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Sample records for maximum rearfoot eversion

  1. Rearfoot eversion has indirect effects on plantar fascia tension by changing the amount of arch collapse.

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    Lee, Sae Yong; Hertel, Jay; Lee, Sung Cheol

    2010-01-01

    Rearfoot eversion motion and arch height are believed to contribute to increased tension on the plantar fascia and arch collapse during gait but the specifics of these relationships are not clear. To examine the relationships among static arch height, rearfoot eversion, dynamic arch height, and plantar fascia tension. 28 healthy males participated. After static arch height was measured, the subjects were asked to run at 4.5m/s while frontal plane rearfoot motion, dynamic arch height, and ground reaction forces were collected. The relationships among variables were examined with bivariate correlations and path analysis. The results indicated a high correlation between dynamic arch height and static arch height (r=0.642), plantar fascia tension (r=-0.797), and maximum rearfoot eversion motion during gait (r=-0.518). The path analysis model without the direct rearfoot eversion effect explained 81.2% of the variance in plantar fascia tension, while the model with the direct rearfoot eversion effect explained 82.1% of the variance in plantar fascia tension. Including the indirect effect of maximum rearfoot eversion motion on plantar fascia tension through control of dynamic arch height is the model that best explains the interrelationships of these foot characteristics. The amount of maximum rearfoot eversion motion itself is not a good predictor of plantar fascia tension, however, together with the arch height, maximum rearfoot eversion motion is a good predictor because it has a pronounced indirect effect on plantar fascia tension. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Forefoot angle at initial contact determines the amplitude of forefoot and rearfoot eversion during running.

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    Monaghan, Gail M; Hsu, Wen-Hao; Lewis, Cara L; Saltzman, Elliot; Hamill, Joseph; Holt, Kenneth G

    2014-09-01

    Clinically, foot structures are assessed intrinsically - relation of forefoot to rearfoot and rearfoot to leg. We have argued that, from a biomechanical perspective, the interaction of the foot with the ground may influence forces and torques that are propagated through the lower extremity. We proposed that a more appropriate measure is an extrinsic one that may predict the angle the foot makes with ground at contact. The purposes of this study were to determine if the proposed measure predicts contact angles of the forefoot and rearfoot and assess if the magnitude of those angles influences amplitude and duration of foot eversion during running. With the individual in prone, extrinsic clinical forefoot and rearfoot angles were measured relative to the caudal edge of the examination table. Participants ran over ground while frontal plane forefoot and rearfoot contact angles, forefoot and rearfoot eversion amplitude and duration were measured. Participants were grouped twice, once based on forefoot contact inversion angle (moderatemedian) and once based on rearfoot contact inversion angle (moderatemedian). The forefoot and rearfoot extrinsic clinical angles predicted, respectively, the forefoot and rearfoot angles at ground contact. Large forefoot contact angles were associated with greater amplitudes (but not durations) of forefoot and rearfoot eversion during stance. Rearfoot contact angles, however, were associated with neither amplitudes nor durations of forefoot and rearfoot eversion. Possible mechanisms for the increased risk of running injuries associated with large forefoot angles are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Orthotic intervention in forefoot and rearfoot strike running patterns.

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    Stackhouse, Carrie Laughton; Davis, Irene McClay; Hamill, Joseph

    2004-01-01

    To compare the differential effect of custom orthoses on the lower extremity mechanics of a forefoot and rearfoot strike pattern. Fifteen subjects ran with both a forefoot and a rearfoot strike pattern with and without orthoses. Lower extremity kinematic and kinetic variables were compared between strike pattern and orthotic conditions. Foot orthoses have been shown to be effective in controlling excessive rearfoot motion in rearfoot strikers. The effect of orthotic intervention on rearfoot motion in forefoot strikers has not been previously reported. Five trials were collected for each condition. Peak rearfoot eversion, eversion excursion, eversion velocity, peak inversion moment, and inversion work were compared between conditions. Kinematic variables in the sagittal plane of the rearfoot and in the frontal and sagittal plane of the knee were also determined. Increased rearfoot excursions and velocities and decreased peak eversion were noted in the forefoot strike pattern compared to the rearfoot strike pattern. Orthotic intervention, however,did not significantly change rearfoot motion in either strike pattern. Reductions in internal rotation and abduction of the knee were noted with orthotic intervention. Foot orthoses do not differentially effect rearfoot motion of a rearfoot strike and a forefoot strike running pattern. Orthotic intervention has a larger and more systematic effect on rearfoot kinetics compared to rearfoot kinematics.

  4. Quantifying coordination among the rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot segments during running.

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    Takabayashi, Tomoya; Edama, Mutsuaki; Yokoyama, Erika; Kanaya, Chiaki; Kubo, Masayoshi

    2018-03-01

    Because previous studies have suggested that there is a relationship between injury risk and inter-segment coordination, quantifying coordination between the segments is essential. Even though the midfoot and forefoot segments play important roles in dynamic tasks, previous studies have mostly focused on coordination between the shank and rearfoot segments. This study aimed to quantify coordination among rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot segments during running. Eleven healthy young men ran on a treadmill. The coupling angle, representing inter-segment coordination, was calculated using a modified vector coding technique. The coupling angle was categorised into four coordination patterns. During the absorption phase, rearfoot-midfoot coordination in the frontal planes was mostly in-phase (rearfoot and midfoot eversion with similar amplitudes). The present study found that the eversion of the midfoot with respect to the rearfoot was comparable in magnitude to the eversion of the rearfoot with respect to the shank. A previous study has suggested that disruption of the coordination between the internal rotation of the shank and eversion of the rearfoot leads to running injuries such as anterior knee pain. Thus, these data might be used in the future to compare to individuals with foot deformities or running injuries.

  5. Effect of foot orthoses on magnitude and timing of rearfoot and tibial motions, ground reaction force and knee moment during running.

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    Eslami, Mansour; Begon, Mickaël; Hinse, Sébastien; Sadeghi, Heydar; Popov, Peter; Allard, Paul

    2009-11-01

    Changes in magnitude and timing of rearfoot eversion and tibial internal rotation by foot orthoses and their contributions to vertical ground reaction force and knee joint moments are not well understood. The objectives of this study were to test if orthoses modify the magnitude and time to peak rearfoot eversion, tibial internal rotation, active ground reaction force and knee adduction moment and determine if rearfoot eversion, tibial internal rotation magnitudes are correlated to peak active ground reaction force and knee adduction moment during the first 60% stance phase of running. Eleven healthy men ran at 170 steps per minute in shod and with foot orthoses conditions. Video and force-plate data were collected simultaneously to calculate foot joint angular displacement, ground reaction forces and knee adduction moments. Results showed that wearing semi-rigid foot orthoses significantly reduced rearfoot eversion 40% (4.1 degrees ; p=0.001) and peak active ground reaction force 6% (0.96N/kg; p=0.008). No significant time differences occurred among the peak rearfoot eversion, tibial internal rotation and peak active ground reaction force in both conditions. A positive and significant correlation was observed between peak knee adduction moment and the magnitude of rearfoot eversion during shod (r=0.59; p=0.04) and shod/orthoses running (r=0.65; p=0.02). In conclusion, foot orthoses could reduce rearfoot eversion so that this can be associated with a reduction of knee adduction moment during the first 60% stance phase of running. Finding implies that modifying rearfoot and tibial motions during running could not be related to a reduction of the ground reaction force.

  6. The Comparison of Ankle Muscles Isometric Strength and Foot Eversion in Male Individuals with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and Healthy Peers: A Case-Control Study

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    V. Mazloum

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Proximal and distal factors to the knee joint can be assumed as etiology of patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS. Some distal factors include excessive foot pronation and medial tibia torsion. The purpose of this study was to compare ankle musculature strength and rearfoot eversion in individuals with and without PFPS. Methods: Forty males (20 healthy and 20 patients voluntarily participated in this case-control study. Isometric ankle dorsiflexor and invertor muscles strength, rearfoot eversion range of motion (ROM, and Navicular depression were respectively evaluated by handheld dynamometer, goniometry, and Navicular Drop Test by a single examiner for both groups. To analyze the measurements, Independent Samples t test for parametric data and Mann-Whitney U test for nonparametric data at P0.05. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between patients with PFPS and healthy counterparts regarding rearfoot eversion and Navicular depression (P>0.05. Conclusion: It can be deduced that isometric ankle dorsiflexor and invertor muscles strength, rearfoot eversion ROM, and foot pronation are not difference in patients with PFPS and healthy persons. 

  7. Forefoot-rearfoot coupling patterns and tibial internal rotation during stance phase of barefoot versus shod running.

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    Eslami, Mansour; Begon, Mickaël; Farahpour, Nader; Allard, Paul

    2007-01-01

    Based on twisted plate and mitered hinge models of the foot and ankle, forefoot-rearfoot coupling motion patterns can contribute to the amount of tibial rotation. The present study determined the differences of forefoot-rearfoot coupling patterns as well as excessive excursion of tibial internal rotation in shod versus barefoot conditions during running. Sixteen male subjects ran 10 times at 170 steps per minute under the barefoot and shod conditions. Forefoot-rearfoot coupling motions were assessed by measuring mean relative phase angle during five intervals of stance phase for the main effect of five time intervals and two conditions (ANOVA, PForefoot adduction/abduction and rearfoot eversion/inversion coupling motion patterns were significantly different between the conditions and among the intervals (Pstrike of running with shoe wears. No significant differences were noted in the tibial internal rotation excursion between shod and barefoot conditions. Significant variations in the forefoot adduction/abduction and rearfoot eversion/inversion coupling patterns could have little effect on the amount of tibial internal rotation excursion. Yet it remains to be determined whether changes in the frontal plane forefoot-rearfoot coupling patterns influence the tibia kinematics for different shoe wears or foot orthotic interventions. The findings question the rational for the prophylactic use of forefoot posting in foot orthoses.

  8. Association between hip abductor function, rear-foot dynamic alignment, and dynamic knee valgus during single-leg squats and drop landings

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    Yoshinori Kagaya

    2015-06-01

    Conclusion: Dynamic hip mal-alignment might be associated with both greater KID and HOD, whereas rear-foot eversion is associated only with greater KID. Hip abductor and rear-foot dysfunction are important factors for dynamic knee valgus and thus evaluating DTT and HFT will help to prevent dynamic knee valgus.

  9. AN INVESTIGATION OF A REFERENCE POSTURE USED IN DETERMINING REARFOOT KINEMATICS FOR BOTH HEALTHY AND PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME INDIVIDUALS

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    Pazit Levinger

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available The choice of a reference posture is important when investigating rearfoot motion in clinical populations. The reference posture used may affect the magnitude of the peak angles and therefore may not enable comparison of the rearfoot kinematics across different populations. This study examined the relationship between the rearfoot frontal plane pattern of motion and three reference postures during the stance phase of walking in healthy and patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS subjects. The three reference postures investigated were: Relaxed Standing posture, subtalar joint neutral position (STJN and when the calcaneus and the lower leg were vertically aligned (Vertical Alignment. The rearfoot inversion/eversion during the stance phase was measured in 14 healthy subjects and 13 subjects with diagnosed PFPS using three dimensional motion analysis with the three different reference postures. The graphs of rearfoot inversion/eversion motion were overlaid with the angle at the rearfoot in the static posture and any intersection between the static angle and rearfoot motion was noted. An ANOVA showed significant differences in static posture between the groups for Relaxed Standing (p = 0.01, and STJN (p = 0.02. For both groups, with Relaxed Standing as a reference posture, the mean rearfoot pattern of motion did not intersect the Relaxed Standing static angle during the stance phase. The use of Vertical Alignment reference posture, however, showed an intersection of this reference posture through the rearfoot pattern of motion. The use of the Vertical Alignment reference posture also generated a typical rearfoot motion pattern for both groups and therefore it may be an appropriate reference posture for both healthy and PFPS individuals

  10. AN EVALUATION OF THE REARFOOT POSTURE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME

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    Wendy Gilleard

    2004-11-01

    Full Text Available Structural abnormalities of the foot may cause abnormal subtalar joint compensatory motion in order to attain normal function of the lower extremity during gait although studies have not been conclusive. Current conflict in the literature may be related to the differing measures focused on the varying protocols and also the absence of a control group in some studies. This study investigated the rearfoot posture including Subtalar Joint Neutral Position (STJN and Relaxed Calcaneal Standing (RCS measurements in patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS and healthy subjects. The angle of STJN during non-weight bearing position and the two dimensional (2D rearfoot RCS posture was measured using a goniometer in 14 healthy females and 13 females with PFPS. The RCS posture was also measured three dimensionally (3D by attaching external markers to a tibia shell and the calcaneus and videoing with a four-camera three-dimensional motion analysis system. A one way ANOVA was used to assess the differences between the groups. The 2D and 3D RCS were significantly different between the groups (p ¡Ü 0.001 with mean -0.23¡ã ¡À 1.35¡ã , 2.52¡ã ¡À 3.11¡ã for the control group and 2.35¡ã ¡À 1.4¡ã, 7.02¡ã ¡À 3.33¡ã for the clinical group respectively. STJN showed a slight rearfoot varus (although significant p = 0.04 in PFPS (-2.20¡ã ¡À 1.51¡ã compared to the control group (-1.00¡ã ¡À 1.36¡ã. Negative values indicated inversion and positive values indicated eversion. The 2D and 3D RCS showed a significantly more everted posture of the rearfoot for the PFPS group. Subtalar joint varus may contribute to the increased eversion during relaxed standing in the PFPS group. Rearfoot measurements may be an important addition to other clinical measurements taken to explore the underlying aetiology of subjects with PFPS.

  11. Distinct hip and rearfoot kinematics in female runners with a history of tibial stress fracture.

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    Milner, Clare E; Hamill, Joseph; Davis, Irene S

    2010-02-01

    Cross-sectional controlled laboratory study. To investigate the kinematics of the hip, knee, and rearfoot in the frontal and transverse planes in female distance runners with a history of tibial stress fracture. Tibial stress fractures are a common overuse injury in runners, accounting for up to half of all stress fractures. Abnormal kinematics of the lower extremity may contribute to abnormal musculoskeletal load distributions, leading to an increased risk of stress fractures. Thirty female runners with a history of tibial stress fracture were compared to 30 age-matched and weekly-running-distance-matched control subjects with no previous lower extremity bony injuries. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected using a motion capture system and a force platform, respectively, as subjects ran in the laboratory. Selected variables of interest were compared between the groups using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Peak hip adduction and peak rearfoot eversion angles were greater in the stress fracture group compared to the control group. Peak knee adduction and knee internal rotation angles and all joint angles at impact peak were similar between the groups. Runners with a previous tibial stress fracture exhibited greater peak hip adduction and rearfoot eversion angles during the stance phase of running compared to healthy controls. A consequence of these mechanics may be altered load distribution within the lower extremity, predisposing individuals to stress fracture.

  12. EFFECT OF ORTHOTICS AND FOOTWEAR ON STATIC REARFOOT KINEMATICS

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    Molly Winkelmeyer

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the effect of foot orthotics and footwear on static rearfoot kinematics. Thirty-four subjects (5 males, 29 females from physical therapy clinics and the college community gave informed consent to participate. Subject age was 42 (18 years; subject height was 1.7 (0.1 meters; subject body mass was 72.6 (12.1 kg. Markers were placed on specific sites of the lower leg and calcaneus to determine the rearfoot angle. Rearfoot angle was measured with a goniometer and digitized with video-based software (Ariel Performance Analysis System. A calcaneal mold was utilized to determine the position of the calcaneus in the shod conditions. Static rearfoot angles were measured in the following conditions: barefoot (B, barefoot with the calcaneal mold (BM, barefoot with the calcaneal mold plus the orthotic (BMO, shod with the calcaneal mold (SM, and shod with the calcaneal mold plus the orthotic (SMO. An independent t-test analyzed differences between each condition as measured with the APAS and goniometer. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA was utilized to determine statistically significant differences among the 5 foot conditions (p 0.05 between the APAS and goniometer measurements within each condition. One-way ANOVA showed a significant difference (p < 0.01 among the five conditions as measured by APAS. Post-hoc analysis determined that the difference between BM and SM; and the BM and SMO conditions were significantly different (p < 0.01. It was observed that the orthotic slightly decreased the amount of calcaneal eversion in the standing position. The shoes worn in the study, though neutral in construction, did significantly alter rearfoot kinematics in comparison to BM

  13. Kinematic analysis of subtalar eversion during gait in women with fibromyalgia.

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    Silva, Ana Paula; Chagas, Daniel das Virgens; Cavaliere, Maria Lúcia; Pinto, Sérgio; de Oliveira Barbosa, José Silvio; Batista, Luiz Alberto

    2016-08-01

    To analyse the subtalar eversion range of motion during walking in women with fibromyalgia. Twenty women diagnosed with fibromyalgia were directed to walk barefoot at comfortable and self-paced speed on a 7m walkway. Subtalar eversion range of motion was measured using the difference between the maximum and minimum values of subtalar eversion in stance phase. A range of motion between 4°-6° was considered as reference values for subtalar eversion during gait. Descriptive statistics were performed. In both right and left lower limb analysis of subtalar eversion range of motion, five women showed joint hypomobility, and twelve showed hypermobility. Only one patient performed unaltered subtalar eversion range of motion in both lower limbs. Both joints expressed high variability, and there were no significant differences between the right and left sides. The findings suggest that biomechanical function of the subtalar joint eversion during the loading response phase of gait in women with fibromyalgia, by excessive rigidity or complacency joint, tends to be impaired. This finding suggests that the indication of walking as an auxiliary strategy in the treatment of women with fibromyalgia should be preceded by thorough examination of the mechanical conditions of the subtalar joint of the patient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Effect of medial arch-heel support in inserts on reducing ankle eversion: a biomechanics study

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    Yung Patrick SH

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Excessive pronation (or eversion at ankle joint in heel-toe running correlated with lower extremity overuse injuries. Orthotics and inserts are often prescribed to limit the pronation range to tackle the problem. Previous studies revealed that the effect is product-specific. This study investigated the effect of medial arch-heel support in inserts on reducing ankle eversion in standing, walking and running. Methods Thirteen pronators and 13 normal subjects participated in standing, walking and running trials in each of the following conditions: (1 barefoot, and shod condition with insert with (2 no, (3 low, (4 medium, and (5 high medial arch-heel support. Motions were captured and processed by an eight-camera motion capture system. Maximum ankle eversion was calculated by incorporating the raw coordinates of 15 anatomical positions to a self-compiled Matlab program with kinematics equations. Analysis of variance with repeated measures with post-hoc Tukey pairwise comparisons was performed on the data among the five walking conditions and the five running conditions separately. Results Results showed that the inserts with medial arch-heel support were effective in dynamics trials but not static trials. In walking, they successfully reduced the maximum eversion by 2.1 degrees in normal subjects and by 2.5–3.0 degrees in pronators. In running, the insert with low medial arch support significantly reduced maximum eversion angle by 3.6 and 3.1 degrees in normal subjects and pronators respectively. Conclusion Medial arch-heel support in inserts is effective in reducing ankle eversion in walking and running, but not in standing. In walking, there is a trend to bring the over-pronated feet of the pronators back to the normal eversion range. In running, it shows an effect to restore normal eversion range in 84% of the pronators.

  15. The influence of motion control shoes on the running gait of mature and young females.

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    Lilley, Kim; Stiles, Vicky; Dixon, Sharon

    2013-03-01

    This study compared the running gait of mature and young females, and investigated the effect of a motion control shoe. First, it was hypothesised that in a neutral shoe, mature females would display significantly greater rearfoot eversion, knee internal rotation and external adductor moments when compared to a younger group. Secondly, the motion control shoe would reduce rearfoot eversion and knee internal rotation in both groups. Thirdly it was hypothesised that the motion control shoe would increase knee external adductor moment, through an increase in knee varus and moment arm. 15 mature (40-60 years) and 15 young (18-25 years) females performed 10 running trials at 3.5ms(-1)±5% over a force platform. Two shoes were tested, the Adidas Supernova Glide (neutral), and the Adidas Supernova Sequence (motion control). Ankle and knee joint dynamics were analysed for the right leg, and the mean of ten trials was calculated. Joint moments were calculated using inverse dynamics. In the neutral condition, mature females presented greater peak rearfoot eversion, knee internal rotation, and external adductor moments than young females (p<0.05). A motion control shoe significantly reduced peak rearfoot eversion and knee internal rotation among both groups (p<0.05). No between shoe differences in knee external adductor moment were observed. A motion control shoe is recommended to reduce risk of injury associated with rearfoot eversion and knee internal rotation in mature females. However since the knee external adductor moment is a variable commonly associated with medial knee loading it is suggested that alternative design features are required to influence this moment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Explosive eversion and functional morphology of the duck penis supports sexual conflict in waterfowl genitalia

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    Brennan, Patricia L. R.; Clark, Christopher J.; Prum, Richard O.

    2010-01-01

    Coevolution of male and female genitalia in waterfowl has been hypothesized to occur through sexual conflict. This hypothesis raises questions about the functional morphology of the waterfowl penis and the mechanics of copulation in waterfowl, which are poorly understood. We used high-speed video of phallus eversion and histology to describe for the first time the functional morphology of the avian penis. Eversion of the 20 cm muscovy duck penis is explosive, taking an average of 0.36 s, and achieving a maximum velocity of 1.6 m s−1. The collagen matrix of the penis is very thin and not arranged in an axial-orthogonal array, resulting in a penis that is flexible when erect. To test the hypothesis that female genital novelties make intromission difficult during forced copulations, we investigated penile eversion into glass tubes that presented different mechanical challenges to eversion. Eversion occurred successfully in a straight tube and a counterclockwise spiral tube that matched the chirality of the waterfowl penis, but eversion was significantly less successful into glass tubes with a clockwise spiral or a 135° bend, which mimicked female vaginal geometry. Our results support the hypothesis that duck vaginal complexity functions to exclude the penis during forced copulations, and coevolved with the waterfowl penis via antagonistic sexual conflict. PMID:20031991

  17. Proximal mechanics during stair ascent are more discriminate of females with patellofemoral pain than distal mechanics.

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    de Oliveira Silva, Danilo; Barton, Christian John; Pazzinatto, Marcella Ferraz; Briani, Ronaldo Valdir; de Azevedo, Fábio Mícolis

    2016-06-01

    Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the pathomechanisms underlying patellofemoral pain (PFP). Concurrent evaluation of lower limb mechanics in the same PFP population is needed to determine which may be more important to target during rehabilitation. This study aimed to investigate possible differences in rearfoot eversion, hip adduction, and knee flexion during stair ascent; the relationship between these variables; and the discriminatory capability of each in identifying females with PFP. Thirty-six females with PFP and 31 asymptomatic controls underwent three-dimensional kinematic analyses during stair ascent. Between-group comparisons were made for peak rearfoot eversion, hip adduction, and knee flexion. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate relationships among these parameters. Receiver operating characteristic curves were applied to identify the discriminatory capability of each. Females with PFP ascended stairs with reduced peak knee flexion, greater peak hip adduction and peak rearfoot eversion. Peak hip adduction (>10.6°; sensitivity=67%, specificity=77%) discriminated females with PFP more effectively than rearfoot eversion (>5.0°; sensitivity=58%, specificity=67%). Reduced peak hip adduction was found to be associated with reduced peak knee flexion (r=0.54, p=0.002) in females with PFP. These findings indicate that proximal, local, and distal kinematics should be considered in PFP management, but proximally targeted interventions may be most important. The relationship of reduced knee flexion with reduced hip adduction also indicates a possible compensatory strategy to reduce patellofemoral joint stress, and this may need to be addressed during rehabilitation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Stress distribution of metatarsals during forefoot strike versus rearfoot strike: A finite element study.

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    Li, Shudong; Zhang, Yan; Gu, Yaodong; Ren, James

    2017-12-01

    Due to the limitations of experimental approaches, comparison of the internal deformation and stresses of the human man foot between forefoot and rearfoot landing is not fully established. The objective of this work is to develop an effective FE modelling approach to comparatively study the stresses and energy in the foot during forefoot strike (FS) and rearfoot strike (RS). The stress level and rate of stress increase in the Metatarsals are established and the injury risk between these two landing styles is evaluated and discussed. A detailed subject specific FE foot model is developed and validated. A hexahedral dominated meshing scheme was applied on the surface of the foot bones and skin. An explicit solver (Abaqus/Explicit) was used to stimulate the transient landing process. The deformation and internal energy of the foot and stresses in the metatarsals are comparatively investigated. The results for forefoot strike tests showed an overall higher average stress level in the metatarsals during the entire landing cycle than that for rearfoot strike. The increase rate of the metatarsal stress from the 0.5 body weight (BW) to 2 BW load point is 30.76% for forefoot strike and 21.39% for rearfoot strike. The maximum rate of stress increase among the five metatarsals is observed on the 1st metatarsal in both landing modes. The results indicate that high stress level during forefoot landing phase may increase potential of metatarsal injuries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Ankle plantarflexion strength in rearfoot and forefoot runners: a novel clusteranalytic approach.

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    Liebl, Dominik; Willwacher, Steffen; Hamill, Joseph; Brüggemann, Gert-Peter

    2014-06-01

    The purpose of the present study was to test for differences in ankle plantarflexion strengths of habitually rearfoot and forefoot runners. In order to approach this issue, we revisit the problem of classifying different footfall patterns in human runners. A dataset of 119 subjects running shod and barefoot (speed 3.5m/s) was analyzed. The footfall patterns were clustered by a novel statistical approach, which is motivated by advances in the statistical literature on functional data analysis. We explain the novel statistical approach in detail and compare it to the classically used strike index of Cavanagh and Lafortune (1980). The two groups found by the new cluster approach are well interpretable as a forefoot and a rearfoot footfall groups. The subsequent comparison study of the clustered subjects reveals that runners with a forefoot footfall pattern are capable of producing significantly higher joint moments in a maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of their ankle plantarflexor muscles tendon units; difference in means: 0.28Nm/kg. This effect remains significant after controlling for an additional gender effect and for differences in training levels. Our analysis confirms the hypothesis that forefoot runners have a higher mean MVC plantarflexion strength than rearfoot runners. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our proposed stochastic cluster analysis provides a robust and useful framework for clustering foot strikes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Three-Dimensional Biomechanical Analysis of Rearfoot and Forefoot Running.

