Stocking and structure for maximum growth in sugar maple selection stands.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas R. Crow; Carl H. Tubbs; Rodney D. Jacobs; Robert R. Oberg

1981-01-01

The impacts of stocking, structure, and cutting cycle on basal area, cubic foot volume, board foot volume, and diameter growth are considered. Recommendations are provided for maximum growth in uneven-aged sugar maple stands.

Dietary arginine and linear growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Vught, Anneke J A H; Dagnelie, Pieter C; Arts, Ilja C W

2013-01-01

Child Intervention Study during 2001-2 (baseline), and at 3-year and 7-year follow-up, were used. Arginine intake was estimated via a 7 d precoded food diary at baseline and 3-year follow-up. Data were analysed in a multilevel structure in which children were embedded within schools. Random intercept......The amino acid arginine is a well-known growth hormone (GH) stimulator and GH is an important modulator of linear growth. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary arginine on growth velocity in children between 7 and 13 years of age. Data from the Copenhagen School...... and slopes were defined to estimate the association between arginine intake and growth velocity, including the following covariates: sex; age; baseline height; energy intake; puberty stage at 7-year follow-up and intervention/control group. The association between arginine intake and growth velocity...

Convex variational problems linear, nearly linear and anisotropic growth conditions

CERN Document Server

Bildhauer, Michael

2003-01-01

The author emphasizes a non-uniform ellipticity condition as the main approach to regularity theory for solutions of convex variational problems with different types of non-standard growth conditions. This volume first focuses on elliptic variational problems with linear growth conditions. Here the notion of a "solution" is not obvious and the point of view has to be changed several times in order to get some deeper insight. Then the smoothness properties of solutions to convex anisotropic variational problems with superlinear growth are studied. In spite of the fundamental differences, a non-uniform ellipticity condition serves as the main tool towards a unified view of the regularity theory for both kinds of problems.

Caregiver perceptions of children's linear growth in Bangladesh: a qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hossain, Muttaquina; Ickes, Scott; Rice, Lauren; Ritter, Gaelen; Naila, Nurun Nahar; Zia, Tasnia; Nahar, Baitun; Mahfuz, Mustafa; Denno, Donna M; Ahmed, Tahmeed; Walson, Judd

2018-03-26

To understand caregivers' perceptions of children's linear growth and to identify the cultural meanings and perceptions of risk associated with poor height attainment. Three investigators from Bangladesh conducted twelve focus group discussions. The study was conducted in rural and slum settings in Bangladesh. Participants included mothers and alternative caregivers (n 81) who were recruited by household screening. No eligible, recruited subjects refused participation. Caregivers reported limited experience with growth monitoring services from the health system. Caregivers mainly use visual cues and developmental milestones to understand if children are growing properly, and recognize that children normally experience both weight gain and linear growth with age. Mothers expressed concern over children's malnutrition and short stature, but did not discuss children's failure to attain a 'growth potential' or distinguish inherited short stature from stunting. Caregivers interpret the consequences of poor height attainment as primarily social and economic and cite few health risks. Linear growth interpretation is determined more by community norms than by guidance from nutrition programming or the health system. Interventions to prevent or reduce linear growth failure may be perceived to have limited value where appropriate linear growth in children is determined by comparison to peers and siblings. Such perceptions may be significant barriers to programmes addressing stunting prevention in settings where many children are stunted. Efforts to raise awareness about the risks of linear growth faltering may need to consider delivering messages to caregivers that emphasize the social and economic consequences of stunting.

Bounds and maximum principles for the solution of the linear transport equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, E.W.

1981-01-01

Pointwise bounds are derived for the solution of time-independent linear transport problems with surface sources in convex spatial domains. Under specified conditions, upper bounds are derived which, as a function of position, decrease with distance from the boundary. Also, sufficient conditions are obtained for the existence of maximum and minimum principles, and a counterexample is given which shows that such principles do not always exist

Thermal neutron measurement using the instrumented test bundle and assessment of maximum linear power in HANARO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, C. S.; Seo, C. K.; Lee, B. C.; Kim, H. N.; Kang, B. W. [KAERI, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2000-10-01

The HANARO fuel, U{sub 3}Si-Al, has been developed by AECL and tested in NRU reactor. Due to the lack of the data performed under the high power, the repetitive conduct of the irradiation test was required under the power greater than 108kW/m, which is the estimated maximum linear power in the design stage. Accordingly, the instrumented test bundle with SPND(Self Powered Neutron Detector) was fabricated and its irradiation test was performed in IR2 of HANARO. The measured thermal neutron flux with SPND is compared with calculation results by HANAFMS(HANARO Fuel Management System). The difference in the measured and calculated thermal flux values are below {+-}11% and the accuracy of the linear power predicted by HANAFMS is consequently accompanied. Therefore, it is believed that the maximum linear power above 120kW/m is achieved during the irradiation test of the test bundle.

Beneficial effect of physical activity on linear growth rate of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

It is not known if nutritional and/or other interventions could improve linear growth in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of physical activity in promoting linear growth velocity of black adolescents in a low-income shanty town in South Africa. Two schools in a disadvantaged shanty town participated ...

A Novel Linear Programming Formulation of Maximum Lifetime Routing Problem in Wireless Sensor Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cetin, Bilge Kartal; Prasad, Neeli R.; Prasad, Ramjee

2011-01-01

In wireless sensor networks, one of the key challenge is to achieve minimum energy consumption in order to maximize network lifetime. In fact, lifetime depends on many parameters: the topology of the sensor network, the data aggregation regime in the network, the channel access schemes, the routing...... protocols, and the energy model for transmission. In this paper, we tackle the routing challenge for maximum lifetime of the sensor network. We introduce a novel linear programming approach to the maximum lifetime routing problem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first mathematical programming...

The Non-Linear Effect of Corporate Taxes on Economic Growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huňady Ján

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the problem of taxation and its potential impact on economic growth and presents some new empirical insights into this topic. The main aim of the paper is to verify an assumed nonlinear impact of corporate tax rates on economic growth. Based on the theory of public finance and taxation, we hypothesize that at relatively low tax rates it is possible that the impact of taxation on economic growth become slightly positive. On the other hand when the tax rates are higher a negative impact of taxation on economic growth could be expected. Despite the fact that the most of the existing studies find a negative linear relationship between these variables, we can also find strong support for a non-linear relationship from several theoretical models as well as some empirical studies. Based on panel data fixed-effects econometric models, we, as well, find empirical evidence for a non-linear relationship between nominal and effective corporate tax rates and economic growth. Our data consists of annual observations for the period 1999 to 2011 for EU Member States. Based on the results, we also estimated the optimal level of the corporate tax rate in terms of maximizing economic growth in the average of the EU countries.

Implementation of non-linear filters for iterative penalized maximum likelihood image reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Z.; Gilland, D.; Jaszczak, R.; Coleman, R.

1990-01-01

In this paper, the authors report on the implementation of six edge-preserving, noise-smoothing, non-linear filters applied in image space for iterative penalized maximum-likelihood (ML) SPECT image reconstruction. The non-linear smoothing filters implemented were the median filter, the E 6 filter, the sigma filter, the edge-line filter, the gradient-inverse filter, and the 3-point edge filter with gradient-inverse filter, and the 3-point edge filter with gradient-inverse weight. A 3 x 3 window was used for all these filters. The best image obtained, by viewing the profiles through the image in terms of noise-smoothing, edge-sharpening, and contrast, was the one smoothed with the 3-point edge filter. The computation time for the smoothing was less than 1% of one iteration, and the memory space for the smoothing was negligible. These images were compared with the results obtained using Bayesian analysis

Linear and non-linear amplification of high-mode perturbations at the ablation front in HiPER targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olazabal-Loume, M; Breil, J; Hallo, L; Ribeyre, X [CELIA, UMR 5107 Universite Bordeaux 1-CNRS-CEA, 351 cours de la Liberation, 33405 Talence (France); Sanz, J, E-mail: olazabal@celia.u-bordeaux1.f [ETSI Aeronauticos, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid 28040 (Spain)

2011-01-15

The linear and non-linear sensitivity of the 180 kJ baseline HiPER target to high-mode perturbations, i.e. surface roughness, is addressed using two-dimensional simulations and a complementary analysis by linear and non-linear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor models. Simulations provide an assessment of an early non-linear stage leading to a significant deformation of the ablation surface for modes of maximum linear growth factor. A design using a picket prepulse evidences an improvement in the target stability inducing a delay of the non-linear behavior. Perturbation evolution and shape, evidenced by simulations of the non-linear stage, are analyzed with existing self-consistent non-linear theory.

Influence of magnetic flutter on tearing growth in linear and nonlinear theory

Science.gov (United States)

Kreifels, L.; Hornsby, W. A.; Weikl, A.; Peeters, A. G.

2018-06-01

Recent simulations of tearing modes in turbulent regimes show an unexpected enhancement in the growth rate. In this paper the effect is investigated analytically. The enhancement is linked to the influence of turbulent magnetic flutter, which is modelled by diffusion terms in magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) momentum balance and Ohm’s law. Expressions for the linear growth rate as well as the island width in nonlinear theory for small amplitudes are derived. The results indicate an enhanced linear growth rate and a larger linear layer width compared with resistive MHD. Also the island width in the nonlinear regime grows faster in the diffusive model. These observations correspond well to simulations in which the effect of turbulence on the magnetic island width and tearing mode growth is analyzed.

Relations between the efficiency, power and dissipation for linear irreversible heat engine at maximum trade-off figure of merit

Science.gov (United States)

Iyyappan, I.; Ponmurugan, M.

2018-03-01

A trade of figure of merit (\\dotΩ ) criterion accounts the best compromise between the useful input energy and the lost input energy of the heat devices. When the heat engine is working at maximum \\dotΩ criterion its efficiency increases significantly from the efficiency at maximum power. We derive the general relations between the power, efficiency at maximum \\dotΩ criterion and minimum dissipation for the linear irreversible heat engine. The efficiency at maximum \\dotΩ criterion has the lower bound \

Linear intra-bone geometry dependencies of the radius: Radius length determination by maximum distal width

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumbach, S.F.; Krusche-Mandl, I.; Huf, W.; Mall, G.; Fialka, C.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate possible linear intra-bone geometry dependencies by determining the relation between the maximum radius length and maximum distal width in two independent populations and test for possible gender or age effects. A strong correlation can help develop more representative fracture models and osteosynthetic devices as well as aid gender and height estimation in anthropologic/forensic cases. Methods: First, maximum radius length and distal width of 100 consecutive patients, aged 20–70 years, were digitally measured on standard lower arm radiographs by two independent investigators. Second, the same measurements were performed ex vivo on a second cohort, 135 isolated, formalin fixed radii. Standard descriptive statistics as well as correlations were calculated and possible gender age influences tested for both populations separately. Results: The radiographic dataset resulted in a correlation of radius length and width of r = 0.753 (adj. R 2 = 0.563, p 2 = 0.592) and side no influence on the correlation. Radius length–width correlation for the isolated radii was r = 0.621 (adj. R 2 = 0.381, p 2 = 0.598). Conclusion: A relatively strong radius length–distal width correlation was found in two different populations, indicating that linear body proportions might not only apply to body height and axial length measurements of long bones but also to proportional dependency of bone shapes in general.

Non-linear self-reinforced growth of tearing modes with multiple rational surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maschke, E.K.; Persson, M.; Dewar, R.L.; Australian National Univ., Canberra, ACT

1993-06-01

The non-linear evolution of tearing modes with multiple rational surfaces is discussed. It is demonstrated that, in the presence of small differential rotation, the non-linear growth might be faster than exponential. This growth occurs as the rotation frequencies of the plasma at the different rational surfaces go into equilibrium

Effects of lag and maximum growth in contaminant transport and biodegradation modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, B.D.; Dawson, C.N.

1992-06-01

The effects of time lag and maximum microbial growth on biodegradation in contaminant transport are discussed. A mathematical model is formulated that accounts for these effects, and a numerical case study is presented that demonstrates how lag influences biodegradation

Linear growth of children on a ketogenic diet: does the protein-to-energy ratio matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Nation, Judy; Humphrey, Maureen; MacKay, Mark; Boneh, Avihu

2014-11-01

Ketogenic diet is a structured effective treatment for children with intractable epilepsy. Several reports have indicated poor linear growth in children on the diet but the mechanism of poor growth has not been elucidated. We aimed to explore whether the protein to energy ratio plays a role in linear growth of children on ketogenic diet. Data regarding growth and nutrition were, retrospectively, collected from the clinical histories of 35 children who were treated with ketogenic diet for at least 6 months between 2002 and 2010. Patients were stratified into groups according to periods of satisfactory or poor linear growth. Poor linear growth was associated with protein or caloric intake of <80% recommended daily intake, and with a protein-to-energy ratio consistently ≤1.4 g protein/100 kcal even when protein and caloric intakes were adequate. We recommend a protein-to-energy ratio of 1.5 g protein/100 kcal be prescribed to prevent growth retardation. © The Author(s) 2013.

Linear Stability of Binary Alloy Solidification for Unsteady Growth Rates

Science.gov (United States)

Mazuruk, K.; Volz, M. P.

2010-01-01

An extension of the Mullins and Sekerka (MS) linear stability analysis to the unsteady growth rate case is considered for dilute binary alloys. In particular, the stability of the planar interface during the initial solidification transient is studied in detail numerically. The rapid solidification case, when the system is traversing through the unstable region defined by the MS criterion, has also been treated. It has been observed that the onset of instability is quite accurately defined by the "quasi-stationary MS criterion", when the growth rate and other process parameters are taken as constants at a particular time of the growth process. A singular behavior of the governing equations for the perturbed quantities at the constitutional supercooling demarcation line has been observed. However, when the solidification process, during its transient, crosses this demarcation line, a planar interface is stable according to the linear analysis performed.

On Associative Conformal Algebras of Linear Growth

OpenAIRE

Retakh, Alexander

2000-01-01

Lie conformal algebras appear in the theory of vertex algebras. Their relation is similar to that of Lie algebras and their universal enveloping algebras. Associative conformal algebras play a role in conformal representation theory. We introduce the notions of conformal identity and unital associative conformal algebras and classify finitely generated simple unital associative conformal algebras of linear growth. These are precisely the complete algebras of conformal endomorphisms of finite ...

Direct and Maternal Additive Effects on Rabbit Growth and Linear ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Growth and linear body measurements of rabbits which consisted of 17 ew Zealand White (ZW), 19 Chinchilla (CH), 29 ZW x CH and 33 CH x ZW kittens were compared. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the crossbreeding effects (i.e direct and maternal additive effect) for growth (individual body weight, IBW) and ...

Wavelength dependence of the linear growth rate of the Es layer instability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. B. Cosgrove

2007-06-01

Full Text Available It has recently been shown, by computation of the linear growth rate, that midlatitude sporadic-E (Es layers are subject to a large scale electrodynamic instability. This instability is a logical candidate to explain certain frontal structuring events, and polarization electric fields, which have been observed in Es layers by ionosondes, by coherent scatter radars, and by rockets. However, the original growth rate derivation assumed an infinitely thin Es layer, and therefore did not address the short wavelength cutoff. Also, the same derivation ignored the effects of F region loading, which is a significant wavelength dependent effect. Herein is given a generalized derivation that remedies both these short comings, and thereby allows a computation of the wavelength dependence of the linear growth rate, as well as computations of various threshold conditions. The wavelength dependence of the linear growth rate is compared with observed periodicities, and the role of the zeroth order meridional wind is explored. A three-dimensional paper model is used to explain the instability geometry, which has been defined formally in previous works.

The effects of linear accelerations on the maximum heat transfer capacity of micro pipes with triangular grooves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shokouhmand, H.; Kahrobaian, A.; Tabandeh, N.; Jalilvand, A.

2002-01-01

Micro heat pipes are widely used for the thermal control of spacecraft and their electronic components. In this paper the influence of linear accelerations in micro grooves has been studied. A mathematical model for predicating the minimum meniscus radius and the maximum heat transport in triangular groove under the influence of linear acceleration is presented and method for determining the theoretical minimum meniscus radius is developed. It is shown that both, the direction and the magnitude of the acceleration have a great effect upon heat transfer capability of micro heat pipes. The analysis presented here provides a mechanism where by the groove geometry can be optimized with respect to the length of the heat pipe and direction and magnitude of linear acceleration

Mixed integer linear programming for maximum-parsimony phylogeny inference.

Science.gov (United States)

Sridhar, Srinath; Lam, Fumei; Blelloch, Guy E; Ravi, R; Schwartz, Russell

2008-01-01

Reconstruction of phylogenetic trees is a fundamental problem in computational biology. While excellent heuristic methods are available for many variants of this problem, new advances in phylogeny inference will be required if we are to be able to continue to make effective use of the rapidly growing stores of variation data now being gathered. In this paper, we present two integer linear programming (ILP) formulations to find the most parsimonious phylogenetic tree from a set of binary variation data. One method uses a flow-based formulation that can produce exponential numbers of variables and constraints in the worst case. The method has, however, proven extremely efficient in practice on datasets that are well beyond the reach of the available provably efficient methods, solving several large mtDNA and Y-chromosome instances within a few seconds and giving provably optimal results in times competitive with fast heuristics than cannot guarantee optimality. An alternative formulation establishes that the problem can be solved with a polynomial-sized ILP. We further present a web server developed based on the exponential-sized ILP that performs fast maximum parsimony inferences and serves as a front end to a database of precomputed phylogenies spanning the human genome.

Analysis of positron lifetime spectra using quantified maximum entropy and a general linear filter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, A.; Peter, M.; Hoffmann, L.

1993-01-01

Two new approaches are used to analyze positron annihilation lifetime spectra. A general linear filter is designed to filter the noise from lifetime data. The quantified maximum entropy method is used to solve the inverse problem of finding the lifetimes and intensities present in data. We determine optimal values of parameters needed for fitting using Bayesian methods. Estimates of errors are provided. We present results on simulated and experimental data with extensive tests to show the utility of this method and compare it with other existing methods. (orig.)

Linearized semiclassical initial value time correlation functions with maximum entropy analytic continuation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jian; Miller, William H

2008-09-28

The maximum entropy analytic continuation (MEAC) method is used to extend the range of accuracy of the linearized semiclassical initial value representation (LSC-IVR)/classical Wigner approximation for real time correlation functions. LSC-IVR provides a very effective "prior" for the MEAC procedure since it is very good for short times, exact for all time and temperature for harmonic potentials (even for correlation functions of nonlinear operators), and becomes exact in the classical high temperature limit. This combined MEAC+LSC/IVR approach is applied here to two highly nonlinear dynamical systems, a pure quartic potential in one dimensional and liquid para-hydrogen at two thermal state points (25 and 14 K under nearly zero external pressure). The former example shows the MEAC procedure to be a very significant enhancement of the LSC-IVR for correlation functions of both linear and nonlinear operators, and especially at low temperature where semiclassical approximations are least accurate. For liquid para-hydrogen, the LSC-IVR is seen already to be excellent at T=25 K, but the MEAC procedure produces a significant correction at the lower temperature (T=14 K). Comparisons are also made as to how the MEAC procedure is able to provide corrections for other trajectory-based dynamical approximations when used as priors.

Maximum likelihood pedigree reconstruction using integer linear programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Cussens, James; Bartlett, Mark; Jones, Elinor M; Sheehan, Nuala A

2013-01-01

Large population biobanks of unrelated individuals have been highly successful in detecting common genetic variants affecting diseases of public health concern. However, they lack the statistical power to detect more modest gene-gene and gene-environment interaction effects or the effects of rare variants for which related individuals are ideally required. In reality, most large population studies will undoubtedly contain sets of undeclared relatives, or pedigrees. Although a crude measure of relatedness might sometimes suffice, having a good estimate of the true pedigree would be much more informative if this could be obtained efficiently. Relatives are more likely to share longer haplotypes around disease susceptibility loci and are hence biologically more informative for rare variants than unrelated cases and controls. Distant relatives are arguably more useful for detecting variants with small effects because they are less likely to share masking environmental effects. Moreover, the identification of relatives enables appropriate adjustments of statistical analyses that typically assume unrelatedness. We propose to exploit an integer linear programming optimisation approach to pedigree learning, which is adapted to find valid pedigrees by imposing appropriate constraints. Our method is not restricted to small pedigrees and is guaranteed to return a maximum likelihood pedigree. With additional constraints, we can also search for multiple high-probability pedigrees and thus account for the inherent uncertainty in any particular pedigree reconstruction. The true pedigree is found very quickly by comparison with other methods when all individuals are observed. Extensions to more complex problems seem feasible. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The relationships among iron supplement use, Hb concentration and linear growth in young children: Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammed, Shimels Hussien; Esmaillzadeh, Ahmad

2017-11-01

Growth faltering and anaemia remain unacceptably high among infants and young children in Ethiopia. In this study, we investigated the relationships among Fe supplement use (ISU), Hb concentration and linear growth, hypothesising positive relationships between ISU and Hb, ISU and linear growth and Hb and linear growth. We used a nationally representative data of 2400 children aged 6-24 months from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2011, conducted following a stratified, two-stage cluster sampling. We examined the links by Pearson's correlation, bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses and reported adjusted estimates. We found that ISU was not significantly associated with either Hb (β=1·09; 95 % CI -2·73, 5·01, P=0·567) or linear growth (β=0·07; 95 % CI -0·06, 0·21, P=0·217). We found a positive, however, weak, correlation between Hb and linear growth (r 0·09; 95 % CI 0·06, 0·11, PHb predicted linear growth independent of a variety dietary and non-dietary factors (β=0·08; 95 % CI 0·04, 0·11, PHb; age, birth type, size at birth, sex, breast-feeding duration, dietary diversity and deworming were independently associated with linear growth, indicating that Hb and linear growth are multifactorial with both nutritional and non-nutritional factors implicated. Further studies, with better design and exposure assessment, are warranted on the relation of ISU with Hb or linear growth.

Homogeneous shear turbulence – bypass concept via interplay of linear transient growth and nonlinear transverse cascade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamatsashvili, George; Dong, Siwei; Jiménez, Javier; Khujadze, George; Chagelishvili, George; Foysi, Holger

2016-01-01

We performed direct numerical simulations of homogeneous shear turbulence to study the mechanism of the self-sustenance of subcritical turbulence in spectrally stable (constant) shear flows. For this purpose, we analyzed the turbulence dynamics in Fourier/wavenumber/spectral space based on the simulation data for the domain aspect ratio 1 : 1 : 1. Specifically, we examined the interplay of linear transient growth of Fourier harmonics and nonlinear processes. The transient growth of harmonics is strongly anisotropic in spectral space. This, in turn, leads to anisotropy of nonlinear processes in spectral space and, as a result, the main nonlinear process appears to be not a direct/inverse, but rather a transverse/angular redistribution of harmonics in Fourier space referred to as the nonlinear transverse cascade. It is demonstrated that the turbulence is sustained by the interplay of the linear transient, or nonmodal growth and the transverse cascade. This course of events reliably exemplifies the wellknown bypass scenario of subcritical turbulence in spectrally stable shear flows. These processes mainly operate at large length scales, comparable to the box size. Consequently, the central, small wavenumber area of Fourier space (the size of which is determined below) is crucial in the self-sustenance and is labeled the vital area. Outside the vital area, the transient growth and the transverse cascade are of secondary importance - Fourier harmonics are transferred to dissipative scales by the nonlinear direct cascade. The number of harmonics actively participating in the self-sustaining process (i.e., the harmonics whose energies grow more than 10% of the maximum spectral energy at least once during evolution) is quite large - it is equal to 36 for the considered box aspect ratio - and obviously cannot be described by low-order models. (paper)

The effect of changes in sea surface temperature on linear growth of Porites coral in Ambon Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corvianawatie, Corry; Putri, Mutiara R.; Cahyarini, Sri Y.

2015-01-01

Coral is one of the most important organisms in the coral reef ecosystem. There are several factors affecting coral growth, one of them is changes in sea surface temperature (SST). The purpose of this research is to understand the influence of SST variability on the annual linear growth of Porites coral taken from Ambon Bay. The annual coral linear growth was calculated and compared to the annual SST from the Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature version 3b (ERSST v3b) model. Coral growth was calculated by using Coral X-radiograph Density System (CoralXDS) software. Coral sample X-radiographs were used as input data. Chronology was developed by calculating the coral’s annual growth bands. A pair of high and low density banding patterns observed in the coral’s X-radiograph represent one year of coral growth. The results of this study shows that Porites coral extents from 2001-2009 and had an average growth rate of 1.46 cm/year. Statistical analysis shows that the annual coral linear growth declined by 0.015 cm/year while the annual SST declined by 0.013°C/year. SST and the annual linear growth of Porites coral in the Ambon Bay is insignificantly correlated with r=0.304 (n=9, p>0.05). This indicates that annual SST variability does not significantly influence the linear growth of Porites coral from Ambon Bay. It is suggested that sedimentation load, salinity, pH or other environmental factors may affect annual linear coral growth

The effect of changes in sea surface temperature on linear growth of Porites coral in Ambon Bay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corvianawatie, Corry, E-mail: corvianawatie@students.itb.ac.id; Putri, Mutiara R., E-mail: mutiara.putri@fitb.itb.ac.id [Oceanography Study Program, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Jl. Ganesha 10 Bandung (Indonesia); Cahyarini, Sri Y., E-mail: yuda@geotek.lipi.go.id [Research Center for Geotechnology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Bandung (Indonesia)

2015-09-30

Coral is one of the most important organisms in the coral reef ecosystem. There are several factors affecting coral growth, one of them is changes in sea surface temperature (SST). The purpose of this research is to understand the influence of SST variability on the annual linear growth of Porites coral taken from Ambon Bay. The annual coral linear growth was calculated and compared to the annual SST from the Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature version 3b (ERSST v3b) model. Coral growth was calculated by using Coral X-radiograph Density System (CoralXDS) software. Coral sample X-radiographs were used as input data. Chronology was developed by calculating the coral’s annual growth bands. A pair of high and low density banding patterns observed in the coral’s X-radiograph represent one year of coral growth. The results of this study shows that Porites coral extents from 2001-2009 and had an average growth rate of 1.46 cm/year. Statistical analysis shows that the annual coral linear growth declined by 0.015 cm/year while the annual SST declined by 0.013°C/year. SST and the annual linear growth of Porites coral in the Ambon Bay is insignificantly correlated with r=0.304 (n=9, p>0.05). This indicates that annual SST variability does not significantly influence the linear growth of Porites coral from Ambon Bay. It is suggested that sedimentation load, salinity, pH or other environmental factors may affect annual linear coral growth.

The effect of zinc supplementation on linear growth, body composition, and growth factors in preterm infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Gómez, N Marta; Doménech, Eduardo; Barroso, Flora; Castells, Silvia; Cortabarria, Carmen; Jiménez, Alejandro

2003-05-01

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on linear growth, body composition, and growth factors in premature infants. Thirty-six preterm infants (gestational age: 32.0 +/- 2.1 weeks, birth weight: 1704 +/- 364 g) participated in a longitudinal double-blind, randomized clinical trial. They were randomly allocated either to the supplemental (S) group fed with a standard term formula supplemented with zinc (final content 10 mg/L) and a small quantity of copper (final content 0.6 mg/L), or to the placebo group fed with the same formula without supplementation (final content of zinc: 5 mg/L and copper: 0.4 mg/L), from 36 weeks postconceptional age until 6 months corrected postnatal age. At each evaluation, anthropometric variables and bioelectrical impedance were measured, a 3-day dietary record was collected, and a blood sample was taken. We analyzed serum levels of total alkaline phosphatase, skeletal alkaline phosphatase (sALP), insulin growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF binding protein-3, IGF binding protein-1, zinc and copper, and the concentrations of zinc in erythrocytes. The S group had significantly higher zinc levels in serum and erythrocytes and lower serum copper levels with respect to the placebo group. We found that the S group had a greater linear growth (from baseline to 3 months corrected age: Delta score deviation standard length: 1.32 +/-.8 vs.38 +/-.8). The increase in total body water and in serum levels of sALP was also significantly higher in the S group (total body water: 3 months; corrected age: 3.8 +/-.5 vs 3.5 +/-.4 kg, 6 months; corrected age: 4.5 +/-.5 vs 4.2 +/-.4 kg; sALP: 3 months; corrected age: 140.2 +/- 28.7 vs 118.7 +/- 18.8 micro g/L). Zinc supplementation has a positive effect on linear growth in premature infants.

Rectangular maximum-volume submatrices and their applications

KAUST Repository

Mikhalev, Aleksandr; Oseledets, I.V.

2017-01-01

We introduce a definition of the volume of a general rectangular matrix, which is equivalent to an absolute value of the determinant for square matrices. We generalize results of square maximum-volume submatrices to the rectangular case, show a connection of the rectangular volume with an optimal experimental design and provide estimates for a growth of coefficients and an approximation error in spectral and Chebyshev norms. Three promising applications of such submatrices are presented: recommender systems, finding maximal elements in low-rank matrices and preconditioning of overdetermined linear systems. The code is available online.

Rectangular maximum-volume submatrices and their applications

KAUST Repository

Mikhalev, Aleksandr

2017-10-18

We introduce a definition of the volume of a general rectangular matrix, which is equivalent to an absolute value of the determinant for square matrices. We generalize results of square maximum-volume submatrices to the rectangular case, show a connection of the rectangular volume with an optimal experimental design and provide estimates for a growth of coefficients and an approximation error in spectral and Chebyshev norms. Three promising applications of such submatrices are presented: recommender systems, finding maximal elements in low-rank matrices and preconditioning of overdetermined linear systems. The code is available online.

Modelling subject-specific childhood growth using linear mixed-effect models with cubic regression splines.

Science.gov (United States)

Grajeda, Laura M; Ivanescu, Andrada; Saito, Mayuko; Crainiceanu, Ciprian; Jaganath, Devan; Gilman, Robert H; Crabtree, Jean E; Kelleher, Dermott; Cabrera, Lilia; Cama, Vitaliano; Checkley, William

2016-01-01

Childhood growth is a cornerstone of pediatric research. Statistical models need to consider individual trajectories to adequately describe growth outcomes. Specifically, well-defined longitudinal models are essential to characterize both population and subject-specific growth. Linear mixed-effect models with cubic regression splines can account for the nonlinearity of growth curves and provide reasonable estimators of population and subject-specific growth, velocity and acceleration. We provide a stepwise approach that builds from simple to complex models, and account for the intrinsic complexity of the data. We start with standard cubic splines regression models and build up to a model that includes subject-specific random intercepts and slopes and residual autocorrelation. We then compared cubic regression splines vis-à-vis linear piecewise splines, and with varying number of knots and positions. Statistical code is provided to ensure reproducibility and improve dissemination of methods. Models are applied to longitudinal height measurements in a cohort of 215 Peruvian children followed from birth until their fourth year of life. Unexplained variability, as measured by the variance of the regression model, was reduced from 7.34 when using ordinary least squares to 0.81 (p linear mixed-effect models with random slopes and a first order continuous autoregressive error term. There was substantial heterogeneity in both the intercept (p modeled with a first order continuous autoregressive error term as evidenced by the variogram of the residuals and by a lack of association among residuals. The final model provides a parametric linear regression equation for both estimation and prediction of population- and individual-level growth in height. We show that cubic regression splines are superior to linear regression splines for the case of a small number of knots in both estimation and prediction with the full linear mixed effect model (AIC 19,352 vs. 19

Effect of milk proteins on linear growth and IGF variables in overweight adolescents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larnkjær, Anni; Arnberg, Karina; Michaelsen, Kim F

2014-01-01

Milk may stimulate growth acting via insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) secretion but the effect in adolescents is less examined. This study investigates the effect of milk proteins on linear growth, IGF-I, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio in overweight adolescents....

An automated land-use mapping comparison of the Bayesian maximum likelihood and linear discriminant analysis algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Tom, C. H.; Miller, L. D.

1984-01-01

The Bayesian maximum likelihood parametric classifier has been tested against the data-based formulation designated 'linear discrimination analysis', using the 'GLIKE' decision and "CLASSIFY' classification algorithms in the Landsat Mapping System. Identical supervised training sets, USGS land use/land cover classes, and various combinations of Landsat image and ancilliary geodata variables, were used to compare the algorithms' thematic mapping accuracy on a single-date summer subscene, with a cellularized USGS land use map of the same time frame furnishing the ground truth reference. CLASSIFY, which accepts a priori class probabilities, is found to be more accurate than GLIKE, which assumes equal class occurrences, for all three mapping variable sets and both levels of detail. These results may be generalized to direct accuracy, time, cost, and flexibility advantages of linear discriminant analysis over Bayesian methods.

Implementation of linear filters for iterative penalized maximum likelihood SPECT reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Z.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on six low-pass linear filters applied in frequency space implemented for iterative penalized maximum-likelihood (ML) SPECT image reconstruction. The filters implemented were the Shepp-Logan filter, the Butterworth filer, the Gaussian filter, the Hann filter, the Parzen filer, and the Lagrange filter. The low-pass filtering was applied in frequency space to projection data for the initial estimate and to the difference of projection data and reprojected data for higher order approximations. The projection data were acquired experimentally from a chest phantom consisting of non-uniform attenuating media. All the filters could effectively remove the noise and edge artifacts associated with ML approach if the frequency cutoff was properly chosen. The improved performance of the Parzen and Lagrange filters relative to the others was observed. The best image, by viewing its profiles in terms of noise-smoothing, edge-sharpening, and contrast, was the one obtained with the Parzen filter. However, the Lagrange filter has the potential to consider the characteristics of detector response function

Linear ubiquitin chain induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Zhoushuai; Jiang, Wandong; Wang, Guifen; Sun, Ying; Xiao, Wei

2018-01-01

Ubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) plays an important role in DNA damage response. Ectopic expression of PCNA fused at either terminus with ubiquitin (Ub) lacking two C-terminal glycine residues induces translesion DNA synthesis which resembles synthesis mediated by PCNA monoubiquitination. PCNA fused with Ub containing the C-terminal Gly residues at the C-terminus can be further polyubiquitinated in a Gly-dependent manner, which inhibits cell proliferation and induces ATR-dependent replication checkpoint. In this study, we surprisingly found that PCNA fused to a head-to-tail linear Ub chain induces apoptosis in a Ub chain length-dependent manner. Further investigation revealed that the apoptotic effect is actually induced by the linear Ub chain independently from PCNA, as the Ub chain fused to GFP or an epitope tag still efficiently induces apoptosis. It is revealed that the artificial linear Ub chain differs from endogenously encoded linear Ub chains in that its Ubs contain a Ub-G76S substitution, making the Ub chain resistant to cleavage by deubiquitination enzymes. We demonstrated in this study that ectopic expression of the artificial Ub chain alone in cultured human cancer cells is sufficient to inhibit tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model, making the linear Ub chain a putative anti-cancer agent.

Non-compliance with growth hormone treatment in children is common and impairs linear growth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wayne S Cutfield

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: GH therapy requires daily injections over many years and compliance can be difficult to sustain. As growth hormone (GH is expensive, non-compliance is likely to lead to suboptimal growth, at considerable cost. Thus, we aimed to assess the compliance rate of children and adolescents with GH treatment in New Zealand. METHODS: This was a national survey of GH compliance, in which all children receiving government-funded GH for a four-month interval were included. Compliance was defined as ≥ 85% adherence (no more than one missed dose a week on average to prescribed treatment. Compliance was determined based on two parameters: either the number of GH vials requested (GHreq by the family or the number of empty GH vials returned (GHret. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. FINDINGS: 177 patients were receiving GH in the study period, aged 12.1 ± 0.6 years. The rate of returned vials, but not number of vials requested, was positively associated with HVSDS (p < 0.05, such that patients with good compliance had significantly greater linear growth over the study period (p<0.05. GHret was therefore used for subsequent analyses. 66% of patients were non-compliant, and this outcome was not affected by sex, age or clinical diagnosis. However, Maori ethnicity was associated with a lower rate of compliance. INTERPRETATION: An objective assessment of compliance such as returned vials is much more reliable than compliance based on parental or patient based information. Non-compliance with GH treatment is common, and associated with reduced linear growth. Non-compliance should be considered in all patients with apparently suboptimal response to GH treatment.

Predicting Madura cattle growth curve using non-linear model

Science.gov (United States)

Widyas, N.; Prastowo, S.; Widi, T. S. M.; Baliarti, E.

2018-03-01

Madura cattle is Indonesian native. It is a composite breed that has undergone hundreds of years of selection and domestication to reach nowadays remarkable uniformity. Crossbreeding has reached the isle of Madura and the Madrasin, a cross between Madura cows and Limousine semen emerged. This paper aimed to compare the growth curve between Madrasin and one type of pure Madura cows, the common Madura cattle (Madura) using non-linear models. Madura cattles are kept traditionally thus reliable records are hardly available. Data were collected from small holder farmers in Madura. Cows from different age classes (5years) were observed, and body measurements (chest girth, body length and wither height) were taken. In total 63 Madura and 120 Madrasin records obtained. Linear model was built with cattle sub-populations and age as explanatory variables. Body weights were estimated based on the chest girth. Growth curves were built using logistic regression. Results showed that within the same age, Madrasin has significantly larger body compared to Madura (plogistic models fit better for Madura and Madrasin cattle data; with the estimated MSE for these models were 39.09 and 759.28 with prediction accuracy of 99 and 92% for Madura and Madrasin, respectively. Prediction of growth curve using logistic regression model performed well in both types of Madura cattle. However, attempts to administer accurate data on Madura cattle are necessary to better characterize and study these cattle.

Linear perturbation growth at the trailing edge of a rarefaction wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wouchuk, J.G.; Carretero, R.

2003-01-01

An analytic model for the perturbation growth inside a rarefaction wave is presented. The objective of the work is to calculate the growth of the perturbations at the trailing edge of a simple expanding wave in planar geometry. Previous numerical and analytical works have shown that the ripples at the rarefaction tail exhibit linear growth asymptotically in time [Yang et al., Phys. Fluids 6, 1856 (1994), A. Velikovich and L. Phillips, ibid. 8, 1107 (1996)]. However, closed expressions for the asymptotic value of the perturbed velocity of the trailing edge have not been reported before, except for very weak rarefactions. Explicit analytic solutions for the perturbations growing at the rarefaction trailing edge as a function of time and also for the asymptotic perturbed velocity are given, for fluids with γ<3. The limits of weak and strong rarefactions are considered and the corresponding scaling laws are given. A semi-qualitative discussion of the late time linear growth at the trailing edge ripple is presented and it is seen that the lateral mass flow induced by the sound wave fluctuations is solely responsible for that behavior. Only the rarefactions generated after the interaction of a shock wave with a contact discontinuity are considered

Linearity of electrical impedance tomography during maximum effort breathing and forced expiration maneuvers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngo, Chuong; Leonhardt, Steffen; Zhang, Tony; Lüken, Markus; Misgeld, Berno; Vollmer, Thomas; Tenbrock, Klaus; Lehmann, Sylvia

2017-01-01

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) provides global and regional information about ventilation by means of relative changes in electrical impedance measured with electrodes placed around the thorax. In combination with lung function tests, e.g. spirometry and body plethysmography, regional information about lung ventilation can be achieved. Impedance changes strictly correlate with lung volume during tidal breathing and mechanical ventilation. Initial studies presumed a correlation also during forced expiration maneuvers. To quantify the validity of this correlation in extreme lung volume changes during forced breathing, a measurement system was set up and applied on seven lung-healthy volunteers. Simultaneous measurements of changes in lung volume using EIT imaging and pneumotachography were obtained with different breathing patterns. Data was divided into a synchronizing phase (spontaneous breathing) and a test phase (maximum effort breathing and forced maneuvers). The EIT impedance changes correlate strictly with spirometric data during slow breathing with increasing and maximum effort ([Formula: see text]) and during forced expiration maneuvers ([Formula: see text]). Strong correlations in spirometric volume parameters [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]), [Formula: see text]/FVC ([Formula: see text]), and flow parameters PEF, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) were observed. According to the linearity during forced expiration maneuvers, EIT can be used during pulmonary function testing in combination with spirometry for visualisation of regional lung ventilation.

[Linear growth retardation in children under five years of age: a baseline study].

Science.gov (United States)

Rissin, Anete; Figueiroa, José Natal; Benício, Maria Helena D'Aquino; Batista Filho, Malaquias

2011-10-01

The scope of this study was to describe the prevalence of, and analyze factors associated with, linear growth retardation in children. The baseline study analyzed 2040 children under the age of five, establishing a possible association between growth delay (height/age index non-binary variables, there was a positive association with roof type and number of inhabitants per room and a negative association with income per capita, mother's schooling and birth weight. The adjusted analysis also indicated water supply, visit from the community health agent, birth delivery location, internment for diarrhea, or for pneumonia and birth weight as significant variables. Several risk factors were identified for linear growth retardation pointing to the multi-causal aspects of the problem and highlighting the need for control measures by the various hierarchical government agents.

Association between parental socio-demographic factors and declined linear growth of young children in Jakarta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hartono Gunardi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background: In Indonesia, approximately 35.5% of children under five years old were stunted. Stunting is related to shorter adult stature, poor cognition and educational performance, low adult wages, lost productivity, and higher risk of nutrition-related chronic disease. The aim of this study was to identify parental socio-demographic risk factors of declined linear growth in children younger than 2 years old.Methods: This was a cohort-prospective study between August 2012 and May 2014 at three primary community health care centers (Puskesmas in Jakarta, Indonesia, namely Puskesmas Jatinegara, Mampang, and Tebet. Subjects were healthy children under 2 years old, in which their weight and height were measured serially (at 6–11 weeks old and 18–24 months old. The length-for-age based on those data was used to determine stature status. The serial measurement was done to detect growth pattern. Parental socio-demographic data were obtained from questionnairesResults: From the total of 160 subjects, 14 (8.7% showed declined growth pattern from normal to stunted and 10 (6.2% to severely stunted. As many as 134 (83.8% subjects showed consistent normal growth pattern. Only 2 (1.2% showed improvement in the linear growth. Maternal education duration less than 9 years (RR=2.60, 95% CI=1.23–5.46; p=0.02 showed statistically significant association with declined linear growth in children.Conclusion: Mother with education duration less than 9 years was the determining socio-demographic risk factor that contributed to the declined linear growth in children less than 2 years of age.

Increased linear bone growth by GH in the absence of SOCS2 is independent of IGF-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobie, Ross; Ahmed, Syed F; Staines, Katherine A; Pass, Chloe; Jasim, Seema; MacRae, Vicky E; Farquharson, Colin

2015-11-01

Growth hormone (GH) signaling is essential for postnatal linear bone growth, but the relative importance of GHs actions on the liver and/or growth plate cartilage remains unclear. The importance of liver derived insulin like-growth factor-1 (IGF-1) for endochondral growth has recently been challenged. Here, we investigate linear growth in Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling-2 (SOCS2) knockout mice, which have enhanced growth despite normal systemic GH/IGF-1 levels. Wild-type embryonic ex vivo metatarsals failed to exhibit increased linear growth in response to GH, but displayed increased Socs2 transcript levels (P growth over a 12 day period. Despite this increase, IGF-1 transcript and protein levels were not increased in response to GH. In accordance with these data, IGF-1 levels were unchanged in GH-challenged postnatal Socs2(-/-) conditioned medium despite metatarsals showing enhanced linear growth. Growth-plate Igf1 mRNA levels were not elevated in juvenile Socs2(-/-) mice. GH did however elevate IGF-binding protein 3 levels in conditioned medium from GH challenged metatarsals and this was more apparent in Socs2(-/-) metatarsals. GH did not enhance the growth of Socs2(-/-) metatarsals when the IGF receptor was inhibited, suggesting that IGF receptor mediated mechanisms are required. IGF-2 may be responsible as IGF-2 promoted metatarsal growth and Igf2 expression was elevated in Socs2(-/-) (but not WT) metatarsals in response to GH. These studies emphasise the critical importance of SOCS2 in regulating GHs ability to promote bone growth. Also, GH appears to act directly on the metatarsals of Socs2(-/-) mice, promoting growth via a mechanism that is independent of IGF-1. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Physiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fecal Markers of Intestinal Inflammation and Permeability Associated with the Subsequent Acquisition of Linear Growth Deficits in Infants

Science.gov (United States)

Kosek, Margaret; Haque, Rashidul; Lima, Aldo; Babji, Sudhir; Shrestha, Sanjaya; Qureshi, Shahida; Amidou, Samie; Mduma, Estomih; Lee, Gwenyth; Yori, Pablo Peñataro; Guerrant, Richard L.; Bhutta, Zulfiqar; Mason, Carl; Kang, Gagandeep; Kabir, Mamun; Amour, Caroline; Bessong, Pascal; Turab, Ali; Seidman, Jessica; Olortegui, Maribel Paredes; Quetz, Josiane; Lang, Dennis; Gratz, Jean; Miller, Mark; Gottlieb, Michael

2013-01-01

Enteric infections are associated with linear growth failure in children. To quantify the association between intestinal inflammation and linear growth failure three commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (neopterin [NEO], alpha-anti-trypsin [AAT], and myeloperoxidase [MPO]) were performed in a structured sampling of asymptomatic stool from children under longitudinal surveillance for diarrheal illness in eight countries. Samples from 537 children contributed 1,169 AAT, 916 MPO, and 954 NEO test results that were significantly associated with linear growth. When combined to form a disease activity score, children with the highest score grew 1.08 cm less than children with the lowest score over the 6-month period following the tests after controlling for the incidence of diarrheal disease. This set of affordable non-invasive tests delineates those at risk of linear growth failure and may be used for the improved assessments of interventions to optimize growth during a critical period of early childhood. PMID:23185075

Associations of infant feeding and timing of linear growth and relative weight gain during early life with childhood body composition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Beer, M.; Vrijkotte, T. G. M.; Fall, C. H. D.; van Eijsden, M.; Osmond, C.; Gemke, R. J. B. J.

2015-01-01

Growth and feeding during infancy have been associated with later life body mass index. However, the associations of infant feeding, linear growth and weight gain relative to linear growth with separate components of body composition remain unclear. Of 5551 children with collected growth and

A meta-analysis of cambium phenology and growth: linear and non-linear patterns in conifers of the northern hemisphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Sergio; Anfodillo, Tommaso; Cufar, Katarina; Cuny, Henri E; Deslauriers, Annie; Fonti, Patrick; Frank, David; Gricar, Jozica; Gruber, Andreas; King, Gregory M; Krause, Cornelia; Morin, Hubert; Oberhuber, Walter; Prislan, Peter; Rathgeber, Cyrille B K

2013-12-01

Ongoing global warming has been implicated in shifting phenological patterns such as the timing and duration of the growing season across a wide variety of ecosystems. Linear models are routinely used to extrapolate these observed shifts in phenology into the future and to estimate changes in associated ecosystem properties such as net primary productivity. Yet, in nature, linear relationships may be special cases. Biological processes frequently follow more complex, non-linear patterns according to limiting factors that generate shifts and discontinuities, or contain thresholds beyond which responses change abruptly. This study investigates to what extent cambium phenology is associated with xylem growth and differentiation across conifer species of the northern hemisphere. Xylem cell production is compared with the periods of cambial activity and cell differentiation assessed on a weekly time scale on histological sections of cambium and wood tissue collected from the stems of nine species in Canada and Europe over 1-9 years per site from 1998 to 2011. The dynamics of xylogenesis were surprisingly homogeneous among conifer species, although dispersions from the average were obviously observed. Within the range analysed, the relationships between the phenological timings were linear, with several slopes showing values close to or not statistically different from 1. The relationships between the phenological timings and cell production were distinctly non-linear, and involved an exponential pattern. The trees adjust their phenological timings according to linear patterns. Thus, shifts of one phenological phase are associated with synchronous and comparable shifts of the successive phases. However, small increases in the duration of xylogenesis could correspond to a substantial increase in cell production. The findings suggest that the length of the growing season and the resulting amount of growth could respond differently to changes in environmental conditions.

Lake Basin Fetch and Maximum Length/Width

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — Linear features representing the Fetch, Maximum Length and Maximum Width of a lake basin. Fetch, maximum length and average width are calcuated from the lake polygon...

Optimal control of algae growth by controlling CO 2 and nutrition flow using Pontryagin Maximum Principle

Science.gov (United States)

Mardlijah; Jamil, Ahmad; Hanafi, Lukman; Sanjaya, Suharmadi

2017-09-01

There are so many benefit of algae. One of them is using for renewable energy and sustainable in the future. The greater growth of algae will increasing biodiesel production and the increase of algae growth is influenced by glucose, nutrients and photosynthesis process. In this paper, the optimal control problem of the growth of algae is discussed. The objective function is to maximize the concentration of dry algae while the control is the flow of carbon dioxide and the nutrition. The solution is obtained by applying the Pontryagin Maximum Principle. and the result show that the concentration of algae increased more than 15 %.

Linear Growth and Child Development in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Malawi.

Science.gov (United States)

Prado, Elizabeth L; Abbeddou, Souheila; Adu-Afarwuah, Seth; Arimond, Mary; Ashorn, Per; Ashorn, Ulla; Brown, Kenneth H; Hess, Sonja Y; Lartey, Anna; Maleta, Kenneth; Ocansey, Eugenia; Ouédraogo, Jean-Bosco; Phuka, John; Somé, Jérôme W; Vosti, Steve A; Yakes Jimenez, Elizabeth; Dewey, Kathryn G

2016-08-01

We aimed to produce quantitative estimates of the associations between 4 domains of child development and linear growth during 3 periods: before birth, early infancy, and later infancy. We also aimed to determine whether several factors attenuated these associations. In 3700 children in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Malawi, growth was measured several times from birth to age 18 months. At 18 months, language, motor, socioemotional, and executive function development were assessed. In Burkina Faso (n = 1111), personal-social development was assessed rather than the latter 2 domains. Linear growth was significantly associated with language, motor, and personal-social development but not socioemotional development or executive function. For language, the pooled adjusted estimate of the association with length-for-age z score (LAZ) at 6 months was 0.13 ± 0.02 SD, and with ΔLAZ from 6 to 18 months it was 0.11 ± 0.03 SD. For motor, these estimates were 0.16 ± 0.02 SD and 0.22 ± 0.03 SD, respectively. In 1412 children measured at birth, estimates of the association with LAZ at birth were similar (0.07-0.16 SD for language and 0.09-0.18 SD for motor development). These associations were weaker or absent in certain subsets of children with high levels of developmental stimulation or mothers who received nutritional supplementation. Growth faltering during any period from before birth to 18 months is associated with poor development of language and motor skills. Interventions to provide developmental stimulation or maternal supplementation may protect children who are faltering in growth from poor language and motor development. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Assessing non-linear variation of temperature and precipitation for different growth periods of maize and their impacts on phenology in the Midwest of Jilin Province, China

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Enliang; Zhang, Jiquan; Wang, Yongfang; Alu, Si; Wang, Rui; Li, Danjun; Ha, Si

2018-05-01

In the past two decades, the regional climate in China has undergone significant change, resulting in crop yield reduction and complete failure. The goal of this study is to detect the variation of temperature and precipitation for different growth periods of maize and assess their impact on phenology. The daily meteorological data in the Midwest of Jilin Province during 1960-2014 were used in the study. The ensemble empirical mode decomposition method was adopted to analyze the non-linear trend and fluctuation in temperature and precipitation, and the sensitivity of the length of the maize growth period to temperature and precipitation was analyzed by the wavelet cross-transformation method. The results show that the trends of temperature and precipitation change are non-linear for different growth periods of maize, and the average temperature in the sowing-jointing stage was different from that in the other growth stages, showing a slight decrease trend, while the variation amplitude of maximum temperature is smaller than that of the minimum temperature. This indicates that the temperature difference between day and night shows a gradually decreasing trend. Precipitation in the growth period also showed a decreasing non-linear trend, while the inter-annual variability with period of quasi-3-year and quasi-6-year dominated the variation of temperature and precipitation. The whole growth period was shortened by 10.7 days, and the sowing date was advanced by approximately 11 days. We also found that there was a significant resonance period among temperature, precipitation, and phenology. Overall, a negative correlation between phenology and temperature is evident, while a positive correlation with precipitation is exhibited. The results illustrate that the climate suitability for maize has reduced over the past decades.

Associations of infant feeding and timing of linear growth and relative weight gain during early life with childhood body composition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Beer, M.; Vrijkotte, T.G.M.; Fall, C.H.D.; Eijsden, M.; Osmond, C.; Gemke, R.J.B.J.

2015-01-01

Background:Growth and feeding during infancy have been associated with later life body mass index. However, the associations of infant feeding, linear growth and weight gain relative to linear growth with separate components of body composition remain unclear.Methods:Of 5551 children with collected

Accretion of Fat-Free Mass Rather Than Fat Mass in Infancy Is Positively Associated with Linear Growth in Childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Admassu, Bitiya; Ritz, Christian; Wells, Jonathan C K; Girma, Tsinuel; Andersen, Gregers S; Belachew, Tefera; Owino, Victor; Michaelsen, Kim F; Abera, Mubarek; Wibaek, Rasmus; Friis, Henrik; Kæstel, Pernille

2018-04-01

We have previously shown that fat-free mass (FFM) at birth is associated with height at 2 y of age in Ethiopian children. However, to our knowledge, the relation between changes in body composition during early infancy and later linear growth has not been studied. This study examined the associations of early infancy fat mass (FM) and FFM accretion with linear growth from 1 to 5 y of age in Ethiopian children. In the infant Anthropometry and Body Composition (iABC) study, a prospective cohort study was carried out in children in Jimma, Ethiopia, followed from birth to 5 y of age. FM and FFM were measured ≤6 times from birth to 6 mo by using air-displacement plethysmography. Linear mixed-effects models were used to identify associations between standardized FM and FFM accretion rates during early infancy and linear growth from 1 to 5 y of age. Standardized accretion rates were obtained by dividing FM and FFM accretion by their respective SD. FFM accretion from 0 to 6 mo of age was positively associated with length at 1 y (β = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.19, 1.09; P = 0.005) and linear growth from 1 to 5 y (β = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.19, 1.07; P = 0.005). The strongest association with FFM accretion was observed at 1 y. The association with linear growth from 1 to 5 y was mainly engendered by the 1-y association. FM accretion from 0 to 4 mo was positively associated with linear growth from 1 to 5 y (β = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.88; P = 0.038) in the fully adjusted model. In Ethiopian children, FFM accretion was associated with linear growth at 1 y and no clear additional longitudinal effect from 1 to 5 y was observed. FM accretion showed a weak association from 1 to 5 y. This trial was registered at www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN46718296.

