enhanced LF/HF. The worst racing results were determined in horses with low LF.

Harvesting Low-Frequency (<5 Hz) Irregular Mechanical Energy: A Possible Killer Application of Triboelectric Nanogenerator.

Science.gov (United States)

Zi, Yunlong; Guo, Hengyu; Wen, Zhen; Yeh, Min-Hsin; Hu, Chenguo; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-04-26

Electromagnetic generators (EMGs) and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are the two most powerful approaches for harvesting ambient mechanical energy, but the effectiveness of each depends on the triggering frequency. Here, after systematically comparing the performances of EMGs and TENGs under low-frequency motion (frequency, while that of TENGs is approximately in proportion to the frequency. Therefore, the TENG has a much better performance than that of the EMG at low frequency (typically 0.1-3 Hz). Importantly, the extremely small output voltage of the EMG at low frequency makes it almost inapplicable to drive any electronic unit that requires a certain threshold voltage (∼0.2-4 V), so that most of the harvested energy is wasted. In contrast, a TENG has an output voltage that is usually high enough (>10-100 V) and independent of frequency so that most of the generated power can be effectively used to power the devices. Furthermore, a TENG also has advantages of light weight, low cost, and easy scale up through advanced structure designs. All these merits verify the possible killer application of a TENG for harvesting energy at low frequency from motions such as human motions for powering small electronics and possibly ocean waves for large-scale blue energy.

An oscillation phenomenon of low frequency reverberation in the shallow water and its physical explanation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LI; Fenghua; LIU; Jianjun; LI; Zhenglin; ZHANG; Renhe

2005-01-01

An oscillation phenomenon of the low frequency reverberation intensity was observed in several shallow water reverberation experiments. This phenomenon cannot be explained by the widely used incoherent reverberation theory. In this paper, to explain the observed oscillation phenomenon, a normal mode based coherent reverberation theory is presented. The theoretical analysis and numerical results show that modal interference can cause the regular oscillation phenomenon of the low frequency reverberation intensity, and the oscillation frequency is determined by the normal mode eigen-values. A new method to estimate the bottom sound speed based on the oscillation frequency of reverberation intensity was presented in this paper. The experimental results at three different sites indicate that the bottom sound speed estimated from the oscillation frequency of reverberation intensity agrees with that inverted from Matched Field Processing (MFP) well.

[Influence of extremely low frequency magnetic field on total protein and -sh groups concentrations in liver homogenates].

Science.gov (United States)

Ciejka, Elżbieta; Kowalczyk, Agata; Gorąca, Anna

2014-01-01

Free radicals are atoms, molecules or their fragments, whose excess leads to the development of oxidative stress, the cause of many neoplastic, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases, as well as aging of organisms. Industrial pollution, tobacco smoke, ionizing radiation, ultrasound and magnetic fields are the major exogenous sources of free radicals. The low frequency mag- netic field is commonly applied in physiotherapy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field (1L.F-MF) on the concentration ofsullhydryl groups (-SH) and proteins in liver tissues of experimental animals de- pending on the time of exposure to the field. Twenty one Sprague-D)awley male rats, aged 3-4 months were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups (each containing 7 animals): controls (group I), the rats exposed to IEI.F-MF of 40 Hz, 7 mT (this kind of the ELF-MF is mostly used in magnetotherapy), 30 min/day for 2 weeks (group II) and the rats exposed to 40 Hz, 7 mT for 60 min/day for 2 weeks (group III). The concentrations of proteins and sulfhydryl groups in the liver tissues were determined after exposure to magnetic fields. Exposure to low magnetic field: 40 Hz, 7 mT for 30 min/day and 60 min/day for 2 weeks caused a significant increase in the concentration of-SH groups and total protein levels in the liver tissues. The study results suggest that exposure to magnetic fields leads to the development of adaptive mechanisms to maintain the balance in the body oxidation-reduction and in the case of the studied parameters does not depend on the time of exposure.

Influence of urban land cover changes and climate change for the exposure of European cities to flooding during high-intensity precipitation

OpenAIRE

Kaspersen, Per Skougaard; Høegh Ravn, Nanna; Arnbjerg-Nielsen, Karsten; Madsen, H.; Drews, Martin

2015-01-01

The extent and location of impervious surfaces within urban areas due to past and present city development strongly affects the amount and velocity of run-off during high-intensity rainfall and consequently influences the exposure of cities towards flooding. The frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall are expected to increase in many places due to climate change and thus further exacerbate the risk of pluvial flooding. This paper presents a combined hydrological-hydrodynamic modelling and...

Plasma Temperature Determination of Hydrogen Containing High-Frequency Electrodeless Lamps by Intensity Distribution Measurements of Hydrogen Molecular Band

OpenAIRE

Gavare, Zanda; Revalde, Gita; Skudra, Atis

2010-01-01

The goal of the present work was the investigation of the possibility to use intensity distribution of the Q-branch lines of the hydrogen Fulcher-α diagonal band (d3Πu−→a3∑g+ electronic transition; Q-branch with v=v′=2) to determine the temperature of hydrogen containing high-frequency electrodeless lamps (HFEDLs). The values of the rotational temperatures have been obtained from the relative intensity distributions for hydrogen-helium and hydrogen-argon HFEDLs depending on the applied curren...

High current density ion beam obtained by a transition to a highly focused state in extremely low-energy region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirano, Y., E-mail: y.hirano@aist.go.jp, E-mail: hirano.yoichi@phys.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp [Innovative Plasma Processing Group, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); College of Science and Technologies, Nihon University, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 101-0897 (Japan); Kiyama, S.; Koguchi, H. [Innovative Plasma Processing Group, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Fujiwara, Y.; Sakakita, H. [Innovative Plasma Processing Group, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Department of Engineering Mechanics and Energy, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan)

2015-11-15

A high current density (≈3 mA/cm{sup 2}) hydrogen ion beam source operating in an extremely low-energy region (E{sub ib} ≈ 150–200 eV) has been realized by using a transition to a highly focused state, where the beam is extracted from the ion source chamber through three concave electrodes with nominal focal lengths of ≈350 mm. The transition occurs when the beam energy exceeds a threshold value between 145 and 170 eV. Low-level hysteresis is observed in the transition when E{sub ib} is being reduced. The radial profiles of the ion beam current density and the low temperature ion current density can be obtained separately using a Faraday cup with a grid in front. The measured profiles confirm that more than a half of the extracted beam ions reaches the target plate with a good focusing profile with a full width at half maximum of ≈3 cm. Estimation of the particle balances in beam ions, the slow ions, and the electrons indicates the possibility that the secondary electron emission from the target plate and electron impact ionization of hydrogen may play roles as particle sources in this extremely low-energy beam after the compensation of beam ion space charge.

ON THE INFLUENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING ON ATLANTIC HURRICANE FREQUENCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. R. Hosseini

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the possible connection between the frequency of Atlantic hurricanes to the climate change, mainly the variation in the Atlantic Ocean surface temperature has been investigated. The correlation between the observed hurricane frequency for different categories of hurricane’s intensity and Sea Surface Temperature (SST has been examined over the Atlantic Tropical Cyclogenesis Regions (ACR. The results suggest that in general, the frequency of hurricanes have a high correlation with SST. In particular, the frequency of extreme hurricanes with Category 5 intensity has the highest correlation coefficient (R = 0.82. In overall, the analyses in this work demonstrates the influence of the climate change condition on the Atlantic hurricanes and suggest a strong correlation between the frequency of extreme hurricanes and SST in the ACR.

Thrombolysis using multi-frequency high intensity focused ultrasound at MHz range: an in vitro study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suo, Dingjie; Guo, Sijia; Jiang, Xiaoning; Jing, Yun; Lin, Weili

2015-01-01

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) based thrombolysis has emerged as a promising drug-free treatment approach for ischemic stroke. The large amount of acoustic power required by this approach, however, poses a critical challenge to the future clinical translation. In this study, multi-frequency acoustic waves at MHz range (near 1.5 MHz) were introduced as HIFU excitations to reduce the required power for treatment as well as the treatment time. In vitro bovine blood clots weighing around 150 mg were treated by single-frequency and multi-frequency HIFU. The pulse length was 2 ms for all experiments except the ones where the duty cycle was changed. It was found that dual-frequency thrombolysis efficiency was statistically better than single-frequency under the same acoustic power and excitation condition. When varying the acoustic power but fixing the duty cycle at 5%, it was found that dual-frequency ultrasound can save almost 30% power in order to achieve the same thrombolysis efficiency. In the experiment where the duty cycle was increased from 0.5% to 10%, it was shown that dual-frequency ultrasound can achieve the same thrombolysis efficiency with only half of the duty cycle of single-frequency. Dual-frequency ultrasound could also accelerate the thrombolysis by a factor of 2–4 as demonstrated in this study. No significant differences were found between dual-frequencies with different frequency differences (0.025, 0.05, and 0.1 MHz) and between dual-frequency and triple-frequency. The measured cavitation doses of dual-frequency and triple-frequency excitations were at about the same level but both were significantly higher than that of single-frequency. (paper)

An Emperical Analysis of Co-Movements in High- and Low-Frequency Metrics for Financial Market Efficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D.M. Rösch (Dominik); A. Subrahmanyam (Avanidhar); M.A. van Dijk (Mathijs)

2014-01-01

textabstractSeveral high- and low-frequency metrics for financial market efficiency have been proposed in distinct lines of research. We explore the joint dynamics of these metrics. High-frequency metrics co-move across individual stocks, and also co-move with lower-frequency metrics based on

THE RELATION OF FREQUENCY TO THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ULTRA-HIGH FREQUENCY CURRENTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Christie, R V; Loomis, A L

1929-01-31

1. Biological effects of electromagnetic waves emitted by a vacuum tube oscillator have been studied at frequencis ranging from 8,300,000 to 158,000,000 cycles per second (1.9 to 38 meters wave-length). 2. The effects produced on animals can be fully explained on the basis of the heat generated by high frequency currents which are induced in them. 3. No evidence was obtained to support the theory that certain wave-lengths have a specific action on living cells. 4. At frequencies below 50,000,000 cycles, the effect of these radiations on animals is proportionate to the intensity of the electro-magnetic field. As the frequency is increased beyond this point, the amount of induced current is diminished and the apparent lethality of the radiation is decreased. This can be explained by changes occurring in the dielectric properties of tissues at low wave-lengths.

Men and Women Exhibit Similar Acute Hypotensive Responses After Low, Moderate, or High-Intensity Plyometric Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Abad-Colil, Felipe; Vera, Maritza; Andrade, David C; Caniuqueo, Alexis; Martínez-Salazar, Cristian; Nakamura, Fábio Y; Arazi, Hamid; Cerda-Kohler, Hugo; Izquierdo, Mikel; Alonso-Martínez, Alicia M

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of low-, moderate-, high-, and combined-intensity plyometric training on heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and rate-pressure product (RPP) cardiovascular responses in male and female normotensive subjects. Fifteen (8 women) physically active normotensive subjects participated in this study (age 23.5 ± 2.6 years, body mass index 23.8 ± 2.3 kg · m(-2)). Using a randomized crossover design, trials were conducted with rest intervals of at least 48 hours. Each trial comprised 120 jumps, using boxes of 20, 30, and 40 cm for low, moderate, and high intensity, respectively. For combined intensity, the 3 height boxes were combined. Measurements were taken before and after (i.e., every 10 minutes for a period of 90 minutes) each trial. When data responses of men and women were combined, a mean reduction in SBP, DBP, and RPP was observed after all plyometric intensities. No significant differences were observed pre- or postexercise (at any time point) for HR, SBP, DBP, or RPP when low-, moderate-, high-, or combined-intensity trials were compared. No significant differences were observed between male and female subjects, except for a higher SBP reduction in women (-12%) compared with men (-7%) after high-intensity trial. Although there were minor differences across postexercise time points, collectively, the data demonstrated that all plyometric training intensities can induce an acute postexercise hypotensive effect in young normotensive male and female subjects.

Development of Intensity-Duration-Frequency curves at ungauged sites: risk management under changing climate

Science.gov (United States)

Liew, San Chuin; Raghavan, Srivatsan V.; Liong, Shie-Yui

2014-12-01

The impact of a changing climate is already being felt on several hydrological systems both on a regional and sub-regional scale of the globe. Southeast Asia is one of the regions strongly affected by climate change. With climate change, one of the anticipated impacts is an increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall which further increase the region's flood catastrophes, human casualties and economic loss. Optimal mitigation measures can be undertaken only when stormwater systems are designed using rainfall Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves derived from a long and good quality rainfall data. Developing IDF curves for the future climate can be even more challenging especially for ungauged sites. The current practice to derive current climate's IDF curves for ungauged sites is, for example, to `borrow' or `interpolate' data from regions of climatologically similar characteristics. Recent measures to derive IDF curves for present climate was performed by extracting rainfall data from a high spatial resolution Regional Climate Model driven by ERA-40 reanalysis dataset. This approach has been demonstrated on an ungauged site (Java, Indonesia) and the results were quite promising. In this paper, the authors extend the application of the approach to other ungauged sites particularly in Peninsular Malaysia. The results of the study undoubtedly have significance contribution in terms of local and regional hydrology (Malaysia and Southeast Asian countries). The anticipated impacts of climate change especially increase in rainfall intensity and its frequency appreciates the derivation of future IDF curves in this study. It also provides policy makers better information on the adequacy of storm drainage design, for the current climate at the ungauged sites, and the adequacy of the existing storm drainage to cope with the impacts of climate change.