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    Knorz, Sebastian; Kluge, Felix; Gelse, Kolja; Schulz-Drost, Stefan; Hotfiel, Thilo; Lochmann, Matthias; Eskofier, Björn; Krinner, Sebastian

    2017-07-01

    In the running community, a forefoot strike (FFS) pattern is increasingly preferred compared with a rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern. However, it has not been fully understood which strike pattern may better reduce adverse joint forces within the different joints of the lower extremity. To analyze the 3-dimensional (3D) stress pattern in the ankle, knee, and hip joint in runners with either a FFS or RFS pattern. Descriptive laboratory study. In 22 runners (11 habitual rearfoot strikers, 11 habitual forefoot strikers), RFS and FFS patterns were compared at 3.0 m/s (6.7 mph) on a treadmill with integrated force plates and a 3D motion capture analysis system. This combined analysis allowed characterization of the 3D biomechanical forces differentiated for the ankle, knee, and hip joint. The maximum peak force (MPF) and maximum loading rate (LR) were determined in their 3 ordinal components: vertical, anterior-posterior (AP), and medial-lateral (ML). For both strike patterns, the vertical components of the MPF and LR were significantly greater than their AP or ML components. In the vertical axis, FFS was generally associated with a greater MPF but significantly lower LR in all 3 joints. The AP components of MPF and LR were significantly lower for FFS in the knee joint but significantly greater in the ankle and hip joints. The ML components of MPF and LR tended to be greater for FFS but mostly did not reach a level of significance. FFS and RFS were associated with different 3D stress patterns in the ankle, knee, and hip joint, although there was no global advantage of one strike pattern over the other. The multimodal individual assessment for the different anatomic regions demonstrated that FFS seems favorable for patients with unstable knee joints in the AP axis and RFS may be recommended for runners with unstable ankle joints. Different strike patterns show different 3D stress in joints of the lower extremity. Due to either rehabilitation after injuries or training in

  1. Congenital eversion of upper eyelids: Case report and management

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    Maheshwari Rajat

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Congenital eversion of the upper eyelids is a rare condition, the exact cause of which remains unknown. It is more frequently associated with Down′s syndrome and black babies. If diagnosed early and treated properly, the condition can be managed without surgery. We report a case of congenital bilateral severe upper eyelid eversion in a normal infant, born by vaginal delivery. The case was conservatively managed by lubricants, antibiotics and eyelid patching.

  2. Discrete and continuous joint coupling relationships in uninjured recreational runners.

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    Dierks, Tracy A; Davis, Irene

    2007-06-01

    Abnormal joint coupling is thought to be related to overuse injuries in runners. However, researchers do not yet know what constitutes normal joint coupling during running, which makes abnormal coupling difficult to define. Lower extremity kinematics were collected from 40 recreational runners during stance. Joint coupling methods were applied and, for each method, means and both within- and between-subject variability were calculated. The 95% confidence interval was used to compare differences across coupling relationships and periods of stance. Timing between rearfoot eversion, tibial internal rotation, and knee flexion were relatively synchronous while relationships involving knee internal rotation were more asynchronous. The excursion ratios showed that every 2 degrees of rearfoot eversion was coupled with 1 degrees of both tibial internal rotation and knee internal rotation. Vector coding results showed that just beyond maximum loading, all joint coupling relationships resulted in relatively equal amounts of motion, while the within-subject variability was similar throughout stance. The continuous relative phase results showed that the most out-of-phase coupling occurred in the periods around heel-strike and toe-off while the most in-phase coupling occurred in the period just beyond maximum loading of the leg. The continuous relative phase within-subject variability was greatest at the periods around heel-strike and toe-off and smallest just beyond maximum loading. With a better understanding of joint coupling in uninjured runners, these data will help to serve as a reference for future studies investigating the relationship between running injuries and abnormal joint coupling.

  3. CONGENITAL EYELID EVERSION - A CASE REPORT WITH REVIEW OF LITERATURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chinmayee

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Congenital eversion of the eyelids, a condition usually seen shortly after birth is a rare condition affecting one or both eyelids of the eye. Many etiologies have been described but no specific cause has been identified. We report a case of congenital eve rsion of eyelids which was managed conservatively with spontaneous correction seen in 6 days. KEYMESSAGE: Congenital eversion of the eyelids is a rare easily identifiable and potentially treatable condition. Decision of surgical intervention has to be take n with care and must be individualized for each case. Congenital eversion must be differentiated from congenital ectropion due to causes like ichthyosis as the treatment widely differs. All ophthalmologists need to be aware of this condition as it can be e asily managed on an outpatient basis

  4. Comparative analysis of conventional and eversion carotid endarterectomy: Prospective randomized study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marković Dragan M.

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION Studies completed in the last decade of the 20th century showed benefits of carotid endarterectomy in the prevention of stroke in patients with a high-grade stenosis of the internal carotid artery. OBJECTIVE The aim of this prospective, randomized study was the comparison of early and long-term results between the conventional and eversion carotid endarterectomy, and literature review. METHOD By the method of random choice, 103 patients were operated on using the eversion carotid endarterectomy and 98 patients using the conventional technique. Operative treatment was carried out under general anaesthesia. Following the clammping of the carotid artery, retrograde blood pressure was determined by a direct puncture of the internal carotid artery above the stenotic lesions. In patients with retrograde pressure below 20 mm Hg intraluminal shunting was routinely performed. Early results were estimated (during the first seven postoperative days based on mortality, central neurological complications (stroke, TIA and cranial or cervical nerve lesions. Long-term results were estimated (after at least two years based on long-term survival rate, central neurological complications (stroke, TIA and the incidence of haemodynamically significant restenosis of the carotid artery treated by endarterectomy. RESULTS The average time of clamming of the internal carotid artery in the eversion carotid anderectomy group was 5.36 minutes shorter than in the group treated by the conventional technique. Student's t-test showed a statistically highly significant difference in the time needed for clamming of the internal carotid artery between the two groups. The average duration of eversion endarterectomy (82 minutes was most often 19 minutes shorter than the duration of the conventional endarterectomy (101 minutes. Student's t-test showed a statistically highly significant difference in the average length of surgeries. The distal intimal fixation was more

  5. Changes in multi-segment foot biomechanics with a heat-mouldable semi-custom foot orthotic device

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferber Reed

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Semi-custom foot orthoses (SCO are thought to be a cost-effective alternative to custom-made devices. However, previous biomechanical research involving either custom or SCO has only focused on rearfoot biomechanics. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine changes in multi-segment foot biomechanics during shod walking with and without an SCO. We chose to investigate an SCO device that incorporates a heat-moulding process, to further understand if the moulding process would significantly alter rearfoot, midfoot, or shank kinematics as compared to a no-orthotic condition. We hypothesized the SCO, whether moulded or non-moulded, would reduce peak rearfoot eversion, tibial internal rotation, arch deformation, and plantar fascia strain as compared to the no-orthoses condition. Methods Twenty participants had retroreflective markers placed on the right limb to represent forefoot, midfoot, rearfoot and shank segments. 3D kinematics were recorded using an 8-camera motion capture system while participants walked on a treadmill. Results Plantar fascia strain was reduced by 34% when participants walked in either the moulded or non-moulded SCO condition compared to no-orthoses. However, there were no significant differences in peak rearfoot eversion, tibial internal rotation, or medial longitudinal arch angles between any conditions. Conclusions A semi-custom moulded orthotic does not control rearfoot, shank, or arch deformation but does, however, reduce plantar fascia strain compared to walking without an orthoses. Heat-moulding the orthotic device does not have a measurable effect on any biomechanical variables compared to the non-moulded condition. These data may, in part, help explain the clinical efficacy of orthotic devices.

  6. Initiating running barefoot: Effects on muscle activation and impact accelerations in habitually rearfoot shod runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas-Cuevas, Angel Gabriel; Priego Quesada, José Ignacio; Giménez, José Vicente; Aparicio, Inma; Jimenez-Perez, Irene; Pérez-Soriano, Pedro

    2016-11-01

    Runners tend to shift from a rearfoot to a forefoot strike pattern when running barefoot. However, it is unclear how the first attempts at running barefoot affect habitually rearfoot shod runners. Due to the inconsistency of their recently adopted barefoot technique, a number of new barefoot-related running injuries are emerging among novice barefoot runners. The aim of this study was therefore to analyse the influence of three running conditions (natural barefoot [BF], barefoot with a forced rearfoot strike [BRS], and shod [SH]) on muscle activity and impact accelerations in habitually rearfoot shod runners. Twenty-two participants ran at 60% of their maximal aerobic speed while foot strike, tibial and head impact accelerations, and tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PL), gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) muscle activity were registered. Only 68% of the runners adopted a non-rearfoot strike pattern during BF. Running BF led to a reduction of TA activity as well as to an increase of GL and GM activity compared to BRS and SH. Furthermore, BRS increased tibial peak acceleration, tibial magnitude and tibial acceleration rate compared to SH and BF. In conclusion, 32% of our runners showed a rearfoot strike pattern at the first attempts at running barefoot, which corresponds to a running style (BRS) that led to increased muscle activation and impact accelerations and thereby to a potentially higher risk of injury compared to running shod.

  7. Effects of ankle eversion taping using kinesiology tape in a patient with ankle inversion sprain

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Sun-Min; Lee, Jung-Hoon

    2016-01-01

    [Purpose] The aim of this study was to report the effects of ankle eversion taping using kinesiology tape on ankle inversion sprain. [Subject] The subject was a 21-year-old woman with Grade 2 ankle inversion sprain. [Methods] Ankle eversion taping was applied to the sprained left ankle using kinesiology tape for 4 weeks (average, 15?h/day). [Results] Ankle instability and pain were reduced, and functional dynamic balance was improved after ankle eversion taping for 4 weeks. The Cumberland Ank...

  8. Resistance training is accompanied by increases in hip strength and changes in lower extremity biomechanics during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, Kelli R; Earl, Jennifer E; O'Connor, Kristian M; Ebersole, Kyle T

    2009-01-01

    Movement and muscle activity of the hip have been shown to affect movement of the lower extremity, and been related to injury. The purpose of this study was to determine if increased hip strength affects lower extremity mechanics during running. Within subject, repeated measures design. Fifteen healthy women volunteered. Hip abduction and external rotation strength were measured using a hand-held dynamometer. Three-dimensional biomechanical data of the lower extremity were collected during running using a high-speed motion capture system. Measurements were made before, at the mid-point, and after a 6-week strengthening program using closed-chain hip rotation exercises. Joint range of motion (rearfoot eversion, knee abduction, hip adduction, and internal rotation), eversion velocity, eversion angle at heel strike, and peak joint moments (rearfoot inversion, knee abduction, hip abduction, and external rotation) were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (P knee abduction moment (P=0.05) decreased by 57% and 10%, respectively. The hip abductors and external rotators were strengthened, leading to an alteration of lower extremity joint loading which may reduce injury risk. These exercises could be used in the rehabilitation, or prevention, of lower extremity injuries.

  9. Use of atropine to reduce mucosal eversion during intestinal resection and anastomosis in the dog.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agrodnia, Marta; Hauptman, Joe; Walshaw, Richard

    2003-01-01

    To determine whether atropine altered the degree of mucosal eversion during jejunal resection and anastomosis in the dog. Part I: Prospective, blinded, randomized, controlled study using a therapeutic dose (0.04 mg/kg systemic) of atropine. Part II: Prospective, unblinded, assigned, controlled study using a pharmacologic (0.04 mg/kg local arterial) dose of atropine. Part I: Twenty-two young adult female Beagle dogs used during a nonsurvival third-year veterinary student surgical laboratory (small intestinal resection and anastomosis). Part II: Ten young adult female Beagle dogs used immediately after completion of a nonsurvival third-year veterinary student orthopedic surgical laboratory. Part I: Dogs were randomly assigned to receive either atropine (0.04 mg/kg), or an equal volume of saline, given intramuscularly (premedication) and again intravenously prior to intestinal resection. Part II: In each dog, atropine (0.04 mg/kg)/saline was alternately given in the proximal/distal jejunum. Part I: There was no clinically or statistically significant difference between systemic atropine and saline solution on the degree of jejunal mucosal eversion after resection. Part II: There was a statistically significant decrease in jejunal mucosal eversion with atropine compared with saline solution when injected into a local jejunal artery. Systemic atropine (0.04 mg/kg) does not alter the degree of jejunal mucosal eversion during resection and anastomosis. Jejunal intraarterial atropine (0.04 mg/kg) reduced jejunal mucosal eversion during resection and anastomosis. The clinical usefulness and consequences of jejunal arterial atropine administration to reduce mucosal eversion remain to be determined. Copyright 2003 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons

  10. Eversion of third eyelid and its correction using microsurgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadži-Milić Milan

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Eversion of the third eyelid - EPT, is a condition when the third eyelid rolls back, actually of its margin anteriorally. It occurs almost exclusively in big dog breeds such as the German shepherd, doga, St. Bernard, Newfoundalnder, retrievers, and English bulldogs. Congenital or acquired weakness of the PT cartilage is considered as the main reason for the incidence of EPT. The clinical picture is diverse and it most often depends on the intensity, duration and possible complications. The most prominent sign is a certain degree of EPT. Therapy is based on careful submucous excision of the deformed cartilage, with optional stitching of the conjunctive. The most frequent complication is a repeated eversion of the eyelid, as well as protrusion of the PT gland. The prognosis is good if the preoperative and operative procedure are carried out as required, and the eyelid is not too long. .

  11. Effect of image resolution manipulation in rearfoot angle measurements obtained with photogrammetry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacco, I C N; Picon, A P; Ribeiro, A P; Sartor, C D; Camargo-Junior, F; Macedo, D O; Mori, E T T; Monte, F; Yamate, G Y; Neves, J G; Kondo, V E; Aliberti, S

    2012-09-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of image resolution manipulation on the photogrammetric measurement of the rearfoot static angle. The study design was that of a reliability study. We evaluated 19 healthy young adults (11 females and 8 males). The photographs were taken at 1536 pixels in the greatest dimension, resized into four different resolutions (1200, 768, 600, 384 pixels) and analyzed by three equally trained examiners on a 96-pixels per inch (ppi) screen. An experienced physiotherapist marked the anatomic landmarks of rearfoot static angles on two occasions within a 1-week interval. Three different examiners had marked angles on digital pictures. The systematic error and the smallest detectable difference were calculated from the angle values between the image resolutions and times of evaluation. Different resolutions were compared by analysis of variance. Inter- and intra-examiner reliability was calculated by intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). The rearfoot static angles obtained by the examiners in each resolution were not different (P > 0.05); however, the higher the image resolution the better the inter-examiner reliability. The intra-examiner reliability (within a 1-week interval) was considered to be unacceptable for all image resolutions (ICC range: 0.08-0.52). The whole body image of an adult with a minimum size of 768 pixels analyzed on a 96-ppi screen can provide very good inter-examiner reliability for photogrammetric measurements of rearfoot static angles (ICC range: 0.85-0.92), although the intra-examiner reliability within each resolution was not acceptable. Therefore, this method is not a proper tool for follow-up evaluations of patients within a therapeutic protocol.

  12. Complete eversion and prolapse of bladder following pulling out of a Foley catheter concurrent with uterine prolapse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amulya M Acharya

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Complete eversion and transurethral prolapse of the urinary bladder is rare. We report a case of complete eversion and prolapse of bladder that occurred due to self pulling out of an indwelling Foley catheter in a 72-year-old woman. She presented with retention of urine concurrent with complete uterine procidentia. An indwelling Foley catheter was given to relieve the retention. The senile lady pulled out the catheter resulting in complete transurethral prolapse with bladder eversion. Under injection Midazolam sedation and with application of xylocain jelly the prolapsed bladder could be reduced manually back through the urethra. Definite corrective surgery was done later for the uterine prolapse.

  13. Gender differences associated with rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot kinematics during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takabayashi, Tomoya; Edama, Mutsuaki; Nakamura, Masatoshi; Nakamura, Emi; Inai, Takuma; Kubo, Masayoshi

    2017-11-01

    Females, as compared with males, have a higher proportion of injuries in the foot region. However, the reason for this gender difference regarding foot injuries remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate gender differences associated with rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot kinematics during running. Twelve healthy males and 12 females ran on a treadmill. The running speed was set to speed which changes from walking to running. Three-dimensional kinematics of rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot were collected and compared between males and females. Furthermore, spatiotemporal parameters (speed, cadence, and step length) were measured. In the rearfoot angle, females showed a significantly greater peak value of plantarflexion and range of motion in the sagittal plane as compared with males (effect size (ES) = 1.55 and ES = 1.12, respectively). In the midfoot angle, females showed a significantly greater peak value of dorsiflexion and range of motion in the sagittal plane as compared with males (ES = 1.49 and ES = 1.71, respectively). The forefoot peak angles and ranges of motion were not significantly different between the genders in all three planes. A previous study suggested that a gender-related difference in excessive motions of the lower extremities during running has been suggested as a contributing factor to running injuries. Therefore, the present investigation may provide insight into the reason for the high incidence of foot injuries in females.

  14. Eversion Bile Duct Anastomosis: A Safe Alternative for Bile Duct Size Discrepancy in Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leal-Leyte, Pilar; McKenna, Greg J; Ruiz, Richard M; Anthony, Tiffany L; Saracino, Giovanna; Giuliano, Testa; Klintmalm, Goran B; Kim, Peter Tw

    2018-04-10

    Introduction Bile duct size discrepancy in liver transplantation may increase the risk of biliary complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and outcomes of the eversion bile duct anastomosis technique in deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) with duct to duct anastomosis. Methods A total of 210 patients who received a DDLT with duct to duct anastomosis from 2012 to 2017 were divided into two groups: those who had eversion bile duct anastomosis (N=70) and standard bile duct anastomosis (N=140). Biliary complications rates were compared between the two groups. Results There was no difference in the cumulative incidence of biliary strictures (P=0.20) and leaks (P=0.17) between the two groups. The biliary complication rate in the eversion group was 14.3% and 11.4% in the standard anastomosis group. All the biliary complications in the eversion group were managed with endoscopic stenting. A severe size mismatch (≥3:1 ratio) was associated with a significantly higher incidence of biliary strictures (44.4%) compared to 2:1 ratio (8.2%), (P=0.002). Conclusion The use of the eversion technique is a safe alternative for bile duct discrepancy in deceased donor liver transplantation; however, severe bile duct size mismatch may be a risk factor for biliary strictures with such technique. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  15. Rearfoot Transcutaneous Oximetry is a Useful Tool to Highlight Ischemia of the Heel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Izzo, Valentina, E-mail: valentina-izzo@virgilio.it; Meloni, Marco, E-mail: meloni.marco@libero.it [University of Tor Vergata, Department of Systems Medicine (Italy); Fabiano, Sebastiano, E-mail: sebas575@yahoo.it; Morosetti, Daniele, E-mail: danielemorosetti@hotmail.com [University of Tor Vergata, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology (Italy); Giurato, Laura, E-mail: lauragiurato@yahoo.it [University of Tor Vergata, Department of Systems Medicine (Italy); Chiaravalloti, Antonio, E-mail: antoniochiaravalloti@hotmail.it [University of Tor Vergata, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology (Italy); Ruotolo, Valeria, E-mail: valeriaruotolo@virgilio.it [University of Tor Vergata, Department of Systems Medicine (Italy); Gandini, Roberto, E-mail: roberto.gandini@fastwebnet.it [University of Tor Vergata, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology (Italy); Uccioli, Luigi, E-mail: luccioli@yahoo.com [University of Tor Vergata, Department of Systems Medicine (Italy)

    2017-01-15

    PurposeTo demonstrate the usefulness of rearfoot transcutaneous oximetry to assess the peripheral arterial disease in diabetic patients with heel ulcer.MethodsFrom our database of 550 critical limb ischemia diabetic patients followed after a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, we have selected patients with below the knee arterial disease. Patients were grouped according to the dorsal transcutaneous oximetry value (Group A < 30 mmHg; Group B ≥ 30 mmHg). Patients of Group B had a second oximetry performed at the rearfoot, close to the lesion localized in all cases at the heel. Finally, the analysis of the arterial pattern disease has been done.ResultsWe selected 191 patients: Group A (151 patients), dorsal transcutaneous oximetry of 11.8 ± 0.7 mmHg; Group B (40 patients), dorsal transcutaneous oximetry of 44.2 ± 10.1 mmHg. In Group B, rearfoot oximetry was 20.5 ± 5 mmHg, significantly lower than dorsal oximetry (p = 0.0179). The anterior tibial artery was involved in all patients of Group A. In Group B, the anterior tibial artery was involved in 15 subjects and never alone; the posterior tibial artery was involved in 20 subjects and in 11 cases alone. The peroneal artery was affected in 20 subjects and in 14 patients alone.ConclusionWhen a heel lesion is present and the transcutaneous oximetry recorded on the dorsum of the foot does not confirm the presence of critical limb ischemia (not ≤30 mmHg), a second oximetry recorded on the rearfoot is useful to point out ischemia of the peroneal artery and/or of the posterior tibial artery.

  16. Rearfoot Transcutaneous Oximetry is a Useful Tool to Highlight Ischemia of the Heel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izzo, Valentina; Meloni, Marco; Fabiano, Sebastiano; Morosetti, Daniele; Giurato, Laura; Chiaravalloti, Antonio; Ruotolo, Valeria; Gandini, Roberto; Uccioli, Luigi

    2017-01-01

    PurposeTo demonstrate the usefulness of rearfoot transcutaneous oximetry to assess the peripheral arterial disease in diabetic patients with heel ulcer.MethodsFrom our database of 550 critical limb ischemia diabetic patients followed after a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, we have selected patients with below the knee arterial disease. Patients were grouped according to the dorsal transcutaneous oximetry value (Group A < 30 mmHg; Group B ≥ 30 mmHg). Patients of Group B had a second oximetry performed at the rearfoot, close to the lesion localized in all cases at the heel. Finally, the analysis of the arterial pattern disease has been done.ResultsWe selected 191 patients: Group A (151 patients), dorsal transcutaneous oximetry of 11.8 ± 0.7 mmHg; Group B (40 patients), dorsal transcutaneous oximetry of 44.2 ± 10.1 mmHg. In Group B, rearfoot oximetry was 20.5 ± 5 mmHg, significantly lower than dorsal oximetry (p = 0.0179). The anterior tibial artery was involved in all patients of Group A. In Group B, the anterior tibial artery was involved in 15 subjects and never alone; the posterior tibial artery was involved in 20 subjects and in 11 cases alone. The peroneal artery was affected in 20 subjects and in 14 patients alone.ConclusionWhen a heel lesion is present and the transcutaneous oximetry recorded on the dorsum of the foot does not confirm the presence of critical limb ischemia (not ≤30 mmHg), a second oximetry recorded on the rearfoot is useful to point out ischemia of the peroneal artery and/or of the posterior tibial artery.

  17. Technique and results of femoral bifurcation endarterectomy by eversion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dufranc, Julie; Palcau, Laura; Heyndrickx, Maxime; Gouicem, Djelloul; Coffin, Olivier; Felisaz, Aurélien; Berger, Ludovic

    2015-03-01

    This study evaluated, in a contemporary prospective series, the safety and efficacy of femoral endarterectomy using the eversion technique and compared our results with results obtained in the literature for the standard endarterectomy with patch closure. Between 2010 and 2012, 121 patients (76% male; mean age, 68.7 years; diabetes, 28%; renal insufficiency, 20%) underwent 147 consecutive femoral bifurcation endarterectomies using the eversion technique, associating or not inflow or outflow concomitant revascularization. The indications were claudication in 89 procedures (60%) and critical limb ischemia in 58 (40%). Primary, primary assisted, and secondary patency of the femoral bifurcation, clinical improvement, limb salvage, and survival were assessed using Kaplan-Meier life-table analysis. Factors associated with those primary end-points were evaluated with univariate analysis. The technical success of eversion was of 93.2%. The 30-day mortality was 0%, and the complication rate was 8.2%; of which, half were local and benign. Median follow-up was 16 months (range, 1.6-31.2 months). Primary, primary assisted, and secondary patencies were, respectively, 93.2%, 97.2%, and 98.6% at 2 years. Primary, primary assisted, and secondary maintenance of clinical improvement were, respectively, 79.9%, 94.6%, and 98.6% at 2 years. The predictive factors for clinical degradation were clinical stage (Rutherford category 5 or 6, P = .024), platelet aggregation inhibitor treatment other than clopidogrel (P = .005), malnutrition (P = .025), and bad tibial runoff (P = .0016). A reintervention was necessary in 18.3% of limbs at 2 years: 2% involving femoral bifurcation, 6.1% inflow improvement, and 9.5% outflow improvement. The risk factors of reintervention were platelet aggregation inhibitor (other than clopidogrel, P = .049) and cancer (P = .011). Limb preservation at 2 years was 100% in the claudicant population. Limb salvage was 88.6% in the critical limb ischemia population

  18. Congenital upper lid eversion and severe chemosis in a new born

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2013-06-28

    Jun 28, 2013 ... The purpose of this study is to report a case of bilateral congenital ... parents noticed a reddish fleshy swelling over the eyes and this made it ... Congenital upper eyelid eversion is a rare clinical entity even though it is said.

  19. Changes in foot and shank coupling due to alterations in foot strike pattern during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pohl, Michael B; Buckley, John G

    2008-03-01

    Determining if and how the kinematic relationship between adjacent body segments changes when an individual's gait pattern is experimentally manipulated can yield insight into the robustness of the kinematic coupling across the associated joint(s). The aim of this study was to assess the effects on the kinematic coupling between the forefoot, rearfoot and shank during ground contact of running with alteration in foot strike pattern. Twelve subjects ran over-ground using three different foot strike patterns (heel strike, forefoot strike, toe running). Kinematic data were collected of the forefoot, rearfoot and shank, which were modelled as rigid segments. Coupling at the ankle-complex and midfoot joints was assessed using cross-correlation and vector coding techniques. In general good coupling was found between rearfoot frontal plane motion and transverse plane shank rotation regardless of foot strike pattern. Forefoot motion was also strongly coupled with rearfoot frontal plane motion. Subtle differences were noted in the amount of rearfoot eversion transferred into shank internal rotation in the first 10-15% of stance during heel strike running compared to forefoot and toe running, and this was accompanied by small alterations in forefoot kinematics. These findings indicate that during ground contact in running there is strong coupling between the rearfoot and shank via the action of the joints in the ankle-complex. In addition, there was good coupling of both sagittal and transverse plane forefoot with rearfoot frontal plane motion via the action of the midfoot joints.