Exponential Growth of Nonlinear Ballooning Instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, P.; Hegna, C. C.; Sovinec, C. R.

2009-01-01

Recent ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory predicts that a perturbation evolving from a linear ballooning instability will continue to grow exponentially in the intermediate nonlinear phase at the same linear growth rate. This prediction is confirmed in ideal MHD simulations. When the Lagrangian compression, a measure of the ballooning nonlinearity, becomes of the order of unity, the intermediate nonlinear phase is entered, during which the maximum plasma displacement amplitude as well as the total kinetic energy continues to grow exponentially at the rate of the corresponding linear phase.

Multibunch emittance growth and its corrections in S-Band linear collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, J.

1994-11-01

Multibunch emittance growths caused by long range wake fields with the misalignments of accelerating structures and quadrupoles in S-Band linear collider are studied. Tolerances for the misalignment errors of accelerating structures and quadrupoles are given corresponding to different detuned+damped structures. At the end of main linac, emittance corrector (EC) is proposed to be used to reduce further the multibunch emittance. Numerical simulations show that the effect of EC is obvious (multibunch emittance can be reduced about one order of magnitude), and it is believed that this kind of EC will be necessary for future linear colliders. (author). 16 refs., 21 figs., 4 tabs

Wavelength selection in injection-driven Hele-Shaw flows: A maximum amplitude criterion

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Eduardo; Miranda, Jose

2013-11-01

As in most interfacial flow problems, the standard theoretical procedure to establish wavelength selection in the viscous fingering instability is to maximize the linear growth rate. However, there are important discrepancies between previous theoretical predictions and existing experimental data. In this work we perform a linear stability analysis of the radial Hele-Shaw flow system that takes into account the combined action of viscous normal stresses and wetting effects. Most importantly, we introduce an alternative selection criterion for which the selected wavelength is determined by the maximum of the interfacial perturbation amplitude. The effectiveness of such a criterion is substantiated by the significantly improved agreement between theory and experiments. We thank CNPq (Brazilian Sponsor) for financial support.

Non-linear trends and fluctuations in temperature during different growth stages of summer maize in the North China Plain from 1960 to 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cailin; Wu, Jidong; Wang, Xu; He, Xin; Li, Ning

2017-12-01

North China Plain has undergone severe warming trends since the 1950s, but whether this trend is the same during different growth phases for crops remains unknown. Thus, we analyzed the non-linear changes in the minimum temperature (T min ), mean temperature (T mean ) and maximum temperature (T max ) using the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition method during each growth stage of summer maize based on daily temperature data from 1960 to 2014. Our results strongly suggest that the trends and fluctuations in temperature change are non-linear. These changes can be categorized into four types of trend change according to the combinations of decreasing and increasing trends, and 8 fluctuation modes dominated by the fluctuations of expansion and shrinkage. The amplitude of the fluctuation is primarily expansion in the sowing-jointing stage and shrinkage in the jointing-maturity stage. Moreover, the temperature changes are inconsistent within each growth stage and are not consistent with the overall warming trend observed over the last 55 years. A transition period occurred in both the 1980s and the 1990s for temperatures during the sowing-tasseling stage. Furthermore, the cooling trend of the T max was significant in the sowing-emergence stage, while this cooling trend was not obvious for both T mean and T min in the jointing-tasseling stage. These results showed that temperature change was significantly different in different stages of the maize growth season. The results can serve as a scientific basis for a better understanding of the actual changes in the regional surface air temperature and agronomic heat resources.

The linear programming bound for binary linear codes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, A.E.

1993-01-01

Combining Delsarte's (1973) linear programming bound with the information that certain weights cannot occur, new upper bounds for dmin (n,k), the maximum possible minimum distance of a binary linear code with given word length n and dimension k, are derived.

Effects of socioeconomic position and social mobility on linear growth from early childhood until adolescence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Paula Muraro

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Objective: To assess the effect of socioeconomic position (SEP in childhood and social mobility on linear growth through adolescence in a population-based cohort. Methods: Children born in Cuiabá-MT, central-western Brazil, were evaluated during 1994 - 1999. They were first assessed during 1999 - 2000 (0 - 5 years and again during 2009 - 2011 (10 - 17 years, and their height-for-age was evaluated during these two periods.Awealth index was used to classify the SEP of each child’s family as low, medium, or high. Social mobility was categorized as upward mobility or no upward mobility. Linear mixed models were used. Results: We evaluated 1,716 children (71.4% of baseline after 10 years, and 60.6% of the families showed upward mobility, with a higher percentage among the lowest economic classes. A higher height-for-age was also observed among those from families with a high SEP both in childhood (low SEP= -0.35 z-score; high SEP= 0.15 z-score, p < 0.01 and adolescence (low SEP= -0.01 z-score; high SEP= 0.45 z-score, p < 0.01, whereas upward mobility did not affect their linear growth. Conclusion: Expressive social mobility was observed, but SEP in childhood and social mobility did not greatly influence linear growth through childhood in this central-western Brazilian cohort.

The non-linear growth of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Science.gov (United States)

Carlyle, Jack; Hillier, Andrew

2017-09-01

This work examines the effect of the embedded magnetic field strength on the non-linear development of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) (with a field-aligned interface) in an ideal gas close to the incompressible limit in three dimensions. Numerical experiments are conducted in a domain sufficiently large so as to allow the predicted critical modes to develop in a physically realistic manner. The ratio between gravity, which drives the instability in this case (as well as in several of the corresponding observations), and magnetic field strength is taken up to a ratio which accurately reflects that of observed astrophysical plasma, in order to allow comparison between the results of the simulations and the observational data which served as inspiration for this work. This study finds reduced non-linear growth of the rising bubbles of the RTI for stronger magnetic fields, and that this is directly due to the change in magnetic field strength, rather than the indirect effect of altering characteristic length scales with respect to domain size. By examining the growth of the falling spikes, the growth rate appears to be enhanced for the strongest magnetic field strengths, suggesting that rather than affecting the development of the system as a whole, increased magnetic field strengths in fact introduce an asymmetry to the system. Further investigation of this effect also revealed that the greater this asymmetry, the less efficiently the gravitational energy is released. By better understanding the under-studied regime of such a major phenomenon in astrophysics, deeper explanations for observations may be sought, and this work illustrates that the strength of magnetic fields in astrophysical plasmas influences observed RTI in subtle and complex ways.

Describing Growth Pattern of Bali Cows Using Non-linear Regression Models

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Mohd. Hafiz A.W

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the best fit non-linear regression model to describe the growth pattern of Bali cows. Estimates of asymptotic mature weight, rate of maturing and constant of integration were derived from Brody, von Bertalanffy, Gompertz and Logistic models which were fitted to cross-sectional data of body weight taken from 74 Bali cows raised in MARDI Research Station Muadzam Shah Pahang. Coefficient of determination (R2 and residual mean squares (MSE were used to determine the best fit model in describing the growth pattern of Bali cows. Von Bertalanffy model was the best model among the four growth functions evaluated to determine the mature weight of Bali cattle as shown by the highest R2 and lowest MSE values (0.973 and 601.9, respectively, followed by Gompertz (0.972 and 621.2, respectively, Logistic (0.971 and 648.4, respectively and Brody (0.932 and 660.5, respectively models. The correlation between rate of maturing and mature weight was found to be negative in the range of -0.170 to -0.929 for all models, indicating that animals of heavier mature weight had lower rate of maturing. The use of non-linear model could summarize the weight-age relationship into several biologically interpreted parameters compared to the entire lifespan weight-age data points that are difficult and time consuming to interpret.

Linear spline multilevel models for summarising childhood growth trajectories: A guide to their application using examples from five birth cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Laura D; Tilling, Kate; Matijasevich, Alicia; Petherick, Emily S; Santos, Ana Cristina; Fairley, Lesley; Wright, John; Santos, Iná S; Barros, Aluísio Jd; Martin, Richard M; Kramer, Michael S; Bogdanovich, Natalia; Matush, Lidia; Barros, Henrique; Lawlor, Debbie A

2016-10-01

Childhood growth is of interest in medical research concerned with determinants and consequences of variation from healthy growth and development. Linear spline multilevel modelling is a useful approach for deriving individual summary measures of growth, which overcomes several data issues (co-linearity of repeat measures, the requirement for all individuals to be measured at the same ages and bias due to missing data). Here, we outline the application of this methodology to model individual trajectories of length/height and weight, drawing on examples from five cohorts from different generations and different geographical regions with varying levels of economic development. We describe the unique features of the data within each cohort that have implications for the application of linear spline multilevel models, for example, differences in the density and inter-individual variation in measurement occasions, and multiple sources of measurement with varying measurement error. After providing example Stata syntax and a suggested workflow for the implementation of linear spline multilevel models, we conclude with a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the linear spline approach compared with other growth modelling methods such as fractional polynomials, more complex spline functions and other non-linear models. © The Author(s) 2013.

Linear and Nonlinear Causality between Energy Consumption and Economic Growth: The Case of Mexico 1965–2014

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Mario Gómez

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the causal link between aggregated and disaggregated levels of energy consumption and economic growth in Mexico between 1965 and 2014, with the presence of structural breaks stemming from the series. To that end, unit root with structural breaks, cointegration, and linear and nonlinear causality tests are employed. The results show that there is a long-run relationship between production, capital, labor, and energy, and linear causal links from total and disaggregated energy consumption to economic growth. A nonlinear causality also exists from energy consumption, the transport sector, capital, and labor to output. These results support the growth hypothesis, which maintains that energy is an important input factor for economic activity and that energy conservation policies impact the economic growth in Mexico.

Severe linear growth retardation in rural Zambian children: the influence of biological variables.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hautvast, J.L.A.; Tolboom, J.J.M.; Kaftwembe, E.M.; Musonda, R.M.; Mwanakasale, V.; Staveren, W.A. van; Hof, M.A. van 't; Sauerwein, R.W.; Willems, J.L.; Monnens, L.A.H.

2000-01-01

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of stunting in preschool children in Zambia is high; stunting has detrimental effects on concurrent psychomotor development and later working capacity. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to investigate biological variables that may contribute to linear growth retardation in

Low temperature diamond growth by linear antenna plasma CVD over large area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izak, Tibor; Babchenko, Oleg; Potocky, Stepan; Kromka, Alexander; Varga, Marian

2012-01-01

Recently, there is a great effort to increase the deposition area and decrease the process temperature for diamond growth which will enlarge its applications including use of temperature sensitive substrates. In this work, we report on the large area (20 x 30 cm 2 ) and low temperature (250 C) polycrystalline diamond growth by pulsed linear antenna microwave plasma system. The influence of substrate temperature varied from 250 to 680 C, as controlled by the table heater and/or by microwave power, is studied. It was found that the growth rate, film morphology and diamond to non-diamond phases (sp 3 /sp 2 carbon bonds) are influenced by the growth temperature, as confirmed by SEM and Raman measurements. The surface chemistry and growth processes were studied in terms of activation energies (E a ) calculated from Arrhenius plots. The activation energies of growth processes were very low (1.7 and 7.8 kcal mol -1 ) indicating an energetically favourable growth process from the CO 2 -CH 4 -H 2 gas mixture. In addition, from activation energies two different growth regimes were observed at low and high temperatures, indicating different growth mechanism. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The Relationship between Economic Growth and Money Laundering – a Linear Regression Model

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Daniel Rece

2009-09-01

Full Text Available This study provides an overview of the relationship between economic growth and money laundering modeled by a least squares function. The report analyzes statistically data collected from USA, Russia, Romania and other eleven European countries, rendering a linear regression model. The study illustrates that 23.7% of the total variance in the regressand (level of money laundering is “explained” by the linear regression model. In our opinion, this model will provide critical auxiliary judgment and decision support for anti-money laundering service systems.

Evaluating Non-Linear Regression Models in Analysis of Persian Walnut Fruit Growth

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I. Karamatlou

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Persian walnut (Juglans regia L. is a large, wind-pollinated, monoecious, dichogamous, long lived, perennial tree cultivated for its high quality wood and nuts throughout the temperate regions of the world. Growth model methodology has been widely used in the modeling of plant growth. Mathematical models are important tools to study the plant growth and agricultural systems. These models can be applied for decision-making anddesigning management procedures in horticulture. Through growth analysis, planning for planting systems, fertilization, pruning operations, harvest time as well as obtaining economical yield can be more accessible.Non-linear models are more difficult to specify and estimate than linear models. This research was aimed to studynon-linear regression models based on data obtained from fruit weight, length and width. Selecting the best models which explain that fruit inherent growth pattern of Persian walnut was a further goal of this study. Materials and Methods: The experimental material comprising 14 Persian walnut genotypes propagated by seed collected from a walnut orchard in Golestan province, Minoudasht region, Iran, at latitude 37◦04’N; longitude 55◦32’E; altitude 1060 m, in a silt loam soil type. These genotypes were selected as a representative sampling of the many walnut genotypes available throughout the Northeastern Iran. The age range of walnut trees was 30 to 50 years. The annual mean temperature at the location is16.3◦C, with annual mean rainfall of 690 mm.The data used here is the average of walnut fresh fruit and measured withgram/millimeter/day in2011.According to the data distribution pattern, several equations have been proposed to describesigmoidal growth patterns. Here, we used double-sigmoid and logistic–monomolecular models to evaluate fruit growth based on fruit weight and4different regression models in cluding Richards, Gompertz, Logistic and Exponential growth for evaluation

Markov and semi-Markov switching linear mixed models used to identify forest tree growth components.

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Chaubert-Pereira, Florence; Guédon, Yann; Lavergne, Christian; Trottier, Catherine

2010-09-01

Tree growth is assumed to be mainly the result of three components: (i) an endogenous component assumed to be structured as a succession of roughly stationary phases separated by marked change points that are asynchronous among individuals, (ii) a time-varying environmental component assumed to take the form of synchronous fluctuations among individuals, and (iii) an individual component corresponding mainly to the local environment of each tree. To identify and characterize these three components, we propose to use semi-Markov switching linear mixed models, i.e., models that combine linear mixed models in a semi-Markovian manner. The underlying semi-Markov chain represents the succession of growth phases and their lengths (endogenous component) whereas the linear mixed models attached to each state of the underlying semi-Markov chain represent-in the corresponding growth phase-both the influence of time-varying climatic covariates (environmental component) as fixed effects, and interindividual heterogeneity (individual component) as random effects. In this article, we address the estimation of Markov and semi-Markov switching linear mixed models in a general framework. We propose a Monte Carlo expectation-maximization like algorithm whose iterations decompose into three steps: (i) sampling of state sequences given random effects, (ii) prediction of random effects given state sequences, and (iii) maximization. The proposed statistical modeling approach is illustrated by the analysis of successive annual shoots along Corsican pine trunks influenced by climatic covariates. © 2009, The International Biometric Society.

Filter Selection for Optimizing the Spectral Sensitivity of Broadband Multispectral Cameras Based on Maximum Linear Independence.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Sui-Xian

2018-05-07

Previous research has shown that the effectiveness of selecting filter sets from among a large set of commercial broadband filters by a vector analysis method based on maximum linear independence (MLI). However, the traditional MLI approach is suboptimal due to the need to predefine the first filter of the selected filter set to be the maximum ℓ₂ norm among all available filters. An exhaustive imaging simulation with every single filter serving as the first filter is conducted to investigate the features of the most competent filter set. From the simulation, the characteristics of the most competent filter set are discovered. Besides minimization of the condition number, the geometric features of the best-performed filter set comprise a distinct transmittance peak along the wavelength axis of the first filter, a generally uniform distribution for the peaks of the filters and substantial overlaps of the transmittance curves of the adjacent filters. Therefore, the best-performed filter sets can be recognized intuitively by simple vector analysis and just a few experimental verifications. A practical two-step framework for selecting optimal filter set is recommended, which guarantees a significant enhancement of the performance of the systems. This work should be useful for optimizing the spectral sensitivity of broadband multispectral imaging sensors.

Filter Selection for Optimizing the Spectral Sensitivity of Broadband Multispectral Cameras Based on Maximum Linear Independence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sui-Xian Li

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Previous research has shown that the effectiveness of selecting filter sets from among a large set of commercial broadband filters by a vector analysis method based on maximum linear independence (MLI. However, the traditional MLI approach is suboptimal due to the need to predefine the first filter of the selected filter set to be the maximum ℓ2 norm among all available filters. An exhaustive imaging simulation with every single filter serving as the first filter is conducted to investigate the features of the most competent filter set. From the simulation, the characteristics of the most competent filter set are discovered. Besides minimization of the condition number, the geometric features of the best-performed filter set comprise a distinct transmittance peak along the wavelength axis of the first filter, a generally uniform distribution for the peaks of the filters and substantial overlaps of the transmittance curves of the adjacent filters. Therefore, the best-performed filter sets can be recognized intuitively by simple vector analysis and just a few experimental verifications. A practical two-step framework for selecting optimal filter set is recommended, which guarantees a significant enhancement of the performance of the systems. This work should be useful for optimizing the spectral sensitivity of broadband multispectral imaging sensors.

Accretion of fat-free mass rather than fat mass in infancy is positively associated with linear growth in childhood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Admassu Wossen, Bitiya; Ritz, Christian; Wells, Jonathan C K

2018-01-01

Background: We have previously shown that fat-free mass (FFM) at birth is associated with height at 2 y of age in Ethiopian children. However, to our knowledge, the relation between changes in body composition during early infancy and later linear growth has not been studied. Objective: This study...... examined the associations of early infancy fat mass (FM) and FFM accretion with linear growth from 1 to 5 y of age in Ethiopian children. Methods: In the infant Anthropometry and Body Composition (iABC) study, a prospective cohort study was carried out in children in Jimma, Ethiopia, followed from birth...... to 5 y of age. FM and FFM were measured ≤6 times from birth to 6 mo by using air-displacement plethysmography. Linear mixed-effects models were used to identify associations between standardized FM and FFM accretion rates during early infancy and linear growth from 1 to 5 y of age. Standardized...

Untangling the causal relationship between tax burden distribution and economic growth in 23 OECD countries: Fresh evidence from linear and non-linear Granger causality

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Sami Saafi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to investigate the linear and nonlinear causality between a set of alternative tax burden ratios and economic growth in 23 OECD countries. To that end, the linear causality approach of Toda– Yamamoto (1995 and the nonparametric causality method of Kyrtsou and Labys (2006 are applied to annual data spanning from 1970 to 2014. Results obtained from the nonlinear causality test tend to reject the neutrality hypothesis for the tax structure–growth relationship in 19 of the 23 OECD countries. In the majority of the countries under investigation, the evidence is in line with the growth hypothesis where causality running from economic growth to tax burden ratios was detected in Australia, Denmark, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, and Norway. The opposite causality running from tax structure to economic growth was found in Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden. In contrast, the neutrality hypothesis was supported in Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, and the USA, whereas the feedback hypothesis was supported in Turkey and the UK. Additional robustness checks show that when the signs of variations are taken into account, there is an asymmetric causality running from positive tax burden shocks to positive per capita GDP shocks for Belgium, France, and Turkey. Overall, our findings suggest that policy implications of the tax structure-economic growth relationships should be interpreted with caution, taking into account the test-dependent and country-specific results.

Kinetics of nickel silicide growth in silicon nanowires: From linear to square root growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaish, Y. E.; Beregovsky, M.; Katsman, A.; Cohen, G. M.

2011-01-01

The common practice for nickel silicide formation in silicon nanowires (SiNWs) relies on axial growth of silicide along the wire that is initiated from nickel reservoirs at the source and drain contacts. In the present work the silicide intrusions were studied for various parameters including wire diameter (25-50 nm), annealing time (15-120 s), annealing temperature (300-440 deg. C), and the quality of the initial Ni/Si interface. The silicide formation was investigated by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy. The main part of the intrusion formed at 420 deg. C consists of monosilicide NiSi, as was confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy STEM, selected area diffraction TEM, and electrical resistance measurements of fully silicided SiNWs. The kinetics of nickel silicide axial growth in the SiNWs was analyzed in the framework of a diffusion model through constrictions. The model calculates the time dependence of the intrusion length, L, and predicts crossover from linear to square root time dependency for different wire parameters, as confirmed by the experimental data.

Linear growth patterns in small for gestational age and preterm infants after zinc supplementation

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Caecilia Nancy Setiawan

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background Low birth weight (LBW infants are at risk for growth disturbances due to intrauterine zinc deficiency. Zinc supplementation is expected to improve the linear growth of LBW babies. Objective To assess the effect of zinc supplementation on linear growth in preterm and small for gestational age (SGA infants. Methods This quasi-experimental study had a pre- and post-test design. Subjects were LBW infants hospitalized in Kariadi Hospital during March-December 2011, consisted of SGA and preterm neonates. All subjects were given 5 mg of zinc syrup daily for 3 months. Subjects’ head circumference, weight, and length were measured monthly. Serum zinc levels were measured before and after supplementation. Data were analyzed with Chi-square test, independent T-test, and general linear model repeated measure. Results A total of 61 subjects were enrolled consisted of 31 preterm and 30 SGA neonates. Mean serum zinc levels in the preterm group were 168.2 (SD 54.5 μg/dL pre-supplementation and 163.6 (SD 50.7 μg/dL post-supplementation (P=0.049, while mean serum zinc levels in the SGA group were 174.8 (SD 46.6 μg/dL pre-supplementation and 167.4 (SD 49.4 μg/dL post-supplementation (P=0.271. Median percentage preterm weight and length increased from 87.3 to 102.4% in the third month (P<0.001 and from 95.8 to 103.9% in the third month (P<0.001, respectively. Median percentage SGA weight and length increased from 73.5 to 98.3% in the third month (P<0.001 and from 94.5 to 102.2% in the third month (P<0.001, respectively. Conclusion Both, the preterm and SGA infants exhibit catch-up growth after three months of zinc supplementation. [

Effects of socioeconomic position and social mobility on linear growth from early childhood until adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Muraro, Ana Paula; Souza, Rita Adriana Gomes de; Rodrigues, Paulo Rogério Melo; Ferreira, Márcia Gonçalves; Sichieri, Rosely

2017-01-01

To assess the effect of socioeconomic position (SEP) in childhood and social mobility on linear growth through adolescence in a population-based cohort. Children born in Cuiabá-MT, central-western Brazil, were evaluated during 1994 - 1999. They were first assessed during 1999 - 2000 (0 - 5 years) and again during 2009 - 2011 (10 - 17 years), and their height-for-age was evaluated during these two periods.Awealth index was used to classify the SEP of each child's family as low, medium, or high. Social mobility was categorized as upward mobility or no upward mobility. Linear mixed models were used. We evaluated 1,716 children (71.4% of baseline) after 10 years, and 60.6% of the families showed upward mobility, with a higher percentage among the lowest economic classes. A higher height-for-age was also observed among those from families with a high SEP both in childhood (low SEP= -0.35 z-score; high SEP= 0.15 z-score, p childhood and social mobility did not greatly influence linear growth through childhood in this central-western Brazilian cohort.

Periosteal PTHrP regulates cortical bone modeling during linear growth in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meina; VanHouten, Joshua N; Nasiri, Ali R; Tommasini, Steven M; Broadus, Arthur E

2014-07-01

The modeling of long bone surfaces during linear growth is a key developmental process, but its regulation is poorly understood. We report here that parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) expressed in the fibrous layer of the periosteum (PO) drives the osteoclastic (OC) resorption that models the metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction (MDJ) in the proximal tibia and fibula during linear growth. PTHrP was conditionally deleted (cKO) in the PO via Scleraxis gene targeting (Scx-Cre). In the lateral tibia, cKO of PTHrP led to a failure of modeling, such that the normal concave MDJ was replaced by a mound-like deformity. This was accompanied by a failure to induce receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL) and a 75% reduction in OC number (P ≤ 0.001) on the cortical surface. The MDJ also displayed a curious threefold increase in endocortical osteoblast mineral apposition rate (P ≤ 0.001) and a thickened cortex, suggesting some form of coupling of endocortical bone formation to events on the PO surface. Because it fuses distally, the fibula is modeled only proximally and does so at an extraordinary rate, with an anteromedial cortex in CD-1 mice that was so moth-eaten that a clear PO surface could not be identified. The cKO fibula displayed a remarkable phenotype, with a misshapen club-like metaphysis and an enlargement in the 3D size of the entire bone, manifest as a 40-45% increase in the PO circumference at the MDJ (P ≤ 0.001) as well as the mid-diaphysis (P ≤ 0.001). These tibial and fibular phenotypes were reproduced in a Scx-Cre-driven RANKL cKO mouse. We conclude that PTHrP in the fibrous PO mediates the modeling of the MDJ of long bones during linear growth, and that in a highly susceptible system such as the fibula this surface modeling defines the size and shape of the entire bone. © 2014 Anatomical Society.

Newborn length predicts early infant linear growth retardation and disproportionately high weight gain in a low-income population.

Science.gov (United States)

Berngard, Samuel Clark; Berngard, Jennifer Bishop; Krebs, Nancy F; Garcés, Ana; Miller, Leland V; Westcott, Jamie; Wright, Linda L; Kindem, Mark; Hambidge, K Michael

2013-12-01

Stunting is prevalent by the age of 6 months in the indigenous population of the Western Highlands of Guatemala. The objective of this study was to determine the time course and predictors of linear growth failure and weight-for-age in early infancy. One hundred and forty eight term newborns had measurements of length and weight in their homes, repeated at 3 and 6 months. Maternal measurements were also obtained. Mean ± SD length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) declined from newborn -1.0 ± 1.01 to -2.20 ± 1.05 and -2.26 ± 1.01 at 3 and 6 months respectively. Stunting rates for newborn, 3 and 6 months were 47%, 53% and 56% respectively. A multiple regression model (R(2) = 0.64) demonstrated that the major predictor of LAZ at 3 months was newborn LAZ with the other predictors being newborn weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ), gender and maternal education∗maternal age interaction. Because WAZ remained essentially constant and LAZ declined during the same period, weight-for-length Z-score (WLZ) increased from -0.44 to +1.28 from birth to 3 months. The more severe the linear growth failure, the greater WAZ was in proportion to the LAZ. The primary conclusion is that impaired fetal linear growth is the major predictor of early infant linear growth failure indicating that prevention needs to start with maternal interventions. © 2013.

Linear growth and child development in low- and middle-income countries: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sudfeld, Christopher R; McCoy, Dana Charles; Danaei, Goodarz; Fink, Günther; Ezzati, Majid; Andrews, Kathryn G; Fawzi, Wafaie W

2015-05-01

The initial years of life are critical for physical growth and broader cognitive, motor, and socioemotional development, but the magnitude of the link between these processes remains unclear. Our objective was to produce quantitative estimates of the cross-sectional and prospective association of height-for-age z score (HAZ) with child development. Observational studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) presenting data on the relationship of linear growth with any measure of child development among children children ≤ 2 years old was +0.24 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14-0.33; I(2) = 53%) and +0.09 for children > 2 years old (95% CI, 0.05-0.12; I(2) = 78%). Prospectively, each unit increase in HAZ for children ≤ 2 years old was associated with a +0.22-SD increase in cognition at 5 to 11 years after multivariate adjustment (95% CI, 0.17-0.27; I(2) = 0%). HAZ was also significantly associated with earlier walking age and better motor scores (P development. Effective interventions that reduce linear growth restriction may improve developmental outcomes; however, integration with environmental, educational, and stimulation interventions may produce larger positive effects. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Climate-simulated raceway pond culturing: quantifying the maximum achievable annual biomass productivity of Chlorella sorokiniana in the contiguous USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huesemann, M.; Chavis, A.; Edmundson, S.; Rye, D.; Hobbs, S.; Sun, N.; Wigmosta, M.

2017-09-13

Chlorella sorokiniana (DOE 1412) emerged as one of the most promising microalgae strains from the NAABB consortium project, with a remarkable doubling time under optimal conditions of 2.57 hr-1. However, its maximum achievable annual biomass productivity in outdoor ponds in the contiguous United States remained unknown. In order to address this knowledge gap, this alga was cultured in indoor LED-lighted and temperature-controlled raceways in nutrient replete freshwater (BG-11) medium at pH 7 under conditions simulating the daily sunlight intensity and water temperature fluctuations during three seasons in Southern Florida, an optimal outdoor pond culture location for this organism identified by biomass growth modeling. Prior strain characterization indicated that the average maximum specific growth rate (µmax) at 36 ºC declined continuously with pH, with µmax corresponding to 5.92, 5.83, 4.89, and 4.21 day-1 at pH 6, 7, 8, and 9, respectively. In addition, the maximum specific growth rate declined nearly linearly with increasing salinity until no growth was observed above 35 g/L NaCl. In the climate-simulated culturing studies, the volumetric ash-free dry weight-based biomass productivities during the linear growth phase were 57, 69, and 97 mg/L-day for 30-year average light and temperature simulations for January (winter), March (spring), and July (summer), respectively, which corresponds to average areal productivities of 11.6, 14.1, and 19.9 g/m2-day at a constant pond depth of 20.5 cm. The photosynthetic efficiencies (PAR) in the three climate-simulated pond culturing experiments ranged from 4.1 to 5.1%. The annual biomass productivity was estimated as ca. 15 g/m2-day, nearly double the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 2015 State of Technology annual cultivation productivity of 8.5 g/m2-day, but this is still significantly below the projected 2022 target of ca. 25 g/m2-day (U.S. DOE, 2016) for economic microalgal biofuel production, indicating the need for

Investigation of various growth mechanisms of solid tumour growth within the linear-quadratic model for radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McAneney, H; O'Rourke, S F C

2007-01-01

The standard linear-quadratic survival model for radiotherapy is used to investigate different schedules of radiation treatment planning to study how these may be affected by different tumour repopulation kinetics between treatments. The laws for tumour cell repopulation include the logistic and Gompertz models and this extends the work of Wheldon et al (1977 Br. J. Radiol. 50 681), which was concerned with the case of exponential re-growth between treatments. Here we also consider the restricted exponential model. This has been successfully used by Panetta and Adam (1995 Math. Comput. Modelling 22 67) in the case of chemotherapy treatment planning.Treatment schedules investigated include standard fractionation of daily treatments, weekday treatments, accelerated fractionation, optimized uniform schedules and variation of the dosage and α/β ratio, where α and β are radiobiological parameters for the tumour tissue concerned. Parameters for these treatment strategies are extracted from the literature on advanced head and neck cancer, prostate cancer, as well as radiosensitive parameters. Standardized treatment protocols are also considered. Calculations based on the present analysis indicate that even with growth laws scaled to mimic initial growth, such that growth mechanisms are comparable, variation in survival fraction to orders of magnitude emerged. Calculations show that the logistic and exponential models yield similar results in tumour eradication. By comparison the Gompertz model calculations indicate that tumours described by this law result in a significantly poorer prognosis for tumour eradication than either the exponential or logistic models. The present study also shows that the faster the tumour growth rate and the higher the repair capacity of the cell line, the greater the variation in outcome of the survival fraction. Gaps in treatment, planned or unplanned, also accentuate the differences of the survival fraction given alternative growth

Linear analysis on the growth of non-spherical perturbations in supersonic accretion flows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takahashi, Kazuya; Yamada, Shoichi, E-mail: ktakahashi@heap.phys.waseda.ac.jp [Advanced Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku 169-8555 (Japan)

2014-10-20

We analyzed the growth of non-spherical perturbations in supersonic accretion flows. We have in mind an application to the post-bounce phase of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe). Such non-spherical perturbations have been suggested by a series of papers by Arnett, who has numerically investigated violent convections in the outer layers of pre-collapse stars. Moreover, Couch and Ott demonstrated in their numerical simulations that such perturbations may lead to a successful supernova even for a progenitor that fails to explode without fluctuations. This study investigated the linear growth of perturbations during the infall onto a stalled shock wave. The linearized equations are solved as an initial and boundary value problem with the use of a Laplace transform. The background is a Bondi accretion flow whose parameters are chosen to mimic the 15 M {sub ☉} progenitor model by Woosley and Heger, which is supposed to be a typical progenitor of CCSNe. We found that the perturbations that are given at a large radius grow as they flow down to the shock radius; the density perturbations can be amplified by a factor of 30, for example. We analytically show that the growth rate is proportional to l, the index of the spherical harmonics. We also found that the perturbations oscillate in time with frequencies that are similar to those of the standing accretion shock instability. This may have an implication for shock revival in CCSNe, which will be investigated in our forthcoming paper in more detail.

Rate-Independent Processes with Linear Growth Energies and Time-Dependent Boundary Conditions

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kružík, Martin; Zimmer, J.

2012-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 3 (2012), s. 591-604 ISSN 1937-1632 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100750802 Grant - others:GA ČR(CZ) GAP201/10/0357 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : concentrations * oscillations * time - dependent boundary conditions * rate-independent evolution Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2011/MTR/kruzik-rate-independent processes with linear growth energies and time - dependent boundary conditions.pdf

Linear Growth and Fat and Lean Tissue Gain during Childhood: Associations with Cardiometabolic and Cognitive Outcomes in Adolescent Indian Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnaveni, Ghattu V; Veena, Sargoor R; Srinivasan, Krishnamachari; Osmond, Clive; Fall, Caroline H D

2015-01-01

We aimed to determine how linear growth and fat and lean tissue gain during discrete age periods from birth to adolescence are related to adolescent cardiometabolic risk factors and cognitive ability. Adolescents born to mothers with normal glucose tolerance during pregnancy from an Indian birth cohort (N = 486, age 13.5 years) had detailed anthropometry and measurements of body fat (fat%), fasting plasma glucose, insulin and lipid concentrations, blood pressure and cognitive function. Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. These outcomes were examined in relation to birth measurements and statistically independent measures (conditional SD scores) representing linear growth, and fat and lean tissue gain during birth-1, 1-2, 2-5, 5-9.5 and 9.5-13.5 years in 414 of the children with measurements at all these ages. Birth length and linear growth at all ages were positively associated with current height. Fat gain, particularly during 5-9.5 years was positively associated with fat% at 13.5 years (0.44 SD per SD [99.9% confidence interval: 0.29,0.58]). Greater fat gain during mid-late childhood was associated with higher systolic blood pressure (5-9.5 years: 0.23 SD per SD [0.07,0.40]) and HOMA-IR (5-9.5 years: 0.24 [0.08,0.40], 9.5-13.5 years: 0.22 [0.06,0.38]). Greater infant growth (up to age 2 years) in linear, fat or lean components was unrelated to cardiometabolic risk factors or cognitive function. This study suggests that factors that increase linear, fat and lean growth in infancy have no adverse cardiometabolic effects in this population. Factors that increase fat gain in mid-late childhood may increase cardiometabolic risk, without any benefit to cognitive abilities.

Linear Growth and Fat and Lean Tissue Gain during Childhood: Associations with Cardiometabolic and Cognitive Outcomes in Adolescent Indian Children.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghattu V Krishnaveni

Full Text Available We aimed to determine how linear growth and fat and lean tissue gain during discrete age periods from birth to adolescence are related to adolescent cardiometabolic risk factors and cognitive ability.Adolescents born to mothers with normal glucose tolerance during pregnancy from an Indian birth cohort (N = 486, age 13.5 years had detailed anthropometry and measurements of body fat (fat%, fasting plasma glucose, insulin and lipid concentrations, blood pressure and cognitive function. Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR was calculated. These outcomes were examined in relation to birth measurements and statistically independent measures (conditional SD scores representing linear growth, and fat and lean tissue gain during birth-1, 1-2, 2-5, 5-9.5 and 9.5-13.5 years in 414 of the children with measurements at all these ages.Birth length and linear growth at all ages were positively associated with current height. Fat gain, particularly during 5-9.5 years was positively associated with fat% at 13.5 years (0.44 SD per SD [99.9% confidence interval: 0.29,0.58]. Greater fat gain during mid-late childhood was associated with higher systolic blood pressure (5-9.5 years: 0.23 SD per SD [0.07,0.40] and HOMA-IR (5-9.5 years: 0.24 [0.08,0.40], 9.5-13.5 years: 0.22 [0.06,0.38]. Greater infant growth (up to age 2 years in linear, fat or lean components was unrelated to cardiometabolic risk factors or cognitive function.This study suggests that factors that increase linear, fat and lean growth in infancy have no adverse cardiometabolic effects in this population. Factors that increase fat gain in mid-late childhood may increase cardiometabolic risk, without any benefit to cognitive abilities.

Efficiency of autonomous soft nanomachines at maximum power.

Science.gov (United States)

Seifert, Udo

2011-01-14

We consider nanosized artificial or biological machines working in steady state enforced by imposing nonequilibrium concentrations of solutes or by applying external forces, torques, or electric fields. For unicyclic and strongly coupled multicyclic machines, efficiency at maximum power is not bounded by the linear response value 1/2. For strong driving, it can even approach the thermodynamic limit 1. Quite generally, such machines fall into three different classes characterized, respectively, as "strong and efficient," "strong and inefficient," and "balanced." For weakly coupled multicyclic machines, efficiency at maximum power has lost any universality even in the linear response regime.

Direct reconstruction of the source intensity distribution of a clinical linear accelerator using a maximum likelihood expectation maximization algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Papaconstadopoulos, P; Levesque, I R; Maglieri, R; Seuntjens, J

2016-02-07

Direct determination of the source intensity distribution of clinical linear accelerators is still a challenging problem for small field beam modeling. Current techniques most often involve special equipment and are difficult to implement in the clinic. In this work we present a maximum-likelihood expectation-maximization (MLEM) approach to the source reconstruction problem utilizing small fields and a simple experimental set-up. The MLEM algorithm iteratively ray-traces photons from the source plane to the exit plane and extracts corrections based on photon fluence profile measurements. The photon fluence profiles were determined by dose profile film measurements in air using a high density thin foil as build-up material and an appropriate point spread function (PSF). The effect of other beam parameters and scatter sources was minimized by using the smallest field size ([Formula: see text] cm(2)). The source occlusion effect was reproduced by estimating the position of the collimating jaws during this process. The method was first benchmarked against simulations for a range of typical accelerator source sizes. The sources were reconstructed with an accuracy better than 0.12 mm in the full width at half maximum (FWHM) to the respective electron sources incident on the target. The estimated jaw positions agreed within 0.2 mm with the expected values. The reconstruction technique was also tested against measurements on a Varian Novalis Tx linear accelerator and compared to a previously commissioned Monte Carlo model. The reconstructed FWHM of the source agreed within 0.03 mm and 0.11 mm to the commissioned electron source in the crossplane and inplane orientations respectively. The impact of the jaw positioning, experimental and PSF uncertainties on the reconstructed source distribution was evaluated with the former presenting the dominant effect.

Transversals and independence in linear hypergraphs with maximum degree two

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henning, Michael A.; Yeo, Anders

2017-01-01

, k-uniform hypergraphs with maximum degree 2. It is known [European J. Combin. 36 (2014), 231–236] that if H ∈ Hk, then (k + 1)τ (H) 6 ≤ n + m, and there are only two hypergraphs that achieve equality in the bound. In this paper, we prove a much more powerful result, and establish tight upper bounds...

Calculations of shape and stability of menisci in Czochralski growth with tables to determine meniscus heights, maximum heights and capillary constants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uelhoff, W.; Mika, K.

1975-05-01

The shape and stability of menisci occurring during Czochralski growth have been studied by means of numerical methods for the case of the free surface. The existence of minimal joining angles is shown, beyond which the growing crystal will separate from the melt. The dependence of the interface height on the joining angle for different crystal diameters was calculated. The maximum stable heights and the corresponding joining angles were determined as a function of crystal diameter. A method for measuring the capillary constant of the melt during Czochralski growth is proposed. The results are compared with known analytical approximations. Limitations of the applications caused by a finite crucible radius or low g values are pointed out. For practical use the following functions have been tabulated: 1) meniscus height in dependence on joining angle and crystal radius, 2) the radius-height-ratio in dependence on radius and angle for the calculation of the capillary constant, 3) the maximum stable height and the corresponding growth angle as a function of crystal radius. (orig.) [de

Maximum error-bounded Piecewise Linear Representation for online stream approximation

KAUST Repository

Xie, Qing; Pang, Chaoyi; Zhou, Xiaofang; Zhang, Xiangliang; Deng, Ke

2014-01-01

Given a time series data stream, the generation of error-bounded Piecewise Linear Representation (error-bounded PLR) is to construct a number of consecutive line segments to approximate the stream, such that the approximation error does not exceed a prescribed error bound. In this work, we consider the error bound in L∞ norm as approximation criterion, which constrains the approximation error on each corresponding data point, and aim on designing algorithms to generate the minimal number of segments. In the literature, the optimal approximation algorithms are effectively designed based on transformed space other than time-value space, while desirable optimal solutions based on original time domain (i.e., time-value space) are still lacked. In this article, we proposed two linear-time algorithms to construct error-bounded PLR for data stream based on time domain, which are named OptimalPLR and GreedyPLR, respectively. The OptimalPLR is an optimal algorithm that generates minimal number of line segments for the stream approximation, and the GreedyPLR is an alternative solution for the requirements of high efficiency and resource-constrained environment. In order to evaluate the superiority of OptimalPLR, we theoretically analyzed and compared OptimalPLR with the state-of-art optimal solution in transformed space, which also achieves linear complexity. We successfully proved the theoretical equivalence between time-value space and such transformed space, and also discovered the superiority of OptimalPLR on processing efficiency in practice. The extensive results of empirical evaluation support and demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed algorithms.

Maximum error-bounded Piecewise Linear Representation for online stream approximation

KAUST Repository

Xie, Qing

2014-04-04

Given a time series data stream, the generation of error-bounded Piecewise Linear Representation (error-bounded PLR) is to construct a number of consecutive line segments to approximate the stream, such that the approximation error does not exceed a prescribed error bound. In this work, we consider the error bound in L∞ norm as approximation criterion, which constrains the approximation error on each corresponding data point, and aim on designing algorithms to generate the minimal number of segments. In the literature, the optimal approximation algorithms are effectively designed based on transformed space other than time-value space, while desirable optimal solutions based on original time domain (i.e., time-value space) are still lacked. In this article, we proposed two linear-time algorithms to construct error-bounded PLR for data stream based on time domain, which are named OptimalPLR and GreedyPLR, respectively. The OptimalPLR is an optimal algorithm that generates minimal number of line segments for the stream approximation, and the GreedyPLR is an alternative solution for the requirements of high efficiency and resource-constrained environment. In order to evaluate the superiority of OptimalPLR, we theoretically analyzed and compared OptimalPLR with the state-of-art optimal solution in transformed space, which also achieves linear complexity. We successfully proved the theoretical equivalence between time-value space and such transformed space, and also discovered the superiority of OptimalPLR on processing efficiency in practice. The extensive results of empirical evaluation support and demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed algorithms.

Microscopic model for the non-linear fluctuating hydrodynamic of 4 He superfluid helium deduced by maximum entropy method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarez R, J.T.

1998-01-01

This thesis presents a microscopic model for the non-linear fluctuating hydrodynamic of superfluid helium ( 4 He), model developed by means of the Maximum Entropy Method (Maxent). In the chapter 1, it is demonstrated the necessity to developing a microscopic model for the fluctuating hydrodynamic of the superfluid helium, starting from to show a brief overview of the theories and experiments developed in order to explain the behavior of the superfluid helium. On the other hand, it is presented the Morozov heuristic method for the construction of the non-linear hydrodynamic fluctuating of simple fluid. Method that will be generalized for the construction of the non-linear fluctuating hydrodynamic of the superfluid helium. Besides, it is presented a brief summary of the content of the thesis. In the chapter 2, it is reproduced the construction of a Generalized Fokker-Planck equation, (GFP), for a distribution function associated with the coarse grained variables. Function defined with aid of a nonequilibrium statistical operator ρhut FP that is evaluated as Wigneris function through ρ CG obtained by Maxent. Later this equation of GFP is reduced to a non-linear local FP equation from considering a slow and Markov process in the coarse grained variables. In this equation appears a matrix D mn defined with a nonequilibrium coarse grained statistical operator ρhut CG , matrix elements are used in the construction of the non-linear fluctuating hydrodynamics equations of the superfluid helium. In the chapter 3, the Lagrange multipliers are evaluated for to determine ρhut CG by means of the local equilibrium statistical operator ρhut l -tilde with the hypothesis that the system presents small fluctuations. Also are determined the currents associated with the coarse grained variables and furthermore are evaluated the matrix elements D mn but with aid of a quasi equilibrium statistical operator ρhut qe instead of the local equilibrium operator ρhut l -tilde. Matrix

Linear and nonlinear causality between sectoral electricity consumption and economic growth: Evidence from Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Cheng-Lang; Lin, Hung-Pin; Chang, Chih-Heng

2010-01-01

This study investigates the linear and nonlinear causality between the total electricity consumption (TEC) and real gross domestic production (RGDP). Unlike previous literature, we solve the undetermined relation between RGDP and electricity consumption by classifying TEC into industrial sector consumption (ISC) and residential sector consumption (RSC) as well as investigating how TEC, ISC, and RSC influence Taiwan's RGDP. By using the Granger's linear causality test, it is shown that (i) there is a bidirectional causality among TEC, ISC, and RGDP, but a neutrality between RSC and RGDP with regard to the linear causality and (ii) there is still a bidirectional causality between TEC and RGDP, but a unidirectional causality between RSC and RGDP with regard to the nonlinear causality. On the basis of (i) and (ii), we suggest that the electricity policy formulators loosen the restriction on ISC and limit RSC in order to achieve the goal of economic growth.

A note on the relationships between multiple imputation, maximum likelihood and fully Bayesian methods for missing responses in linear regression models.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qingxia; Ibrahim, Joseph G

2014-07-01

Multiple Imputation, Maximum Likelihood and Fully Bayesian methods are the three most commonly used model-based approaches in missing data problems. Although it is easy to show that when the responses are missing at random (MAR), the complete case analysis is unbiased and efficient, the aforementioned methods are still commonly used in practice for this setting. To examine the performance of and relationships between these three methods in this setting, we derive and investigate small sample and asymptotic expressions of the estimates and standard errors, and fully examine how these estimates are related for the three approaches in the linear regression model when the responses are MAR. We show that when the responses are MAR in the linear model, the estimates of the regression coefficients using these three methods are asymptotically equivalent to the complete case estimates under general conditions. One simulation and a real data set from a liver cancer clinical trial are given to compare the properties of these methods when the responses are MAR.

Optimal Growth in Hypersonic Boundary Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, Pedro; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei; Chang, Chau-Lyan

2016-01-01

The linear form of the parabolized linear stability equations is used in a variational approach to extend the previous body of results for the optimal, nonmodal disturbance growth in boundary-layer flows. This paper investigates the optimal growth characteristics in the hypersonic Mach number regime without any high-enthalpy effects. The influence of wall cooling is studied, with particular emphasis on the role of the initial disturbance location and the value of the spanwise wave number that leads to the maximum energy growth up to a specified location. Unlike previous predictions that used a basic state obtained from a self-similar solution to the boundary-layer equations, mean flow solutions based on the full Navier-Stokes equations are used in select cases to help account for the viscous- inviscid interaction near the leading edge of the plate and for the weak shock wave emanating from that region. Using the full Navier-Stokes mean flow is shown to result in further reduction with Mach number in the magnitude of optimal growth relative to the predictions based on the self-similar approximation to the base flow.

Mathematical modeling of the crack growth in linear elastic isotropic materials by conventional fracture mechanics approaches and by molecular dynamics method: crack propagation direction angle under mixed mode loading

Science.gov (United States)

Stepanova, Larisa; Bronnikov, Sergej

2018-03-01

The crack growth directional angles in the isotropic linear elastic plane with the central crack under mixed-mode loading conditions for the full range of the mixity parameter are found. Two fracture criteria of traditional linear fracture mechanics (maximum tangential stress and minimum strain energy density criteria) are used. Atomistic simulations of the central crack growth process in an infinite plane medium under mixed-mode loading using Large-scale Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS), a classical molecular dynamics code, are performed. The inter-atomic potential used in this investigation is Embedded Atom Method (EAM) potential. The plane specimens with initial central crack were subjected to Mixed-Mode loadings. The simulation cell contains 400000 atoms. The crack propagation direction angles under different values of the mixity parameter in a wide range of values from pure tensile loading to pure shear loading in a wide diapason of temperatures (from 0.1 К to 800 К) are obtained and analyzed. It is shown that the crack propagation direction angles obtained by molecular dynamics method coincide with the crack propagation direction angles given by the multi-parameter fracture criteria based on the strain energy density and the multi-parameter description of the crack-tip fields.

Maximum-likelihood model averaging to profile clustering of site types across discrete linear sequences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Zhang

2009-06-01

Full Text Available A major analytical challenge in computational biology is the detection and description of clusters of specified site types, such as polymorphic or substituted sites within DNA or protein sequences. Progress has been stymied by a lack of suitable methods to detect clusters and to estimate the extent of clustering in discrete linear sequences, particularly when there is no a priori specification of cluster size or cluster count. Here we derive and demonstrate a maximum likelihood method of hierarchical clustering. Our method incorporates a tripartite divide-and-conquer strategy that models sequence heterogeneity, delineates clusters, and yields a profile of the level of clustering associated with each site. The clustering model may be evaluated via model selection using the Akaike Information Criterion, the corrected Akaike Information Criterion, and the Bayesian Information Criterion. Furthermore, model averaging using weighted model likelihoods may be applied to incorporate model uncertainty into the profile of heterogeneity across sites. We evaluated our method by examining its performance on a number of simulated datasets as well as on empirical polymorphism data from diverse natural alleles of the Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase gene. Our method yielded greater power for the detection of clustered sites across a breadth of parameter ranges, and achieved better accuracy and precision of estimation of clusters, than did the existing empirical cumulative distribution function statistics.

Identification of an Equivalent Linear Model for a Non-Linear Time-Variant RC-Structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkegaard, Poul Henning; Andersen, P.; Brincker, Rune

are investigated and compared with ARMAX models used on a running window. The techniques are evaluated using simulated data generated by the non-linear finite element program SARCOF modeling a 10-storey 3-bay concrete structure subjected to amplitude modulated Gaussian white noise filtered through a Kanai......This paper considers estimation of the maximum softening for a RC-structure subjected to earthquake excitation. The so-called Maximum Softening damage indicator relates the global damage state of the RC-structure to the relative decrease of the fundamental eigenfrequency in an equivalent linear...

The effect of non-uniform mass loading on the linear, temporal development of particle-laden shear layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Senatore, Giacomo [Department of Aerospace Engineering, Universita di Pisa, Pisa 56122 (Italy); Davis, Sean; Jacobs, Gustaaf, E-mail: gjacobs@mail.sdsu.edu [Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, San Diego State University, San Diego, 92182 California (United States)

2015-03-15

The effect of non-uniformity in bulk particle mass loading on the linear development of a particle-laden shear layer is analyzed by means of a stochastic Eulerian-Eulerian model. From the set of governing equations of the two-fluid model, a modified Rayleigh equation is derived that governs the linear growth of a spatially periodic disturbance. Eigenvalues for this Rayleigh equation are determined numerically using proper conditions at the co-flowing gas and particle interface locations. For the first time, it is shown that non-uniform loading of small-inertia particles (Stokes number (St) <0.2) may destabilize the inviscid mixing layer development as compared to the pure-gas flow. The destabilization is triggered by an energy transfer rate that globally flows from the particle phase to the gas phase. For intermediate St (1 < St < 10), a maximum stabilizing effect is computed, while at larger St, two unstable modes may coexist. The growth rate computations from linear stability analysis are verified numerically through simulations based on an Eulerian-Lagrangian (EL) model based on the inviscid Euler equations and a point particle model. The growth rates found in numerical experiments using the EL method are in very good agreement with growth rates from the linear stability analysis and validate the destabilizing effect induced by the presence of particles with low St.

Reliability of the Load-Velocity Relationship Obtained Through Linear and Polynomial Regression Models to Predict the One-Repetition Maximum Load.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-12-18

This study aimed to compare the between-session reliability of the load-velocity relationship between (1) linear vs. polynomial regression models, (2) concentric-only vs. eccentric-concentric bench press variants, as well as (3) the within-participants vs. the between-participants variability of the velocity attained at each percentage of the one-repetition maximum (%1RM). The load-velocity relationship of 30 men (age: 21.2±3.8 y; height: 1.78±0.07 m, body mass: 72.3±7.3 kg; bench press 1RM: 78.8±13.2 kg) were evaluated by means of linear and polynomial regression models in the concentric-only and eccentric-concentric bench press variants in a Smith Machine. Two sessions were performed with each bench press variant. The main findings were: (1) first-order-polynomials (CV: 4.39%-4.70%) provided the load-velocity relationship with higher reliability than second-order-polynomials (CV: 4.68%-5.04%); (2) the reliability of the load-velocity relationship did not differ between the concentric-only and eccentric-concentric bench press variants; (3) the within-participants variability of the velocity attained at each %1RM was markedly lower than the between-participants variability. Taken together, these results highlight that, regardless of the bench press variant considered, the individual determination of the load-velocity relationship by a linear regression model could be recommended to monitor and prescribe the relative load in the Smith machine bench press exercise.