The Effects of High-Intensity versus Low-Intensity Resistance Training on Leg Extensor Power and Recovery of Knee Function after ACL-Reconstruction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bieler, Theresa; Sobol, Nanna Aue; Andersen, Lars L

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Persistent weakness is a common problem after anterior cruciate ligament- (ACL-) reconstruction. This study investigated the effects of high-intensity (HRT) versus low-intensity (LRT) resistance training on leg extensor power and recovery of knee function after ACL-reconstruction. METH...

Future Projection of Summer Extreme Precipitation from High Resolution Multi-RCMs over East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Gayoung; Park, Changyong; Cha, Dong-Hyun; Lee, Dong-Kyou; Suh, Myoung-Seok; Ahn, Joong-Bae; Min, Seung-Ki; Hong, Song-You; Kang, Hyun-Suk

2017-04-01

Recently, the frequency and intensity of natural hazards have been increasing due to human-induced climate change. Because most damages of natural hazards over East Asia have been related to extreme precipitation events, it is important to estimate future change in extreme precipitation characteristics caused by climate change. We investigate future changes in extremal values of summer precipitation simulated by five regional climate models participating in the CORDEX-East Asia project (i.e., HadGEM3-RA, RegCM4, MM5, WRF, and GRIMs) over East Asia. 100-year return value calculated from the generalized extreme value (GEV) parameters is analysed as an indicator of extreme intensity. In the future climate, the mean values as well as the extreme values of daily precipitation tend to increase over land region. The increase of 100-year return value can be significantly associated with the changes in the location (intensity) and scale (variability) GEV parameters for extreme precipitation. It is expected that the results of this study can be used as fruitful references when making the policy of disaster management. Acknowledgements The research was supported by the Ministry of Public Safety and Security of Korean government and Development program under grant MPSS-NH-2013-63 and the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning of Korea (NRF-2016M3C4A7952637) for its support and assistant in completion of the study.

Low-Magnitude, High-Frequency Vibration Fails to Accelerate Ligament Healing but Stimulates Collagen Synthesis in the Achilles Tendon.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, William R; Keller, Benjamin V; Davis, Matthew L; Dahners, Laurence E; Weinhold, Paul S

2015-05-01

Low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration accelerates fracture and wound healing and prevents disuse atrophy in musculoskeletal tissues. To investigate the role of low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration as a treatment to accelerate healing of an acute ligament injury and to examine gene expression in the intact Achilles tendon of the injured limb after low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration. Controlled laboratory study. Complete surgical transection of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) was performed in 32 Sprague-Dawley rats, divided into control and low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration groups. Low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration started on postoperative day 2, and rats received vibration for 30 minutes a day for 12 days. All rats were sacrificed 2 weeks after the operation, and their intact and injured MCLs were biomechanically tested or used for histological analysis. Intact Achilles tendons from the injured limb were evaluated for differences in gene expression. Mechanical testing revealed no differences in the ultimate tensile load or the structural stiffness between the control and vibration groups for either the injured or intact MCL. Vibration exposure increased gene expression of collagen 1 alpha (3-fold), interleukin 6 (7-fold), cyclooxygenase 2 (5-fold), and bone morphogenetic protein 12 (4-fold) in the intact Achilles tendon when compared with control tendons ( P frequency vibration treatment, significant enhancements in gene expression were observed in the intact Achilles tendon. These included collagen, several inflammatory cytokines, and growth factors critical for tendons. As low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration had no negative effects on ligament healing, vibration therapy may be a useful tool to accelerate healing of other tissues (bone) in multitrauma injuries without inhibiting ligament healing. Additionally, the enhanced gene expression in response to low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration in the intact Achilles tendon suggests the

Estimation of frequency of occurrence of extreme natural external events of very high intensity on the base of (non)available data - Estimation of frequency of rare natural external events of very high intensity on the base of (non)available data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holy, J.; Kolar, L.; Jaros, M.; Hladky, M.; Mlady, O.

2014-01-01

The relatively frequent natural external events are usually of minor safety importance, because the NPPs are, with a significant safety margin, constructed and operated to withstand the effects of them. Thus, risk analysis is typically devoted to the natural events of exceptional intensity, which mostly have not occurred up to now, but which still could happen with some low probability, but critical consequences. Since 'direct' plant specific data providing evidence about such events to occur is not at disposal, special data treatment and extrapolation methods have to be employed for frequency estimation. The paper summarizes possible approach to estimation of rate event frequency by means of extrapolation from available data and points out the potential problems and challenges encountered during the analysis. The general framework is commented in the presentation, regarding the effects of choice of probabilistic distribution (Gumbel distribution versus the others), methods of work with data records (To take out some observations and why?) and analysis of quality of input data sets (To mix the data sets from different sources or not? To use 'old' observations?) In the first part of the paper, the approach to creation of NPP Dukovany deterministic design basis regarding natural external events, which was used in past, is summarized. The second, major part of the paper, is devoted to involvement of the ideas of probabilistic safety assessment into safety assessment of external hazards, including such specific topics as addressing the quality of available data records, discussion on possible violation of common assumptions expected to be valid by the rules of statistical data analysis and the ways how to fix it, the choice of probabilistic distribution modeling data variability etc. The examples of results achieved for NPP Dukovany site in Czech republic are given in the final section. This paper represents a coordinated effort with participation of experts and staff

Atomic motion in a high-intensity standing wave laser field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saez Ramdohr, L.F.

1987-01-01

This work discusses the effect of a high-intensity standing wave laser field on the motion of neutral atoms moving with a relatively high velocity. The analysis involves a detailed calculation of the force acting on the atoms and the calculation of the diffusion tensor associated with the fluctuations of the quantum force operator. The high-intensity laser field limit corresponds to a Rabi frequency much greater than the natural rate of the atom. The general results are valid for any atomic velocity. Results are then specialized to the case of slow and fast atoms where the Doppler shift of the laser frequency due to the atomic motion is either smaller or larger than the natural decay rate of the atom. The results obtained for the force and diffusion tensor are applied to a particular ideal experiment that studies the evolution of a fast atomic beam crossing a high-intensity laser beam. The theories developed previously, for a similar laser configuration, discuss only the low atomic velocities case and not the more realistic case of fast atoms. Here, an approximate solution of the equation for the distribution is obtained. Starting from the approximate distribution function, the deflection angle and dispersion angle for the atomic beam with respect to the free motion are calculated

Optical Frequency Optimization of a High Intensity Laser Power Beaming System Utilizing VMJ Photovoltaic Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Raible, Daniel E.; Dinca, Dragos; Nayfeh, Taysir H.

2012-01-01

An effective form of wireless power transmission (WPT) has been developed to enable extended mission durations, increased coverage and added capabilities for both space and terrestrial applications that may benefit from optically delivered electrical energy. The high intensity laser power beaming (HILPB) system enables long range optical 'refueling" of electric platforms such as micro unmanned aerial vehicles (MUAV), airships, robotic exploration missions and spacecraft platforms. To further advance the HILPB technology, the focus of this investigation is to determine the optimal laser wavelength to be used with the HILPB receiver, which utilizes vertical multi-junction (VMJ) photovoltaic cells. Frequency optimization of the laser system is necessary in order to maximize the conversion efficiency at continuous high intensities, and thus increase the delivered power density of the HILPB system. Initial spectral characterizations of the device performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) indicate the approximate range of peak optical-to-electrical conversion efficiencies, but these data sets represent transient conditions under lower levels of illumination. Extending these results to high levels of steady state illumination, with attention given to the compatibility of available commercial off-the-shelf semiconductor laser sources and atmospheric transmission constraints is the primary focus of this paper. Experimental hardware results utilizing high power continuous wave (CW) semiconductor lasers at four different operational frequencies near the indicated band gap of the photovoltaic VMJ cells are presented and discussed. In addition, the highest receiver power density achieved to date is demonstrated using a single photovoltaic VMJ cell, which provided an exceptionally high electrical output of 13.6 W/sq cm at an optical-to-electrical conversion efficiency of 24 percent. These results are very promising and scalable, as a potential 1.0 sq m HILPB receiver of

High-Prevalence and Low-Intensity Ichthyophonus Infections in Pacific Halibut.

Science.gov (United States)

Hershberger, Paul K; Gregg, Jacob L; Dykstra, Claude L

2018-03-01

Ichthyophonus occurred at high prevalence but low intensity in Pacific Halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis throughout the West Coast of North America, ranging from coastal Oregon to the Bering Sea. Infection prevalence in adults was variable on spatial and temporal scales, with the lowest prevalence typically occurring on the edges of the geographic range and highest prevalence consistently occurring inside Prince William Sound, Alaska (58-77%). Additionally, intra-annual differences occurred at Albatross-Portlock, Alaska (71% versus 32% within 2012), and interannual differences occurred along coastal Oregon (50% in 2012 versus 12% in 2015). The infection prevalence was influenced by host age, increasing from 3% or less among the youngest cohorts (age ≤ 6) to 39-54% among age-9-17 cohorts, then decreasing to 27% among the oldest (age-18+) cohorts. There was little indication of significant disease impacts to Pacific Halibut, as the intensity of infection was uniformly low and length at age was similar between infected and uninfected cohorts. These results suggest that Ichthyophonus in Pacific Halibut currently represents a stable parasite-host paradigm in the North Pacific. © 2018 American Fisheries Society.

Effect of low-intensity electromagnetic radiation on structurization properties of bacterial lipopolysaccharide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grigory E. Brill

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose — to investigate the effects of low-intensity electromagnetic radiation on the process of dehydration selforganization of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS. Material and Methods — The method of wedge dehydration has been used to study the structure formation of bacterial LPS. Image-phases analysis included their qualitative characteristics, as well as the calculation of quantitative indicators, followed by statistical analysis. Results — Low-intensity ultra high frequency (UHF radiation (1 GHz, 0.1 μW/cm2, 10 min has led to the changes in the suspension system of the LPS-saline reflected in the kinetics of structure formation. Conclusion — 1 GHz corresponds to the natural frequency of oscillation of water clusters and, presumably, the effect of UHF on structure of LPS mediates through the changes in water-salt environment. Under these conditions, properties of water molecules of hydration and possibly the properties of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions in the molecule of LPS, which can affect the ability of toxin molecules to form aggregates change. Therefore the LPS structure modification may result in the change of its toxic properties.

Gene expression profiles in testis of pigs with extreme high and low levels of androstenone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bendixen Christian

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Boar taint is a major obstacle when using uncastrated male pigs for swine production. One of the main compounds causing this taint is androstenone, a pheromone produced in porcine testis. Here we use microarrays to study the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously in testis of high and low androstenone boars. The study allows identification of genes and pathways associated with elevated androstenone levels, which is essential for recognising potential molecular markers for breeding purposes. Results: Testicular tissue was collected from 60 boars, 30 with extreme high and 30 with extreme low levels of androstenone, from each of the two breeds Duroc and Norwegian Landrace. The samples were hybridised to porcine arrays containing 26,877 cDNA clones, detecting 563 and 160 genes that were differentially expressed (p Conclusion: This study contributes to the understanding of the complex genetic system controlling and responding to androstenone levels in pig testis. The identification of new pathways and genes involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of androstenone is an important first step towards finding molecular markers to reduce boar taint.

Low-frequency oscillations at high density in JFT-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeno, Masaki; Katagiri, Masaki; Suzuki, Norio; Fujisawa, Noboru

1977-12-01

Low-frequency oscillations in a plasma were measured with magnetic probes and Si surface-barrier detectors, and behaviour of the high density plasmas was studied. The plasma current profile in the phase of decreasing density after the interruption of gas input is more peaked than during gas input. The introduction of hydrogen during a discharge results in a reduction of the impurities flux. The increase of density by fast gas input is limited with a negative voltage spike. Immediately before a negative voltage spike, oscillations of m=1,2 grow, leading to the spike. (auth.)

Test results of the AGS Booster low frequency RF system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, R.T.; Cameron, P.; Damm, R.; Dunbar, A.; Goldman, M.; Kasha, D.; McNerney, A.; Meth, M.; Ratti, A.; Spitz, R.

1993-01-01

The Band II RF system was originally built to support the Booster operations during the acceleration of heavy ions. Designed to sweep from 0.6 to 2.5 MHz, it was build and successfully tested over a much broader range reaching 4 MHz. Voltages up to more than 20 kV were reached over the design frequency range. The system consists of two stations, each of which is made of one single gap cavity directly driven by a grounded cathode push pull power amplifier. The low Q high permeability ferrites needed in the coaxial cavity in order to reach the lower end of the band make tuning extremely easy. Both systems were thoroughly tested both at single frequencies and on a sweep and are now installed in the ring, ready for operations. Static measurements showed no high-loss effects. The Band 11 system has been fully described in a previous paper; presented here are the results of the ''bench'' tests that lead to important performance improvements

Workshop on extremely high energy density plasmas and their diagnostics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishii, Shozo (ed.)