  20. Acute effects of rearfoot manipulation on dynamic standing balance in healthy individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wassinger, Craig A; Rockett, Ariel; Pitman, Lucas; Murphy, Matthew Matt; Peters, Charles

    2014-06-01

    Dynamic standing balance is essential to perform functional activities and is included in the treatment of many lower extremity injuries. Physiotherapists utilize many methods to restore standing balance including stability exercises, functional retraining, and manual therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a rearfoot distraction manipulation on dynamic standing balance. Twenty healthy participants (age: 24.4 ± 2.8 years; height: 162.9 ± 37.7 cm; mass: 68.0 ± 4.8 kg; right leg dominant = 20) completed this study. Following familiarization, dynamic standing balance was assessed during: (1) an experimental condition immediately following a rearfoot distraction manipulation, and (2) a control condition. Dominant leg balance was quantified using the Y-balance test which measures lower extremity reach distances. Reach distances were normalized to leg length and measured in the anterior, posteromedial and posterolateral directions. Overall balance was calculated through the summing of all normalized directions. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon rank tests were used to compare balance scores for parametric and non-parametric data as appropriate. Significance was set at 0.05 a priori. Effect size (ES) was calculated to determine the clinical impact of the manipulation. Increased reach distances (indicating improved balance) were noted following manipulation for overall balance (p = 0.03, ES = 0.26) and in the posteromedial direction (p = 0.01, ES = 0.42). Reach distances did not differ for the anterior (p = 0.11, ES = 0.16) or posterolateral (p = 0.11, ES = 0.25) components. Dynamic standing balance improved after a rearfoot distraction manipulation in healthy participants. It is hypothesized that manual therapy applied to the foot and ankle may be beneficial to augment other therapeutic modalities when working with patients to improve dynamic standing balance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Select injury-related variables are affected by stride length and foot strike style during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Elizabeth R; Derrick, Timothy R

    2015-09-01

    Some frontal plane and transverse plane variables have been associated with running injury, but it is not known if they differ with foot strike style or as stride length is shortened. To identify if step width, iliotibial band strain and strain rate, positive and negative free moment, pelvic drop, hip adduction, knee internal rotation, and rearfoot eversion differ between habitual rearfoot and habitual mid-/forefoot strikers when running with both a rearfoot strike (RFS) and a mid-/forefoot strike (FFS) at 3 stride lengths. Controlled laboratory study. A total of 42 healthy runners (21 habitual rearfoot, 21 habitual mid-/forefoot) ran overground at 3.35 m/s with both a RFS and a FFS at their preferred stride lengths and 5% and 10% shorter. Variables did not differ between habitual groups. Step width was 1.5 cm narrower for FFS, widening to 0.8 cm as stride length shortened. Iliotibial band strain and strain rate did not differ between foot strikes but decreased as stride length shortened (0.3% and 1.8%/s, respectively). Pelvic drop was reduced 0.7° for FFS compared with RFS, and both pelvic drop and hip adduction decreased as stride length shortened (0.8° and 1.5°, respectively). Peak knee internal rotation was not affected by foot strike or stride length. Peak rearfoot eversion was not different between foot strikes but decreased 0.6° as stride length shortened. Peak positive free moment (normalized to body weight [BW] and height [h]) was not affected by foot strike or stride length. Peak negative free moment was -0.0038 BW·m/h greater for FFS and decreased -0.0004 BW·m/h as stride length shortened. The small decreases in most variables as stride length shortened were likely associated with the concomitant wider step width. RFS had slightly greater pelvic drop, while FFS had slightly narrower step width and greater negative free moment. Shortening one's stride length may decrease or at least not increase propensity for running injuries based on the variables

  2. Biomechanical and clinical factors related to stage I posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabbito, Melissa; Pohl, Michael B; Humble, Neil; Ferber, Reed

    2011-10-01

    Case control. To investigate differences in arch height, ankle muscle strength, and biomechanical factors in individuals with stage I posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) in comparison to healthy individuals. PTTD is a progressive condition, so early recognition and treatment are essential to help delay or reverse the progression. However, no previous studies have investigated stage I PTTD, and no single study has measured static anatomical structure, muscle strength, and gait mechanics in this population. Twelve individuals with stage I PTTD and 12 healthy, age- and gender-matched control subjects, who were engaged in running-related activities, participated in this study. Measurements of arch height index, maximum voluntary ankle invertor muscle strength, and 3-dimensional rearfoot and medial longitudinal arch kinematics during walking were obtained. The runners with PTTD demonstrated significantly lower seated arch height index (P = .02) and greater (P = .03) and prolonged (P = .05) peak rearfoot eversion angle during gait, compared to the healthy runners. No differences were found in standing arch height index values (P = .28), arch rigidity index (P = .06), ankle invertor strength (P = .49), or peak medial longitudinal arch values (P = .49) between groups. The increased foot pronation is hypothesized to place greater strain on the posterior tibialis muscle, which may partially explain the progressive nature of this condition.

  3. Transfemoral Filter Eversion Technique following Unsuccessful Retrieval of Option Inferior Vena Cava Filters: A Single Center Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Posham, Raghuram; Fischman, Aaron M; Nowakowski, Francis S; Bishay, Vivian L; Biederman, Derek M; Virk, Jaskirat S; Kim, Edward; Patel, Rahul S; Lookstein, Robert A

    2017-06-01

    This report describes the technical feasibility of using the filter eversion technique after unsuccessful retrieval attempts of Option and Option ELITE (Argon Medical Devices, Inc, Athens, Texas) inferior vena cava (IVC) filters. This technique entails the use of endoscopic forceps to evert this specific brand of IVC filter into a sheath inserted into the common femoral vein, in the opposite direction in which the filter is designed to be removed. Filter eversion was attempted in 25 cases with a median dwell time of 134 days (range, 44-2,124 d). Retrieval success was 100% (25/25 cases), with an overall complication rate of 8%. This technique warrants further study. Copyright © 2017 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Lucy's flat feet: the relationship between the ankle and rearfoot arching in early hominins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeremy M DeSilva

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In the Plio-Pleistocene, the hominin foot evolved from a grasping appendage to a stiff, propulsive lever. Central to this transition was the development of the longitudinal arch, a structure that helps store elastic energy and stiffen the foot during bipedal locomotion. Direct evidence for arch evolution, however, has been somewhat elusive given the failure of soft-tissue to fossilize. Paleoanthropologists have relied on footprints and bony correlates of arch development, though little consensus has emerged as to when the arch evolved. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we present evidence from radiographs of modern humans (n = 261 that the set of the distal tibia in the sagittal plane, henceforth referred to as the tibial arch angle, is related to rearfoot arching. Non-human primates have a posteriorly directed tibial arch angle, while most humans have an anteriorly directed tibial arch angle. Those humans with a posteriorly directed tibial arch angle (8% have significantly lower talocalcaneal and talar declination angles, both measures of an asymptomatic flatfoot. Application of these results to the hominin fossil record reveals that a well developed rearfoot arch had evolved in Australopithecus afarensis. However, as in humans today, Australopithecus populations exhibited individual variation in foot morphology and arch development, and "Lucy" (A.L. 288-1, a 3.18 Myr-old female Australopithecus, likely possessed asymptomatic flat feet. Additional distal tibiae from the Plio-Pleistocene show variation in tibial arch angles, including two early Homo tibiae that also have slightly posteriorly directed tibial arch angles. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study finds that the rearfoot arch was present in the genus Australopithecus. However, the female Australopithecus afarensis "Lucy" has an ankle morphology consistent with non-pathological flat-footedness. This study suggests that, as in humans today, there was variation in arch

  5. Gait Retraining From Rearfoot Strike to Forefoot Strike does not change Running Economy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roper, Jenevieve Lynn; Doerfler, Deborah; Kravitz, Len; Dufek, Janet S; Mermier, Christine

    2017-12-01

    Gait retraining is a method for management of patellofemoral pain, which is a common ailment among recreational runners. The present study investigated the effects of gait retraining from rearfoot strike to forefoot strike on running economy, heart rate, and respiratory exchange ratio immediately post-retraining and one-month post-retraining in recreational runners with patellofemoral pain. Knee pain was also measured. Sixteen participants (n=16) were randomly placed in the control (n=8) or experimental (n=8) group. A 10-minute treadmill RE test was performed by all subjects. The experimental group performed eight gait retraining running sessions where foot strike pattern was switched from rearfoot strike to forefoot strike, while the control group received no intervention. There were no significant differences for running economy (p=0.26), respiratory exchange ratio (p=0.258), or heart rate (p=0.248) between the groups. Knee pain reported on a visual analog scale was also significantly reduced (pstrike to forefoot strike did not affect running economy up to one-month post-retraining while reducing running-related patellofemoral pain. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  6. Effect of kinesiotaping, non-elastic taping and bracing on segmental foot kinematics during drop landing in healthy subjects and subjects with chronic ankle instability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuni, B; Mussler, J; Kalkum, E; Schmitt, H; Wolf, S I

    2016-09-01

    To evaluate the effects of kinesiotape, non-elastic tape, and soft brace on segmental foot kinematics during drop landing in subjects with chronic ankle instability and healthy subjects. Controlled study with repeated measurements. Three-dimensional motion analysis laboratory. Twenty participants with chronic ankle instability and 20 healthy subjects. The subjects performed drop landings with 17 retroreflective markers on the foot and lower leg in four conditions: barefoot, with kinesiotape, with non-elastic tape and with a soft brace. Ranges of motion of foot segments using a foot measurement method. In participants with chronic ankle instability, midfoot movement in the frontal plane (inclination of the medial arch) was reduced significantly by non-elastic taping, but kinesiotaping and bracing had no effect. In healthy subjects, both non-elastic taping and bracing reduced that movement. In both groups, non-elastic taping and bracing reduced rearfoot excursion in inversion/eversion significantly, which indicates a stabilisation effect. No such effect was found with kinesiotaping. All three methods reduced maximum plantar flexion significantly. Non-elastic taping stabilised the midfoot best in patients with chronic ankle instability, while kinesiotaping did not influence foot kinematics other than to stabilise the rearfoot in the sagittal plane. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01810471. Copyright © 2015 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Is the rearfoot pattern the most frequently foot strike pattern among recreational shod distance runners?

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Almeida, Matheus Oliveira; Saragiotto, Bruno Tirotti; Yamato, Tiê Parma; Lopes, Alexandre Dias

    2015-02-01

    To determine the distribution of the foot strike patterns among recreational shod runners and to compare the personal and training characteristics between runners with different foot strike patterns. Cross-sectional study. Areas of running practice in São Paulo, Brazil. 514 recreational shod runners older than 18 years and free of injury. Foot strike patterns were evaluated with a high-speed camera (250 Hz) and photocells to assess the running speed of participants. Personal and training characteristics were collected through a questionnaire. The inter-rater reliability of the visual foot strike pattern classification method was 96.7% and intra-rater reliability was 98.9%. 95.1% (n = 489) of the participants were rearfoot strikers, 4.1% (n = 21) were midfoot strikers, and four runners (0.8%) were forefoot strikers. There were no significant differences between strike patterns for personal and training characteristics. This is the first study to demonstrate that almost all recreational shod runners were rearfoot strikers. The visual method of evaluation seems to be a reliable and feasible option to classify foot strike pattern. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Semiextended approach for intramedullary nailing via a patellar eversion technique for tibial-shaft fractures: Evaluation of the patellofemoral joint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuda, Tomohiro; Obara, Shu; Hayashi, Junji; Arai, Masayuki; Sato, Kaoru

    2017-06-01

    Intramedullary nail fixation is a common treatment for tibial-shaft fractures, and it offers a better functional prognosis than other conservative treatments. Currently, the primary approach employed during intramedullary nail insertion is the semiextended position is the suprapatellar approach, which involves a vertical incision of the quadriceps tendon Damage to the patellofemoral joint cartilage has been highlighted as a drawback associated with this approach. To avoid this issue, we perform surgery using the patellar eversion technique and a soft sleeve. This method allows the articular surface to be monitored during intramedullary nail insertion. We arthroscopically assessed the effect of this technique on patellofemoral joint cartilage. The patellar eversion technique allows a direct view and protection of the patellofemoral joint without affecting the patella. Thus, damage to the patellofemoral joint cartilage can be avoided. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Kinematic features of rear-foot motion using anterior and posterior ankle-foot orthoses in stroke patients with hemiplegic gait.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chih-Chi; Hong, Wei-Hsien; Wang, Chin-Man; Chen, Chih-Kuang; Wu, Katie Pei-Hsuan; Kang, Chao-Fu; Tang, Simon F

    2010-12-01

    To evaluate the kinematic features of rear-foot motion during gait in hemiplegic stroke patients, using anterior ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), posterior AFOs, and no orthotic assistance. Crossover design with randomization for the interventions. A rehabilitation center for adults with neurologic disorders. Patients with hemiplegia due to stroke (n=14) and able-bodied subjects (n=11). Subjects with hemiplegia were measured walking under 3 conditions with randomized sequences: (1) with an anterior AFO, (2) with a posterior AFO, and (3) without an AFO. Control subjects were measured walking without an AFO to provide a normative reference. Rear-foot kinematic change in the sagittal, coronal, and transverse planes. In the sagittal plane, compared with walking with an anterior AFO or without an AFO, the posterior AFO significantly decreased plantar flexion to neutral at initial heel contact (P=.001) and the swing phase (PRehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Rearfoot and midfoot or forefoot impacts in habitually shod runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Elizabeth R; Rooney, Brandon D; Derrick, Timothy R

    2014-07-01

    Shear loading rates (LR) have not been investigated in runners with a mid- or forefoot strike (FFS) versus rearfoot strike (RFS). The purpose of this study was to compare three-dimensional ground reaction forces (GRF) and LR during impact in habitual rearfoot strikers (hRF) and habitual forefoot strikers (hFF) strikers. Thirty competitive runners performed 10 overground running trials with both foot strike styles. Peak three-dimensional and resultant GRF and instantaneous LR during impact were compared. Vertical LR significantly decreased for hRF using an FFS (RFS = 148 ± 36 body weight [BW]·s(-1), FFS = 98 ± 31 BW·s(-1)) but was similar for hFF running with either foot strike (FFS = 136 ± 35 BW·s(-1), RFS = 135 ± 28 BW·s(-1)). Posterior impact forces were present during FFS but not during RFS, and posterior LR was significantly greater for both groups during FFS (-58 ± 17 vs -19 ± 6 BW·s(-1)). Medial impact forces were also present during FFS but not during RFS, and medial LR was significantly larger for both groups during FFS (-21 ± 7 vs -6 ± 6 BW·s(-1)). Interestingly, hFF had greater impact peaks and LR in all directions compared with hRF during FFS. This may be explained by hFF using a smaller strike index (hFF = 62% ± 9%, hRF = 67% ± 9%; P = 0.02), which was significantly inversely related to vertical LR and impact peak. Peak resultant and vertical LR are not ubiquitously lower when using a shod FFS versus RFS despite an absence of resultant and vertical impact peaks. Furthermore, there were impact peaks in the posterior and medial directions, leading also to greater LR in these directions during FFS. Therefore, transitioning from RFS to FFS in traditional running shoes may not offer long-term protection against impact-related running injuries because hFF running with an FFS demonstrated many GRF and LR similar to or greater than RFS.

  11. Multi-segment foot kinematics and ground reaction forces during gait of individuals with plantar fasciitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Ryan; Rodrigues, Pedro A; Van Emmerik, Richard E A; Hamill, Joseph

    2014-08-22

    Clinically, plantar fasciitis (PF) is believed to be a result and/or prolonged by overpronation and excessive loading, but there is little biomechanical data to support this assertion. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences between healthy individuals and those with PF in (1) rearfoot motion, (2) medial forefoot motion, (3) first metatarsal phalangeal joint (FMPJ) motion, and (4) ground reaction forces (GRF). We recruited healthy (n=22) and chronic PF individuals (n=22, symptomatic over three months) of similar age, height, weight, and foot shape (p>0.05). Retro-reflective skin markers were fixed according to a multi-segment foot and shank model. Ground reaction forces and three dimensional kinematics of the shank, rearfoot, medial forefoot, and hallux segment were captured as individuals walked at 1.35 ms(-1). Despite similarities in foot anthropometrics, when compared to healthy individuals, individuals with PF exhibited significantly (pfoot kinematics and kinetics. Consistent with the theoretical injury mechanisms of PF, we found these individuals to have greater total rearfoot eversion and peak FMPJ dorsiflexion, which may put undue loads on the plantar fascia. Meanwhile, increased medial forefoot plantar flexion at initial contact and decreased propulsive GRF are suggestive of compensatory responses, perhaps to manage pain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Modified Eversion Carotid Endarterectomy (mECEA): Analysis of Clinical and Financial Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musicant, Scott E; Guzzetta, Vincent J; Terramani, Thomas T; Greenwood, Kristina L; Chiodo, Wendy C; Heaney, Karen M; Berthiaume, Shelley J

    2017-07-01

    Several carotid endarterectomy techniques have been described, including conventional carotid endarterectomy (CCEA) performed with patch repair and eversion carotid endarterectomy (ECEA) performed with transection of the internal carotid artery. We describe our simplified technique of modified eversion carotid endarterectomy (mECEA) with longitudinal arteriotomy limited to the carotid bulb, without transection of the internal carotid artery and present our analysis of its safety, efficacy, and cost effectiveness. A retrospective review of all carotid endarterectomies performed by 3 vascular surgeons over a 3-year period was completed. About 197 mECEA were performed during the study period. Follow-up data were obtained on 77.7% of patients. A comparison was made with the contemporary literature with respect to outcomes for both CCEA and ECEA. Between January 2012 and December 2014, a total of 197 mECEA were performed. The perioperative stroke and death rates for those undergoing mECEA was 0.5% and 0.5%, respectively. Late stroke and death rates were 3.0% and 5.1%, respectively. Perioperative rate of myocardial infarction was 1.0%. Early restenosis rates of >70% occurred in 1.4%, whereas late restenosis of >70% occurred in 2.7%. Mean operating time for those undergoing mECEA was 57.9 min. Average costs savings for mECEA compared to CCEA were $5,835. This simplified technique has comparable outcomes to those described in the contemporary literature for both CCEA and ECEA with respect to postoperative neurologic events as well as restenosis rates. In our institution, the short mean operative times with mECEA has led to reduced resource utilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Relationships between static foot alignment and dynamic plantar loads in runners with acute and chronic stages of plantar fasciitis: a cross-sectional study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Ana P.; Sacco, Isabel C. N.; Dinato, Roberto C.; João, Silvia M. A.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The risk factors for the development of plantar fasciitis (PF) have been associated with the medial longitudinal arch (MLA), rearfoot alignment and calcaneal overload. However, the relationships between the biomechanical variables have yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the relationships between the MLA, rearfoot alignment, and dynamic plantar loads in runners with unilateral PF in acute and chronic phases. METHOD: Cross-sectional study which thirty-five runners with unilateral PF were evaluated: 20 in the acute phase (with pain) and 15 with previous chronic PF (without pain). The MLA index and rearfoot alignment were calculated using digital images. The contact area, maximum force, peak pressure, and force-time integral over three plantar areas were acquired with Pedar X insoles while running at 12 km/h, and the loading rates were calculated from the vertical forces. RESULTS: The multiple regression analyses indicated that both the force-time integral (R 2=0.15 for acute phase PF; R 2=0.17 for chronic PF) and maximum force (R 2=0.35 for chronic PF) over the forefoot were predicted by an elevated MLA index. The rearfoot valgus alignment predicted the maximum force over the rearfoot in both PF groups: acute (R 2=0.18) and chronic (R 2=0.45). The rearfoot valgus alignment also predicted higher loading rates in the PF groups: acute (R 2=0.19) and chronic (R 2=0.40). CONCLUSION: The MLA index and the rearfoot alignment were good predictors of plantar loads over the forefoot and rearfoot areas in runners with PF. However, rearfoot valgus was demonstrated to be an important clinical measure, since it was able to predict the maximum force and both loading rates over the rearfoot. PMID:26786073

  14. Forefoot strikers exhibit lower running-induced knee loading than rearfoot strikers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulmala, Juha-Pekka; Avela, Janne; Pasanen, Kati; Parkkari, Jari

    2013-12-01

    Knee pain and Achilles tendinopathies are the most common complaints among runners. The differences in the running mechanics may play an important role in the pathogenesis of lower limb overuse injuries. However, the effect of a runner's foot strike pattern on the ankle and especially on the knee loading is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine whether runners using a forefoot strike pattern exhibit a different lower limb loading profile than runners who use rearfoot strike pattern. Nineteen female athletes with a natural forefoot strike (FFS) pattern and pair-matched women with rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern (n = 19) underwent 3-D running analysis at 4 m·s⁻¹. Joint angles and moments, patellofemoral contact force and stresses, and Achilles tendon forces were analyzed and compared between groups. FFS demonstrated lower patellofemoral contact force and stress compared with heel strikers (4.3 ± 1.2 vs 5.1 ± 1.1 body weight, P = 0.029, and 11.1 ± 2.9 vs 13.0 ± 2.8 MPa, P = 0.04). In addition, knee frontal plane moment was lower in the FFS compared with heel strikers (1.49 ± 0.51 vs 1.97 ± 0.66 N·m·kg⁻¹, P =0.015). At the ankle level, FFS showed higher plantarflexor moment (3.12 ± 0.40 vs 2.54 ± 0.37 N·m·kg⁻¹; P = 0.001) and Achilles tendon force (6.3 ± 0.8 vs 5.1 ± 1.3 body weight; P = 0.002) compared with RFS. To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows differences in patellofemoral loading and knee frontal plane moment between FFS and RFS. FFS exhibit both lower patellofemoral stress and knee frontal plane moment than RFS, which may reduce the risk of running-related knee injuries. On the other hand, parallel increase in ankle plantarflexor and Achilles tendon loading may increase risk for ankle and foot injuries.

  15. Hybrid treatment of tandem, common carotid/innominate artery and ipsilateral carotid bifurcation stenoses by simultaneous, retrograde proximal stenting and eversion carotid endarterectomy: Preliminary results of a case series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Illuminati, Giulio; Pizzardi, Giulia; Pasqua, Rocco; Frezzotti, Francesca; Palumbo, Piergaspare; Macrina, Francesco; Calio', Francesco

    2018-04-01

    Tandem stenoses of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and proximal, ipsilateral common carotid artery (CCA) or innominate artery can be treated with a hybrid approach, combining conventional carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and retrograde stenting of the proximal stenosis, through surgical exposure of the carotid bifurcation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of combining eversion CEA with retrograde CCA/innominate artery stenting. From January 2015 to July 2017, 7 patients, 6 men of a mean age of 72 years (range 59-83 years) underwent simultaneous, retrograde stenting of the proximal CCA/innominate artery and an eversion CEA of the ipsilateral ICA, through surgical exposure of the carotid bifurcation, for severe tandem stenoses. The proximal stenosis involved the left proximal CCA in 4 patients, the proximal innominate artery in 2 patients and the right CCA in one patient. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia in a conventional operating room equipped with a mobile C-arm. A covered, balloon expandable stent was deployed over the proximal stenosis via a 6-F sheath directly introduced into the proximal CCA through the obliquely transected carotid bulb. After removing the sheath, debris were flushed through the carotid bulb and eversion CEA completed the procedure. Study endpoints were: postoperative stroke/mortality rate, cardiac mortality and morbidity, peripheral nerve injury, cervical hematoma, overall late survival, freedom from ipsilateral stroke and patency of arterial reconstruction. No postoperative mortality or neurologic morbidity was observed in any patient. Cervical hematomas and peripheral nerve injuries were likewise absent. At a mean follow-up of 18 months, all the patients were alive, free from neurologic events of new onset and free from restenosis. Combined proximal stenting and eversion CEA for tandem lesions seems a valid treatment, with the advantages of eversion CEA over other techniques of carotid bifurcation

  16. A 52-month follow-up on the transvaginal mesh surgery in vaginal cuff eversion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo, Tsia-Shu; Yusoff, Faridah Mohd; Kao, Chuan-Chi; Jaili, Sukanda; Uy Patrimonio, Ma Clarissa

    2017-06-01

    Transvaginal mesh anterior-posterior (TVM-AP) provides better cure rates in the surgical treatment of vaginal cuff eversion than anterior transvaginal mesh combined with sacrospinous ligament fixation (TVM-A). We determine the outcomes after TVM-A and TVM-AP surgeries in advanced vaginal cuff prolapse. The charts of 796 women who underwent pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery from July 2006 to January 2012 in Chang Gung Memorial Hospitals were reviewed. We included women who presented with advanced cuff eversion and treated with TVM surgery. Data were analysed after three years post-surgery. Descriptive statistics were used for demographic and perioperative data. The paired-samples t test was used for comparison of preoperative and postoperative continuous data. The outcomes measured were objective cure (POP-Q stage ≤ 1) and subjective cure (negative response to question 2 and 3 on POPDI-6). A total of 97 patients was analysed. 61 patients had TVM-A and 36 patients had TVM-AP insertion. Mean follow-up was 52 months. The objective cure rate for TVM-AP was significantly higher than TVM-A, 94.4% versus 80.3%. TVM-AP also showed a higher subjective cure rate (91.7%) though there was no significant difference from TVM-A (p = 0.260). The mesh extrusion rate was low at 3.1% with no major complications seen. In TVM-A the blood loss was lesser and the operation time was shorter. TVM-AP showed better objective cure rate than TVM-A at 52 months. However, TVM-A is less invasive in comparison with an acceptably good cure rates. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Rearfoot striking runners are more economical than midfoot strikers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogueta-Alday, Ana; Rodríguez-Marroyo, José Antonio; García-López, Juan

    2014-03-01

    This study aimed to analyze the influence of foot strike pattern on running economy and biomechanical characteristics in subelite runners with a similar performance level. Twenty subelite long-distance runners participated and were divided into two groups according to their foot strike pattern: rearfoot (RF, n = 10) and midfoot (MF, n = 10) strikers. Anthropometric characteristics were measured (height, body mass, body mass index, skinfolds, circumferences, and lengths); physiological (VO2max, anaerobic threshold, and running economy) and biomechanical characteristics (contact and flight times, step rate, and step length) were registered during both incremental and submaximal tests on a treadmill. There were no significant intergroup differences in anthropometrics, VO2max, or anaerobic threshold measures. RF strikers were 5.4%, 9.3%, and 5.0% more economical than MF at submaximal speeds (11, 13, and 15 km·h respectively, although the difference was not significant at 15 km·h, P = 0.07). Step rate and step length were not different between groups, but RF showed longer contact time (P Foot strike pattern affected both contact and flight times, which may explain the differences in running economy.