Effects of light intensity on growth, anatomy and forage quality of two tropical grasses (Brachiaria brizantha and Panicum maximum var. trichoglume).

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deinum, B.; Sulastri, R.D.; Zeinab, M.H.J.; Maassen, A.

1996-01-01

Effects of light intensity on growth, histology and anatomy, and nutritive value were studied in seedlings of two shade tolerant species: Brachiaria brizantha and Panicum maximum var. trichoglume. They were studied under greenhouse conditions in pots with sandy soil and sufficient N and cut after a

Mechanical model for filament buckling and growth by phase ordering.

Science.gov (United States)

Rey, Alejandro D; Abukhdeir, Nasser M

2008-02-05

A mechanical model of open filament shape and growth driven by phase ordering is formulated. For a given phase-ordering driving force, the model output is the filament shape evolution and the filament end-point kinematics. The linearized model for the slope of the filament is the Cahn-Hilliard model of spinodal decomposition, where the buckling corresponds to concentration fluctuations. Two modes are predicted: (i) sequential growth and buckling and (ii) simultaneous buckling and growth. The relation among the maximum buckling rate, filament tension, and matrix viscosity is given. These results contribute to ongoing work in smectic A filament buckling.

Stunted at 10 Years. Linear Growth Trajectories and Stunting from Birth to Pre-Adolescence in a Rural Bangladeshi Cohort.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pernilla Svefors

Full Text Available Few studies in low-income settings analyse linear growth trajectories from foetal life to pre-adolescence. The aim of this study is to describe linear growth and stunting from birth to 10 years in rural Bangladesh and to analyse whether maternal and environmental determinants at conception are associated with linear growth throughout childhood and stunting at 10 years.Pregnant women participating in the MINIMat trial were identified in early pregnancy and a birth cohort (n = 1054 was followed with 19 growth measurements from birth to 10 years. Analyses of baseline predictors and mean height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ over time were modelled using GLMM. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the associations between baseline predictors and stunting (HAZ<-2 at 10 years. HAZ decreased to 2 years, followed by an increase up to 10 years, while the average height-for-age difference in cm (HAD to the WHO reference median continued to increase up to 10 years. Prevalence of stunting was highest at 2 years (50% decreasing to 29% at 10 years. Maternal height, maternal educational level and season of conception were all independent predictors of HAZ from birth to pre-adolescence (p<0.001 and stunting at 10 years. The highest probability to be stunted at 10 years was for children born by short mothers (<147.5 cm (ORadj 2.93, 95% CI: 2.06-4.20, mothers with no education (ORadj 1.74, 95% CI 1.17-2.81 or those conceived in the pre-monsoon season (ORadj 1.94, 95% CI 1.37-2.77.Height growth trajectories and prevalence of stunting in pre-adolescence showed strong intergenerational associations, social differentials, and environmental influence from foetal life. Targeting women before and during pregnancy is needed for the prevention of impaired child growth.

Evidence of seasonal variation in longitudinal growth of height in a sample of boys from Stuttgart Carlsschule, 1771-1793, using combined principal component analysis and maximum likelihood principle.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmann, A; Scheffler, Ch; Hermanussen, M

2010-02-01

Recent progress in modelling individual growth has been achieved by combining the principal component analysis and the maximum likelihood principle. This combination models growth even in incomplete sets of data and in data obtained at irregular intervals. We re-analysed late 18th century longitudinal growth of German boys from the boarding school Carlsschule in Stuttgart. The boys, aged 6-23 years, were measured at irregular 3-12 monthly intervals during the period 1771-1793. At the age of 18 years, mean height was 1652 mm, but height variation was large. The shortest boy reached 1474 mm, the tallest 1826 mm. Measured height closely paralleled modelled height, with mean difference of 4 mm, SD 7 mm. Seasonal height variation was found. Low growth rates occurred in spring and high growth rates in summer and autumn. The present study demonstrates that combining the principal component analysis and the maximum likelihood principle enables growth modelling in historic height data also. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A local maximum in gibberellin levels regulates maize leaf growth by spatial control of cell division.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelissen, Hilde; Rymen, Bart; Jikumaru, Yusuke; Demuynck, Kirin; Van Lijsebettens, Mieke; Kamiya, Yuji; Inzé, Dirk; Beemster, Gerrit T S

2012-07-10

Plant growth rate is largely determined by the transition between the successive phases of cell division and expansion. A key role for hormone signaling in determining this transition was inferred from genetic approaches and transcriptome analysis in the Arabidopsis root tip. We used the developmental gradient at the maize leaf base as a model to study this transition, because it allows a direct comparison between endogenous hormone concentrations and the transitions between dividing, expanding, and mature tissue. Concentrations of auxin and cytokinins are highest in dividing tissues, whereas bioactive gibberellins (GAs) show a peak at the transition zone between the division and expansion zone. Combined metabolic and transcriptomic profiling revealed that this GA maximum is established by GA biosynthesis in the division zone (DZ) and active GA catabolism at the onset of the expansion zone. Mutants defective in GA synthesis and signaling, and transgenic plants overproducing GAs, demonstrate that altering GA levels specifically affects the size of the DZ, resulting in proportional changes in organ growth rates. This work thereby provides a novel molecular mechanism for the regulation of the transition from cell division to expansion that controls organ growth and size. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of error in crack length measurement on maximum load fracture toughness of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bind, A.K.; Sunil, Saurav; Singh, R.N.; Chakravartty, J.K.

2016-03-01

Recently it was found that maximum load toughness (J max ) for Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube material was practically unaffected by error in Δ a . To check the sensitivity of the J max to error in Δ a measurement, the J max was calculated assuming no crack growth up to the maximum load (P max ) for as received and hydrogen charged Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube material. For load up to the P max , the J values calculated assuming no crack growth (J NC ) were slightly higher than that calculated based on Δ a measured using DCPD technique (JDCPD). In general, error in the J calculation found to be increased exponentially with Δ a . The error in J max calculation was increased with an increase in Δ a and a decrease in J max . Based on deformation theory of J, an analytic criterion was developed to check the insensitivity of the J max to error in Δ a . There was very good linear relation was found between the J max calculated based on Δ a measured using DCPD technique and the J max calculated assuming no crack growth. This relation will be very useful to calculate J max without measuring the crack growth during fracture test especially for irradiated material. (author)

Inflammation and linear bone growth: the inhibitory role of SOCS2 on GH/IGF-1 signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Farquharson, Colin; Ahmed, S Faisal

2013-04-01

Linear bone growth is widely recognized to be adversely affected in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and other chronic inflammatory disorders. The growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) pathway is anabolic to the skeleton and inflammatory cytokines compromise bone growth through a number of different mechanisms, which include interference with the systemic as well as the tissue-level GH/IGF-1 axis. Despite attempts to promote growth and control disease, there are an increasing number of reports of the persistence of poor growth in a substantial proportion of patients receiving rhGH and/or drugs that block cytokine action. Thus, there is an urgent need to consider better and alternative forms of therapy that are directed specifically at the mechanism of the insult which leads to abnormal bone health. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2) expression is increased in inflammatory conditions including CKD, and is a recognized inhibitor of GH signaling. Therefore, in this review, we will focus on the premise that SOCS2 signaling represents a critical pathway in growth plate chondrocytes through which pro-inflammatory cytokines alter both GH/IGF-1 signaling and cellular function.

Density estimation by maximum quantum entropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silver, R.N.; Wallstrom, T.; Martz, H.F.

1993-01-01

A new Bayesian method for non-parametric density estimation is proposed, based on a mathematical analogy to quantum statistical physics. The mathematical procedure is related to maximum entropy methods for inverse problems and image reconstruction. The information divergence enforces global smoothing toward default models, convexity, positivity, extensivity and normalization. The novel feature is the replacement of classical entropy by quantum entropy, so that local smoothing is enforced by constraints on differential operators. The linear response of the estimate is proportional to the covariance. The hyperparameters are estimated by type-II maximum likelihood (evidence). The method is demonstrated on textbook data sets

The regulation of starch accumulation in Panicum maximum Jacq ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... decrease the starch level. These observations are discussed in relation to the photosynthetic characteristics of P. maximum. Keywords: accumulation; botany; carbon assimilation; co2 fixation; growth conditions; mesophyll; metabolites; nitrogen; nitrogen levels; nitrogen supply; panicum maximum; plant physiology; starch; ...

Flute instability growth on a magnetized plasma column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rose, D. V.; Genoni, T. C.; Welch, D. R.; Mehlhorn, T. A.; Porter, J. L.; Ditmire, T.

2006-01-01

The growth of the flute-type instability for a field-aligned plasma column immersed in a uniform magnetic field is studied. Particle-in-cell simulations are compared with a semi-analytic dispersion analysis of the drift cyclotron instability in cylindrical geometry with a Gaussian density profile in the radial direction. For the parameters considered here, the dispersion analysis gives a local maximum for the peak growth rates as a function of R/r i , where R is the Gaussian characteristic radius and r i is the ion gyroradius. The electrostatic and electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulation results give azimuthal and radial mode numbers that are in reasonable agreement with the dispersion analysis. The electrostatic simulations give linear growth rates that are in good agreement with the dispersion analysis results, while the electromagnetic simulations yield growth rate trends that are similar to the dispersion analysis but that are not in quantitative agreement. These differences are ascribed to higher initial field fluctuation levels in the electromagnetic field solver. Overall, the simulations allow the examination of both the linear and nonlinear evolution of the instability in this physical system up to and beyond the point of wave energy saturation

Guaranteed and computable bounds of the limit load for variational problems with linear growth energy functionals

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Haslinger, Jaroslav; Repin, S.; Sysala, Stanislav

2016-01-01

Roč. 61, č. 5 (2016), s. 527-564 ISSN 0862-7940 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LQ1602 Institutional support: RVO:68145535 Keywords : functionals with linear growth * limit load * truncation method * perfect plasticity Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.618, year: 2016 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10492-016-0146-6

Plasma endotoxin core antibody concentration and linear growth are unrelated in rural Malawian children aged 2-5 years

Science.gov (United States)

Environmental enteropathy is subclinical inflammation of the upper gastrointestinal tract associated with reduced linear growth in developing countries. Usually investigators have used biopsy or a dual sugar absorption test to assess environmental enteropathy. Such tests are time and resource intens...

Performance analysis of linear codes under maximum-likelihood decoding: a tutorial

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Sason, Igal; Shamai, Shlomo

2006-01-01

..., upper and lower bounds on the error probability of linear codes under ML decoding are surveyed and applied to codes and ensembles of codes on graphs. For upper bounds, we discuss various bounds where focus is put on Gallager bounding techniques and their relation to a variety of other reported bounds. Within the class of lower bounds, we ad...

The 1 Repetition Maximum Mechanics of a High-Handle Hexagonal Bar Deadlift Compared With a Conventional Deadlift as Measured by a Linear Position Transducer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockie, Robert G; Moreno, Matthew R; Lazar, Adrina; Risso, Fabrice G; Liu, Tricia M; Stage, Alyssa A; Birmingham-Babauta, Samantha A; Torne, Ibett A; Stokes, John J; Giuliano, Dominic V; Davis, DeShaun L; Orjalo, Ashley J; Callaghan, Samuel J

2018-01-01

Lockie, RG, Moreno, MR, Lazar, A, Risso, FG, Liu, TM, Stage, AA, Birmingham-Babauta, SA, Torne, IA, Stokes, JJ, Giuliano, DV, Davis, DL, Orjalo, AJ, and Callaghan, SJ. The 1 repetition maximum mechanics of a high-handle hexagonal bar deadlift compared with a conventional deadlift as measured by a linear position transducer. J Strength Cond Res 32(1): 150-161, 2018-The high-handle hexagonal bar deadlift (HHBD), a variation of the conventional deadlift (CD), is said to reduce the lift range of motion, which may change the mechanics of the lift. However, no research has investigated this. This study compared the mechanics between a 1 repetition maximum (1RM) CD and HHBD. Thirty-one strength-trained subjects (21 men, 10 women) completed a 1RM CD and HHBD. A linear position transducer measured lift distance, duration, and work; and peak and mean power, velocity, and force. The presence of a sticking region (SR) was determined for each lift. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) calculated differences between 1RM CD and HHBD mechanics. A one-way ANOVA compared the mechanics of each lift between subjects who exhibited an SR or not, and the SR between the CD and HHBD. Significance was set at p mechanics between subjects with or without an SR, and no differences in SR region distance or duration between the CD and HHBD. Greater force can be generated in the HHBD, which could have implications for strength-training adaptations over time.

Non-Linear Relationship between Economic Growth and CO₂ Emissions in China: An Empirical Study Based on Panel Smooth Transition Regression Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zheng-Xin; Hao, Peng; Yao, Pei-Yi

2017-12-13

The non-linear relationship between provincial economic growth and carbon emissions is investigated by using panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) models. The research indicates that, on the condition of separately taking Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDPpc), energy structure (Es), and urbanisation level (Ul) as transition variables, three models all reject the null hypothesis of a linear relationship, i.e., a non-linear relationship exists. The results show that the three models all contain only one transition function but different numbers of location parameters. The model taking GDPpc as the transition variable has two location parameters, while the other two models separately considering Es and Ul as the transition variables both contain one location parameter. The three models applied in the study all favourably describe the non-linear relationship between economic growth and CO₂ emissions in China. It also can be seen that the conversion rate of the influence of Ul on per capita CO₂ emissions is significantly higher than those of GDPpc and Es on per capita CO₂ emissions.

Dynamic Response Analysis of Linear Pulse Motor with Closed Loop Control

OpenAIRE

山本, 行雄; 山田, 一

1989-01-01

A linear pulse motor can translate digital signals into linear positions without a gear system. It is important to predict a dynamic response in order to the motor that has the good performance. In this report the maximum pulse rate and the maximum speed on the linear pulse motor are obtained by using the sampling theory.

Maximum entropy estimation via Gauss-LP quadratures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thély, Maxime; Sutter, Tobias; Mohajerin Esfahani, P.; Lygeros, John; Dochain, Denis; Henrion, Didier; Peaucelle, Dimitri

2017-01-01

We present an approximation method to a class of parametric integration problems that naturally appear when solving the dual of the maximum entropy estimation problem. Our method builds up on a recent generalization of Gauss quadratures via an infinite-dimensional linear program, and utilizes a

Using hierarchical linear growth models to evaluate protective mechanisms that mediate science achievement

Science.gov (United States)

von Secker, Clare Elaine

The study of students at risk is a major topic of science education policy and discussion. Much research has focused on describing conditions and problems associated with the statistical risk of low science achievement among individuals who are members of groups characterized by problems such as poverty and social disadvantage. But outcomes attributed to these factors do not explain the nature and extent of mechanisms that account for differences in performance among individuals at risk. There is ample theoretical and empirical evidence that demographic differences should be conceptualized as social contexts, or collections of variables, that alter the psychological significance and social demands of life events, and affect subsequent relationships between risk and resilience. The hierarchical linear growth models used in this dissertation provide greater specification of the role of social context and the protective effects of attitude, expectations, parenting practices, peer influences, and learning opportunities on science achievement. While the individual influences of these protective factors on science achievement were small, their cumulative effect was substantial. Meta-analysis conducted on the effects associated with psychological and environmental processes that mediate risk mechanisms in sixteen social contexts revealed twenty-two significant differences between groups of students. Positive attitudes, high expectations, and more intense science course-taking had positive effects on achievement of all students, although these factors were not equally protective in all social contexts. In general, effects associated with authoritative parenting and peer influences were negative, regardless of social context. An evaluation comparing the performance and stability of hierarchical linear growth models with traditional repeated measures models is included as well.

Variation of Maximum Tree Height and Annual Shoot Growth of Smith Fir at Various Elevations in the Sygera Mountains, Southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yafeng; Čufar, Katarina; Eckstein, Dieter; Liang, Eryuan

2012-01-01

Little is known about tree height and height growth (as annual shoot elongation of the apical part of vertical stems) of coniferous trees growing at various altitudes on the Tibetan Plateau, which provides a high-elevation natural platform for assessing tree growth performance in relation to future climate change. We here investigated the variation of maximum tree height and annual height increment of Smith fir (Abies georgei var. smithii) in seven forest plots (30 m×40 m) along two altitudinal transects between 3,800 m and 4,200/4,390 m above sea level (a.s.l.) in the Sygera Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Four plots were located on north-facing slopes and three plots on southeast-facing slopes. At each site, annual shoot growth was obtained by measuring the distance between successive terminal bud scars along the main stem of 25 trees that were between 2 and 4 m high. Maximum/mean tree height and mean annual height increment of Smith fir decreased with increasing altitude up to the tree line, indicative of a stress gradient (the dominant temperature gradient) along the altitudinal transect. Above-average mean minimum summer (particularly July) temperatures affected height increment positively, whereas precipitation had no significant effect on shoot growth. The time series of annual height increments of Smith fir can be used for the reconstruction of past climate on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. In addition, it can be expected that the rising summer temperatures observed in the recent past and anticipated for the future will enhance Smith fir's growth throughout its altitudinal distribution range. PMID:22396738

Modelling non-stationary annual maximum flood heights in the lower Limpopo River basin of Mozambique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Maposa

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In this article we fit a time-dependent generalised extreme value (GEV distribution to annual maximum flood heights at three sites: Chokwe, Sicacate and Combomune in the lower Limpopo River basin of Mozambique. A GEV distribution is fitted to six annual maximum time series models at each site, namely: annual daily maximum (AM1, annual 2-day maximum (AM2, annual 5-day maximum (AM5, annual 7-day maximum (AM7, annual 10-day maximum (AM10 and annual 30-day maximum (AM30. Non-stationary time-dependent GEV models with a linear trend in location and scale parameters are considered in this study. The results show lack of sufficient evidence to indicate a linear trend in the location parameter at all three sites. On the other hand, the findings in this study reveal strong evidence of the existence of a linear trend in the scale parameter at Combomune and Sicacate, whilst the scale parameter had no significant linear trend at Chokwe. Further investigation in this study also reveals that the location parameter at Sicacate can be modelled by a nonlinear quadratic trend; however, the complexity of the overall model is not worthwhile in fit over a time-homogeneous model. This study shows the importance of extending the time-homogeneous GEV model to incorporate climate change factors such as trend in the lower Limpopo River basin, particularly in this era of global warming and a changing climate. Keywords: nonstationary extremes; annual maxima; lower Limpopo River; generalised extreme value

Linear growth rates of resistive tearing modes with sub-Alfvénic streaming flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, L. N.; Ma, Z. W.

2014-01-01

The tearing instability with sub-Alfvénic streaming flow along the external magnetic field is investigated using resistive MHD simulation. It is found that the growth rate of the tearing mode instability is larger than that without the streaming flow. With the streaming flow, there exist two Alfvén resonance layers near the central current sheet. The larger perturbation of the magnetic field in two closer Alfvén resonance layers could lead to formation of the observed cone structure and can largely enhance the development of the tearing mode for a narrower streaming flow. For a broader streaming flow, a larger separation of Alfvén resonance layers reduces the magnetic reconnection. The linear growth rate decreases with increase of the streaming flow thickness. The growth rate of the tearing instability also depends on the plasma beta (β). When the streaming flow is embedded in the current sheet, the growth rate increases with β if β  s , but decreases if β > β s . The existence of the specific value β s can be attributed to competition between the suppressing effect of β and the enhancing effect of the streaming flow on the magnetic reconnection. The critical value β s increases with increase of the streaming flow strength

Formal comment on: Myhrvold (2016) Dinosaur metabolism and the allometry of maximum growth rate. PLoS ONE; 11(11): e0163205.

Science.gov (United States)

Griebeler, Eva Maria; Werner, Jan

2018-01-01

In his 2016 paper, Myhrvold criticized ours from 2014 on maximum growth rates (Gmax, maximum gain in body mass observed within a time unit throughout an individual's ontogeny) and thermoregulation strategies (ectothermy, endothermy) of 17 dinosaurs. In our paper, we showed that Gmax values of similar-sized extant ectothermic and endothermic vertebrates overlap. This strongly questions a correct assignment of a thermoregulation strategy to a dinosaur only based on its Gmax and (adult) body mass (M). Contrary, Gmax separated similar-sized extant reptiles and birds (Sauropsida) and Gmax values of our studied dinosaurs were similar to those seen in extant similar-sized (if necessary scaled-up) fast growing ectothermic reptiles. Myhrvold examined two hypotheses (H1 and H2) regarding our study. However, we did neither infer dinosaurian thermoregulation strategies from group-wide averages (H1) nor were our results based on that Gmax and metabolic rate (MR) are related (H2). In order to assess whether single dinosaurian Gmax values fit to those of extant endotherms (birds) or of ectotherms (reptiles), we already used a method suggested by Myhrvold to avoid H1, and we only discussed pros and cons of a relation between Gmax and MR and did not apply it (H2). We appreciate Myhrvold's efforts in eliminating the correlation between Gmax and M in order to statistically improve vertebrate scaling regressions on maximum gain in body mass. However, we show here that his mass-specific maximum growth rate (kC) replacing Gmax (= MkC) does not model the expected higher mass gain in larger than in smaller species for any set of species. We also comment on, why we considered extant reptiles and birds as reference models for extinct dinosaurs and why we used phylogenetically-informed regression analysis throughout our study. Finally, we question several arguments given in Myhrvold in order to support his results.

Stunting at birth: recognition of early-life linear growth failure in the western highlands of Guatemala.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomons, Noel W; Vossenaar, Marieke; Chomat, Anne-Marie; Doak, Colleen M; Koski, Kristine G; Scott, Marilyn E

2015-07-01

Measurements of length at birth, or in the neonatal period, are challenging to obtain and often discounted for lack of validity. Hence, classical 'under-5' stunting rates have been derived from surveys on children from 6 to 59 months of age. Guatemala has a high prevalence of stunting (49.8%), but the age of onset of growth failure is not clearly defined. The objective of the study was to assess length-for-age within the first 1.5 months of life among Guatemalan infants. As part of a cross-sectional observational study, supine length was measured in young infants. Mothers' height was measured. Length-for-age Z-scores (HAZ) were generated and stunting was defined as HAZ Guatemala. Three hundred and six newborns with a median age of 19 d. The median rural HAZ was -1.56 and prevalence of stunting was 38%; the respective urban values were -1.41 and 25%. Linear regression revealed no relationship between infant age and HAZ (r = 0.101, r(2) = 0.010, P = 0.077). Maternal height explained 3% of the variability in HAZ (r = 0.171, r(2) = 0.029, P = 0.003). Stunting must be carried over from in utero growth retardation in short-stature Guatemalan mothers. As linear growth failure in this setting begins in utero, its prevention must be linked to maternal care strategies during gestation, or even before. A focus on maternal nutrition and health in an intergenerational dimension is needed to reduce its prevalence.

Preliminarily study on the maximum handling size, prey size and species selectivity of growth hormone transgenic and non-transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio when foraging on gastropods

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Tingbing; Zhang, Lihong; Zhang, Tanglin; Wang, Yaping; Hu, Wei; Olsen, Rolf Eric; Zhu, Zuoyan

2017-10-01

The present study preliminarily examined the differences in maximum handling size, prey size and species selectivity of growth hormone transgenic and non-transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio when foraging on four gastropods species (Bellamya aeruginosa, Radix auricularia, Parafossarulus sinensis and Alocinma longicornis) under laboratory conditions. In the maximum handling size trial, five fish from each age group (1-year-old and 2-year-old) and each genotype (transgenic and non-transgenic) of common carp were individually allowed to feed on B. aeruginosa with wide shell height range. The results showed that maximum handling size increased linearly with fish length, and there was no significant difference in maximum handling size between the two genotypes. In the size selection trial, three pairs of 2-year-old transgenic and non-transgenic carp were individually allowed to feed on three size groups of B. aeruginosa. The results show that the two genotypes of C. carpio favored the small-sized group over the large-sized group. In the species selection trial, three pairs of 2-year-old transgenic and non-transgenic carp were individually allowed to feed on thin-shelled B. aeruginosa and thick-shelled R. auricularia, and five pairs of 2-year-old transgenic and non-transgenic carp were individually allowed to feed on two gastropods species (P. sinensis and A. longicornis) with similar size and shell strength. The results showed that both genotypes preferred thin-shelled Radix auricularia rather than thick-shelled B. aeruginosa, but there were no significant difference in selectivity between the two genotypes when fed on P. sinensis and A. longicornis. The present study indicates that transgenic and non-transgenic C. carpio show similar selectivity of predation on the size- and species-limited gastropods. While this information may be useful for assessing the environmental risk of transgenic carp, it does not necessarily demonstrate that transgenic common carp might

Numerical computation of the linear stability of the diffusion model for crystal growth simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, C.; Sorensen, D.C. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Meiron, D.I.; Wedeman, B. [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States)

1996-12-31

We consider a computational scheme for determining the linear stability of a diffusion model arising from the simulation of crystal growth. The process of a needle crystal solidifying into some undercooled liquid can be described by the dual diffusion equations with appropriate initial and boundary conditions. Here U{sub t} and U{sub a} denote the temperature of the liquid and solid respectively, and {alpha} represents the thermal diffusivity. At the solid-liquid interface, the motion of the interface denoted by r and the temperature field are related by the conservation relation where n is the unit outward pointing normal to the interface. A basic stationary solution to this free boundary problem can be obtained by writing the equations of motion in a moving frame and transforming the problem to parabolic coordinates. This is known as the Ivantsov parabola solution. Linear stability theory applied to this stationary solution gives rise to an eigenvalue problem of the form.

Linear growth and final height characteristics in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dalit Modan-Moses

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Growth retardation is an established complication of anorexia nervosa (AN. However, findings concerning final height of AN patients are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to assess these phenomena in female adolescent inpatients with AN. METHODS: We retrospectively studied all 211 female adolescent AN patients hospitalized in an inpatient eating disorders department from 1/1/1987 to 31/12/99. Height and weight were assessed at admission and thereafter routinely during hospitalization and follow-up. Final height was measured in 69 patients 2-10 years after discharge. Pre-morbid height data was available in 29 patients. RESULTS: Patients' height standard deviation scores (SDS on admission (-0.285±1.0 and discharge (-0.271±1.02 were significantly (p<0.001 lower than expected in normal adolescents. Patients admitted at age ≤13 years, or less than 1 year after menarche, were more severely growth-impaired than patients admitted at an older age, (p = 0.03. Final height SDS, available for 69 patients, was -0.258±1.04, significantly lower than expected in a normal population (p = 0.04, and was more severely compromised in patients who were admitted less than 1 year from their menarche. In a subgroup of 29 patients with complete growth data (pre-morbid, admission, discharge, and final adult height, the pre-morbid height SDS was not significantly different from the expected (-0.11±1.1, whereas heights at the other time points were significantly (p = 0.001 lower (-0.56±1.2, -0.52±1.2, and -0.6±1.2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that whereas the premorbid height of female adolescent AN patients is normal, linear growth retardation is a prominent feature of their illness. Weight restoration is associated with catch-up growth, but complete catch-up is often not achieved.

Growth and Zeros of Meromorphic Solutions to Second-Order Linear Differential Equations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maamar Andasmas

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this article is to investigate the growth of meromorphic solutions to homogeneous and non-homogeneous second order linear differential equations f00+Af0+Bf = F, where A(z, B (z and F (z are meromorphic functions with finite order having only finitely many poles. We show that, if there exist a positive constants σ > 0, α > 0 such that |A(z| ≥ eα|z|σ as |z| → +∞, z ∈ H, where dens{|z| : z ∈ H} > 0 and ρ = max{ρ(B, ρ(F} < σ, then every transcendental meromorphic solution f has an infinite order. Further, we give some estimates of their hyper-order, exponent and hyper-exponent of convergence of distinct zeros.

Additional Common Bean in the Diet of Malawian Children Does Not Affect Linear Growth, but Reduces Intestinal Permeability.

Science.gov (United States)

Agapova, Sophia E; Stephenson, Kevin B; Divala, Oscar; Kaimila, Yankho; Maleta, Kenneth M; Thakwalakwa, Chrissie; Ordiz, M Isabel; Trehan, Indi; Manary, Mark J

2018-02-01

Chronic malnutrition, as manifested by linear growth faltering, is pervasive among rural African children. Improvements in complementary feeding may decrease the burden of environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) and thus improve growth in children during the critical first 1000 d of development. We tested the hypothesis that systematically including common bean or cowpea into complementary feeding would reduce EED and growth faltering among children in rural Malawi. This was a double-blind clinical trial in which children 12-23 mo of age were randomly assigned to receive complementary feeding with 1 of 3 foods: roasted cowpea or common bean flour, or an isoenergetic amount of corn-soy blend as a control food for 48 wk. Children aged 12-23 mo received 155 kcal/d and thereafter until 35 mo received 200 kcal/d. The primary outcomes were change in length-for-age z score (LAZ) and improvements in a biomarker of EED, the percentage of lactulose (%L) excreted as part of the lactulose:mannitol dual-sugar absorption test. Anthropometric measurements and urinary %L excretion were compared between the 2 intervention groups and the control group separately with the use of linear mixed model analyses for repeated measures. A total of 331 children completed the clinical trial. Compliance with the study interventions was excellent, with >90% of the intervention flour consumed as intended. No significant effects on LAZ, change in LAZ, or weight-for-length z score were observed due to either intervention legume, compared to the control. %L was reduced with common bean consumption (effect estimate was -0.07 percentage points of lactulose, P = 0.0007). The lactulose:mannitol test was not affected by the legume intervention. The addition of common bean to complementary feeding of rural Malawian children during the second year of life led to an improvement in a biomarker of gut health, although this did not directly translate into improved linear growth. This trial was registered at

Introduction to generalized linear models

CERN Document Server

Dobson, Annette J

2008-01-01

Introduction Background Scope Notation Distributions Related to the Normal Distribution Quadratic Forms Estimation Model Fitting Introduction Examples Some Principles of Statistical Modeling Notation and Coding for Explanatory Variables Exponential Family and Generalized Linear Models Introduction Exponential Family of Distributions Properties of Distributions in the Exponential Family Generalized Linear Models Examples Estimation Introduction Example: Failure Times for Pressure Vessels Maximum Likelihood Estimation Poisson Regression Example Inference Introduction Sampling Distribution for Score Statistics Taylor Series Approximations Sampling Distribution for MLEs Log-Likelihood Ratio Statistic Sampling Distribution for the Deviance Hypothesis Testing Normal Linear Models Introduction Basic Results Multiple Linear Regression Analysis of Variance Analysis of Covariance General Linear Models Binary Variables and Logistic Regression Probability Distributions ...

Probabilistic maximum-value wind prediction for offshore environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Staid, Andrea; Pinson, Pierre; Guikema, Seth D.

2015-01-01

statistical models to predict the full distribution of the maximum-value wind speeds in a 3 h interval. We take a detailed look at the performance of linear models, generalized additive models and multivariate adaptive regression splines models using meteorological covariates such as gust speed, wind speed......, convective available potential energy, Charnock, mean sea-level pressure and temperature, as given by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts forecasts. The models are trained to predict the mean value of maximum wind speed, and the residuals from training the models are used to develop...... the full probabilistic distribution of maximum wind speed. Knowledge of the maximum wind speed for an offshore location within a given period can inform decision-making regarding turbine operations, planned maintenance operations and power grid scheduling in order to improve safety and reliability...

Handelman's hierarchy for the maximum stable set problem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Laurent, M.; Sun, Z.

2014-01-01

The maximum stable set problem is a well-known NP-hard problem in combinatorial optimization, which can be formulated as the maximization of a quadratic square-free polynomial over the (Boolean) hypercube. We investigate a hierarchy of linear programming relaxations for this problem, based on a

Studying the formation of non-linear bursts in fully turbulent channel flows

Science.gov (United States)

Encinar, Miguel P.; Jimenez, Javier

2017-11-01

Linear transient growth has been suggested as a possible explanation for the intermittent behaviour, or `bursting', in shear flows with a stable mean velocity profile. Analysing fully non-linear DNS databases yields a similar Orr+lift-up mechanism, but acting on spatially localised wave packets rather than on monochromatic infinite wavetrains. The Orr mechanism requires the presence of backwards-leaning wall-normal velocity perturbations as initial condition, but the linear theory fails to clarify how these perturbations are formed. We investigate the latter in a time-resolved wavelet-filtered turbulent channel database, which allows us to assign an amplitude and an inclination angle to a flow region of selected size. This yields regions that match the dynamics of linear Orr for short times. We find that a short streamwise velocity (u) perturbation (i.e. a streak meander) consistently appears before the burst, but disappears before the burst reaches its maximum amplitude. Lift-up then generates a longer streamwise velocity perturbation. The initial streamwise velocity is also found to be backwards-leaning, contrary to the averaged energy-containing scales, which are known to be tilted forward. Funded by the ERC COTURB project.

A Maximum Principle for SDEs of Mean-Field Type

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersson, Daniel, E-mail: danieand@math.kth.se; Djehiche, Boualem, E-mail: boualem@math.kth.se [Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Mathematics (Sweden)

2011-06-15

We study the optimal control of a stochastic differential equation (SDE) of mean-field type, where the coefficients are allowed to depend on some functional of the law as well as the state of the process. Moreover the cost functional is also of mean-field type, which makes the control problem time inconsistent in the sense that the Bellman optimality principle does not hold. Under the assumption of a convex action space a maximum principle of local form is derived, specifying the necessary conditions for optimality. These are also shown to be sufficient under additional assumptions. This maximum principle differs from the classical one, where the adjoint equation is a linear backward SDE, since here the adjoint equation turns out to be a linear mean-field backward SDE. As an illustration, we apply the result to the mean-variance portfolio selection problem.

A Maximum Principle for SDEs of Mean-Field Type

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Daniel; Djehiche, Boualem

2011-01-01

We study the optimal control of a stochastic differential equation (SDE) of mean-field type, where the coefficients are allowed to depend on some functional of the law as well as the state of the process. Moreover the cost functional is also of mean-field type, which makes the control problem time inconsistent in the sense that the Bellman optimality principle does not hold. Under the assumption of a convex action space a maximum principle of local form is derived, specifying the necessary conditions for optimality. These are also shown to be sufficient under additional assumptions. This maximum principle differs from the classical one, where the adjoint equation is a linear backward SDE, since here the adjoint equation turns out to be a linear mean-field backward SDE. As an illustration, we apply the result to the mean-variance portfolio selection problem.

Two Aspects of the Simplex Model: Goodness of Fit to Linear Growth Curve Structures and the Analysis of Mean Trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandys, Frantisek; Dolan, Conor V.; Molenaar, Peter C. M.

1994-01-01

Studied the conditions under which the quasi-Markov simplex model fits a linear growth curve covariance structure and determined when the model is rejected. Presents a quasi-Markov simplex model with structured means and gives an example. (SLD)

Growth and development of male "little" mice assessed with Parks' theory of feeding and growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Puche, Rodolfo C; Alloatti, Rosa; Chapo, Gustavo

2002-01-01

This work was designed to characterize the appetite kinetics and growth of male C57BL/6J (lit) mice. Those variables were assessed with Parks' function of ad libitum feeding and growth. Heterozygous mice (lit/+) attained their mature weight at 12-15 weeks of age, peak growth rate (3.5 g/week) at 5 weeks and displayed the normal decay of food conversion efficiency as a function of age. The homozygous genotype has a chronic defect in the synthesis and secretion of growth hormone (GH). Homozygous mice could not be assessed with Park's function. From the 4th to the 15th week of age, body weight increased linearly and exhibited constant food conversion efficiency. Food intake of both genotypes was commensurate with their body weights. Lit/lit mice became progressively obese. At 40 weeks of age, body fat of lit/lit mice was fivefold that of lit/+ and their body weight was similar to their heterozygous controls. The chronic deficiency of growth hormone produced a lower bone mass (compared to heterozygous controls). Bone mass of both genotypes attained maturity at 12-15 weeks with a maximum growth rate at 5 weeks. Body weight and bone mass grow harmoniously in lit/+ but not in lit/lit mice.

Body growth and life history in wild mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.

Science.gov (United States)

Galbany, Jordi; Abavandimwe, Didier; Vakiener, Meagan; Eckardt, Winnie; Mudakikwa, Antoine; Ndagijimana, Felix; Stoinski, Tara S; McFarlin, Shannon C

2017-07-01

Great apes show considerable diversity in socioecology and life history, but knowledge of their physical growth in natural settings is scarce. We characterized linear body size growth in wild mountain gorillas from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, a population distinguished by its extreme folivory and accelerated life histories. In 131 individuals (0.09-35.26 years), we used non-invasive parallel laser photogrammetry to measure body length, back width, arm length and two head dimensions. Nonparametric LOESS regression was used to characterize cross-sectional distance and velocity growth curves for males and females, and consider links with key life history milestones. Sex differences became evident between 8.5 and 10.0 years of age. Thereafter, female growth velocities declined, while males showed increased growth velocities until 10.0-14.5 years across dimensions. Body dimensions varied in growth; females and males reached 98% of maximum body length at 11.7 and 13.1 years, respectively. Females attained 95.3% of maximum body length by mean age at first birth. Neonates were 31% of maternal size, and doubled in size by mean weaning age. Males reached maximum body and arm length and back width before emigration, but experienced continued growth in head dimensions. While comparable data are scarce, our findings provide preliminary support for the prediction that mountain gorillas reach maximum body size at earlier ages compared to more frugivorous western gorillas. Data from other wild populations are needed to better understand comparative great ape development, and investigate links between trajectories of physical, behavioral, and reproductive maturation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A comparison of methods of predicting maximum oxygen uptake.

OpenAIRE

Grant, S; Corbett, K; Amjad, A M; Wilson, J; Aitchison, T

1995-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the results from a Cooper walk run test, a multistage shuttle run test, and a submaximal cycle test with the direct measurement of maximum oxygen uptake on a treadmill. Three predictive tests of maximum oxygen uptake--linear extrapolation of heart rate of VO2 collected from a submaximal cycle ergometer test (predicted L/E), the Cooper 12 min walk, run test, and a multi-stage progressive shuttle run test (MST)--were performed by 22 young healthy males (mean...

Transient Growth Analysis of Compressible Boundary Layers with Parabolized Stability Equations

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, Pedro; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei; Chang, Chau-Lyan

2016-01-01

The linear form of parabolized linear stability equations (PSE) is used in a variational approach to extend the previous body of results for the optimal, non-modal disturbance growth in boundary layer flows. This methodology includes the non-parallel effects associated with the spatial development of boundary layer flows. As noted in literature, the optimal initial disturbances correspond to steady counter-rotating stream-wise vortices, which subsequently lead to the formation of stream-wise-elongated structures, i.e., streaks, via a lift-up effect. The parameter space for optimal growth is extended to the hypersonic Mach number regime without any high enthalpy effects, and the effect of wall cooling is studied with particular emphasis on the role of the initial disturbance location and the value of the span-wise wavenumber that leads to the maximum energy growth up to a specified location. Unlike previous predictions that used a basic state obtained from a self-similar solution to the boundary layer equations, mean flow solutions based on the full Navier-Stokes (NS) equations are used in select cases to help account for the viscous-inviscid interaction near the leading edge of the plate and also for the weak shock wave emanating from that region. These differences in the base flow lead to an increasing reduction with Mach number in the magnitude of optimal growth relative to the predictions based on self-similar mean-flow approximation. Finally, the maximum optimal energy gain for the favorable pressure gradient boundary layer near a planar stagnation point is found to be substantially weaker than that in a zero pressure gradient Blasius boundary layer.

Maximum principle and convergence of central schemes based on slope limiters

KAUST Repository

Mehmetoglu, Orhan; Popov, Bojan

2012-01-01

A maximum principle and convergence of second order central schemes is proven for scalar conservation laws in dimension one. It is well known that to establish a maximum principle a nonlinear piecewise linear reconstruction is needed and a typical choice is the minmod limiter. Unfortunately, this implies that the scheme uses a first order reconstruction at local extrema. The novelty here is that we allow local nonlinear reconstructions which do not reduce to first order at local extrema and still prove maximum principle and convergence. © 2011 American Mathematical Society.

Hydrogen induced crack growth in Grade-12 titanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, T.M.; Lee, K.S.

1984-01-01

Internal hydrogen induced crack growth rates were measured in Grade-12 titanium which is a candidate material for high-level nuclear waste containers. As-received and hydrogen charged samples (5 ppM to 330 ppM hydrogen) were used for slow crack growth measurements at constant loads using a Krak Gauge. The testing temperature ranged from room temperature to 148 0 C. The crack growth kinetics under low to moderate loads are linear, but this linear rate is interrupted by discrete fast crack jump segments with parabolic or cubic type kinetics. These fast jump segments are thought to be associated with the passage of the crack front through the alpha-beta interface phase or with the initial loading sequence. By measuring striation spacings on the fracture surface, most crack growth rates observed are found to be in stage II. The striations are considered to be associated with hydride fracture. The crack path is either transgranular in the alpha phase or interfacial in the alpha phase adjacent to the beta phase. For transgranular growth, crack growth rates are constant and slower than those for interfacial growth which is associated with fast crack growth through a high hydrogen concentration region. Most stage II crack growth rates depend slightly on the stress intensity suggesting the contribution of plastic tearing process to stage II kinetics. The activation energies for crack growth are much lower than the activation energy of hydrogen diffusion through the alpha phase, implying that hydrogen is transported along dislocations, grain boundaries or interfaces. When the temperature is increased, the crack velocity first reaches a maximum and then decreases at higher temperatures. These temperature effects come from lower hydrogen concentration trapped at dislocations or from slower hydride nucleation kinetics, both at higher temperatures

Preterm infant linear growth and adiposity gain: trade-offs for later weight status and intelligence quotient.

Science.gov (United States)

Belfort, Mandy B; Gillman, Matthew W; Buka, Stephen L; Casey, Patrick H; McCormick, Marie C

2013-12-01

To examine trade-offs between cognitive outcome and overweight/obesity in preterm-born infants at school age and young adulthood in relation to weight gain and linear growth during infancy. We studied 945 participants in the Infant Health and Development Program, an 8-center study of preterm (≤37 weeks gestational age), low birth weight (≤2500 g) infants from birth to age 18 years. Adjusting for maternal and child factors in logistic regression, we estimated the odds of overweight/obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥85th percentile at age 8 or ≥25 kg/m(2) at age 18) and in separate models, low IQ (growth from term to 4 months was associated with lower odds of IQ growth soon after term was associated with better cognition, but also with a greater risk of overweight/obesity at age 8 years and 18 years. BMI gain over the entire 18 months after term was associated with later risk of overweight/obesity, with less evidence of a benefit for IQ. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Seismic analysis of equipment system with non-linearities such as gap and friction using equivalent linearization method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, H.; Hirai, T.; Nakata, M.; Kobori, T.; Mizukoshi, K.; Takenaka, Y.; Miyagawa, N.

1989-01-01

Many of the equipment systems of nuclear power plants contain a number of non-linearities, such as gap and friction, due to their mechanical functions. It is desirable to take such non-linearities into account appropriately for the evaluation of the aseismic soundness. However, in usual design works, linear analysis method with rough assumptions is applied from engineering point of view. An equivalent linearization method is considered to be one of the effective analytical techniques to evaluate non-linear responses, provided that errors to a certain extent are tolerated, because it has greater simplicity in analysis and economization in computing time than non-linear analysis. The objective of this paper is to investigate the applicability of the equivalent linearization method to evaluate the maximum earthquake response of equipment systems such as the CANDU Fuelling Machine which has multiple non- linearities

Linear theory of density perturbations in a neutrino+baryon universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasserman, I.

1981-01-01

Various aspects of the linear theory of density perturbations in a universe containing a significant population of massive neutrinos are calculated. Because linear perturbations in the neutrino density are subject to nonviscous damping on length scales smaller than the effective neutrino Jeans length, the fluctuation spectrum of the neutrino density perturbations just after photon decoupling is expected to peak near the maximum neutrino Jeans mass. The gravitational effects of nonneutrino species are included in calculating the maximum neutrino Jeans mass, which is found to be [M/sub J/(t)]/sub max/approx.10 17 M/sub sun//[m/sub ν/(eV)] 2 , about an order of magnitude smaller than is obtained when nonneutrino species are ignored. An explicit expression for the nonviscous damping of neutrino density perturbations less massive than the maximum neutrino Jeans mass is derived. The linear evolution of density perturbations after photon decoupling is discussed. Of particular interest is the possibility that fluctuations in the neutrino density induce baryon density perturbations after photon decoupling and that the maximum neutrino Jeans determines the characteristic bound mass of galaxy clusters

Child feeding style is associated with food intake and linear growth in rural Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Abebe, Zeweter; Haki, Gulelat Desse; Baye, Kaleab

2017-09-01

Little is known about mother-child feeding interactions and how this is associated with food intake and linear growth. To characterize mother-child feeding styles and investigate their associations with accepted mouthful and linear growth in west Gojam, rural Ethiopia. Two, in-home, meal observations of children aged 12-23 months (n = 100) were video-taped. The number of mouthful accepted was counted and the caregiver/child feeding styles were coded into positive/negative categories of self-feeding, responsive-feeding, active-feeding, social-behavior and distraction. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, child feeding practices, perception about child's overall appetite, and strategies adopted to overcome food refusal were collected through questionnaire-based interviews. Child and mothers' anthropometric measurements were also taken. Stunting was highly prevalent (48%) and the number of mouthful accepted was very low. Offering breastmilk and threatening to harm were the main strategies adopted to overcome food refusal. Although all forms of feeding style were present, active positive feeding style was dominant (90%) and was positively associated with mouthful accepted. Talking with non-feeding partner (64%), and domestic animals (24%) surrounding the feeding place were common distractions of feeding. Feeding was mostly terminated by caregivers (75%), often prematurely. Overall, caregivers of stunted children had poorer complementary- and breast-feeding practices and were less responsive to child's hunger and satiation cues (P responsive feeding behaviors were associated with child's number of mouthful accepted (r = 0.27; P = 0.007) and stunting (r = 0.4; P feeding style and stunting. Nutrition interventions that reinforce messages of optimal infant and young child feeding and integrate the promotion of responsive feeding behaviors are needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composite Linear Models | Division of Cancer Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

By Stuart G. Baker The composite linear models software is a matrix approach to compute maximum likelihood estimates and asymptotic standard errors for models for incomplete multinomial data. It implements the method described in Baker SG. Composite linear models for incomplete multinomial data. Statistics in Medicine 1994;13:609-622. The software includes a library of thirty

An extended heterogeneous car-following model accounting for anticipation driving behavior and mixed maximum speeds

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Fengxin; Wang, Jufeng; Cheng, Rongjun; Ge, Hongxia

2018-02-01

The optimal driving speeds of the different vehicles may be different for the same headway. In the optimal velocity function of the optimal velocity (OV) model, the maximum speed vmax is an important parameter determining the optimal driving speed. A vehicle with higher maximum speed is more willing to drive faster than that with lower maximum speed in similar situation. By incorporating the anticipation driving behavior of relative velocity and mixed maximum speeds of different percentages into optimal velocity function, an extended heterogeneous car-following model is presented in this paper. The analytical linear stable condition for this extended heterogeneous traffic model is obtained by using linear stability theory. Numerical simulations are carried out to explore the complex phenomenon resulted from the cooperation between anticipation driving behavior and heterogeneous maximum speeds in the optimal velocity function. The analytical and numerical results all demonstrate that strengthening driver's anticipation effect can improve the stability of heterogeneous traffic flow, and increasing the lowest value in the mixed maximum speeds will result in more instability, but increasing the value or proportion of the part already having higher maximum speed will cause different stabilities at high or low traffic densities.

Linear growth of the entanglement entropy and the Kolmogorov-Sinai rate

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Eugenio; Hackl, Lucas; Yokomizo, Nelson

2018-03-01

The rate of entropy production in a classical dynamical system is characterized by the Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy rate h KS given by the sum of all positive Lyapunov exponents of the system. We prove a quantum version of this result valid for bosonic systems with unstable quadratic Hamiltonian. The derivation takes into account the case of time-dependent Hamiltonians with Floquet instabilities. We show that the entanglement entropy S A of a Gaussian state grows linearly for large times in unstable systems, with a rate Λ A ≤ h KS determined by the Lyapunov exponents and the choice of the subsystem A. We apply our results to the analysis of entanglement production in unstable quadratic potentials and due to periodic quantum quenches in many-body quantum systems. Our results are relevant for quantum field theory, for which we present three applications: a scalar field in a symmetry-breaking potential, parametric resonance during post-inflationary reheating and cosmological perturbations during inflation. Finally, we conjecture that the same rate Λ A appears in the entanglement growth of chaotic quantum systems prepared in a semiclassical state.

Introduction to maximum entropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivia, D.S.

1989-01-01

The maximum entropy (MaxEnt) principle has been successfully used in image reconstruction in a wide variety of fields. The author reviews the need for such methods in data analysis and shows, by use of a very simple example, why MaxEnt is to be preferred over other regularizing functions. This leads to a more general interpretation of the MaxEnt method, and its use is illustrated with several different examples. Practical difficulties with non-linear problems still remain, this being highlighted by the notorious phase problem in crystallography. He concludes with an example from neutron scattering, using data from a filter difference spectrometer to contrast MaxEnt with a conventional deconvolution. 12 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

Introduction to maximum entropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivia, D.S.

1988-01-01

The maximum entropy (MaxEnt) principle has been successfully used in image reconstruction in a wide variety of fields. We review the need for such methods in data analysis and show, by use of a very simple example, why MaxEnt is to be preferred over other regularizing functions. This leads to a more general interpretation of the MaxEnt method, and its use is illustrated with several different examples. Practical difficulties with non-linear problems still remain, this being highlighted by the notorious phase problem in crystallography. We conclude with an example from neutron scattering, using data from a filter difference spectrometer to contrast MaxEnt with a conventional deconvolution. 12 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

Parameter spaces for linear and nonlinear whistler-mode waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Summers, Danny; Tang, Rongxin; Omura, Yoshiharu; Lee, Dong-Hun

2013-01-01

We examine the growth of magnetospheric whistler-mode waves which comprises a linear growth phase followed by a nonlinear growth phase. We construct time-profiles for the wave amplitude that smoothly match at the transition between linear and nonlinear wave growth. This matching procedure can only take place over a limited “matching region” in (N h /N 0 ,A T )-space, where A T is the electron thermal anisotropy, N h is the hot (energetic) electron number density, and N 0 is the cold (background) electron number density. We construct this matching region and determine how the matching wave amplitude varies throughout the region. Further, we specify a boundary in (N h /N 0 ,A T )-space that separates a region where only linear chorus wave growth can occur from the region in which fully nonlinear chorus growth is possible. We expect that this boundary should prove of practical use in performing computationally expensive full-scale particle simulations, and in interpreting experimental wave data

Interior point decoding for linear vector channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadayama, T

2008-01-01

In this paper, a novel decoding algorithm for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes based on convex optimization is presented. The decoding algorithm, called interior point decoding, is designed for linear vector channels. The linear vector channels include many practically important channels such as inter-symbol interference channels and partial response channels. It is shown that the maximum likelihood decoding (MLD) rule for a linear vector channel can be relaxed to a convex optimization problem, which is called a relaxed MLD problem

Interior point decoding for linear vector channels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wadayama, T [Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8555 (Japan)], E-mail: wadayama@nitech.ac.jp

2008-01-15

In this paper, a novel decoding algorithm for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes based on convex optimization is presented. The decoding algorithm, called interior point decoding, is designed for linear vector channels. The linear vector channels include many practically important channels such as inter-symbol interference channels and partial response channels. It is shown that the maximum likelihood decoding (MLD) rule for a linear vector channel can be relaxed to a convex optimization problem, which is called a relaxed MLD problem.

Climate Response of Tree Radial Growth at Different Timescales in the Qinling Mountains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Changfeng Sun

Full Text Available The analysis of the tree radial growth response to climate is crucial for dendroclimatological research. However, the response relationships between tree-ring indices and climatic factors at different timescales are not yet clear. In this study, the tree-ring width of Huashan pine (Pinus armandii from Huashan in the Qinling Mountains, north-central China, was used to explore the response differences of tree growth to climatic factors at daily, pentad (5 days, dekad (10 days and monthly timescales. Correlation function and linear regression analysis were applied in this paper. The tree-ring width showed a more sensitive response to daily and pentad climatic factors. With the timescale decreasing, the absolute value of the maximum correlation coefficient between the tree-ring data and precipitation increases as well as temperature (mean, minimum and maximum temperature. Compared to the other three timescales, pentad was more suitable for analysing the response of tree growth to climate. Relative to the monthly climate data, the association between the tree-ring data and the pentad climate data was more remarkable and accurate, and the reconstruction function based on the pentad climate was also more reliable and stable. We found that the major climatic factor limiting Huashan pine growth was the precipitation of pentads 20-35 (from April 6 to June 24 rather than the well-known April-June precipitation. The pentad was also proved to be a better timescale for analysing the climate and tree growth in the western and eastern Qinling Mountains. The formation of the earlywood density of Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis from Shimenshan in western Qinling was mainly affected by the maximum temperature of pentads 28-32 (from May 16 to June 9. The maximum temperature of pentads 28-33 (from May 16 to June 14 was the major factor affecting the ring width of Chinese pine from Shirenshan in eastern Qinling.