2001-09-01

Compiled are the papers presented at the workshop on 'Extremely High Energy Density Plasmas and Their Diagnostics' held at National Institute for Fusion Science. The papers cover physics and applications of extremely high-energy density plasmas such as dense z-pinch, plasma focus, and intense pulsed charged beams. Separate abstracts were presented for 7 of the papers in this report. The remaining 25 were considered outside the subject scope of INIS. (author)

Workshop on extremely high energy density plasmas and their diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Shozo

2001-09-01

Compiled are the papers presented at the workshop on 'Extremely High Energy Density Plasmas and Their Diagnostics' held at National Institute for Fusion Science. The papers cover physics and applications of extremely high-energy density plasmas such as dense z-pinch, plasma focus, and intense pulsed charged beams. Separate abstracts were presented for 7 of the papers in this report. The remaining 25 were considered outside the subject scope of INIS. (author)

High Intensity Interval Training Leads to Greater Improvements in Acute Heart Rate Recovery and Anaerobic Power as High Volume Low Intensity Training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas L. Stöggl

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the current study was to explore if training regimes utilizing diverse training intensity distributions result in different responses on neuromuscular status, anaerobic capacity/power and acute heart rate recovery (HRR in well-trained endurance athletes.Methods: Thirty-six male (n = 33 and female (n = 3 runners, cyclists, triathletes and cross-country skiers [peak oxygen uptake: (VO2peak: 61.9 ± 8.0 mL·kg−1·min−1] were randomly assigned to one of three groups (blocked high intensity interval training HIIT; polarized training POL; high volume low intensity oriented control group CG/HVLIT applying no HIIT. A maximal anaerobic running/cycling test (MART/MACT was performed prior to and following a 9-week training period.Results: Only the HIIT group achieved improvements in peak power/velocity (+6.4%, P < 0.001 and peak lactate (P = 0.001 during the MART/MACT, while, unexpectedly, in none of the groups the performance at the established lactate concentrations (4, 6, 10 mmol·L−1 was changed (P > 0.05. Acute HRR was improved in HIIT (11.2%, P = 0.002 and POL (7.9%, P = 0.023 with no change in the HVLIT oriented control group.Conclusion: Only a training regime that includes a significant amount of HIIT improves the neuromuscular status, anaerobic power and the acute HRR in well-trained endurance athletes. A training regime that followed more a low and moderate intensity oriented model (CG/HVLIT had no effect on any performance or HRR outcomes.

MONITORING HIGH-FREQUENCY OCEAN SIGNALS USING LOW-COST GNSS/IMU BUOYS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y.-L. Huang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In oceans there are different ocean signals covering the multi-frequencies including tsunami, meteotsunami, storm surge, as sea level change, and currents. These signals have the direct and significant impact on the economy and life of human-beings. Therefore, measuring ocean signals accurately becomes more and more important and necessary. Nowadays, there are many techniques and methods commonly used for monitoring oceans, but each has its limitation. For example, tide gauges only measure sea level relative to benchmarks and are disturbed unevenly, and satellite altimeter measurements are not continuous and inaccurate near coastal oceans. In addition, high-frequency ocean signals such as tsunami and meteotsunami cannot be sufficiently detected by 6-minutes tide gauge measurements or 10-day sampled altimetry data. Moreover, traditional accelerometer buoy is heavy, expensive and the low-frequency noise caused by the instrument is unavoidable. In this study, a small, low-cost and self-assembly autonomous Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU that independently collects continuous acceleration and angular velocity data is mounted on a GNSS buoy to provide the positions and tilts of the moving buoy. The main idea is to integrate the Differential GNSS (DGNSS or Precise Point Positioning (PPP solutions with IMU data, and then evaluate the performance by comparing with in situ tide gauges. The validation experiments conducted in the NCKU Tainan Hydraulics Laboratory showed that GNSS and IMU both can detect the simulated regular wave frequency and height, and the field experiments in the Anping Harbor, Tainan, Taiwan showed that the low-cost GNSS buoy has an excellent ability to observe significant wave heights in amplitude and frequency.

LOW FREQUENCY DAMPER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radu BOGATEANU

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The low frequency damper is an autonomous equipment for damping vibrations with the 1-20Hz range.Its autonomy enables the equipment to be located in various mechanical systems, without requiring special hydraulic installations.The low frequency damper was designed for damping the low frequency oscillations occurring in the circuit controls of the upgraded IAR-99 Aircraft.The low frequency damper is a novelty in the aerospace field ,with applicability in several areas as it can be built up in an appropriate range of dimensions meeting the requirements of different beneficiaries. On this line an equipment able to damp an extended frequency range was performed for damping oscillations in the pipes of the nuclear power plants.This damper, tested in INCAS laboratories matched the requirements of the beneficiary.The low frequency damper is patented – the patent no. 114583C1/2000 is held by INCAS.

Rainfall and runoff Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves for Washington State considering the change and uncertainty of observed and anticipated extreme rainfall and snow events

Science.gov (United States)

Demissie, Y. K.; Mortuza, M. R.; Li, H. Y.

2015-12-01

The observed and anticipated increasing trends in extreme storm magnitude and frequency, as well as the associated flooding risk in the Pacific Northwest highlighted the need for revising and updating the local intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves, which are commonly used for designing critical water infrastructure. In Washington State, much of the drainage system installed in the last several decades uses IDF curves that are outdated by as much as half a century, making the system inadequate and vulnerable for flooding as seen more frequently in recent years. In this study, we have developed new and forward looking rainfall and runoff IDF curves for each county in Washington State using recently observed and projected precipitation data. Regional frequency analysis coupled with Bayesian uncertainty quantification and model averaging methods were used to developed and update the rainfall IDF curves, which were then used in watershed and snow models to develop the runoff IDF curves that explicitly account for effects of snow and drainage characteristic into the IDF curves and related designs. The resulted rainfall and runoff IDF curves provide more reliable, forward looking, and spatially resolved characteristics of storm events that can assist local decision makers and engineers to thoroughly review and/or update the current design standards for urban and rural storm water management infrastructure in order to reduce the potential ramifications of increasing severe storms and resulting floods on existing and planned storm drainage and flood management systems in the state.

Low-frequency wideband vibration energy harvesting by using frequency up-conversion and quin-stable nonlinearity

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chen; Zhang, Qichang; Wang, Wei

2017-07-01

This work presents models and experiments of an impact-driven and frequency up-converted wideband piezoelectric-based vibration energy harvester with a quintuple-well potential induced by the combination effect of magnetic nonlinearity and mechanical piecewise-linearity. Analysis shows that the interwell motions during coupled vibration period enable to increase electrical power output in comparison to conventional frequency up-conversion technology. Besides, the quintuple-well potential with shallower potential wells could extend the harvester's operating bandwidth to lower frequencies. Experiments demonstrate our proposed approach can dramatically boost the measured power of the energy harvester as much as 35 times while its lower cut-off frequency is two times lower than that of a conventional counterpart. These results reveal our proposed approach shows promise for powering portable wireless smart devices from low-intensity, low-frequency vibration sources.

High-intensity Interval Training Frequency: Cardiometabolic Effects and Quality of Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Stavrinou, Pinelopi S; Bogdanis, Gregory C; Giannaki, Christoforos D; Terzis, Gerasimos; Hadjicharalambous, Marios

2018-02-01

The effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT) frequency on cardiometabolic health and quality of life were examined in 35 healthy inactive adults (age: 31.7±2.6 yrs, VO 2 peak: 32.7±7.4 ml·: kg -1 ·: min -1 ). Participants were randomly assigned to a control (CON) and two training groups, which performed 10×60-s cycling at ~83% of peak power, two (HIIT-2) or three times per week (HIIT-3) for eight weeks. Compared with CON, both training regimes resulted in similar improvements in VO 2 peak (HIIT-2: 10.8%, p=0.048, HIIT-3: 13.6%, p=0.017), waist circumference (HIIT-2: -1.4 cm, p=0.048, HIIT-3: -2.4 cm, p=0.028), thigh cross-sectional area (HIIT-2: 11.4 cm 2 , p=0.001, HIIT-3: 9.3 cm 2 , p=0.001) and the physical health component of quality of life (HIIT-2: 8.4, p=0.001, HIIT-3: 12.2, p=0.001). However, HIIT-3 conferred additional health-related benefits by reducing total body and trunk fat percentage (pHIIT only twice per week is effective in promoting cardiometabolic health-related adaptations and quality of life in inactive adults. However, higher HIIT frequency is required for an effect on fat deposits, cholesterol and mental component of well-being. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Cosmic ray nucleonic intensity in low-amplitude days during the passage of high-speed solar wind streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarwal, R.; Mishra, R.K.; Tiwari, S.; or rm_jbp@yahoo.co.in

2008-01-01

One of the most striking features of solar wind is its organization into high- and low- speed streams. It is now well established that the passage over the Earth of high-speed solar wind streams leads to geomagnetic disturbances. The high-speed plasma streams are thus a key element in the complex chain of events that link geomagnetic activity to the solar activity and are therefore of great interest to the solar terrestrial physics. Two types of high-speed solar wind streams - coronal-hole-associated (or corotating) and flare-generated - were studied based on magnetic field and solar wind plasma parameters. In the work, the dependence was obtained for cosmic ray (CR) depressions due to high-speed solar wind streams during low-amplitude days. The CR nucleonic intensity data were subjected to the superposed epoch analysis with respect to the start time of high-speed solar wind streams. It was found that streams of both types produce significant deviations in the CR intensity during low-amplitude anisotropic wave train events. At the onset of such streams the CR intensity reaches its minimum during low-amplitude events and then increases statistically. (Authors)

Comparison of past and future Mediterranean high and low extremes of precipitation and river flow projected using different statistical downscaling methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Quintana-Seguí

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The extremes of precipitation and river flow obtained using three different statistical downscaling methods applied to the same regional climate simulation have been compared. The methods compared are the anomaly method, quantile mapping and a weather typing. The hydrological model used in the study is distributed and it is applied to the Mediterranean basins of France. The study shows that both quantile mapping and weather typing methods are able to reproduce the high and low precipitation extremes in the region of interest. The study also shows that when the hydrological model is forced with these downscaled data, there are important differences in the outputs. This shows that the model amplifies the differences and that the downscaling of other atmospheric variables might be very relevant when simulating river discharges. In terms of river flow, the method of the anomalies, which is very simple, performs better than expected. The methods produce qualitatively similar future scenarios of the extremes of river flow. However, quantitatively, there are still significant differences between them for each individual gauging station. According to these scenarios, it is expected that in the middle of the 21st century (2035–2064, the monthly low flows will have diminished almost everywhere in the region of our study by as much as 20 %. Regarding high flows, there will be important increases in the area of the Cévennes, which is already seriously affected by flash-floods. For some gauging stations in this area, the frequency of what was a 10-yr return flood at the end of the 20th century is expected to increase, with such return floods then occurring every two years in the middle of the 21st century. Similarly, the 10-yr return floods at that time are expected to carry 100 % more water than the 10-yr return floods experienced at the end of the 20th century. In the northern part of the Rhône basin, these extremes will be reduced.

Effect of high-frequency excitation on natural frequencies of spinning discs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Morten Hartvig

2000-01-01

The effect of high-frequency, non-resonant parametric excitation on the low-frequency response of spinning discs is considered. The parametric excitation is obtained through a non-constant rotation speed, where the frequency of the pulsating overlay is much higher than the lowest natural frequenc......The effect of high-frequency, non-resonant parametric excitation on the low-frequency response of spinning discs is considered. The parametric excitation is obtained through a non-constant rotation speed, where the frequency of the pulsating overlay is much higher than the lowest natural...

Silicon-Carbide Power MOSFET Performance in High Efficiency Boost Power Processing Unit for Extreme Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ikpe, Stanley A.; Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Carr, Gregory A.; Hunter, Don; Ludwig, Lawrence L.; Wood, William; Del Castillo, Linda Y.; Fitzpatrick, Fred; Chen, Yuan

2016-01-01

Silicon-Carbide device technology has generated much interest in recent years. With superior thermal performance, power ratings and potential switching frequencies over its Silicon counterpart, Silicon-Carbide offers a greater possibility for high powered switching applications in extreme environment. In particular, Silicon-Carbide Metal-Oxide- Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors' (MOSFETs) maturing process technology has produced a plethora of commercially available power dense, low on-state resistance devices capable of switching at high frequencies. A novel hard-switched power processing unit (PPU) is implemented utilizing Silicon-Carbide power devices. Accelerated life data is captured and assessed in conjunction with a damage accumulation model of gate oxide and drain-source junction lifetime to evaluate potential system performance at high temperature environments.

Quantum mechanical model for the anticarcinogenic effect of extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields on early chemical hepatocarcinogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Godina-Nava, Juan José; Torres-Vega, Gabino; López-Riquelme, Germán Octavio; López-Sandoval, Eduardo; Samana, Arturo Rodolfo; García Velasco, Fermín; Hernández-Aguilar, Claudia; Domínguez-Pacheco, Arturo

2017-02-01

Using the conventional Haberkorn approach, it is evaluated the recombination of the radical pair (RP) singlet spin state to study theoretically the cytoprotective effect of an extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on early stages of hepatic cancer chemically induced in rats. The proposal is that ELF-EMF modulates the interconversion rate of singlet and triplet spin states of the RP populations modifying the products from the metabolization of carcinogens. Previously, we found that the daily treatment with ELF-EMF 120 Hz inhibited the number and area of preneoplastic lesions in chemical carcinogenesis. The singlet spin population is evaluated diagonalizing the spin density matrix through the Lanczos method in a radical pair mechanism (RPM). Using four values of the interchange energy, we have studied the variations over the singlet population. The low magnetic field effect as a test of the influence over the enzymatic chemical reaction is evaluated calculating the quantum yield. Through a bootstrap technique the range is found for the singlet decay rate for the process. Applying the quantum measurements concept, we addressed the impact toward hepatic cells. The result contributes to improving our understanding of the chemical carcinogenesis process affected by charged particles that damage the DNA.