  18. Kinematic analysis of a televised medial ankle sprain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca E. Wade

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Ankle sprains are one of the most prevalent athletic injuries. Prior work has investigated lateral ankle sprains, but research on generally more severe medial sprains is lacking. This case report performs a kinematic analysis using novel motion analysis methods on a non-contact medial ankle sprain. Peak eversion (50° occurred 0.2 seconds following ground contact, maximum velocity of 426°/s, while peak dorsiflexion (64° occurred with a greater maximum velocity (573°/s. The combination of dorsiflexion at ground contact and rapid eversion is associated with a non-contact eversion sprain. This study provides a quantitative analysis of the eversion ankle sprain injury mechanism. Keywords: Athletic injury, Biomechanics, Ankle injury, Kinematics

  19. Laparoscopic Low Anterior Resection and Eversion Technique Combined With a Nondog Ear Anastomosis for Mid- and Distal Rectal Neoplasms

    OpenAIRE

    Zhuo, Changhua; Liang, Lei; Ying, Mingang; Li, Qingguo; Li, Dawei; Li, Yiwei; Peng, Junjie; Huang, Liyong; Cai, Sanjun; Li, Xinxiang

    2015-01-01

    Abstract The transanal eversion and prolapsing technique is a well-established procedure, and can ensure an adequate distal margin for patients with low rectal neoplasms. Potential leakage risks, however, are associated with bilateral dog ear formation, which results from traditional double-stapling anastomosis. The authors determined the feasibility of combining these techniques with a commercial stapling set to achieve a nondog ear (end-to-end) anastomosis for patients with mid- and distal ...

  20. Lower extremity injury in female basketball players is related to a large difference in peak eversion torque between barefoot and shod conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer M. Yentes

    2014-09-01

    Conclusion: It is possible that a large discrepancy between strength in barefoot and shod conditions can predispose an athlete to injury. Narrowing the difference in peak eversion torque between barefoot and shod could decrease propensity to injury. Future work should investigate the effect of restoration of muscular strength during barefoot and shod exercise on injury rates.

  1. Lower extremity joint loads in habitual rearfoot and mid/forefoot strike runners with normal and shortened stride lengths.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Elizabeth R; Derrick, Timothy R

    2018-03-01

    Our purpose was to compare joint loads between habitual rearfoot (hRF) and habitual mid/forefoot strikers (hFF), rearfoot (RFS) and mid/forefoot strike (FFS) patterns, and shorter stride lengths (SLs). Thirty-eight hRF and hFF ran at their normal SL, 5% and 10% shorter, as well as with the opposite foot strike. Three-dimensional ankle, knee, patellofemoral (PF) and hip contact forces were calculated. Nearly all contact forces decreased with a shorter SL (1.2-14.9% relative to preferred SL). In general, hRF had higher PF (hRF-RFS: 10.8 ± 1.4, hFF-FFS: 9.9 ± 2.0 BWs) and hip loads (axial hRF-RFS: -9.9 ± 0.9, hFF-FFS: -9.6 ± 1.0 BWs) than hFF. Many loads were similar between foot strike styles for the two groups, including axial and lateral hip, PF, posterior knee and shear ankle contact forces. Lateral knee and posterior hip contact forces were greater for RFS, and axial ankle and knee contact forces were greater for FFS. The tibia may be under greater loading with a FFS because of these greater axial forces. Summarising, a particular foot strike style does not universally decrease joint contact forces. However, shortening one's SL 10% decreased nearly all lower extremity contact forces, so it may hold potential to decrease overuse injuries associated with excessive joint loads.

  2. Foot strike pattern in preschool children during running: sex and shod-unshod differences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latorre-Román, Pedro Á; Párraga-Montilla, Juan A; Guardia-Monteagudo, Ignacio; García-Pinillos, Felipe

    2018-04-01

    This study aims to determine the foot strike patterns (FSPs) and neutral support (no inversion [INV]/eversion [EVE] and no foot rotation) in preschool children, as well as to determine the influence of shod/unshod conditions and sex. A total of 1356 children aged 3-6 years (673 boys and 683 girls) participated in this study. A sagittal and frontal-plane video (240 Hz) was recorded using a high-speed camcorder to record the following variables: rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS), forefoot strike (FFS), inversion/ eversion (INV/EVE) and foot rotation on initial contact. There were no between-sex significant differences in both shod and unshod conditions in RFS. In the unshod condition, there was a significant reduction (p < 0.001) of RFS prevalence in both boys (shod condition = 44.2% vs. 34.7% unshod condition) and girls (shod condition = 48.5% vs. 36.1% unshod condition). As for neutral support, there were no between-sex differences in both shod and unshod conditions or in the shod-unshod comparison. In preschool children, no between-sex differences were found in relation to prevalence of RFS and neutral support (no INV/EVE). Shod running alters FSP of running barefoot, producing a significant increase of RFS prevalence.

  3. Joint contact loading in forefoot and rearfoot strike patterns during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rooney, Brandon D; Derrick, Timothy R

    2013-09-03

    Research concerning forefoot strike pattern (FFS) versus rearfoot strike pattern (RFS) running has focused on the ground reaction force even though internal joint contact forces are a more direct measure of the loads responsible for injury. The main purpose of this study was to determine the internal loading of the joints for each strike pattern. A secondary purpose was to determine if converted FFS and RFS runners can adequately represent habitual runners with regards to the internal joint loading. Using inverse dynamics to calculate the net joint moments and reaction forces and optimization techniques to estimate muscle forces, we determined the axial compressive loading at the ankle, knee, and hip. Subjects consisted of 15 habitual FFS and 15 habitual RFS competitive runners. Each subject ran at a preferred running velocity with their habitual strike pattern and then converted to the opposite strike pattern. Plantar flexor muscle forces and net ankle joint moments were greater in the FFS running compared to the RFS running during the first half of the stance phase. The average contact forces during this period increased by 41.7% at the ankle and 14.4% at the knee joint during FFS running. Peak ankle joint contact force was 1.5 body weights greater during FFS running (pstrike pattern. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. A comparison of foot kinematics in people with normal- and flat-arched feet using the Oxford Foot Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levinger, Pazit; Murley, George S; Barton, Christian J; Cotchett, Matthew P; McSweeney, Simone R; Menz, Hylton B

    2010-10-01

    Foot posture is thought to influence predisposition to overuse injuries of the lower limb. Although the mechanisms underlying this proposed relationship are unclear, it is thought that altered foot kinematics may play a role. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate differences in foot motion between people with normal- and flat-arched feet using the Oxford Foot Model (OFM). Foot posture in 19 participants was documented as normal-arched (n=10) or flat-arched (n=9) using a foot screening protocol incorporating measurements from weightbearing antero-posterior and lateral foot radiographs. Differences between the groups in triplanar motion of the tibia, rearfoot and forefoot during walking were evaluated using a three-dimensional motion analysis system incorporating a multi-segment foot model (OFM). Participants with flat-arched feet demonstrated greater peak forefoot plantar-flexion (-13.7° ± 5.6° vs -6.5° ± 3.7°; p=0.004), forefoot abduction (-12.9° ± 6.9° vs -1.8° ± 6.3°; p=0.002), and rearfoot internal rotation (10.6° ± 7.5° vs -0.2°± 9.9°; p=0.018) compared to those with normal-arched feet. Additionally, participants with flat-arched feet demonstrated decreased peak forefoot adduction (-7.0° ± 9.2° vs 5.6° ± 7.3°; p=0.004) and a trend towards increased rearfoot eversion (-5.8° ± 4.4° vs -2.5° ± 2.6°; p=0.06). These findings support the notion that flat-arched feet have altered motion associated with greater pronation during gait; factors that may increase the risk of overuse injury. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Standard duplex criteria overestimate the degree of stenosis after eversion carotid endarterectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benzing, Travis; Wilhoit, Cameron; Wright, Sharee; McCann, P Aaron; Lessner, Susan; Brothers, Thomas E

    2015-06-01

    The eversion technique for carotid endarterectomy (eCEA) offers an alternative to longitudinal arteriotomy and patch closure (pCEA) for open carotid revascularization. In some reports, eCEA has been associated with a higher rate of >50% restenosis of the internal carotid when it is defined as peak systolic velocity (PSV) >125 cm/s by duplex imaging. Because the conformation of the carotid bifurcation may differ after eCEA compared with native carotid arteries, it was hypothesized that standard duplex criteria might not accurately reflect the presence of restenosis after eCEA. In a case-control study, the outcomes of all patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy by one surgeon during the last 10 years were analyzed retrospectively, with a primary end point of PSV >125 cm/s. Duplex flow velocities were compared with luminal diameter measurements for any carotid computed tomography arteriography or magnetic resonance angiography study obtained within 2 months of duplex imaging, with the degree of stenosis calculated by the methodology used in the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) and the European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST) as well as cross-sectional area (CSA) reduction. Simulations were generated and analyzed by computational model simulations of the eCEA and pCEA arteries. Eversion and longitudinal arteriotomy with patch techniques were used in 118 and 177 carotid arteries, respectively. Duplex follow-up was available in 90 eCEA arteries at a median of 16 (range, 2-136) months and in 150 pCEA arteries at a median of 41 (range, 3-115) months postoperatively. PSV >125 cm/s was present at some time during follow-up in 31% of eCEA and pCEA carotid arteries, each, and in the most recent duplex examination in 7% after eCEA and 21% after pCEA (P = .003), with no eCEA and two pCEA arteries occluding completely during follow-up (P = .29). In 19 carotid arteries with PSV >125 cm/s after angle correction (median, 160 cm/s; interquartile range

  6. [Case-control study on bone setting manipulation for the treatment of over degree II supination-eversion fractures of ankle joint].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Yue-Feng; Chen, Fa-Lin; Bao, Shu-Ren; Li, Cheng-Huan; Zhao, Xing-Wei; Liu, Shi-Ming; Chen, Wen-Xue; Li, Ye; Wang, Peng

    2012-08-01

    To explore therapeutic effects of bone setting manipulation for the treatment of over degree II supination-eversion fractures of ankle,and analyze manipulative reduction mechanism. From 2005 to 2008, 95 patients with over degree II supination-eversion fractures of ankle were treated respectively by manipulation and operation. There were 43 cases [11 males and 32 females with an average age of (44.95 +/- 12.65) years] in manipulation group, and 2 cases were degree II, 11 cases were degree III, and 30 cases were degree IV. There were 52 cases [21 males and 31 females with an average age of (39.96 +/- 13.28) years] in operative group,and 6 cases were degree II, 18 cases were degree III, and 28 cases were degree IV. Bone setting manipulation and hard splint external fixation were applied to manipulative group. Operative reduction internal fixation was performed in operative group. X-ray was used to evaluate reduction of fracture before and after treatment, 2 months after treatment. Ankle joint function was evaluated according to Olerud-Molander scoring system after 6 months treatment. All patients were followed up with good reduction. Three cases occurred wound complication in operative group, but not in manipulative group. In manipulation group, 19 cases got excellent results, 20 cases good and 4 cases fair; while in operative group, 30 cases got excellent results, 20 cases good and 2 cases poor. There were no significant differences in fracture reduction and ankle joint function recovery between two groups (P > 0.05). Efficacy of operative treatment was better than that of manipulative treatment at degree IV fracture (P ankle joint fractures, which has advantages of simple and safe operation, reliable efficacy. For ankle join fracture at degree IV, manipulative reduction should be adopted earlier, and operative treatment also necessary

  7. Wrinkles and creases in the bending, unbending and eversion of soft sectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigaeva, Taisiya; Mangan, Robert; Vergori, Luigi; Destrade, Michel; Sudak, Les

    2018-04-01

    We study what is clearly one of the most common modes of deformation found in nature, science and engineering, namely the large elastic bending of curved structures, as well as its inverse, unbending, which can be brought beyond complete straightening to turn into eversion. We find that the suggested mathematical solution to these problems always exists and is unique when the solid is modelled as a homogeneous, isotropic, incompressible hyperelastic material with a strain-energy satisfying the strong ellipticity condition. We also provide explicit asymptotic solutions for thin sectors. When the deformations are severe enough, the compressed side of the elastic material may buckle and wrinkles could then develop. We analyse, in detail, the onset of this instability for the Mooney-Rivlin strain energy, which covers the cases of the neo-Hookean model in exact nonlinear elasticity and of third-order elastic materials in weakly nonlinear elasticity. In particular, the associated theoretical and numerical treatment allows us to predict the number and wavelength of the wrinkles. Guided by experimental observations, we finally look at the development of creases, which we simulate through advanced finite-element computations. In some cases, the linearized analysis allows us to predict correctly the number and the wavelength of the creases, which turn out to occur only a few per cent of strain earlier than the wrinkles.

  8. Differences in muscle activity between natural forefoot and rearfoot strikers during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yong, Jennifer R; Silder, Amy; Delp, Scott L

    2014-11-28

    Running research has focused on reducing injuries by changing running technique. One proposed method is to change from rearfoot striking (RFS) to forefoot striking (FFS) because FFS is thought to be a more natural running pattern that may reduce loading and injury risk. Muscle activity affects loading and influences running patterns; however, the differences in muscle activity between natural FFS runners and natural RFS runners are unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure muscle activity in natural FFS runners and natural RFS runners. We tested the hypotheses that tibialis anterior activity would be significantly lower while activity of the plantarflexors would be significantly greater in FFS runners, compared to RFS runners, during late swing phase and early stance phase. Gait kinematics, ground reaction forces and electromyographic patterns of ten muscles were collected from twelve natural RFS runners and ten natural FFS runners. The root mean square (RMS) of each muscle׳s activity was calculated during terminal swing phase and early stance phase. We found significantly lower RMS activity in the tibialis anterior in FFS runners during terminal swing phase, compared to RFS runners. In contrast, the medial and lateral gastrocnemius showed significantly greater RMS activity in terminal swing phase in FFS runners. No significant differences were found during early stance phase for the tibialis anterior or the plantarflexors. Recognizing the differences in muscle activity between FFS and RFS runners is an important step toward understanding how foot strike patterns may contribute to different types of injury. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Kinematic and kinetic comparison of barefoot and shod running in mid/forefoot and rearfoot strike runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, M A; Lee, S S; Seegmiller, J; McGowan, C P

    2015-05-01

    Barefoot running has been associated with decreased stride length and switching from a rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern to a mid/forefoot strike (M/FFS) pattern. However, some individuals naturally contact the ground on their mid/forefoot, even when wearing cushioned running shoes. The purpose of this study was to determine if the mechanics of barefoot running by natural shod RFS runners differed from natural shod M/FFS runners. Twenty habitually shod runners (ten natural M/FFS and ten natural RFS) participated in this study. Three-dimensional motion analysis and ground reaction force data were captured as subjects ran at their preferred running speed in both barefoot and shod conditions. M/FFS experienced only a decrease in stride length when switching from shod to barefoot running. Whereas, when switching from shod to barefoot running, RFS individuals experienced a decrease in stride length, switched to a plantarflexed position at ground contact and saw reduced impact peak magnitudes. These results suggest that when barefoot, the RFS group ran similar to the M/FFS group running barefoot or shod. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Joint kinetics in rearfoot versus forefoot running: implications of switching technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stearne, Sarah M; Alderson, Jacqueline A; Green, Benjamin A; Donnelly, Cyril J; Rubenson, Jonas

    2014-08-01

    To better understand the mechanical factors differentiating forefoot and rearfoot strike (RFS) running, as well as the mechanical consequences of switching techniques, we assessed lower limb joint kinetics in habitual and imposed techniques in both groups. All participants performed both RFS and forefoot strike (FFS) techniques on an instrumented treadmill at 4.5 m·s while force and kinematic data were collected. Total (sum of ankle, knee, and hip) lower limb work and average power did not differ between habitual RFS and FFS runners. However, moments, negative work and negative instantaneous and average power during stance were greater at the knee in RFS and at the ankle in FFS techniques. When habitual RFS runners switched to an imposed FFS, they were able to replicate the sagittal plane mechanics of a habitual FFS; however, the ankle internal rotation moment was increased by 33%, whereas the knee abduction moments were not reduced, remaining 48.5% higher than a habitual FFS. In addition, total positive and negative lower limb average power was increased by 17% and 9%, respectively. When habitual FFS runners switched to an imposed RFS, they were able to match the mechanics of habitual RFS runners with the exception of knee abduction moments, which remained 38% lower than a habitual RFS and, surprisingly, a reduction of total lower limb positive average power of 10.5%. There appears to be no clear overall mechanical advantage of a habitual FFS or RFS. Switching techniques may have different injury implications given the altered distribution in loading between joints but should be weighed against the overall effects on limb mechanics; adopting an imposed RFS may prove the most beneficial given the absence of any clear mechanical performance decrements.

  11. Increasing preferred step rate during running reduces plantar pressures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerrard, James M; Bonanno, Daniel R

    2018-01-01

    Increasing preferred step rate during running is a commonly used strategy in the management of running-related injuries. This study investigated the effect of different step rates on plantar pressures during running. Thirty-two healthy runners ran at a comfortable speed on a treadmill at five step rates (preferred, ±5%, and ±10%). For each step rate, plantar pressure data were collected using the pedar-X in-shoe system. Compared to running with a preferred step rate, a 10% increase in step rate significantly reduced peak pressure (144.5±46.5 vs 129.3±51 kPa; P=.033) and maximum force (382.3±157.6 vs 334.0±159.8 N; P=.021) at the rearfoot, and reduced maximum force (426.4±130.4 vs 400.0±116.6 N; P=.001) at the midfoot. In contrast, a 10% decrease in step rate significantly increased peak pressure (144.5±46.5 vs 161.5±49.3 kPa; P=.011) and maximum force (382.3±157.6 vs 425.4±155.3 N; P=.032) at the rearfoot. Changing step rate by 5% provided no effect on plantar pressures, and no differences in plantar pressures were observed at the medial forefoot, lateral forefoot or hallux between the step rates. This study's findings indicate that increasing preferred step rate by 10% during running will reduce plantar pressures at the rearfoot and midfoot, while decreasing step rate by 10% will increase plantar pressures at the rearfoot. However, changing preferred step rate by 5% will provide no effect on plantar pressures, and forefoot pressures are unaffected by changes in step rate. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Clinical rearfoot and knee static alignment measurements are not associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome Medidas clínicas estáticas do retropé e joelho não estão associadas à síndrome da dor patelofemoral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Aliberti

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between the patellofemoral pain syndrome and the clinical static measurements: the rearfoot and the Q angles. The design was a cross-sectional, observational, case-control study. We evaluated 77 adults (both genders, 30 participants with patellofemoral pain syndrome, and 47 controls. We measured the rearfoot and Q angles by photogrammetry. Independent t-tests were used to compare outcome continuous measures between groups. Outcome continuous data were also transformed into categorical clinical classifications, in order to verify their statistical association with the dysfunction, and χ2 tests for multiple responses were used. There were no differences between groups for rearfoot angle [mean differences: 0.2º (95%CI -1.4-1.8] and Q angle [mean differences: -0.3º (95%CI -3.0-2.4. No associations were found between increased rearfoot valgus [Odds Ratio: 1.29 (95%CI 0.51-3.25], as well as increased Q angle [Odds Ratio: 0.77 (95%CI 0.31-1.93] and the patellofemoral pain syndrome occurrence. Although widely used in clinical practice and theoretically thought, it cannot be affirmed that increased rearfoot valgus and increased Q angle, when statically measured in relaxed stance, are associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS. These measures may have limited applicability in screening of the PFPS development.O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar se existe associação entre a síndrome da dor patelofemoral e as medidas clínicas estáticas: os ângulos do retropé e Q. Foi realizado um estudo observacional, transversal, caso-controle, no qual foram avaliados 77 adultos (ambos os sexos, 30 participantes com síndrome da dor patelofemoral e 47 controles. Foram medidos os ângulos do retropé e Q, por meio da fotogrametria. Testes t para amostras independentes foram usados para comparações dos resultados das variáveis contínuas entre os grupos. Os resultados das variáveis cont

  13. Economy and rate of carbohydrate oxidation during running with rearfoot and forefoot strike patterns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, Allison H; Umberger, Brian R; Braun, Barry; Hamill, Joseph

    2013-07-15

    It continues to be argued that a forefoot (FF) strike pattern during running is more economical than a rearfoot (RF) pattern; however, previous studies using one habitual footstrike group have found no difference in running economy between footstrike patterns. We aimed to conduct a more extensive study by including both habitual RF and FF runners. The purposes of this study were to determine whether there were differences in running economy between these groups and whether running economy would change when they ran with the alternative footstrike pattern. Nineteen habitual RF and 18 habitual FF runners performed the RF and FF patterns on a treadmill at 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 m/s. Steady-state rates of oxygen consumption (Vo2, ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)) and carbohydrate contribution to total energy expenditure (%CHO) were determined by indirect calorimetry for each footstrike pattern and speed condition. A mixed-model ANOVA was used to assess the differences in each variable between groups and footstrike patterns (α = 0.05). No differences in Vo2 or %CHO were detected between groups when running with their habitual footstrike pattern. The RF pattern resulted in lower Vo2 and %CHO compared with the FF pattern at the slow and medium speeds in the RF group (P 0.05). At the fast speed, a significant footstrike pattern main effect indicated that Vo2 was greater with the FF pattern than with the RF pattern (P 0.05). The results suggest that the FF pattern is not more economical than the RF pattern.

  14. Acute effect of different minimalist shoes on foot strike pattern and kinematics in rearfoot strikers during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Squadrone, Roberto; Rodano, Renato; Hamill, Joseph; Preatoni, Ezio

    2015-01-01

    Despite the growing interest in minimalist shoes, no studies have compared the efficacy of different types of minimalist shoe models in reproducing barefoot running patterns and in eliciting biomechanical changes that make them differ from standard cushioned running shoes. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of different footwear models, marketed as "minimalist" by their manufacturer, on running biomechanics. Six running shoes marketed as barefoot/minimalist models, a standard cushioned shoe and the barefoot condition were tested. Foot-/shoe-ground pressure and three-dimensional lower limb kinematics were measured in experienced rearfoot strike runners while they were running at 3.33 m · s⁻¹ on an instrumented treadmill. Physical and mechanical characteristics of shoes (mass, heel and forefoot sole thickness, shock absorption and flexibility) were measured with laboratory tests. There were significant changes in foot strike pattern (described by the strike index and foot contact angle) and spatio-temporal stride characteristics, whereas only some among the other selected kinematic parameters (i.e. knee angles and hip vertical displacement) changed accordingly. Different types of minimalist footwear models induced different changes. It appears that minimalist footwear with lower heel heights and minimal shock absorption is more effective in replicating barefoot running.

  15. Unlocking the talus by eversion limits medial ankle injury risk during external rotation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Button, Keith D; Wei, Feng; Haut, Roger C

    2015-10-15

    Eversion prior to excessive external foot rotation has been shown to predispose the anterior tibiofibular ligament (ATiFL) to failure, yet protect the anterior deltoid ligament (ADL) from failure despite high levels of foot rotation. The purpose of the current study was to measure the rotations of both the subtalar and talocrural joints during foot external rotation at sub-failure levels in either a neutral or a pre-everted position as a first step towards understanding the mechanisms of injury in previous studies. Fourteen (seven pairs) cadaver lower extremities were externally rotated 20° in either a pre-everted or neutral configuration, without producing injury. Motion capture was performed to track the tibia, talus, and calcaneus motions, and a joint coordinate system was used to analyze motions of the two joints. While talocrural joint rotation was greater in the neutral ankle (13.3±2.0° versus 10.5±2.7°, p=0.006), subtalar joint rotation was greater in the pre-everted ankle (2.4±1.9° versus 1.1±1.0°, p=0.014). Overall, the talocrural joint rotated more than the subtalar joint (11.9±2.8° versus 1.8±1.6°, p<0.001). It was proposed that the calcaneus and talus 'lock' in a neutral position, but 'unlock' when the ankle is everted prior to rotation. This locking/unlocking mechanism could be responsible for an increased subtalar rotation, but decreased talocrural rotation when the ankle is pre-everted, protecting the ADL from failure. This study may provide information valuable to the study of external rotation kinematics and injury risk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Metabolic and mechanical aspects of foot landing type, forefoot and rearfoot strike, in human running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardigò, L P; Lafortuna, C; Minetti, A E; Mognoni, P; Saibene, F

    1995-09-01

    The study was undertaken to assess the metabolic and the mechanical aspects of two different foot strike patterns in running, i.e. forefoot and rearfoot striking (FFS and RFS), and to understand whether there is some advantage for a runner to use one or the other of the two landing styles. Eight subjects performed two series of runs (FFS and RFS) on a treadmill at an average speed of 2.50, 2.78, 3.06, 3.33, 3.61, 3.89, 4.17 m s-1. Step frequency, oxygen uptake, mechanical work, and its two components, external and internal, were measured. No differences were found for step frequency, mechanical internal work per unit time and oxygen uptake, while external and total mechanical work per unit time were significantly higher, 7-12%, for FFS. The higher external work was the result of an increase of the work performed against both gravitational and inertial forces. As the energy expenditure was the same it has been speculated that a higher storage and release of energy takes place in the elastic structures of the lower leg with FFS. In a different series of experiments on six subjects contact time, time of deceleration and time of acceleration were measured by means of a video camera while running on the treadmill at 2.50, 3.33 and 4.17 m s-1, both FFS and RFS. Time of deceleration is similar for FFS and RFS, but contact time and time of acceleration are shorter, respectively 12 and 25%, for FFS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  17. Lower limb joint angles and ground reaction forces in forefoot strike and rearfoot strike runners during overground downhill and uphill running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowalski, Erik; Li, Jing Xian

    2016-11-01

    This study investigated the normal and parallel ground reaction forces during downhill and uphill running in habitual forefoot strike and habitual rearfoot strike (RFS) runners. Fifteen habitual forefoot strike and 15 habitual RFS recreational male runners ran at 3 m/s ± 5% during level, uphill and downhill overground running on a ramp mounted at 6° and 9°. Results showed that forefoot strike runners had no visible impact peak in all running conditions, while the impact peaks only decreased during the uphill conditions in RFS runners. Active peaks decreased during the downhill conditions in forefoot strike runners while active loading rates increased during downhill conditions in RFS runners. Compared to the level condition, parallel braking peaks were larger during downhill conditions and parallel propulsive peaks were larger during uphill conditions. Combined with previous biomechanics studies, our findings suggest that forefoot strike running may be an effective strategy to reduce impacts, especially during downhill running. These findings may have further implications towards injury management and prevention.