Optimal energy growth in a stably stratified shear flow

Science.gov (United States)

Jose, Sharath; Roy, Anubhab; Bale, Rahul; Iyer, Krithika; Govindarajan, Rama

2018-02-01

Transient growth of perturbations by a linear non-modal evolution is studied here in a stably stratified bounded Couette flow. The density stratification is linear. Classical inviscid stability theory states that a parallel shear flow is stable to exponentially growing disturbances if the Richardson number (Ri) is greater than 1/4 everywhere in the flow. Experiments and numerical simulations at higher Ri show however that algebraically growing disturbances can lead to transient amplification. The complexity of a stably stratified shear flow stems from its ability to combine this transient amplification with propagating internal gravity waves (IGWs). The optimal perturbations associated with maximum energy amplification are numerically obtained at intermediate Reynolds numbers. It is shown that in this wall-bounded flow, the three-dimensional optimal perturbations are oblique, unlike in unstratified flow. A partitioning of energy into kinetic and potential helps in understanding the exchange of energies and how it modifies the transient growth. We show that the apportionment between potential and kinetic energy depends, in an interesting manner, on the Richardson number, and on time, as the transient growth proceeds from an optimal perturbation. The oft-quoted stabilizing role of stratification is also probed in the non-diffusive limit in the context of disturbance energy amplification.

Influence of gradual density transition and nonlinear saturation on Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, H.

1984-08-01

Linear theory of Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth at a density profile which varies exponentially between regions of constant density is discussed in detail. The exact theory provides an approximate but conservative simple formula for the growth constant and it shows that a hitherto widely used theory erroneously underestimates the growth constant. A simple but effective ''synthetical model'' of nonlinear bubble growth is obtained from a synthesis of linear theory and constant terminal bubble speed. It is applied to pusher shell break-up in an inertial confinement fusion pellet to determine the maximum allowable initial perturbations and the most dangerous wavelength. In a situation typical of heavy ion drivers it is found that the allowable initial perturbations are increased by a few orders of magnitude by the gradual density transition and another order of magnitude by nonlinear saturation of the bubble speed. The gradual density transition also shifts the most dangerous wavelength from about once to about four times the minimum pusher shell thickness. The following topics are treated briefly: Reasons conflicting with use of the synthetical model to decide whether the pusher shell in a certain simulation will be broken up; other nonlinear theories available in the literature; further realistic effects that might aggravate instability growth. (orig.) [de

Stochastic Linear Quadratic Optimal Control Problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S.; Yong, J.

2001-01-01

This paper is concerned with the stochastic linear quadratic optimal control problem (LQ problem, for short) for which the coefficients are allowed to be random and the cost functional is allowed to have a negative weight on the square of the control variable. Some intrinsic relations among the LQ problem, the stochastic maximum principle, and the (linear) forward-backward stochastic differential equations are established. Some results involving Riccati equation are discussed as well

Phytoextraction of HG by parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and its growth responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Bibi, Asma; Farooq, Umar; Naz, Sadia; Khan, Afsar; Khan, Sara; Sarwar, Rizwana; Mahmood, Qaisar; Alam, Arif; Mirza, Nosheen

2016-01-01

The effect of mercury (Hg) on the growth and survival of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) was explored at various treatments. The plants were grown in pots having Hoagland's solution to which various Hg treatments were applied and placed under greenhouse conditions. The treatments were: no metal applied (control) and six doses of Hg as mercuric chloride for 15 days. Linear trend of Hg accumulation was noted in roots, stems, and leaves with increasing Hg treatments. The maximum Hg concentration in root, stem and leaf was 8.92, 8.27, and 7.88 at Hg treatments of 25 mg l(-1), respectively. On the whole, Hg accumulation in different plant parts was in the following order: leaves > stem > roots. Linear trend was also observed for Bioaccumulation Factor (BF) and Translocation Factor (TF) with increasing Hg concentrations in the growth medium. The highest respective BFHg and TFHg values were 9.32 and 2.02 for the Hg treatments of 25 and 50 mg l(-1). In spite of the reduced growth in the presence of Hg, the plant has phytoremediation potential. It is recommended that parsley should not be cultivated in Hg contaminated sites in order to avoid dietary toxicity.

Maximum Likelihood based comparison of the specific growth rates for P. aeruginosa and four mutator strains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philipsen, Kirsten Riber; Christiansen, Lasse Engbo; Mandsberg, Lotte Frigaard

2008-01-01

with an exponentially decaying function of the time between observations is suggested. A model with a full covariance structure containing OD-dependent variance and an autocorrelation structure is compared to a model with variance only and with no variance or correlation implemented. It is shown that the model...... are used for parameter estimation. The data is log-transformed such that a linear model can be applied. The transformation changes the variance structure, and hence an OD-dependent variance is implemented in the model. The autocorrelation in the data is demonstrated, and a correlation model...... that best describes data is a model taking into account the full covariance structure. An inference study is made in order to determine whether the growth rate of the five bacteria strains is the same. After applying a likelihood-ratio test to models with a full covariance structure, it is concluded...

Non-linear analysis of skew thin plate by finite difference method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chi Kyung; Hwang, Myung Hwan

2012-01-01

This paper deals with a discrete analysis capability for predicting the geometrically nonlinear behavior of skew thin plate subjected to uniform pressure. The differential equations are discretized by means of the finite difference method which are used to determine the deflections and the in-plane stress functions of plates and reduced to several sets of linear algebraic simultaneous equations. For the geometrically non-linear, large deflection behavior of the plate, the non-linear plate theory is used for the analysis. An iterative scheme is employed to solve these quasi-linear algebraic equations. Several problems are solved which illustrate the potential of the method for predicting the finite deflection and stress. For increasing lateral pressures, the maximum principal tensile stress occurs at the center of the plate and migrates toward the corners as the load increases. It was deemed important to describe the locations of the maximum principal tensile stress as it occurs. The load-deflection relations and the maximum bending and membrane stresses for each case are presented and discussed

Analysing the mechanical performance and growth adaptation of Norway spruce using a non-linear finite-element model and experimental data.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundström, T; Jonas, T; Volkwein, A

2008-01-01

Thirteen Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] trees of different size, age, and social status, and grown under varying conditions, were investigated to see how they react to complex natural static loading under summer and winter conditions, and how they have adapted their growth to such combinations of load and tree state. For this purpose a non-linear finite-element model and an extensive experimental data set were used, as well as a new formulation describing the degree to which the exploitation of the bending stress capacity is uniform. The three main findings were: material and geometric non-linearities play important roles when analysing tree deflections and critical loads; the strengths of the stem and the anchorage mutually adapt to the local wind acting on the tree crown in the forest canopy; and the radial stem growth follows a mechanically high-performance path because it adapts to prevailing as well as acute seasonal combinations of the tree state (e.g. frozen or unfrozen stem and anchorage) and load (e.g. wind and vertical and lateral snow pressure). Young trees appeared to adapt to such combinations in a more differentiated way than older trees. In conclusion, the mechanical performance of the Norway spruce studied was mostly very high, indicating that their overall growth had been clearly influenced by the external site- and tree-specific mechanical stress.

The last glacial maximum

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, P.U.; Dyke, A.S.; Shakun, J.D.; Carlson, A.E.; Clark, J.; Wohlfarth, B.; Mitrovica, J.X.; Hostetler, S.W.; McCabe, A.M.

2009-01-01

We used 5704 14C, 10Be, and 3He ages that span the interval from 10,000 to 50,000 years ago (10 to 50 ka) to constrain the timing of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in terms of global ice-sheet and mountain-glacier extent. Growth of the ice sheets to their maximum positions occurred between 33.0 and 26.5 ka in response to climate forcing from decreases in northern summer insolation, tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures, and atmospheric CO2. Nearly all ice sheets were at their LGM positions from 26.5 ka to 19 to 20 ka, corresponding to minima in these forcings. The onset of Northern Hemisphere deglaciation 19 to 20 ka was induced by an increase in northern summer insolation, providing the source for an abrupt rise in sea level. The onset of deglaciation of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet occurred between 14 and 15 ka, consistent with evidence that this was the primary source for an abrupt rise in sea level ???14.5 ka.

Augmented Nonlinear Controller for Maximum Power-Point Tracking with Artificial Neural Network in Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suliang Ma

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Photovoltaic (PV systems have non-linear characteristics that generate maximum power at one particular operating point. Environmental factors such as irradiance and temperature variations greatly affect the maximum power point (MPP. Diverse offline and online techniques have been introduced for tracking the MPP. Here, to track the MPP, an augmented-state feedback linearized (AFL non-linear controller combined with an artificial neural network (ANN is proposed. This approach linearizes the non-linear characteristics in PV systems and DC/DC converters, for tracking and optimizing the PV system operation. It also reduces the dependency of the designed controller on linearized models, to provide global stability. A complete model of the PV system is simulated. The existing maximum power-point tracking (MPPT and DC/DC boost-converter controller techniques are compared with the proposed ANN method. Two case studies, which simulate realistic circumstances, are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method. The AFL with ANN controller can provide good dynamic operation, faster convergence speed, and fewer operating-point oscillations around the MPP. It also tracks the global maxima under different conditions, especially irradiance-mutating situations, more effectively than the conventional methods. Detailed mathematical models and a control approach for a three-phase grid-connected intelligent hybrid system are proposed using MATLAB/Simulink.

A Design of Mechanical Frequency Converter Linear and Non-linear Spring Combination for Energy Harvesting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, K; Fujita, T; Kanda, K; Maenaka, K; Badel, A; Formosa, F

2014-01-01

In this study, the improvement of energy harvesting from wideband vibration with random change by using a combination of linear and nonlinear spring system is investigated. The system consists of curved beam spring for non-linear buckling, which supports the linear mass-spring resonator. Applying shock acceleration generates a snap through action to the buckling spring. From the FEM analysis, we showed that the snap through acceleration from the buckling action has no relationship with the applied shock amplitude and duration. We use this uniform acceleration as an impulse shock source for the linear resonator. It is easy to obtain the maximum shock response from the uniform snap through acceleration by using a shock response spectrum (SRS) analysis method. At first we investigated the relationship between the snap-through behaviour and an initial curved deflection. Then a time response result for non-linear springs with snap through and minimum force that makes a buckling behaviour were obtained by FEM analysis. By obtaining the optimum SRS frequency for linear resonator, we decided its resonant frequency with the MATLAB simulator

A nonparametric random coefficient approach for life expectancy growth using a hierarchical mixture likelihood model with application to regional data from North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany).

Science.gov (United States)

Böhning, Dankmar; Karasek, Sarah; Terschüren, Claudia; Annuß, Rolf; Fehr, Rainer

2013-03-09

Life expectancy is of increasing prime interest for a variety of reasons. In many countries, life expectancy is growing linearly, without any indication of reaching a limit. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in Germany with its 54 districts is considered here where the above mentioned growth in life expectancy is occurring as well. However, there is also empirical evidence that life expectancy is not growing linearly at the same level for different regions. To explore this situation further a likelihood-based cluster analysis is suggested and performed. The modelling uses a nonparametric mixture approach for the latent random effect. Maximum likelihood estimates are determined by means of the EM algorithm and the number of components in the mixture model are found on the basis of the Bayesian Information Criterion. Regions are classified into the mixture components (clusters) using the maximum posterior allocation rule. For the data analyzed here, 7 components are found with a spatial concentration of lower life expectancy levels in a centre of NRW, formerly an enormous conglomerate of heavy industry, still the most densely populated area with Gelsenkirchen having the lowest level of life expectancy growth for both genders. The paper offers some explanations for this fact including demographic and socio-economic sources. This case study shows that life expectancy growth is widely linear, but it might occur on different levels.

Leaf Dynamics of Panicum maximum under Future Climatic Changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Britto de Assis Prado, Carlos Henrique; Haik Guedes de Camargo-Bortolin, Lívia; Castro, Érique; Martinez, Carlos Alberto

2016-01-01

Panicum maximum Jacq. 'Mombaça' (C4) was grown in field conditions with sufficient water and nutrients to examine the effects of warming and elevated CO2 concentrations during the winter. Plants were exposed to either the ambient temperature and regular atmospheric CO2 (Control); elevated CO2 (600 ppm, eC); canopy warming (+2°C above regular canopy temperature, eT); or elevated CO2 and canopy warming (eC+eT). The temperatures and CO2 in the field were controlled by temperature free-air controlled enhancement (T-FACE) and mini free-air CO2 enrichment (miniFACE) facilities. The most green, expanding, and expanded leaves and the highest leaf appearance rate (LAR, leaves day(-1)) and leaf elongation rate (LER, cm day(-1)) were observed under eT. Leaf area and leaf biomass were higher in the eT and eC+eT treatments. The higher LER and LAR without significant differences in the number of senescent leaves could explain why tillers had higher foliage area and leaf biomass in the eT treatment. The eC treatment had the lowest LER and the fewest expanded and green leaves, similar to Control. The inhibitory effect of eC on foliage development in winter was indicated by the fewer green, expanded, and expanding leaves under eC+eT than eT. The stimulatory and inhibitory effects of the eT and eC treatments, respectively, on foliage raised and lowered, respectively, the foliar nitrogen concentration. The inhibition of foliage by eC was confirmed by the eC treatment having the lowest leaf/stem biomass ratio and by the change in leaf biomass-area relationships from linear or exponential growth to rectangular hyperbolic growth under eC. Besides, eC+eT had a synergist effect, speeding up leaf maturation. Therefore, with sufficient water and nutrients in winter, the inhibitory effect of elevated CO2 on foliage could be partially offset by elevated temperatures and relatively high P. maximum foliage production could be achieved under future climatic change.

Vanilla Technicolor at Linear Colliders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

T. Frandsen, Mads; Jarvinen, Matti; Sannino, Francesco

2011-01-01

We analyze the reach of Linear Colliders (LC)s for models of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking. We show that LCs can efficiently test the compositeness scale, identified with the mass of the new spin-one resonances, till the maximum energy in the center-of-mass of the colliding leptons. In ...

Linearly polarized photons at ELSA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eberhardt, Holger [Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Bonn (Germany)

2009-07-01

To investigate the nucleon resonance regime in meson photoproduction, double polarization experiments are currently performed at the electron accelerator ELSA in Bonn. The experiments make use of a polarized target and circularly or linearly polarized photon beams. Linearly polarized photons are produced by coherent bremsstrahlung from an accurately aligned diamond crystal. The orientation of the crystal with respect to the electron beam is measured using the Stonehenge-Technique. Both, the energy of maximum polarization and the plane of polarization, can be deliberately chosen for the experiment. The linearly polarized beam provides the basis for the measurement of azimuthal beam asymmetries, such as {sigma} (unpolarized target) and G (polarized target). These observables are extracted in various single and multiple meson photoproduction channels.

Automatic frequency control system for driving a linear accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helgesson, A.L.

1976-01-01

An automatic frequency control system is described for maintaining the drive frequency applied to a linear accelerator to produce maximum particle output from the accelerator. The particle output amplitude is measured and the frequency of the radio frequency source powering the linear accelerator is adjusted to maximize particle output amplitude

Modelling of a linear PM machine including magnetic saturation and end effects : maximum force to current ratio

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polinder, H.; Slootweg, J.G.; Hoeijmakers, M.J.; Compter, J.C.

2003-01-01

The use of linear permanent-magnet (PM) actuators increases in a wide variety of applications because of their high force density, robustness and accuracy. These linear PM motors are often heavily loaded during short intervals of high acceleration, so that magnetic saturation occurs. This paper

Linear and nonlinear causal relationship between energy consumption and economic growth in China: New evidence based on wavelet analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

The energy-growth nexus has important policy implications for economic development. The results from many past studies that investigated the causality direction of this nexus can lead to misleading policy guidance. Using data on China from 1953 to 2013, this study shows that an application of causality test on the time series of energy consumption and national output has masked a lot of information. The Toda-Yamamoto test with bootstrapped critical values and the newly proposed non-linear causality test reveal no causal relationship. However, a further application of these tests using series in different time-frequency domain obtained from wavelet decomposition indicates that while energy consumption Granger causes economic growth in the short run, the reverse is true in the medium term. A bidirectional causal relationship is found for the long run. This approach has proven to be superior in unveiling information on the energy-growth nexus that are useful for policy planning over different time horizons. PMID:29782534

Functional Maximum Autocorrelation Factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Rasmus; Nielsen, Allan Aasbjerg

2005-01-01

MAF outperforms the functional PCA in concentrating the interesting' spectra/shape variation in one end of the eigenvalue spectrum and allows for easier interpretation of effects. Conclusions. Functional MAF analysis is a useful methods for extracting low dimensional models of temporally or spatially......Purpose. We aim at data where samples of an underlying function are observed in a spatial or temporal layout. Examples of underlying functions are reflectance spectra and biological shapes. We apply functional models based on smoothing splines and generalize the functional PCA in......\\verb+~+\\$\\backslash\\$cite{ramsay97} to functional maximum autocorrelation factors (MAF)\\verb+~+\\$\\backslash\\$cite{switzer85,larsen2001d}. We apply the method to biological shapes as well as reflectance spectra. {\\$\\backslash\\$bf Methods}. MAF seeks linear combination of the original variables that maximize autocorrelation between...

Maximum entropy reconstructions for crystallographic imaging; Cristallographie et reconstruction d`images par maximum d`entropie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papoular, R

1997-07-01

The Fourier Transform is of central importance to Crystallography since it allows the visualization in real space of tridimensional scattering densities pertaining to physical systems from diffraction data (powder or single-crystal diffraction, using x-rays, neutrons, electrons or else). In turn, this visualization makes it possible to model and parametrize these systems, the crystal structures of which are eventually refined by Least-Squares techniques (e.g., the Rietveld method in the case of Powder Diffraction). The Maximum Entropy Method (sometimes called MEM or MaxEnt) is a general imaging technique, related to solving ill-conditioned inverse problems. It is ideally suited for tackling undetermined systems of linear questions (for which the number of variables is much larger than the number of equations). It is already being applied successfully in Astronomy, Radioastronomy and Medical Imaging. The advantages of using MAXIMUM Entropy over conventional Fourier and `difference Fourier` syntheses stem from the following facts: MaxEnt takes the experimental error bars into account; MaxEnt incorporate Prior Knowledge (e.g., the positivity of the scattering density in some instances); MaxEnt allows density reconstructions from incompletely phased data, as well as from overlapping Bragg reflections; MaxEnt substantially reduces truncation errors to which conventional experimental Fourier reconstructions are usually prone. The principles of Maximum Entropy imaging as applied to Crystallography are first presented. The method is then illustrated by a detailed example specific to Neutron Diffraction: the search for proton in solids. (author). 17 refs.

A linear temperature-to-frequency converter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løvborg, Leif

1965-01-01

, and that the maximum value of the temperature-frequency coefficient beta in this point is-1/3 alpha, where a is the temperature coefficient of the thermistor at the corresponding temperature. Curves showing the range in which the converter is expected to be linear to within plusmn0.1 degC are given. A laboratory......-built converter having beta = 1.0% degC-1 at 25degC is found to be linear to within plusmn0. 1 degC from 10 to 40degC....

[Peculiarities of linear growth of the melanin-containing fungi Cladosporium sphaerospermum Penz. and Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler].

Science.gov (United States)

Vember, V V; Zhdanova, N N

2001-01-01

Results on determination of radial (linear) growth rate of melanin-containing fungi Cladosporium sphaerospermum Penz. and Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler concerning place of their isolation and ecologic peculiarities are presented in the paper. Essential differences, as to all studied indices of the strains of C. sphaerospermum strains, isolated from premices of the ChNPP 4th unit from the control strains of this species have been established. Only strain 34 of C. sphaerospermum, isolated from the cable driving region of the "Shelter" object, which did not differ from the control strains as to all the studied indices, made the exception. The radial growth rate was 2-4 times as low and variability amplitude 10-30 times as high in strains 60 and 5-1 of C. sphaerospermum, (which suffered high radiation load), as in the control strains of this species. The radial growth rate of C. sphaerospermum studied strains was an order lower as a whole than that of A. alternata strains. All the above said evidence for implementation of K-type vital strategy by C. sphaerospermum species and in this connection one can suppose its active growth on the surface of walls and ferroconcrete structures of the ChNPP 4th unit. Absence of differences, as to the studied radial growth indices, between A. alternata strains isolated from the ChNPP 4th unit premices and control strains of the species can evidence for the existence of A. alternata species under the conditions of high radioactivity in the surviving state.

Modeling maximum daily temperature using a varying coefficient regression model

Science.gov (United States)

Han Li; Xinwei Deng; Dong-Yum Kim; Eric P. Smith

2014-01-01

Relationships between stream water and air temperatures are often modeled using linear or nonlinear regression methods. Despite a strong relationship between water and air temperatures and a variety of models that are effective for data summarized on a weekly basis, such models did not yield consistently good predictions for summaries such as daily maximum temperature...

Acoustic emission linear pulse holography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, H.D.; Busse, L.J.; Lemon, D.K.

1983-01-01

This paper describes the emission linear pulse holography which produces a chronological linear holographic image of a flaw by utilizing the acoustic energy emitted during crack growth. A thirty two point sampling array is used to construct phase-only linear holograms of simulated acoustic emission sources on large metal plates. The concept behind the AE linear pulse holography is illustrated, and a block diagram of a data acquisition system to implement the concept is given. Array element spacing, synthetic frequency criteria, and lateral depth resolution are specified. A reference timing transducer positioned between the array and the inspection zone and which inititates the time-of-flight measurements is described. The results graphically illustrate the technique using a one-dimensional FFT computer algorithm (ie. linear backward wave) for an AE image reconstruction

On the Inefficiency of Equilibria in Linear Bottleneck Congestion Games

Science.gov (United States)

de Keijzer, Bart; Schäfer, Guido; Telelis, Orestis A.

We study the inefficiency of equilibrium outcomes in bottleneck congestion games. These games model situations in which strategic players compete for a limited number of facilities. Each player allocates his weight to a (feasible) subset of the facilities with the goal to minimize the maximum (weight-dependent) latency that he experiences on any of these facilities. We derive upper and (asymptotically) matching lower bounds on the (strong) price of anarchy of linear bottleneck congestion games for a natural load balancing social cost objective (i.e., minimize the maximum latency of a facility). We restrict our studies to linear latency functions. Linear bottleneck congestion games still constitute a rich class of games and generalize, for example, load balancing games with identical or uniformly related machines with or without restricted assignments.

Ignition-and-Growth Modeling of NASA Standard Detonator and a Linear Shaped Charge

Science.gov (United States)

Oguz, Sirri

2010-01-01

The main objective of this study is to quantitatively investigate the ignition and shock sensitivity of NASA Standard Detonator (NSD) and the shock wave propagation of a linear shaped charge (LSC) after being shocked by NSD flyer plate. This combined explosive train was modeled as a coupled Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) model with LS-DYNA hydro code. An ignition-and-growth (I&G) reactive model based on unreacted and reacted Jones-Wilkins-Lee (JWL) equations of state was used to simulate the shock initiation. Various NSD-to-LSC stand-off distances were analyzed to calculate the shock initiation (or failure to initiate) and detonation wave propagation along the shaped charge. Simulation results were verified by experimental data which included VISAR tests for NSD flyer plate velocity measurement and an aluminum target severance test for LSC performance verification. Parameters used for the analysis were obtained from various published data or by using CHEETAH thermo-chemical code.

A Hybrid Maximum Power Point Search Method Using Temperature Measurements in Partial Shading Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mroczka Janusz

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Photovoltaic panels have a non-linear current-voltage characteristics to produce the maximum power at only one point called the maximum power point. In the case of the uniform illumination a single solar panel shows only one maximum power, which is also the global maximum power point. In the case an irregularly illuminated photovoltaic panel many local maxima on the power-voltage curve can be observed and only one of them is the global maximum. The proposed algorithm detects whether a solar panel is in the uniform insolation conditions. Then an appropriate strategy of tracking the maximum power point is taken using a decision algorithm. The proposed method is simulated in the environment created by the authors, which allows to stimulate photovoltaic panels in real conditions of lighting, temperature and shading.

Estimation of the growth curve and heritability of the growth rate for giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) cubs.

Science.gov (United States)

Che, T D; Wang, C D; Jin, L; Wei, M; Wu, K; Zhang, Y H; Zhang, H M; Li, D S

2015-03-27

Giant panda cubs have a low survival rate during the newborn and early growth stages. However, the growth and developmental parameters of giant panda cubs during the early lactation stage (from birth to 6 months) are not well known. We examined the growth and development of giant panda cubs by the Chapman growth curve model and estimated the heritability of the maximum growth rate at the early lactation stage. We found that 83 giant panda cubs reached their maximum growth rate at approximately 75-120 days after birth. The body weight of cubs at 75 days was 4285.99 g. Furthermore, we estimated that the heritability of the maximum growth rate was moderate (h(2) = 0.38). Our study describes the growth and development of giant panda cubs at the early lactation stage and provides valuable growth benchmarks. We anticipate that our results will be a starting point for more detailed research on increasing the survival rate of giant panda cubs. Feeding programs for giant panda cubs need further improvement.

Long-wave model for strongly anisotropic growth of a crystal step.

Science.gov (United States)

Khenner, Mikhail

2013-08-01

A continuum model for the dynamics of a single step with the strongly anisotropic line energy is formulated and analyzed. The step grows by attachment of adatoms from the lower terrace, onto which atoms adsorb from a vapor phase or from a molecular beam, and the desorption is nonnegligible (the "one-sided" model). Via a multiscale expansion, we derived a long-wave, strongly nonlinear, and strongly anisotropic evolution PDE for the step profile. Written in terms of the step slope, the PDE can be represented in a form similar to a convective Cahn-Hilliard equation. We performed the linear stability analysis and computed the nonlinear dynamics. Linear stability depends on whether the stiffness is minimum or maximum in the direction of the step growth. It also depends nontrivially on the combination of the anisotropy strength parameter and the atomic flux from the terrace to the step. Computations show formation and coarsening of a hill-and-valley structure superimposed onto a long-wavelength profile, which independently coarsens. Coarsening laws for the hill-and-valley structure are computed for two principal orientations of a maximum step stiffness, the increasing anisotropy strength, and the varying atomic flux.

Improving the maximum transmission distance of continuous-variable quantum key distribution with noisy coherent states using a noiseless amplifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Tianyi; Yu, Song; Zhang, Yi-Chen; Gu, Wanyi; Guo, Hong

2014-01-01

By employing a nondeterministic noiseless linear amplifier, we propose to increase the maximum transmission distance of continuous-variable quantum key distribution with noisy coherent states. With the covariance matrix transformation, the expression of secret key rate under reverse reconciliation is derived against collective entangling cloner attacks. We show that the noiseless linear amplifier can compensate the detrimental effect of the preparation noise with an enhancement of the maximum transmission distance and the noise resistance. - Highlights: • Noiseless amplifier is applied in noisy coherent state quantum key distribution. • Negative effect of preparation noise is compensated by noiseless amplification. • Maximum transmission distance and noise resistance are both enhanced

Eigenstructures of MIMO Fading Channel Correlation Matrices and Optimum Linear Precoding Designs for Maximum Ergodic Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Reza Bahrami

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The ergodic capacity of MIMO frequency-flat and -selective channels depends greatly on the eigenvalue distribution of spatial correlation matrices. Knowing the eigenstructure of correlation matrices at the transmitter is very important to enhance the capacity of the system. This fact becomes of great importance in MIMO wireless systems where because of the fast changing nature of the underlying channel, full channel knowledge is difficult to obtain at the transmitter. In this paper, we first investigate the effect of eigenvalues distribution of spatial correlation matrices on the capacity of frequency-flat and -selective channels. Next, we introduce a practical scheme known as linear precoding that can enhance the ergodic capacity of the channel by changing the eigenstructure of the channel by applying a linear transformation. We derive the structures of precoders using eigenvalue decomposition and linear algebra techniques in both cases and show their similarities from an algebraic point of view. Simulations show the ability of this technique to change the eigenstructure of the channel, and hence enhance the ergodic capacity considerably.

Maximum run-up behavior of tsunamis under non-zero initial velocity condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baran AYDIN

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The tsunami run-up problem is solved non-linearly under the most general initial conditions, that is, for realistic initial waveforms such as N-waves, as well as standard initial waveforms such as solitary waves, in the presence of initial velocity. An initial-boundary value problem governed by the non-linear shallow-water wave equations is solved analytically utilizing the classical separation of variables technique, which proved to be not only fast but also accurate analytical approach for this type of problems. The results provide important information on maximum tsunami run-up qualitatively. We observed that, although the calculated maximum run-ups increase significantly, going as high as double that of the zero-velocity case, initial waves having non-zero fluid velocity exhibit the same run-up behavior as waves without initial velocity, for all wave types considered in this study.

Maximum And Minimum Temperature Trends In Mexico For The Last 31 Years

Science.gov (United States)

Romero-Centeno, R.; Zavala-Hidalgo, J.; Allende Arandia, M. E.; Carrasco-Mijarez, N.; Calderon-Bustamante, O.

2013-05-01

Based on high-resolution (1') daily maps of the maximum and minimum temperatures in Mexico, an analysis of the last 31-year trends is performed. The maps were generated using all the available information from more than 5,000 stations of the Mexican Weather Service (Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, SMN) for the period 1979-2009, along with data from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). The data processing procedure includes a quality control step, in order to eliminate erroneous daily data, and make use of a high-resolution digital elevation model (from GEBCO), the relationship between air temperature and elevation by means of the average environmental lapse rate, and interpolation algorithms (linear and inverse-distance weighting). Based on the monthly gridded maps for the mentioned period, the maximum and minimum temperature trends calculated by least-squares linear regression and their statistical significance are obtained and discussed.

Dose linearity and monitor unit stability of a G4 type cyberknife robotic stereotactic radiosurgery system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudahar, H.; Kurup, P.G.G.; Murali, V.; Velmurugan, J.

2012-01-01

Dose linearity studies on conventional linear accelerators show a linearity error at low monitor units (MUs). The purpose of this study was to establish the dose linearity and MU stability characteristics of a cyberknife (Accuracy Inc., USA) stereotactic radiosurgery system. Measurements were done at a depth of 5 cm in a stereotactic dose verification phantom with a source to surface distance of 75 cm in a Generation 4 (G4) type cyberknife system. All the 12 fixed-type collimators starting from 5 to 60 mm were used for the dose linearity study. The dose linearity was examined in small (1-10), medium (15-100) and large (125-1000) MU ranges. The MU stability test was performed with 60 mm collimator for 10 MU and 20 MU with different combinations. The maximum dose linearity error of -38.8% was observed for 1 MU with 5 mm collimator. Dose linearity error in the small MU range was considerably higher than in the medium and large MU ranges. The maximum error in the medium range was -2.4%. In the large MU range, the linearity error varied between -0.7% and 1.2%. The maximum deviation in the MU stability was -3.03%. (author)

Acoustic emission linear pulse holography

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, H.D.; Busse, L.J.; Lemon, D.K.

1983-10-25

This device relates to the concept of and means for performing Acoustic Emission Linear Pulse Holography, which combines the advantages of linear holographic imaging and Acoustic Emission into a single non-destructive inspection system. This unique system produces a chronological, linear holographic image of a flaw by utilizing the acoustic energy emitted during crack growth. The innovation is the concept of utilizing the crack-generated acoustic emission energy to generate a chronological series of images of a growing crack by applying linear, pulse holographic processing to the acoustic emission data. The process is implemented by placing on a structure an array of piezoelectric sensors (typically 16 or 32 of them) near the defect location. A reference sensor is placed between the defect and the array.

Linear latent variable models: the lava-package

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holst, Klaus Kähler; Budtz-Jørgensen, Esben

2013-01-01

are implemented including robust standard errors for clustered correlated data, multigroup analyses, non-linear parameter constraints, inference with incomplete data, maximum likelihood estimation with censored and binary observations, and instrumental variable estimators. In addition an extensive simulation......An R package for specifying and estimating linear latent variable models is presented. The philosophy of the implementation is to separate the model specification from the actual data, which leads to a dynamic and easy way of modeling complex hierarchical structures. Several advanced features...

Growth of meromorphic solutions of higher-order linear differential equations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjuan Chen

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we investigate the higher-order linear differential equations with meromorphic coefficients. We improve and extend a result of M.S. Liu and C.L. Yuan, by using the estimates for the logarithmic derivative of a transcendental meromorphic function due to Gundersen, and the extended Winman-Valiron theory which proved by J. Wang and H.X. Yi. In addition, we also consider the nonhomogeneous linear differential equations.

Maximum Principles and Boundary Value Problems for First-Order Neutral Functional Differential Equations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Domoshnitsky Alexander

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We obtain the maximum principles for the first-order neutral functional differential equation where , and are linear continuous operators, and are positive operators, is the space of continuous functions, and is the space of essentially bounded functions defined on . New tests on positivity of the Cauchy function and its derivative are proposed. Results on existence and uniqueness of solutions for various boundary value problems are obtained on the basis of the maximum principles.

Goertler vortices in growing boundary layers: The leading edge receptivity problem, linear growth and the nonlinear breakdown stage

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Philip

1989-01-01

Goertler vortices are thought to be the cause of transition in many fluid flows of practical importance. A review of the different stages of vortex growth is given. In the linear regime, nonparallel effects completely govern this growth, and parallel flow theories do not capture the essential features of the development of the vortices. A detailed comparison between the parallel and nonparallel theories is given and it is shown that at small vortex wavelengths, the parallel flow theories have some validity; otherwise nonparallel effects are dominant. New results for the receptivity problem for Goertler vortices are given; in particular vortices induced by free stream perturbations impinging on the leading edge of the walls are considered. It is found that the most dangerous mode of this type can be isolated and it's neutral curve is determined. This curve agrees very closely with the available experimental data. A discussion of the different regimes of growth of nonlinear vortices is also given. Again it is shown that, unless the vortex wavelength is small, nonparallel effects are dominant. Some new results for nonlinear vortices of 0(1) wavelengths are given and compared to experimental observations.

The linear sizes tolerances and fits system modernization

Science.gov (United States)

Glukhov, V. I.; Grinevich, V. A.; Shalay, V. V.

2018-04-01

The study is carried out on the urgent topic for technical products quality providing in the tolerancing process of the component parts. The aim of the paper is to develop alternatives for improving the system linear sizes tolerances and dimensional fits in the international standard ISO 286-1. The tasks of the work are, firstly, to classify as linear sizes the elements additionally linear coordinating sizes that determine the detail elements location and, secondly, to justify the basic deviation of the tolerance interval for the element's linear size. The geometrical modeling method of real details elements, the analytical and experimental methods are used in the research. It is shown that the linear coordinates are the dimensional basis of the elements linear sizes. To standardize the accuracy of linear coordinating sizes in all accuracy classes, it is sufficient to select in the standardized tolerance system only one tolerance interval with symmetrical deviations: Js for internal dimensional elements (holes) and js for external elements (shafts). The main deviation of this coordinating tolerance is the average zero deviation, which coincides with the nominal value of the coordinating size. Other intervals of the tolerance system are remained for normalizing the accuracy of the elements linear sizes with a fundamental change in the basic deviation of all tolerance intervals is the maximum deviation corresponding to the limit of the element material: EI is the lower tolerance for the of the internal elements (holes) sizes and es is the upper tolerance deviation for the outer elements (shafts) sizes. It is the sizes of the material maximum that are involved in the of the dimensional elements mating of the shafts and holes and determine the fits type.

Breast meat quality of chickens with divergent growth rates and its relation to growth curve parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. C. Muth

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The effects of the increase of body weight of contemporary broilers during growth on functional meat quality and color characteristics of the chicken breast muscle are controversially debated. Therefore, male chickens (n = 264 of a fast-growing commercial broiler (Ross 308 and two slow-growing experimental meat-type chicken lines were compared at equal age and at similar body weight in order to investigate the effect of growth rate on selected functional breast meat traits and meat color. Additionally, the breast meat characteristics of birds with different growth profiles were compared within lines. When the body weight of commercial broilers reached about 40 to 60 % of their growth potential, they exhibited particularly high ultimate pH values compared with slow-growing lines. The ability of the meat of fast-growing broilers to retain water during cooking was impaired (5 to 16 percentage points increased cooking loss compared to slow-growing lines, which, in contrast to pH, was only marginally affected by body weight and/or age at slaughter. No unfavorable correlations of breast meat quality traits with the growth profile, represented by growth curve parameters derived from the Gompertz–Laird equation, were detected within any of the investigated chicken lines. It is noteworthy that the associations of ultimate pH and cooking loss with maximum growth speed indicate a non-linear relationship. Thus, some of the functional characteristics of breast meat of the fast-growing broiler resembled the white-striping defect described for poultry meat, but the hypothesis that selection on increased growth rates is detrimental for meat quality per se could not be confirmed. In fact, an elevated growth potential in particular, i.e., body weight at maturity, could have some beneficial effects for the water-holding capacity of breast meat, regardless of the genotypic growth rate.

Stochastic process corrosion growth models for pipeline reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazán, Felipe Alexander Vargas; Beck, André Teófilo

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Novel non-linear stochastic process corrosion growth model is proposed. •Corrosion rate modeled as random Poisson pulses. •Time to corrosion initiation and inherent time-variability properly represented. •Continuous corrosion growth histories obtained. •Model is shown to precisely fit actual corrosion data at two time points. -- Abstract: Linear random variable corrosion models are extensively employed in reliability analysis of pipelines. However, linear models grossly neglect well-known characteristics of the corrosion process. Herein, a non-linear model is proposed, where corrosion rate is represented as a Poisson square wave process. The resulting model represents inherent time-variability of corrosion growth, produces continuous growth and leads to mean growth at less-than-one power of time. Different corrosion models are adjusted to the same set of actual corrosion data for two inspections. The proposed non-linear random process corrosion growth model leads to the best fit to the data, while better representing problem physics

Active Transforming Growth Factor-beta2 in the Aqueous Humor of Posterior Polymorphous Corneal Dystrophy Patients

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stádníková, A.; Ďuďáková, L.; Skalická, P.; Valenta, Zdeněk; Filipec, M.; Jirsová, K.

2017-01-01

Roč. 12, č. 4 (2017), č. článku e0175509. E-ISSN 1932-6203 Grant - others:GA ČR(CZ) GA17-12355S; GA MŠk(CZ) 7F14156 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : transforming growth factor-beta2 * posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy * corneal endothelial cells * general linear mixed-effect modelling * restricted maximum likelihood estimation Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research OBOR OECD: Statistics and probability Impact factor: 2.806, year: 2016

Associations of linear growth and relative weight gain during early life with adult health and human capital in countries of low and middle income: findings from five birth cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Adair, Linda S; Fall, Caroline H D; Osmond, Clive; Stein, Aryeh D; Martorell, Reynaldo; Ramirez-Zea, Manuel; Sachdev, Harshpal Singh; Dahly, Darren L; Bas, Isabelita; Norris, Shane A; Micklesfield, Lisa; Hallal, Pedro; Victora, Cesar G

2013-08-10

Fast weight gain and linear growth in children in low-income and middle-income countries are associated with enhanced survival and improved cognitive development, but might increase risk of obesity and related adult cardiometabolic diseases. We investigated how linear growth and relative weight gain during infancy and childhood are related to health and human capital outcomes in young adults. We used data from five prospective birth cohort studies from Brazil, Guatemala, India, the Philippines, and South Africa. We investigated body-mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, plasma glucose concentration, height, years of attained schooling, and related categorical indicators of adverse outcomes in young adults. With linear and logistic regression models, we assessed how these outcomes relate to birthweight and to statistically independent measures representing linear growth and weight gain independent of linear growth (relative weight gain) in three age periods: 0-2 years, 2 years to mid-childhood, and mid-childhood to adulthood. We obtained data for 8362 participants who had at least one adult outcome of interest. A higher birthweight was consistently associated with an adult body-mass index of greater than 25 kg/m(2) (odds ratio 1·28, 95% CI 1·21-1·35) and a reduced likelihood of short adult stature (0·49, 0·44-0·54) and of not completing secondary school (0·82, 0·78-0·87). Faster linear growth was strongly associated with a reduced risk of short adult stature (age 2 years: 0·23, 0·20-0·52; mid-childhood: 0·39, 0·36-0·43) and of not completing secondary school (age 2 years: 0·74, 0·67-0·78; mid-childhood: 0·87, 0·83-0·92), but did raise the likelihood of overweight (age 2 years: 1·24, 1·17-1·31; mid-childhood: 1·12, 1·06-1·18) and elevated blood pressure (age 2 years: 1·12, 1·06-1·19; mid-childhood: 1·07, 1·01-1·13). Faster relative weight gain was associated with an increased risk of adult overweight (age 2 years: 1·51

Monte Carlo Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Generalized Long-Memory Time Series Models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mesters, G.; Koopman, S.J.; Ooms, M.

2016-01-01

An exact maximum likelihood method is developed for the estimation of parameters in a non-Gaussian nonlinear density function that depends on a latent Gaussian dynamic process with long-memory properties. Our method relies on the method of importance sampling and on a linear Gaussian approximating

Quasi-linear evolution of tearing modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pellat, R.; Frey, M.; Tagger, M.

1983-07-01

The growth of a Tearing instability in Rutherford's nonlinear regime is investigated. Using a singular perturbation technique, lowest order Rutherford's result is recovered. To the following order it is shown that the mode generates a quasi-linear deformation of the equilibrium flux profile, whose resistive diffusion slows down the growth and shows the possibility of a saturation of the instability

PRINCIPAL STRESSES IN NON-LINEAR ANALYSIS OF BAKUN CONCRETE FACED ROCKFILL DAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Hilton Ahmad

2017-11-01

Full Text Available With rapid population growth and accelerating economic development, much of the world’s WATER which requires urgent attention to ensure sustainable use. Nowadays, Concrete Faced Rockfill Dam (CFRD is preferred among dam consultant due to its advantages. They are designed to withstand all applied loads; namely gravity load due to its massive weight and hydrostatic load due to water thrust from the reservoir. Bakun CFRD, which ranks as the second highest CFRD in the world when completed, is analyzed to its safety due to both loads mentioned earlier by using Finite Element Method. 2-D plane strain finite element analysis of non-linear Duncan-Chang hyperbolic Model which formulated by Duncan and Chang is used to study the structural response of the dam in respect to the deformation and stresses of Main dam of Bakun’s CFRD project. Dead-Birth-Ghost element technique was used to simulate sequences of construction of the dam as well as during reservoir fillings. The comparison of rigid and flexible foundation on the behaviour of the dam was discussed. The maximum and minimum principal stresses are the maximum and minimum possible values of the normal stresses. The maximum principal stress controls brittle fracture. In the finite element modeling the concrete slab on the upstream was represented through six-noded element, while the interface characteristic between dam body and concrete slab was modeled using interface element. The maximum settlement and stresses of the cross section was founded and the distribution of them were discussed and tabulated in form of contours.

Linearly polarized emission from an embedded quantum dot using nanowire morphology control.

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Andrew P; Bradley, John P; Gardner, Kirsty; Krysa, Andrey B; Royall, Ben; Skolnick, Maurice S; Wilson, Luke R

2015-03-11

GaAs nanowires with elongated cross sections are formed using a catalyst-free growth technique. This is achieved by patterning elongated nanoscale openings within a silicon dioxide growth mask on a (111)B GaAs substrate. It is observed that MOVPE-grown vertical nanowires with cross section elongated in the [21̅1̅] and [1̅12] directions remain faithful to the geometry of the openings. An InGaAs quantum dot with weak radial confinement is realized within each nanowire by briefly introducing indium into the reactor during nanowire growth. Photoluminescence emission from an embedded nanowire quantum dot is strongly linearly polarized (typically >90%) with the polarization direction coincident with the axis of elongation. Linearly polarized PL emission is a result of embedding the quantum dot in an anisotropic nanowire structure that supports a single strongly confined, linearly polarized optical mode. This research provides a route to the bottom-up growth of linearly polarized single photon sources of interest for quantum information applications.

Stochastic development regression on non-linear manifolds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kühnel, Line; Sommer, Stefan Horst

2017-01-01

We introduce a regression model for data on non-linear manifolds. The model describes the relation between a set of manifold valued observations, such as shapes of anatomical objects, and Euclidean explanatory variables. The approach is based on stochastic development of Euclidean diffusion...... processes to the manifold. Defining the data distribution as the transition distribution of the mapped stochastic process, parameters of the model, the non-linear analogue of design matrix and intercept, are found via maximum likelihood. The model is intrinsically related to the geometry encoded...

Linear and regressive stochastic models for prediction of daily maximum ozone values at Mexico City atmosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bravo, J. L [Instituto de Geofisica, UNAM, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Nava, M. M [Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Gay, C [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, UNAM, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

2001-07-01

We developed a procedure to forecast, with 2 or 3 hours, the daily maximum of surface ozone concentrations. It involves the adjustment of Autoregressive Integrated and Moving Average (ARIMA) models to daily ozone maximum concentrations at 10 monitoring atmospheric stations in Mexico City during one-year period. A one-day forecast is made and it is adjusted with the meteorological and solar radiation information acquired during the first 3 hours before the occurrence of the maximum value. The relative importance for forecasting of the history of the process and of meteorological conditions is evaluated. Finally an estimate of the daily probability of exceeding a given ozone level is made. [Spanish] Se aplica un procedimiento basado en la metodologia conocida como ARIMA, para predecir, con 2 o 3 horas de anticipacion, el valor maximo de la concentracion diaria de ozono. Esta basado en el calculo de autorregresiones y promedios moviles aplicados a los valores maximos de ozono superficial provenientes de 10 estaciones de monitoreo atmosferico en la Ciudad de Mexico y obtenidos durante un ano de muestreo. El pronostico para un dia se ajusta con la informacion meteorologica y de radiacion solar correspondiente a un periodo que antecede con al menos tres horas la ocurrencia esperada del valor maximo. Se compara la importancia relativa de la historia del proceso y de las condiciones meteorologicas previas para el pronostico. Finalmente se estima la probabilidad diaria de que un nivel normativo o preestablecido para contingencias de ozono sea rebasado.

Growth and Growth hormone - Insulin Like Growth Factor -I (GH-IGF-I) Axis in Chronic Anemias.

Science.gov (United States)

Soliman, Ashraf T; De Sanctis, Vincenzo; Yassin, Mohamed; Adel, Ashraf

2017-04-28

Anaemia is a global public health problem affecting both developing and developed countries with major consequences for human health as well as social and economic development. It occurs at all stages of the life cycle, but is more prevalent in pregnant women and young children. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) was considered to be among the most important contributing factors to the global burden of disease. Prolonged and/or chronic anemia has a negative effect on linear growth especially during the rapid phases (infancy and puberty). Additionally infants with chronic IDA have delayed cognitive, motor, and affective development that may be long-lasting. In view of the significant impact of chronic anemias on growth, pediatricians endocrinologists and hematologists should advocate primary prevention and screening for growth disturbance in these forms of anemias. The extent of the negative effect of different forms of chronic anemias on linear growth and its possible reversibilty is addressed in this review. The possible mechanisms that may impair growth in the different forms of anemias are addressed with special attention to their effect on the growth hormone (GH) - insulin like growth factor -I (IGF-I).

Size dependence of efficiency at maximum power of heat engine

KAUST Repository

Izumida, Y.; Ito, N.

2013-01-01

We perform a molecular dynamics computer simulation of a heat engine model to study how the engine size difference affects its performance. Upon tactically increasing the size of the model anisotropically, we determine that there exists an optimum size at which the model attains the maximum power for the shortest working period. This optimum size locates between the ballistic heat transport region and the diffusive heat transport one. We also study the size dependence of the efficiency at the maximum power. Interestingly, we find that the efficiency at the maximum power around the optimum size attains a value that has been proposed as a universal upper bound, and it even begins to exceed the bound as the size further increases. We explain this behavior of the efficiency at maximum power by using a linear response theory for the heat engine operating under a finite working period, which naturally extends the low-dissipation Carnot cycle model [M. Esposito, R. Kawai, K. Lindenberg, C. Van den Broeck, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 150603 (2010)]. The theory also shows that the efficiency at the maximum power under an extreme condition may reach the Carnot efficiency in principle.© EDP Sciences Società Italiana di Fisica Springer-Verlag 2013.

Size dependence of efficiency at maximum power of heat engine

KAUST Repository

Izumida, Y.

2013-10-01

We perform a molecular dynamics computer simulation of a heat engine model to study how the engine size difference affects its performance. Upon tactically increasing the size of the model anisotropically, we determine that there exists an optimum size at which the model attains the maximum power for the shortest working period. This optimum size locates between the ballistic heat transport region and the diffusive heat transport one. We also study the size dependence of the efficiency at the maximum power. Interestingly, we find that the efficiency at the maximum power around the optimum size attains a value that has been proposed as a universal upper bound, and it even begins to exceed the bound as the size further increases. We explain this behavior of the efficiency at maximum power by using a linear response theory for the heat engine operating under a finite working period, which naturally extends the low-dissipation Carnot cycle model [M. Esposito, R. Kawai, K. Lindenberg, C. Van den Broeck, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 150603 (2010)]. The theory also shows that the efficiency at the maximum power under an extreme condition may reach the Carnot efficiency in principle.© EDP Sciences Società Italiana di Fisica Springer-Verlag 2013.

ON A GENERALIZATION OF THE MAXIMUM ENTROPY THEOREM OF BURG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JOSÉ MARCANO

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this article we introduce some matrix manipulations that allow us to obtain a version of the original Christoffel-Darboux formula, which is of interest in many applications of linear algebra. Using these developments matrix and Jensen’s inequality, we obtain the main result of this proposal, which is the generalization of the maximum entropy theorem of Burg for multivariate processes.

Effect of recombinant insulin-like growth factor-1 treatment on short-term linear growth in a child with Majewski osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II and hepatic insufficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Faienza, Maria Felicia; Acquafredda, Angelo; D'Aniello, Mariangela; Soldano, Lucia; Marzano, Flaviana; Ventura, Annamaria; Cavallo, Luciano

2013-01-01

We report the case of a boy affected by severe intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation, microcephaly, facial dysmorphisms and postnecrotic cirrhosis, diagnosed at birth as having Seckel syndrome, and subsequently confirmed as Majewski osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II (MOPD II) on the basis of clinical and radiological features of skeletal dysplasia. At our observation (6 years 7 months) he presented height -10.3 standard deviation score (SDS), weight -22.1 SDS, head circumference -8 SDS, delayed bone age of 4 years with respect to chronological age. In consideration of the low levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) as well as of hepatic insufficiency, we started the treatment with recombinant human IGF-1 (rhIGF-1) at the dose of 0.04 mg/kg in 2 doses/day, with an increase of 0.04 mg/kg after 1 week until the maximum dose of 0.12 mg/kg. We observed an early response to rhIGF-1 treatment, with a shift of height velocity from 1.8 cm/year (-4.6 SDS) at 4 cm/year (-1.9 SDS), and an increase in bone age of 1.5 years during the first 6 months. rhIGF-1 treatment does not seem to be able to replace the physiological action of IGF-1 in patients with MOPD II and hepatic insufficiency, however, it seems to preserve the typical growth pattern of MOPD II patients, avoiding a further widening of the growth deficiency in these subjects.

Linear versus non-linear structural information limit in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Aert, S.; Chen, J.H.; Van Dyck, D.

2010-01-01

A widely used performance criterion in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) is the information limit. It corresponds to the inverse of the maximum spatial object frequency that is linearly transmitted with sufficient intensity from the exit plane of the object to the image plane and is limited due to partial temporal coherence. In practice, the information limit is often measured from a diffractogram or from Young's fringes assuming a weak phase object scattering beyond the inverse of the information limit. However, for an aberration corrected electron microscope, with an information limit in the sub-angstrom range, weak phase objects are no longer applicable since they do not scatter sufficiently in this range. Therefore, one relies on more strongly scattering objects such as crystals of heavy atoms observed along a low index zone axis. In that case, dynamical scattering becomes important such that the non-linear and linear interaction may be equally important. The non-linear interaction may then set the experimental cut-off frequency observed in a diffractogram. The goal of this paper is to quantify both the linear and the non-linear information transfer in terms of closed form analytical expressions. Whereas the cut-off frequency set by the linear transfer can be directly related with the attainable resolution, information from the non-linear transfer can only be extracted using quantitative, model-based methods. In contrast to the historic definition of the information limit depending on microscope parameters only, the expressions derived in this paper explicitly incorporate their dependence on the structure parameters as well. In order to emphasize this dependence and to distinguish from the usual information limit, the expressions derived for the inverse cut-off frequencies will be referred to as the linear and non-linear structural information limit. The present findings confirm the well-known result that partial temporal coherence has

A General Stochastic Maximum Principle for SDEs of Mean-field Type

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckdahn, Rainer; Djehiche, Boualem; Li Juan

2011-01-01

We study the optimal control for stochastic differential equations (SDEs) of mean-field type, in which the coefficients depend on the state of the solution process as well as of its expected value. Moreover, the cost functional is also of mean-field type. This makes the control problem time inconsistent in the sense that the Bellman optimality principle does not hold. For a general action space a Peng’s-type stochastic maximum principle (Peng, S.: SIAM J. Control Optim. 2(4), 966–979, 1990) is derived, specifying the necessary conditions for optimality. This maximum principle differs from the classical one in the sense that here the first order adjoint equation turns out to be a linear mean-field backward SDE, while the second order adjoint equation remains the same as in Peng’s stochastic maximum principle.

System for memorizing maximum values

Science.gov (United States)

Bozeman, Richard J., Jr.