[The ultrastructure of Sertoli cells and spermatogonia in the rats exposed to radiation under conditions of therapeutic and prophylactic application of low-intensity electromagnetic emission].

Science.gov (United States)

Korolev, Y N; Bobrovnitskii, I P; Geniatulina, M S; Nikulina, L A; Mikhailik, L V

2018-04-09

it has been demonstrated in various experimental studies that radiation exposure produces a negative impact on the processes of spermatogenesis associated with the disturbances of the microcirculation processes in the testes and the development of cellular and intracellular disintegration expressed as destructive changes in the cells leading to their death. The objective of the present study was to detect the ultrastructural abnormalities in the cells of Sertoli and spermatogonia under conditions of their exposure to radiation and to identify the peculiarities of their regeneration under the influence of the therapeutic and prophylactic application of low-intensity ultra-high frequency (UHF) electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and low-intensity low-frequency magnetic field (MF). The experiments were carried out on 28 non-pedigree mature male rats with the body weight 180-220 g that were divided into four groups. The first study group was comprised of the animals exposed to radiation followed by the application of low-intensity ultra-high frequency UHF electromagnetic radiation EMR. The rats in the second study group experienced effects of radiation and low-intensity low-frequency MF. The animals of the third (control) group were exposed to radiation alone, and those comprising the fourth group 1 (only radiation exposure) were considered to be intact. The studies with the use of electron microscopy showed that the therapeutic and prophylactic application of low-intensity ultra-high frequency (UHF) electromagnetic radiation and low-intensity low-frequency magnetic field caused the decrease in the number and the severity of post-radiation defects in the treated cells together with the increase of the number and size of mitochondria as well as hyperplasia of ribosomes; moreover, it promoted cellular and intracellular regeneration. UHF electromagnetic radiation had a more pronounced stimulating effect on the regeneration processes as compared with low-frequency MF

Effects of cervical low-frequency electrical stimulation with various waveforms and densities on body mass, liver and kidney function, and death rate in ischemic stroke rats

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yonghong Yang; Chengqi He; Lin Yang; Qiang Gao; Shasha Li; Jing He

2011-01-01

Low-frequency electrical stimulation has resulted in favorable effects in the treatment of post-stroke dysphagia. However, the safety of cervical low-frequency electrical stimulation remains unclear because of numerous nerves and blood vessels in the neck. In the present study, rats with ischemic stroke underwent low-frequency electrical stimulation, and systemic and local effects of electrical stimulation at different densities and waveforms were investigated. Electrical stimulation resulted in no significant effects on body mass, liver or kidney function, or mortality rate. In addition, no significant adverse reaction was observed, despite overly high intensity of low-frequency electrical stimulation, which induced laryngismus, results from the present study suggested that it is safe to stimulate the neck with a low-frequency electricity under certain intensities.

Generation of intense high-order vortex harmonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaomei; Shen, Baifei; Shi, Yin; Wang, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Lingang; Wang, Wenpeng; Xu, Jiancai; Yi, Longqiong; Xu, Zhizhan

2015-05-01

This Letter presents for the first time a scheme to generate intense high-order optical vortices that carry orbital angular momentum in the extreme ultraviolet region based on relativistic harmonics from the surface of a solid target. In the three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation, the high-order harmonics of the high-order vortex mode is generated in both reflected and transmitted light beams when a linearly polarized Laguerre-Gaussian laser pulse impinges on a solid foil. The azimuthal mode of the harmonics scales with its order. The intensity of the high-order vortex harmonics is close to the relativistic region, with the pulse duration down to attosecond scale. The obtained intense vortex beam possesses the combined properties of fine transversal structure due to the high-order mode and the fine longitudinal structure due to the short wavelength of the high-order harmonics. In addition to the application in high-resolution detection in both spatial and temporal scales, it also presents new opportunities in the intense vortex required fields, such as the inner shell ionization process and high energy twisted photons generation by Thomson scattering of such an intense vortex beam off relativistic electrons.

Influence of extremely low frequency magnetic field on total protein and –SH groups concentrations in liver homogenates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elżbieta Ciejka

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Free radicals are atoms, molecules or their fragments, whose excess leads to the development of oxidative stress, the cause of many neoplastic, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases, as well as aging of organisms. Industrial pollution, tobacco smoke, ionizing radiation, ultrasound and magnetic fields are the major exogenous sources of free radicals. The low frequency magnetic field is commonly applied in physiotherapy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF on the concentration of sulfhydryl groups (–SH and proteins in liver tissues of experimental animals depending on the time of exposure to the field. Material and Methods: Twenty one Sprague-Dawley male rats, aged 3–4 months were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups (each containing 7 animals: controls (group I, the rats exposed to ELF-MF of 40 Hz, 7 mT (this kind of the ELF-MF is mostly used in magnetotherapy, 30 min/day for 2 weeks (group II and the rats exposed to 40 Hz, 7 mT for 60 min/day for 2 weeks (group III. The concentrations of proteins and sulfhydryl groups in the liver tissues were determined after exposure to magnetic fields. Results: Exposure to low magnetic field: 40 Hz, 7 mT for 30 min/day and 60 min/day for 2 weeks caused a significant increase in the concentration of –SH groups and total protein levels in the liver tissues. Conclusions: The study results suggest that exposure to magnetic fields leads to the development of adaptive mechanisms to maintain the balance in the body oxidation-reduction and in the case of the studied parameters does not depend on the time of exposure. Med Pr 2014;65(5:639–644

Extreme events in total ozone over Arosa – Part 1: Application of extreme value theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. E. Rieder

2010-10-01

Full Text Available In this study ideas from extreme value theory are for the first time applied in the field of stratospheric ozone research, because statistical analysis showed that previously used concepts assuming a Gaussian distribution (e.g. fixed deviations from mean values of total ozone data do not adequately address the structure of the extremes. We show that statistical extreme value methods are appropriate to identify ozone extremes and to describe the tails of the Arosa (Switzerland total ozone time series. In order to accommodate the seasonal cycle in total ozone, a daily moving threshold was determined and used, with tools from extreme value theory, to analyse the frequency of days with extreme low (termed ELOs and high (termed EHOs total ozone at Arosa. The analysis shows that the Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD provides an appropriate model for the frequency distribution of total ozone above or below a mathematically well-defined threshold, thus providing a statistical description of ELOs and EHOs. The results show an increase in ELOs and a decrease in EHOs during the last decades. The fitted model represents the tails of the total ozone data set with high accuracy over the entire range (including absolute monthly minima and maxima, and enables a precise computation of the frequency distribution of ozone mini-holes (using constant thresholds. Analyzing the tails instead of a small fraction of days below constant thresholds provides deeper insight into the time series properties. Fingerprints of dynamical (e.g. ENSO, NAO and chemical features (e.g. strong polar vortex ozone loss, and major volcanic eruptions, can be identified in the observed frequency of extreme events throughout the time series. Overall the new approach to analysis of extremes provides more information on time series properties and variability than previous approaches that use only monthly averages and/or mini-holes and mini-highs.

High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) versus TENS and NSAIDs in low back pain: clinical study

Science.gov (United States)

Zati, Allesandro; Fortuna, Damiano; Valent, A.; Filippi, M. V.; Bilotta, Teresa W.

2004-09-01

Low back pain, caused by lumbar disc herniation, is prevalently treated with a conservative approach. In this study we valued the efficacy of High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT), compared with accepted therapies such as TENS and NSAIDs. Laser therapy obtained similar results in the short term, but better clinical effect over time than TENS and NSAIDs. In conclusion high intensity laser therapy appears to be a interesting new treatment, worthy of further research.

Low-intensity infrared lasers alter actin gene expression in skin and muscle tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fonseca, A S; Mencalha, A L; Campos, V M A; Ferreira-Machado, S C; Peregrino, A A F; Magalhães, L A G; Geller, M; Paoli, F

2013-01-01

The biostimulative effect of low-intensity lasers is the basis for treatment of diseases in soft tissues. However, data about the influence of biostimulative lasers on gene expression are still scarce. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of low-intensity infrared lasers on the expression of actin mRNA in skin and muscle tissue. Skin and muscle tissue of Wistar rats was exposed to low-intensity infrared laser radiation at different fluences and frequencies. One and 24 hours after laser exposure, tissue samples were withdrawn for total RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis and evaluation of actin gene expression by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The data obtained show that laser radiation alters the expression of actin mRNA differently in skin and muscle tissue of Wistar rats depending of the fluence, frequency and time after exposure. The results could be useful for laser dosimetry, as well as to justify the therapeutic protocols for treatment of diseases of skin and muscle tissues based on low-intensity infrared laser radiation. (paper)

[Effect of Low-Intensity 900 MHz Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation on Rat Brain Enzyme Activities Linked to Energy Metabolism].

Science.gov (United States)

Petrosyan, M S; Nersesova, L S; Gazaryants, M G; Meliksetyan, G O; Malakyan, M G; Bajinyan, S A; Akopian, J I

2015-01-01

The research deals with the effect of low-intensity 900 MHz frequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR), power density 25 μW/cm2, on the following rat brain and blood serum enzyme activities: creatine kinase (CK), playing a central role in the process of storing and distributing the cell energy, as well as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) that play a key role in providing the conjunction of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. The comparative analysis of the changes in the enzyme activity studied at different times following the two-hour single, as well as fractional, radiation equivalent of the total time showed that the most radiosensitive enzyme is the brain creatine kinase, which may then be recommended as a marker of the radio frequency radiation impact. According to the analysis of the changing dynamics of the CK, ALT and AST activity level, with time these changes acquire the adaptive character and are directed to compensate the damaged cell energy metabolism.

Low-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Intensive Occupational Therapy for Poststroke Patients with Upper Limb Hemiparesis: Preliminary Study of a 15-Day Protocol

Science.gov (United States)

Kakuda, Wataru; Abo, Masahiro; Kobayashi, Kazushige; Momosaki, Ryo; Yokoi, Aki; Fukuda, Akiko; Ishikawa, Atsushi; Ito, Hiroshi; Tominaga, Ayumi

2010-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the safety and feasibility of a 15-day protocol of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with intensive occupational therapy (OT) on motor function and spasticity in hemiparetic upper limbs in poststroke patients. Fifteen poststroke patients (age at study entry 55 [plus…

Numerical study of induced current perturbations in the vicinity of excitable cells exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, Noha; Chatterjee, Indira; Publicover, Nelson G; Craviso, Gale L

2003-01-01

Realistic three-dimensional cell morphologies were modelled to determine the current density induced in excitable cell culture preparations exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields and to identify important factors that can influence the responses of cells to these fields. Cell morphologies representing single spherical adrenal chromaffin cells, single elongated smooth muscle cells and chromaffin cell aggregates in a Petri dish containing culture medium were modelled using the finite element method. The computations for a spherical cell revealed alterations in the magnitude and spatial distribution of the induced current density in the immediate vicinity of the cell. Maxima occurred at the equatorial sides and minima at the poles. Proximity of cells to each other as well as cell aggregate shape, size and orientation with respect to the induced current influenced the magnitude and spatial distribution of the induced current density. For an elongated cell, effects on the induced current density were highly dependent on cell orientation with respect to the direction of the induced current. These results provide novel insights into the perturbations in induced current that occur in excitable cell culture preparations and lay a foundation for understanding the mechanisms of interaction with extremely low frequency magnetic fields at the tissue level

Comparison of High, Intermediate, and Low Frequency Shock Wave Lithotripsy for Urinary Tract Stone Disease: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Dong Hyuk; Cho, Kang Su; Ham, Won Sik; Lee, Hyungmin; Kwon, Jong Kyou; Choi, Young Deuk; Lee, Joo Yong

2016-01-01

To perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the optimal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) frequency range for treating urinary stones, i.e., high-frequency (100-120 waves/minute), intermediate-frequency (80-90 waves/minute), and low-frequency (60-70 waves/minute) lithotripsy. Relevant RCTs were identified from electronic databases for meta-analysis of SWL success and complication rates. Using pairwise and network meta-analyses, comparisons were made by qualitative and quantitative syntheses. Outcome variables are provided as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Thirteen articles were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis using pairwise and network meta-analyses. On pairwise meta-analyses, comparable inter-study heterogeneity was observed for the success rate. On network meta-analyses, the success rates of low- (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.5-2.6) and intermediate-frequency SWL (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.3-4.6) were higher than high-frequency SWL. Forest plots from the network meta-analysis showed no significant differences in the success rate between low-frequency SWL versus intermediate-frequency SWL (OR 0.87; 95% CI 0.51-1.7). There were no differences in complication rate across different SWL frequency ranges. By rank-probability testing, intermediate-frequency SWL was ranked highest for success rate, followed by low-frequency and high-frequency SWL. Low-frequency SWL was also ranked highest for low complication rate, with high- and intermediate-frequency SWL ranked lower. Intermediate- and low-frequency SWL have better treatment outcomes than high-frequency SWL when considering both efficacy and complication.