  18. Joint stiffness and running economy during imposed forefoot strike before and after a long run in rearfoot strike runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melcher, Daniel A; Paquette, Max R; Schilling, Brian K; Bloomer, Richard J

    2017-12-01

    Research has focused on the effects of acute strike pattern modifications on lower extremity joint stiffness and running economy (RE). Strike pattern modifications on running biomechanics have mostly been studied while runners complete short running bouts. This study examined the effects of an imposed forefoot strike (FFS) on RE and ankle and knee joint stiffness before and after a long run in habitual rearfoot strike (RFS) runners. Joint kinetics and RE were collected before and after a long run. Sagittal joint kinetics were computed from kinematic and ground reaction force data that were collected during over-ground running trials in 13 male runners. RE was measured during treadmill running. Knee flexion range of motion, knee extensor moment and ankle joint stiffness were lower while plantarflexor moment and knee joint stiffness were greater during imposed FFS compared with RFS. The long run did not influence the difference in ankle and knee joint stiffness between strike patterns. Runners were more economical during RFS than imposed FFS and RE was not influenced by the long run. These findings suggest that using a FFS pattern towards the end of a long run may not be mechanically or metabolically beneficial for well-trained male RFS runners.

  19. Midtarsal locking, the windlass mechanism, and running strike pattern: A kinematic and kinetic assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruening, Dustin A; Pohl, Michael B; Takahashi, Kota Z; Barrios, Joaquin A

    2018-05-17

    Changes in running strike pattern affect ankle and knee mechanics, but little is known about the influence of strike pattern on the joints distal to the ankle. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of forefoot strike (FFS) and rearfoot strike (RFS) running patterns on foot kinematics and kinetics, from the perspectives of the midtarsal locking theory and the windlass mechanism. Per the midtarsal locking theory, we hypothesized that the ankle would be more inverted in early stance when using a FFS, resulting in decreased midtarsal joint excursions and increased dynamic stiffness. Associated with a more engaged windlass mechanism, we hypothesized that a FFS would elicit increased metatarsophalangeal joint excursions and negative work in late stance. Eighteen healthy female runners ran overground with both FFS and RFS patterns. Instrumented motion capture and a validated multi-segment foot model were used to analyze midtarsal and metatarsophalangeal joint kinematics and kinetics. During early stance in FFS the ankle was more inverted, with concurrently decreased midtarsal eversion (p strike pattern during running. However, the windlass mechanism appeared to be engaged to a greater extent during FFS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Patellofemoral pain in athletes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petersen, Wolf; Rembitzki, Ingo; Liebau, Christian

    2017-01-01

    Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a frequent cause of anterior knee pain in athletes, which affects patients with and without structural patellofemoral joint (PFJ) damage. Most younger patients do not have any structural changes to the PFJ, such as an increased Q angle and a cartilage damage. This clinical entity is known as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Older patients usually present with signs of patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA). A key factor in PFPS development is dynamic valgus of the lower extremity, which leads to lateral patellar maltracking. Causes of dynamic valgus include weak hip muscles and rearfoot eversion with pes pronatus valgus. These factors can also be observed in patients with PFOA. The available evidence suggests that patients with PFP are best managed with a tailored, multimodal, nonoperative treatment program that includes short-term pain relief with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), passive correction of patellar maltracking with medially directed tape or braces, correction of the dynamic valgus with exercise programs that target the muscles of the lower extremity, hip, and trunk, and the use of foot orthoses in patients with additional foot abnormalities. PMID:28652829

  1. Can Unshod Running Reduce Running Injuries?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-08

    78 viii ACRONYMS FFS Forefoot Strike MFS Midfoot Strike RFS Rearfoot...differences between forefoot and rearfoot striking runners. Daoud collected the history of the 52 runners and quantified their injury rates and severity...conclusion was that the rearfoot striking runners have a significantly higher rate of repetitive stress injuries compared to forefoot runners

  2. Laparoscopic Low Anterior Resection and Eversion Technique Combined With a Nondog Ear Anastomosis for Mid- and Distal Rectal Neoplasms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuo, Changhua; Liang, Lei; Ying, Mingang; Li, Qingguo; Li, Dawei; Li, Yiwei; Peng, Junjie; Huang, Liyong; Cai, Sanjun; Li, Xinxiang

    2015-01-01

    Abstract The transanal eversion and prolapsing technique is a well-established procedure, and can ensure an adequate distal margin for patients with low rectal neoplasms. Potential leakage risks, however, are associated with bilateral dog ear formation, which results from traditional double-stapling anastomosis. The authors determined the feasibility of combining these techniques with a commercial stapling set to achieve a nondog ear (end-to-end) anastomosis for patients with mid- and distal rectal neoplasms. Patients with early-stage (c/ycT1–2N0), mid- to distal rectal neoplasms and good anal sphincter function were included in this study. Laparoscopic low anterior resection was performed with a standard total mesorectal excision technique downward to the pelvic floor as low as possible. The bowel was resected proximal to the lesion with an endoscopic linear stapler. An anvil was inserted extracorporeally into the proximal colon via an extended working pore. The distal rectum coupled with the lesion was prolapsed and everted out of the anus. The neoplasm was resected with a sufficient margin above the dentate line under direct sight. A transrectal anastomosis without dog ears was performed intracorporeally to reconstitute the continuity of the bowel. Eleven cases, 6 male and 5 female patients, were included in this study. The mean operative time was 191 (129–292) minutes. The mean blood loss was 110 (30–300) mL. The median distal margin distance from the lower edge of the lesion to the dentate line was 1.5 (0.5–2.5) cm. All the resection margins were negative. Most patients experienced uneventful postoperative recoveries. No patient had anastomotic leak. Most patients had an acceptable stool frequency after loop ileostomy closure. Our preliminary data demonstrated the safety and feasibility of achieving a sound anastomosis without risking potential anastomotic leakage because of dog ear formation. PMID:26683958

  3. Can orthoses and navicular drop affect foot motion patterns during running?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eslami, Mansour; Ferber, Reed

    2013-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of semi-rigid foot orthoses on forefoot-rearfoot joint coupling patterns in individuals with different navicular drop measures during heel-toe running. Ten trials were collected from twenty-three male subjects who ran slowly shod at 170 steps per minute (2.23m/s) with a semi-rigid orthoses and without. Forefoot-rearfoot coupling motions were assessed using a vector coding technique during four intervals across the first 50% of stance. Subjects were divided into two groups based on navicular drop measures. A three way ANOVA was performed to examine the interaction and main effects of stance interval, orthoses condition and navicular drop (pForefoot-rearfoot coupling motion in the no-orthoses condition increased from heel-strike to foot-flat phase at a rate faster than the orthoses condition (p=0.02). Foot orthoses significantly decrease the forefoot-rearfoot joint coupling angle by reducing forefoot frontal plane motion relative to the rearfoot. Navicular drop measures did not influence joint coupling relationships between the forefoot and rearfoot during the first 50% of stance regardless of orthotic condition. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

  4. A clinically applicable six-segmented foot model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Mits, Sophie; Segers, Veerle; Woodburn, Jim; Elewaut, Dirk; De Clercq, Dirk; Roosen, Philip

    2012-04-01

    We describe a multi-segmented foot model comprising lower leg, rearfoot, midfoot, lateral forefoot, medial forefoot, and hallux for routine use in a clinical setting. The Ghent Foot Model describes the kinematic patterns of functional units of the foot, especially the midfoot, to investigate patient populations where midfoot deformation or dysfunction is an important feature, for example, rheumatoid arthritis patients. Data were obtained from surface markers by a 6 camera motion capture system at 500 Hz. Ten healthy subjects walked barefoot along a 12 m walkway at self-selected speed. Joint angles (rearfoot to shank, midfoot to rearfoot, lateral and medial forefoot to midfoot, and hallux to medial forefoot) in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse plane are reported according to anatomically based reference frames. These angles were calculated and reported during the foot rollover phases in stance, detected by synchronized plantar pressure measurements. Repeated measurements of each subject revealed low intra-subject variability, varying between 0.7° and 2.3° for the minimum values, between 0.5° and 2.1° for the maximum values, and between 0.8° and 5.8° for the ROM. The described movement patterns were repeatable and consistent with biomechanical and clinical knowledge. As such, the Ghent Foot model permits intersegment, in vivo motion measurement of the foot, which is crucial for both clinical and research applications. Copyright © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society.

  5. The effects of preferred and non-preferred running strike patterns on tissue vibration properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enders, Hendrik; von Tscharner, Vinzenz; Nigg, Benno M

    2014-03-01

    To characterize soft tissue vibrations during running with a preferred and a non-preferred strike pattern in shoes and barefoot. Cross-sectional study. Participants ran at 3.5 m s(-1) on a treadmill in shoes and barefoot using a rearfoot and a forefoot strike for each footwear condition. The preferred strike patterns for the subjects were a rearfoot strike and a forefoot strike for shod and barefoot running, respectively. Vibrations were recorded with an accelerometer overlying the belly of the medial gastrocnemius. Thirteen non-linearly scaled wavelets were used for the analysis. Damping was calculated as the overall decay of power in the acceleration signal post ground contact. A higher damping coefficient indicates higher damping capacities of the soft tissue. The shod rearfoot strike showed a 93% lower damping coefficient than the shod forefoot strike (pforefoot strike showed a trend toward a lower damping coefficient compared to a barefoot rearfoot strike. Running barefoot with a forefoot strike resulted in a significantly lower damping coefficient than a forefoot strike when wearing shoes (pstrike showed lower damping compared to a barefoot rearfoot strike (p<0.001). While rearfoot striking showed lower vibration frequencies in shod and barefoot running, it did not consistently result in lower damping coefficients. This study showed that the use of a preferred movement resulted in lower damping coefficients of running related soft tissue vibrations. Copyright © 2013 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. 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.

  7. Effects of footwear and strike type on running economy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perl, Daniel P; Daoud, Adam I; Lieberman, Daniel E

    2012-07-01

    This study tests if running economy differs in minimal shoes versus standard running shoes with cushioned elevated heels and arch supports and in forefoot versus rearfoot strike gaits. We measured the cost of transport (mL O(2)·kg(-1)·m(-1)) in subjects who habitually run in minimal shoes or barefoot while they were running at 3.0 m·s(-1) on a treadmill during forefoot and rearfoot striking while wearing minimal and standard shoes, controlling for shoe mass and stride frequency. Force and kinematic data were collected when subjects were shod and barefoot to quantify differences in knee flexion, arch strain, plantar flexor force production, and Achilles tendon-triceps surae strain. After controlling for stride frequency and shoe mass, runners were 2.41% more economical in the minimal-shoe condition when forefoot striking and 3.32% more economical in the minimal-shoe condition when rearfoot striking (P forefoot and rearfoot striking did not differ significantly in cost for either minimal- or standard-shoe running. Arch strain was not measured in the shod condition but was significantly greater during forefoot than rearfoot striking when barefoot. Plantar flexor force output was significantly higher in forefoot than in rearfoot striking and in barefoot than in shod running. Achilles tendon-triceps surae strain and knee flexion were also lower in barefoot than in standard-shoe running. Minimally shod runners are modestly but significantly more economical than traditionally shod runners regardless of strike type, after controlling for shoe mass and stride frequency. The likely cause of this difference is more elastic energy storage and release in the lower extremity during minimal-shoe running.

  8. Relationship between Achilles tendon properties and foot strike patterns in long-distance runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubo, Keitaro; Miyazaki, Daisuke; Tanaka, Shigeharu; Shimoju, Shozo; Tsunoda, Naoya

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Achilles tendon properties and foot strike patterns in long-distance runners. Forty-one highly trained male long-distance runners participated in this study. Elongation of the Achilles tendon and aponeurosis of the medial gastrocnemius muscle were measured using ultrasonography, while the participants performed ramp isometric plantar flexion up to the voluntary maximum. The relationship between the estimated muscle force and tendon elongation during the ascending phase was fit to a linear regression, the slope of which was defined as stiffness. In addition, the cross-sectional area of the Achilles tendon was measured using ultrasonography. Foot strike patterns (forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot) during running were determined at submaximal velocity (18 km · h(-1)) on a treadmill. The number of each foot strike runner was 12 for the forefoot (29.3%), 12 for the midfoot (29.3%) and 17 for the rearfoot (41.5%). No significant differences were observed in the variables measured for the Achilles tendon among the three groups. These results suggested that the foot strike pattern during running did not affect the morphological or mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon in long-distance runners.

  9. 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

  10. Foot strike patterns of recreational and sub-elite runners in a long-distance road race.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Peter; Higgins, Erin; Kaminski, Justin; Decker, Tamara; Preble, Janine; Lyons, Daniela; McIntyre, Kevin; Normile, Adam

    2011-12-01

    Although the biomechanical properties of the various types of running foot strike (rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot) have been studied extensively in the laboratory, only a few studies have attempted to quantify the frequency of running foot strike variants among runners in competitive road races. We classified the left and right foot strike patterns of 936 distance runners, most of whom would be considered of recreational or sub-elite ability, at the 10 km point of a half-marathon/marathon road race. We classified 88.9% of runners at the 10 km point as rearfoot strikers, 3.4% as midfoot strikers, 1.8% as forefoot strikers, and 5.9% of runners exhibited discrete foot strike asymmetry. Rearfoot striking was more common among our sample of mostly recreational distance runners than has been previously reported for samples of faster runners. We also compared foot strike patterns of 286 individual marathon runners between the 10 km and 32 km race locations and observed increased frequency of rearfoot striking at 32 km. A large percentage of runners switched from midfoot and forefoot foot strikes at 10 km to rearfoot strikes at 32 km. The frequency of discrete foot strike asymmetry declined from the 10 km to the 32 km location. Among marathon runners, we found no significant relationship between foot strike patterns and race times.

  11. Laparoscopic Low Anterior Resection and Eversion Technique Combined With a Nondog Ear Anastomosis for Mid- and Distal Rectal Neoplasms: A Preliminary and Feasibility Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuo, Changhua; Liang, Lei; Ying, Mingang; Li, Qingguo; Li, Dawei; Li, Yiwei; Peng, Junjie; Huang, Liyong; Cai, Sanjun; Li, Xinxiang

    2015-12-01

    The transanal eversion and prolapsing technique is a well-established procedure, and can ensure an adequate distal margin for patients with low rectal neoplasms. Potential leakage risks, however, are associated with bilateral dog ear formation, which results from traditional double-stapling anastomosis. The authors determined the feasibility of combining these techniques with a commercial stapling set to achieve a nondog ear (end-to-end) anastomosis for patients with mid- and distal rectal neoplasms. Patients with early-stage (c/ycT1-2N0), mid- to distal rectal neoplasms and good anal sphincter function were included in this study. Laparoscopic low anterior resection was performed with a standard total mesorectal excision technique downward to the pelvic floor as low as possible. The bowel was resected proximal to the lesion with an endoscopic linear stapler. An anvil was inserted extracorporeally into the proximal colon via an extended working pore. The distal rectum coupled with the lesion was prolapsed and everted out of the anus. The neoplasm was resected with a sufficient margin above the dentate line under direct sight. A transrectal anastomosis without dog ears was performed intracorporeally to reconstitute the continuity of the bowel. Eleven cases, 6 male and 5 female patients, were included in this study. The mean operative time was 191 (129-292) minutes. The mean blood loss was 110 (30-300) mL. The median distal margin distance from the lower edge of the lesion to the dentate line was 1.5 (0.5-2.5) cm. All the resection margins were negative. Most patients experienced uneventful postoperative recoveries. No patient had anastomotic leak. Most patients had an acceptable stool frequency after loop ileostomy closure. Our preliminary data demonstrated the safety and feasibility of achieving a sound anastomosis without risking potential anastomotic leakage because of dog ear formation.

  12. Effects of Foot Strike and Step Frequency on Achilles Tendon Stress During Running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyght, Michael; Nockerts, Matthew; Kernozek, Thomas W; Ragan, Robert

    2016-08-01

    Achilles tendon (AT) injuries are common in runners. The AT withstands high magnitudes of stress during running which may contribute to injury. Our purpose was to examine the effects of foot strike pattern and step frequency on AT stress and strain during running utilizing muscle forces based on a musculoskeletal model and subject-specific ultrasound-derived AT cross-sectional area. Nineteen female runners performed running trials under 6 conditions, including rearfoot strike and forefoot strike patterns at their preferred cadence, +5%, and -5% preferred cadence. Rearfoot strike patterns had less peak AT stress (P forefoot strike pattern. A reduction in peak AT stress and strain were exhibited with a +5% preferred step frequency relative to the preferred condition using a rearfoot (P forefoot (P=.005) strike pattern. Strain rate was not different (P > .05) between step frequencies within each foot strike condition. Our results suggest that a rearfoot pattern may reduce AT stress, strain, and strain rate. Increases in step frequency of 5% above preferred frequency, regardless of foot strike pattern, may also lower peak AT stress and strain.

  13. Are muscle activation patterns altered during shod and barefoot running with a forefoot footfall pattern?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ervilha, Ulysses Fernandes; Mochizuki, Luis; Figueira, Aylton; Hamill, Joseph

    2017-09-01

    This study aimed to investigate the activation of lower limb muscles during barefoot and shod running with forefoot or rearfoot footfall patterns. Nine habitually shod runners were asked to run straight for 20 m at self-selected speed. Ground reaction forces and thigh and shank muscle surface electromyographic (EMG) were recorded. EMG outcomes (EMG intensity [iEMG], latency between muscle activation and ground reaction force, latency between muscle pairs and co-activation index between muscle pairs) were compared across condition (shod and barefoot), running cycle epochs (pre-strike, strike, propulsion) and footfall (rearfoot and forefoot) by ANOVA. Condition affected iEMG at pre-strike epoch. Forefoot and rearfoot strike patterns induced different EMG activation time patterns affecting co-activation index for pairs of thigh and shank muscles. All these timing changes suggest that wearing shoes or not is less important for muscle activation than the way runners strike the foot on the ground. In conclusion, the guidance for changing external forces applied on lower limbs should be pointed to the question of rearfoot or forefoot footfall patterns.

  14. 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.

  15. Magnitude and Spatial Distribution of Impact Intensity Under the Foot Relates to Initial Foot Contact Pattern.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breine, Bastiaan; Malcolm, Philippe; Segers, Veerle; Gerlo, Joeri; Derie, Rud; Pataky, Todd; Frederick, Edward C; De Clercq, Dirk

    2017-12-01

    In running, foot contact patterns (rear-, mid-, or forefoot contact) influence impact intensity and initial ankle and foot kinematics. The aim of the study was to compare impact intensity and its spatial distribution under the foot between different foot contact patterns. Forty-nine subjects ran at 3.2 m·s -1 over a level runway while ground reaction forces (GRF) and shoe-surface pressures were recorded and foot contact pattern was determined. A 4-zone footmask (forefoot, midfoot, medial and lateral rearfoot) assessed the spatial distribution of the vertical GRF under the foot. We calculated peak vertical instantaneous loading rate of the GRF (VILR) per foot zone as the impact intensity measure. Midfoot contact patterns were shown to have the lowest, and atypical rearfoot contact patterns the highest impact intensities, respectively. The greatest local impact intensity was mainly situated under the rear- and midfoot for the typical rearfoot contact patterns, under the midfoot for the atypical rearfoot contact patterns, and under the mid- and forefoot for the midfoot contact patterns. These findings indicate that different foot contact patterns could benefit from cushioning in different shoe zones.

  16. 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.

  17. Neutron spectra unfolding with maximum entropy and maximum likelihood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoh, Shikoh; Tsunoda, Toshiharu

    1989-01-01

    A new unfolding theory has been established on the basis of the maximum entropy principle and the maximum likelihood method. This theory correctly embodies the Poisson statistics of neutron detection, and always brings a positive solution over the whole energy range. Moreover, the theory unifies both problems of overdetermined and of underdetermined. For the latter, the ambiguity in assigning a prior probability, i.e. the initial guess in the Bayesian sense, has become extinct by virtue of the principle. An approximate expression of the covariance matrix for the resultant spectra is also presented. An efficient algorithm to solve the nonlinear system, which appears in the present study, has been established. Results of computer simulation showed the effectiveness of the present theory. (author)

  18. Maximum Power from a Solar Panel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Miller

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Solar energy has become a promising alternative to conventional fossil fuel sources. Solar panels are used to collect solar radiation and convert it into electricity. One of the techniques used to maximize the effectiveness of this energy alternative is to maximize the power output of the solar collector. In this project the maximum power is calculated by determining the voltage and the current of maximum power. These quantities are determined by finding the maximum value for the equation for power using differentiation. After the maximum values are found for each time of day, each individual quantity, voltage of maximum power, current of maximum power, and maximum power is plotted as a function of the time of day.

  19. Biomechanical Differences of Foot-Strike Patterns During Running: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Matheus O; Davis, Irene S; Lopes, Alexandre D

    2015-10-01

    Systematic review with meta-analysis. To determine the biomechanical differences between foot-strike patterns used when running. Strike patterns during running have received attention in the recent literature due to their potential mechanical differences and associated injury risks. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, SciELO, and SPORTDiscus) were searched through July 2014. Studies (cross-sectional, case-control, prospective, and retrospective) comparing the biomechanical characteristics of foot-strike patterns during running in distance runners at least 18 years of age were included in this review. Two independent reviewers evaluated the risk of bias. A meta-analysis with a random-effects model was used to combine the data from the included studies. Sixteen studies were included in the final analysis. In the meta-analyses of kinematic variables, significant differences between forefoot and rearfoot strikers were found for foot and knee angle at initial contact and knee flexion range of motion. A forefoot-strike pattern resulted in a plantar-flexed ankle position and a more flexed knee position, compared to a dorsiflexed ankle position and a more extended knee position for the rearfoot strikers, at initial contact with the ground. In the comparison of rearfoot and midfoot strikers, midfoot strikers demonstrated greater ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and decreased knee flexion range of motion compared to rearfoot strikers. For kinetic variables, the meta-analysis revealed that rearfoot strikers had higher vertical loading rates compared to forefoot strikers. There are differences in kinematic and kinetic characteristics between foot-strike patterns when running. Clinicians should be aware of these characteristics to help in the management of running injuries and advice on training.

  20. Maximum concentrations at work and maximum biologically tolerable concentration for working materials 1991

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The meaning of the term 'maximum concentration at work' in regard of various pollutants is discussed. Specifically, a number of dusts and smokes are dealt with. The valuation criteria for maximum biologically tolerable concentrations for working materials are indicated. The working materials in question are corcinogeneous substances or substances liable to cause allergies or mutate the genome. (VT) [de

  1. 40 CFR 1042.140 - Maximum engine power, displacement, power density, and maximum in-use engine speed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... cylinders having an internal diameter of 13.0 cm and a 15.5 cm stroke length, the rounded displacement would... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum engine power, displacement... Maximum engine power, displacement, power density, and maximum in-use engine speed. This section describes...

  2. Credal Networks under Maximum Entropy

    OpenAIRE

    Lukasiewicz, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    We apply the principle of maximum entropy to select a unique joint probability distribution from the set of all joint probability distributions specified by a credal network. In detail, we start by showing that the unique joint distribution of a Bayesian tree coincides with the maximum entropy model of its conditional distributions. This result, however, does not hold anymore for general Bayesian networks. We thus present a new kind of maximum entropy models, which are computed sequentially. ...

  3. Maximum Entropy in Drug Discovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Yuan Tseng

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Drug discovery applies multidisciplinary approaches either experimentally, computationally or both ways to identify lead compounds to treat various diseases. While conventional approaches have yielded many US Food and Drug Administration (FDA-approved drugs, researchers continue investigating and designing better approaches to increase the success rate in the discovery process. In this article, we provide an overview of the current strategies and point out where and how the method of maximum entropy has been introduced in this area. The maximum entropy principle has its root in thermodynamics, yet since Jaynes’ pioneering work in the 1950s, the maximum entropy principle has not only been used as a physics law, but also as a reasoning tool that allows us to process information in hand with the least bias. Its applicability in various disciplines has been abundantly demonstrated. We give several examples of applications of maximum entropy in different stages of drug discovery. Finally, we discuss a promising new direction in drug discovery that is likely to hinge on the ways of utilizing maximum entropy.

  4. Maximum Quantum Entropy Method

    OpenAIRE

    Sim, Jae-Hoon; Han, Myung Joon

    2018-01-01

    Maximum entropy method for analytic continuation is extended by introducing quantum relative entropy. This new method is formulated in terms of matrix-valued functions and therefore invariant under arbitrary unitary transformation of input matrix. As a result, the continuation of off-diagonal elements becomes straightforward. Without introducing any further ambiguity, the Bayesian probabilistic interpretation is maintained just as in the conventional maximum entropy method. The applications o...

  5. Home-based Exercise on Functional Outcome of the Donor Lower Extremity in Oral Cancer Patients after Fibula Flap Harvest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ting-Yuan Liu

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: After harvesting the fibula flap, pain, sensory disturbance, weakness of donor leg, reduced walking endurance, ankle instability, and lower walking speed had been reported. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess functional outcome of regular home-based exercise on donor ankle strength, endurance, and walking ability after free fibula flap for mandibular reconstruction. Methods: Fourteen patients were recruited. Objective isokinetic testing and a 6-min walk test (6MWT were used to evaluate ankle strength/endurance and walking ability, respectively. Results: There was a significant increase in the peak torque of ankle dorsiflexion/foot inversion of the healthy leg and ankle dorsiflexion/foot eversion of the donor leg after exercise (p < 0.05. After home-based exercise, there was reduced asymmetry in the peak torques of ankle dorsiflexion and foot eversion and the total work of foot eversion between the donor and healthy legs. In 6MWT, no significant difference was found between the walking distances before and after exercise. Conclusion: Regular home-based exercise could improve the strength of ankle dorsiflexion and foot eversion of the donor leg, and get more symmetric ankle motor function between the donor and healthy legs.

  6. Weighted Maximum-Clique Transversal Sets of Graphs

    OpenAIRE

    Chuan-Min Lee

    2011-01-01

    A maximum-clique transversal set of a graph G is a subset of vertices intersecting all maximum cliques of G. The maximum-clique transversal set problem is to find a maximum-clique transversal set of G of minimum cardinality. Motivated by the placement of transmitters for cellular telephones, Chang, Kloks, and Lee introduced the concept of maximum-clique transversal sets on graphs in 2001. In this paper, we study the weighted version of the maximum-clique transversal set problem for split grap...