1992-08-01

The invention discloses a system capable of memorizing maximum sensed values. The system includes conditioning circuitry which receives the analog output signal from a sensor transducer. The conditioning circuitry rectifies and filters the analog signal and provides an input signal to a digital driver, which may be either linear or logarithmic. The driver converts the analog signal to discrete digital values, which in turn triggers an output signal on one of a plurality of driver output lines n. The particular output lines selected is dependent on the converted digital value. A microfuse memory device connects across the driver output lines, with n segments. Each segment is associated with one driver output line, and includes a microfuse that is blown when a signal appears on the associated driver output line.

An optimally weighted estimator of the linear power spectrum disentangling the growth of density perturbations across galaxy surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorini, D.

2017-01-01

Measuring the clustering of galaxies from surveys allows us to estimate the power spectrum of matter density fluctuations, thus constraining cosmological models. This requires careful modelling of observational effects to avoid misinterpretation of data. In particular, signals coming from different distances encode information from different epochs. This is known as ''light-cone effect'' and is going to have a higher impact as upcoming galaxy surveys probe larger redshift ranges. Generalising the method by Feldman, Kaiser and Peacock (1994) [1], I define a minimum-variance estimator of the linear power spectrum at a fixed time, properly taking into account the light-cone effect. An analytic expression for the estimator is provided, and that is consistent with the findings of previous works in the literature. I test the method within the context of the Halofit model, assuming Planck 2014 cosmological parameters [2]. I show that the estimator presented recovers the fiducial linear power spectrum at present time within 5% accuracy up to k ∼ 0.80 h Mpc −1 and within 10% up to k ∼ 0.94 h Mpc −1 , well into the non-linear regime of the growth of density perturbations. As such, the method could be useful in the analysis of the data from future large-scale surveys, like Euclid.

Age, growth and mortality of Sciaena umbra (Sciaenidae in the Gulf of Tunis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inès Chater

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The growth and mortality of the brown meagre, Sciaena umbra from the Gulf of Tunis, were investigated using a sample of 276 specimens, ranging from 15.3 to 49.2 cm total length and from 43 to 1565 g total weight. Specimens were collected from artisanal fisheries between October 2008 and September 2011. Otoliths were extracted, thin cross-sections were realized and radii were measured. The log-linear morphometric relationships between total length-total weight and total length-otolith radius were significant (p < 0.05, showed positive allometry (b=3.15 and isometry (b=0.90, respectively. The marginal analysis suggested that only one growth increment was deposited per year. The maximum age of the brown meagre was 22 years for males and 31 years for females. The fit of the von Bertalanffy growth function was significantly different between sexes (p

The Impact of Single Amino Acids on Growth and Volatile Aroma Production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samantha Fairbairn

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen availability and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly influence fermentation kinetics and the production of volatile compounds important for wine aroma. Amino acids are the most important nitrogen source and have been classified based on how well they support growth. This study evaluated the effect of single amino acids on growth kinetics and major volatile production of two phenotypically different commercial wine yeast strains in synthetic grape must. Four growth parameters, lag phase, maximum growth rate, total biomass formation and time to complete fermentation were evaluated. In contrast with previous findings, in fermentative conditions, phenylalanine and valine supported growth well and asparagine supported it poorly. The four parameters showed good correlations for most amino acid treatments, with some notable exceptions. Single amino acid treatments resulted in the predictable production of aromatic compounds, with a linear correlation between amino acid concentration and the concentration of aromatic compounds that are directly derived from these amino acids. With the increased complexity of nitrogen sources, linear correlations were lost and aroma production became unpredictable. However, even in complex medium minor changes in amino acid concentration continued to directly impact the formation of aromatic compounds, suggesting that the relative concentration of individual amino acids remains a predictor of aromatic outputs, independently of the complexity of metabolic interactions between carbon and nitrogen metabolism and between amino acid degradation and utilization pathways.

Retardo estatural em menores de cinco anos: um estudo "baseline" Linear growth retardation in children under five years of age: a baseline study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anete Rissin

2011-10-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Descrever a prevalência e analisar fatores associados ao retardo estatural em menores de cinco anos. MÉTODOS: Estudo "baseline", que analisou 2.040 crianças, verificando possíveis associações entre o retardo estatural (índice altura/idade The scope of this study was to describe the prevalence of, and analyze factors associated with, linear growth retardation in children. The baseline study analyzed 2040 children under the age of five, establishing a possible association between growth delay (height/age index < 2 scores Z and variables in six hierarchical blocks: socio-economic, residence, sanitary, maternal, biological and healthcare access. Multivariate analysis was performed using Poisson regression with the robust standard error option, obtaining adjusted prevalence ratios with a CI of 95% and the respective significant probability values. Among non-binary variables, there was a positive association with roof type and number of inhabitants per room and a negative association with income per capita, mother's schooling and birth weight. The adjusted analysis also indicated water supply, visit from the community health agent, birth delivery location, internment for diarrhea, or for pneumonia and birth weight as significant variables. Several risk factors were identified for linear growth retardation pointing to the multi-causal aspects of the problem and highlighting the need for control measures by the various hierarchical government agents.

MEMS earthworm: a thermally actuated peristaltic linear micromotor

Science.gov (United States)

Arthur, Craig; Ellerington, Neil; Hubbard, Ted; Kujath, Marek

2011-03-01

This paper examines the design, fabrication and testing of a bio-mimetic MEMS (micro-electro mechanical systems) earthworm motor with external actuators. The motor consists of a passive mobile shuttle with two flexible diamond-shaped segments; each segment is independently squeezed by a pair of stationary chevron-shaped thermal actuators. Applying a specific sequence of squeezes to the earthworm segments, the shuttle can be driven backward or forward. Unlike existing inchworm drives that use clamping and thrusting actuators, the earthworm actuators apply only clamping forces to the shuttle, and lateral thrust is produced by the shuttle's compliant geometry. The earthworm assembly is fabricated using the PolyMUMPs process with planar dimensions of 400 µm width by 800 µm length. The stationary actuators operate within the range of 4-9 V and provide a maximum shuttle range of motion of 350 µm (approximately half its size), a maximum shuttle speed of 17 mm s-1 at 10 kHz, and a maximum dc shuttle force of 80 µN. The shuttle speed was found to vary linearly with both input voltage and input frequency. The shuttle force was found to vary linearly with the actuator voltage.

MEMS earthworm: a thermally actuated peristaltic linear micromotor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arthur, Craig; Ellerington, Neil; Hubbard, Ted; Kujath, Marek

2011-01-01

This paper examines the design, fabrication and testing of a bio-mimetic MEMS (micro-electro mechanical systems) earthworm motor with external actuators. The motor consists of a passive mobile shuttle with two flexible diamond-shaped segments; each segment is independently squeezed by a pair of stationary chevron-shaped thermal actuators. Applying a specific sequence of squeezes to the earthworm segments, the shuttle can be driven backward or forward. Unlike existing inchworm drives that use clamping and thrusting actuators, the earthworm actuators apply only clamping forces to the shuttle, and lateral thrust is produced by the shuttle's compliant geometry. The earthworm assembly is fabricated using the PolyMUMPs process with planar dimensions of 400 µm width by 800 µm length. The stationary actuators operate within the range of 4–9 V and provide a maximum shuttle range of motion of 350 µm (approximately half its size), a maximum shuttle speed of 17 mm s −1 at 10 kHz, and a maximum dc shuttle force of 80 µN. The shuttle speed was found to vary linearly with both input voltage and input frequency. The shuttle force was found to vary linearly with the actuator voltage.

Why care about linear hair growth rates (LHGR)? a study using in vivo imaging and computer assisted image analysis after manual processing (CAIAMP) in unaffected male controls and men with male pattern hair loss (MPHL).

Science.gov (United States)

Van Neste, Dominique

2014-01-01

The words "hair growth" frequently encompass many aspects other than just growth. Report on a validation method for precise non-invasive measurement of thickness together with linear hair growth rates of individual hair fibres. To verify the possible correlation between thickness and linear growth rate of scalp hair in male pattern hair loss as compared with healthy male controls. To document the process of validation of hair growth measurement from in vivo image capturing and manual processing, followed by computer assisted image analysis. We analysed 179 paired images obtained with the contrast-enhanced-phototrichogram method with exogen collection (CE-PTG-EC) in 13 healthy male controls and in 87 men with male pattern hair loss (MPHL). There was a global positive correlation between thickness and growth rate (ANOVA; phairs from controls. Finally, the growth rate recorded in the more severe patterns was significantly (ANOVA; P ≤ 0.001) reduced compared with equally thick hair from less severely affected MPHL or controls subjects. Reduced growth rate, together with thinning and shortening of the anagen phase duration in MPHL might contribute together to the global impression of decreased hair volume on the top of the head. Amongst other structural and functional parameters characterizing hair follicle regression, linear hair growth rate warrants further investigation, as it may be relevant in terms of self-perception of hair coverage, quantitative diagnosis and prognostic factor of the therapeutic response.

A piezoelectric ultrasonic linear micromotor using a slotted stator.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Cheol-Ho; Watson, Brett; Friend, James; Yeo, Leslie

2010-08-01

A novel ultrasonic micro linear motor that uses 1st longitudinal and 2nd bending modes, derived from a bartype stator with a rectangular slot cut through the stator length, has been proposed and designed for end-effect devices of microrobotics and bio-medical applications. The slot structure plays an important role in the motor design, and can be used not only to tune the resonance frequency of the two vibration modes but also to reduce the undesirable longitudinal coupling displacement caused by bending vibration at the end of the stator. By using finite element analysis, the optimal slot dimension to improve the driving tip motion was determined, resulting in the improvement of the motor performance. The trial linear motor, with a weight of 1.6 g, gave a maximum driving velocity of 1.12 m/s and a maximum driving force of 3.4 N. A maximum mechanical output power of 1.1 W was obtained at force of 1.63 N and velocity of 0.68 m/s. The output mechanical power per unit weight was 688 W/kg.

Measurements of Rayleigh-Taylor-Induced Magnetic Fields in the Linear and Non-linear Regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Manuel, Mario

2012-10-01

Magnetic fields are generated in plasmas by the Biermann-battery, or thermoelectric, source driven by non-collinear temperature and density gradients. The ablation front in laser-irradiated targets is susceptible to Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) growth that produces gradients capable of generating magnetic fields. Measurements of these RT-induced magnetic fields in planar foils have been made using a combination of x-ray and monoenergetic-proton radiography techniques. At a perturbation wavelength of 120 μm, proton radiographs indicate an increase of the magnetic-field strength from ˜1 to ˜10 Tesla during the linear growth phase. A characteristic change in field structure was observed later in time for irradiated foils of different initial surface perturbations. Proton radiographs show a regular cellular configuration initiated at the same time during the drive, independent of the initial foil conditions. This non-linear behavior has been experimentally investigated and the source of these characteristic features will be discussed.

A solution approach for non-linear analysis of concrete members

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadi, N. M.; Das, S.

1999-01-01

Non-linear solution of reinforced concrete structural members, at and beyond its maximum strength poses complex numerical problems. This is due to the fact that concrete exhibits strain softening behaviour once it reaches its maximum strength. This paper introduces an improved non-linear solution capable to overcome the numerical problems efficiently. The paper also presents a new concept of modeling discrete cracks in concrete members by using gap elements. Gap elements are placed in between two adjacent concrete elements in tensile zone. The magnitude of elongation of gap elements, which represents the width of the crack in concrete, increases edith the increase of tensile stress in those elements. As a result, transfer of local from one concrete element to adjacent elements reduces. Results of non-linear finite element analysis of three concrete beams using this new solution strategy are compared with those obtained by other researchers, and a good agreement is achieved. (authors). 13 refs. 9 figs.,

Hopper Growth of Salt Crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Desarnaud, Julie; Derluyn, Hannelore; Carmeliet, Jan; Bonn, Daniel; Shahidzadeh, Noushine

2018-06-07

The growth of hopper crystals is observed for many substances, but the mechanism of their formation remains ill understood. Here we investigate their growth by performing evaporation experiments on small volumes of salt solutions. We show that sodium chloride crystals that grow very fast from a highly supersaturated solution form a peculiar form of hopper crystal consisting of a series of connected miniature versions of the original cubic crystal. The transition between cubic and such hopper growth happens at a well-defined supersaturation where the growth rate of the cubic crystal reaches a maximum (∼6.5 ± 1.8 μm/s). Above this threshold, the growth rate varies as the third power of supersaturation, showing that a new mechanism, controlled by the maximum speed of surface integration of new molecules, induces the hopper growth of cubic crystals in cascade.

Effect of Temperature and Relative Humidity on the Growth of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

were used to determine the temperature effect on the growth of H. fulvum. Maximum growth of H. ... The fungus showed maximum growth at 92.5 and 100% relative humidity. .... recommended that fruits and vegetables should be stored at low ...

Study of loading by beam of dual-resonator structure of linear electron accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milovanov, O.S.; Smirnov, I.A.

1988-01-01

Loading by the beam of the accelerating structure of an Argus dual-resonator linear electron accelerator with a kinetic energy of ∼ 1 MeV and a pulsed beam current of up to 0.5 A is studied experimentally. It is shown that the conditions for stable single-frequency operation of the magnetron are disrupted and the acceleration process is cut off at certain electron-beam currents. Experimental curves of the maximum beam current and maximum electron efficiency of the Argus linear electron accelerator as functions of rf power are given

Non-linear growth in tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis.

Science.gov (United States)

Blair, David P; Blanchard, Wade; Banks, Sam C; Lindenmayer, David B

2017-01-01

Tree ferns are an important structural component of forests in many countries. However, because their regeneration is often unrelated to major disturbances, their age is often difficult to determine. In addition, rates of growth may not be uniform, which further complicates attempts to determine their age. In this study, we measured 5 years of growth of Cyathea australis and Dicksonia antarctica after a large wildfire in 2009 in south-eastern Australia. We found growth rates of these two species were unaffected by aspect and elevation but slope had a minor effect with D. antarctica growing 0.3mm faster for each additional degree of slope. Geographic location influenced growth in both species by up to 12 - 14mm/yr. The most consistent factor influencing growth rate, however, was initial height at the time of the 2009 fire; a finding consistent in both species and all geographic locations. For both tree fern species, individuals that were taller at the commencement of the study had greater overall growth for the duration of the study. This effect did not decrease even among the tallest tree ferns in our study (up to 6 metres tall). Overall, Cyathea australis averaged 73 (± 22)mm/year of growth (± 1SD), with the rate increasing 5mm/yr per metre of additional height. Dicksonia antarctica averaged 33 (± 13)mm/year, increasing by 6mm/yr/m. Growth rates dependent on initial height were unexpected and we discuss possible reasons for this finding. Variable growth rates also suggest that common age estimation methods of dividing height by average growth rate are likely to underestimate the age of short tree ferns, while overestimating the age of tall tree ferns, particularly if they have been subject to a fire.

Non-linear growth in tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David P Blair

Full Text Available Tree ferns are an important structural component of forests in many countries. However, because their regeneration is often unrelated to major disturbances, their age is often difficult to determine. In addition, rates of growth may not be uniform, which further complicates attempts to determine their age. In this study, we measured 5 years of growth of Cyathea australis and Dicksonia antarctica after a large wildfire in 2009 in south-eastern Australia. We found growth rates of these two species were unaffected by aspect and elevation but slope had a minor effect with D. antarctica growing 0.3mm faster for each additional degree of slope. Geographic location influenced growth in both species by up to 12 - 14mm/yr. The most consistent factor influencing growth rate, however, was initial height at the time of the 2009 fire; a finding consistent in both species and all geographic locations. For both tree fern species, individuals that were taller at the commencement of the study had greater overall growth for the duration of the study. This effect did not decrease even among the tallest tree ferns in our study (up to 6 metres tall. Overall, Cyathea australis averaged 73 (± 22mm/year of growth (± 1SD, with the rate increasing 5mm/yr per metre of additional height. Dicksonia antarctica averaged 33 (± 13mm/year, increasing by 6mm/yr/m. Growth rates dependent on initial height were unexpected and we discuss possible reasons for this finding. Variable growth rates also suggest that common age estimation methods of dividing height by average growth rate are likely to underestimate the age of short tree ferns, while overestimating the age of tall tree ferns, particularly if they have been subject to a fire.

Ethanol production and maximum cell growth are highly correlated with membrane lipid composition during fermentation as determined by lipidomic analysis of 22 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Clark M; Lozada-Contreras, Michelle; Jiranek, Vladimir; Longo, Marjorie L; Block, David E

2013-01-01

Optimizing ethanol yield during fermentation is important for efficient production of fuel alcohol, as well as wine and other alcoholic beverages. However, increasing ethanol concentrations during fermentation can create problems that result in arrested or sluggish sugar-to-ethanol conversion. The fundamental cellular basis for these problem fermentations, however, is not well understood. Small-scale fermentations were performed in a synthetic grape must using 22 industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (primarily wine strains) with various degrees of ethanol tolerance to assess the correlation between lipid composition and fermentation kinetic parameters. Lipids were extracted at several fermentation time points representing different growth phases of the yeast to quantitatively analyze phospholipids and ergosterol utilizing atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometry methods. Lipid profiling of individual fermentations indicated that yeast lipid class profiles do not shift dramatically in composition over the course of fermentation. Multivariate statistical analysis of the data was performed using partial least-squares linear regression modeling to correlate lipid composition data with fermentation kinetic data. The results indicate a strong correlation (R(2) = 0.91) between the overall lipid composition and the final ethanol concentration (wt/wt), an indicator of strain ethanol tolerance. One potential component of ethanol tolerance, the maximum yeast cell concentration, was also found to be a strong function of lipid composition (R(2) = 0.97). Specifically, strains unable to complete fermentation were associated with high phosphatidylinositol levels early in fermentation. Yeast strains that achieved the highest cell densities and ethanol concentrations were positively correlated with phosphatidylcholine species similar to those known to decrease the perturbing effects of ethanol in model membrane systems.

The effects of oestrogens on linear bone growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juul, A

2001-01-01

boys, and non-aromatizable androgens [oxandrolone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT)] have no effect on GH secretion. Treatment with aromatase inhibitors reduces circulating IGF-I concentrations in healthy males, and reduces growth in boys with testotoxicosis. Taken together, these findings suggest...

Noise Reduction with Optimal Variable Span Linear Filters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jesper Rindom; Benesty, Jacob; Christensen, Mads Græsbøll

2016-01-01

In this paper, the problem of noise reduction is addressed as a linear filtering problem in a novel way by using concepts from subspace-based enhancement methods, resulting in variable span linear filters. This is done by forming the filter coefficients as linear combinations of a number...... included in forming the filter. Using these concepts, a number of different filter designs are considered, like minimum distortion, Wiener, maximum SNR, and tradeoff filters. Interestingly, all these can be expressed as special cases of variable span filters. We also derive expressions for the speech...... demonstrate the advantages and properties of the variable span filter designs, and their potential performance gain compared to widely used speech enhancement methods....

Growth of ZrSiO4 single crystal by flux method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushio, Masumi; Nishitani, Yoshinari

1982-01-01

ZrSiO 4 single crystals were grown from the Na 2 O.3 V 2 O 5 fluxed melt at constant soaking temperatures of 900 0 C and 1000 0 C for periods up to 1710h, using the natural zircon seeds. Temperature difference between the seed and nutrient was 0.5 -- 5 0 C. A solubility curve of the natural zircon in Na 2 O.3 V 2 O 5 was determined. It was found that about 5.7g of the natural crystal dissolved in Na 2 O.3 V 2 O 5 in 48h at 1000 0 C and about 7.5g at 1200 0 C. .the maximum growth weight was about 0.35 2 g under conditions of the temperature difference of 2 0 C and the soaking for 1205h at 1000 0 C. The grown crystal was initially bounded with the c-, m-, p-, a-planes and very small planes consisting of the u- and x-, and finally bounded with the m- and p-planes. The observed linear growth rates of planes of ZrSiO 4 single crystals were in the following order:a(100) > c(001) > p(111) > m(110). The growth rates of a- and m-planes were about 5 -- 7 x 10 -4 mm/h and 0.9 -- 1.0 x 10 -4 mm/h, respectively. The growth hillocks of rounded triangular shape and elliptic shape extended to the direction of c-axis, were observed on the p- and m-planes, respectively. The observed step distence of the spiral and the step height were about 0.97 5 μm and 0.17 2 μm, respectively. The observed linear rate of advance of the step on the m-plane was about 0.4 0 -- 1.2 x 10 -8 cm/s. A linear growth rate of the m-plane was then calculated to be 0.2 5 -- 0.7 1 x 10 -4 mm/h by the BCF theory, which agreed in order of magnitude with the observes growth rate of the m-plabe. (author)

Unilateral Enophthalmos in Linear Scleroderma: A Case Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, So hyun; Hwang, Hee Young; Choi, Hye Young; Kim, Hyung Sik [Gachon University, Gil Hospital, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2010-04-15

Linear scleroderma is an uncommon subtype of localized scleroderma, which is characterized by a linear streak that crosses dermatomes and is associated with the tracking of fibrosis from the skin into deeper tissues, including muscle and fascia. A severe form of this condition sometimes causes growth atrophy of bone and supporting tissue in the affected area. Enophthalmos as a manifestation of linear scleroderma is very rare and occurs due to the replacement of orbital fat and muscle with collagen, which finally leads to atrophy of the affected orbit. This report introduces imaging findings of two cases of enophthalmos caused by linear scleroderma

Unilateral Enophthalmos in Linear Scleroderma: A Case Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, So hyun; Hwang, Hee Young; Choi, Hye Young; Kim, Hyung Sik

2010-01-01

Linear scleroderma is an uncommon subtype of localized scleroderma, which is characterized by a linear streak that crosses dermatomes and is associated with the tracking of fibrosis from the skin into deeper tissues, including muscle and fascia. A severe form of this condition sometimes causes growth atrophy of bone and supporting tissue in the affected area. Enophthalmos as a manifestation of linear scleroderma is very rare and occurs due to the replacement of orbital fat and muscle with collagen, which finally leads to atrophy of the affected orbit. This report introduces imaging findings of two cases of enophthalmos caused by linear scleroderma

Time and Memory Efficient Online Piecewise Linear Approximation of Sensor Signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Grützmacher, Florian; Beichler, Benjamin; Hein, Albert; Kirste, Thomas; Haubelt, Christian

2018-05-23

Piecewise linear approximation of sensor signals is a well-known technique in the fields of Data Mining and Activity Recognition. In this context, several algorithms have been developed, some of them with the purpose to be performed on resource constrained microcontroller architectures of wireless sensor nodes. While microcontrollers are usually constrained in computational power and memory resources, all state-of-the-art piecewise linear approximation techniques either need to buffer sensor data or have an execution time depending on the segment’s length. In the paper at hand, we propose a novel piecewise linear approximation algorithm, with a constant computational complexity as well as a constant memory complexity. Our proposed algorithm’s worst-case execution time is one to three orders of magnitude smaller and its average execution time is three to seventy times smaller compared to the state-of-the-art Piecewise Linear Approximation (PLA) algorithms in our experiments. In our evaluations, we show that our algorithm is time and memory efficient without sacrificing the approximation quality compared to other state-of-the-art piecewise linear approximation techniques, while providing a maximum error guarantee per segment, a small parameter space of only one parameter, and a maximum latency of one sample period plus its worst-case execution time.

SLAC linear collider conceptual design report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-06-01

The linear collider system is described in detail, including the transport system, the collider lattice, final focusing system, positron production, beam damping and compression, high current electron source, instrumentation and control, and the beam luminosity. The experimental facilities and the experimental uses are discussed along with the construction schedule and estimated costs. Appendices include a discussion of space charge effects in the linear accelerator, emittance growth in the collider, the final focus system, beam-beam instabilities and pinch effects, and detector backgrounds. (GHT)

SLAC linear collider conceptual design report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-06-01

The linear collider system is described in detail, including the transport system, the collider lattice, final focusing system, positron production, beam damping and compression, high current electron source, instrumentation and control, and the beam luminosity. The experimental facilities and the experimental uses are discussed along with the construction schedule and estimated costs. Appendices include a discussion of space charge effects in the linear accelerator, emittance growth in the collider, the final focus system, beam-beam instabilities and pinch effects, and detector backgrounds

A High Performance Silicon-on-Insulator LDMOSTT Using Linearly Increasing Thickness Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu-Feng, Guo; Zhi-Gong, Wang; Gene, Sheu; Jian-Bing, Cheng

2010-01-01

We present a new technique to achieve uniform lateral electric field and maximum breakdown voltage in lateral double-diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors fabricated on silicon-on-insulator substrates. A linearly increasing drift-region thickness from the source to the drain is employed to improve the electric field distribution in the devices. Compared to the lateral linear doping technique and the reduced surface field technique, two-dimensional numerical simulations show that the new device exhibits reduced specific on-resistance, maximum off- and on-state breakdown voltages, superior quasi-saturation characteristics and improved safe operating area. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Estimation of the Maximum Theoretical Productivity of Fed-Batch Bioreactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bomble, Yannick J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); St. John, Peter C [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Crowley, Michael F [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-10-18

A key step towards the development of an integrated biorefinery is the screening of economically viable processes, which depends sharply on the yields and productivities that can be achieved by an engineered microorganism. In this study, we extend an earlier method which used dynamic optimization to find the maximum theoretical productivity of batch cultures to explicitly include fed-batch bioreactors. In addition to optimizing the intracellular distribution of metabolites between cell growth and product formation, we calculate the optimal control trajectory of feed rate versus time. We further analyze how sensitive the productivity is to substrate uptake and growth parameters.

Non-linear growth: The road ahead for Indian IT outsourcing companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y.L.R. Moorthi

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Indian IT outsourcing companies (major among them being the SWITCH companies -- Satyam, Wipro, Infosys, TCS, Cognizant and HCL grew rapidly for more than a decade on low cost business process and IT outsourcing. With the bigger companies already reaching a high of 100,000 employees, they are now turning their attention to non-linear revenue (i.e. revenue less dependent on numbers or greater revenue earned per employee. For this they need to pursue ‘disruptive’ strategies which are distinctly different from the ‘incremental’ initiatives they adopted in the past to maintain linear revenue. This paper first outlines the disruptive and the incremental initiatives of the SWITCH companies and the road ahead for them. This is followed by an interview with S Gopalakrishnan, CEO and MD, Infosys Technologies who discusses the non-linear initiatives of the company and the challenges it faces in the field.

Linear Malignant Melanoma In Situ: Reports and Review of Cutaneous Malignancies Presenting as Linear Skin Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Philip R

2017-09-18

Melanomas usually present as oval lesions in which the borders may be irregular. Other morphological features of melanoma include clinical asymmetry, variable color, diameter greater than 6 mm and evolving lesions. Two males whose melanoma in situ presented as linear skin lesions are described and cutaneous malignancies that may appear linear in morphology are summarized in this report. A medical literature search engine, PubMed, was used to search the following terms: cancer, cutaneous, in situ, linear, malignant, malignant melanoma, melanoma in situ, neoplasm, and skin. The 25 papers that were generated by the search and their references, were reviewed; 10 papers were selected for inclusion. The cancer of the skin typically presents as round lesions. However, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma may arise from primary skin conditions or benign skin neoplasms such as linear epidermal nevus and linear porokeratosis. In addition, linear tumors such as basal cell carcinoma can occur. The development of linear cutaneous neoplasms may occur secondary to skin tension line or embryonal growth patterns (as reflected by the lines of Langer and lines of Blaschko) or exogenous factors such as prior radiation therapy. Cutaneous neoplasms and specifically melanoma in situ can be added to the list of linear skin lesions.

Sparsity Prevention Pivoting Method for Linear Programming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Peiqiang; Li, Qiyuan; Li, Canbing

2018-01-01

When the simplex algorithm is used to calculate a linear programming problem, if the matrix is a sparse matrix, it will be possible to lead to many zero-length calculation steps, and even iterative cycle will appear. To deal with the problem, a new pivoting method is proposed in this paper....... The principle of this method is avoided choosing the row which the value of the element in the b vector is zero as the row of the pivot element to make the matrix in linear programming density and ensure that most subsequent steps will improve the value of the objective function. One step following...... this principle is inserted to reselect the pivot element in the existing linear programming algorithm. Both the conditions for inserting this step and the maximum number of allowed insertion steps are determined. In the case study, taking several numbers of linear programming problems as examples, the results...

Sparsity Prevention Pivoting Method for Linear Programming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Peiqiang; Li, Qiyuan; Li, Canbing

2018-01-01

. The principle of this method is avoided choosing the row which the value of the element in the b vector is zero as the row of the pivot element to make the matrix in linear programming density and ensure that most subsequent steps will improve the value of the objective function. One step following......When the simplex algorithm is used to calculate a linear programming problem, if the matrix is a sparse matrix, it will be possible to lead to many zero-length calculation steps, and even iterative cycle will appear. To deal with the problem, a new pivoting method is proposed in this paper...... this principle is inserted to reselect the pivot element in the existing linear programming algorithm. Both the conditions for inserting this step and the maximum number of allowed insertion steps are determined. In the case study, taking several numbers of linear programming problems as examples, the results...

A new algebraic growth of nonlinear tearing mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, D.

1995-01-01

It is found that the quasilinear modification of magnetic field produces a nonlinear Lorentz force opposing the linear driving force and slowing down the vortex flow. A new algebraic growth appears due to this damping mechanism to oppose the linear growth of the tearing mode. This effect was eliminated in Rutherford's model [Phys. Fluids 16, 1903 (1973)] under the flux average operation and the assumption ∂/∂t much-lt η/δ 2 (here η is the resistivity, δ is the resistive layer width). A unified analytical model is developed by using standard perturbation theory for the linear and nonlinear growth of the tearing mode. The inertia effect and quasilinear effects of both the current density and the magnetic field have been included. A nonlinear evolution equation is analytically derived for the tearing mode to describe the linear growth, Rutherford's behavior, and the new behavior. The classical linear result is exactly recovered as the quasilinear effects are negligible. It is shown that a more slowly algebraic growth like Ψ 1 ∝t can become dominant in the nonlinear phase instead of Rutherford behavior like Ψ 1 ∝t 2 , provided the tearing mode in the linear phase is strongly unstable. Here Ψ 1 is the magnetic flux perturbation. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

Mitigation of Linear and Nonlinear Impairments in Spectrally Efficient Superchannels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Porto da Silva, Edson; Larsen, Knud J.; Zibar, Darko

2015-01-01

We assess numerically the performance of single-carrier digital backpropagation and maximum-likelihood sequence detection (MLSD) for DP-QPSK superchannel transmission. It is shown that MLSD is advantageous only against inter-carrier linear crosstalk....

Gas-Jet Meniscus Control in Ribbon Growth

Science.gov (United States)

Zoutendyk, J. A.; Vonroos, O.

1983-01-01

Gas jet used to control shape of meniscus and thus to regulate ribbon thickness in vertical silicon-ribbon growth. Gas jet also cools ribbon, increasing maximum possible pull speed for silicon, contact angle of 11 degrees plus or minus 1 degree required for constant thickness ribbon growth. Cooling effect of gas jet increases maximum possible pull speed.

Entanglement Growth in Quench Dynamics with Variable Range Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Schachenmayer

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Studying entanglement growth in quantum dynamics provides both insight into the underlying microscopic processes and information about the complexity of the quantum states, which is related to the efficiency of simulations on classical computers. Recently, experiments with trapped ions, polar molecules, and Rydberg excitations have provided new opportunities to observe dynamics with long-range interactions. We explore nonequilibrium coherent dynamics after a quantum quench in such systems, identifying qualitatively different behavior as the exponent of algebraically decaying spin-spin interactions in a transverse Ising chain is varied. Computing the buildup of bipartite entanglement as well as mutual information between distant spins, we identify linear growth of entanglement entropy corresponding to propagation of quasiparticles for shorter-range interactions, with the maximum rate of growth occurring when the Hamiltonian parameters match those for the quantum phase transition. Counterintuitively, the growth of bipartite entanglement for long-range interactions is only logarithmic for most regimes, i.e., substantially slower than for shorter-range interactions. Experiments with trapped ions allow for the realization of this system with a tunable interaction range, and we show that the different phenomena are robust for finite system sizes and in the presence of noise. These results can act as a direct guide for the generation of large-scale entanglement in such experiments, towards a regime where the entanglement growth can render existing classical simulations inefficient.

Maximum-confidence discrimination among symmetric qudit states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimenez, O.; Solis-Prosser, M. A.; Delgado, A.; Neves, L.

2011-01-01

We study the maximum-confidence (MC) measurement strategy for discriminating among nonorthogonal symmetric qudit states. Restricting to linearly dependent and equally likely pure states, we find the optimal positive operator valued measure (POVM) that maximizes our confidence in identifying each state in the set and minimizes the probability of obtaining inconclusive results. The physical realization of this POVM is completely determined and it is shown that after an inconclusive outcome, the input states may be mapped into a new set of equiprobable symmetric states, restricted, however, to a subspace of the original qudit Hilbert space. By applying the MC measurement again onto this new set, we can still gain some information about the input states, although with less confidence than before. This leads us to introduce the concept of sequential maximum-confidence (SMC) measurements, where the optimized MC strategy is iterated in as many stages as allowed by the input set, until no further information can be extracted from an inconclusive result. Within each stage of this measurement our confidence in identifying the input states is the highest possible, although it decreases from one stage to the next. In addition, the more stages we accomplish within the maximum allowed, the higher will be the probability of correct identification. We will discuss an explicit example of the optimal SMC measurement applied in the discrimination among four symmetric qutrit states and propose an optical network to implement it.

Dual exponential polynomials and linear differential equations

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Zhi-Tao; Gundersen, Gary G.; Heittokangas, Janne

2018-01-01

We study linear differential equations with exponential polynomial coefficients, where exactly one coefficient is of order greater than all the others. The main result shows that a nontrivial exponential polynomial solution of such an equation has a certain dual relationship with the maximum order coefficient. Several examples illustrate our results and exhibit possibilities that can occur.

Linear neoclassical tearing mode in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaing, K. C.

2007-01-01

The growth rate of linear tearing modes in tokamaks is calculated including the neoclassical dissipation mechanism. It is found that when the growth rate is much smaller than the ion-ion collision frequency, the growth rate is reduced approximately by a factor of (B p /B) 2/5 from its standard value, and when the growth rate is much larger than the ion-ion collision frequency, the growth rate is reduced by a factor [√(ε)/(1.6q 2 )] 1/5 . Here, B p is the poloidal magnetic field strength, B is the magnetic field strength, ε is the inverse aspect ratio, and q is the safety factor. The width of the resistive layer is broadened when compared to that of the standard theory. In both limits, the growth rate and the resistive layer width only depend on B p and are independent of B. The growth rates in the plateau regime and for the inertia dominant modes are also presented

A novel microculture kinetic assay (MiCK assay) for malignant cell growth and chemosensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kravtsov, V D

1994-01-01

The THERMOmax microplate reader was adapted for monitoring the growth kinetics of human leukaemic OCI/AML-2 and mouse tumour J-774.1 cell lines in continuous culture. Fluid evaporation from wells, CO2 escape and contamination were prevented by hermetic sealing of the microcultures in wells of a 96-well microplate, thus enabling the cells to grow exponentially for 72 h under the conditions of the incubated microplate reader. For both OCI/AML-2 cells, which grow in suspension, and adherent J-774.1 cells, a linear correlation was demonstrated between the number of unstained cells seeded in a given microplate well and the optical density (OD) of that well. Therefore, the OD/time curve of the culture could be deemed to be its growth curve. By the use of the linear fit equation, the actual number of the cells in the wells was computable at any time point of the assay. In the chemosensitivity test, an inhibitory effect of ARA-C on the growth of the cells could be estimated by viewing of the growth curves plotted on the screen. The maximum kinetic rates (Vmax) of the curves in the control and the ARA-C-treated wells were compared, yielding a growth inhibition index (GII). Comparison of results of the kinetic chemosensitivity assay with those of a [3H]thymidine incorporation assay revealed that the novel assay is suitable for precise quantitation of the cell chemosensitivity, is more informative and has the added technical advantage of performance without recourse to radioactive or chemically hazardous substances.

Maximum power point tracking for photovoltaic solar pump based on ANFIS tuning system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Shabaan

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Solar photovoltaic (PV systems are a clean and naturally replenished energy source. PV panels have a unique point which represents the maximum available power and this point depend on the environmental conditions such as temperature and irradiance. A maximum power point tracking (MPPT is therefore necessary for maximum efficiency. In this paper, a study of MPPT for PV water pumping system based on adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS is discussed. A comparison between the performance of the system with and without MPPT is carried out under varying irradiation and temperature conditions. ANFIS based controller shows fast response with high efficiency at all irradiance and temperature levels making it a powerful technique for non-linear systems as PV modules. Keywords: MPPT, ANFIS, Boost converter, PMDC pump

Linear irreversible thermodynamics and Onsager reciprocity for information-driven engines

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Shumpei; Ito, Sosuke; Shiraishi, Naoto; Sagawa, Takahiro

2016-11-01

In the recent progress in nonequilibrium thermodynamics, information has been recognized as a kind of thermodynamic resource that can drive thermodynamic current without any direct energy injection. In this paper, we establish the framework of linear irreversible thermodynamics for a broad class of autonomous information processing. In particular, we prove that the Onsager reciprocity holds true with information: The linear response matrix is well-defined and is shown symmetric with both of the information affinity and the conventional thermodynamic affinity. As an application, we derive a universal bound for the efficiency at maximum power for information-driven engines in the linear regime. Our result reveals the fundamental role of information flow in linear irreversible thermodynamics.

A meta-analysis of cambium phenology and growth: linear and non-linear patterns in conifers of the northern hemisphere

OpenAIRE

Rossi, Sergio; Anfodillo, Tommaso; Čufar, Katarina; Cuny, Henri E.; Deslauriers, Annie; Fonti, Patrick; Frank, David; Gričar, Jožica; Gruber, Andreas; King, Gregory M.; Krause, Cornelia; Morin, Hubert; Oberhuber, Walter; Prislan, Peter; Rathgeber, Cyrille B. K.

2017-01-01

Background and Aims Ongoing global warming has been implicated in shifting phenological patterns such as the timing and duration of the growing season across a wide variety of ecosystems. Linear models are routinely used to extrapolate these observed shifts in phenology into the future and to estimate changes in associated ecosystem properties such as net primary productivity. Yet, in nature, linear relationships may be special cases. Biological processes frequently follow more complex, non-l...

Linear study of the precessional fishbone instability

Science.gov (United States)

Idouakass, M.; Faganello, M.; Berk, H. L.; Garbet, X.; Benkadda, S.

2016-10-01

The precessional fishbone instability is an m = n = 1 internal kink mode destabilized by a population of trapped energetic particles. The linear phase of this instability is studied here, analytically and numerically, with a simplified model. This model uses the reduced magneto-hydrodynamics equations for the bulk plasma and the Vlasov equation for a population of energetic particles with a radially decreasing density. A threshold condition for the instability is found, as well as a linear growth rate and frequency. It is shown that the mode frequency is given by the precession frequency of the deeply trapped energetic particles at the position of strongest radial gradient. The growth rate is shown to scale with the energetic particle density and particle energy while it is decreased by continuum damping.

Maximum of an Airy process plus Brownian motion and memory in Kardar-Parisi-Zhang growth

Science.gov (United States)

Le Doussal, Pierre

2017-12-01

We obtain several exact results for universal distributions involving the maximum of the Airy2 process minus a parabola and plus a Brownian motion, with applications to the one-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) stochastic growth universality class. This allows one to obtain (i) the universal limit, for large time separation, of the two-time height correlation for droplet initial conditions, e.g., C∞=limt2/t1→+∞h(t1) h (t2)¯c/h(t1)2¯c, with C∞≈0.623 , as well as conditional moments, which quantify ergodicity breaking in the time evolution; (ii) in the same limit, the distribution of the midpoint position x (t1) of a directed polymer of length t2; and (iii) the height distribution in stationary KPZ with a step. These results are derived from the replica Bethe ansatz for the KPZ continuum equation, with a "decoupling assumption" in the large time limit. They agree and confirm, whenever they can be compared, with (i) our recent tail results for two-time KPZ with the work by de Nardis and Le Doussal [J. Stat. Mech. (2017) 053212, 10.1088/1742-5468/aa6bce], checked in experiments with the work by Takeuchi and co-workers [De Nardis et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 125701 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.125701] and (ii) a recent result of Maes and Thiery [J. Stat. Phys. 168, 937 (2017), 10.1007/s10955-017-1839-2] on midpoint position.

Linear growth increased in young children in an urban slum of Haiti: a randomized controlled trial of a lipid-based nutrient supplement.

Science.gov (United States)

Iannotti, Lora L; Dulience, Sherlie Jean Louis; Green, Jamie; Joseph, Saminetha; François, Judith; Anténor, Marie-Lucie; Lesorogol, Carolyn; Mounce, Jacqueline; Nickerson, Nathan M

2014-01-01

Haiti has experienced rapid urbanization that has exacerbated poverty and undernutrition in large slum areas. Stunting affects 1 in 5 young children. We aimed to test the efficacy of a daily lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS) for increased linear growth in young children. Healthy, singleton infants aged 6-11 mo (n = 589) were recruited from an urban slum of Cap Haitien and randomly assigned to receive: 1) a control; 2) a 3-mo LNS; or 3) a 6-mo LNS. The LNS provided 108 kcal and other nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin B-12, iron, and zinc at ≥80% of the recommended amounts. Infants were followed monthly on growth, morbidity, and developmental outcomes over a 6-mo intervention period and at one additional time point 6 mo postintervention to assess sustained effects. The Bonferroni multiple comparisons test was applied, and generalized least-squares (GLS) regressions with mixed effects was used to examine impacts longitudinally. Baseline characteristics did not differ by trial arm except for a higher mean age in the 6-mo LNS group. GLS modeling showed LNS supplementation for 6 mo significantly increased the length-for-age z score (±SE) by 0.13 ± 0.05 and the weight-for-age z score by 0.12 ± 0.02 compared with in the control group after adjustment for child age (P < 0.001). The effects were sustained 6 mo postintervention. Morbidity and developmental outcomes did not differ by trial arm. A low-energy, fortified product improved the linear growth of young children in this urban setting. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01552512.

McDonald Generalized Linear Failure Rate Distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Elbatal

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We introduce in this paper a new six-parameters generalized version of the generalized linear failure rate (GLFR distribution which is called McDonald Generalized Linear failure rate (McGLFR distribution. The new distribution is quite flexible and can be used effectively in modeling survival data and reliability problems. It can have a constant, decreasing, increasing, and upside down bathtub-and bathtub shaped failure rate function depending on its parameters. It includes some well-known lifetime distributions as special sub-models. Some structural properties of the new distribution are studied. Moreover we discuss maximum likelihood estimation of the unknown parameters of the new model.

Overview of Maximum Power Point Tracking Techniques for Photovoltaic Energy Production Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koutroulis, Eftichios; Blaabjerg, Frede

2015-01-01

A substantial growth of the installed photovoltaic systems capacity has occurred around the world during the last decade, thus enhancing the availability of electric energy in an environmentally friendly way. The maximum power point tracking technique enables maximization of the energy production...... of photovoltaic sources during stochastically varying solar irradiation and ambient temperature conditions. Thus, the overall efficiency of the photovoltaic energy production system is increased. Numerous techniques have been presented during the last decade for implementing the maximum power point tracking...... process in a photovoltaic system. This article provides an overview of the operating principles of these techniques, which are suited for either uniform or non-uniform solar irradiation conditions. The operational characteristics and implementation requirements of these maximum power point tracking...

Complementary Feeding Interventions Have a Small but Significant Impact on Linear and Ponderal Growth of Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Panjwani, Anita; Heidkamp, Rebecca

2017-11-01

Background: World Health Assembly member states have committed to ambitious global targets for reductions in stunting and wasting by 2025. Improving complementary diets of children aged 6-23 mo is a recommended approach for reducing stunting in children impact of complementary feeding interventions on linear [length-for-age z score (LAZ)] and ponderal [weight-for-length z score (WLZ)] growth of children aged 6-23 mo, with the specific goal of updating intervention-outcome linkages in the Lives Saved Tool (LiST). Methods: We started our review with studies included in the previous LiST review and searched for articles published since January 2012. We identified longitudinal trials that compared children aged 6-23 mo who received 1 of 2 types of complementary feeding interventions (nutrition education or counseling alone or complementary food supplementation with or without nutrition education or counseling) with a no-intervention control. We assessed study quality and generated pooled estimates of LAZ and WLZ change, as well as length and weight gain, for each category of intervention. Results: Interventions that provided nutrition education or counseling had a small but significant impact on linear growth in food-secure populations [LAZ standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.11; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.22] but not on ponderal growth. Complementary food supplementation interventions with or without nutrition education also had a small, significant effect in food-insecure settings on both LAZ (SMD: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.13) and WLZ (SMD: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.08). Conclusions: Nutrition education and complementary feeding interventions both had a small but significant impact on linear growth, and complementary feeding interventions also had an impact on ponderal growth of children aged 6-23 mo in low- and middle-income countries. The updated LiST model will support nutrition program planning and evaluation efforts by allowing users to model changes in intervention coverage on

Non-linear growth in tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis

OpenAIRE

Blair, David P.; Blanchard, Wade; Banks, Sam C.; Lindenmayer, David B.

2017-01-01

Tree ferns are an important structural component of forests in many countries. However, because their regeneration is often unrelated to major disturbances, their age is often difficult to determine. In addition, rates of growth may not be uniform, which further complicates attempts to determine their age. In this study, we measured 5 years of growth of Cyathea australis and Dicksonia antarctica after a large wildfire in 2009 in south-eastern Australia. We found growth rates of these two spec...

Connection between the growth rate distribution and the size dependent crystal growth

Science.gov (United States)

Mitrović, M. M.; Žekić, A. A.; IIić, Z. Z.

2002-07-01

The results of investigations of the connection between the growth rate dispersions and the size dependent crystal growth of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP), Rochelle salt (RS) and sodium chlorate (SC) are presented. A possible way out of the existing confusion in the size dependent crystal growth investigations is suggested. It is shown that the size independent growth exists if the crystals belonging to one growth rate distribution maximum are considered separately. The investigations suggest possible reason for the observed distribution maxima widths, and the high data scattering on the growth rate versus the crystal size dependence.

Fast Solvers for Dense Linear Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kauers, Manuel [Research Institute for Symbolic Computation (RISC), Altenbergerstrasse 69, A4040 Linz (Austria)

2008-10-15

It appears that large scale calculations in particle physics often require to solve systems of linear equations with rational number coefficients exactly. If classical Gaussian elimination is applied to a dense system, the time needed to solve such a system grows exponentially in the size of the system. In this tutorial paper, we present a standard technique from computer algebra that avoids this exponential growth: homomorphic images. Using this technique, big dense linear systems can be solved in a much more reasonable time than using Gaussian elimination over the rationals.

COMPARISON OF GKS CALCULATED CRITICAL ION TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS AND ITG GROWTH RATES TO DIII-D MEASURED GRADIENTS AND DIFFUSIVITIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BAKER, DR; STAEBLER, GM; PETTY, CC; GREENFIELD, CM; LUCE, TC

2003-01-01

OAK-B135 The gyrokinetic equations predict that various drift type waves or modes can be unstable in a tokamak. For some of these modes, such as the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode and the electron temperature gradient mode, there exists a critical gradient, above which the mode is unstable. Since the existence of unstable modes can cause increased transport, plasmas which are centrally heated tend to increase in temperature gradient until the modes become unstable. Under some conditions the increased transport can fix the gradient at the critical value. here they present a comparison between the measured ion temperature gradients and the critical gradient as calculated by a gyrokinetic linear stability (GKS) code. They also present the maximum linear growth rate as calculated by this code for comparison to experimentally derived transport coefficients. The results show that for low confinement mode (L-mode) discharges, the measured ion temperature gradient is significantly greater than the GKS calculated critical gradient over a large region of the plasma. This is the same region of the plasma where the ion thermal diffusivity is large. For high confinement mode (H-mode) discharges the ion temperature gradient is closer to the critical gradient, but often still greater than the critical gradient over some region. For the best H-mode discharges, the ion temperature is less than or equal to the critical gradient over the whole plasma. In general they find that the position in the plasma where the ion thermal diffusivity starts to increase rapidly is where the maximum linear growth rate is greater than the E x B shearing rate

Design and experiments of a linear piezoelectric motor driven by a single mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhen; Yao, Zhiyuan; Li, Xiang; Fu, Qianwei

2016-11-01

In this contribution, we propose a novel linear piezoelectric motor with a compact stator that is driven by a single mode. The linear piezoelectric motor can realize bidirectional motion by changing the vibration modes of the stator. Finite element analysis is performed to determine the required vibration mode of the stator and obtain the optimal stator structure and dimensions. Furthermore, the trajectories of the driving foot are analyzed with and without consideration of the mechanical contact with the slider. It is shown that the trajectory of the driving foot is an oblique line when disregarding the contact, and the trajectory becomes an oblique ellipse while taking into account the contact. Finally, a prototype of the motor is fabricated based on the results of finite element analysis. The optimization results show that the motor reaches its maximum thrust force of 4.0 kg, maximum thrust-weight ratio of 33.3, maximum unloaded velocity of 385 mm/s under the excitation of Mode-B, and maximum unloaded velocity of 315 mm/s under the excitation of Mode-L.

Numerical studies of the linear theta pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brackbill, J.U.; Menzel, M.T.; Barnes, D.C.

1975-01-01

Aspects of several physical problems associated with linear theta pinches were studied using recently developed numerical methods for the solution of the nonlinear equations for time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic flow in two- and three-dimensions. The problems studied include the propagation of end-loss produced rarefaction waves, the flow produced in a proposed injection experiment geometry, and the linear growth and nonlinear saturation of instabilities in rotating plasmas, all in linear geometries. The studies illustrate how numerical computations aid in flow visualization, and how the small amplitude behavior and nonlinear fate of plasmas in unstable equilibria can be connected through the numerical solution of the dynamical equations. (auth)

A double B1-mode 4-layer laminated piezoelectric linear motor.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaotian; Chen, Zhijiang; Dong, Shuxiang

2012-12-01

We report a miniature piezoelectric ultrasonic linear motor that is made of four Pb(Zr,Ti)O(3) (PZT) piezoelectric ceramic layers for low-voltage work. The 4-layer piezoelectric laminate works in two orthogonal first-bending modes for producing elliptical oscillations, which are then used to drive a contacting slider into continuous linear motion. Experimental results show that the miniature linear motor (size: 4 × 4 × 12 mm, weight: 1.7 g) can generate a large driving force of 0.48 N and a linear motion speed of up to 160 mm/s, using a 40 V(pp)/mm voltage drive at its resonance frequency of 64.5 kHz. The maximum efficiency of the linear motor is 30%.

Fatigue crack growth behavior under cyclic thermal transient stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Masahiro; Kano, Takashi; Yoshitoshi, Atsushi.

1986-01-01

Thermal fatigue tests were performed using straight pipe specimens subjected to cyclic thermal shocks of liquid sodium, and crack growth behaviors were estimated using striation patterns observed clearly on any crack surface. Crack growth rate under cyclic thermal strain reaches the maximum at one depth, and after that it decreases gradually with crack depth. The peak location of crack growth rate becomes deeper by superposition of constant primary stress. Parallel cracks co-existing in the neighborhood move the peak to shallower location and decrease the maximum crack growth rate. The equivalent stress intensity factor range calculated by Walker's formula is successfully applied to the case of negative stress ratio. Fatigue crack growth rate under cyclic thermal strain agreed well with that under the constant temperature equal to the maximum value in the thermal cycle. Simplified methods for calculating the stress intensity factor and the crack interference factor have been developed. Crack growth behavior under thermal fatigue could be well predicted using numerical analysis results. (author)

Fatigue crack growth behavior under cyclic transient thermal stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Masahiro; Kano, Takashi; Yoshitoshi, Atsushi.

1987-01-01

Thermal fatigue tests were performed using straight pipe specimens subjected to cyclic thermal shocks of liquid sodium, and crack growth behaviors were estimated using striation patterns observed clearly on any crack surface. Crack growth rate under cyclic thermal strain reaches the maximum at one depth, and after that it decreases gradually with crack depth. The peak location of crack growth rate becomes deeper by superposition of constant primary stress. Parallel cracks co-existing in the neighborhood move the peak to shallower location and decrease the maximum crack growth rate. The equivalent stress intensity factor range calculated by Walker's formula is successfully applied to the case of negative stress ratio. Fatigue crack growth rate under cyclic thermal strain agreed well with that under the constant temperature equal to the maximum value in the thermal cycle. Simplified methods for calculating the stress intensity factor and the crack interference factor have been developed. Crack growth behavior under thermal fatigue could be well predicted using numerical analysis results. (author)

A comparative study of linear measurement of the brain and three-dimensional measurement of brain volume using CT scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamano, K.; Iwasaki, N.; Takeya, T.; Takita, H.

1993-01-01

Parameters of linear measurement were compared with actual brain volume to assess the significance of linear measurements as indices of atrophy in 31 neurologically normal children and 22 neurologically abnormal children. Brain volume was established by means of an image-analyzing system using contiguous CT scans. The parameters or indices estimated were: (1) the maximum transverse width of both hemispheres, (2) the maximum longitudinal length of both hemispheres, (3) the maximum frontal subarachnoid space, (4) the maximum width of the interhemispheric fissure, (5) the maximum width of the Sylvian fissure, (6) Evans' ratio, (7) the maximum width of the third ventricle, (8) the cella media index, (9) the maximum width of the fourth ventricle. In neurologically normal children, the maximum transverse width of both hemispheres, the maximum longitudinal length of both hemispheres, the maximum width of the interhemispheric fissure and the maximum width of the Sylvian fissure correlated significantly with the combined volume (CV) of both hemipheres and basal ganglia. In particular, the maximum transverse width of both hemispheres and the maximum longitudinal length of both hemispheres had a high correlation. In neurologically abnormal children the maximum transverse width of both hemispheres and the maximum width of the interhemispheric fissure were significantly correlated with the CV of both hemispheres and basal ganglia. (orig.)