Temperature-dependent of Nonlinear Optical Conductance of Graphene-based Systems in High-intensity Terahertz Field

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jing Lv; Rui-yang Yuan; Hui Yan

2014-01-01

For multi-photon processed with the linear dispersion in the high-intensity terahertz(THz) field,we have systematically investigated the temperature-dependent nonlinear optical response of graphene-based systems, including single layer graphene, graphene superlattice and gapped graphene. In the intrinsic single layer graphene system, it demonstrates that, at low temperature, nonlinear optical conductivities of the thirdand fifth-order are respectively five and ten orders of magnitude larger than the universal conductivity with high-intensity and low frequency THz wave.In the graphene superlattice and gapped graphene systems, the optical responses enhanced because of the anisotropic massless and massive Dirac fermions.

Morbidity in extreme low birth weight newborns hospitalized in a high risk public maternity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derijulie Siqueira Sousa

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives: to determine the prevalence of the most common morbidities in extremely low birth weight (ELBW infants hospitalized in a newborn intensive care unit (NICU and to evaluate the influence of these morbidities through the length of in-hospital stay. Methods: observational, longitudinal, prospective and analytical study in a high risk reference maternity NICU from Sergipe, realized with 158 ELBW infants admitted between March 2014 and April 2015. The analysis of the hospitalization time was realized through the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: the average weight of premature was 785,2g ± 138,2g. The gestational age vary from 22 to 35 weeks and the average was 26,8 weeks. Of those admitted at NICU, sixty three (39,9% were discharged and 95 (60,1% died. The time of hospitalization was influenced for morbidities as: patent ductus arteriosus (PDA, intraventricular hemorrhage and sepsis. Acute respiratory distress syndrome was the most common complication (157 - 99,4%. The incidence of persistent arterial duct, intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, hypothermia, hypoglycemia and retinopathy of prematurity was 39,2%, 17,1%, 32,3%,50,3%, 52,3% e 16,6% respectively. Conclusions: the morbidities from respiratory tract, cardiac, neurological and infectious were the most prevalent, whilst PDA, intraventricular hemorrhage and sepsis were the morbidities that significantly influenced the time of hospitalization.

Intensity and frequency stabilization of a laser diode by simultaneously controlling its temperature and current

Science.gov (United States)

Mu, Weiwei; Hu, Zhaohui; Wang, Jing; Zhou, Binquan

2017-10-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope (NMRG) detects the angular velocity of the vehicle utilizing the interaction between the laser beam and the alkali metal atoms along with the noble gas atoms in the alkali vapor cell. In order to reach high precision inertial measurement target, semiconductor laser in NMRG should have good intensity and frequency stability. Generally, laser intensity and frequency are stabilized separately. In this paper, a new method to stabilize laser intensity and frequency simultaneously with double-loop feedback control is presented. Laser intensity is stabilized to the setpoint value by feedback control of laser diode's temperature. Laser frequency is stabilized to the Doppler absorption peak by feedback control of laser diode's current. The feedback control of current is a quick loop, hence the laser frequency stabilize quickly. The feedback control of temperature is a slow loop, hence the laser intensity stabilize slowly. With the feedback control of current and temperature, the laser intensity and frequency are stabilized finally. Additionally, the dependence of laser intensity and frequency on laser diode's current and temperature are analyzed, which contributes to choose suitable operating range for the laser diode. The advantage of our method is that the alkali vapor cell used for stabilizing laser frequency is the same one as the cell used for NMRG to operate, which helps to miniaturize the size of NMRG prototype. In an 8-hour continuous measurement, the long-term stability of laser intensity and frequency increased by two orders of magnitude and one order of magnitude respectively.

Low-frequency-noise complaints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Christian Sejer; Møller, Henrik; Persson-Waye, Kerstin

2008-01-01

From 203 cases of low-frequency complaints a random selection of twenty-one cases were investigated. The main aim of the investigation was to answer the question whether the annoyance is caused by an external physical sound or by a physically non-existing sound, i.e. low-frequency tinnitus. Noise...... of the complainants are annoyed by a physical sound (20-180 Hz), while others suffer from low-frequency tinnitus (perceived frequency 40-100 Hz). Physical sound at frequencies below 20 Hz (infrasound) is not responsible for the annoyance - or at all audible - in any of the investigated cases, and none...... of the complainants has extraordinary hearing sensitivity at low frequencies. For comparable cases of low-frequency noise complaints in general, it is anticipated that physical sound is responsible in a substantial part of the cases, while low-frequency tinnitus is responsible in another substantial part of the cases....

A pilot study examining the effects of low-volume high-intensity interval training and continuous low to moderate intensity training on quality of life, functional capacity and cardiovascular risk factors in cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Toohey, Kellie; Pumpa, Kate L; Arnolda, Leonard; Cooke, Julie; Yip, Desmond; Craft, Paul S; Semple, Stuart

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-volume high-intensity interval training and continuous low to moderate intensity training on quality of life, functional capacity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in cancer survivors. Cancer survivors within 24 months post-diagnosis were randomly assigned into the low-volume high-intensity interval training group ( n  = 8) or the continuous low to moderate intensity training group ( n  = 8) group for 36 sessions (12 weeks) of supervised exercise. The low-volume high-intensity interval training (LVHIIT) group performed 7 × 30 s intervals (≥85% maximal heart rate) and the continuous low to moderate intensity training (CLMIT) group performed continuous aerobic training for 20 min (≤55% maximal heart rate) on a stationary bike or treadmill. Significant improvements (time) were observed for 13 of the 23 dependent variables (ES 0.05-0.61, p  ≤ 0.05). An interaction effect was observed for six minute walk test (18.53% [32.43-4.63] ES 0.50, p  ≤ 0.01) with the LVHIIT group demonstrating greater improvements. These preliminary findings suggest that both interventions can induce improvements in quality of life, functional capacity and selected cardiovascular disease risk factors. The LVHIIT program was well tolerated by the participants and our results suggest that LVHIIT is the preferred modality to improve fitness (6MWT); it remains to be seen which intervention elicits the most clinically relevant outcomes for patients. A larger sample size with a control group is required to confirm the significance of these findings.

Observed increase in extreme daily rainfall in the French Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Ribes, Aurélien; Thao, Soulivanh; Vautard, Robert; Dubuisson, Brigitte; Somot, Samuel; Colin, Jeanne; Planton, Serge; Soubeyroux, Jean-Michel

2018-04-01

We examine long-term trends in the historical record of extreme precipitation events occurring over the French Mediterranean area. Extreme events are considered in terms of their intensity, frequency, extent and precipitated volume. Changes in intensity are analysed via an original statistical approach where the annual maximum rainfall amounts observed at each measurement station are aggregated into a univariate time-series according to their dependence. The mean intensity increase is significant and estimated at + 22% (+ 7 to + 39% at the 90% confidence level) over the 1961-2015 period. Given the observed warming over the considered area, this increase is consistent with a rate of about one to three times that implied by the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship. Changes in frequency and other spatial features are investigated through a Generalised Linear Model. Changes in frequency for events exceeding high thresholds (about 200 mm in 1 day) are found to be significant, typically near a doubling of the frequency, but with large uncertainties in this change ratio. The area affected by severe events and the water volume precipitated during those events also exhibit significant trends, with an increase by a factor of about 4 for a 200 mm threshold, again with large uncertainties. All diagnoses consistently point toward an intensification of the most extreme events over the last decades. We argue that it is difficult to explain the diagnosed trends without invoking the human influence on climate.

The control of electron quantum trajectories on the high-order harmonic generation of CO and N2 molecules in the presence of a low frequency field.

Science.gov (United States)

Koushki, A M; Sadighi-Bonabi, R; Mohsen-Nia, M; Irani, E

2018-04-14

In the present work, an efficient method is theoretically investigated for extending high-order harmonics and ultrashort attosecond pulse generation in N 2 and CO molecules by using the time-dependent density functional theory approach. Our results show that by utilizing chirped laser field in the presence of a low frequency field, not only is the harmonic cutoff extended remarkably but also the single short quantum trajectory is selected to contribute to the harmonic spectra. When a low frequency field is added to the two-color chirped laser field, the long quantum trajectories are suppressed and only the short quantum trajectories contribute to the higher harmonic emission mechanism. As a result, the spectral modulation is significantly decreased and an intense ultrashort pulse can be generated from the supercontinuum region of high harmonics. With such a scheme, the isolated ultrashort attosecond pulses can be generated in length, velocity, and acceleration gauges. Furthermore, these results are explained by using the classical and quantum time-frequency analyses.

Low energy intense electron beams with extra-low energy spread

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleksandrov, A.V.; Calabrese, R.; Ciullo, G.; Dikansky, N.S.; Guidi, V.; Kot, N.C.; Kudelainen, V.I.; Lamanna, G.; Lebedev, V.A.; Logachov, P.V.; Tecchio, L.; Yang, B.

1994-01-01

Maximum achievable intensity for low energy electron beams is a feature that is not very often compatible with low energy spread. We show that a proper choice of the source and the acceleration optics allows one to match them together. In this scheme, a GaAs photocathode excited by a single-mode infrared laser and adiabatic acceleration in fully magnetised optics enables the production of a low-energy-spread electron beam with relatively high intensity. The technological problems associated with the method are discussed together with its limitations. (orig.)

Intense high-frequency gyrotron-based microwave beams for material processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hardek, T.W.; Cooke, W.D.; Katz, J.D.; Perry, W.L.; Rees, D.E.

1997-03-01

Microwave processing of materials has traditionally utilized frequencies in the 0.915 and 2.45 GHz regions. Microwave power sources are readily available at these frequencies but the relatively long wavelengths can present challenges in uniformly heating materials. An additional difficulty is the poor coupling of ceramic based materials to the microwave energy. Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists, working in conjunction with the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), have assembled a high-frequency demonstration processing facility utilizing gyrotron based RF sources. The facility is primarily intended to demonstrate the unique features available at frequencies as high as 84 GHz. The authors can readily provide quasi-optical, 37 GHz beams at continuous wave (CW) power levels in the 10 kW range. They have also provided beams at 84 GHz at 10 kW CW power levels. They are presently preparing a facility to demonstrate the sintering of ceramics at 30 GHz. This paper presents an overview of the present demonstration processing facility and describes some of the features they have available now and will have available in the near future.

[Effect of low-intensity electromagnetic fields of industrial frequency on the ultrastructure and proliferative activity of rat's thymus cells].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhitkevich, T I; Bokut', T B; Netukova, N I

2001-01-01

Effects of two types of low-intensity electromagnetic fields (EMF) of industrial frequency (50 Hz) on the fine structure and proliferative activity of thymic cells in white rats were studied. It was found that a weak EMF with a prevailing electrical component (380-480 V/m, 120-140 nT1) did not affect the DNA synthesis intensity. An EMF with a stronger magnetic induction (10-15 V/m, 800-1500 nT1) diminished the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and proliferative processes in cultured stimulated lymphocytes. Electron microscopic investigation of the thymus after both types of exposure revealed an accumulation of lymphocytes with pyknotic nuclei and electron-dense cytoplasm, as well as hypoplasia of the vascular endothelium. At the same time, EMF with a prevailing magnetic component produced a more marked negative effect on the ultrastructure of thymic cells, which indicated a lowered secretory activity of epitheliocytes.

Effect of low-frequency power on dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Q H; Xin, Y; Huang, X J; Sun, K; Ning, Z Y; Yin, G Q

2008-01-01

In low-pressure dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasmas driven with 60/13.56 MHz, the effect of low-frequency power on the plasma characteristics was investigated using a compensated Langmuir electrostatic probe. At lower pressures (about 10 mTorr), it was possible to control the plasma density and the ion bombardment energy independently. As the pressure increased, this independent control could not be achieved. As the low-frequency power increased for the fixed high-frequency power, the electron energy probability function (EEPF) changed from Druyvesteyn-like to Maxwellian-like at pressures of 50 mTorr and higher, along with a drop in electron temperature. The plasma parameters were calculated and compared with simulation results.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOW AND HIGH FREQUENCIES IN δ SCUTI STARS: PHOTOMETRIC KEPLER AND SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSES OF THE RAPID ROTATOR KIC 8054146

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breger, M.; Robertson, P.; Fossati, L.; Balona, L.; Kurtz, D. W.; Bohlender, D.; Lenz, P.; Müller, I.; Lüftinger, Th.; Clarke, Bruce D.; Hall, Jennifer R.; Ibrahim, Khadeejah A.

2012-01-01

Two years of Kepler data of KIC 8054146 (δ Sct/γ Dor hybrid) revealed 349 statistically significant frequencies between 0.54 and 191.36 cycles day –1 (6.3 μHz to 2.21 mHz). The 117 low frequencies cluster in specific frequency bands, but do not show the equidistant period spacings predicted for gravity modes of successive radial order, n, and reported for at least one other hybrid pulsator. The four dominant low frequencies in the 2.8-3.0 cycles day –1 (32-35 μHz) range show strong amplitude variability with timescales of months and years. These four low frequencies also determine the spacing of the higher frequencies in and beyond the δ Sct pressure-mode frequency domain. In fact, most of the higher frequencies belong to one of three families with spacings linked to a specific dominant low frequency. In the Fourier spectrum, these family regularities show up as triplets, high-frequency sequences with absolutely equidistant frequency spacings, side lobes (amplitude modulations), and other regularities in frequency spacings. Furthermore, within two families the amplitude variations between the low and high frequencies are related. We conclude that the low frequencies (gravity modes, rotation) and observed high frequencies (mostly pressure modes) are physically connected. This unusual behavior may be related to the very rapid rotation of the star: from a combination of high- and low-resolution spectroscopy we determined that KIC 8054146 is a very fast rotator (υ sin i = 300 ± 20 km s –1 ) with an effective temperature of 7600 ± 200 K and a surface gravity log g of 3.9 ± 0.3. Several astrophysical ideas explaining the origin of the relationship between the low and high frequencies are explored.