  7. Effects on Subtalar Joint Stress Distribution After Cannulated Screw Insertion at Different Positions and Directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Cheng-song; Chen, Wan; Chen, Chen; Yang, Guang-hua; Hu, Chao; Tang, Kang-lai

    2015-01-01

    We investigated the effects on subtalar joint stress distribution after cannulated screw insertion at different positions and directions. After establishing a 3-dimensional geometric model of a normal subtalar joint, we analyzed the most ideal cannulated screw insertion position and approach for subtalar joint stress distribution and compared the differences in loading stress, antirotary strength, and anti-inversion/eversion strength among lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion, traditional screw insertion, and ideal cannulated screw insertion. The screw insertion approach allowing the most uniform subtalar joint loading stress distribution was lateral screw insertion near the border of the talar neck plus medial screw insertion close to the ankle joint. For stress distribution uniformity, antirotary strength, and anti-inversion/eversion strength, lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion was superior to traditional double-screw insertion. Compared with ideal cannulated screw insertion, slightly poorer stress distribution uniformity and better antirotary strength and anti-inversion/eversion strength were observed for lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion. Traditional single-screw insertion was better than double-screw insertion for stress distribution uniformity but worse for anti-rotary strength and anti-inversion/eversion strength. Lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion was slightly worse for stress distribution uniformity than was ideal cannulated screw insertion but superior to traditional screw insertion. It was better than both ideal cannulated screw insertion and traditional screw insertion for anti-rotary strength and anti-inversion/eversion strength. Lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion is an approach with simple localization, convenient operation, and good safety. Copyright © 2015 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Maximum power demand cost

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biondi, L.

    1998-01-01

    The charging for a service is a supplier's remuneration for the expenses incurred in providing it. There are currently two charges for electricity: consumption and maximum demand. While no problem arises about the former, the issue is more complicated for the latter and the analysis in this article tends to show that the annual charge for maximum demand arbitrarily discriminates among consumer groups, to the disadvantage of some [it

  9. A Kinematic Method for Footstrike Pattern Detection in Barefoot and Shod Runners

    OpenAIRE

    Altman, Allison R.; Davis, Irene S.

    2011-01-01

    Footstrike patterns during running can be classified discretely into a rearfoot strike, midfoot strike and forefoot strike by visual observation. However, the footstrike pattern can also be classified on a continuum, ranging from 0–100% (extreme rearfoot to extreme forefoot) using the strike index, a measure requiring force plate data. When force data are not available, an alternative method to quantify the strike pattern must be used. The purpose of this paper was to quantify the continuum o...

  10. Is changing footstrike pattern beneficial to runners?

    OpenAIRE

    Joseph Hamill; Allison H. Gruber

    2017-01-01

    Some researchers, running instructors, and coaches have suggested that the “optimal” footstrike pattern to improve performance and reduce running injuries is to land using a mid- or forefoot strike. Thus, it has been recommended that runners who use a rearfoot strike would benefit by changing their footstrike although there is little scientific evidence for suggesting such a change. The rearfoot strike is clearly more prevalent. The major reasons often given for changing to a mid- or forefoot...

  11. Foot strike and injury rates in endurance runners: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daoud, Adam I; Geissler, Gary J; Wang, Frank; Saretsky, Jason; Daoud, Yahya A; Lieberman, Daniel E

    2012-07-01

    This retrospective study tests if runners who habitually forefoot strike have different rates of injury than runners who habitually rearfoot strike. We measured the strike characteristics of middle- and long-distance runners from a collegiate cross-country team and quantified their history of injury, including the incidence and rate of specific injuries, the severity of each injury, and the rate of mild, moderate, and severe injuries per mile run. Of the 52 runners studied, 36 (69%) primarily used a rearfoot strike and 16 (31%) primarily used a forefoot strike. Approximately 74% of runners experienced a moderate or severe injury each year, but those who habitually rearfoot strike had approximately twice the rate of repetitive stress injuries than individuals who habitually forefoot strike. Traumatic injury rates were not significantly different between the two groups. A generalized linear model showed that strike type, sex, race distance, and average miles per week each correlate significantly (P strike have significantly higher rates of repetitive stress injury than those who mostly forefoot strike. This study does not test the causal bases for this general difference. One hypothesis, which requires further research, is that the absence of a marked impact peak in the ground reaction force during a forefoot strike compared with a rearfoot strike may contribute to lower rates of injuries in habitual forefoot strikers.

  12. 49 CFR 230.24 - Maximum allowable stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Maximum allowable stress. 230.24 Section 230.24... Allowable Stress § 230.24 Maximum allowable stress. (a) Maximum allowable stress value. The maximum allowable stress value on any component of a steam locomotive boiler shall not exceed 1/4 of the ultimate...

  13. A maximum power point tracking for photovoltaic-SPE system using a maximum current controller

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muhida, Riza [Osaka Univ., Dept. of Physical Science, Toyonaka, Osaka (Japan); Osaka Univ., Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Park, Minwon; Dakkak, Mohammed; Matsuura, Kenji [Osaka Univ., Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Tsuyoshi, Akira; Michira, Masakazu [Kobe City College of Technology, Nishi-ku, Kobe (Japan)

    2003-02-01

    Processes to produce hydrogen from solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered water electrolysis using solid polymer electrolysis (SPE) are reported. An alternative control of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in the PV-SPE system based on the maximum current searching methods has been designed and implemented. Based on the characteristics of voltage-current and theoretical analysis of SPE, it can be shown that the tracking of the maximum current output of DC-DC converter in SPE side will track the MPPT of photovoltaic panel simultaneously. This method uses a proportional integrator controller to control the duty factor of DC-DC converter with pulse-width modulator (PWM). The MPPT performance and hydrogen production performance of this method have been evaluated and discussed based on the results of the experiment. (Author)

  14. Eversión vesical completa a través de una fístula vesicovaginal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jhoan Aragón Charry

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available La eversión vesical completa es rara. Se presenta el caso de una eversión de vejiga urinaria a través de una fístula vesicovaginal acompañada de prolapso útero-vaginal concurrente. Se trata de paciente de 70 años que presentó una tumoración compatible con un prolapso vaginal grado IV y una tumoración edematosa, pegajosa y piriforme por delante del prolapso compatible con la vejiga con un orificio en la pared anterior de la vagina a través del cual la mucosa de la vejiga estaba evertida, procediendo al reposicionamiento y corrección manual de la eversión para luego ser corregida quirúrgicamente. Complete bladder eversion through vesicovaginal fistula Abstract Complete bladder eversion is rare. A case of bladder eversion trough vesicovaginal fistula accompanied with concomitant uterovaginal prolapse is presented. A 70 year-old patients presented a tumor compatible with vaginal prolapse type IV and an edematous, sticky and piriform tumor ahead of prolapse compatible with bladder with an orifice on anterior wall of vagina through bladder mucosa was everted, proceeding to reduction and manual correction of eversion and then was surgical corrected.

  15. Effects of five hindfoot arthrodeses on foot and ankle motion: Measurements in cadaver specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kun; Chen, Yanxi; Qiang, Minfei; Hao, Yini

    2016-01-01

    Single, double, and triple hindfoot arthrodeses are used to correct hindfoot deformities and relieve chronic pain. However, joint fusion may lead to dysfunction in adjacent articular surfaces. We compared range of motion in adjacent joints before and after arthrodesis to determine the effects of each procedure on joint motion. The theory of moment of couple, bending moment and balanced loading was applied to each of 16 fresh cadaver feet to induce dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, internal rotation, external rotation, inversion, and eversion. Range of motion was measured with a 3-axis coordinate measuring machine in a control foot and in feet after subtalar, talonavicular, calcaneocuboid, double, or triple arthrodesis. All arthrodeses restricted mainly internal-external rotation and inversion-eversion. The restriction in a double arthrodesis was more than that in a single arthrodesis, but that in a calcaneocuboid arthrodesis was relatively low. After triple arthrodeses, the restriction on dorsiflexion and plantarflexion movements was substantial, and internal-external rotation and inversion-eversion were almost lost. Considering that different arthrodesis procedures cause complex, three-dimensional hindfoot motion reductions, we recommend talonavicular or calcaneocuboid arthrodesis for patients with well-preserved functions of plantarflexion/dorsiflexion before operation, subtalar or calcaneocuboid arthrodesis for patients with well-preserved abduction/adduction, and talonavicular arthrodesis for patients with well-preserved eversion/inversion. PMID:27752084

  16. Subtalar joint stress imaging with tomosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teramoto, Atsushi; Watanabe, Kota; Takashima, Hiroyuki; Yamashita, Toshihiko

    2014-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to perform stress imaging of hindfoot inversion and eversion using tomosynthesis and to assess the subtalar joint range of motion (ROM) of healthy subjects. The subjects were 15 healthy volunteers with a mean age of 29.1 years. Coronal tomosynthesis stress imaging of the subtalar joint was performed in a total of 30 left and right ankles. A Telos stress device was used for the stress load, and the load was 150 N for both inversion and eversion. Tomographic images in which the posterior talocalcaneal joint could be confirmed on the neutral position images were used in measurements. The angle of the intersection formed by a line through the lateral articular facet of the posterior talocalcaneal joint and a line through the surface of the trochlea of the talus was measured. The mean change in the angle of the calcaneus with respect to the talus was 10.3 ± 4.8° with inversion stress and 5.0 ± 3.8° with eversion stress from the neutral position. The result was a clearer depiction of the subtalar joint, and inversion and eversion ROM of the subtalar joint was shown to be about 15° in healthy subjects. Diagnostic, Level IV.

  17. 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...

  18. Maximum permissible voltage of YBCO coated conductors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wen, J.; Lin, B.; Sheng, J.; Xu, J.; Jin, Z. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai (China); Hong, Z., E-mail: zhiyong.hong@sjtu.edu.cn [Department of Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai (China); Wang, D.; Zhou, H.; Shen, X.; Shen, C. [Qingpu Power Supply Company, State Grid Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company, Shanghai (China)

    2014-06-15

    Highlights: • We examine three kinds of tapes’ maximum permissible voltage. • We examine the relationship between quenching duration and maximum permissible voltage. • Continuous I{sub c} degradations under repetitive quenching where tapes reaching maximum permissible voltage. • The relationship between maximum permissible voltage and resistance, temperature. - Abstract: Superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) could reduce short circuit currents in electrical power system. One of the most important thing in developing SFCL is to find out the maximum permissible voltage of each limiting element. The maximum permissible voltage is defined as the maximum voltage per unit length at which the YBCO coated conductors (CC) do not suffer from critical current (I{sub c}) degradation or burnout. In this research, the time of quenching process is changed and voltage is raised until the I{sub c} degradation or burnout happens. YBCO coated conductors test in the experiment are from American superconductor (AMSC) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). Along with the quenching duration increasing, the maximum permissible voltage of CC decreases. When quenching duration is 100 ms, the maximum permissible of SJTU CC, 12 mm AMSC CC and 4 mm AMSC CC are 0.72 V/cm, 0.52 V/cm and 1.2 V/cm respectively. Based on the results of samples, the whole length of CCs used in the design of a SFCL can be determined.

  19. Receiver function estimated by maximum entropy deconvolution

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    吴庆举; 田小波; 张乃铃; 李卫平; 曾融生

    2003-01-01

    Maximum entropy deconvolution is presented to estimate receiver function, with the maximum entropy as the rule to determine auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions. The Toeplitz equation and Levinson algorithm are used to calculate the iterative formula of error-predicting filter, and receiver function is then estimated. During extrapolation, reflective coefficient is always less than 1, which keeps maximum entropy deconvolution stable. The maximum entropy of the data outside window increases the resolution of receiver function. Both synthetic and real seismograms show that maximum entropy deconvolution is an effective method to measure receiver function in time-domain.

  20. Maximum Gene-Support Tree

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunfeng Shan

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Genomes and genes diversify during evolution; however, it is unclear to what extent genes still retain the relationship among species. Model species for molecular phylogenetic studies include yeasts and viruses whose genomes were sequenced as well as plants that have the fossil-supported true phylogenetic trees available. In this study, we generated single gene trees of seven yeast species as well as single gene trees of nine baculovirus species using all the orthologous genes among the species compared. Homologous genes among seven known plants were used for validation of the finding. Four algorithms—maximum parsimony (MP, minimum evolution (ME, maximum likelihood (ML, and neighbor-joining (NJ—were used. Trees were reconstructed before and after weighting the DNA and protein sequence lengths among genes. Rarely a gene can always generate the “true tree” by all the four algorithms. However, the most frequent gene tree, termed “maximum gene-support tree” (MGS tree, or WMGS tree for the weighted one, in yeasts, baculoviruses, or plants was consistently found to be the “true tree” among the species. The results provide insights into the overall degree of divergence of orthologous genes of the genomes analyzed and suggest the following: 1 The true tree relationship among the species studied is still maintained by the largest group of orthologous genes; 2 There are usually more orthologous genes with higher similarities between genetically closer species than between genetically more distant ones; and 3 The maximum gene-support tree reflects the phylogenetic relationship among species in comparison.

  1. Reliability of lower leg proximal end and forefoot kinematics during different paces of barefoot racewalking on a treadmill using a motion recorder (MVP-RF8-BC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hongzhao; Huo, Ming; An, Xiangde; Li, Yong; Onoda, Ko; Li, Desheng; Huang, Qiuchen; Maruyama, Hitoshi

    2016-04-01

    [Purpose] This study was performed to investigate the changes in lower leg proximal end and forefoot kinematics, and reliability of measurement during different paces of barefoot racewalking on treadmill. [Subjects] Eleven junior racewalking men participated in this study. [Methods] To identify changes in lower leg proximal end and forefoot kinematics, during different paces of barefoot racewalking on a treadmill, a wireless motion recorder (MVP-RF8-BC) was used. Interclass correlation coefficients (ICC 1, 2) were used to estimate reliability. [Results] There were significant differences in the lower leg proximal end and forefoot maximum medial/lateral rotations at a pace of 9 km/h compared with those at a pace of 5 km/h pace. The intra-examiner reliability estimates ranged from 0.82 and 0.89 to 0.87 and 0.93 for lower leg proximal end inversion/eversion rotation and medial/lateral rotation, and from 0.92 and 0.84 to 0.93 and 0.91 for forefoot inversion/eversion rotation and medial/lateral rotation. [Conclusion] We conclude that the lower leg proximal end and forefoot kinematics of barefoot racewalking on a treadmill are influenced by different paces and that assessment of lower leg proximal end and forefoot kinematics by means of the wireless motion recorder (MVP-RF8-BC) is adequately reliable. This information may be useful for determining exercise prescriptions.

  2. Maximum neutron flux in thermal reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strugar, P.V.

    1968-12-01

    Direct approach to the problem is to calculate spatial distribution of fuel concentration if the reactor core directly using the condition of maximum neutron flux and comply with thermal limitations. This paper proved that the problem can be solved by applying the variational calculus, i.e. by using the maximum principle of Pontryagin. Mathematical model of reactor core is based on the two-group neutron diffusion theory with some simplifications which make it appropriate from maximum principle point of view. Here applied theory of maximum principle are suitable for application. The solution of optimum distribution of fuel concentration in the reactor core is obtained in explicit analytical form. The reactor critical dimensions are roots of a system of nonlinear equations and verification of optimum conditions can be done only for specific examples

  3. 75 FR 43840 - Inflation Adjustment of the Ordinary Maximum and Aggravated Maximum Civil Monetary Penalties for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-27

    ...-17530; Notice No. 2] RIN 2130-ZA03 Inflation Adjustment of the Ordinary Maximum and Aggravated Maximum... remains at $250. These adjustments are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990...

  4. Half-width at half-maximum, full-width at half-maximum analysis

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    addition to the well-defined parameter full-width at half-maximum (FWHM). The distribution of ... optical side-lobes in the diffraction pattern resulting in steep central maxima [6], reduc- tion of effects of ... and broad central peak. The idea of.

  5. Two-dimensional maximum entropy image restoration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brolley, J.E.; Lazarus, R.B.; Suydam, B.R.; Trussell, H.J.

    1977-07-01

    An optical check problem was constructed to test P LOG P maximum entropy restoration of an extremely distorted image. Useful recovery of the original image was obtained. Comparison with maximum a posteriori restoration is made. 7 figures

  6. Maximum power point tracking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Enslin, J.H.R.

    1990-01-01

    A well engineered renewable remote energy system, utilizing the principal of Maximum Power Point Tracking can be m ore cost effective, has a higher reliability and can improve the quality of life in remote areas. This paper reports that a high-efficient power electronic converter, for converting the output voltage of a solar panel, or wind generator, to the required DC battery bus voltage has been realized. The converter is controlled to track the maximum power point of the input source under varying input and output parameters. Maximum power point tracking for relative small systems is achieved by maximization of the output current in a battery charging regulator, using an optimized hill-climbing, inexpensive microprocessor based algorithm. Through practical field measurements it is shown that a minimum input source saving of 15% on 3-5 kWh/day systems can easily be achieved. A total cost saving of at least 10-15% on the capital cost of these systems are achievable for relative small rating Remote Area Power Supply systems. The advantages at larger temperature variations and larger power rated systems are much higher. Other advantages include optimal sizing and system monitor and control

  7. 7 CFR 3565.210 - Maximum interest rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maximum interest rate. 3565.210 Section 3565.210... AGRICULTURE GUARANTEED RURAL RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAM Loan Requirements § 3565.210 Maximum interest rate. The interest rate for a guaranteed loan must not exceed the maximum allowable rate specified by the Agency in...

  8. Foot strike pattern in children during shod-unshod running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latorre Román, Pedro Ángel; Balboa, Fernando Redondo; Pinillos, Felipe García

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the foot strike patterns (FSPs) and neutral support (no INV/EVE and no foot rotation) in children, as well as to determine the influence of shod/unshod conditions and sex. A total of 713 children, aged 6 to 16 years, participated in this study (Age=10.28±2.71years, body mass index [BMI]=19.70±3.91kg/m 2 , 302 girls and 411 boys). A sagittal and frontal-plane video (240Hz) was recorded using a high-speed camcorder, to record the following variables: rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS), forefoot strike (FFS), inversion/eversion (INV/EVE) and foot rotation on initial contact. RFS prevalence was similar between boys and girls in both shod and unshod conditions. In the unshod condition there was a significant reduction (p<0.001) of RFS prevalence both in boys (shod condition=83.95% vs. 62.65% unshod condition) and in girls (shod condition=87.85% vs. 62.70% unshod condition). No significant differences were found in INV/EVE and foot rotation between sex groups. In the unshod condition there was a significant increase (p<0.001) of neutral support (no INV/EVE) both in boys (shod condition=12.55% vs. 22.22% unshod condition) and in girls (shod condition=17.9% vs. 28.15% unshod condition). In addition, in the unshod condition there is a significant reduction (p<0.001) of neutral support (no foot rotation) both in boys (shod condition=21.55% vs. 11.10% unshod condition) and in girls (shod condition=21.05% vs. 11.95% unshod condition). In children, RFS prevalence is lower than adult's population. Additionally, barefoot running reduced the prevalence of RFS and INV/EVE, however increased foot rotation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Does Wearing Textured Insoles during Non-class Time Improve Proprioception in Professional Dancers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinberg, N; Tirosh, O; Adams, R; Karin, J; Waddington, G

    2015-11-01

    This study sought to determine whether textured insoles inserted in the sports shoes of young dancers improved their inversion and eversion ankle movement discrimination. 26 ballet dancers (14 female, 12 male) from the Australian Ballet School, ages 14-19 years, were divided into 2 groups according to sex and class levels. During the first 4 weeks, the first intervention group (GRP1) was asked to wear textured insoles in their sports shoes during non-class periods, and the second intervention group (GRP2) followed standard practice. In the next 4 weeks, GRP2 was asked to wear the textured insoles and GRP1 did not wear the textured insoles. Participants were tested pre-intervention, after 4 weeks, and at 8 weeks for both inversion and eversion ankle discrimination. In both inversion and eversion testing positions, interaction was found between the 2 groups and the 3 testing times (p<0.001), with significant differences between the first testing and the second testing (p=0.038 and p=0.019, respectively), and between the third testing and the second testing (p=0.003 and p=0.029, respectively). In conclusion, the stimulation to the proprioceptive system arising from textured insoles worn for 4 weeks was sufficient to improve the ankle proprioception of ballet dancers, in both inversion and eversion movements. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  10. MXLKID: a maximum likelihood parameter identifier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gavel, D.T.

    1980-07-01

    MXLKID (MaXimum LiKelihood IDentifier) is a computer program designed to identify unknown parameters in a nonlinear dynamic system. Using noisy measurement data from the system, the maximum likelihood identifier computes a likelihood function (LF). Identification of system parameters is accomplished by maximizing the LF with respect to the parameters. The main body of this report briefly summarizes the maximum likelihood technique and gives instructions and examples for running the MXLKID program. MXLKID is implemented LRLTRAN on the CDC7600 computer at LLNL. A detailed mathematical description of the algorithm is given in the appendices. 24 figures, 6 tables

  11. 78 FR 9845 - Minimum and Ordinary Maximum and Aggravated Maximum Civil Monetary Penalties for a Violation of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-12

    ... maximum penalty amount of $75,000 for each violation, except that if the violation results in death... the maximum civil penalty for a violation is $175,000 if the violation results in death, serious... Penalties for a Violation of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Laws or Regulations, Orders, Special...

  12. Manipulation of Foot Strike and Footwear Increases Achilles Tendon Loading During Running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, Hannah; Patel, Mubarak

    2017-08-01

    The Achilles tendon is the most common site of tendon overuse injury in humans. Running with a forefoot strike pattern and in minimal shoes is a topic of recent interest, yet evidence is currently limited regarding the combined influence of foot strike and footwear on Achilles tendon loading. To investigate the influence of both foot strike and footwear on Achilles tendon loading in habitual rearfoot strike runners. Controlled laboratory study. Synchronized kinematic and force data were collected from 22 habitual rearfoot strikers (11 male), who habitually ran in nonminimal running shoes, during overground running at 3.6 m·s -1 . Participants ran in 3 different footwear conditions (standard running shoe, minimal running shoe, and barefoot) with both a rearfoot strike (RFS) and an imposed forefoot strike (FFS) in each footwear condition. Achilles tendon loading was estimated by use of inverse dynamics, where the Achilles tendon moment arm was determined with a regression equation. A 2-way, repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare conditions. Achilles tendon impulse was greater when subjects ran with an FFS rather than an RFS in minimal shoes. Achilles tendon loading rates were higher when subjects ran either in minimal shoes or barefoot than in standard shoes, regardless of foot strike. In runners who habitually rearfoot strike in standard running shoes, running in minimal shoes or barefoot increased the rate of tendon loading, and running with a forefoot strike in minimal shoes increased the magnitude of tendon loading. Transitioning to these running conditions may increase the risk of tendinopathy.

  13. Performance analysis and comparison of an Atkinson cycle coupled to variable temperature heat reservoirs under maximum power and maximum power density conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, P.-Y.; Hou, S.-S.

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, performance analysis and comparison based on the maximum power and maximum power density conditions have been conducted for an Atkinson cycle coupled to variable temperature heat reservoirs. The Atkinson cycle is internally reversible but externally irreversible, since there is external irreversibility of heat transfer during the processes of constant volume heat addition and constant pressure heat rejection. This study is based purely on classical thermodynamic analysis methodology. It should be especially emphasized that all the results and conclusions are based on classical thermodynamics. The power density, defined as the ratio of power output to maximum specific volume in the cycle, is taken as the optimization objective because it considers the effects of engine size as related to investment cost. The results show that an engine design based on maximum power density with constant effectiveness of the hot and cold side heat exchangers or constant inlet temperature ratio of the heat reservoirs will have smaller size but higher efficiency, compression ratio, expansion ratio and maximum temperature than one based on maximum power. From the view points of engine size and thermal efficiency, an engine design based on maximum power density is better than one based on maximum power conditions. However, due to the higher compression ratio and maximum temperature in the cycle, an engine design based on maximum power density conditions requires tougher materials for engine construction than one based on maximum power conditions

  14. LCLS Maximum Credible Beam Power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clendenin, J.

    2005-01-01

    The maximum credible beam power is defined as the highest credible average beam power that the accelerator can deliver to the point in question, given the laws of physics, the beam line design, and assuming all protection devices have failed. For a new accelerator project, the official maximum credible beam power is determined by project staff in consultation with the Radiation Physics Department, after examining the arguments and evidence presented by the appropriate accelerator physicist(s) and beam line engineers. The definitive parameter becomes part of the project's safety envelope. This technical note will first review the studies that were done for the Gun Test Facility (GTF) at SSRL, where a photoinjector similar to the one proposed for the LCLS is being tested. In Section 3 the maximum charge out of the gun for a single rf pulse is calculated. In Section 4, PARMELA simulations are used to track the beam from the gun to the end of the photoinjector. Finally in Section 5 the beam through the matching section and injected into Linac-1 is discussed

  15. 13 CFR 107.840 - Maximum term of Financing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maximum term of Financing. 107.840... COMPANIES Financing of Small Businesses by Licensees Structuring Licensee's Financing of An Eligible Small Business: Terms and Conditions of Financing § 107.840 Maximum term of Financing. The maximum term of any...

  16. 20 CFR 226.52 - Total annuity subject to maximum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Total annuity subject to maximum. 226.52... COMPUTING EMPLOYEE, SPOUSE, AND DIVORCED SPOUSE ANNUITIES Railroad Retirement Family Maximum § 226.52 Total annuity subject to maximum. The total annuity amount which is compared to the maximum monthly amount to...

  17. Maximum likely scale estimation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Loog, Marco; Pedersen, Kim Steenstrup; Markussen, Bo

    2005-01-01

    A maximum likelihood local scale estimation principle is presented. An actual implementation of the estimation principle uses second order moments of multiple measurements at a fixed location in the image. These measurements consist of Gaussian derivatives possibly taken at several scales and/or ...

  18. Maximum gravitational redshift of white dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shapiro, S.L.; Teukolsky, S.A.

    1976-01-01

    The stability of uniformly rotating, cold white dwarfs is examined in the framework of the Parametrized Post-Newtonian (PPN) formalism of Will and Nordtvedt. The maximum central density and gravitational redshift of a white dwarf are determined as functions of five of the nine PPN parameters (γ, β, zeta 2 , zeta 3 , and zeta 4 ), the total angular momentum J, and the composition of the star. General relativity predicts that the maximum redshifts is 571 km s -1 for nonrotating carbon and helium dwarfs, but is lower for stars composed of heavier nuclei. Uniform rotation can increase the maximum redshift to 647 km s -1 for carbon stars (the neutronization limit) and to 893 km s -1 for helium stars (the uniform rotation limit). The redshift distribution of a larger sample of white dwarfs may help determine the composition of their cores

  19. Revealing the Maximum Strength in Nanotwinned Copper

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lu, L.; Chen, X.; Huang, Xiaoxu

    2009-01-01

    boundary–related processes. We investigated the maximum strength of nanotwinned copper samples with different twin thicknesses. We found that the strength increases with decreasing twin thickness, reaching a maximum at 15 nanometers, followed by a softening at smaller values that is accompanied by enhanced...