Design and thermal performances of a scalable linear Fresnel reflector solar system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Yanqing; Shi, Jifu; Li, Yujian; Wang, Leilei; Huang, Qizhang; Xu, Gang

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A scalable linear Fresnel reflector which can supply different temperatures is proposed. • Inclination design of the mechanical structure is used to reduce the end losses. • The maximum thermal efficiency of 64% is achieved in Guangzhou. - Abstract: This paper proposes a scalable linear Fresnel reflector (SLFR) solar system. The optical mirror field which contains an array of linear plat mirrors closed to each other is designed to eliminate the inter-low shading and blocking. Scalable mechanical mirror support which can place different number of mirrors is designed to supply different temperatures. The mechanical structure can be inclined to reduce the end losses. Finally, the thermal efficiency of the SLFR with two stage mirrors is tested. After adjustment, the maximum thermal efficiency of 64% is obtained and the mean thermal efficiency is higher than that before adjustment. The results indicate that the end losses have been reduced effectively by the inclination design and excellent thermal performance can be obtained by the SLFR after adjustment.

Maximum mutual information regularized classification

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan

2014-09-07

In this paper, a novel pattern classification approach is proposed by regularizing the classifier learning to maximize mutual information between the classification response and the true class label. We argue that, with the learned classifier, the uncertainty of the true class label of a data sample should be reduced by knowing its classification response as much as possible. The reduced uncertainty is measured by the mutual information between the classification response and the true class label. To this end, when learning a linear classifier, we propose to maximize the mutual information between classification responses and true class labels of training samples, besides minimizing the classification error and reducing the classifier complexity. An objective function is constructed by modeling mutual information with entropy estimation, and it is optimized by a gradient descend method in an iterative algorithm. Experiments on two real world pattern classification problems show the significant improvements achieved by maximum mutual information regularization.

Maximum mutual information regularized classification

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan; Wang, Yi; Zhao, Shiguang; Gao, Xin

2014-01-01

In this paper, a novel pattern classification approach is proposed by regularizing the classifier learning to maximize mutual information between the classification response and the true class label. We argue that, with the learned classifier, the uncertainty of the true class label of a data sample should be reduced by knowing its classification response as much as possible. The reduced uncertainty is measured by the mutual information between the classification response and the true class label. To this end, when learning a linear classifier, we propose to maximize the mutual information between classification responses and true class labels of training samples, besides minimizing the classification error and reducing the classifier complexity. An objective function is constructed by modeling mutual information with entropy estimation, and it is optimized by a gradient descend method in an iterative algorithm. Experiments on two real world pattern classification problems show the significant improvements achieved by maximum mutual information regularization.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1): a growth hormone

Science.gov (United States)

Laron, Z

2001-01-01

Aim—To contribute to the debate about whether growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) act independently on the growth process. Methods—To describe growth in human and animal models of isolated IGF-1 deficiency (IGHD), such as in Laron syndrome (LS; primary IGF-1 deficiency and GH resistance) and IGF-1 gene or GH receptor gene knockout (KO) mice. Results—Since the description of LS in 1966, 51 patients were followed, many since infancy. Newborns with LS are shorter (42–47 cm) than healthy babies (49–52 cm), suggesting that IGF-1 has some influence on intrauterine growth. Newborn mice with IGF-1 gene KO are 30% smaller. The postnatal growth rate of patients with LS is very slow, the distance from the lowest normal centile increasing progressively. If untreated, the final height is 100–136 cm for female and 109–138 cm for male patients. They have acromicia, organomicria including the brain, heart, gonads, genitalia, and retardation of skeletal maturation. The availability of biosynthetic IGF-1 since 1988 has enabled it to be administered to children with LS. It accelerated linear growth rates to 8–9 cm in the first year of treatment, compared with 10–12 cm/year during GH treatment of IGHD. The growth rate in following years was 5–6.5 cm/year. Conclusion—IGF-1 is an important growth hormone, mediating the protein anabolic and linear growth promoting effect of pituitary GH. It has a GH independent growth stimulating effect, which with respect to cartilage cells is possibly optimised by the synergistic action with GH. PMID:11577173

Approximate maximum parsimony and ancestral maximum likelihood.

Science.gov (United States)

Alon, Noga; Chor, Benny; Pardi, Fabio; Rapoport, Anat

2010-01-01

We explore the maximum parsimony (MP) and ancestral maximum likelihood (AML) criteria in phylogenetic tree reconstruction. Both problems are NP-hard, so we seek approximate solutions. We formulate the two problems as Steiner tree problems under appropriate distances. The gist of our approach is the succinct characterization of Steiner trees for a small number of leaves for the two distances. This enables the use of known Steiner tree approximation algorithms. The approach leads to a 16/9 approximation ratio for AML and asymptotically to a 1.55 approximation ratio for MP.

Dynamic imperfections and optimized feedback design in the Compact Linear Collider main linac

CERN Document Server

Eliasson, Peder

2008-01-01

The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) main linac is sensitive to dynamic imperfections such as element jitter, injected beam jitter, and ground motion. These effects cause emittance growth that, in case of ground motion, has to be counteracted by a trajectory feedback system. The feedback system itself will, due to jitter effects and imperfect beam position monitors (BPMs), indirectly cause emittance growth. Fast and accurate simulations of both the direct and indirect effects are desirable, but due to the many elements of the CLIC main linac, simulations may become very time consuming. In this paper, an efficient way of simulating linear (or nearly linear) dynamic effects is described. The method is also shown to facilitate the analytic determination of emittance growth caused by the different dynamic imperfections while using a trajectory feedback system. Emittance growth expressions are derived for quadrupole, accelerating structure, and beam jitter, for ground motion, and for noise in the feedback BPMs. Fina...

Intelligent Maximum Power Point Tracking Using Fuzzy Logic for Solar Photovoltaic Systems Under Non-Uniform Irradiation Conditions

OpenAIRE

P. Selvam; S. Senthil Kumar

2016-01-01

Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) has played a vital role to enhance the efficiency of solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation under varying atmospheric temperature and solar irradiation. However, it is hard to track the maximum power point using conventional linear controllers due to the natural inheritance of nonlinear I-V and P-V characteristics of solar PV systems. Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) is suitable for nonlinear system control applications and eliminating oscillations, circuit c...

Variations in growth pattern and predictablity of liveweight growth of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The prediction equations results for rate of liveweight growth showed that of the four models used, the quadratic function was the best predictor of liveweight growth, as indicated by the highest and significant R2 value of 90.7 %. This was closely followed by the linear function which had a significant R2 value of 88.1 %.

Infuences of Rice Husk Biochar (RHB on Rice Growth Performance and Fertilizer Nitrogen Recovery up to Maximum Tillering Stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deniel Anak Sang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A pot study was carried out to investigate the effects of rice husk biochar addition on rice growth performance and fertilizer nitrogen recovery. The biochar effect was studied by using 15N labelled fertilizer urea (10 atom% 15N, as isotopic tracer, until maximum tillering stage (75 days after sowing. Rice husk biochar (RHB was applied at rates of 0, 5, 10 and 20 Mg ha-1 and laid in randomized complete block design with four replications. The result showed that biochar application significantly improved soil chemical properties (pH, total C, total N, and available P compared to control treatment. Biochar addition increased number of tiller and root dry matter weight up to 4% and 35%, respectively, compared to un-amended pot. Likewise, application of biochar significantly increased N, P and K uptake by 3%, 19% and 33%, respectively, as compared to the nutrient uptake from the control treatment. Biochar treatment had no significant impact on fertilizer nitrogen recovery in aboveground biomass, in the range of 41% and 42%, in comparison to the control. However, nitrogen fertilizer recovery in soil significantly increased by 47% over the control at application rate of 20 Mg ha-1 RHB.  Increased fertilizer N recovery in soil possibly reduced N losses to the environment from volatilization and denitrification processes. Total 15N fertilizer recovery also found increase at highest application of RHB biochar with an increment of 16%. In general, addition of biochar appeared to enhance crop growth performance but its effect on fertilizer N recovery in plant requires further study up to maturity of rice plant.

Successive 1-Month Weight Increments in Infancy Can Be Used to Screen for Faltering Linear Growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Onyango, Adelheid W; Borghi, Elaine; de Onis, Mercedes; Frongillo, Edward A; Victora, Cesar G; Dewey, Kathryn G; Lartey, Anna; Bhandari, Nita; Baerug, Anne; Garza, Cutberto

2015-12-01

Linear growth faltering in the first 2 y contributes greatly to a high stunting burden, and prevention is hampered by the limited capacity in primary health care for timely screening and intervention. This study aimed to determine an approach to predicting long-term stunting from consecutive 1-mo weight increments in the first year of life. By using the reference sample of the WHO velocity standards, the analysis explored patterns of consecutive monthly weight increments among healthy infants. Four candidate screening thresholds of successive increments that could predict stunting were considered, and one was selected for further testing. The selected threshold was applied in a cohort of Bangladeshi infants to assess its predictive value for stunting at ages 12 and 24 mo. Between birth and age 12 mo, 72.6% of infants in the WHO sample tracked within 1 SD of their weight and length. The selected screening criterion ("event") was 2 consecutive monthly increments below the 15th percentile. Bangladeshi infants were born relatively small and, on average, tracked downward from approximately age 6 to strategy is effective, the estimated preventable proportion in the group who experienced the event would be 34% at 12 mo and 24% at 24 mo. This analysis offers an approach for frontline workers to identify children at risk of stunting, allowing for timely initiation of preventive measures. It opens avenues for further investigation into evidence-informed application of the WHO growth velocity standards. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Validity of linear encoder measurement of sit-to-stand performance power in older people.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindemann, U; Farahmand, P; Klenk, J; Blatzonis, K; Becker, C

2015-09-01

To investigate construct validity of linear encoder measurement of sit-to-stand performance power in older people by showing associations with relevant functional performance and physiological parameters. Cross-sectional study. Movement laboratory of a geriatric rehabilitation clinic. Eighty-eight community-dwelling, cognitively unimpaired older women (mean age 78 years). Sit-to-stand performance power and leg power were assessed using a linear encoder and the Nottingham Power Rig, respectively. Gait speed was measured on an instrumented walkway. Maximum quadriceps and hand grip strength were assessed using dynamometers. Mid-thigh muscle cross-sectional area of both legs was measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Associations of sit-to-stand performance power with power assessed by the Nottingham Power Rig, maximum gait speed and muscle cross-sectional area were r=0.646, r=0.536 and r=0.514, respectively. A linear regression model explained 50% of the variance in sit-to-stand performance power including muscle cross-sectional area (p=0.001), maximum gait speed (p=0.002), and power assessed by the Nottingham Power Rig (p=0.006). Construct validity of linear encoder measurement of sit-to-stand power was shown at functional level and morphological level for older women. This measure could be used in routine clinical practice as well as in large-scale studies. DRKS00003622. Copyright © 2015 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Core seismic behaviour: linear and non-linear models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, M.; Van Dorsselaere, M.; Gauvain, M.; Jenapierre-Gantenbein, M.

1981-08-01

The usual methodology for the core seismic behaviour analysis leads to a double complementary approach: to define a core model to be included in the reactor-block seismic response analysis, simple enough but representative of basic movements (diagrid or slab), to define a finer core model, with basic data issued from the first model. This paper presents the history of the different models of both kinds. The inert mass model (IMM) yielded a first rough diagrid movement. The direct linear model (DLM), without shocks and with sodium as an added mass, let to two different ones: DLM 1 with independent movements of the fuel and radial blanket subassemblies, and DLM 2 with a core combined movement. The non-linear (NLM) ''CORALIE'' uses the same basic modelization (Finite Element Beams) but accounts for shocks. It studies the response of a diameter on flats and takes into account the fluid coupling and the wrapper tube flexibility at the pad level. Damping consists of one modal part of 2% and one part due to shocks. Finally, ''CORALIE'' yields the time-history of the displacements and efforts on the supports, but damping (probably greater than 2%) and fluid-structures interaction are still to be precised. The validation experiments were performed on a RAPSODIE core mock-up on scale 1, in similitude of 1/3 as to SPX 1. The equivalent linear model (ELM) was developed for the SPX 1 reactor-block response analysis and a specified seismic level (SB or SM). It is composed of several oscillators fixed to the diagrid and yields the same maximum displacements and efforts than the NLM. The SPX 1 core seismic analysis with a diagrid input spectrum which corresponds to a 0,1 g group acceleration, has been carried out with these models: some aspects of these calculations are presented here

Maximum heat flux in boiling in a large volume

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergmans, Dzh.

1976-01-01

Relationships are derived for the maximum heat flux qsub(max) without basing on the assumptions of both the critical vapor velocity corresponding to the zero growth rate, and planar interface. The Helmholz nonstability analysis of vapor column has been made to this end. The results of this examination have been used to find maximum heat flux for spherical, cylindric and flat plate heaters. The conventional hydrodynamic theory was found to be incapable of producing a satisfactory explanation of qsub(max) for small heaters. The occurrence of qsub(max) in the present case can be explained by inadequate removal of vapor output from the heater (the force of gravity for cylindrical heaters and surface tension for the spherical ones). In case of flat plate heater the qsub(max) value can be explained with the help of the hydrodynamic theory

CSR-induced emittance growth in achromats: Linear formalism revisited

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Venturini, M.

2015-09-11

We review the R-matrix formalism used to describe Coherent Synchrotron Radiation (CSR)-induced projected emittance growth in electron beam transport lines and establish the connection with a description in terms of the dispersion-invariant function.

Measurement of neutron spectra for photonuclear reaction with linearly polarized photons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirihara Yoichi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Spectra of neutrons produced by a photonuclear reaction from a 197Au target were measured using 16.95 MeV linearly and circularly polarized photon beams at NewSUBARU-BL01 using a time-of-flight method. The difference in the neutron spectra between the cases of a linearly and circularly polarized photon was measured. The difference in the neutron yield increased with the neutron energy and was approximately threefold at the maximum neutron energy. In a direction perpendicular to that of the linear polarization, the neutron yields decreased as the neutron energy increased.

Introduction to linear systems of differential equations

CERN Document Server

Adrianova, L Ya

1995-01-01

The theory of linear systems of differential equations is one of the cornerstones of the whole theory of differential equations. At its root is the concept of the Lyapunov characteristic exponent. In this book, Adrianova presents introductory material and further detailed discussions of Lyapunov exponents. She also discusses the structure of the space of solutions of linear systems. Classes of linear systems examined are from the narrowest to widest: 1)�autonomous, 2)�periodic, 3)�reducible to autonomous, 4)�nearly reducible to autonomous, 5)�regular. In addition, Adrianova considers the following: stability of linear systems and the influence of perturbations of the coefficients on the stability the criteria of uniform stability and of uniform asymptotic stability in terms of properties of the solutions several estimates of the growth rate of solutions of a linear system in terms of its coefficients How perturbations of the coefficients change all the elements of the spectrum of the system is defin...

An efficient implementation of maximum likelihood identification of LTI state-space models by local gradient search

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergboer, N.H.; Verdult, V.; Verhaegen, M.H.G.

2002-01-01

We present a numerically efficient implementation of the nonlinear least squares and maximum likelihood identification of multivariable linear time-invariant (LTI) state-space models. This implementation is based on a local parameterization of the system and a gradient search in the resulting

Growth of KNN thin films for non-linear optical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Shweta; Gupta, Reema; Gupta, Vinay; Tomar, Monika

2018-01-01

Two-wave mixing is a remarkable area of research in the field of non-linear optics, finding various applications in the development of opto-electronic devices, photorefractive waveguides, real time holography, etc. Non-linear optical properties of ferroelectric potassium sodium niobate (KNN) thin films have been interrogated using two-wave mixing phenomenon. Regarding this, a-axis oriented K 0.35 Na (1-0.35) NbO 3 thin films were successfully grown on epitaxial matched (100) SrTiO 3 substrate using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The uniformly distributed Au micro-discs of 200 μm diameter were integrated with KNN/STO thin film to study the plasmonic enhancement in the optical response. Beam amplification has been observed as a result of the two-wave mixing. This is due to the alignment of ferroelectric domains in KNN films and the excitement of plasmons at the metal-dielectric (Au-KNN) interface. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Growth of KNN thin films for non-linear optical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Shweta; Gupta, Reema; Gupta, Vinay [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi (India); Tomar, Monika [Department of Physics, Miranda House University of Delhi (India)

2018-02-15

Two-wave mixing is a remarkable area of research in the field of non-linear optics, finding various applications in the development of opto-electronic devices, photorefractive waveguides, real time holography, etc. Non-linear optical properties of ferroelectric potassium sodium niobate (KNN) thin films have been interrogated using two-wave mixing phenomenon. Regarding this, a-axis oriented K{sub 0.35}Na{sub (1-0.35)}NbO{sub 3} thin films were successfully grown on epitaxial matched (100) SrTiO{sub 3} substrate using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The uniformly distributed Au micro-discs of 200 μm diameter were integrated with KNN/STO thin film to study the plasmonic enhancement in the optical response. Beam amplification has been observed as a result of the two-wave mixing. This is due to the alignment of ferroelectric domains in KNN films and the excitement of plasmons at the metal-dielectric (Au-KNN) interface. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Non-linear development of secular gravitational instability in protoplanetary disks

Science.gov (United States)

Tominaga, Ryosuke T.; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro; Takahashi, Sanemichi Z.

2018-01-01

We perform non-linear simulation of secular gravitational instability (GI) in protoplanetary disks, which has been proposed as a mechanism of planetesimal and multiple ring formation. Since the timescale of the growth of the secular GI is much longer than the Keplerian rotation period, we develop a new numerical scheme for a long-term calculation utilizing the concept of symplectic integration. With our new scheme, we first investigate the non-linear development of the secular GI in a disk without a pressure gradient in the initial state. We find that the surface density of dust increases by more than a factor of 100 while that of gas does not increase even by a factor of 2, which results in the formation of dust-dominated rings. A line mass of the dust ring tends to be very close to the critical line mass of a self-gravitating isothermal filament. Our results indicate that the non-linear growth of the secular GI provides a powerful mechanism to concentrate the dust. We also find that the dust ring formed via the non-linear growth of the secular GI migrates inward with a low velocity, which is driven by the self-gravity of the ring. We give a semi-analytical expression for the inward migration speed of the dusty ring.

Study of forecasting maximum demand of electric power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, B.C.; Hwang, Y.J. [Korea Energy Economics Institute, Euiwang (Korea, Republic of)

1997-08-01

As far as the past performances of power supply and demand in Korea is concerned, one of the striking phenomena is that there have been repeated periodic surpluses and shortages of power generation facilities. Precise assumption and prediction of power demands is the basic work in establishing a supply plan and carrying out the right policy since facilities investment of the power generation industry requires a tremendous amount of capital and a long construction period. The purpose of this study is to study a model for the inference and prediction of a more precise maximum demand under these backgrounds. The non-parametric model considered in this study, paying attention to meteorological factors such as temperature and humidity, does not have a simple proportionate relationship with the maximum power demand, but affects it through mutual complicated nonlinear interaction. I used the non-parametric inference technique by introducing meteorological effects without importing any literal assumption on the interaction of temperature and humidity preliminarily. According to the analysis result, it is found that the non-parametric model that introduces the number of tropical nights which shows the continuity of the meteorological effect has better prediction power than the linear model. The non- parametric model that considers both the number of tropical nights and the number of cooling days at the same time is a model for predicting maximum demand. 7 refs., 6 figs., 9 tabs.

Prediction of pathogen growth on iceberg lettuce under real temperature history during distribution from farm to table.

Science.gov (United States)

Koseki, Shigenobu; Isobe, Seiichiro

2005-10-25

The growth of pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes on iceberg lettuce under constant and fluctuating temperatures was modelled in order to estimate the microbial safety of this vegetable during distribution from the farm to the table. Firstly, we examined pathogen growth on lettuce at constant temperatures, ranging from 5 to 25 degrees C, and then we obtained the growth kinetic parameters (lag time, maximum growth rate (micro(max)), and maximum population density (MPD)) using the Baranyi primary growth model. The parameters were similar to those predicted by the pathogen modelling program (PMP), with the exception of MPD. The MPD of each pathogen on lettuce was 2-4 log(10) CFU/g lower than that predicted by PMP. Furthermore, the MPD of pathogens decreased with decreasing temperature. The relationship between mu(max) and temperature was linear in accordance with Ratkowsky secondary model as was the relationship between the MPD and temperature. Predictions of pathogen growth under fluctuating temperature used the Baranyi primary microbial growth model along with the Ratkowsky secondary model and MPD equation. The fluctuating temperature profile used in this study was the real temperature history measured during distribution from the field at harvesting to the retail store. Overall predictions for each pathogen agreed well with observed viable counts in most cases. The bias and root mean square error (RMSE) of the prediction were small. The prediction in which mu(max) was based on PMP showed a trend of overestimation relative to prediction based on lettuce. However, the prediction concerning E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. on lettuce greatly overestimated growth in the case of a temperature history starting relatively high, such as 25 degrees C for 5 h. In contrast, the overall prediction of L. monocytogenes under the same circumstances agreed with the observed data.

Longitudinal mathematics development of students with learning disabilities and students without disabilities: a comparison of linear, quadratic, and piecewise linear mixed effects models.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohli, Nidhi; Sullivan, Amanda L; Sadeh, Shanna; Zopluoglu, Cengiz

2015-04-01

Effective instructional planning and intervening rely heavily on accurate understanding of students' growth, but relatively few researchers have examined mathematics achievement trajectories, particularly for students with special needs. We applied linear, quadratic, and piecewise linear mixed-effects models to identify the best-fitting model for mathematics development over elementary and middle school and to ascertain differences in growth trajectories of children with learning disabilities relative to their typically developing peers. The analytic sample of 2150 students was drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort, a nationally representative sample of United States children who entered kindergarten in 1998. We first modeled students' mathematics growth via multiple mixed-effects models to determine the best fitting model of 9-year growth and then compared the trajectories of students with and without learning disabilities. Results indicate that the piecewise linear mixed-effects model captured best the functional form of students' mathematics trajectories. In addition, there were substantial achievement gaps between students with learning disabilities and students with no disabilities, and their trajectories differed such that students without disabilities progressed at a higher rate than their peers who had learning disabilities. The results underscore the need for further research to understand how to appropriately model students' mathematics trajectories and the need for attention to mathematics achievement gaps in policy. Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catch-Up Growth Occurs after Diarrhea in Early Childhood123

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, Stephanie A.; Black, Robert E.; Gilman, Robert H.; Guerrant, Richard L.; Kang, Gagandeep; Lanata, Claudio F.; Mølbak, Kåre; Rasmussen, Zeba A.; Sack, R. Bradley; Valentiner-Branth, Palle; Checkley, William

2014-01-01

Diarrhea and linear growth faltering continue to burden low-income countries and are among the most important contributors to poor health during early childhood. Diarrhea is thought to adversely affect linear growth, but catch-up growth can occur if no additional insults are experienced. We sought to characterize catch-up growth in relation to diarrhea burden in a multisite dataset of 1007 children. Using longitudinal anthropometry and diarrheal surveillance data from 7 cohort studies in 4 countries, we examined the relation between diarrhea prevalence and growth in 3- to 6-mo periods using linear mixed-effect models. Growth during each period was calculated as a function of age using linear splines. We incorporated the longitudinal prevalence of diarrhea in both current and previous periods into the model. Diarrhea during the current period was associated with slower linear and ponderal growth. Faster (catch-up) growth in length was observed in children with no diarrhea in age groups immediately after an age group in which diarrhea was experienced [age group >6–12 mo: 0.03 mm/mo for each percentage diarrhea prevalence in the previous period (95% CI: 0.007, 0.06) relative to 11.3 mm/mo mean growth rate; age group >12–18 mo: 0.04 mm/mo (95% CI: 0.02, 0.06) relative to 8.9 mm/mo mean growth rate; age group >18–24 mo: 0.04 mm/mo (95% CI: 0.003, 0.09) relative to 7.9 mm/mo mean growth rate]. The associations were stronger in boys than in girls when separate models were run. Similar results were observed when weight was the outcome variable. When diarrheal episodes are followed by diarrhea-free periods in the first 2 y of life, catch-up growth is observed that may allow children to regain their original trajectories. The finding of a greater effect of diarrhea on linear growth in boys than in girls was unexpected and requires additional study. Diarrhea burdens are high throughout the first 2 y of life in these study sites, therefore reducing the likelihood of

Order-constrained linear optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Tidwell, Joe W; Dougherty, Michael R; Chrabaszcz, Jeffrey S; Thomas, Rick P

2017-11-01

Despite the fact that data and theories in the social, behavioural, and health sciences are often represented on an ordinal scale, there has been relatively little emphasis on modelling ordinal properties. The most common analytic framework used in psychological science is the general linear model, whose variants include ANOVA, MANOVA, and ordinary linear regression. While these methods are designed to provide the best fit to the metric properties of the data, they are not designed to maximally model ordinal properties. In this paper, we develop an order-constrained linear least-squares (OCLO) optimization algorithm that maximizes the linear least-squares fit to the data conditional on maximizing the ordinal fit based on Kendall's τ. The algorithm builds on the maximum rank correlation estimator (Han, 1987, Journal of Econometrics, 35, 303) and the general monotone model (Dougherty & Thomas, 2012, Psychological Review, 119, 321). Analyses of simulated data indicate that when modelling data that adhere to the assumptions of ordinary least squares, OCLO shows minimal bias, little increase in variance, and almost no loss in out-of-sample predictive accuracy. In contrast, under conditions in which data include a small number of extreme scores (fat-tailed distributions), OCLO shows less bias and variance, and substantially better out-of-sample predictive accuracy, even when the outliers are removed. We show that the advantages of OCLO over ordinary least squares in predicting new observations hold across a variety of scenarios in which researchers must decide to retain or eliminate extreme scores when fitting data. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Predicting the Maximum Dynamic Strength in Bench Press: The High Precision of the Bar Velocity Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Loturco, Irineu; Kobal, Ronaldo; Moraes, José E; Kitamura, Katia; Cal Abad, César C; Pereira, Lucas A; Nakamura, Fábio Y

2017-04-01

Loturco, I, Kobal, R, Moraes, JE, Kitamura, K, Cal Abad, CC, Pereira, LA, and Nakamura, FY. Predicting the maximum dynamic strength in bench press: the high precision of the bar velocity approach. J Strength Cond Res 31(4): 1127-1131, 2017-The aim of this study was to determine the force-velocity relationship and test the possibility of determining the 1 repetition maximum (1RM) in "free weight" and Smith machine bench presses. Thirty-six male top-level athletes from 3 different sports were submitted to a standardized 1RM bench press assessment (free weight or Smith machine, in randomized order), following standard procedures encompassing lifts performed at 40-100% of 1RM. The mean propulsive velocity (MPV) was measured in all attempts. A linear regression was performed to establish the relationships between bar velocities and 1RM percentages. The actual and predicted 1RM for each exercise were compared using a paired t-test. Although the Smith machine 1RM was higher (10% difference) than the free weight 1RM, in both cases the actual and predicted values did not differ. In addition, the linear relationship between MPV and percentage of 1RM (coefficient of determination ≥95%) allow determination of training intensity based on the bar velocity. The linear relationships between the MPVs and the relative percentages of 1RM throughout the entire range of loads enable coaches to use the MPV to accurately monitor their athletes on a daily basis and accurately determine their actual 1RM without the need to perform standard maximum dynamic strength assessments.

On nonlocal semi linear elliptic problem with an indefinite term

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yechoui, Akila

2007-08-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the existence of solutions of a nonlocal semi linear elliptic equation with an indefinite term. The monotone method, the method of upper and lower solutions and the classical maximum principle are used to obtain our results. (author)

Cluster growth kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubovik, V.M.; Gal'perin, A.G.; Rikhvitskij, V.S.; Lushnikov, A.A.

2000-01-01

Processes of some traffic blocking coming into existence are considered as probabilistic ones. We study analytic solutions for models for the dynamics of both cluster growth and cluster growth with fragmentation in the systems of finite number of objects. Assuming rates constancy of both coalescence and fragmentation, the models under consideration are linear on the probability functions

Comparative study of growth and linear body measurements in Anak ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was designed to compare the performance of two different breeds of broilers (Anak and Hubbard) using body weight and body linear measurements. Data on a total of 200 (100 each) Anak and Hubbard broiler breeds were collected weekly and the experiment lasted for 8 weeks. The parameters investigated ...

Design and analysis of an unconventional permanent magnet linear machine for energy harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Peng

This Ph.D. dissertation proposes an unconventional high power density linear electromagnetic kinetic energy harvester, and a high-performance two-stage interface power electronics to maintain maximum power abstraction from the energy source and charge the Li-ion battery load with constant current. The proposed machine architecture is composed of a double-sided flat type silicon steel stator with winding slots, a permanent magnet mover, coil windings, a linear motion guide and an adjustable spring bearing. The unconventional design of the machine is that NdFeB magnet bars in the mover are placed with magnetic fields in horizontal direction instead of vertical direction and the same magnetic poles are facing each other. The derived magnetic equivalent circuit model proves the average air-gap flux density of the novel topology is as high as 0.73 T with 17.7% improvement over that of the conventional topology at the given geometric dimensions of the proof-of-concept machine. Subsequently, the improved output voltage and power are achieved. The dynamic model of the linear generator is also developed, and the analytical equations of output maximum power are derived for the case of driving vibration with amplitude that is equal, smaller and larger than the relative displacement between the mover and the stator of the machine respectively. Furthermore, the finite element analysis (FEA) model has been simulated to prove the derived analytical results and the improved power generation capability. Also, an optimization framework is explored to extend to the multi-Degree-of-Freedom (n-DOF) vibration based linear energy harvesting devices. Moreover, a boost-buck cascaded switch mode converter with current controller is designed to extract the maximum power from the harvester and charge the Li-ion battery with trickle current. Meanwhile, a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm is proposed and optimized for low frequency driving vibrations. Finally, a proof

Attitude determination and calibration using a recursive maximum likelihood-based adaptive Kalman filter

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, D. A.; Fermelia, A.; Lee, G. K. F.

1990-01-01

An adaptive Kalman filter design that utilizes recursive maximum likelihood parameter identification is discussed. At the center of this design is the Kalman filter itself, which has the responsibility for attitude determination. At the same time, the identification algorithm is continually identifying the system parameters. The approach is applicable to nonlinear, as well as linear systems. This adaptive Kalman filter design has much potential for real time implementation, especially considering the fast clock speeds, cache memory and internal RAM available today. The recursive maximum likelihood algorithm is discussed in detail, with special attention directed towards its unique matrix formulation. The procedure for using the algorithm is described along with comments on how this algorithm interacts with the Kalman filter.

A Modified Levenberg-Marquardt Method for Nonsmooth Equations with Finitely Many Maximum Functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shou-qiang Du

2008-01-01

Full Text Available For solving nonsmooth systems of equations, the Levenberg-Marquardt method and its variants are of particular importance because of their locally fast convergent rates. Finitely many maximum functions systems are very useful in the study of nonlinear complementarity problems, variational inequality problems, Karush-Kuhn-Tucker systems of nonlinear programming problems, and many problems in mechanics and engineering. In this paper, we present a modified Levenberg-Marquardt method for nonsmooth equations with finitely many maximum functions. Under mild assumptions, the present method is shown to be convergent Q-linearly. Some numerical results comparing the proposed method with classical reformulations indicate that the modified Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm works quite well in practice.

Determinants of stunting and poor linear growth in children under 2 years of age in India: an in-depth analysis of Maharashtra's comprehensive nutrition survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguayo, Víctor M; Nair, Rajilakshmi; Badgaiyan, Nina; Krishna, Vandana

2016-05-01

We use a representative sample of 2561 children 0-23 months old to identify the factors most significantly associated with child stunting in the state of Maharashtra, India. We find that 22.7% of children were stunted, with one-third (7.4%) of the stunted children severely stunted. Multivariate regression analyses indicate that children born with low birthweight had a 2.5-fold higher odds of being stunted [odds ratio (OR) 2.49; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.96-3.27]; children 6-23 months old who were not fed a minimum number of times/day had a 63% higher odds of being stunted (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.24-2.14); and lower consumption of eggs was associated with a two-fold increased odds of stunting in children 6-23 months old (OR 2.07; 95% CI 1.19-3.61); children whose mother's height was women's nutrition and status and household sanitation and poverty are the most significant predictors of stunting and poor linear growth in children under 2 years. Key messages One in five (22.7%) of children 0-23 months old in the state of Maharashtra were stunted, and one-third (7.4%) of the stunted children were severely stunted. Birthweight, child feeding, women's nutrition and household sanitation were the most significant predictors of stunting and poor linear growth in children under 2 years. Children born to mothers whose height was below 145 cm, had two-fold higher odds of being stunted; children born with a low birthweight had a 2.5-fold higher odds of being stunted. Low feeding frequency and low consumption of eggs, dairy products, fruits and vegetables were associated with stunting and poor linear growth in children 6-23 months old. Children of households without access to improved sanitation had 88% higher odds of being severely stunted. © 2016 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quadratic Blind Linear Unmixing: A Graphical User Interface for Tissue Characterization

OpenAIRE

Gutierrez-Navarro, O.; Campos-Delgado, D.U.; Arce-Santana, E. R.; Jo, Javier A.

2015-01-01

Spectral unmixing is the process of breaking down data from a sample into its basic components and their abundances. Previous work has been focused on blind unmixing of multi-spectral fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (m-FLIM) datasets under a linear mixture model and quadratic approximations. This method provides a fast linear decomposition and can work without a limitation in the maximum number of components or end-members. Hence this work presents an interactive software which imple...

The maximum contraceptive prevalence 'demand curve': guiding discussions on programmatic investments.

Science.gov (United States)

Weinberger, Michelle; Sonneveldt, Emily; Stover, John

2017-12-22

Most frameworks for family planning include both access and demand interventions. Understanding how these two are linked and when each should be prioritized is difficult. The maximum contraceptive prevalence 'demand curve' was created based on a relationship between the modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) and mean ideal number of children to allow for a quantitative assessment of the balance between access and demand interventions. The curve represents the maximum mCPR that is likely to be seen given fertility intentions and related norms and constructs that influence contraceptive use. The gap between a country's mCPR and this maximum is referred to as the 'potential use gap.' This concept can be used by countries to prioritize access investments where the gap is large, and discuss implications for future contraceptive use where the gap is small. It is also used within the FP Goals model to ensure mCPR growth from access interventions does not exceed available demand.

Crescimento e desenvolvimento do dossel de Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça Canopy growth and development of Panicum maximum "cv" Mombaça

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emerson Alexandrino

2005-12-01

, decrescendo posteriormente.It was assessed the evolution of tillering, forage biomass, leaf area index (LAI, interception of photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR, efficiency of radiation use (ERU in Panicum maximum "cv" Mombaça during the regrowth period of the grass, in the Summer and Autumn seasons. Similarly, grass growth indices were assessed: net assimilation rate (NAR, leaf area ratio (LAR and relative growth rate (RGR. All these variables were estimated from field observations taken on the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th, 42nd and 49th days of the regrowth period (treatments, in the Summer and Autumn seasons. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replications. One area of 1,200m² was used in each season; 28 and 24 sampling points were chosen in the Summer and the Autunm seasons, respectively, for their similarity regarding canopy height and soil cover condition and randomly assigned to the treatments. The grass tillering was more intense in the first regrowth week and declined afterwards to reach negligible values from the fourth week on. Interception of the photosynthetically active radiation evolved in an asymptotic manner reaching highest value of 96%, without difference between Summer and Autumn. Leaf area index figures showed the same pattern in the Summer and Autumn, reaching the values of 8 and 4, respectively; on the other hand, forage biomass responded quadractically to the duration of the regrowth period. Radiation use efficiency reached the values of 1.76 and 0.54gDM/MJ in Summer and Autumn, respectively. RGR and NAR figures decreased in an asymptotic pattern in both seasons, with higher values in the Summer, while LAR figures increased initially in the first four weeks reaching values of 0.017 and 0.013m²/g towards the 28th day of the regrowth period, respectively in Autumn and Summer.

Non-linear DSGE Models and The Central Difference Kalman Filter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Martin Møller

This paper introduces a Quasi Maximum Likelihood (QML) approach based on the Cen- tral Difference Kalman Filter (CDKF) to estimate non-linear DSGE models with potentially non-Gaussian shocks. We argue that this estimator can be expected to be consistent and asymptotically normal for DSGE models...

The effect of Nitrogen on Radiation Use Efficiency and Growth indices of Maize Hybrids (Zea mays L. under Kermanshah Condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Ahmadi

2018-02-01

daily solar radiation in percent of absorbed radiation. The amount of cumulative absorbed radiation calculated through the multiplication simulated daily radiation in integral of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation fraction. Finally, radiation use efficiency calculated through the slope of linear regression between dry matter accumulation and cumulative absorbed photosynthetically active radiation. Also, grain yield measured for each treatment separately in the physiological maturity time. Results and Discussion The results showed that maximum and minimum of leaf area index, leaf area duration, crop growth rate and total dry matter yield were observed in KSC-704 and BC-678 hybrids, respectively. Also in all 3 hybrids, maximum leaf area index, leaf area duration, radiation absorption, crop growth rate, relative growth ratio and total dry matter yield improved by increasing of nitrogen fertilizer application from 138 to 483 kg.ha-1 of urea. The highest total dry matter yield (20450 kg ha-1 was related to 704 hybrid and consumption of 483 kg ha-1 of urea. Simon hybrid had higher grain yield than other hybrids at 483 kgha-1 of urea condition (10467 kg ha-1. Radiation use efficiency was not significantly different among maize hybrids. Regardless maize hybrids, by increasing of nitrogen fertilizer application from 138 to 238, 350 and 483 kg ha-1 of urea, radiation use efficiency improved from 2.33 to 2.63, 2.81 and 2.84 g MJ-1 (about 13%, 21% and 22%, respectively. Our results also indicated that there was a positive and significant correlation between radiation use efficiency and maximum leaf area index, maximum radiation absorption, maximum crop growth rate, maximum relative growth ratio, and maximum total dry matter. The positive correlation between radiation absorption with crop growth rate (0.98 and total dry matter (0.97 demonstrated more radiation absorbed lead to more crop growth rate subsequently higher total dry matter production by maize hybrids. Nitrogen

Maximum Correntropy Unscented Kalman Filter for Spacecraft Relative State Estimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xi Liu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A new algorithm called maximum correntropy unscented Kalman filter (MCUKF is proposed and applied to relative state estimation in space communication networks. As is well known, the unscented Kalman filter (UKF provides an efficient tool to solve the non-linear state estimate problem. However, the UKF usually plays well in Gaussian noises. Its performance may deteriorate substantially in the presence of non-Gaussian noises, especially when the measurements are disturbed by some heavy-tailed impulsive noises. By making use of the maximum correntropy criterion (MCC, the proposed algorithm can enhance the robustness of UKF against impulsive noises. In the MCUKF, the unscented transformation (UT is applied to obtain a predicted state estimation and covariance matrix, and a nonlinear regression method with the MCC cost is then used to reformulate the measurement information. Finally, the UT is adopted to the measurement equation to obtain the filter state and covariance matrix. Illustrative examples demonstrate the superior performance of the new algorithm.

Dynamic Predictive Model for Growth of Bacillus cereus from Spores in Cooked Beans.

Science.gov (United States)

Juneja, Vijay K; Mishra, Abhinav; Pradhan, Abani K

2018-02-01

Kinetic growth data for Bacillus cereus grown from spores were collected in cooked beans under several isothermal conditions (10 to 49°C). Samples were inoculated with approximately 2 log CFU/g heat-shocked (80°C for 10 min) spores and stored at isothermal temperatures. B. cereus populations were determined at appropriate intervals by plating on mannitol-egg yolk-polymyxin agar and incubating at 30°C for 24 h. Data were fitted into Baranyi, Huang, modified Gompertz, and three-phase linear primary growth models. All four models were fitted to the experimental growth data collected at 13 to 46°C. Performances of these models were evaluated based on accuracy and bias factors, the coefficient of determination ( R 2 ), and the root mean square error. Based on these criteria, the Baranyi model best described the growth data, followed by the Huang, modified Gompertz, and three-phase linear models. The maximum growth rates of each primary model were fitted as a function of temperature using the modified Ratkowsky model. The high R 2 values (0.95 to 0.98) indicate that the modified Ratkowsky model can be used to describe the effect of temperature on the growth rates for all four primary models. The acceptable prediction zone (APZ) approach also was used for validation of the model with observed data collected during single and two-step dynamic cooling temperature protocols. When the predictions using the Baranyi model were compared with the observed data using the APZ analysis, all 24 observations for the exponential single rate cooling were within the APZ, which was set between -0.5 and 1 log CFU/g; 26 of 28 predictions for the two-step cooling profiles also were within the APZ limits. The developed dynamic model can be used to predict potential B. cereus growth from spores in beans under various temperature conditions or during extended chilling of cooked beans.

Preliminary experimental results from a linear reciprocating magnetic refrigerator prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tagliafico, Luca Antonio; Scarpa, Federico; Valsuani, Federico; Tagliafico, Giulio

2013-01-01

A linear reciprocating magnetic refrigerator prototype was designed and built with the aid of an industrial partner. The refrigerator is based on the Active Magnetic Regenerative cycle, and exploits two regenerators working in parallel. The active material is Gadolinium in plates, 0.8 mm thick, for a total mass of 0.36 kg. The device is described and results about magnetic field and temperature span measurements are presented. The designed permanent magnet structure, based on an improved cross-type arrangement, generates a maximum magnetic field intensity of 1.55 T in air, over a gap of (13 × 50 × 100) mm 3 . The maximum temperature span achieved is 5.0 K, in a free run condition. -- Highlights: ► We give preliminary results from a linear reciprocating magnetic refrigerator prototype. ► The design is intended to process visualization and investigation. ► The prototype behavior gives us various suggestions to improve its general performance

Optimized Large-scale CMB Likelihood and Quadratic Maximum Likelihood Power Spectrum Estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Gjerløw, E.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Eriksen, H. K.; Górski, K. M.; Gruppuso, A.; Jewell, J. B.; Plaszczynski, S.; Wehus, I. K.

2015-11-01

We revisit the problem of exact cosmic microwave background (CMB) likelihood and power spectrum estimation with the goal of minimizing computational costs through linear compression. This idea was originally proposed for CMB purposes by Tegmark et al., and here we develop it into a fully functioning computational framework for large-scale polarization analysis, adopting WMAP as a working example. We compare five different linear bases (pixel space, harmonic space, noise covariance eigenvectors, signal-to-noise covariance eigenvectors, and signal-plus-noise covariance eigenvectors) in terms of compression efficiency, and find that the computationally most efficient basis is the signal-to-noise eigenvector basis, which is closely related to the Karhunen-Loeve and Principal Component transforms, in agreement with previous suggestions. For this basis, the information in 6836 unmasked WMAP sky map pixels can be compressed into a smaller set of 3102 modes, with a maximum error increase of any single multipole of 3.8% at ℓ ≤ 32 and a maximum shift in the mean values of a joint distribution of an amplitude-tilt model of 0.006σ. This compression reduces the computational cost of a single likelihood evaluation by a factor of 5, from 38 to 7.5 CPU seconds, and it also results in a more robust likelihood by implicitly regularizing nearly degenerate modes. Finally, we use the same compression framework to formulate a numerically stable and computationally efficient variation of the Quadratic Maximum Likelihood implementation, which requires less than 3 GB of memory and 2 CPU minutes per iteration for ℓ ≤ 32, rendering low-ℓ QML CMB power spectrum analysis fully tractable on a standard laptop.

The use of linear programming in optimization of HDR implant dose distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jozsef, Gabor; Streeter, Oscar E.; Astrahan, Melvin A.

2003-01-01

The introduction of high dose rate brachytherapy enabled optimization of dose distributions to be used on a routine basis. The objective of optimization is to homogenize the dose distribution within the implant while simultaneously satisfying dose constraints on certain points. This is accomplished by varying the time the source dwells at different locations. As the dose at any point is a linear function of the dwell times, a linear programming approach seems to be a natural choice. The dose constraints are inherently linear inequalities. Homogeneity requirements are linearized by minimizing the maximum deviation of the doses at points inside the implant from a prescribed dose. The revised simplex method was applied for the solution of this linear programming problem. In the homogenization process the possible source locations were chosen as optimization points. To avoid the problem of the singular value of the dose at a source location from the source itself we define the 'self-contribution' as the dose at a small distance from the source. The effect of varying this distance is discussed. Test cases were optimized for planar, biplanar and cylindrical implants. A semi-irregular, fan-like implant with diverging needles was also investigated. Mean central dose calculation based on 3D Delaunay-triangulation of the source locations was used to evaluate the dose distributions. The optimization method resulted in homogeneous distributions (for brachytherapy). Additional dose constraints--when applied--were satisfied. The method is flexible enough to include other linear constraints such as the inclusion of the centroids of the Delaunay-triangulation for homogenization, or limiting the maximum allowable dwell time

Instrument for track linear element recognition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krupnov, V.E.; Fedotov, O.P.

1977-01-01

Described is the construction of instrument for recognizing linear elements of tracks. For designing this instrument use has been made of the algorithm for conversion of the point data into a set of linear elements. The flowsheet of the instrument shows its major units such as data converter, data representation register unit, local computers, interface with the central computer. The data representation register unit comprises sixteen registers and is capable of presenting data from sixteen lines when raster scanning of a picture taken from a track chamber. The maximum capacity of the code of the coordinate of a point recorded on a picture is up to 16 digits. The time of the inner operating cycle of the instrument is 1.3 μs. The average time required for processing data containing sixteen scanning lines is 250 μs

Intrinsic suppression of turbulence in linear plasma devices

Science.gov (United States)

Leddy, J.; Dudson, B.

2017-12-01

Plasma turbulence is the dominant transport mechanism for heat and particles in magnetised plasmas in linear devices and tokamaks, so the study of turbulence is important in limiting and controlling this transport. Linear devices provide an axial magnetic field that serves to confine a plasma in cylindrical geometry as it travels along the magnetic field from the source to the strike point. Due to perpendicular transport, the plasma density and temperature have a roughly Gaussian radial profile with gradients that drive instabilities, such as resistive drift-waves and Kelvin-Helmholtz. If unstable, these instabilities cause perturbations to grow resulting in saturated turbulence, increasing the cross-field transport of heat and particles. When the plasma emerges from the source, there is a time, {τ }\\parallel , that describes the lifetime of the plasma based on parallel velocity and length of the device. As the plasma moves down the device, it also moves azimuthally according to E × B and diamagnetic velocities. There is a balance point in these parallel and perpendicular times that sets the stabilisation threshold. We simulate plasmas with a variety of parallel lengths and magnetic fields to vary the parallel and perpendicular lifetimes, respectively, and find that there is a clear correlation between the saturated RMS density perturbation level and the balance between these lifetimes. The threshold of marginal stability is seen to exist where {τ }\\parallel ≈ 11{τ }\\perp . This is also associated with the product {τ }\\parallel {γ }* , where {γ }* is the drift-wave linear growth rate, indicating that the instability must exist for roughly 100 times the growth time for the instability to enter the nonlinear growth phase. We explore the root of this correlation and the implications for linear device design.

Endoreversible quantum heat engines in the linear response regime.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Honghui; He, Jizhou; Wang, Jianhui

2017-07-01

We analyze general models of quantum heat engines operating a cycle of two adiabatic and two isothermal processes. We use the quantum master equation for a system to describe heat transfer current during a thermodynamic process in contact with a heat reservoir, with no use of phenomenological thermal conduction. We apply the endoreversibility description to such engine models working in the linear response regime and derive expressions of the efficiency and the power. By analyzing the entropy production rate along a single cycle, we identify the thermodynamic flux and force that a linear relation connects. From maximizing the power output, we find that such heat engines satisfy the tight-coupling condition and the efficiency at maximum power agrees with the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency known as the upper bound in the linear response regime.

Determination of point of maximum likelihood in failure domain using genetic algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obadage, A.S.; Harnpornchai, N.

2006-01-01

The point of maximum likelihood in a failure domain yields the highest value of the probability density function in the failure domain. The maximum-likelihood point thus represents the worst combination of random variables that contribute in the failure event. In this work Genetic Algorithms (GAs) with an adaptive penalty scheme have been proposed as a tool for the determination of the maximum likelihood point. The utilization of only numerical values in the GAs operation makes the algorithms applicable to cases of non-linear and implicit single and multiple limit state function(s). The algorithmic simplicity readily extends its application to higher dimensional problems. When combined with Monte Carlo Simulation, the proposed methodology will reduce the computational complexity and at the same time will enhance the possibility in rare-event analysis under limited computational resources. Since, there is no approximation done in the procedure, the solution obtained is considered accurate. Consequently, GAs can be used as a tool for increasing the computational efficiency in the element and system reliability analyses

Power calculation of linear and angular incremental encoders

Science.gov (United States)

Prokofev, Aleksandr V.; Timofeev, Aleksandr N.; Mednikov, Sergey V.; Sycheva, Elena A.

2016-04-01

Automation technology is constantly expanding its role in improving the efficiency of manufacturing and testing processes in all branches of industry. More than ever before, the mechanical movements of linear slides, rotary tables, robot arms, actuators, etc. are numerically controlled. Linear and angular incremental photoelectric encoders measure mechanical motion and transmit the measured values back to the control unit. The capabilities of these systems are undergoing continual development in terms of their resolution, accuracy and reliability, their measuring ranges, and maximum speeds. This article discusses the method of power calculation of linear and angular incremental photoelectric encoders, to find the optimum parameters for its components, such as light emitters, photo-detectors, linear and angular scales, optical components etc. It analyzes methods and devices that permit high resolutions in the order of 0.001 mm or 0.001°, as well as large measuring lengths of over 100 mm. In linear and angular incremental photoelectric encoders optical beam is usually formulated by a condenser lens passes through the measuring unit changes its value depending on the movement of a scanning head or measuring raster. Past light beam is converting into an electrical signal by the photo-detecter's block for processing in the electrical block. Therefore, for calculating the energy source is a value of the desired value of the optical signal at the input of the photo-detecter's block, which reliably recorded and processed in the electronic unit of linear and angular incremental optoelectronic encoders. Automation technology is constantly expanding its role in improving the efficiency of manufacturing and testing processes in all branches of industry. More than ever before, the mechanical movements of linear slides, rotary tables, robot arms, actuators, etc. are numerically controlled. Linear and angular incremental photoelectric encoders measure mechanical motion and

Maximum permissible dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1979-01-01

This chapter presents a historic overview of the establishment of radiation guidelines by various national and international agencies. The use of maximum permissible dose and maximum permissible body burden limits to derive working standards is discussed

LINEAR2007, Linear-Linear Interpolation of ENDF Format Cross-Sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: LINEAR converts evaluated cross sections in the ENDF/B format into a tabular form that is subject to linear-linear interpolation in energy and cross section. The code also thins tables of cross sections already in that form. Codes used subsequently need thus to consider only linear-linear data. IAEA1311/15: This version include the updates up to January 30, 2007. Changes in ENDF/B-VII Format and procedures, as well as the evaluations themselves, make it impossible for versions of the ENDF/B pre-processing codes earlier than PREPRO 2007 (2007 Version) to accurately process current ENDF/B-VII evaluations. The present code can handle all existing ENDF/B-VI evaluations through release 8, which will be the last release of ENDF/B-VI. Modifications from previous versions: - Linear VERS. 2007-1 (JAN. 2007): checked against all ENDF/B-VII; increased page size from 60,000 to 600,000 points 2 - Method of solution: Each section of data is considered separately. Each section of File 3, 23, and 27 data consists of a table of cross section versus energy with any of five interpolation laws. LINEAR will replace each section with a new table of energy versus cross section data in which the interpolation law is always linear in energy and cross section. The histogram (constant cross section between two energies) interpolation law is converted to linear-linear by substituting two points for each initial point. The linear-linear is not altered. For the log-linear, linear-log and log- log laws, the cross section data are converted to linear by an interval halving algorithm. Each interval is divided in half until the value at the middle of the interval can be approximated by linear-linear interpolation to within a given accuracy. The LINEAR program uses a multipoint fractional error thinning algorithm to minimize the size of each cross section table

Equipartitioning in linear accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jameson, R.A.