Have human activities changed the frequencies of absolute extreme temperatures in eastern China?

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Tett, Simon F. B.; Yan, Zhongwei; Feng, Jinming

2018-01-01

Extreme temperatures affect populous regions, like eastern China, causing substantial socio-economic losses. It is beneficial to explore whether the frequencies of absolute or threshold-based extreme temperatures have been changed by human activities, such as anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). In this study, we compared observed and multi-model-simulated changes in the frequencies of summer days, tropical nights, icy days and frosty nights in eastern China for the years 1960-2012 by using an optimal fingerprinting method. The observed long-term trends in the regional mean frequencies of these four indices were +2.36, +1.62, -0.94, -3.02 days decade-1. The models performed better in simulating the observed frequency change in daytime extreme temperatures than nighttime ones. Anthropogenic influences are detectable in the observed frequency changes of these four temperature extreme indices. The influence of natural forcings could not be detected robustly in any indices. Further analysis found that the effects of GHGs changed the frequencies of summer days (tropical nights, icy days, frosty nights) by +3.48 ± 1.45 (+2.99 ± 1.35, -2.52 ± 1.28, -4.11 ± 1.48) days decade-1. Other anthropogenic forcing agents (dominated by anthropogenic aerosols) offset the GHG effect and changed the frequencies of these four indices by -1.53 ± 0.78, -1.49 ± 0.94, +1.84 ± 1.07, +1.45 ± 1.26 days decade-1, respectively. Little influence of natural forcings was found in the observed frequency changes of these four temperature extreme indices.

Case-Control Study on Occupational Exposure to Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields and the Association with Meningioma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Carlberg

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. Exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF was in 2002 classified as a possible human carcinogen, Group 2B, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer at WHO based on an increased risk for childhood leukemia. In case-control studies on brain tumors during 1997–2003 and 2007–2009 we assessed lifetime occupations in addition to exposure to different agents. The INTEROCC ELF-EMF Job-Exposure Matrix was used for associating occupations with ELF-EMF exposure (μT with meningioma. Cumulative exposure (μT-years, average exposure (μT, and maximum exposed job (μT were calculated. Results. No increased risk for meningioma was found in any category. For cumulative exposure in the highest exposure category 8.52+ μT years odds ratio (OR = 0.9, 95% confidence interval (CI = 0.7–1.2, and p linear trend = 0.45 were calculated. No statistically significant risks were found in different time windows. Conclusion. In conclusion occupational ELF-EMF was not associated with an increased risk for meningioma.

Multidecadal oscillations in rainfall and hydrological extremes

Science.gov (United States)

Willems, Patrick

2013-04-01

Many studies have anticipated a worldwide increase in the frequency and intensity of precipitation extremes and floods since the last decade(s). Natural variability by climate oscillations partly determines the observed evolution of precipitation extremes. Based on a technique for the identification and analysis of changes in extreme quantiles, it is shown that hydrological extremes have oscillatory behaviour at multidecadal time scales. Results are based on nearly independent extremes extracted from long-term historical time series of precipitation intensities and river flows. Study regions include Belgium - The Netherlands (Meuse basin), Ethiopia (Blue Nile basin) and Ecuador (Paute basin). For Belgium - The Netherlands, the past 100 years showed larger and more hydrological extremes around the 1910s, 1950-1960s, and more recently during the 1990-2000s. Interestingly, the oscillations for southwestern Europe are anti-correlated with these of northwestern Europe, thus with oscillation highs in the 1930-1940s and 1970s. The precipitation oscillation peaks are explained by persistence in atmospheric circulation patterns over the North Atlantic during periods of 10 to 15 years. References: Ntegeka V., Willems P. (2008), 'Trends and multidecadal oscillations in rainfall extremes, based on a more than 100 years time series of 10 minutes rainfall intensities at Uccle, Belgium', Water Resources Research, 44, W07402, doi:10.1029/2007WR006471 Mora, D., Willems, P. (2012), 'Decadal oscillations in rainfall and air temperature in the Paute River Basin - Southern Andes of Ecuador', Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 108(1), 267-282, doi:0.1007/s00704-011-0527-4 Taye, M.T., Willems, P. (2011). 'Influence of climate variability on representative QDF predictions of the upper Blue Nile Basin', Journal of Hydrology, 411, 355-365, doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.10.019 Taye, M.T., Willems, P. (2012). 'Temporal variability of hydro-climatic extremes in the Blue Nile basin', Water

An Ultra-low Frequency Modal Testing Suspension System for High Precision Air Pressure Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiaoling YUAN

2014-05-01

Full Text Available As a resolution for air pressure control challenges in ultra-low frequency modal testing suspension systems, an incremental PID control algorithm with dead band is applied to achieve high-precision pressure control. We also develop a set of independent hardware and software systems for high-precision pressure control solutions. Taking control system versatility, scalability, reliability, and other aspects into considerations, a two-level communication employing Ethernet and CAN bus, is adopted to complete such tasks as data exchange between the IPC, the main board and the control board ,and the pressure control. Furthermore, we build a single set of ultra-low frequency modal testing suspension system and complete pressure control experiments, which achieve the desired results and thus confirm that the high-precision pressure control subsystem is reasonable and reliable.

Optimization of hydrostatic pressure at varied sonication conditions--power density, intensity, very low frequency--for isothermal ultrasonic sludge treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Delmas, Henri; Le, Ngoc Tuan; Barthe, Laurie; Julcour-Lebigue, Carine

2015-07-01

This work aims at investigating for the first time the key sonication (US) parameters: power density (DUS), intensity (IUS), and frequency (FS) - down to audible range, under varied hydrostatic pressure (Ph) and low temperature isothermal conditions (to avoid any thermal effect). The selected application was activated sludge disintegration, a major industrial US process. For a rational approach all comparisons were made at same specific energy input (ES, US energy per solid weight) which is also the relevant economic criterion. The decoupling of power density and intensity was obtained by either changing the sludge volume or most often by changing probe diameter, all other characteristics being unchanged. Comprehensive results were obtained by varying the hydrostatic pressure at given power density and intensity. In all cases marked maxima of sludge disintegration appeared at optimum pressures, which values increased at increasing power intensity and density. Such optimum was expected due to opposite effects of increasing hydrostatic pressure: higher cavitation threshold then smaller and fewer bubbles, but higher temperature and pressure at the end of collapse. In addition the first attempt to lower US frequency down to audible range was very successful: at any operation condition (DUS, IUS, Ph, sludge concentration and type) higher sludge disintegration was obtained at 12 kHz than at 20 kHz. The same values of optimum pressure were observed at 12 and 20 kHz. At same energy consumption the best conditions - obtained at 12 kHz, maximum power density 720 W/L and 3.25 bar - provided about 100% improvement with respect to usual conditions (1 bar, 20 kHz). Important energy savings and equipment size reduction may then be expected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global patterns of NDVI-indicated vegetation extremes and their sensitivity to climate extremes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Guo; Liu Hongyan; Yin Yi

2013-01-01

Extremes in climate have significant impacts on ecosystems and are expected to increase under future climate change. Extremes in vegetation could capture such impacts and indicate the vulnerability of ecosystems, but currently have not received a global long-term assessment. In this study, a robust method has been developed to detect significant extremes (low values) in biweekly time series of global normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from 1982 to 2006 and thus to acquire a global pattern of vegetation extreme frequency. This pattern coincides with vegetation vulnerability patterns suggested by earlier studies using different methods over different time spans, indicating a consistent mechanism of regulation. Vegetation extremes were found to aggregate in Amazonia and in the semi-arid and semi-humid regions in low and middle latitudes, while they seldom occurred in high latitudes. Among the environmental variables studied, extreme low precipitation has the highest slope against extreme vegetation. For the eight biomes analyzed, these slopes are highest in temperate broadleaf forest and temperate grassland, suggesting a higher sensitivity in these environments. The results presented here contradict the hypothesis that vegetation in water-limited semi-arid and semi-humid regions might be adapted to drought and suggest that vegetation in these regions (especially temperate broadleaf forest and temperate grassland) is highly prone to vegetation extreme events under more severe precipitation extremes. It is also suggested here that more attention be paid to precipitation-induced vegetation changes than to temperature-induced events. (letter)

Noise and light exposures for extremely low birth weight newborns during their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Lasky, Robert E; Williams, Amber L

2009-02-01

The objectives of this study were to characterize noise and light levels for extremely low birth weight newborns throughout their stay in the NICU, evaluate factors influencing noise and light levels, and determine whether exposures meet recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Sound and light were measured inside the beds of extremely low birth weight newborns (n = 22) from birth to discharge. Measurements were recorded for 20 consecutive hours weekly from birth until 36 weeks' postmenstrual age, biweekly until 40 weeks, and every 4 weeks thereafter. Clinical variables including bed type and method of respiratory support were recorded at each session. Age-related changes in respiratory support and bed type explained the weekly increase of 0.22 dB in sound level and 3.67 lux in light level. Old incubators were the noisiest bed types, and new incubators were the quietest. Light levels were significantly higher in open beds than in incubators. The variations in noise and light levels over time were greatest for open beds. Noise and light levels were much less affected by respiratory support in incubators compared with open beds. A typical extremely low birth weight neonate was exposed to noise levels averaging 56.44 dB(A) and light levels averaging 70.56 lux during their stay from 26 to 42 weeks' postmenstrual age in the NICU. Noise levels were rarely within American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations (5.51% of the time), whereas light levels almost always met recommendations (99.37% of the time). Bed type and respiratory support explained differences in noise and light levels that extremely low birth weight newborns experience during their hospital stay. Noise levels exceeded recommendations, although evidence supporting those recommendations is lacking. Well-designed intervention studies are needed to determine the effects of noise reduction on the development of extremely low birth weight newborns.

On the Directivity of Low-Frequency Type IV Radio Bursts

Science.gov (United States)

Gopalswamy, N.; Akiyama, S.; Makela, P.; Yashiro, S.; Cairns, I. H.

2016-01-01

An intense type IV radio burst was observed by the STEREO Behind (STB) spacecraft located about 144 deg. behind Earth. The burst was associated with a large solar eruption that occurred on the backside of the Sun (N05E151) close to the disk center in the STB view. The eruption was also observed by the STEREO Ahead (STA) spacecraft (located at 149 deg. ahead of Earth) as an eruption close to the west limb (N05W60) in that view. The type IV burst was complete in STB observations in that the envelope reached the lowest frequency and then receded to higher frequencies. The burst was partial viewed from STA, revealing only the edge coming down to the lowest frequency. The type IV burst was not observed at all near Earth because the source was 61 deg. behind the east limb. The eruption was associated with a low-frequency type II burst observed in all three views, although it was not very intense. Solar energetic particles were also observed at both STEREOs and at SOHO, suggesting that the shock was much extended, consistent with the very high speed of the CME (2048 km/s). These observations suggest that the type IV emission is directed along a narrow cone above the flare site. We confirm this result statistically using the type IV bursts of solar cycle 23.

Low-frequency sound exposure causes reversible long-term changes of cochlear transfer characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Drexl, Markus; Otto, Larissa; Wiegrebe, Lutz; Marquardt, Torsten; Gürkov, Robert; Krause, Eike

2016-02-01

Intense, low-frequency sound presented to the mammalian cochlea induces temporary changes of cochlear sensitivity, for which the term 'Bounce' phenomenon has been coined. Typical manifestations are slow oscillations of hearing thresholds or the level of otoacoustic emissions. It has been suggested that these alterations are caused by changes of the mechano-electrical transducer transfer function of outer hair cells (OHCs). Shape estimates of this transfer function can be derived from low-frequency-biased distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE). Here, we tracked the transfer function estimates before and after triggering a cochlear Bounce. Specifically, cubic DPOAEs, modulated by a low-frequency biasing tone, were followed over time before and after induction of the cochlear Bounce. Most subjects showed slow, biphasic changes of the transfer function estimates after low-frequency sound exposure relative to the preceding control period. Our data show that the operating point changes biphasically on the transfer function with an initial shift away from the inflection point followed by a shift towards the inflection point before returning to baseline values. Changes in transfer function and operating point lasted for about 180 s. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that intense, low-frequency sound disturbs regulatory mechanisms in OHCs. The homeostatic readjustment of these mechanisms after low-frequency offset is reflected in slow oscillations of the estimated transfer functions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Weak Static and Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Fields Affect In Vitro Pollen Germination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucietta Betti

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study concerns the effects of a weak static magnetic field (MF at 10 μT oriented downward, combined with a 16-Hz sinusoidal MF (10 μT, on in vitro pollen germination of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa. Extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF exposure was carried out by a signal generator unit connected to a copper wire solenoid, inside which samples where placed. Two different kinds of treatment were performed: direct and indirect. In the direct treatment, pollen samples were directly exposed during rehydration, germination, or both. In the indirect treatment, the pollen growth medium was prepared with water aliquots (at standard temperature of 20°C and pH = 6.74 that were exposed before use for 8 or 24 h. The main purpose of our research was to identify a biological marker (in vitro pollen germination in a stressing growth medium without Ca2+ susceptible to the effects of direct or indirect ELF-MF exposure. The working variable was the pollen germination rate, as detected blind after 3 h 30 min by an Axioplan microscope. A directionally consistent recovery of germination percentage was observed both for direct exposure (during germination and both rehydration and germination phases and water-mediated exposure (with water exposed for 24 h and immediately used. Our results suggest that the ELF-MF treatment might partially remove the inhibitory effect caused by the lack of Ca2+ in the culture medium, inducing a release of internal Ca2+ stored in the secretory vesicles of pollen plasma membrane. Although preliminary, findings seem to indicate the in vitro pollen performance as adequate to study the effects of ELF-MFs on living matter.