  20. 49 CFR 195.406 - Maximum operating pressure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Maximum operating pressure. 195.406 Section 195.406 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS... HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE Operation and Maintenance § 195.406 Maximum operating pressure. (a) Except for...

  1. Foot and Ankle Kinematics During Descent From Varying Step Heights.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerstle, Emily E; O'Connor, Kristian; Keenan, Kevin G; Cobb, Stephen C

    2017-12-01

    In the general population, one-third of incidences during step negotiation occur during the transition to level walking. Furthermore, falls during curb negotiation are a common cause of injury in older adults. Distal foot kinematics may be an important factor in determining injury risk associated with transition step negotiation. The purpose of this study was to identify foot and ankle kinematics of uninjured individuals during descent from varying step heights. A 7-segment foot model was used to quantify kinematics as participants walked on a level walkway, stepped down a single step (heights: 5 cm, 15 cm, 25 cm), and continued walking. As step height increased, landing strategy transitioned from the rearfoot to the forefoot, and the rearfoot, lateral and medial midfoot, and medial forefoot became more plantar flexed. During weight acceptance, sagittal plane range of motion of the rearfoot, lateral midfoot, and medial and lateral forefoot increased as step height increased. The changes in landing strategy and distal foot function suggest a less stable ankle position at initial contact and increased demand on the distal foot at initial contact and through the weight acceptance phase of transition step negotiation as step height increases.

  2. Maximum spectral demands in the near-fault region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yin-Nan; Whittaker, Andrew S.; Luco, Nicolas

    2008-01-01

    The Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) relationships for shallow crustal earthquakes in the western United States predict a rotated geometric mean of horizontal spectral demand, termed GMRotI50, and not maximum spectral demand. Differences between strike-normal, strike-parallel, geometric-mean, and maximum spectral demands in the near-fault region are investigated using 147 pairs of records selected from the NGA strong motion database. The selected records are for earthquakes with moment magnitude greater than 6.5 and for closest site-to-fault distance less than 15 km. Ratios of maximum spectral demand to NGA-predicted GMRotI50 for each pair of ground motions are presented. The ratio shows a clear dependence on period and the Somerville directivity parameters. Maximum demands can substantially exceed NGA-predicted GMRotI50 demands in the near-fault region, which has significant implications for seismic design, seismic performance assessment, and the next-generation seismic design maps. Strike-normal spectral demands are a significantly unconservative surrogate for maximum spectral demands for closest distance greater than 3 to 5 km. Scale factors that transform NGA-predicted GMRotI50 to a maximum spectral demand in the near-fault region are proposed.

  3. Maximum allowable load on wheeled mobile manipulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Habibnejad Korayem, M.; Ghariblu, H.

    2003-01-01

    This paper develops a computational technique for finding the maximum allowable load of mobile manipulator during a given trajectory. The maximum allowable loads which can be achieved by a mobile manipulator during a given trajectory are limited by the number of factors; probably the dynamic properties of mobile base and mounted manipulator, their actuator limitations and additional constraints applied to resolving the redundancy are the most important factors. To resolve extra D.O.F introduced by the base mobility, additional constraint functions are proposed directly in the task space of mobile manipulator. Finally, in two numerical examples involving a two-link planar manipulator mounted on a differentially driven mobile base, application of the method to determining maximum allowable load is verified. The simulation results demonstrates the maximum allowable load on a desired trajectory has not a unique value and directly depends on the additional constraint functions which applies to resolve the motion redundancy

  4. Robust Maximum Association Estimators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A. Alfons (Andreas); C. Croux (Christophe); P. Filzmoser (Peter)

    2017-01-01

    textabstractThe maximum association between two multivariate variables X and Y is defined as the maximal value that a bivariate association measure between one-dimensional projections αX and αY can attain. Taking the Pearson correlation as projection index results in the first canonical correlation

  5. Selection of the Maximum Spatial Cluster Size of the Spatial Scan Statistic by Using the Maximum Clustering Set-Proportion Statistic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yue; Yin, Fei; Zhang, Tao; Zhou, Xiaohua Andrew; Li, Xiaosong

    2016-01-01

    Spatial scan statistics are widely used in various fields. The performance of these statistics is influenced by parameters, such as maximum spatial cluster size, and can be improved by parameter selection using performance measures. Current performance measures are based on the presence of clusters and are thus inapplicable to data sets without known clusters. In this work, we propose a novel overall performance measure called maximum clustering set-proportion (MCS-P), which is based on the likelihood of the union of detected clusters and the applied dataset. MCS-P was compared with existing performance measures in a simulation study to select the maximum spatial cluster size. Results of other performance measures, such as sensitivity and misclassification, suggest that the spatial scan statistic achieves accurate results in most scenarios with the maximum spatial cluster sizes selected using MCS-P. Given that previously known clusters are not required in the proposed strategy, selection of the optimal maximum cluster size with MCS-P can improve the performance of the scan statistic in applications without identified clusters.

  6. Maximum-Likelihood Detection Of Noncoherent CPM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Divsalar, Dariush; Simon, Marvin K.

    1993-01-01

    Simplified detectors proposed for use in maximum-likelihood-sequence detection of symbols in alphabet of size M transmitted by uncoded, full-response continuous phase modulation over radio channel with additive white Gaussian noise. Structures of receivers derived from particular interpretation of maximum-likelihood metrics. Receivers include front ends, structures of which depends only on M, analogous to those in receivers of coherent CPM. Parts of receivers following front ends have structures, complexity of which would depend on N.

  7. Maximum Entropy Fundamentals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Topsøe

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: In its modern formulation, the Maximum Entropy Principle was promoted by E.T. Jaynes, starting in the mid-fifties. The principle dictates that one should look for a distribution, consistent with available information, which maximizes the entropy. However, this principle focuses only on distributions and it appears advantageous to bring information theoretical thinking more prominently into play by also focusing on the "observer" and on coding. This view was brought forward by the second named author in the late seventies and is the view we will follow-up on here. It leads to the consideration of a certain game, the Code Length Game and, via standard game theoretical thinking, to a principle of Game Theoretical Equilibrium. This principle is more basic than the Maximum Entropy Principle in the sense that the search for one type of optimal strategies in the Code Length Game translates directly into the search for distributions with maximum entropy. In the present paper we offer a self-contained and comprehensive treatment of fundamentals of both principles mentioned, based on a study of the Code Length Game. Though new concepts and results are presented, the reading should be instructional and accessible to a rather wide audience, at least if certain mathematical details are left aside at a rst reading. The most frequently studied instance of entropy maximization pertains to the Mean Energy Model which involves a moment constraint related to a given function, here taken to represent "energy". This type of application is very well known from the literature with hundreds of applications pertaining to several different elds and will also here serve as important illustration of the theory. But our approach reaches further, especially regarding the study of continuity properties of the entropy function, and this leads to new results which allow a discussion of models with so-called entropy loss. These results have tempted us to speculate over

  8. 22 CFR 201.67 - Maximum freight charges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ..., commodity rate classification, quantity, vessel flag category (U.S.-or foreign-flag), choice of ports, and... the United States. (2) Maximum charter rates. (i) USAID will not finance ocean freight under any... owner(s). (4) Maximum liner rates. USAID will not finance ocean freight for a cargo liner shipment at a...

  9. Determination of the maximum-depth to potential field sources by a maximum structural index method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedi, M.; Florio, G.

    2013-01-01

    A simple and fast determination of the limiting depth to the sources may represent a significant help to the data interpretation. To this end we explore the possibility of determining those source parameters shared by all the classes of models fitting the data. One approach is to determine the maximum depth-to-source compatible with the measured data, by using for example the well-known Bott-Smith rules. These rules involve only the knowledge of the field and its horizontal gradient maxima, and are independent from the density contrast. Thanks to the direct relationship between structural index and depth to sources we work out a simple and fast strategy to obtain the maximum depth by using the semi-automated methods, such as Euler deconvolution or depth-from-extreme-points method (DEXP). The proposed method consists in estimating the maximum depth as the one obtained for the highest allowable value of the structural index (Nmax). Nmax may be easily determined, since it depends only on the dimensionality of the problem (2D/3D) and on the nature of the analyzed field (e.g., gravity field or magnetic field). We tested our approach on synthetic models against the results obtained by the classical Bott-Smith formulas and the results are in fact very similar, confirming the validity of this method. However, while Bott-Smith formulas are restricted to the gravity field only, our method is applicable also to the magnetic field and to any derivative of the gravity and magnetic field. Our method yields a useful criterion to assess the source model based on the (∂f/∂x)max/fmax ratio. The usefulness of the method in real cases is demonstrated for a salt wall in the Mississippi basin, where the estimation of the maximum depth agrees with the seismic information.

  10. Morphology of the copulatory apparatus of the spotted tinamou Nothura maculosa (Aves: Tinamiformes).

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Oliveira, C A; Mahecha, G A

    2000-03-01

    The components of the copulatory apparatus of Nothura maculosa were identified and studied by means of dissections, parenteral latex injections and standard histological and histochemical techniques. N. maculosa possesses an intromittent phallus with a tubular cavity, within which a fixed base and a tubular portion can be distinguished. An ejaculatory groove, which is supported by a fibrous body, runs dorsally at the base of the phallus. The tubular portion of the phallus inserts into the fibrous body, the former possessing two continuous but morphologically distinct parts, one of which is eversible and is extruded during erection while the other is a fixed non-eversible glandular portion. The walls of both parts are formed by the mucosa, an intermediate layer of connective tissue containing a wide lymphatic space which surrounds the whole perimeter of the tube, and an external layer of dense connective tissue. The mucosa of the eversible portion, which lodges the phallic groove, is lined by a non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium. In the fixed tubular portion, the tubular lumen is reduced in size, the phallic groove disappears, the mucosa becomes folded and there occurs an abrupt change to a pseudostratified columnar secretory epithelium. The copulatory apparatus of N. maculosa includes the vascular bodies of the phallus, which show morphofunctional continuity with the phallic structures, thus forming a single system involved in erection. On erection, the eversible portion of the phallus evaginates and emerges from the cloacal opening as a spiral shaped structure directed towards the left.

  11. 40 CFR 141.13 - Maximum contaminant levels for turbidity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... turbidity. 141.13 Section 141.13 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER... Maximum contaminant levels for turbidity. The maximum contaminant levels for turbidity are applicable to... part. The maximum contaminant levels for turbidity in drinking water, measured at a representative...

  12. Modelling maximum canopy conductance and transpiration in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    There is much current interest in predicting the maximum amount of water that can be transpired by Eucalyptus trees. It is possible that industrial waste water may be applied as irrigation water to eucalypts and it is important to predict the maximum transpiration rates of these plantations in an attempt to dispose of this ...

  13. 40 CFR 141.62 - Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic contaminants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic contaminants. 141.62 Section 141.62 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Water Regulations: Maximum Contaminant Levels and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels § 141.62 Maximum...

  14. Weak scale from the maximum entropy principle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamada, Yuta; Kawai, Hikaru; Kawana, Kiyoharu

    2015-03-01

    The theory of the multiverse and wormholes suggests that the parameters of the Standard Model (SM) are fixed in such a way that the radiation of the S3 universe at the final stage S_rad becomes maximum, which we call the maximum entropy principle. Although it is difficult to confirm this principle generally, for a few parameters of the SM, we can check whether S_rad actually becomes maximum at the observed values. In this paper, we regard S_rad at the final stage as a function of the weak scale (the Higgs expectation value) vh, and show that it becomes maximum around vh = {{O}} (300 GeV) when the dimensionless couplings in the SM, i.e., the Higgs self-coupling, the gauge couplings, and the Yukawa couplings are fixed. Roughly speaking, we find that the weak scale is given by vh ˜ T_{BBN}2 / (M_{pl}ye5), where ye is the Yukawa coupling of electron, T_BBN is the temperature at which the Big Bang nucleosynthesis starts, and M_pl is the Planck mass.

  15. Accurate modeling and maximum power point detection of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Accurate modeling and maximum power point detection of photovoltaic ... Determination of MPP enables the PV system to deliver maximum available power. ..... adaptive artificial neural network: Proposition for a new sizing procedure.

  16. 40 CFR 141.61 - Maximum contaminant levels for organic contaminants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for organic contaminants. 141.61 Section 141.61 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER... Regulations: Maximum Contaminant Levels and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels § 141.61 Maximum contaminant...

  17. The power and robustness of maximum LOD score statistics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Y J; Mendell, N R

    2008-07-01

    The maximum LOD score statistic is extremely powerful for gene mapping when calculated using the correct genetic parameter value. When the mode of genetic transmission is unknown, the maximum of the LOD scores obtained using several genetic parameter values is reported. This latter statistic requires higher critical value than the maximum LOD score statistic calculated from a single genetic parameter value. In this paper, we compare the power of maximum LOD scores based on three fixed sets of genetic parameter values with the power of the LOD score obtained after maximizing over the entire range of genetic parameter values. We simulate family data under nine generating models. For generating models with non-zero phenocopy rates, LOD scores maximized over the entire range of genetic parameters yielded greater power than maximum LOD scores for fixed sets of parameter values with zero phenocopy rates. No maximum LOD score was consistently more powerful than the others for generating models with a zero phenocopy rate. The power loss of the LOD score maximized over the entire range of genetic parameters, relative to the maximum LOD score calculated using the correct genetic parameter value, appeared to be robust to the generating models.

  18. Maximum Power Training and Plyometrics for Cross-Country Running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebben, William P.

    2001-01-01

    Provides a rationale for maximum power training and plyometrics as conditioning strategies for cross-country runners, examining: an evaluation of training methods (strength training and maximum power training and plyometrics); biomechanic and velocity specificity (role in preventing injury); and practical application of maximum power training and…

  19. 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.

  20. Maximum physical capacity testing in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knutsen, L.; Quist, M; Midtgaard, J

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Over the past few years there has been a growing interest in the field of physical exercise in rehabilitation of cancer patients, leading to requirements for objective maximum physical capacity measurement (maximum oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) and one-repetition maximum (1RM)) to determin...... early in the treatment process. However, the patients were self-referred and thus highly motivated and as such are not necessarily representative of the whole population of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy....... in performing maximum physical capacity tests as these motivated them through self-perceived competitiveness and set a standard that served to encourage peak performance. CONCLUSION: The positive attitudes in this sample towards maximum physical capacity open the possibility of introducing physical testing...

  1. MAXIMUM PRINCIPLE FOR SUBSONIC FLOW WITH VARIABLE ENTROPY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Sizykh Grigory

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Maximum principle for subsonic flow is fair for stationary irrotational subsonic gas flows. According to this prin- ciple, if the value of the velocity is not constant everywhere, then its maximum is achieved on the boundary and only on the boundary of the considered domain. This property is used when designing form of an aircraft with a maximum critical val- ue of the Mach number: it is believed that if the local Mach number is less than unit in the incoming flow and on the body surface, then the Mach number is less then unit in all points of flow. The known proof of maximum principle for subsonic flow is based on the assumption that in the whole considered area of the flow the pressure is a function of density. For the ideal and perfect gas (the role of diffusion is negligible, and the Mendeleev-Clapeyron law is fulfilled, the pressure is a function of density if entropy is constant in the entire considered area of the flow. Shows an example of a stationary sub- sonic irrotational flow, in which the entropy has different values on different stream lines, and the pressure is not a function of density. The application of the maximum principle for subsonic flow with respect to such a flow would be unreasonable. This example shows the relevance of the question about the place of the points of maximum value of the velocity, if the entropy is not a constant. To clarify the regularities of the location of these points, was performed the analysis of the com- plete Euler equations (without any simplifying assumptions in 3-D case. The new proof of the maximum principle for sub- sonic flow was proposed. This proof does not rely on the assumption that the pressure is a function of density. Thus, it is shown that the maximum principle for subsonic flow is true for stationary subsonic irrotational flows of ideal perfect gas with variable entropy.

  2. Maximum power point tracker based on fuzzy logic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daoud, A.; Midoun, A.

    2006-01-01

    The solar energy is used as power source in photovoltaic power systems and the need for an intelligent power management system is important to obtain the maximum power from the limited solar panels. With the changing of the sun illumination due to variation of angle of incidence of sun radiation and of the temperature of the panels, Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) enables optimization of solar power generation. The MPPT is a sub-system designed to extract the maximum power from a power source. In the case of solar panels power source. the maximum power point varies as a result of changes in its electrical characteristics which in turn are functions of radiation dose, temperature, ageing and other effects. The MPPT maximum the power output from panels for a given set of conditions by detecting the best working point of the power characteristic and then controls the current through the panels or the voltage across them. Many MPPT methods have been reported in literature. These techniques of MPPT can be classified into three main categories that include: lookup table methods, hill climbing methods and computational methods. The techniques vary according to the degree of sophistication, processing time and memory requirements. The perturbation and observation algorithm (hill climbing technique) is commonly used due to its ease of implementation, and relative tracking efficiency. However, it has been shown that when the insolation changes rapidly, the perturbation and observation method is slow to track the maximum power point. In recent years, the fuzzy controllers are used for maximum power point tracking. This method only requires the linguistic control rules for maximum power point, the mathematical model is not required and therefore the implementation of this control method is easy to real control system. In this paper, we we present a simple robust MPPT using fuzzy set theory where the hardware consists of the microchip's microcontroller unit control card and

  3. Maximum entropy methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ponman, T.J.

    1984-01-01

    For some years now two different expressions have been in use for maximum entropy image restoration and there has been some controversy over which one is appropriate for a given problem. Here two further entropies are presented and it is argued that there is no single correct algorithm. The properties of the four different methods are compared using simple 1D simulations with a view to showing how they can be used together to gain as much information as possible about the original object. (orig.)

  4. Maximum entropy deconvolution of low count nuclear medicine images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McGrath, D.M.

    1998-12-01

    Maximum entropy is applied to the problem of deconvolving nuclear medicine images, with special consideration for very low count data. The physics of the formation of scintigraphic images is described, illustrating the phenomena which degrade planar estimates of the tracer distribution. Various techniques which are used to restore these images are reviewed, outlining the relative merits of each. The development and theoretical justification of maximum entropy as an image processing technique is discussed. Maximum entropy is then applied to the problem of planar deconvolution, highlighting the question of the choice of error parameters for low count data. A novel iterative version of the algorithm is suggested which allows the errors to be estimated from the predicted Poisson mean values. This method is shown to produce the exact results predicted by combining Poisson statistics and a Bayesian interpretation of the maximum entropy approach. A facility for total count preservation has also been incorporated, leading to improved quantification. In order to evaluate this iterative maximum entropy technique, two comparable methods, Wiener filtering and a novel Bayesian maximum likelihood expectation maximisation technique, were implemented. The comparison of results obtained indicated that this maximum entropy approach may produce equivalent or better measures of image quality than the compared methods, depending upon the accuracy of the system model used. The novel Bayesian maximum likelihood expectation maximisation technique was shown to be preferable over many existing maximum a posteriori methods due to its simplicity of implementation. A single parameter is required to define the Bayesian prior, which suppresses noise in the solution and may reduce the processing time substantially. Finally, maximum entropy deconvolution was applied as a pre-processing step in single photon emission computed tomography reconstruction of low count data. Higher contrast results were

  5. Maximum Principles for Discrete and Semidiscrete Reaction-Diffusion Equation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petr Stehlík

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We study reaction-diffusion equations with a general reaction function f on one-dimensional lattices with continuous or discrete time ux′  (or  Δtux=k(ux-1-2ux+ux+1+f(ux, x∈Z. We prove weak and strong maximum and minimum principles for corresponding initial-boundary value problems. Whereas the maximum principles in the semidiscrete case (continuous time exhibit similar features to those of fully continuous reaction-diffusion model, in the discrete case the weak maximum principle holds for a smaller class of functions and the strong maximum principle is valid in a weaker sense. We describe in detail how the validity of maximum principles depends on the nonlinearity and the time step. We illustrate our results on the Nagumo equation with the bistable nonlinearity.

  6. Minimal length, Friedmann equations and maximum density

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Awad, Adel [Center for Theoretical Physics, British University of Egypt,Sherouk City 11837, P.O. Box 43 (Egypt); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University,Cairo, 11566 (Egypt); Ali, Ahmed Farag [Centre for Fundamental Physics, Zewail City of Science and Technology,Sheikh Zayed, 12588, Giza (Egypt); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Benha University,Benha, 13518 (Egypt)

    2014-06-16

    Inspired by Jacobson’s thermodynamic approach, Cai et al. have shown the emergence of Friedmann equations from the first law of thermodynamics. We extend Akbar-Cai derivation http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.75.084003 of Friedmann equations to accommodate a general entropy-area law. Studying the resulted Friedmann equations using a specific entropy-area law, which is motivated by the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP), reveals the existence of a maximum energy density closed to Planck density. Allowing for a general continuous pressure p(ρ,a) leads to bounded curvature invariants and a general nonsingular evolution. In this case, the maximum energy density is reached in a finite time and there is no cosmological evolution beyond this point which leaves the big bang singularity inaccessible from a spacetime prospective. The existence of maximum energy density and a general nonsingular evolution is independent of the equation of state and the spacial curvature k. As an example we study the evolution of the equation of state p=ωρ through its phase-space diagram to show the existence of a maximum energy which is reachable in a finite time.

  7. Maximum-Entropy Inference with a Programmable Annealer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chancellor, Nicholas; Szoke, Szilard; Vinci, Walter; Aeppli, Gabriel; Warburton, Paul A.

    2016-03-01

    Optimisation problems typically involve finding the ground state (i.e. the minimum energy configuration) of a cost function with respect to many variables. If the variables are corrupted by noise then this maximises the likelihood that the solution is correct. The maximum entropy solution on the other hand takes the form of a Boltzmann distribution over the ground and excited states of the cost function to correct for noise. Here we use a programmable annealer for the information decoding problem which we simulate as a random Ising model in a field. We show experimentally that finite temperature maximum entropy decoding can give slightly better bit-error-rates than the maximum likelihood approach, confirming that useful information can be extracted from the excited states of the annealer. Furthermore we introduce a bit-by-bit analytical method which is agnostic to the specific application and use it to show that the annealer samples from a highly Boltzmann-like distribution. Machines of this kind are therefore candidates for use in a variety of machine learning applications which exploit maximum entropy inference, including language processing and image recognition.

  8. 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...

  9. Characterizing graphs of maximum matching width at most 2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeong, Jisu; Ok, Seongmin; Suh, Geewon

    2017-01-01

    The maximum matching width is a width-parameter that is de ned on a branch-decomposition over the vertex set of a graph. The size of a maximum matching in the bipartite graph is used as a cut-function. In this paper, we characterize the graphs of maximum matching width at most 2 using the minor o...

  10. The Maximum Resource Bin Packing Problem

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boyar, J.; Epstein, L.; Favrholdt, L.M.

    2006-01-01

    Usually, for bin packing problems, we try to minimize the number of bins used or in the case of the dual bin packing problem, maximize the number or total size of accepted items. This paper presents results for the opposite problems, where we would like to maximize the number of bins used...... algorithms, First-Fit-Increasing and First-Fit-Decreasing for the maximum resource variant of classical bin packing. For the on-line variant, we define maximum resource variants of classical and dual bin packing. For dual bin packing, no on-line algorithm is competitive. For classical bin packing, we find...

  11. Maximum entropy analysis of EGRET data

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pohl, M.; Strong, A.W.

    1997-01-01

    EGRET data are usually analysed on the basis of the Maximum-Likelihood method \\cite{ma96} in a search for point sources in excess to a model for the background radiation (e.g. \\cite{hu97}). This method depends strongly on the quality of the background model, and thus may have high systematic unce...... uncertainties in region of strong and uncertain background like the Galactic Center region. Here we show images of such regions obtained by the quantified Maximum-Entropy method. We also discuss a possible further use of MEM in the analysis of problematic regions of the sky....

  12. 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

  13. A kinematic method for footstrike pattern detection in barefoot and shod runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altman, Allison R; Davis, Irene S

    2012-02-01

    Footstrike patterns during running can be classified discretely into a rearfoot strike, midfoot strike and forefoot strike by visual observation. However, the footstrike pattern can also be classified on a continuum, ranging from 0% to 100% (extreme rearfoot to extreme forefoot) using the strike index, a measure requiring force plate data. When force data are not available, an alternative method to quantify the strike pattern must be used. The purpose of this paper was to quantify the continuum of foot strike patterns using an easily attainable kinematic measure, and compare it to the strike index measure. Force and kinematic data from twenty subjects were collected as they ran across an embedded force plate. Strike index and the footstrike angle were identified for the four running conditions of rearfoot strike, midfoot strike and forefoot strike, as well as barefoot. The footstrike angle was calculated as the angle of the foot with respect to the ground in the sagittal plane. Results indicated that the footstrike angle was significantly correlated with strike index. The linear regression model suggested that strike index can be accurately estimated, in both barefoot and shod conditions, in the absence of force data. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Effects of kinesiotaping on foot posture in participants with pronated foot: a quasi-randomised, double-blind study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luque-Suarez, Alejandro; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel; Baron-Lopez, Francisco Javier; Labajos-Manzanares, Maria Teresa; Hush, Julia; Hancock, Mark Jonathan

    2014-03-01

    To investigate whether kinesiotaping improves excessive foot pronation compared with sham kinesiotaping. Quasi-randomised, double-blind study. One primary care centre. One hundred and thirty participants were screened for inclusion. Sixty-eight participants with pronated feet [Foot Posture Index (FPI)≥ 6] were enrolled, and the follow-up rate was 100%. Participants were allocated into one of two groups: an experimental kinesiotaping group (KT1) and a sham taping group (KT2). Measures were collected by a blinded assessor at baseline, and 1 minute, 10 minutes, 60 minutes and 24 hours after taping. The primary outcome was total FPI score, and the secondary outcome was rear-foot FPI score. There were no significant differences in total FPI score between kinesiotaping and sham taping at any time point. Similarly, there were no significant differences in rear-foot FPI score, apart from at 60-minute follow-up when the difference between groups was significant (P=0.04) but the effect size was very small (0.85 points on the rear-foot FPI score between -6 and +6). Kinesiotaping does not correct foot pronation compared with sham kinesiotaping in people with pronated feet. Copyright © 2013 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. All rights reserved.