1982-01-01

Emittance growth has long been a concern in linear accelerators, as has the idea that some kind of energy balance, or equipartitioning, between the degrees of freedom, would ameliorate the growth. M. Prome observed that the average transverse and longitudinal velocity spreads tend to equalize as current in the channel is increased, while the sum of the energy in the system stays nearly constant. However, only recently have we shown that an equipartitioning requirement on a bunched injected beam can indeed produce remarkably small emittance growth. The simple set of equations leading to this condition are outlined. At the same time, Hofmann has investigated collective instabilities in transported beams and has identified thresholds and regions in parameter space where instabilities occur. Evidence is presented that shows transport system boundaries to be quite accurate in computer simulations of accelerating systems. Discussed are preliminary results of efforts to design accelerators that avoid parameter regions where emittance is affected by the instabilities identified by Hofmann. These efforts suggest that other mechanisms are present. The complicated behavior of the RFQ linac in this framework also is shown

Design and optimization of a modal- independent linear ultrasonic motor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Shengli; Yao, Zhiyuan

2014-03-01

To simplify the design of the linear ultrasonic motor (LUSM) and improve its output performance, a method of modal decoupling for LUSMs is proposed in this paper. The specific embodiment of this method is decoupling of the traditional LUSM stator's complex vibration into two simple vibrations, with each vibration implemented by one vibrator. Because the two vibrators are designed independently, their frequencies can be tuned independently and frequency consistency is easy to achieve. Thus, the method can simplify the design of the LUSM. Based on this method, a prototype modal- independent LUSM is designed and fabricated. The motor reaches its maximum thrust force of 47 N, maximum unloaded speed of 0.43 m/s, and maximum power of 7.85 W at applied voltage of 200 Vpp. The motor's structure is then optimized by controlling the difference between the two vibrators' resonance frequencies to reach larger output speed, thrust, and power. The optimized results show that when the frequency difference is 73 Hz, the output force, speed, and power reach their maximum values. At the input voltage of 200 Vpp, the motor reaches its maximum thrust force of 64.2 N, maximum unloaded speed of 0.76 m/s, maximum power of 17.4 W, maximum thrust-weight ratio of 23.7, and maximum efficiency of 39.6%.

State space and input-output linear systems

CERN Document Server

Delchamps, David F

1988-01-01

It is difficult for me to forget the mild sense of betrayal I felt some ten years ago when I discovered, with considerable dismay, that my two favorite books on linear system theory - Desoer's Notes for a Second Course on Linear Systems and Brockett's Finite Dimensional Linear Systems - were both out of print. Since that time, of course, linear system theory has undergone a transformation of the sort which always attends the maturation of a theory whose range of applicability is expanding in a fashion governed by technological developments and by the rate at which such advances become a part of engineering practice. The growth of the field has inspired the publication of some excellent books; the encyclopedic treatises by Kailath and Chen, in particular, come immediately to mind. Nonetheless, I was inspired to write this book primarily by my practical needs as a teacher and researcher in the field. For the past five years, I have taught a one semester first year gradu­ ate level linear system theory course i...

Maximum Feedrate Interpolator for Multi-axis CNC Machining with Jerk Constraints

OpenAIRE

Beudaert , Xavier; Lavernhe , Sylvain; Tournier , Christophe

2012-01-01

A key role of the CNC is to perform the feedrate interpolation which means to generate the setpoints for each machine tool axis. The aim of the VPOp algorithm is to make maximum use of the machine tool respecting both tangential and axis jerk on rotary and linear axes. The developed algorithm uses an iterative constraints intersection approach. At each sampling period, all the constraints given by each axis are expressed and by intersecting all of them the allowable interval for the next poin...

Study on wavelength of maximum absorbance for phenyl- thiourea derivatives: A topological and non-conventional physicochemical approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thakur, Suprajnya; Mishra, Ashutosh; Thakur, Mamta; Thakur, Abhilash

2014-01-01

In present study efforts have been made to analyze the role of different structural/ topological and non-conventional physicochemical features on the X-ray absorption property wavelength of maximum absorption λ m . Efforts are also made to compare the magnitude of various parameters for optimization of the features mainly responsible to characterize the wavelength of maximum absorbance λ m in X-ray absorption. For the purpose multiple linear regression method is used and on the basis of regression and correlation value suitable model have been developed.

No evidence for a critical salinity threshold for growth and reproduction in the freshwater snail Physa acuta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kefford, Ben J.; Nugegoda, Dayanthi

2005-01-01

The growth and reproduction of the freshwater snail Physa acuta (Gastropoda: Physidae) were measured at various salinity levels (growth: distilled water, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 μS/cm; reproduction: deionized water, 100, 500, 1000 and 3000 μS/cm) established using the artificial sea salt, Ocean Nature. This was done to examine the assumption that there is no direct effect of salinity on freshwater animals until a threshold, beyond which sub-lethal effects, such as reduction in growth and reproduction, will occur. Growth of P. acuta was maximal in terms of live and dry mass at salinity levels 500-1000 μS/cm. The number of eggs produced per snail per day was maximal between 100 and 1000 μS/cm. Results show that rather than a threshold response to salinity, small rises in salinity (from low levels) can produce increased growth and reproduction until a maximum is reached. Beyond this salinity, further increases result in a decrease in growth and reproduction. Studies on the growth of freshwater invertebrates and fish have generally shown a similar lack of a threshold response. The implications for assessing the effects of salinisation on freshwater organisms need to be further considered. - Responses of snails to increasing salinity were non-linear

Early childhood linear growth faltering in low-income and middle-income countries as a whole-population condition: analysis of 179 Demographic and Health Surveys from 64 countries (1993-2015).

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Daniel E; Krishna, Aditi; Leung, Michael; Shi, Joy; Bassani, Diego G; Barros, Aluisio J D

2017-12-01

The causes of early childhood linear growth faltering (known as stunting) in low-income and middle-income countries remain inadequately understood. We aimed to determine if the progressive postnatal decline in mean height-for-age Z score (HAZ) in low-income and middle-income countries is driven by relatively slow growth of certain high-risk children versus faltering of the entire population. Distributions of HAZ (based on WHO growth standards) were analysed in 3-month age intervals from 0 to 36 months of age in 179 Demographic and Health Surveys from 64 low-income and middle-income countries (1993-2015). Mean, standard deviation (SD), fifth percentiles, and 95th percentiles of the HAZ distribution were estimated for each age interval in each survey. Associations between mean HAZ and SD, fifth percentile, and 95th percentile were estimated using multilevel linear models. Stratified analyses were performed in consideration of potential modifiers (world region, national income, sample size, year, or mean HAZ in the 0-3 month age band). We also used Monte Carlo simulations to model the effects of subgroup versus whole-population faltering on the HAZ distribution. Declines in mean HAZ from birth to 3 years of age were accompanied by declines in both the fifth and 95th percentiles, leading to nearly symmetrical narrowing of the HAZ distributions. Thus, children with relatively low HAZ were not more likely to have faltered than taller same-age peers. Inferences were unchanged in surveys regardless of world region, national income, sample size, year, or mean HAZ in the 0-3 month age band. Simulations showed that the narrowing of the HAZ distribution as mean HAZ declined could not be explained by faltering limited to a growth-restricted subgroup of children. In low-income and middle-income countries, declines in mean HAZ with age are due to a downward shift in the entire HAZ distribution, revealing that children across the HAZ spectrum experience slower growth compared to

Systematic study of doping dependence on linear magnetoresistance in p-PbTe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, J. M.; Chitta, V. A.; Oliveira, N. F.; Peres, M. L.; Castro, S. de; Soares, D. A. W.; Wiedmann, S.; Zeitler, U.; Abramof, E.; Rappl, P. H. O.; Mengui, U. A.

2014-01-01

We report on a large linear magnetoresistance effect observed in doped p-PbTe films. While undoped p-PbTe reveals a sublinear magnetoresistance, p-PbTe films doped with BaF 2 exhibit a transition to a nearly perfect linear magnetoresistance behaviour that is persistent up to 30 T. The linear magnetoresistance slope ΔR/ΔB is to a good approximation, independent of temperature. This is in agreement with the theory of Quantum Linear Magnetoresistance. We also performed magnetoresistance simulations using a classical model of linear magnetoresistance. We found that this model fails to explain the experimental data. A systematic study of the doping dependence reveals that the linear magnetoresistance response has a maximum for small BaF 2 doping levels and diminishes rapidly for increasing doping levels. Exploiting the huge impact of doping on the linear magnetoresistance signal could lead to new classes of devices with giant magnetoresistance behavior.

Power converter with maximum power point tracking MPPT for small wind-electric pumping systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lara, David; Merino, Gabriel; Salazar, Lautaro

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We implement a wind electric pumping system of small power. • The power converter allowed to change the operating point of the electro pump. • Two control techniques were implemented in the power converter. • The control V/f variable allowed to increase the power generated by the permanent magnet generator. - Abstract: In this work, an AC–DC–AC direct-drive power converter was implemented for a wind electric pumping system consisting of a permanent magnet generator (PMG) of 1.3 kW and a peripheral single phase pump of 0.74 kW. In addition, the inverter linear V/f control scheme and the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm with variable V/f were developed. MPPT algorithm seeks to extract water in a wide range of power input using the maximum amount of wind power available. Experimental trials at different pump pressures were conducted. With a MPPT tracking system with variable V/f, a power value of 1.3 kW was obtained at a speed of 350 rpm and a maximum operating hydraulic head of 50 m. At lower operating heads pressures (between 10 and 40 m), variable V/f control increases the power generated by the PMG compared to the linear V/f control. This increase ranged between 4% and 23% depending on the operating pressure, with an average of 13%, getting close to the maximum electrical power curve of the PMG. The pump was driven at variable frequency reaching a minimum speed of 0.5 times the rated speed. Efficiency of the power converter ranges between 70% and 95% with a power factor between 0.4 and 0.85, depending on the operating pressure

The correlation between plant growth and intercepted radiation: an interpretation in terms of optimal plant nitrogen content

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewar, R.C.

1996-01-01

Photosynthesis of leaves is commonly observed to have a saturating response to increases in their nitrogen (N) content, while the response of plant maintenance respiration is more nearly linear over the normal range of tissue N contents. Hence, for a given amount of foliage, net primary productivity (NPP) may have a maximum value with respect to variations in plant N content. Using a simple analytically-solvable model of NPP, this idea is formulated and its broad implications for plant growth are explored at the scale of a closed stand of vegetation. The maximum-NPP hypothesis implies that NPP is proportional to intercepted radiation, as commonly observed. The light utilization coefficient (ε), defined as the slope of this relationship, is predicted to be ε = αY g (1−λ) 2 , where α is the quantum yield, Y g is the biosynthetic efficiency, and λ is a dimensionless combination of physiological and environmental parameters of the model. The maximum-NPP hypothesis is also consistent with observations that whole-plant respiration (R) is an approximately constant proportion of gross canopy photosynthesis (A c ), and predicts their ratio to be R:A c = 1−Y g (1−λ). Using realistic parameter values, predicted values for ε and R:A c are typical of C 3 plants. ε is predicted to be independent of plant N supply, consistent with observations that long-term growth responses to N fertilization are dominated by increased light interception associated with increased growth allocation to leaf area. Observed acclimated responses of plants to atmospheric [CO 2 ], light and temperature are interpreted in terms of the model. (author)

Growth and characterization of nanodiamond layers prepared using the plasma-enhanced linear antennas microwave CVD system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fendrych, Frantisek; Taylor, Andrew; Peksa, Ladislav; Kratochvilova, Irena; Kluiber, Zdenek; Fekete, Ladislav [Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i, Na Slovance 2, CZ-18221 Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Vlcek, Jan [Department of Physics and Measurement, Institute of Chemical Technology Prague, Technicka 5, CZ-16628 Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Rezacova, Vladimira; Petrak, Vaclav [Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Czech Technical University, Sitna 3105, CZ-27201 Kladno 2 (Czech Republic); Liehr, Michael [Leybold Optics Dresden GmbH, Zur Wetterwarte 50, D-01109 Dresden (Germany); Nesladek, Milos, E-mail: fendrych@fzu.c [IMOMEC division, IMEC, Institute for Materials Research, University Hasselt, Wetenschapspark 1, B-3590 Diepenbeek (Belgium)

2010-09-22

Industrial applications of plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (CVD) diamond grown on large area substrates, 3D shapes, at low substrate temperatures and on standard engineering substrate materials require novel plasma concepts. Based on the pioneering work of the group at AIST in Japan, the high-density coaxial delivery type of plasmas has been explored (Tsugawa et al 2006 New Diamond Front. Carbon Technol. 16 337-46). However, an important challenge is to obtain commercially interesting growth rates at very low substrate temperatures. In this work we introduce the concept of novel linear antenna sources, designed at Leybold Optics Dresden, using high-frequency pulsed MW discharge with a high plasma density. This type of pulse discharges leads to the preparation of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films, compared with ultra-NCD thin films prepared in (Tsugawa et al 2006 New Diamond Front. Carbon Technol. 16 337-46). We present optical emission spectroscopy data for the CH{sub 4}-CO{sub 2}-H{sub 2} gas chemistry and we discuss the basic properties of the NCD films grown.

Microwave system of the 7-10 MeV electron linear accelerator ALIN for medical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, D.; Iliescu, E.; Stirbet, M.; Oproiu, C.; Vintan, I.

1978-01-01

A detailed description of the Central Institute of Physics 10 MeV linear microwave system and its associated subsystems are presented. Methods of impedance matching to obtain maximum power transfer are described along with broadband design methods for transmission-line impedance transformers. Experimental results for such microwave devices are included. With respect to microwave device performances, simultaneous high efficiency and high power capability with reliability and long life at relatively low unit cost have only recently been achieved as typical device characteristics. Industrial, medical and scientific application of microwave electron accelerators have markedly influenced microwave research progress. Radiographic linear accelerators have grown substantially mainly during the past few years. Following this, the improvements of microwave device performances solicit our attention. The first electron therapy Linear Accelerator ALIN 10 marks a new stage in the development of such instrumentation. Its subsequent ALIN 15 is designed to produce a maximum energy of 18 MeV to widen its applicability in radiotherapy. In addition, a new electron linear accelerator of 8 MeV for nondestructive testing has been started. (author)

Analysis of separation test for automatic brake adjuster based on linear radon transformation

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Zai; Jiang, Wensong; Guo, Bin; Fan, Weijun; Lu, Yi

2015-01-01

The linear Radon transformation is applied to extract inflection points for online test system under the noise conditions. The linear Radon transformation has a strong ability of anti-noise and anti-interference by fitting the online test curve in several parts, which makes it easy to handle consecutive inflection points. We applied the linear Radon transformation to the separation test system to solve the separating clearance of automatic brake adjuster. The experimental results show that the feature point extraction error of the gradient maximum optimal method is approximately equal to ±0.100, while the feature point extraction error of linear Radon transformation method can reach to ±0.010, which has a lower error than the former one. In addition, the linear Radon transformation is robust.

Computation of Optimal Monotonicity Preserving General Linear Methods

KAUST Repository

Ketcheson, David I.

2009-07-01

Monotonicity preserving numerical methods for ordinary differential equations prevent the growth of propagated errors and preserve convex boundedness properties of the solution. We formulate the problem of finding optimal monotonicity preserving general linear methods for linear autonomous equations, and propose an efficient algorithm for its solution. This algorithm reliably finds optimal methods even among classes involving very high order accuracy and that use many steps and/or stages. The optimality of some recently proposed methods is verified, and many more efficient methods are found. We use similar algorithms to find optimal strong stability preserving linear multistep methods of both explicit and implicit type, including methods for hyperbolic PDEs that use downwind-biased operators.

Estimating the maximum potential revenue for grid connected electricity storage :

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byrne, Raymond Harry; Silva Monroy, Cesar Augusto.

2012-12-01

The valuation of an electricity storage device is based on the expected future cash flow generated by the device. Two potential sources of income for an electricity storage system are energy arbitrage and participation in the frequency regulation market. Energy arbitrage refers to purchasing (stor- ing) energy when electricity prices are low, and selling (discharging) energy when electricity prices are high. Frequency regulation is an ancillary service geared towards maintaining system frequency, and is typically procured by the independent system operator in some type of market. This paper outlines the calculations required to estimate the maximum potential revenue from participating in these two activities. First, a mathematical model is presented for the state of charge as a function of the storage device parameters and the quantities of electricity purchased/sold as well as the quantities o ered into the regulation market. Using this mathematical model, we present a linear programming optimization approach to calculating the maximum potential revenue from an elec- tricity storage device. The calculation of the maximum potential revenue is critical in developing an upper bound on the value of storage, as a benchmark for evaluating potential trading strate- gies, and a tool for capital nance risk assessment. Then, we use historical California Independent System Operator (CAISO) data from 2010-2011 to evaluate the maximum potential revenue from the Tehachapi wind energy storage project, an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) energy storage demonstration project. We investigate the maximum potential revenue from two di erent scenarios: arbitrage only and arbitrage combined with the regulation market. Our analysis shows that participation in the regulation market produces four times the revenue compared to arbitrage in the CAISO market using 2010 and 2011 data. Then we evaluate several trading strategies to illustrate how they compare to the

On the linearity of cross-correlation delay times

Science.gov (United States)

Mercerat, E. D.; Nolet, G.

2012-12-01

We investigate the question whether a P-wave delay time Δ T estimated by locating the maximum of the cross-correlation function between data d(t) and a predicted test function s(t): γ (t) = ∫ t1t_2 s(τ ) d(τ -t) \\ {d}τ, provides an estimate of the Delta T that is (quasi-)linear with the relative velocity perturbation deltaln V_P}. Such linearity is intuitive if the data d(t) is an undeformed but delayed replica of the test signal, i.e. if d(t)=s(t-Delta T). Then the maximum of gamma (t) is shifted exactly by the delay Delta T, and linearity holds even for Delta T very large. In this case, we say that the body waves are in the ray theoretical regime and their delays, because of Fermat's Principle, depend quasi-linearly on the relative velocity (or slowness) perturbations deltaln V_P in the model. However, even if we correct for dispersion induced by the instrument response and by attenuation, body waves may show frequency dependent delay times that are caused by diffraction effects around lateral heterogeneities. It is not a-priori clear that linearity holds for Delta T, as is assumed in finite-frequency theory, if the waveforms of d(t) and s(t) differ substantially because of such dispersion. To test the linearity, we generate synthetic seismograms between two boreholes, and between the boreholes and the surface, in a 3D box of 200 × 120 × 120 m. The heterogeneity is a checkerboard with cubic anomalies of size 12 × 12 × 12 m. We test two different anomaly amplitudes: ± 2% and ± 5%, and measure Delta T using a test seismogram s(t) computed for an homogeneous medium. We also predict the delays for the 5% model from those in the 2% model by multiplying with 5/2. These predictions are in error by 10-20% of the delay, which is usually acceptable for tomography when compared with actual data errors. A slight bias in the prediction indicates that the Wielandt effect - the fact that negative delays suffer less wavefront healing than positive delays - is a

Linearization Method and Linear Complexity

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Hidema

We focus on the relationship between the linearization method and linear complexity and show that the linearization method is another effective technique for calculating linear complexity. We analyze its effectiveness by comparing with the logic circuit method. We compare the relevant conditions and necessary computational cost with those of the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm and the Games-Chan algorithm. The significant property of a linearization method is that it needs no output sequence from a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) because it calculates linear complexity using the algebraic expression of its algorithm. When a PRNG has n [bit] stages (registers or internal states), the necessary computational cost is smaller than O(2n). On the other hand, the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm needs O(N2) where N(≅2n) denotes period. Since existing methods calculate using the output sequence, an initial value of PRNG influences a resultant value of linear complexity. Therefore, a linear complexity is generally given as an estimate value. On the other hand, a linearization method calculates from an algorithm of PRNG, it can determine the lower bound of linear complexity.

Stochastic development regression on non-linear manifolds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kühnel, Line; Sommer, Stefan Horst

2017-01-01

We introduce a regression model for data on non-linear manifolds. The model describes the relation between a set of manifold valued observations, such as shapes of anatomical objects, and Euclidean explanatory variables. The approach is based on stochastic development of Euclidean diffusion...... processes to the manifold. Defining the data distribution as the transition distribution of the mapped stochastic process, parameters of the model, the non-linear analogue of design matrix and intercept, are found via maximum likelihood. The model is intrinsically related to the geometry encoded...... in the connection of the manifold. We propose an estimation procedure which applies the Laplace approximation of the likelihood function. A simulation study of the performance of the model is performed and the model is applied to a real dataset of Corpus Callosum shapes....

Phenomenology of stochastic exponential growth

Science.gov (United States)

Pirjol, Dan; Jafarpour, Farshid; Iyer-Biswas, Srividya

2017-06-01

Stochastic exponential growth is observed in a variety of contexts, including molecular autocatalysis, nuclear fission, population growth, inflation of the universe, viral social media posts, and financial markets. Yet literature on modeling the phenomenology of these stochastic dynamics has predominantly focused on one model, geometric Brownian motion (GBM), which can be described as the solution of a Langevin equation with linear drift and linear multiplicative noise. Using recent experimental results on stochastic exponential growth of individual bacterial cell sizes, we motivate the need for a more general class of phenomenological models of stochastic exponential growth, which are consistent with the observation that the mean-rescaled distributions are approximately stationary at long times. We show that this behavior is not consistent with GBM, instead it is consistent with power-law multiplicative noise with positive fractional powers. Therefore, we consider this general class of phenomenological models for stochastic exponential growth, provide analytical solutions, and identify the important dimensionless combination of model parameters, which determines the shape of the mean-rescaled distribution. We also provide a prescription for robustly inferring model parameters from experimentally observed stochastic growth trajectories.

Effects of a high mean stress on the high cycle fatigue life of PWA 1480 and correlation of data by linear elastic fracture mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Majumdar, S.; Kwasny, R.

1985-01-01

High-cycle fatigue tests using 5-mm-diameter smooth specimens were performed on the single crystal alloy PWA 1480 (001 axis) at 70F (room temperature) in air and at 100F (538C) in vacuum (10 to the -6 power torr). Tests were conducted at zero mean stress as well as at high tensile mean stress. The results indicate that, although a tensile mean stress, in general, reduces life, the reduction in fatigue strength, for a given mean stress at a life of one million cycles, is much less than what is predicted by the usual linear Goodman plot. Further, the material appears to be significantly more resistant to mean stress effects at 1000F than at 70F. Metallographic examinations of failed specimens indicate that failures in all cases are initiated from micropores of sizes of the order of 30 to 40 microns. Since the macroscopic stress-strain response in all cases was observed to be linear elastic, linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) analyses were carried out to determine the crack growth curves of the material assuming that crack initiation from a micropore (a sub o = 40 microns) occurs very early in life. The results indicate that the calculated crack growth rates at an R (defined as the ratio between minimum stress to maximum stress) value of zero are approximately the same at 70F as at 1000F. However, the calculated crack growth rates at other R ratios, both positive and negative, tend to be higher at 70F than at 1000F. Calculated threshold effects at large R values tend to be independent of temperature in the temperature regime studied. They are relatively constant with increasing R ratio up to a value of about 0.6, beyond which the calculated threshold stress intensity factor range decreases rapidly with increasing R ratios.

A nonlinear plate control without linearization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yildirim Kenan

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, an optimal vibration control problem for a nonlinear plate is considered. In order to obtain the optimal control function, wellposedness and controllability of the nonlinear system is investigated. The performance index functional of the system, to be minimized by minimum level of control, is chosen as the sum of the quadratic 10 functional of the displacement. The velocity of the plate and quadratic functional of the control function is added to the performance index functional as a penalty term. By using a maximum principle, the nonlinear control problem is transformed to solving a system of partial differential equations including state and adjoint variables linked by initial-boundary-terminal conditions. Hence, it is shown that optimal control of the nonlinear systems can be obtained without linearization of the nonlinear term and optimal control function can be obtained analytically for nonlinear systems without linearization.

A Fast Algorithm for Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Harmonic Chirp Parameters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Tobias Lindstrøm; Nielsen, Jesper Kjær; Jensen, Jesper Rindom

2017-01-01

. A statistically efficient estimator for extracting the parameters of the harmonic chirp model in additive white Gaussian noise is the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator which recently has been demonstrated to be robust to noise and accurate --- even when the model order is unknown. The main drawback of the ML......The analysis of (approximately) periodic signals is an important element in numerous applications. One generalization of standard periodic signals often occurring in practice are harmonic chirp signals where the instantaneous frequency increases/decreases linearly as a function of time...

Maximum principle for a stochastic delayed system involving terminal state constraints.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Jiaqiang; Shi, Yufeng

2017-01-01

We investigate a stochastic optimal control problem where the controlled system is depicted as a stochastic differential delayed equation; however, at the terminal time, the state is constrained in a convex set. We firstly introduce an equivalent backward delayed system depicted as a time-delayed backward stochastic differential equation. Then a stochastic maximum principle is obtained by virtue of Ekeland's variational principle. Finally, applications to a state constrained stochastic delayed linear-quadratic control model and a production-consumption choice problem are studied to illustrate the main obtained result.

Parametric analysis of fatigue crack growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carden, A.E.

1975-01-01

The effect of temperature and frequency on fatigue crack growth were empirically observed and treated as a coefficient on a stress intensity factor term. The stress intensity factor term is a function of Ksub(max), Ksub(min) (or stress ratio) and a threshold K term. The apparent threshold values were selected in order to linearize the data. At 1000 0 F a constant da/dt (creep crack growth rate) is approached for cycle periods approaching 2000 s indicating a limiting and linear-inverse frequency effect. (author)

On a linear-quadratic problem with Caputo derivative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dariusz Idczak

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we study a linear-quadratic optimal control problem with a fractional control system containing a Caputo derivative of unknown function. First, we derive the formulas for the differential and gradient of the cost functional under given constraints. Next, we prove an existence result and derive a maximum principle. Finally, we describe the gradient and projection of the gradient methods for the problem under consideration.

Life History theory hypotheses on child growth: Potential implications for short and long-term child growth, development and health.

Science.gov (United States)

Said-Mohamed, Rihlat; Pettifor, John M; Norris, Shane A

2018-01-01

Life history theory integrates ecological, physiological, and molecular layers within an evolutionary framework to understand organisms' strategies to optimize survival and reproduction. Two life history hypotheses and their implications for child growth, development, and health (illustrated in the South African context) are reviewed here. One hypothesis suggests that there is an energy trade-off between linear growth and brain growth. Undernutrition in infancy and childhood may trigger adaptive physiological mechanisms prioritizing the brain at the expense of body growth. Another hypothesis is that the period from conception to infancy is a critical window of developmental plasticity of linear growth, the duration of which may vary between and within populations. The transition from infancy to childhood may mark the end of a critical window of opportunity for improving child growth. Both hypotheses emphasize the developmental plasticity of linear growth and the potential determinants of growth variability (including the role of parent-offspring conflict in maternal resources allocation). Implications of these hypotheses in populations with high burdens of undernutrition and infections are discussed. In South Africa, HIV/AIDS during pregnancy (associated with adverse birth outcomes, short duration of breastfeeding, and social consequences) may lead to a shortened window of developmental plasticity of growth. Furthermore, undernutrition and infectious diseases in children living in South Africa, a country undergoing a rapid nutrition transition, may have adverse consequences on individuals' cognitive abilities and risks of cardio-metabolic diseases. Studies are needed to identify physiological mechanisms underlying energy allocation between biological functions and their potential impacts on health. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Focus measurement of electron linear accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Zhijun; Xin Jian; Jia Qinglong

2007-01-01

Many personal factors would influence the result of the focus measurement of linear accelerator using the conventional sandwich method. This paper presents a modified method which applies a film scanning meter to scan the X-ray image film got by sandwich method for obtaining a greyscale distribution, then the full width at half maximum value of greyscale distribution represents the focus size. The method can eliminates disadvantage influence from accelerator radiant field asymmetry by quadratic polynomial fitting and measures peak width at half height instead of stripe statistic. (authors)

Low temperature leaf photosynthesis of a Miscanthus germplasm collection correlates positively to shoot growth rate and specific leaf area

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiao, Xiurong; Sørensen, Kirsten Kørup; Andersen, Mathias Neumann

2016-01-01

and CO2 response curves were obtained from 11 of the genotypes, and shoot growth rate was measured under field conditions. Key Results A positive linear relationship was found between SLA and light-saturated photosynthesis (Asat) across genotypes, and also between shoot growth rate under cool field...... conditions and A1000 at 14 °C in a climate chamber. When lowering the temperature from 24 to 14 °C, one M. sacchariflorus exhibited significantly higher Asat and maximum photosynthetic rate in the CO2 response curve (Vmax) than other genotypes at 14 °C, except M. × giganteus ‘Hornum’. Several genotypes...... returned to their pre-chilling A1000 values when the temperature was increased to 24 °C after 24 d growth at 14 °C. Conclusions One M. sacchariflorus genotype had similar or higher photosynthetic capacity than M. × giganteus, and may be used for cultivation together with M. × giganteus or for breeding new...

Robust Controller to Extract the Maximum Power of a Photovoltaic System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

OULD CHERCHALI Noureddine

2014-05-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a technique of intelligent control to track the maximum power point (MPPT of a photovoltaic system . The PV system is non-linear and it is exposed to external perturbations like temperature and solar irradiation. Fuzzy logic control is known for its stability and robustness. FLC is adopted in this work for the improvement and optimization of control performance of a photovoltaic system. Another technique called perturb and observe (P & O is studied and compared with the FLC technique. The PV system is constituted of a photovoltaic panel (PV, a DC-DC converter (Boost and a battery like a load. The simulation results are developed in MATLAB / Simulink software. The results show that the controller based on fuzzy logic is better and faster than the conventional controller perturb and observe (P & O and gives a good maximum power of a photovoltaic generator under different changes of weather conditions.

Optimal control of a double integrator a primer on maximum principle

CERN Document Server

Locatelli, Arturo

2017-01-01

This book provides an introductory yet rigorous treatment of Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle and its application to optimal control problems when simple and complex constraints act on state and control variables, the two classes of variable in such problems. The achievements resulting from first-order variational methods are illustrated with reference to a large number of problems that, almost universally, relate to a particular second-order, linear and time-invariant dynamical system, referred to as the double integrator. The book is ideal for students who have some knowledge of the basics of system and control theory and possess the calculus background typically taught in undergraduate curricula in engineering. Optimal control theory, of which the Maximum Principle must be considered a cornerstone, has been very popular ever since the late 1950s. However, the possibly excessive initial enthusiasm engendered by its perceived capability to solve any kind of problem gave way to its equally unjustified rejecti...

Stimulus-dependent maximum entropy models of neural population codes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Einat Granot-Atedgi

Full Text Available Neural populations encode information about their stimulus in a collective fashion, by joint activity patterns of spiking and silence. A full account of this mapping from stimulus to neural activity is given by the conditional probability distribution over neural codewords given the sensory input. For large populations, direct sampling of these distributions is impossible, and so we must rely on constructing appropriate models. We show here that in a population of 100 retinal ganglion cells in the salamander retina responding to temporal white-noise stimuli, dependencies between cells play an important encoding role. We introduce the stimulus-dependent maximum entropy (SDME model-a minimal extension of the canonical linear-nonlinear model of a single neuron, to a pairwise-coupled neural population. We find that the SDME model gives a more accurate account of single cell responses and in particular significantly outperforms uncoupled models in reproducing the distributions of population codewords emitted in response to a stimulus. We show how the SDME model, in conjunction with static maximum entropy models of population vocabulary, can be used to estimate information-theoretic quantities like average surprise and information transmission in a neural population.

Non-linearities in Theory-of-Mind Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Blijd-Hoogewys, Els M A; van Geert, Paul L C

2016-01-01

Research on Theory-of-Mind (ToM) has mainly focused on ages of core ToM development. This article follows a quantitative approach focusing on the level of ToM understanding on a measurement scale, the ToM Storybooks, in 324 typically developing children between 3 and 11 years of age. It deals with the eventual occurrence of developmental non-linearities in ToM functioning, using smoothing techniques, dynamic growth model building and additional indicators, namely moving skewness, moving growth rate changes and moving variability. The ToM sum-scores showed an overall developmental trend that leveled off toward the age of 10 years. Within this overall trend two non-linearities in the group-based change pattern were found: a plateau at the age of around 56 months and a dip at the age of 72-78 months. These temporary regressions in ToM sum-score were accompanied by a decrease in growth rate and variability, and a change in skewness of the ToM data, all suggesting a developmental shift in ToM understanding. The temporary decreases also occurred in the different ToM sub-scores and most clearly so in the core ToM component of beliefs. It was also found that girls had an earlier growth spurt than boys and that the underlying developmental path was more salient in girls than in boys. The consequences of these findings are discussed from various theoretical points of view, with an emphasis on a dynamic systems interpretation of the underlying developmental paths.

Treponema pallidum 3-Phosphoglycerate Mutase Is a Heat-Labile Enzyme That May Limit the Maximum Growth Temperature for the Spirochete

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, Stéphane; Posey, James E.; Chenoweth, Matthew R.; Gherardini, Frank C.

2001-01-01

In the causative agent of syphilis, Treponema pallidum, the gene encoding 3-phosphoglycerate mutase, gpm, is part of a six-gene operon (tro operon) that is regulated by the Mn-dependent repressor TroR. Since substrate-level phosphorylation via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway is the principal way to generate ATP in T. pallidum and Gpm is a key enzyme in this pathway, Mn could exert a regulatory effect on central metabolism in this bacterium. To study this, T. pallidum gpm was cloned, Gpm was purified from Escherichia coli, and antiserum against the recombinant protein was raised. Immunoblots indicated that Gpm was expressed in freshly extracted infective T. pallidum. Enzyme assays indicated that Gpm did not require Mn2+ while 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) was required for maximum activity. Consistent with these observations, Mn did not copurify with Gpm. The purified Gpm was stable for more than 4 h at 25°C, retained only 50% activity after incubation for 20 min at 34°C or 10 min at 37°C, and was completely inactive after 10 min at 42°C. The temperature effect was attenuated when 1 mM DPG was added to the assay mixture. The recombinant Gpm from pSLB2 complemented E. coli strain PL225 (gpm) and restored growth on minimal glucose medium in a temperature-dependent manner. Increasing the temperature of cultures of E. coli PL225 harboring pSLB2 from 34 to 42°C resulted in a 7- to 11-h period in which no growth occurred (compared to wild-type E. coli). These data suggest that biochemical properties of Gpm could be one contributing factor to the heat sensitivity of T. pallidum. PMID:11466272

Maximum standard metabolic rate corresponds with the salinity of maximum growth in hatchlings of the estuarine northern diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin): Implications for habitat conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Christopher L.

2018-01-01

I evaluated standard metabolic rates (SMR) of hatchling northern diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) across a range of salinities (salinity = 1.5, 4, 8, 12, and 16 psu) that they may encounter in brackish habitats such as those in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, U.S.A. Consumption of O2 and production of CO2 by resting, unfed animals served as estimates of SMR. A peak in SMR occurred at 8 psu which corresponds closely with the salinity at which hatchling growth was previously shown to be maximized (salinity ∼ 9 psu). It appears that SMR is influenced by growth, perhaps reflecting investments in catabolic pathways that fuel anabolism. This ecophysiological information can inform environmental conservation and management activities by identifying portions of the estuary that are bioenergetically optimal for growth of hatchling terrapins. I suggest that conservation and restoration efforts to protect terrapin populations in oligo-to mesohaline habitats should prioritize protection or creation of habitats in regions where average salinity is near 8 psu and energetic investments in growth appear to be maximized.

Optimal Linear Filters for Pulse Height Measurements in the Presence of Noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nygaard, K.

1966-07-01

For measurements of nuclear pulse height spectra a linear filter is used between the pulse amplifier and the pulse height recorder so as to improve the signal/noise ratio. The problem of finding the optimal filter is investigated with emphasis on technical realizability. The maximum available signal/noise ratio is theoretically calculated on the basis of all the information which can be found in the output of the pulse amplifier, and on an assumed a priori knowledge of the pulse time of arrival. It is then shown that the maximum available signal/noise ratio can be obtained with practical measurements without any a priori knowledge of pulse time of arrival, and a general description of the optimal linear filter is given. The solution is unique, technically realizable, and based solely on data (noise power spectrum and pulse shape) which can be measured at the output terminals of the pulse amplifier used

Optimal Linear Filters for Pulse Height Measurements in the Presence of Noise

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nygaard, K

1966-07-15

For measurements of nuclear pulse height spectra a linear filter is used between the pulse amplifier and the pulse height recorder so as to improve the signal/noise ratio. The problem of finding the optimal filter is investigated with emphasis on technical realizability. The maximum available signal/noise ratio is theoretically calculated on the basis of all the information which can be found in the output of the pulse amplifier, and on an assumed a priori knowledge of the pulse time of arrival. It is then shown that the maximum available signal/noise ratio can be obtained with practical measurements without any a priori knowledge of pulse time of arrival, and a general description of the optimal linear filter is given. The solution is unique, technically realizable, and based solely on data (noise power spectrum and pulse shape) which can be measured at the output terminals of the pulse amplifier used.

Spectral theories for linear differential equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sell, G.R.

1976-01-01

The use of spectral analysis in the study of linear differential equations with constant coefficients is not only a fundamental technique but also leads to far-reaching consequences in describing the qualitative behaviour of the solutions. The spectral analysis, via the Jordan canonical form, will not only lead to a representation theorem for a basis of solutions, but will also give a rather precise statement of the (exponential) growth rates of various solutions. Various attempts have been made to extend this analysis to linear differential equations with time-varying coefficients. The most complete such extensions is the Floquet theory for equations with periodic coefficients. For time-varying linear differential equations with aperiodic coefficients several authors have attempted to ''extend'' the Foquet theory. The precise meaning of such an extension is itself a problem, and we present here several attempts in this direction that are related to the general problem of extending the spectral analysis of equations with constant coefficients. The main purpose of this paper is to introduce some problems of current research. The primary problem we shall examine occurs in the context of linear differential equations with almost periodic coefficients. We call it ''the Floquet problem''. (author)

Animal protein intake, serum insulin-like growth factor I, and growth in healthy 2.5-y-old Danish children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoppe, Camilla; Udam, Tina Rovenna; Lauritzen, Lotte

2004-01-01

Studies from developing countries indicate that intake of animal protein, especially of milk, is associated with greater velocity of linear growth in childhood. Whether the same association exists in industrialized countries, where protein intake is high, is not clear.......Studies from developing countries indicate that intake of animal protein, especially of milk, is associated with greater velocity of linear growth in childhood. Whether the same association exists in industrialized countries, where protein intake is high, is not clear....

Effect of ethanol and methanol on growth of ruminal bacteria Selenomonas ruminantium and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, J A; Ricke, S C

2015-01-01

The effect of ethanol and methanol on growth of several ruminal bacterial strains was examined. Ethanol concentrations as low as 0.2% had a significant, but moderate, inhibitory effect on lag time or growth over time and 3.3% ethanol significantly inhibited maximum optical density obtained by both Selenomonas ruminantium and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens. Little growth of either strain occurred at 10% ethanol concentrations. Methanol concentrations below 0.5% had little effect on either growth or maximum optical density of Selenomonas ruminantium whereas methanol concentrations below 3.3% had little effect on growth or maximum optical density of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens. Higher methanol concentrations increasingly inhibited growth of both strains and no growth occurred at a 10% methanol concentration. Concentrations of ethanol or methanol used to add hydrophobic compounds to culture media should be kept below 1%.

Computing maximum likelihood estimates of loglinear models from marginal sums with special attention to loglinear item response theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kelderman, Henk

1991-01-01

In this paper, algorithms are described for obtaining the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters in log-linear models. Modified versions of the iterative proportional fitting and Newton-Raphson algorithms are described that work on the minimal sufficient statistics rather than on the usual

The Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Woodgate, B. E.; Brandt, J. C.; Kalet, M. W.; Kenny, P. J.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E. A.; Bruner, E. C.; Beckers, J. M.; Henze, W.; Knox, E. D.; Hyder, C. L.

1980-01-01

The Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter (UVSP) on the Solar Maximum Mission spacecraft is described, including the experiment objectives, system design, performance, and modes of operation. The instrument operates in the wavelength range 1150-3600 A with better than 2 arcsec spatial resolution, raster range 256 x 256 sq arcsec, and 20 mA spectral resolution in second order. Observations can be made with specific sets of four lines simultaneously, or with both sides of two lines simultaneously for velocity and polarization. A rotatable retarder can be inserted into the spectrometer beam for measurement of Zeeman splitting and linear polarization in the transition region and chromosphere.

The ultraviolet spectrometer and polarimeter on the solar maximum mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodgate, B.E.; Brandt, J.C.; Kalet, M.W.; Kenny, P.J.; Beckers, J.M.; Henze, W.; Hyder, C.L.; Knox, E.D.

1980-01-01

The Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter (UVSP) on the Solar Maximum Mission spacecraft is described, including the experiment objectives, system design. performance, and modes of operation. The instrument operates in the wavelength range 1150-3600 Angstreom with better than 2 arc sec spatial resolution, raster range 256 x 256 arc sec 2 , and 20 m Angstroem spectral resolution in second order. Observations can be made with specific sets of 4 lines simultaneously, or with both sides of 2 lines simultaneously for velocity and polarization. A rotatable retarder can be inserted into the spectrometer beam for measurement of Zeeman splitting and linear polarization in the transition region and chromosphere. (orig.)

Linear theory of equatorial spread F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudson, M.K.; Kennel, C.F.

1975-01-01

A fluid dispersion relation for the drift and interchange (Rayleigh-Taylor) modes in a collisional plasma forms the basis for a linear theory of equatorial spread F. The collisional drift mode growth rate will exceed the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor mode at short perpendicular wavelengths and density gradient scale lengths, and the drift mode can grow on top side as well as on bottom side density gradients. However, below the F peak, where spread F predominates, it is concluded that both the drift and the Rayleigh-Taylor modes contribute to the total spread F spectrum, the Rayleigh-Taylor mode dominating at long and the drift mode at short perpendicular wavelengths above the ion Larmor radius

Maximum principles and sharp constants for solutions of elliptic and parabolic systems

CERN Document Server

Kresin, Gershon

2012-01-01

The main goal of this book is to present results pertaining to various versions of the maximum principle for elliptic and parabolic systems of arbitrary order. In particular, the authors present necessary and sufficient conditions for validity of the classical maximum modulus principles for systems of second order and obtain sharp constants in inequalities of Miranda-Agmon type and in many other inequalities of a similar nature. Somewhat related to this topic are explicit formulas for the norms and the essential norms of boundary integral operators. The proofs are based on a unified approach using, on one hand, representations of the norms of matrix-valued integral operators whose target spaces are linear and finite dimensional, and, on the other hand, on solving certain finite dimensional optimization problems. This book reflects results obtained by the authors, and can be useful to research mathematicians and graduate students interested in partial differential equations.

Growth of the green mussel, Perna viridis L., in a sea water circulating system

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Chatterji, A.; Ansari, Z.A.; Ingole, B.S.; Parulekar, A.H.

Growth of the green mussel, P. viridis L., was studied in a sea water circulating system for 12 months. The maximum growth rate was recorded during March - May, coinciding with the maximum abundance of phytoplankton. The other hydrological...

Egg production, growth and development of the cyclopoid copepod Oithona similis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sabatini, Marina; Kiørboe, Thomas

1994-01-01

Egg production, growth and development rates of Oithona similis were measured in the laboratory as a function of food concentration and composition. On an optimum diet, development is isochronal and growth is near exponential. The maximum juvenile growth rate at 15 degree C (0.2 day-1) is similar...... to juvenile growth in calanoid copepods. The maximum weight-specific egg production rate (0.1 day-1), on the other hand, is substantially less than in free-spawning calanoids, but similar to that in egg-carrying calanoids. In the Kattegat, Oithona spp. egg production is strongly limited by food during summer...

Genetic associations between reproductive and linear-type traits of Holstein cows in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Almeida, Tatiana Prestes; Kern, Elisandra Lurdes; Daltro, Darlene dos Santos; Braccini Neto, José; McManus, Concepta; Thaler Neto, André; Cobuci, Jaime Araujo

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT This study aimed to estimate heritability, genetic, and residual correlations between reproductive traits such as age at first calving, calving interval, dry period, and first service period and linear type traits measured in Holstein cows born between the years 1990 and 2008 in Brazil. The (co)variance components were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood, using the MTDFREML software. The heritability for reproductive traits and linear-type traits ranged from 0.02 to 0.03 and f...

Artificial neural network-based model for the prediction of optimal growth and culture conditions for maximum biomass accumulation in multiple shoot cultures of Centella asiatica.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Archana; Prakash, Om; Mehrotra, Shakti; Khan, Feroz; Mathur, Ajay Kumar; Mathur, Archana

2017-01-01

An artificial neural network (ANN)-based modelling approach is used to determine the synergistic effect of five major components of growth medium (Mg, Cu, Zn, nitrate and sucrose) on improved in vitro biomass yield in multiple shoot cultures of Centella asiatica. The back propagation neural network (BPNN) was employed to predict optimal biomass accumulation in terms of growth index over a defined culture duration of 35 days. The four variable concentrations of five media components, i.e. MgSO 4 (0, 0.75, 1.5, 3.0 mM), ZnSO 4 (0, 15, 30, 60 μM), CuSO 4 (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 μM), NO 3 (20, 30, 40, 60 mM) and sucrose (1, 3, 5, 7 %, w/v) were taken as inputs for the ANN model. The designed model was evaluated by performing three different sets of validation experiments that indicated a greater similarity between the target and predicted dataset. The results of the modelling experiment suggested that 1.5 mM Mg, 30 μM Zn, 0.1 μM Cu, 40 mM NO 3 and 6 % (w/v) sucrose were the respective optimal concentrations of the tested medium components for achieving maximum growth index of 1654.46 with high centelloside yield (62.37 mg DW/culture) in the cultured multiple shoots. This study can facilitate the generation of higher biomass of uniform, clean, good quality C. asiatica herb that can efficiently be utilized by pharmaceutical industries.

On-chip power-combining techniques for watt-level linear power amplifiers in 0.18 μm CMOS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Zhixiong; Zhang Kefeng; Liu Lanqi; Li Cong; Chen Xiaofei; Liu Dongsheng; Liu Zhenglin; Zou Xuecheng

2015-01-01

Three linear CMOS power amplifiers (PAs) with high output power (more than watt-level output power) for high data-rate mobile applications are introduced. To realize watt-level output power, there are two 2.4 GHz PAs using an on-chip parallel combining transformer (PCT) and one 1.95 GHz PA using an on-chip series combining transformer (SCT) to combine output signals of multiple power stages. Furthermore, some linearization techniques including adaptive bias, diode linearizer, multi-gated transistors (MGTR) and the second harmonic control are applied in these PAs. Using the proposed power combiner, these three PAs are designed and fabricated in TSMC 0.18 μm RFCMOS process. According to the measurement results, the proposed two linear 2.4 GHz PAs achieve a gain of 33.2 dB and 34.3 dB, a maximum output power of 30.7 dBm and 29.4 dBm, with 29% and 31.3% of peak PAE, respectively. According to the simulation results, the presented linear 1.95 GHz PA achieves a gain of 37.5 dB, a maximum output power of 34.3 dBm with 36.3% of peak PAE. (paper)

The associations between adult body composition and abdominal adiposity outcomes, and relative weight gain and linear growth from birth to age 22 in the Birth to Twenty Plus cohort, South Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra Prioreschi

Full Text Available The growing prevalence of overweight and obesity in low- or middle-income countries precipitates the need to examine early life predictors of adiposity.To examine growth trajectories from birth, and associations with adult body composition in the Birth to Twenty Plus Cohort, Soweto, South Africa.Complete data at year 22 was available for 1088 participants (536 males and 537 females. Conditional weight and height indices were generated indicative of relative rate of growth between years 0-2, 2-5, 5-8, 8-18, and 18-22. Whole body composition was measured at year 22 (range 21-25 years using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA. Total fat free soft tissue mass (FFSTM, fat mass, and abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT were recorded.Birth weight was positively associated with FFSTM and fat mass at year 22 (β = 0.11, p<0.01 and β = 0.10, p<0.01 respectively. Relative weight gain from birth to year 22 was positively associated with FFSTM, fat mass, VAT, and SAT at year 22. Relative linear growth from birth to year 22 was positively associated with FFSTM at year 22. Relative linear growth from birth to year 2 was positively associated with VAT at year 22. Being born small for gestational age and being stunted at age 2 years were inversely associated with FFSTM at year 22.The importance of optimal birth weight and growth tempos during early life for later life body composition, and the detrimental effects of pre- and postnatal growth restriction are clear; yet contemporary weight-gain most strongly predicted adult body composition. Thus interventions should target body composition trajectories during childhood and prevent excessive weight gain in early adulthood.

Calculating the Prior Probability Distribution for a Causal Network Using Maximum Entropy: Alternative Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael J. Markham

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Some problems occurring in Expert Systems can be resolved by employing a causal (Bayesian network and methodologies exist for this purpose. These require data in a specific form and make assumptions about the independence relationships involved. Methodologies using Maximum Entropy (ME are free from these conditions and have the potential to be used in a wider context including systems consisting of given sets of linear and independence constraints, subject to consistency and convergence. ME can also be used to validate results from the causal network methodologies. Three ME methods for determining the prior probability distribution of causal network systems are considered. The first method is Sequential Maximum Entropy in which the computation of a progression of local distributions leads to the over-all distribution. This is followed by development of the Method of Tribus. The development takes the form of an algorithm that includes the handling of explicit independence constraints. These fall into two groups those relating parents of vertices, and those deduced from triangulation of the remaining graph. The third method involves a variation in the part of that algorithm which handles independence constraints. Evidence is presented that this adaptation only requires the linear constraints and the parental independence constraints to emulate the second method in a substantial class of examples.

Determination of maximum physiologic thyroid uptake and correlation with 24-hour RAI uptake value

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duldulao, M.; Obaldo, J.

2007-01-01

Full text: In hyperthyroid patients, thyroid uptake values are overestimated, sometimes approaching or exceeding 100%. This is physiologically and mathematically impossible. This study was undertaken to determine the maximum physiologic thyroid uptake value through a proposed simple method using a gamma camera. Methodology: Twenty-two patients (17 females and 5 males), with ages ranging from 19-61 y/o (mean age ± SD; 41 ± 12), with 24-hour uptake value of >50%, clinically hyperthyroid and referred for subsequent radioactive iodine therapy were studied. The computed maximum physiologic thyroid uptake was compared with the 24-hour uptake using the paired Student t-test and evaluated using linear regression analysis. Results: The computed physiologic uptake correlated poorly with the 24-hour uptake value. However, in the male subgroup, there was no statistically significant difference between the two (p=0.77). Linear regression analysis gives the following relationship: physiologic uptake (%) = 77.76 - 0.284 (24-hour RAI uptake value). Conclusion: Provided that proper regions of interest are applied with correct attenuation and background subtraction, determination of physiologic thyroid uptake may be obtained using the proposed method. This simple method may be useful prior to I-131 therapy for hyperthyroidism especially when a single uptake determination is performed. (author)

General methods for determining the linear stability of coronal magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, I. J. D.; Sneyd, A. D.; Mcclymont, A. N.

1988-01-01

A time integration of a linearized plasma equation of motion has been performed to calculate the ideal linear stability of arbitrary three-dimensional magnetic fields. The convergence rates of the explicit and implicit power methods employed are speeded up by using sequences of cyclic shifts. Growth rates are obtained for Gold-Hoyle force-free equilibria, and the corkscrew-kink instability is found to be very weak.

Reconciling the Log-Linear and Non-Log-Linear Nature of the TSH-Free T4 Relationship: Intra-Individual Analysis of a Large Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Rothacker, Karen M; Brown, Suzanne J; Hadlow, Narelle C; Wardrop, Robert; Walsh, John P

2016-03-01

The TSH-T4 relationship was thought to be inverse log-linear, but recent cross-sectional studies report a complex, nonlinear relationship; large, intra-individual studies are lacking. Our objective was to analyze the TSH-free T4 relationship within individuals. We analyzed data from 13 379 patients, each with six or more TSH/free T4 measurements and at least a 5-fold difference between individual median TSH and minimum or maximum TSH. Linear and nonlinear regression models of log TSH on free T4 were fitted to data from individuals and goodness of fit compared by likelihood ratio testing. Comparing all models, the linear model achieved best fit in 31% of individuals, followed by quartic (27%), cubic (15%), null (12%), and quadratic (11%) models. After eliminating least favored models (with individuals reassigned to best fitting, available models), the linear model fit best in 42% of participants, quartic in 43%, and null model in 15%. As the number of observations per individual increased, so did the proportion of individuals in whom the linear model achieved best fit, to 66% in those with more than 20 observations. When linear models were applied to all individuals and averaged according to individual median free T4 values, variations in slope and intercept indicated a nonlinear log TSH-free T4 relationship across the population. The log TSH-free T4 relationship appears linear in some individuals and nonlinear in others, but is predominantly linear in those with the largest number of observations. A log-linear relationship within individuals can be reconciled with a non-log-linear relationship in a population.

Relationship between Maximum Principle and Dynamic Programming for Stochastic Recursive Optimal Control Problems and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingtao Shi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is concerned with the relationship between maximum principle and dynamic programming for stochastic recursive optimal control problems. Under certain differentiability conditions, relations among the adjoint processes, the generalized Hamiltonian function, and the value function are given. A linear quadratic recursive utility portfolio optimization problem in the financial engineering is discussed as an explicitly illustrated example of the main result.

Orientations of dendritic growth during solidification

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dong Nyung

2017-03-01

Dendrites are crystalline forms which grow far from the limit of stability of the plane front and adopt an orientation which is as close as possible to the heat flux direction. Dendritic growth orientations for cubic metals, bct Sn, and hcp Zn, can be controlled by thermal conductivity, Young's modulus, and surface energy. The control factors have been elaborated. Since the dendrite is a single crystal, its properties such as thermal conductivity that influences the heat flux direction, the minimum Young's modulus direction that influences the strain energy minimization, and the minimum surface energy plane that influences the crystal/liquid interface energy minimization have been proved to control the dendritic growth direction. The dendritic growth directions of cubic metals are determined by the minimum Young's modulus direction and/or axis direction of symmetry of the minimum crystal surface energy plane. The dendritic growth direction of bct Sn is determined by its maximum thermal conductivity direction and the minimum surface energy plane normal direction. The primary dendritic growth direction of hcp Zn is determined by its maximum thermal conductivity direction and the minimum surface energy plane normal direction and the secondary dendrite arm direction of hcp Zn is normal to the primary dendritic growth direction.