Low frequency electromagnetic fields and health problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zahedi, A.; Cosic, I.

1996-01-01

Full text: Electromagnetic fields developed around the electric circuits are considered as magnetic pollution and these fields are produced wherever electric appliances or machinery are used at home as well as at workplace. Electric fields and magnetic fields around the home are produced by anything with electric current flowing through it including: the street power lines, the home wiring system, electric ovens, refrigerators, washing machines, electric clothes dryers, vacuum cleaners, television sets, video cassette recorders, toasters, light bulbs, clock radios, electric blankets, mobile phones, etc. In the workplace they would be produced by: nearby power lines, factory machinery, computers/video display units, lights, photocopiers, electrical cabling etc. As one can see, human life is strongly dependent on using-electric appliance. A large number of studies have been undertaken to find out the correlation between electromagnetic fields and health problems. The following significant results have been reported [Lerner E.J., IEEE Spectrum, 57-67, May 1984]: (a) Induction of chromosomal defects in mice spermatogenetic cells following microwave radiation in the Ghz range; (b) Changes in the calcium balance of living cats' brains exposed to microwaves modulated at extremely low frequencies; (c) Alternation of nerve and bone cells exposed to extremely low frequency fields; (d) Decreased activity of the immune cells of mice exposed to modulated microwaves; (e) Apparent increase in deformed foetuses among miniature swine exposed to intense power-line frequency fields. The mostly investigated effect is the effect of electromagnetic irradiation in particular one produced by power lines, and cancer. More than 100 epidemiological studies have been reported but no conclusive result was achieved. A number of studies with laboratory animals were also inconclusive. However, some of these experiments have shown improvements in immune system and tumour suppression when

Plasma wave excitation by intense microwave transmission from a space vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, I.; Matsumoto, H.; Kaya, N.; Miyatake, S.

An impact of intense microwave upon the ionospheric plasma was empirically investigated by an active rocket experiment (MINIX). The rocket carried two high-power (830W) transmitters of 2.45 GHz microwave on the mother section of the rocket. The ionospheric plasma response to the intense microwave was measured by a diagnostic package installed on both mother and daughter sections. The daughter section was separated from the mother with a slow speed of 15 cm/sec. The plasma wave analyzers revealed that various plasma waves are nonlinearly excited by the microwave. Among them, the most intense are electron cyclotron waves, followed by electron plasma waves. Extremely low frequency waves (several tens of Hz) are also found. The results of the data analysis as well as comparative computer simulations are given in this paper.

A low-frequency wave motion mechanism enables efficient energy transport in carbon nanotubes at high heat fluxes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoliang; Hu, Ming; Poulikakos, Dimos

2012-07-11

The great majority of investigations of thermal transport in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the open literature focus on low heat fluxes, that is, in the regime of validity of the Fourier heat conduction law. In this paper, by performing nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations we investigated thermal transport in a single-walled CNT bridging two Si slabs under constant high heat flux. An anomalous wave-like kinetic energy profile was observed, and a previously unexplored, wave-dominated energy transport mechanism is identified for high heat fluxes in CNTs, originated from excited low frequency transverse acoustic waves. The transported energy, in terms of a one-dimensional low frequency mechanical wave, is quantified as a function of the total heat flux applied and is compared to the energy transported by traditional Fourier heat conduction. The results show that the low frequency wave actually overtakes traditional Fourier heat conduction and efficiently transports the energy at high heat flux. Our findings reveal an important new mechanism for high heat flux energy transport in low-dimensional nanostructures, such as one-dimensional (1-D) nanotubes and nanowires, which could be very relevant to high heat flux dissipation such as in micro/nanoelectronics applications.

Low-frequency Landau-Zener-Stuckelberg interference in dissipative superconducting qubits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du-lingjie; Lan- Dong; Yu-Yang

2013-01-01

Landau-Zener-Stuckelberg (LZS) interference of continuously driven superconducting qubits is studied. Going beyond the second order perturbation expansion, we find a time dependent stationary population evolution as well as unsymmetrical microwave driven Landau-Zener transitions, resulting from the nonresonant terms which are neglected in rotating-wave approximation. For the low-frequency driving, the qubit population at equilibrium is a periodical function of time, owing to the contribution of the nonresonant terms. In order to obtain the average population, it is found that the average approximation based on the perturbation approach can be applied to the low-frequency region. For the extremely low frequency which is much smaller than the decoherence rate, we develop noncoherence approximation by dividing the evolution into discrete time steps during which the coherence is lost totally. These approximations present comprehensive analytical descriptions of LZS interference in most of parameter space of frequency and decoherence rate, agreeing well with those of the numerical simulations and providing a simple but integrated understanding to system dynamics. The application of our models to microwave cooling can obtain the minimal frequency to realize effective microwave cooling.

The synergistic effect of manure supply and extreme precipitation on surface water quality

Science.gov (United States)

Motew, Melissa; Booth, Eric G.; Carpenter, Stephen R.; Chen, Xi; Kucharik, Christopher J.

2018-04-01

Over-enrichment of phosphorus (P) in agroecosystems contributes to eutrophication of surface waters. In the Midwest US and elsewhere, climate change is increasing the frequency of high-intensity precipitation events, which can serve as a primary conduit of P transport within watersheds. Despite uncertainty in their estimates, process-based watershed models are important tools that help characterize watershed hydrology and biogeochemistry and scale up important mechanisms affecting water quality. Using one such model developed for an agricultural watershed in Wisconsin, we conducted a 2 × 2 factorial experiment to test the effects of (high/low) terrestrial P supply (PSUP) and (high/low) precipitation intensity (PREC) on surface water quality. Sixty-year simulations were conducted for each of the four runs, with annual results obtained for watershed average P yield and concentration at the field scale (220 × 220 m grid cells), P load and concentration at the stream scale, and summertime total P concentration (TP) in Lake Mendota. ANOVA results were generated for the 2 × 2 factorial design, with PSUP and PREC treated as categorical variables. The results showed a significant, positive interaction (p loss may have important ecological consequences because dissolved P is highly bioavailable. Overall, the results suggest that high levels of terrestrial P supplied as manure can exacerbate water quality problems in the future as the frequency of high-intensity rainfall events increases with a changing climate. Conversely, lowering terrestrial manure P supply may help improve the resilience of surface water quality to extreme events.

Multifunctional pulse generator for high-intensity focused ultrasound system

Science.gov (United States)

Tamano, Satoshi; Yoshizawa, Shin; Umemura, Shin-Ichiro

2017-07-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can achieve high spatial resolution for the treatment of diseases. A major technical challenge in implementing a HIFU therapeutic system is to generate high-voltage high-current signals for effectively exciting a multichannel HIFU transducer at high efficiencies. In this paper, we present the development of a multifunctional multichannel generator/driver. The generator can produce a long burst as well as an extremely high-voltage short pulse of pseudosinusoidal waves (trigger HIFU) and second-harmonic superimposed waves for HIFU transmission. The transmission timing, waveform, and frequency can be controlled using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) via a universal serial bus (USB) microcontroller. The hardware is implemented in a compact printed circuit board. The test results of trigger HIFU reveal that the power consumption and the temperature rise of metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors were reduced by 19.9% and 38.2 °C, respectively, from the previous design. The highly flexible performance of the novel generator/driver is demonstrated in the generation of second-harmonic superimposed waves, which is useful for cavitation-enhanced HIFU treatment, although the previous design exhibited difficulty in generating it.

Stabilised frequency of extreme positive Indian Ocean Dipole under 1.5 °C warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Wenju; Wang, Guojian; Gan, Bolan; Wu, Lixin; Santoso, Agus; Lin, Xiaopei; Chen, Zhaohui; Jia, Fan; Yamagata, Toshio

2018-04-12

Extreme positive Indian Ocean Dipole (pIOD) affects weather, agriculture, ecosystems, and public health worldwide, particularly when exacerbated by an extreme El Niño. The Paris Agreement aims to limit warming below 2 °C and ideally below 1.5 °C in global mean temperature (GMT), but how extreme pIOD will respond to this target is unclear. Here we show that the frequency increases linearly as the warming proceeds, and doubles at 1.5 °C warming from the pre-industrial level (statistically significant above the 90% confidence level), underscored by a strong intermodel agreement with 11 out of 13 models producing an increase. However, in sharp contrast to a continuous increase in extreme El Niño frequency long after GMT stabilisation, the extreme pIOD frequency peaks as the GMT stabilises. The contrasting response corresponds to a 50% reduction in frequency of an extreme El Niño preceded by an extreme pIOD from that projected under a business-as-usual scenario.

Ballistic-type field penetration into metals illustrated by high- and low-frequency size-effect measurements in silver

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gantmakher, V. F.; Lebech, Jens; Bak, Christen Kjeldahl

1979-01-01

Radio-frequency size-effect experiments were performed on silver plane-parallel plates at high, 45 GHz, and low, 3 MHz, frequencies. By investigation of size-effect structures we show the influence of frequency on the field distribution inside the metal. When the frequency increases, the splash...

Low-frequency modes with high toroidal mode numbers. A general formulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pegoraro, F.; Schep, T.J.

1979-09-01

Low-frequency waves with high toroidal mode numbers in an axisymmetric toroidal configuration are studied. In particular, the relationship between the periodicity constraints imposed by the geometry, magnetic shear and the spatial structure of eigenmodes is investigated. By exploiting the radial translational invariance and the poloidal periodicity of the gyrokinetic and Maxwell equations, the two-dimensional problem can be converted into a one-dimensional one and the mode structure can be expressed in terms of a single extended poloidal variable. This representation is used in the description of electromagnetic modes with phase velocities larger than the ion thermal velocity and with frequencies below the ion gyro-frequency. Trapped particle, curvature and compressional effects are retained. The dispersion equations for drift mode and Alfven-type modes are given in general geometry and simplified solutions are presented in the configuration of a double periodic plane slab. (Auth.)

Ultra-low-frequency electrostatic modes in a magnetized dusty plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salimullah, M.; Amin, M.R.; Roy Chowdhury, A.R.; Salahuddin, M.

1997-11-01

A study on the extremely low-frequency possible electrostatic modes in a finite temperature magnetized dusty plasma taking the charged dust grains as the third component has been carried out using the appropriate Vlasov-kinetic theory for the dynamics of the electrons, ions and the dust particles. It is found that the inequalities of charge and number density of plasma species, and the finite-Larmor-radius thermal kinetic effects of the mobile charged dust grains, introduce the existence of very low-frequency electrostatic eigenmodes in the three-component homogeneous magnetized dusty plasma. The relevance of the present investigation to space and astrophysical situations as well as laboratory experiments for dust Coulomb crystallization has been pointed out. (author)

Extreme low temperature tolerance in woody plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Richard Strimbeck

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Woody plants in boreal to arctic environments and high mountains survive prolonged exposure to temperatures below -40˚C and minimum temperatures below -60˚C, and laboratory tests show that many of these species can also survive immersion in liquid nitrogen at -196˚C. Studies of biochemical changes that occur during acclimation, including recent proteomic and metabolomic studies, have identified changes in carbohydrate and compatible solute concentrations, membrane lipid composition, and proteins, notably dehydrins, that may have important roles in survival at extreme low temperature. Consideration of the biophysical mechanisms of membrane stress and strain lead to the following hypotheses for cellular and molecular mechanisms of survival at extreme low temperature: 1. Changes in lipid composition stabilize membranes at temperatures above the lipid phase transition temperature (-20 to 30˚C, preventing phase changes that result in irreversible injury. 2. High concentrations of oligosaccharides promote vitrification or high viscosity in the cytoplasm in freeze-dehydrated cells, which would prevent deleterious interactions between membranes. 3. Dehydrins bind membranes and further promote vitrification or act stearically to prevent membrane-membrane interactions.