Maximum Langmuir Fields in Planetary Foreshocks Determined from the Electrostatic Decay Threshold

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, P. A.; Cairns, Iver H.

1995-01-01

Maximum electric fields of Langmuir waves at planetary foreshocks are estimated from the threshold for electrostatic decay, assuming it saturates beam driven growth, and incorporating heliospheric variation of plasma density and temperature. Comparisons with spacecraft observations yields good quantitative agreement. Observations in type 3 radio sources are also in accord with this interpretation. A single mechanism can thus account for the highest fields of beam driven waves in both contexts.

Hydraulic Limits on Maximum Plant Transpiration

Science.gov (United States)

Manzoni, S.; Vico, G.; Katul, G. G.; Palmroth, S.; Jackson, R. B.; Porporato, A. M.

2011-12-01

Photosynthesis occurs at the expense of water losses through transpiration. As a consequence of this basic carbon-water interaction at the leaf level, plant growth and ecosystem carbon exchanges are tightly coupled to transpiration. In this contribution, the hydraulic constraints that limit transpiration rates under well-watered conditions are examined across plant functional types and climates. The potential water flow through plants is proportional to both xylem hydraulic conductivity (which depends on plant carbon economy) and the difference in water potential between the soil and the atmosphere (the driving force that pulls water from the soil). Differently from previous works, we study how this potential flux changes with the amplitude of the driving force (i.e., we focus on xylem properties and not on stomatal regulation). Xylem hydraulic conductivity decreases as the driving force increases due to cavitation of the tissues. As a result of this negative feedback, more negative leaf (and xylem) water potentials would provide a stronger driving force for water transport, while at the same time limiting xylem hydraulic conductivity due to cavitation. Here, the leaf water potential value that allows an optimum balance between driving force and xylem conductivity is quantified, thus defining the maximum transpiration rate that can be sustained by the soil-to-leaf hydraulic system. To apply the proposed framework at the global scale, a novel database of xylem conductivity and cavitation vulnerability across plant types and biomes is developed. Conductivity and water potential at 50% cavitation are shown to be complementary (in particular between angiosperms and conifers), suggesting a tradeoff between transport efficiency and hydraulic safety. Plants from warmer and drier biomes tend to achieve larger maximum transpiration than plants growing in environments with lower atmospheric water demand. The predicted maximum transpiration and the corresponding leaf water

Human Capital--Economic Growth Nexus in the Former Soviet Bloc

Science.gov (United States)

Osipian, Ararat L.

2007-01-01

This study analyses the role and impact of higher education on per capita economic growth in the Former Soviet Bloc. It attempts to estimate the significance of educational levels for initiating substantial economic growth that now takes place in these two countries. This study estimates a system of linear and log-linear equations that account for…

Dynamic imperfections and optimized feedback design in the Compact Linear Collider main linac

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peder Eliasson

2008-05-01

Full Text Available The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC main linac is sensitive to dynamic imperfections such as element jitter, injected beam jitter, and ground motion. These effects cause emittance growth that, in case of ground motion, has to be counteracted by a trajectory feedback system. The feedback system itself will, due to jitter effects and imperfect beam position monitors (BPMs, indirectly cause emittance growth. Fast and accurate simulations of both the direct and indirect effects are desirable, but due to the many elements of the CLIC main linac, simulations may become very time consuming. In this paper, an efficient way of simulating linear (or nearly linear dynamic effects is described. The method is also shown to facilitate the analytic determination of emittance growth caused by the different dynamic imperfections while using a trajectory feedback system. Emittance growth expressions are derived for quadrupole, accelerating structure, and beam jitter, for ground motion, and for noise in the feedback BPMs. Finally, it is shown how the method can be used to design a feedback system that is optimized for the optics of the machine and the ground motion spectrum of the particular site. This feedback system gives an emittance growth rate that is approximately 10 times lower than that of traditional trajectory feedbacks. The robustness of the optimized feedback system is studied for a number of additional imperfections, e.g., dipole corrector imperfections and faulty knowledge about the machine optics, with promising results.

Dynamic imperfections and optimized feedback design in the Compact Linear Collider main linac

Science.gov (United States)

Eliasson, Peder

2008-05-01

The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) main linac is sensitive to dynamic imperfections such as element jitter, injected beam jitter, and ground motion. These effects cause emittance growth that, in case of ground motion, has to be counteracted by a trajectory feedback system. The feedback system itself will, due to jitter effects and imperfect beam position monitors (BPMs), indirectly cause emittance growth. Fast and accurate simulations of both the direct and indirect effects are desirable, but due to the many elements of the CLIC main linac, simulations may become very time consuming. In this paper, an efficient way of simulating linear (or nearly linear) dynamic effects is described. The method is also shown to facilitate the analytic determination of emittance growth caused by the different dynamic imperfections while using a trajectory feedback system. Emittance growth expressions are derived for quadrupole, accelerating structure, and beam jitter, for ground motion, and for noise in the feedback BPMs. Finally, it is shown how the method can be used to design a feedback system that is optimized for the optics of the machine and the ground motion spectrum of the particular site. This feedback system gives an emittance growth rate that is approximately 10 times lower than that of traditional trajectory feedbacks. The robustness of the optimized feedback system is studied for a number of additional imperfections, e.g., dipole corrector imperfections and faulty knowledge about the machine optics, with promising results.

Prenatal magnetic resonance imaging: brain normal linear biometric values below 24 gestational weeks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parazzini, C.; Righini, A.; Triulzi, F.; Rustico, M.; Consonni, D.

2008-01-01

Prenatal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is currently used to measure quantitative data concerning brain structural development. At present, morphometric MR imaging studies have been focused mostly on the third trimester of gestational age. However, in many countries, because of legal restriction on abortion timing, the majority of MR imaging fetal examination has to be carried out during the last part of the second trimester of pregnancy (i.e., before the 24th week of gestation). Accurate and reliable normative data of the brain between 20 and 24 weeks of gestation is not available. This report provides easy and practical parametric support to assess those normative data. From a database of 1,200 fetal MR imaging studies, we retrospectively selected 84 studies of the brain of fetuses aged 20-24 weeks of gestation that resulted normal on clinical and radiological follow-up. Fetuses with proved or suspected infections, twin pregnancy, and fetuses of mothers affected by pathology that might have influenced fetal growth were excluded. Linear biometrical measurements of the main cerebral structures were obtained by three experienced pediatric neuroradiologists. A substantial interobserver agreement for each measurements was reached, and normative data with median, maximum, and minimum value were obtained for brain structures. The knowledge of a range of normality and interindividual variability of linear biometrical values for the developing brain between 20th and 24th weeks of gestation may be valuable in assessing normal brain development in clinical settings. (orig.)

Prenatal magnetic resonance imaging: brain normal linear biometric values below 24 gestational weeks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parazzini, C.; Righini, A.; Triulzi, F. [Children' s Hospital ' ' V. Buzzi' ' , Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Milan (Italy); Rustico, M. [Children' s Hospital ' ' V. Buzzi' ' , Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Milan (Italy); Consonni, D. [Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Unit of Epidemiology, Milan (Italy)

2008-10-15

Prenatal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is currently used to measure quantitative data concerning brain structural development. At present, morphometric MR imaging studies have been focused mostly on the third trimester of gestational age. However, in many countries, because of legal restriction on abortion timing, the majority of MR imaging fetal examination has to be carried out during the last part of the second trimester of pregnancy (i.e., before the 24th week of gestation). Accurate and reliable normative data of the brain between 20 and 24 weeks of gestation is not available. This report provides easy and practical parametric support to assess those normative data. From a database of 1,200 fetal MR imaging studies, we retrospectively selected 84 studies of the brain of fetuses aged 20-24 weeks of gestation that resulted normal on clinical and radiological follow-up. Fetuses with proved or suspected infections, twin pregnancy, and fetuses of mothers affected by pathology that might have influenced fetal growth were excluded. Linear biometrical measurements of the main cerebral structures were obtained by three experienced pediatric neuroradiologists. A substantial interobserver agreement for each measurements was reached, and normative data with median, maximum, and minimum value were obtained for brain structures. The knowledge of a range of normality and interindividual variability of linear biometrical values for the developing brain between 20th and 24th weeks of gestation may be valuable in assessing normal brain development in clinical settings. (orig.)

Linear time delay methods and stability analyses of the human spine. Effects of neuromuscular reflex response.

Science.gov (United States)

Franklin, Timothy C; Granata, Kevin P; Madigan, Michael L; Hendricks, Scott L

2008-08-01

Linear stability methods were applied to a biomechanical model of the human musculoskeletal spine to investigate effects of reflex gain and reflex delay on stability. Equations of motion represented a dynamic 18 degrees-of-freedom rigid-body model with time-delayed reflexes. Optimal muscle activation levels were identified by minimizing metabolic power with the constraints of equilibrium and stability with zero reflex time delay. Muscle activation levels and associated muscle forces were used to find the delay margin, i.e., the maximum reflex delay for which the system was stable. Results demonstrated that stiffness due to antagonistic co-contraction necessary for stability declined with increased proportional reflex gain. Reflex delay limited the maximum acceptable proportional reflex gain, i.e., long reflex delay required smaller maximum reflex gain to avoid instability. As differential reflex gain increased, there was a small increase in acceptable reflex delay. However, differential reflex gain with values near intrinsic damping caused the delay margin to approach zero. Forward-dynamic simulations of the fully nonlinear time-delayed system verified the linear results. The linear methods accurately found the delay margin below which the nonlinear system was asymptotically stable. These methods may aid future investigations in the role of reflexes in musculoskeletal stability.

DFT based spatial multiplexing and maximum ratio transmission for mm-wawe large MIMO

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Phan-Huy, D.-T.; Tölli, A.; Rajatheva, N.

2014-01-01

-SM-MRT). When the DFT-SM scheme alone is used, the data streams are either mapped onto different angles of departures in the case of aligned linear arrays, or mapped onto different orbital angular momentums in the case of aligned circular arrays. Maximum ratio transmission pre-equalizes the channel......By using large point-to-point multiple input multiple output (MIMO), spatial multiplexing of a large number of data streams in wireless communications using millimeter-waves (mm-waves) can be achieved. However, according to the antenna spacing and transmitter-receiver distance, the MIMO channel...... is likely to be ill-conditioned. In such conditions, highly complex schemes such as the singular value decomposition (SVD) are necessary. In this paper, we propose a new low complexity system called discrete Fourier transform based spatial multiplexing (DFT-SM) with maximum ratio transmission (DFT...

Using Personality Traits to Construct Linear Growth Models of Mental Health in Family Members of Individuals With Severe Brain Injury

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trujillo, Michael; Perrin, Paul B; Doser, Karoline

2016-01-01

Objective: No studies have examined the impact of personality traits on mental health among caregivers of individuals with severe brain injury. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to construct linear growth models to examine whether the personality traits of family members...... neuroticism had lower anxiety and depression over time, as well as a more accelerated decrease in anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Caregivers' personality traits were strongly associated over time with mental HRQoL, anxiety, and depression, with neuroticism being especially important for trajectories...... the Short Form-36 assessing mental HRQoL (vitality, social functioning, role limitations-emotional, mental health), anxiety, and depression across 5 time points during the 1st year after injury. The measure of personality was administered 3 months after the patients' discharge. Results: All mental HRQo...

High profile students’ growth of mathematical understanding in solving linier programing problems

Science.gov (United States)

Utomo; Kusmayadi, TA; Pramudya, I.

2018-04-01

Linear program has an important role in human’s life. This linear program is learned in senior high school and college levels. This material is applied in economy, transportation, military and others. Therefore, mastering linear program is useful for provision of life. This research describes a growth of mathematical understanding in solving linear programming problems based on the growth of understanding by the Piere-Kieren model. Thus, this research used qualitative approach. The subjects were students of grade XI in Salatiga city. The subjects of this study were two students who had high profiles. The researcher generally chose the subjects based on the growth of understanding from a test result in the classroom; the mark from the prerequisite material was ≥ 75. Both of the subjects were interviewed by the researcher to know the students’ growth of mathematical understanding in solving linear programming problems. The finding of this research showed that the subjects often folding back to the primitive knowing level to go forward to the next level. It happened because the subjects’ primitive understanding was not comprehensive.

Influence of Plant Population and Nitrogen-Fertilizer at Various Levels on Growth and Growth Efficiency of Maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. I. Tajul

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Field experiments were conducted to evaluate plant population and N-fertilizer effects on yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.. Three levels of plant populations (53000, 66000, and 800000 plants ha−1 corresponding to spacings of 75 × 25, 60 × 25, and 50 × 25 cm and 4 doses of N (100, 140, 180, and 220 kg ha−1 were the treatment variables. Results revealed that plant growth, light interception (LI, yield attributes, and grain yield varied significantly due to the variations in population density and N-rates. Crop growth rate (CGR was the highest with the population of 80,000 ha−1 receiving 220 kg N ha−1, while relative growth rate (RGR showed an opposite trend of CGR. Light absorption was maximum when most of densely populated plant received the highest amount of N (220 kg N ha−1. Response of soil-plant-analysis development (SPAD value as well as N-content to N-rates was found significant. Plant height was the maximum at the lowest plant density with the highest amount of N. Plants that received 180 kg N ha−1 with 80,000 plants ha−1 had larger foliage, greater SPAD value, and higher amount of grains cob−1 that contributed to the maximum yield (5.03 t ha−1 and the maximum harvest index (HI compared to the plants in other treatments.

Matching beams on photon/electron linear accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliver, L.; Vial, P.; Hunt, P.

2004-01-01

Full text: There are a number of obvious reasons to match megavoltage X-ray and electron beams for clinical purposes. If two dual-purpose X-ray/electron linear accelerators are of the same design and manufacturer, then this might be possible. The issue is however whether the beams can be matched sufficiently close to be considered the same for patient treatments and planning data for dose calculation purposes. If successfully achieved, there are significant advantages in reduced commissioning time, less work in planning and flexibility in the treatment of patients between the two treatment machines. We have investigated matching a new Varian Clinac 21EX with our 1993 Varian Clinac 2100 C/D. A Varian Clinac 1800 was the first linear accelerator installed at RNSH in 1987. When the Clinac 2100 C/D was installed in 1993, we attempted to match all the X-ray and electron beams with the original Clinac 1800 physical data. The X-ray beam characteristics were satisfactory but the electron beams were not sufficiently compatible for planning or patient treatment purposes. A different designed scattering foil and electron applicator were the cause of the different electron beam physical characteristics between the two models. In replacing the Clinac 1800 with the Clinac 21EX, we have used the original 1993 data of the Clinac 2100 C/D as the gold standard to aim for. Initial measurements during acceptance tests showed that all beams satisfied the manufacturer's specification. The energy was then matched to the existing clinical physics data by adjusting the bending magnet power supply and re-tuning the accelerator. This involved matching % depth dose and the corresponding ratio of 10 and 20 cm % depth dose ratio for 6MV and 18 MV X-ray beams. For 6, 9, 12, 16 and 20 MeV electron beams the normal physical parameters of depth of maximum (R max ), the practical range (R p ), the depth of 50% (R 50 ), the slope (G), the average energy at the surface (E 0 ) and the % photon

Academic Sacred Cows and Exponential Growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Heterick, Robert C., Jr.

1991-01-01

The speech notes the linear growth of resources versus the exponential growth of costs in higher education. It identifies opportunities arising from information technology to transform teaching and learning through creation of a new scholarly information delivery system. An integrated triad of communications, computing, and library organizations…

Circuit Simulation for Solar Power Maximum Power Point Tracking with Different Buck-Boost Converter Topologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaw-Kuen Shiau

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The power converter is one of the essential elements for effective use of renewable power sources. This paper focuses on the development of a circuit simulation model for maximum power point tracking (MPPT evaluation of solar power that involves using different buck-boost power converter topologies; including SEPIC, Zeta, and four-switch type buck-boost DC/DC converters. The circuit simulation model mainly includes three subsystems: a PV model; a buck-boost converter-based MPPT system; and a fuzzy logic MPPT controller. Dynamic analyses of the current-fed buck-boost converter systems are conducted and results are presented in the paper. The maximum power point tracking function is achieved through appropriate control of the power switches of the power converter. A fuzzy logic controller is developed to perform the MPPT function for obtaining maximum power from the PV panel. The MATLAB-based Simulink piecewise linear electric circuit simulation tool is used to verify the complete circuit simulation model.

High linearity current communicating passive mixer employing a simple resistor bias

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Rongjiang; Guo Guiliang; Yan Yuepeng

2013-01-01

A high linearity current communicating passive mixer including the mixing cell and transimpedance amplifier (TIA) is introduced. It employs the resistor in the TIA to reduce the source voltage and the gate voltage of the mixing cell. The optimum linearity and the maximum symmetric switching operation are obtained at the same time. The mixer is implemented in a 0.25 μm CMOS process. The test shows that it achieves an input third-order intercept point of 13.32 dBm, conversion gain of 5.52 dB, and a single sideband noise figure of 20 dB. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Effect of strong-focusing field distortions on particle motion in a linear accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondarev, B.I.; Durkin, A.P.; Solov'ev, L.Yu.

1979-01-01

The increased sensitivity of quadrupole focusing channel used in the highenergetic part of the linear accelerator makes it necessary to pay serious attention to the effect of various distortions of focusing fields on the transverse motion of the beam. The distortions may cause the inadmissible losses of particles in the accelerator. To achieve this aim the main equation of disturbed motion of particles in the linear accelerator, obtained by analogy with the cyclic accelerator theory is presented. The investigation of the solutions of this equation has permitted to obtain the analytical formulas for the estimation of the beam size increase under the effect of focusing field distortions of various types, such as structural non-linearity, gradient errors, random non-linearity, channel axis deformation. While studying the effect of structural non-linearity considered are the resonance effects and obtained are the relations describing the maximum beam size increase in the channel of the linear accelerator in the presence and in the absence of the resonance

Annotated bibliography on high-intensity linear accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jameson, R.A.; Roybal, E.U.

1978-01-01

A technical bibliography covering subjects important to the design of high-intensity beam transport systems and linear accelerators is presented. Space charge and emittance growth are stressed. Subject and author concordances provide cross-reference to detailed citations, which include an abstract and notes on the material. The bibliography resides in a computer database that can be searched for key words and phrases

Evaluation of maximum voided volume in Korean children by use of a 48-h frequency volume chart.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sun-Ouck; Kim, Kyung Do; Kim, Young Sig; Kim, Jun Mo; Moon, Du Geon; Park, Sungchan; Lee, Sang Don; Chung, Jae Min; Cho, Won Yeol

2012-08-01

Study Type - Diagnostic (validating cohort). Level of Evidence 2a. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The relationship between the maximum voided volume followed a linear curve. The formula presented, bladder capacity (mL) = 12 ×[age (years) + 11], is thought to be a reasonable one for Korean children. Korean children have a smaller bladder capacity than that reported in previous Western studies. • To develop practical guidelines for the prediction of normal bladder capacity in Korean children measured by a frequency volume chart (FVC), maximum voided volume (MVV) is an important factor in the diagnosis of children with abnormal voiding function. • In all, 298 children, aged 3-13 years, with no history of voiding disorders volunteered for the study. The MVV was determined in 219 subjects by use of a completely recorded FVC. • Linear regression analysis was used to define the exact relationship between age and bladder capacity. An approximate formula related age to bladder capacity as follows: bladder capacity (mL) = 12 ×[age (years) + 11]. • The relationship between the MVV measured by a FVC by age (3-13 years) of Korean children followed a linear curve. • When applied to normal voiding patterns, the formula presented appears to be a reasonable one for Korean children. © 2011 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Cosmic shear measurement with maximum likelihood and maximum a posteriori inference

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Alex; Taylor, Andy

2017-06-01

We investigate the problem of noise bias in maximum likelihood and maximum a posteriori estimators for cosmic shear. We derive the leading and next-to-leading order biases and compute them in the context of galaxy ellipticity measurements, extending previous work on maximum likelihood inference for weak lensing. We show that a large part of the bias on these point estimators can be removed using information already contained in the likelihood when a galaxy model is specified, without the need for external calibration. We test these bias-corrected estimators on simulated galaxy images similar to those expected from planned space-based weak lensing surveys, with promising results. We find that the introduction of an intrinsic shape prior can help with mitigation of noise bias, such that the maximum a posteriori estimate can be made less biased than the maximum likelihood estimate. Second-order terms offer a check on the convergence of the estimators, but are largely subdominant. We show how biases propagate to shear estimates, demonstrating in our simple set-up that shear biases can be reduced by orders of magnitude and potentially to within the requirements of planned space-based surveys at mild signal-to-noise ratio. We find that second-order terms can exhibit significant cancellations at low signal-to-noise ratio when Gaussian noise is assumed, which has implications for inferring the performance of shear-measurement algorithms from simplified simulations. We discuss the viability of our point estimators as tools for lensing inference, arguing that they allow for the robust measurement of ellipticity and shear.

Shape optimization of a perforated pressure vessel cover under linearized stress constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Woo-Seok; Kim, Tae-Wan; Seo, Ki-Seog

2008-01-01

One of the general methods to evaluate a failure condition is to compare a maximum stress with an allowable stress. A failure condition for a stress is usually applied to a concerned point rather than a concerned section. In an optimization procedure, these stress conditions are applied as constraints. But the ASME code that prescribes its general rules upon the design of a NSSS (nuclear steam supply system) has quite a different view on a failure condition. According to the ASME code Sec. III, a stress linearization should be performed to evaluate a failure condition of a structure. Since a few programs provide a procedure for a stress linearization through a post-processing stage, an extra calculation of the linearized stresses and the derivatives of a linearized stress are conducted to adopt the stress linearization results to an optimization procedure as constraints. In this research, an optimization technique that utilizes the results of a stress linearization as a constraint is proposed. The proposed method was applied to the shape design of a perforated pressure vessel cover

Linear Algebra and Smarandache Linear Algebra

OpenAIRE

Vasantha, Kandasamy

2003-01-01

The present book, on Smarandache linear algebra, not only studies the Smarandache analogues of linear algebra and its applications, it also aims to bridge the need for new research topics pertaining to linear algebra, purely in the algebraic sense. We have introduced Smarandache semilinear algebra, Smarandache bilinear algebra and Smarandache anti-linear algebra and their fuzzy equivalents. Moreover, in this book, we have brought out the study of linear algebra and vector spaces over finite p...

Signal Enhancement with Variable Span Linear Filters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benesty, Jacob; Christensen, Mads Græsbøll; Jensen, Jesper Rindom

. Variable span filters combine the ideas of optimal linear filters with those of subspace methods, as they involve the joint diagonalization of the correlation matrices of the desired signal and the noise. The book shows how some well-known filter designs, e.g. the minimum distortion, maximum signal...... the time and STFT domains, and, lastly, in time-domain binaural enhancement. In these contexts, the properties of these filters are analyzed in terms of their noise reduction capabilities and desired signal distortion, and the analyses are validated and further explored in simulations....

Linear radial pulsation theory. Lecture 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, A.N.

1983-01-01

We describe a method for getting an equilibrium stellar envelope model using as input the total mass, the envelope mass, the surface effective temperature, the total surface luminosity, and the composition of the envelope. Then wih the structure of the envelope model known, we present a method for obtaining the raidal pulsation periods and growth rates for low order modes. The large amplitude pulsations observed for the yellow and red giants and supergiants are always these radial models, but for the stars nearer the main sequence, as for all of our stars and for the white dwarfs, there frequently are nonradial modes occuring also. Application of linear theory radial pulsation theory is made to the giant star sigma Scuti variables, while the linear nonradial theory will be used for the B stars in later lectures

IGF-1 and insulin as growth hormones.

Science.gov (United States)

Laron, Zvi

2004-01-01

IGF-1 generated in the liver is the anabolic effector and linear growth promoting hormone of the pituitary growth hormone (GH). This is evidenced by dwarfism in states of congenital IGF-1 deficiency, Igf1 gene mutation/deletions or knockouts, and in Laron syndrome (LS), due to GH receptor gene mutations/deletions or IGF-1 receptor blocking. In a positive way, daily IGF-1 administration to stunted patients with LS or hGH gene deletion accelerates linear growth velocity. IGF-1 acts on the proliferative cells of the epiphyseal cartilage. IGF-1 also induces organ and tissue growth; its absence causing organomicria. Insulin shares a common ancestry with IGF-1 and with 45% amino acid homology, as well as very close relationships in the structure of its receptors and post-receptor cascade, also acts as a growth hormone. It has protein anabolic activity and stimulates IGF-1 synthesis. Pancreas agenesis causes short babies, and obese children with hyperinsulinism, with or without pituitary GH, have an accelerated growth rate and skeletal maturation; so do babies with macrosomia. Whether the insulin growth effect is direct, or mediated by IGF-1 or leptin is controversial.

Grain growth studies on nanocrystalline Ni powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rane, G.K.; Welzel, U.; Mittemeijer, E.J.

2012-01-01

The microstructure of nanocrystalline Ni powder produced by ball-milling and its thermal stability were investigated by applying different methods of X-ray diffraction line-profile analysis: single-line analysis, whole powder-pattern modelling and the (modified) Warren–Averbach method were employed. The kinetics of grain growth were investigated by both ex-situ and in-situ X-ray diffraction measurements. With increasing milling time, the grain-size reduction is accompanied by a considerable narrowing of the size distribution and an increase in the microstrain. Upon annealing, initial, rapid grain growth occurs, accompanied by the (almost complete) annihilation of microstrain. For longer annealing times, the grain-growth kinetics depend on the initial microstructure: a smaller microstrain with a broad grain-size distribution leads to linear grain growth, followed by parabolic grain growth, whereas a larger microstrain with a narrow grain-size distribution leads to incessant linear grain growth. These effects have been shown to be incompatible with grain-boundary curvature driven growth. The observed kinetics are ascribed to the role of excess free volume at the grain boundaries of nanocrystalline material and the prevalence of an “abnormal grain-growth” mechanism.

Practical likelihood analysis for spatial generalized linear mixed models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bonat, W. H.; Ribeiro, Paulo Justiniano

2016-01-01

We investigate an algorithm for maximum likelihood estimation of spatial generalized linear mixed models based on the Laplace approximation. We compare our algorithm with a set of alternative approaches for two datasets from the literature. The Rhizoctonia root rot and the Rongelap are......, respectively, examples of binomial and count datasets modeled by spatial generalized linear mixed models. Our results show that the Laplace approximation provides similar estimates to Markov Chain Monte Carlo likelihood, Monte Carlo expectation maximization, and modified Laplace approximation. Some advantages...... of Laplace approximation include the computation of the maximized log-likelihood value, which can be used for model selection and tests, and the possibility to obtain realistic confidence intervals for model parameters based on profile likelihoods. The Laplace approximation also avoids the tuning...

Configuration of LWR fuel enrichment or burnup yielding maximum power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartosek, V.; Zalesky, K.

1976-01-01

An analysis is given of the spatial distribution of fuel burnup and enrichment in a light-water lattice of given dimensions with slightly enriched uranium, at which the maximum output is achieved. It is based on the spatial solution of neutron flux using a one-group diffusion model in which linear dependence may be expected of the fission cross section and the material buckling parameter on the fuel burnup and enrichment. Two problem constraints are considered, i.e., the neutron flux value and the specific output value. For the former the optimum core configuration remains qualitatively unchanged for any reflector thickness, for the latter the cases of a reactor with and without reflector must be distinguished. (Z.M.)

Irradiation growth in zirconium alloys: a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fidleris, V.

1980-09-01

The change in shape during irradiation without external stress, irradiation growth, was first discovered in uranium and later in graphite, zirconium and other core materials which exhibit anisotropic physical properties. The direction of maximum growth of metals invariably corresponds with the direction of minimum thermal expansion. In polycrystalline zirconium alloys growth is positive in the direction of maximum deformation during fabrication and in other directions it can be either positive or negative depending on the preferred orientation of grains (crystallographic texture). Growth increases gradually with temperature between 300 K and 620 K and rapidly with fluence up to about 1 x 10 25 n.m. -2 (Eμ1 MeV). At higher fluences the growth appears to saturate in annealed materials and reach a steady rate approximately proportional to dislocation density in cold-worked materials. Above 600 K both annealed and cold-worked materials have similar steady growth rates. Irradiation growth is caused by the segregation to different sinks of the vacancies and interstitials generated by irradiation, but the dominant types of sinks for each type of point defect and the mode of transport of the point defects to sinks cannot therefore be predicted theoretically. For the purpose of designing reactor core components empirical equations have been derived that can satisfactorily predict the steady state growth behaviour from texture and microstructure. (auth)

Effects of Animal-Source Foods and Micronutrient-Fortification Complementary Foods on Body Composition, Linear Growth, Iron Status – the WinFood Project in Cambodia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chhoun, Chamnan; Kloppenborg Heick Skau, Jutta; Dijkhuizen, Marjoleine; Friis, Henrik; Michaelsen, Kim F.; Roos, Nanna; Touch, Bunthang; Chea, Mary; Wieringa, Frank; Berger, Jacques

2014-01-01

Background and objective: The nutritional quality of CF in developing countries is often insufficient to sustain optimal growth. The Winfood project evaluated the efficacy of two new, processed rice-fish based CF with local ASF in Cambodia: non-fortified ‘WinFood’ (WF) with 14% by dry-weight ASF from small-sized fish (Esomus longimanus and Paralaubuca typus) and edible spiders (Haplopelma sp.); an adjusted ‘lite’ WinFood (WF-L) with 10% by dry-weight ASF from small-sized fish of mixed species, and fortified with minerals and vitamins. The products were precooked by extrusion. The WF-products were compared with two standard products from World Food Programme: Corn-Soy-Blend (CSB+) and CSB++ (8% by dry-weight skimmed-milk powder), in a single-blinded randomized trial. Methods: 419 Cambodian infants at age 6 months were randomized to daily rations of one of the four products for nine months period. BC (deuterium dilution) and iron status (serum ferritin and hemoglobin) were measured before and after intervention; and anthropometry (knee-heel-length, length, weight, MUAC, head circumference and skinfolds) monthly. Data were analyzed by intention-to-treat. Results: Among 358 children completing the study, no significant difference in BC between the groups where found, but knee-heel length increments differed (P = 0.046: WF-L: 3.6 cm, CSB++: 3.6 cm, WF: 3.5 cm, CSB+: 3.4 cm), suggesting that micronutrient-fortified products with 8-10% ASF (CSB++ and WF-L) promoted better linear growth than products without fortification or ASF. Knee-heel and total length increment was significantly higher in the highest food compliance quartile compared to the lowest, across food groups. There were no differences in ferritin and hemoglobin concentration. There was higher prevalence of anemic children in the WF group. Conclusion: Products with ASF (milk or small fish) and micronutrient premix resulted in slightly better linear growth. Small fish is a cheap ASF with high potential

Hypocoercivity for linear kinetic equations conserving mass

KAUST Repository

Dolbeault, Jean; Mouhot, Clé ment; Schmeiser, Christian

2015-01-01

We develop a new method for proving hypocoercivity for a large class of linear kinetic equations with only one conservation law. Local mass conservation is assumed at the level of the collision kernel, while transport involves a confining potential, so that the solution relaxes towards a unique equilibrium state. Our goal is to evaluate in an appropriately weighted $ L^2$ norm the exponential rate of convergence to the equilibrium. The method covers various models, ranging from diffusive kinetic equations like Vlasov-Fokker-Planck equations, to scattering models or models with time relaxation collision kernels corresponding to polytropic Gibbs equilibria, including the case of the linear Boltzmann model. In this last case and in the case of Vlasov-Fokker-Planck equations, any linear or superlinear growth of the potential is allowed. - See more at: http://www.ams.org/journals/tran/2015-367-06/S0002-9947-2015-06012-7/#sthash.ChjyK6rc.dpuf

Hypocoercivity for linear kinetic equations conserving mass

KAUST Repository

Dolbeault, Jean

2015-02-03

We develop a new method for proving hypocoercivity for a large class of linear kinetic equations with only one conservation law. Local mass conservation is assumed at the level of the collision kernel, while transport involves a confining potential, so that the solution relaxes towards a unique equilibrium state. Our goal is to evaluate in an appropriately weighted $ L^2$ norm the exponential rate of convergence to the equilibrium. The method covers various models, ranging from diffusive kinetic equations like Vlasov-Fokker-Planck equations, to scattering models or models with time relaxation collision kernels corresponding to polytropic Gibbs equilibria, including the case of the linear Boltzmann model. In this last case and in the case of Vlasov-Fokker-Planck equations, any linear or superlinear growth of the potential is allowed. - See more at: http://www.ams.org/journals/tran/2015-367-06/S0002-9947-2015-06012-7/#sthash.ChjyK6rc.dpuf

Plane answers to complex questions the theory of linear models

CERN Document Server

Christensen, Ronald

1987-01-01

This book was written to rigorously illustrate the practical application of the projective approach to linear models. To some, this may seem contradictory. I contend that it is possible to be both rigorous and illustrative and that it is possible to use the projective approach in practical applications. Therefore, unlike many other books on linear models, the use of projections and sub­ spaces does not stop after the general theory. They are used wherever I could figure out how to do it. Solving normal equations and using calculus (outside of maximum likelihood theory) are anathema to me. This is because I do not believe that they contribute to the understanding of linear models. I have similar feelings about the use of side conditions. Such topics are mentioned when appropriate and thenceforward avoided like the plague. On the other side of the coin, I just as strenuously reject teaching linear models with a coordinate free approach. Although Joe Eaton assures me that the issues in complicated problems freq...

Explosive Volcanic Eruptions from Linear Vents on Earth, Venus and Mars: Comparisons with Circular Vent Eruptions

Science.gov (United States)

Glaze, Lori S.; Baloga, Stephen M.; Wimert, Jesse

2010-01-01

Conditions required to support buoyant convective plumes are investigated for explosive volcanic eruptions from circular and linear vents on Earth, Venus, and Mars. Vent geometry (linear versus circular) plays a significant role in the ability of an explosive eruption to sustain a buoyant plume. On Earth, linear and circular vent eruptions are both capable of driving buoyant plumes to equivalent maximum rise heights, however, linear vent plumes are more sensitive to vent size. For analogous mass eruption rates, linear vent plumes surpass circular vent plumes in entrainment efficiency approximately when L(sub o) > 3r(sub o) owing to the larger entrainment area relative to the control volume. Relative to circular vents, linear vents on Venus favor column collapse and the formation of pyroclastic flows because the range of conditions required to establish and sustain buoyancy is narrow. When buoyancy can be sustained, however, maximum plume heights exceed those from circular vents. For current atmospheric conditions on Mars, linear vent eruptions are capable of injecting volcanic material slightly higher than analogous circular vent eruptions. However, both geometries are more likely to produce pyroclastic fountains, as opposed to convective plumes, owing to the low density atmosphere. Due to the atmospheric density profile and water content on Earth, explosive eruptions enjoy favorable conditions for producing sustained buoyant columns, while pyroclastic flows would be relatively more prevalent on Venus and Mars. These results have implications for the injection and dispersal of particulates into the planetary atmosphere and the ability to interpret the geologic record of planetary volcanism.

Base Isolation for Seismic Retrofitting of a Multiple Building Structure: Evaluation of Equivalent Linearization Method

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Massimiliano Ferraioli

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Although the most commonly used isolation systems exhibit nonlinear inelastic behaviour, the equivalent linear elastic analysis is commonly used in the design and assessment of seismic-isolated structures. The paper investigates if the linear elastic model is suitable for the analysis of a seismically isolated multiple building structure. To this aim, its computed responses were compared with those calculated by nonlinear dynamic analysis. A common base isolation plane connects the isolation bearings supporting the adjacent structures. In this situation, the conventional equivalent linear elastic analysis may have some problems of accuracy because this method is calibrated on single base-isolated structures. Moreover, the torsional characteristics of the combined system are significantly different from those of separate isolated buildings. A number of numerical simulations and parametric studies under earthquake excitations were performed. The accuracy of the dynamic response obtained by the equivalent linear elastic model was calculated by the magnitude of the error with respect to the corresponding response considering the nonlinear behaviour of the isolation system. The maximum displacements at the isolation level, the maximum interstorey drifts, and the peak absolute acceleration were selected as the most important response measures. The influence of mass eccentricity, torsion, and high-modes effects was finally investigated.

Morphology and dynamics of tumor cell colonies propagating in epidermal growth factor supplemented media

Science.gov (United States)

Muzzio, N. E.; Carballido, M.; Pasquale, M. A.; González, P. H.; Azzaroni, O.; Arvia, A. J.

2018-07-01

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a key role in physiological and pathological processes. This work reports on the influence of EGF concentration (c EGF) on the modulation of individual cell phenotype and cell colony kinetics with the aim of perturbing the colony front roughness fluctuations. For this purpose, HeLa cell colonies that remain confluent along the whole expansion process with initial quasi-radial geometry and different initial cell populations, as well as colonies with initial quasi-linear geometry and large cell population, are employed. Cell size and morphology as well as its adhesive characteristics depend on c EGF. Quasi-radial colonies (QRC) expansion kinetics in EGF-containing medium exhibits a complex behavior. Namely, at the first stages of growth, the average QRC radius evolution can be described by a t 1/2 diffusion term coupled with exponential growth kinetics up to a critical time, and afterwards a growth regime approaching constant velocity. The extension of each regime depends on c EGF and colony history. In the presence of EGF, the initial expansion of quasi-linear colonies (QLCs) also exhibits morphological changes at both the cell and the colony levels. In these cases, the cell density at the colony border region becomes smaller than in the absence of EGF and consequently, the extension of the effective rim where cell duplication and motility contribute to the colony expansion increases. QLC front displacement velocity increases with c EGF up to a maximum value in the 2–10 ng ml‑1 range. Individual cell velocity is increased by EGF, and an enhancement in both the persistence and the ballistic characteristics of cell trajectories can be distinguished. For an intermediate c EGF, collective cell displacements contribute to the roughening of the colony contours. This global dynamics becomes compatible with the standard Kardar–Parisi–Zhang growth model, although a faster colony roughness saturation in EGF-containing medium

Stability analysis of switched linear systems defined by graphs

OpenAIRE

Athanasopoulos, Nikolaos; Lazar, Mircea

2015-01-01

We present necessary and sufficient conditions for global exponential stability for switched discrete-time linear systems, under arbitrary switching, which is constrained within a set of admissible transitions. The class of systems studied includes the family of systems under arbitrary switching, periodic systems, and systems with minimum and maximum dwell time specifications. To reach the result, we describe the set of rules that define the admissible transitions with a weighted directed gra...

Turbulence Spreading into Linearly Stable Zone and Transport Scaling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahm, T.S.; Diamond, P.H.; Lin, Z.; Itoh, K.; Itoh, S.-I.

2003-01-01

We study the simplest problem of turbulence spreading corresponding to the spatio-temporal propagation of a patch of turbulence from a region where it is locally excited to a region of weaker excitation, or even local damping. A single model equation for the local turbulence intensity I(x, t) includes the effects of local linear growth and damping, spatially local nonlinear coupling to dissipation and spatial scattering of turbulence energy induced by nonlinear coupling. In the absence of dissipation, the front propagation into the linearly stable zone occurs with the property of rapid progression at small t, followed by slower subdiffusive progression at late times. The turbulence radial spreading into the linearly stable zone reduces the turbulent intensity in the linearly unstable zone, and introduces an additional dependence on the rho* is always equal to rho i/a to the turbulent intensity and the transport scaling. These are in broad, semi-quantitative agreements with a number of global gyrokinetic simulation results with zonal flows and without zonal flows. The front propagation stops when the radial flux of fluctuation energy from the linearly unstable region is balanced by local dissipation in the linearly stable region

Use of mathematical models in the study of bodily growth in GIFT strain Nile tilapia

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Alda Lúcia de Lima Amancio

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of five mathematical models (Gompertz, Logistic, Linear Hyperbolic, Quadratic and Quadratic Logarithmic to describe the growth curve of GIFT strain Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, and to characterize the growth trajectory of body parts. To do this, 1,000 fingerlings, with an initial weight of 2.4 g were placed into 20 brick tanks of 2 m³ each, at a density of 25 fish m-3, for 180 days. The animals were fed daily, using the protein levels and number of meals appropriate to each stage. Every two weeks 20 fish were randomly sampled, submitted to a fasting period of 48 h and then slaughtered by thermal shock, in order to determine the weight of the whole fish, the skin without scales, skinless fillets, heart, liver, gills and gastrointestinal tract. The Gompertz and Logistic models presented the best fit to the growth curve for live weight, fillet and skin, however the Logistic model underestimated the asymptotic weights. Therefore, to describe the growth curve in GIFT strain Nile tilapia, the Gompertz model is suggested. According to the parameters estimated by the Gompertz model, Nile tilapia reach the age for maximum growth of the fillet and skin before that of body weight. Among the organs studied, growth of the gastrointestinal tract and gills takes place earlier than that of the heart and liver.

A Maximum Entropy Approach to Assess Debonding in Honeycomb aluminum Plates

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Viviana Meruane

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Honeycomb sandwich structures are used in a wide variety of applications. Nevertheless, due to manufacturing defects or impact loads, these structures can be subject to imperfect bonding or debonding between the skin and the honeycomb core. The presence of debonding reduces the bending stiffness of the composite panel, which causes detectable changes in its vibration characteristics. This article presents a new supervised learning algorithm to identify debonded regions in aluminum honeycomb panels. The algorithm uses a linear approximation method handled by a statistical inference model based on the maximum-entropy principle. The merits of this new approach are twofold: training is avoided and data is processed in a period of time that is comparable to the one of neural networks. The honeycomb panels are modeled with finite elements using a simplified three-layer shell model. The adhesive layer between the skin and core is modeled using linear springs, the rigidities of which are reduced in debonded sectors. The algorithm is validated using experimental data of an aluminum honeycomb panel under different damage scenarios.

Pre-treatment growth and IGF-I deficiency as main predictors of response to growth hormone therapy in neural models

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Urszula Smyczyn´ska

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Mathematical models have been applied in prediction of growth hormone treatment effectiveness in children since the end of 1990s. Usually they were multiple linear regression models; however, there are also examples derived by empirical non-linear methods. Proposed solution consists in application of machine learning technique – artificial neural networks – to analyse this problem. This new methodology, contrary to previous ones, allows detection of both linear and non-linear dependencies without assuming their character a priori. The aims of this work included: development of models predicting separately growth during 1st year of treatment and final height as well as identification of important predictors and in-depth analysis of their influence on treatment’s effectiveness. The models were derived on the basis of clinical data of 272 patients treated for at least 1 year, 133 of whom have already attained final height. Starting from models containing 17 and 20 potential predictors, respectively for 1st year and final height model, we were able to reduce their number to 9 and 10. Basing on the final models, IGF-I concentration and earlier growth were indicated as belonging to most important predictors of response to GH therapy, while results of GH secretion tests were automatically excluded as insignificant. Moreover, majority of the dependencies were observed to be non-linear, thus using neural networks seems to be reasonable approach despite it being more complex than previously applied methods.

Determining the effect of grain size and maximum induction upon coercive field of electrical steels

Science.gov (United States)

Landgraf, Fernando José Gomes; da Silveira, João Ricardo Filipini; Rodrigues-Jr., Daniel

2011-10-01

Although theoretical models have already been proposed, experimental data is still lacking to quantify the influence of grain size upon coercivity of electrical steels. Some authors consider a linear inverse proportionality, while others suggest a square root inverse proportionality. Results also differ with regard to the slope of the reciprocal of grain size-coercive field relation for a given material. This paper discusses two aspects of the problem: the maximum induction used for determining coercive force and the possible effect of lurking variables such as the grain size distribution breadth and crystallographic texture. Electrical steel sheets containing 0.7% Si, 0.3% Al and 24 ppm C were cold-rolled and annealed in order to produce different grain sizes (ranging from 20 to 150 μm). Coercive field was measured along the rolling direction and found to depend linearly on reciprocal of grain size with a slope of approximately 0.9 (A/m)mm at 1.0 T induction. A general relation for coercive field as a function of grain size and maximum induction was established, yielding an average absolute error below 4%. Through measurement of B50 and image analysis of micrographs, the effects of crystallographic texture and grain size distribution breadth were qualitatively discussed.

STABILITY, BIFURCATIONS AND CHAOS IN UNEMPLOYMENT NON-LINEAR DYNAMICS

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Pagliari Carmen

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The traditional analysis of unemployment in relation to real output dynamics is based on some empirical evidences deducted from Okun’s studies. In particular the so called Okun’s Law is expressed in a linear mathematical formulation, which cannot explain the fluctuation of the variables involved. Linearity is an heavy limit for macroeconomic analysis and especially for every economic growth study which would consider the unemployment rate among the endogenous variables. This paper deals with an introductive study about the role of non-linearity in the investigation of unemployment dynamics. The main idea is the existence of a non-linear relation between the unemployment rate and the gap of GDP growth rate from its trend. The macroeconomic motivation of this idea moves from the consideration of two concatenate effects caused by a variation of the unemployment rate on the real output growth rate. These two effects are concatenate because there is a first effect that generates a secondary one on the same variable. When the unemployment rate changes, the first effect is the variation in the level of production in consequence of the variation in the level of such an important factor as labour force; the secondary effect is a consecutive variation in the level of production caused by the variation in the aggregate demand in consequence of the change of the individual disposal income originated by the previous variation of production itself. In this paper the analysis of unemployment dynamics is carried out by the use of the logistic map and the conditions for the existence of bifurcations (cycles are determined. The study also allows to find the range of variability of some characteristic parameters that might be avoided for not having an absolute unpredictability of unemployment dynamics (deterministic chaos: unpredictability is equivalent to uncontrollability because of the total absence of information about the future value of the variable to

Maximum Acceleration Recording Circuit

Science.gov (United States)

Bozeman, Richard J., Jr.

1995-01-01

Coarsely digitized maximum levels recorded in blown fuses. Circuit feeds power to accelerometer and makes nonvolatile record of maximum level to which output of accelerometer rises during measurement interval. In comparison with inertia-type single-preset-trip-point mechanical maximum-acceleration-recording devices, circuit weighs less, occupies less space, and records accelerations within narrower bands of uncertainty. In comparison with prior electronic data-acquisition systems designed for same purpose, circuit simpler, less bulky, consumes less power, costs and analysis of data recorded in magnetic or electronic memory devices. Circuit used, for example, to record accelerations to which commodities subjected during transportation on trucks.

Value of volume measurements in evaluating abdominal aortic aneurysms growth rate and need for surgical treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kontopodis, Nikolaos, E-mail: kontopodisn@yahoo.gr [Department of Vascular Surgery, University of Crete Medical School, Heraklion (Greece); Metaxa, Eleni, E-mail: emmetaxa@gmail.com [Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete (Greece); Papaharilaou, Yannis, E-mail: yannisp@iacm.forth.gr [Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete (Greece); Georgakarakos, Efstratios, E-mail: efstratiosgeorg@gmail.com [Vascular Surgery Department, “Demokritus” University of Thrace Medical School, Alexandroupolis (Greece); Tsetis, Dimitris, E-mail: tsetis@med.uoc.gr [Interventional Radiology Unit, Department of Radiology, University of Crete Medical School, Heraklion, Crete (Greece); Ioannou, Christos V., E-mail: ioannou@med.uoc.gr [Department of Vascular Surgery, University of Crete Medical School, Heraklion (Greece)

2014-07-15

Purpose: To examine whether indices other than the traditionally used abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) maximum diameter, such as AAA volume, intraluminal thrombus (ILT) thickness and ILT volume, may be superior to evaluate aneurismal enlargement. Materials and methods: Thirty-four small AAAs (initially presenting a maximum diameter <5.5 cm which is the threshold for surgical repair) with an initial and a follow-up CT were examined. Median increase and percentile annual change of these variables was calculated. Correlation between growth rates as determined by the new indices under evaluation and those of maximum diameter were assessed. AAAs were divided according to outcome (surveillance vs. elective repair after follow-up which is based on the maximum diameter criterion) and according to growth rate (high vs. low) based on four indices. Contingency between groups of high/low growth rate regarding each of the four indices on one hand and those regarding need for surgical repair on the other was assessed. Results: A strong correlation between growth rates of maximum diameter and those of AAA and ILT volumes could be established. Evaluation of contingency between groups of outcome and those of growth rate revealed significant associations only for AAA and ILT volumes. Subsequently AAAs with a rapid volumetric increase over time had a likelihood ratio of 10 to be operated compared to those with a slower enlargement. Regarding increase of maximum diameter, likelihood ratio between AAAs with rapid and those with slow expansion was only 3. Conclusion: Growth rate of aneurysms regarding 3Dimensional indices of AAA and ILT volumes is significantly associated with the need for surgical intervention while the same does not hold for growth rates determined by 2Dimensional indices of maximum diameter and ILT thickness.

Value of volume measurements in evaluating abdominal aortic aneurysms growth rate and need for surgical treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kontopodis, Nikolaos; Metaxa, Eleni; Papaharilaou, Yannis; Georgakarakos, Efstratios; Tsetis, Dimitris; Ioannou, Christos V.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To examine whether indices other than the traditionally used abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) maximum diameter, such as AAA volume, intraluminal thrombus (ILT) thickness and ILT volume, may be superior to evaluate aneurismal enlargement. Materials and methods: Thirty-four small AAAs (initially presenting a maximum diameter <5.5 cm which is the threshold for surgical repair) with an initial and a follow-up CT were examined. Median increase and percentile annual change of these variables was calculated. Correlation between growth rates as determined by the new indices under evaluation and those of maximum diameter were assessed. AAAs were divided according to outcome (surveillance vs. elective repair after follow-up which is based on the maximum diameter criterion) and according to growth rate (high vs. low) based on four indices. Contingency between groups of high/low growth rate regarding each of the four indices on one hand and those regarding need for surgical repair on the other was assessed. Results: A strong correlation between growth rates of maximum diameter and those of AAA and ILT volumes could be established. Evaluation of contingency between groups of outcome and those of growth rate revealed significant associations only for AAA and ILT volumes. Subsequently AAAs with a rapid volumetric increase over time had a likelihood ratio of 10 to be operated compared to those with a slower enlargement. Regarding increase of maximum diameter, likelihood ratio between AAAs with rapid and those with slow expansion was only 3. Conclusion: Growth rate of aneurysms regarding 3Dimensional indices of AAA and ILT volumes is significantly associated with the need for surgical intervention while the same does not hold for growth rates determined by 2Dimensional indices of maximum diameter and ILT thickness

Non-linear coupling of drift modes in a quadrupole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, J.A.; Sandeman, J.C.; Tessema, G.Y.

1990-01-01

We report continuing experimental studies of non-linear interactions of drift waves, with direct evidence of a growth saturation mechanism by transfer of energy to lower frequency modes. Wave launching experiments show that the decay rate of drift waves can be strongly amplitude dependent. (author) 9 refs., 5 figs

The effect of adding zinc to vitamin A on IGF-1, bone age and linear growth in stunted children.

Science.gov (United States)

Adriani, Merryana; Wirjatmadi, Bambang

2014-10-01

A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of a single dose of 200,000 I.U. of vitamin A with daily zinc supplementation was conducted with children in Mojo village, Surabaya City. Children aged 48 to 60 months were randomized to receive a single dose of 200,000 I.U. of vitamin A plus zinc sulfate (n=12) or a single dose of 200,000 I.U. of vitamin A (n=12) plus placebo six days a week for six months. Children were evaluated weekly for nutrient intake and for IGF-1, C-reactive protein levels, gamma globulin levels, serum zinc, serum retinol, bone age and the index height for age at six months. At the end of the study, there was a significant increase in the serum retinol level (pbone age (p<0.01), and gamma globulin level (p<0.04) and a significant decrease in the amount of infection/inflammation measured by CRP level (p<0.001). There was also a significant correlation between CRP level and height for age (p<0.01), and between gamma level and height for age (p<0.01). These results suggest that combined vitamin A and zinc supplementation reduces the risk of infection and increases linear growth among children, and thus may play a key role in controlling infection and stunted growth for children under five years old. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Compressibility effects on the non-linear receptivity of boundary layers to dielectric barrier discharges

Science.gov (United States)

Denison, Marie F. C.

The reduction of drag and aerodynamic heating caused by boundary layer transition is of central interest for the development of hypersonic vehicles. Receptivity to flow perturbation in the form of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) wave growth often determines the first stage of the transition process, which can be delayed by depositing specific excitations into the boundary layer. Weakly ionized Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) actuators are being investigated as possible sources of such excitations, but little is known today about their interaction with high-speed flows. In this framework, the first part of the thesis is dedicated to a receptivity study of laminar compressible boundary layers over a flat plate by linear stability analysis following an adjoint operator formulation, under DBD representative excitations assumed independent of flow conditions. The second part of the work concentrates on the development of a coupled plasma-Navier and Stokes solver targeted at the study of supersonic flow and compressibility effects on DBD forcing and non-parallel receptivity. The linear receptivity study of quasi-parallel compressible flows reveals several interesting features such as a significant shift of the region of maximum receptivity deeper into the flow at high Mach number and strong wave amplitude reduction compared to incompressible flows. The response to DBD relevant excitation distributions and to variations of the base flow conditions and system length scales follows these trends. Observed absolute amplitude changes and relative sensitivity modifications between source types are related to the evolution of the offset between forcing peak profile and relevant adjoint mode maximum. The analysis highlights the crucial importance of designing and placing the actuator in a way that matches its force field to the position of maximum boundary layer receptivity for the specific flow conditions of interest. In order to address the broad time and length scale spectrum

Reduction of Linear Programming to Linear Approximation