Evaluation of uncertainty in capturing the spatial variability and magnitudes of extreme hydrological events for the uMngeni catchment, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Kusangaya, Samuel; Warburton Toucher, Michele L.; van Garderen, Emma Archer

2018-02-01

Downscaled General Circulation Models (GCMs) output are used to forecast climate change and provide information used as input for hydrological modelling. Given that our understanding of climate change points towards an increasing frequency, timing and intensity of extreme hydrological events, there is therefore the need to assess the ability of downscaled GCMs to capture these extreme hydrological events. Extreme hydrological events play a significant role in regulating the structure and function of rivers and associated ecosystems. In this study, the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) method was adapted to assess the ability of simulated streamflow (using downscaled GCMs (dGCMs)) in capturing extreme river dynamics (high and low flows), as compared to streamflow simulated using historical climate data from 1960 to 2000. The ACRU hydrological model was used for simulating streamflow for the 13 water management units of the uMngeni Catchment, South Africa. Statistically downscaled climate models obtained from the Climate System Analysis Group at the University of Cape Town were used as input for the ACRU Model. Results indicated that, high flows and extreme high flows (one in ten year high flows/large flood events) were poorly represented both in terms of timing, frequency and magnitude. Simulated streamflow using dGCMs data also captures more low flows and extreme low flows (one in ten year lowest flows) than that captured in streamflow simulated using historical climate data. The overall conclusion was that although dGCMs output can reasonably be used to simulate overall streamflow, it performs poorly when simulating extreme high and low flows. Streamflow simulation from dGCMs must thus be used with caution in hydrological applications, particularly for design hydrology, as extreme high and low flows are still poorly represented. This, arguably calls for the further improvement of downscaling techniques in order to generate climate data more relevant and

Note: Measuring breakdown characteristics during the hot re-ignition of high intensity discharge lamps using high frequency alternating current voltage.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Bos, R A J M; Sobota, A; Manders, F; Kroesen, G M W

2013-04-01

To investigate the cold and hot re-ignition properties of High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps in more detail an automated setup was designed in such a way that HID lamps of various sizes and under different background pressures can be tested. The HID lamps are ignited with a ramped sinusoidal voltage signal with frequencies between 60 and 220 kHz and with amplitude up to 7.5 kV. Some initial results of voltage and current measurements on a commercially available HID lamp during hot and cold re-ignition are presented.

Investigation of exposure to Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) magnetic and electric fields: Ongoing animal studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, L.E.

1994-03-01

There is now convincing evidence from a large number of laboratories, that exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic and electric fields produces biological responses in animals. Many of the observed effects appear to be directly or indirectly associated with the neural or neuroendocrine systems. Such effects include increased neuronal excitability, chemical and hormonal changes in the nervous system, altered behavioral responses, some of which are related to sensing the presence of the field, and changes in endogenous biological rhythms. Additional indices of general physiological status appear relatively unaffected by exposure, although effects have occasionally been described in bone growth and fracture repair, reproduction and development, and immune system function. A major current emphasis in laboratory research is to determine whether or not the reported epidemiological studies that suggest an association between EMF exposure and risk of cancer are supported in studies using animal models. Three major challenges exist for ongoing research: (1) knowledge about the mechanisms underlying observed bioeffects is incomplete, (2) researchers do not as yet understand what physical aspects of exposure produce biological responses, and (3) health consequences resulting from ELF exposure are unknown. Although no animal studies clearly demonstrate deleterious effects of ELF fields, several are suggestive of potential health impacts. From the perspective of laboratory animal studies, this paper will discuss biological responses to ELF magnetic and/or electric field exposures.

Short and intense tailor-made notched music training against tinnitus: the tinnitus frequency matters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henning Teismann

Full Text Available Tinnitus is one of the most common diseases in industrialized countries. Here, we developed and evaluated a short-term (5 subsequent days and intensive (6 hours/day tailor-made notched music training (TMNMT for patients suffering from chronic, tonal tinnitus. We evaluated (i the TMNMT efficacy in terms of behavioral and magnetoencephalographic outcome measures for two matched patient groups with either low (≤8 kHz, N = 10 or high (>8 kHz, N = 10 tinnitus frequencies, and the (ii persistency of the TMNMT effects over the course of a four weeks post-training phase. The results indicated that the short-term intensive TMNMT took effect in patients with tinnitus frequencies ≤8 kHz: subjective tinnitus loudness, tinnitus-related distress, and tinnitus-related auditory cortex evoked activity were significantly reduced after TMNMT completion. However, in the patients with tinnitus frequencies >8 kHz, significant changes were not observed. Interpreted in their entirety, the results also indicated that the induced changes in auditory cortex evoked neuronal activity and tinnitus loudness were not persistent, encouraging the application of the TMNMT as a longer-term training. The findings are essential in guiding the intended transfer of this neuro-scientific treatment approach into routine clinical practice.

Next-Generation Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves for Hydrologic Design in Snow-Dominated Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Hongxiang; Sun, Ning; Wigmosta, Mark; Skaggs, Richard; Hou, Zhangshuan; Leung, Ruby

2018-02-01

There is a renewed focus on the design of infrastructure resilient to extreme hydrometeorological events. While precipitation-based intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves are commonly used as part of infrastructure design, a large percentage of peak runoff events in snow-dominated regions are caused by snowmelt, particularly during rain-on-snow (ROS) events. In these regions, precipitation-based IDF curves may lead to substantial overestimation/underestimation of design basis events and subsequent overdesign/underdesign of infrastructure. To overcome this deficiency, we proposed next-generation IDF (NG-IDF) curves, which characterize the actual water reaching the land surface. We compared NG-IDF curves to standard precipitation-based IDF curves for estimates of extreme events at 376 Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) stations across the western United States that each had at least 30 years of high-quality records. We found standard precipitation-based IDF curves at 45% of the stations were subject to underdesign, many with significant underestimation of 100 year extreme events, for which the precipitation-based IDF curves can underestimate water potentially available for runoff by as much as 125% due to snowmelt and ROS events. The regions with the greatest potential for underdesign were in the Pacific Northwest, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the Middle and Southern Rockies. We also found the potential for overdesign at 20% of the stations, primarily in the Middle Rockies and Arizona mountains. These results demonstrate the need to consider snow processes in the development of IDF curves, and they suggest use of the more robust NG-IDF curves for hydrologic design in snow-dominated environments.

Extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy of low pressure helium microwave driven discharges

Science.gov (United States)

Espinho, Susana; Felizardo, Edgar; Tatarova, Elena; Alves, Luis Lemos

2016-09-01

Surface wave driven discharges are reliable plasma sources that can produce high levels of vacuum and extreme ultraviolet radiation (VUV and EUV). The richness of the emission spectrum makes this type of discharge a possible alternative source in EUV/VUV radiation assisted applications. However, due to challenging experimental requirements, publications concerning EUV radiation emitted by microwave plasmas are scarce and a deeper understanding of the main mechanisms governing the emission of radiation in this spectral range is required. To this end, the EUV radiation emitted by helium microwave driven plasmas operating at 2.45 GHz has been studied for low pressure conditions. Spectral lines from excited helium atoms and ions were detected via emission spectroscopy in the EUV/VUV regions. Novel data concerning the spectral lines observed in the 23 - 33 nm wavelength range and their intensity behaviour with variation of the discharge operational conditions are presented. The intensity of all the spectral emissions strongly increases with the microwave power delivered to the plasma up to 400 W. Furthermore, the intensity of all the ion spectral emissions in the EUV range decreases by nearly one order of magnitude as the pressure was raised from 0.2 to 0.5 mbar. Work funded by FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, under Project UID/FIS/50010/2013 and grant SFRH/BD/52412/2013 (PD-F APPLAuSE).

Generation of intensity duration frequency curves and intensity temporal variability pattern of intense rainfall for Lages/SC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Célio Orli Cardoso

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to analyze the frequency distribution and intensity temporal variability of intense rainfall for Lages/SC from diary pluviograph data. Data on annual series of maximum rainfalls from rain gauges of the CAV-UDESC Weather Station in Lages/SC were used from 2000 to 2009. Gumbel statistic distribution was applied in order to obtain the rainfall height and intensity in the following return periods: 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. Results showed intensity-duration-frequency curves (I-D-F for those return periods, as well as I-D-F equations: i=2050.Tr0,20.(t+30-0,89, where i was the intensity, Tr was the rainfall return periods and t was the rainfall duration. For the intensity of temporal variability pattern along of the rainfall duration time, the convective, or advanced pattern was the predominant, with larger precipitate rainfalls in the first half of the duration. The same pattern presented larger occurrences in the spring and summer stations.

Prediction of broadband ground-motion time histories: Hybrid low/high-frequency method with correlated random source parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, P.; Archuleta, R.J.; Hartzell, S.H.

2006-01-01

We present a new method for calculating broadband time histories of ground motion based on a hybrid low-frequency/high-frequency approach with correlated source parameters. Using a finite-difference method we calculate low- frequency synthetics (structure. We also compute broadband synthetics in a 1D velocity model using a frequency-wavenumber method. The low frequencies from the 3D calculation are combined with the high frequencies from the 1D calculation by using matched filtering at a crossover frequency of 1 Hz. The source description, common to both the 1D and 3D synthetics, is based on correlated random distributions for the slip amplitude, rupture velocity, and rise time on the fault. This source description allows for the specification of source parameters independent of any a priori inversion results. In our broadband modeling we include correlation between slip amplitude, rupture velocity, and rise time, as suggested by dynamic fault modeling. The method of using correlated random source parameters is flexible and can be easily modified to adjust to our changing understanding of earthquake ruptures. A realistic attenuation model is common to both the 3D and 1D calculations that form the low- and high-frequency components of the broadband synthetics. The value of Q is a function of the local shear-wave velocity. To produce more accurate high-frequency amplitudes and durations, the 1D synthetics are corrected with a randomized, frequency-dependent radiation pattern. The 1D synthetics are further corrected for local site and nonlinear soil effects by using a 1D nonlinear propagation code and generic velocity structure appropriate for the site’s National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) site classification. The entire procedure is validated by comparison with the 1994 Northridge, California, strong ground motion data set. The bias and error found here for response spectral acceleration are similar to the best results that have been published by

Validation of the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set--Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV: A Set of Videos Expressing Low, Intermediate, and High Intensity Emotions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanja S H Wingenbach

Full Text Available Most of the existing sets of facial expressions of emotion contain static photographs. While increasing demand for stimuli with enhanced ecological validity in facial emotion recognition research has led to the development of video stimuli, these typically involve full-blown (apex expressions. However, variations of intensity in emotional facial expressions occur in real life social interactions, with low intensity expressions of emotions frequently occurring. The current study therefore developed and validated a set of video stimuli portraying three levels of intensity of emotional expressions, from low to high intensity. The videos were adapted from the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set (ADFES and termed the Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV. A healthy sample of 92 people recruited from the University of Bath community (41 male, 51 female completed a facial emotion recognition task including expressions of 6 basic emotions (anger, happiness, disgust, fear, surprise, sadness and 3 complex emotions (contempt, embarrassment, pride that were expressed at three different intensities of expression and neutral. Accuracy scores (raw and unbiased (Hu hit rates were calculated, as well as response times. Accuracy rates above chance level of responding were found for all emotion categories, producing an overall raw hit rate of 69% for the ADFES-BIV. The three intensity levels were validated as distinct categories, with higher accuracies and faster responses to high intensity expressions than intermediate intensity expressions, which had higher accuracies and faster responses than low intensity expressions. To further validate the intensities, a second study with standardised display times was conducted replicating this pattern. The ADFES-BIV has greater ecological validity than many other emotion stimulus sets and allows for versatile applications in emotion research. It can be retrieved free of charge for research purposes from the

Validation of the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set--Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV): A Set of Videos Expressing Low, Intermediate, and High Intensity Emotions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wingenbach, Tanja S H; Ashwin, Chris; Brosnan, Mark

2016-01-01

Most of the existing sets of facial expressions of emotion contain static photographs. While increasing demand for stimuli with enhanced ecological validity in facial emotion recognition research has led to the development of video stimuli, these typically involve full-blown (apex) expressions. However, variations of intensity in emotional facial expressions occur in real life social interactions, with low intensity expressions of emotions frequently occurring. The current study therefore developed and validated a set of video stimuli portraying three levels of intensity of emotional expressions, from low to high intensity. The videos were adapted from the Amsterdam Dynamic Facial Expression Set (ADFES) and termed the Bath Intensity Variations (ADFES-BIV). A healthy sample of 92 people recruited from the University of Bath community (41 male, 51 female) completed a facial emotion recognition task including expressions of 6 basic emotions (anger, happiness, disgust, fear, surprise, sadness) and 3 complex emotions (contempt, embarrassment, pride) that were expressed at three different intensities of expression and neutral. Accuracy scores (raw and unbiased (Hu) hit rates) were calculated, as well as response times. Accuracy rates above chance level of responding were found for all emotion categories, producing an overall raw hit rate of 69% for the ADFES-BIV. The three intensity levels were validated as distinct categories, with higher accuracies and faster responses to high intensity expressions than intermediate intensity expressions, which had higher accuracies and faster responses than low intensity expressions. To further validate the intensities, a second study with standardised display times was conducted replicating this pattern. The ADFES-BIV has greater ecological validity than many other emotion stimulus sets and allows for versatile applications in emotion research. It can be retrieved free of charge for research purposes from the corresponding author.

A low cost, high precision extreme/harsh cold environment, autonomous sensor data gathering and transmission platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Chetty, S.; Field, L. A.

2014-12-01

SWIMS III, is a low cost, autonomous sensor data gathering platform developed specifically for extreme/harsh cold environments. Arctic ocean's continuing decrease of summer-time ice is related to rapidly diminishing multi-year ice due to the effects of climate change. Ice911 Research aims to develop environmentally inert materials that when deployed will increase the albedo, enabling the formation and/preservation of multi-year ice. SWIMS III's sophisticated autonomous sensors are designed to measure the albedo, weather, water temperature and other environmental parameters. This platform uses low cost, high accuracy/precision sensors, extreme environment command and data handling computer system using satellite and terrestrial wireless solution. The system also incorporates tilt sensors and sonar based ice thickness sensors. The system is light weight and can be deployed by hand by a single person. This presentation covers the technical, and design challenges in developing and deploying these platforms.

Effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on upper extremity motor recovery and functional outcomes in chronic stroke patients: A randomized controlled trial.