  15. Analogue of Pontryagin's maximum principle for multiple integrals minimization problems

    OpenAIRE

    Mikhail, Zelikin

    2016-01-01

    The theorem like Pontryagin's maximum principle for multiple integrals is proved. Unlike the usual maximum principle, the maximum should be taken not over all matrices, but only on matrices of rank one. Examples are given.

  16. Microprocessor Controlled Maximum Power Point Tracker for Photovoltaic Application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiya, J. D.; Tahirou, G.

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents a microprocessor controlled maximum power point tracker for photovoltaic module. Input current and voltage are measured and multiplied within the microprocessor, which contains an algorithm to seek the maximum power point. The duly cycle of the DC-DC converter, at which the maximum power occurs is obtained, noted and adjusted. The microprocessor constantly seeks for improvement of obtained power by varying the duty cycle

  17. 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.

  18. Comprehensive performance analyses and optimization of the irreversible thermodynamic cycle engines (TCE) under maximum power (MP) and maximum power density (MPD) conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonca, Guven; Sahin, Bahri; Ust, Yasin; Parlak, Adnan

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents comprehensive performance analyses and comparisons for air-standard irreversible thermodynamic cycle engines (TCE) based on the power output, power density, thermal efficiency, maximum dimensionless power output (MP), maximum dimensionless power density (MPD) and maximum thermal efficiency (MEF) criteria. Internal irreversibility of the cycles occurred during the irreversible-adiabatic processes is considered by using isentropic efficiencies of compression and expansion processes. The performances of the cycles are obtained by using engine design parameters such as isentropic temperature ratio of the compression process, pressure ratio, stroke ratio, cut-off ratio, Miller cycle ratio, exhaust temperature ratio, cycle temperature ratio and cycle pressure ratio. The effects of engine design parameters on the maximum and optimal performances are investigated. - Highlights: • Performance analyses are conducted for irreversible thermodynamic cycle engines. • Comprehensive computations are performed. • Maximum and optimum performances of the engines are shown. • The effects of design parameters on performance and power density are examined. • The results obtained may be guidelines to the engine designers

  19. Shower maximum detector for SDC calorimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ernwein, J.

    1994-01-01

    A prototype for the SDC end-cap (EM) calorimeter complete with a pre-shower and a shower maximum detector was tested in beams of electrons and Π's at CERN by an SDC subsystem group. The prototype was manufactured from scintillator tiles and strips read out with 1 mm diameter wave-length shifting fibers. The design and construction of the shower maximum detector is described, and results of laboratory tests on light yield and performance of the scintillator-fiber system are given. Preliminary results on energy and position measurements with the shower max detector in the test beam are shown. (authors). 4 refs., 5 figs

  20. Maximum Power Point Tracking in Variable Speed Wind Turbine Based on Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator Using Maximum Torque Sliding Mode Control Strategy

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Esmaeil Ghaderi; Hossein Tohidi; Behnam Khosrozadeh

    2017-01-01

    The present study was carried out in order to track the maximum power point in a variable speed turbine by minimizing electromechanical torque changes using a sliding mode control strategy.In this strategy,fhst,the rotor speed is set at an optimal point for different wind speeds.As a result of which,the tip speed ratio reaches an optimal point,mechanical power coefficient is maximized,and wind turbine produces its maximum power and mechanical torque.Then,the maximum mechanical torque is tracked using electromechanical torque.In this technique,tracking error integral of maximum mechanical torque,the error,and the derivative of error are used as state variables.During changes in wind speed,sliding mode control is designed to absorb the maximum energy from the wind and minimize the response time of maximum power point tracking (MPPT).In this method,the actual control input signal is formed from a second order integral operation of the original sliding mode control input signal.The result of the second order integral in this model includes control signal integrity,full chattering attenuation,and prevention from large fluctuations in the power generator output.The simulation results,calculated by using MATLAB/m-file software,have shown the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy for wind energy systems based on the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG).

  1. 32 CFR 842.35 - Depreciation and maximum allowances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Depreciation and maximum allowances. 842.35... LITIGATION ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMS Personnel Claims (31 U.S.C. 3701, 3721) § 842.35 Depreciation and maximum allowances. The military services have jointly established the “Allowance List-Depreciation Guide” to...

  2. 40 CFR 141.63 - Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for microbiological contaminants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for microbiological contaminants. 141.63 Section 141.63 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Water Regulations: Maximum Contaminant Levels and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels § 141.63 Maximum...

  3. Particle Swarm Optimization Based of the Maximum Photovoltaic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Photovoltaic electricity is seen as an important source of renewable energy. The photovoltaic array is an unstable source of power since the peak power point depends on the temperature and the irradiation level. A maximum peak power point tracking is then necessary for maximum efficiency. In this work, a Particle Swarm ...

  4. 40 CFR 1045.140 - What is my engine's maximum engine power?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...) Maximum engine power for an engine family is generally the weighted average value of maximum engine power... engine family's maximum engine power apply in the following circumstances: (1) For outboard or personal... value for maximum engine power from all the different configurations within the engine family to...

  5. 42 CFR 409.62 - Lifetime maximum on inpatient psychiatric care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Lifetime maximum on inpatient psychiatric care. 409....62 Lifetime maximum on inpatient psychiatric care. There is a lifetime maximum of 190 days on inpatient psychiatric hospital services available to any beneficiary. Therefore, once an individual receives...

  6. Maximum-entropy description of animal movement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, Chris H; Subaşı, Yiğit; Calabrese, Justin M

    2015-03-01

    We introduce a class of maximum-entropy states that naturally includes within it all of the major continuous-time stochastic processes that have been applied to animal movement, including Brownian motion, Ornstein-Uhlenbeck motion, integrated Ornstein-Uhlenbeck motion, a recently discovered hybrid of the previous models, and a new model that describes central-place foraging. We are also able to predict a further hierarchy of new models that will emerge as data quality improves to better resolve the underlying continuity of animal movement. Finally, we also show that Langevin equations must obey a fluctuation-dissipation theorem to generate processes that fall from this class of maximum-entropy distributions when the constraints are purely kinematic.

  7. Extreme Maximum Land Surface Temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garratt, J. R.

    1992-09-01

    There are numerous reports in the literature of observations of land surface temperatures. Some of these, almost all made in situ, reveal maximum values in the 50°-70°C range, with a few, made in desert regions, near 80°C. Consideration of a simplified form of the surface energy balance equation, utilizing likely upper values of absorbed shortwave flux (1000 W m2) and screen air temperature (55°C), that surface temperatures in the vicinity of 90°-100°C may occur for dry, darkish soils of low thermal conductivity (0.1-0.2 W m1 K1). Numerical simulations confirm this and suggest that temperature gradients in the first few centimeters of soil may reach 0.5°-1°C mm1 under these extreme conditions. The study bears upon the intrinsic interest of identifying extreme maximum temperatures and yields interesting information regarding the comfort zone of animals (including man).

  8. On Maximum Entropy and Inference

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luigi Gresele

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Maximum entropy is a powerful concept that entails a sharp separation between relevant and irrelevant variables. It is typically invoked in inference, once an assumption is made on what the relevant variables are, in order to estimate a model from data, that affords predictions on all other (dependent variables. Conversely, maximum entropy can be invoked to retrieve the relevant variables (sufficient statistics directly from the data, once a model is identified by Bayesian model selection. We explore this approach in the case of spin models with interactions of arbitrary order, and we discuss how relevant interactions can be inferred. In this perspective, the dimensionality of the inference problem is not set by the number of parameters in the model, but by the frequency distribution of the data. We illustrate the method showing its ability to recover the correct model in a few prototype cases and discuss its application on a real dataset.

  9. Fractal Dimension and Maximum Sunspot Number in Solar Cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.-S. Kim

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The fractal dimension is a quantitative parameter describing the characteristics of irregular time series. In this study, we use this parameter to analyze the irregular aspects of solar activity and to predict the maximum sunspot number in the following solar cycle by examining time series of the sunspot number. For this, we considered the daily sunspot number since 1850 from SIDC (Solar Influences Data analysis Center and then estimated cycle variation of the fractal dimension by using Higuchi's method. We examined the relationship between this fractal dimension and the maximum monthly sunspot number in each solar cycle. As a result, we found that there is a strong inverse relationship between the fractal dimension and the maximum monthly sunspot number. By using this relation we predicted the maximum sunspot number in the solar cycle from the fractal dimension of the sunspot numbers during the solar activity increasing phase. The successful prediction is proven by a good correlation (r=0.89 between the observed and predicted maximum sunspot numbers in the solar cycles.

  10. Automatic maximum entropy spectral reconstruction in NMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mobli, Mehdi; Maciejewski, Mark W.; Gryk, Michael R.; Hoch, Jeffrey C.

    2007-01-01

    Developments in superconducting magnets, cryogenic probes, isotope labeling strategies, and sophisticated pulse sequences together have enabled the application, in principle, of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy to biomolecular systems approaching 1 megadalton. In practice, however, conventional approaches to NMR that utilize the fast Fourier transform, which require data collected at uniform time intervals, result in prohibitively lengthy data collection times in order to achieve the full resolution afforded by high field magnets. A variety of approaches that involve nonuniform sampling have been proposed, each utilizing a non-Fourier method of spectrum analysis. A very general non-Fourier method that is capable of utilizing data collected using any of the proposed nonuniform sampling strategies is maximum entropy reconstruction. A limiting factor in the adoption of maximum entropy reconstruction in NMR has been the need to specify non-intuitive parameters. Here we describe a fully automated system for maximum entropy reconstruction that requires no user-specified parameters. A web-accessible script generator provides the user interface to the system

  11. Stationary neutrino radiation transport by maximum entropy closure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bludman, S.A.

    1994-11-01

    The authors obtain the angular distributions that maximize the entropy functional for Maxwell-Boltzmann (classical), Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac radiation. In the low and high occupancy limits, the maximum entropy closure is bounded by previously known variable Eddington factors that depend only on the flux. For intermediate occupancy, the maximum entropy closure depends on both the occupation density and the flux. The Fermi-Dirac maximum entropy variable Eddington factor shows a scale invariance, which leads to a simple, exact analytic closure for fermions. This two-dimensional variable Eddington factor gives results that agree well with exact (Monte Carlo) neutrino transport calculations out of a collapse residue during early phases of hydrostatic neutron star formation

  12. Maximum power per VA control of vector controlled interior ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Thakur Sumeet Singh

    2018-04-11

    Apr 11, 2018 ... Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New ... The MPVA operation allows maximum-utilization of the drive-system. ... Permanent magnet motor; unity power factor; maximum VA utilization; ...

  13. Application of maximum entropy to neutron tunneling spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mukhopadhyay, R.; Silver, R.N.

    1990-01-01

    We demonstrate the maximum entropy method for the deconvolution of high resolution tunneling data acquired with a quasielastic spectrometer. Given a precise characterization of the instrument resolution function, a maximum entropy analysis of lutidine data obtained with the IRIS spectrometer at ISIS results in an effective factor of three improvement in resolution. 7 refs., 4 figs

  14. The maximum economic depth of groundwater abstraction for irrigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bierkens, M. F.; Van Beek, L. P.; de Graaf, I. E. M.; Gleeson, T. P.

    2017-12-01

    Over recent decades, groundwater has become increasingly important for agriculture. Irrigation accounts for 40% of the global food production and its importance is expected to grow further in the near future. Already, about 70% of the globally abstracted water is used for irrigation, and nearly half of that is pumped groundwater. In many irrigated areas where groundwater is the primary source of irrigation water, groundwater abstraction is larger than recharge and we see massive groundwater head decline in these areas. An important question then is: to what maximum depth can groundwater be pumped for it to be still economically recoverable? The objective of this study is therefore to create a global map of the maximum depth of economically recoverable groundwater when used for irrigation. The maximum economic depth is the maximum depth at which revenues are still larger than pumping costs or the maximum depth at which initial investments become too large compared to yearly revenues. To this end we set up a simple economic model where costs of well drilling and the energy costs of pumping, which are a function of well depth and static head depth respectively, are compared with the revenues obtained for the irrigated crops. Parameters for the cost sub-model are obtained from several US-based studies and applied to other countries based on GDP/capita as an index of labour costs. The revenue sub-model is based on gross irrigation water demand calculated with a global hydrological and water resources model, areal coverage of crop types from MIRCA2000 and FAO-based statistics on crop yield and market price. We applied our method to irrigated areas in the world overlying productive aquifers. Estimated maximum economic depths range between 50 and 500 m. Most important factors explaining the maximum economic depth are the dominant crop type in the area and whether or not initial investments in well infrastructure are limiting. In subsequent research, our estimates of

  15. What controls the maximum magnitude of injection-induced earthquakes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eaton, D. W. S.

    2017-12-01

    Three different approaches for estimation of maximum magnitude are considered here, along with their implications for managing risk. The first approach is based on a deterministic limit for seismic moment proposed by McGarr (1976), which was originally designed for application to mining-induced seismicity. This approach has since been reformulated for earthquakes induced by fluid injection (McGarr, 2014). In essence, this method assumes that the upper limit for seismic moment release is constrained by the pressure-induced stress change. A deterministic limit is given by the product of shear modulus and the net injected fluid volume. This method is based on the assumptions that the medium is fully saturated and in a state of incipient failure. An alternative geometrical approach was proposed by Shapiro et al. (2011), who postulated that the rupture area for an induced earthquake falls entirely within the stimulated volume. This assumption reduces the maximum-magnitude problem to one of estimating the largest potential slip surface area within a given stimulated volume. Finally, van der Elst et al. (2016) proposed that the maximum observed magnitude, statistically speaking, is the expected maximum value for a finite sample drawn from an unbounded Gutenberg-Richter distribution. These three models imply different approaches for risk management. The deterministic method proposed by McGarr (2014) implies that a ceiling on the maximum magnitude can be imposed by limiting the net injected volume, whereas the approach developed by Shapiro et al. (2011) implies that the time-dependent maximum magnitude is governed by the spatial size of the microseismic event cloud. Finally, the sample-size hypothesis of Van der Elst et al. (2016) implies that the best available estimate of the maximum magnitude is based upon observed seismicity rate. The latter two approaches suggest that real-time monitoring is essential for effective management of risk. A reliable estimate of maximum

  16. Topics in Bayesian statistics and maximum entropy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutihac, R.; Cicuttin, A.; Cerdeira, A.; Stanciulescu, C.

    1998-12-01

    Notions of Bayesian decision theory and maximum entropy methods are reviewed with particular emphasis on probabilistic inference and Bayesian modeling. The axiomatic approach is considered as the best justification of Bayesian analysis and maximum entropy principle applied in natural sciences. Particular emphasis is put on solving the inverse problem in digital image restoration and Bayesian modeling of neural networks. Further topics addressed briefly include language modeling, neutron scattering, multiuser detection and channel equalization in digital communications, genetic information, and Bayesian court decision-making. (author)

  17. Maximum vehicle cabin temperatures under different meteorological conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grundstein, Andrew; Meentemeyer, Vernon; Dowd, John

    2009-05-01

    A variety of studies have documented the dangerously high temperatures that may occur within the passenger compartment (cabin) of cars under clear sky conditions, even at relatively low ambient air temperatures. Our study, however, is the first to examine cabin temperatures under variable weather conditions. It uses a unique maximum vehicle cabin temperature dataset in conjunction with directly comparable ambient air temperature, solar radiation, and cloud cover data collected from April through August 2007 in Athens, GA. Maximum cabin temperatures, ranging from 41-76°C, varied considerably depending on the weather conditions and the time of year. Clear days had the highest cabin temperatures, with average values of 68°C in the summer and 61°C in the spring. Cloudy days in both the spring and summer were on average approximately 10°C cooler. Our findings indicate that even on cloudy days with lower ambient air temperatures, vehicle cabin temperatures may reach deadly levels. Additionally, two predictive models of maximum daily vehicle cabin temperatures were developed using commonly available meteorological data. One model uses maximum ambient air temperature and average daily solar radiation while the other uses cloud cover percentage as a surrogate for solar radiation. From these models, two maximum vehicle cabin temperature indices were developed to assess the level of danger. The models and indices may be useful for forecasting hazardous conditions, promoting public awareness, and to estimate past cabin temperatures for use in forensic analyses.

  18. Combining Experiments and Simulations Using the Maximum Entropy Principle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boomsma, Wouter; Ferkinghoff-Borg, Jesper; Lindorff-Larsen, Kresten

    2014-01-01

    are not in quantitative agreement with experimental data. The principle of maximum entropy is a general procedure for constructing probability distributions in the light of new data, making it a natural tool in cases when an initial model provides results that are at odds with experiments. The number of maximum entropy...... in the context of a simple example, after which we proceed with a real-world application in the field of molecular simulations, where the maximum entropy procedure has recently provided new insight. Given the limited accuracy of force fields, macromolecular simulations sometimes produce results....... Three very recent papers have explored this problem using the maximum entropy approach, providing both new theoretical and practical insights to the problem. We highlight each of these contributions in turn and conclude with a discussion on remaining challenges....

  19. Maximum entropy beam diagnostic tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mottershead, C.T.

    1985-01-01

    This paper reviews the formalism of maximum entropy beam diagnostic tomography as applied to the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) prototype accelerator. The same formalism has also been used with streak camera data to produce an ultrahigh speed movie of the beam profile of the Experimental Test Accelerator (ETA) at Livermore

  20. A Maximum Radius for Habitable Planets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alibert, Yann

    2015-09-01

    We compute the maximum radius a planet can have in order to fulfill two constraints that are likely necessary conditions for habitability: 1- surface temperature and pressure compatible with the existence of liquid water, and 2- no ice layer at the bottom of a putative global ocean, that would prevent the operation of the geologic carbon cycle to operate. We demonstrate that, above a given radius, these two constraints cannot be met: in the Super-Earth mass range (1-12 Mearth), the overall maximum that a planet can have varies between 1.8 and 2.3 Rearth. This radius is reduced when considering planets with higher Fe/Si ratios, and taking into account irradiation effects on the structure of the gas envelope.

  1. On semidefinite programming relaxations of maximum k-section

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Klerk, E.; Pasechnik, D.V.; Sotirov, R.; Dobre, C.

    2012-01-01

    We derive a new semidefinite programming bound for the maximum k -section problem. For k=2 (i.e. for maximum bisection), the new bound is at least as strong as a well-known bound by Poljak and Rendl (SIAM J Optim 5(3):467–487, 1995). For k ≥ 3the new bound dominates a bound of Karisch and Rendl

  2. Modeling multisite streamflow dependence with maximum entropy copula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Z.; Singh, V. P.

    2013-10-01

    Synthetic streamflows at different sites in a river basin are needed for planning, operation, and management of water resources projects. Modeling the temporal and spatial dependence structure of monthly streamflow at different sites is generally required. In this study, the maximum entropy copula method is proposed for multisite monthly streamflow simulation, in which the temporal and spatial dependence structure is imposed as constraints to derive the maximum entropy copula. The monthly streamflows at different sites are then generated by sampling from the conditional distribution. A case study for the generation of monthly streamflow at three sites in the Colorado River basin illustrates the application of the proposed method. Simulated streamflow from the maximum entropy copula is in satisfactory agreement with observed streamflow.

  3. Rotational stiffness of American football shoes affects ankle biomechanics and injury severity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Button, Keith D; Braman, Jerrod E; Davison, Mark A; Wei, Feng; Schaeffer, Maureen C; Haut, Roger C

    2015-06-01

    While previous studies have investigated the effect of shoe-surface interaction on injury risk, few studies have examined the effect of rotational stiffness of the shoe. The hypothesis of the current study was that ankles externally rotated to failure in shoes with low rotational stiffness would allow more talus eversion than those in shoes with a higher rotational stiffness, resulting in less severe injury. Twelve (six pairs) cadaver lower extremities were externally rotated to gross failure while positioned in 20 deg of pre-eversion and 20 deg of predorsiflexion by fixing the distal end of the foot, axially loading the proximal tibia, and internally rotating the tibia. One ankle in each pair was constrained by an American football shoe with a stiff upper, while the other was constrained by an American football shoe with a flexible upper. Experimental bone motions were input into specimen-specific computational models to examine levels of ligament elongation to help understand mechanisms of ankle joint failure. Ankles in flexible shoes allowed 6.7±2.4 deg of talus eversion during rotation, significantly greater than the 1.7±1.0 deg for ankles in stiff shoes (p = 0.01). The significantly greater eversion in flexible shoes was potentially due to a more natural response of the ankle during rotation, possibly affecting the injuries that were produced. All ankles failed by either medial ankle injury or syndesmotic injury, or a combination of both. Complex (more than one ligament or bone) injuries were noted in 4 of 6 ankles in stiff shoes and 1 of 6 ankles in flexible shoes. Ligament elongations from the computational model validated the experimental injury data. The current study suggested flexibility (or rotational stiffness) of the shoe may play an important role in both the severity of ankle injuries for athletes.

  4. Maximum stellar iron core mass

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    60, No. 3. — journal of. March 2003 physics pp. 415–422. Maximum stellar iron core mass. F W GIACOBBE. Chicago Research Center/American Air Liquide ... iron core compression due to the weight of non-ferrous matter overlying the iron cores within large .... thermal equilibrium velocities will tend to be non-relativistic.

  5. 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; ...

  6. Maximum entropy beam diagnostic tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mottershead, C.T.

    1985-01-01

    This paper reviews the formalism of maximum entropy beam diagnostic tomography as applied to the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) prototype accelerator. The same formalism has also been used with streak camera data to produce an ultrahigh speed movie of the beam profile of the Experimental Test Accelerator (ETA) at Livermore. 11 refs., 4 figs

  7. A portable storage maximum thermometer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fayart, Gerard.

    1976-01-01

    A clinical thermometer storing the voltage corresponding to the maximum temperature in an analog memory is described. End of the measurement is shown by a lamp switch out. The measurement time is shortened by means of a low thermal inertia platinum probe. This portable thermometer is fitted with cell test and calibration system [fr

  8. A Maximum Resonant Set of Polyomino Graphs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Heping

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available A polyomino graph P is a connected finite subgraph of the infinite plane grid such that each finite face is surrounded by a regular square of side length one and each edge belongs to at least one square. A dimer covering of P corresponds to a perfect matching. Different dimer coverings can interact via an alternating cycle (or square with respect to them. A set of disjoint squares of P is a resonant set if P has a perfect matching M so that each one of those squares is M-alternating. In this paper, we show that if K is a maximum resonant set of P, then P − K has a unique perfect matching. We further prove that the maximum forcing number of a polyomino graph is equal to the cardinality of a maximum resonant set. This confirms a conjecture of Xu et al. [26]. We also show that if K is a maximal alternating set of P, then P − K has a unique perfect matching.

  9. Spatio-temporal observations of the tertiary ozone maximum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. F. Sofieva

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available We present spatio-temporal distributions of the tertiary ozone maximum (TOM, based on GOMOS (Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars ozone measurements in 2002–2006. The tertiary ozone maximum is typically observed in the high-latitude winter mesosphere at an altitude of ~72 km. Although the explanation for this phenomenon has been found recently – low concentrations of odd-hydrogen cause the subsequent decrease in odd-oxygen losses – models have had significant deviations from existing observations until recently. Good coverage of polar night regions by GOMOS data has allowed for the first time to obtain spatial and temporal observational distributions of night-time ozone mixing ratio in the mesosphere.

    The distributions obtained from GOMOS data have specific features, which are variable from year to year. In particular, due to a long lifetime of ozone in polar night conditions, the downward transport of polar air by the meridional circulation is clearly observed in the tertiary ozone maximum time series. Although the maximum tertiary ozone mixing ratio is achieved close to the polar night terminator (as predicted by the theory, TOM can be observed also at very high latitudes, not only in the beginning and at the end, but also in the middle of winter. We have compared the observational spatio-temporal distributions of the tertiary ozone maximum with that obtained using WACCM (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model and found that the specific features are reproduced satisfactorily by the model.

    Since ozone in the mesosphere is very sensitive to HOx concentrations, energetic particle precipitation can significantly modify the shape of the ozone profiles. In particular, GOMOS observations have shown that the tertiary ozone maximum was temporarily destroyed during the January 2005 and December 2006 solar proton events as a result of the HOx enhancement from the increased ionization.

  10. Relationship between strength qualities and short track speed skating performance in young athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felser, S; Behrens, M; Fischer, S; Heise, S; Bäumler, M; Salomon, R; Bruhn, S

    2016-02-01

    This study analyzed the relationships between isometric as well as concentric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) strength of the leg muscles and the times as well as speeds over different distances in 17 young short track speed skaters. Isometric as well as concentric single-joint MVC strength and multi-joint MVC strength in a stable (without skates) and unstable (with skates) condition were tested. Furthermore, time during maximum skating performances on ice was measured. Results indicate that maximum torques during eversion and dorsal flexion have a significant influence on skating speed. Concentric MVC strength of the knee extensors was higher correlated with times as well as speeds over the different distances than isometric MVC strength. Multi-joint MVC testing revealed that the force loss between measurements without and with skates amounts to 25%, while biceps femoris and soleus showed decreased muscle activity and peroneus longus, tibialis anterior, as well as rectus femoris exhibited increased muscle activity. The results of this study depict evidence that the skating times and speeds are primarily influenced by concentric MVC strength of the leg extensors. To be able to transfer the strength onto ice in an optimal way, it is necessary to stabilize the knee and ankle joints. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Direct maximum parsimony phylogeny reconstruction from genotype data

    OpenAIRE

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

    2007-01-01

    Abstract Background Maximum parsimony phylogenetic tree reconstruction from genetic variation data is a fundamental problem in computational genetics with many practical applications in population genetics, whole genome analysis, and the search for genetic predictors of disease. Efficient methods are available for reconstruction of maximum parsimony trees from haplotype data, but such data are difficult to determine directly for autosomal DNA. Data more commonly is available in the form of ge...

  12. Fungic microflora of Panicum maximum and Styosanthes spp. commercial seed / Microflora fúngica de sementes comerciais de Panicum maximum e Stylosanthes spp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larissa Rodrigues Fabris

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available The sanitary quality of 26 lots commercial seeds of tropical forages, produced in different regions (2004-05 and 2005-06 was analyzed. The lots were composed of seeds of Panicum maximum ('Massai', 'Mombaça' e 'Tanzânia' and stylo ('Estilosantes Campo Grande' - ECG. Additionally, seeds of two lots of P. maximum for exportation were analyzed. The blotter test was used, at 20ºC under alternating light and darkness in a 12 h photoperiod, for seven days. The Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Rhizopus genus consisted the secondary or saprophytes fungi (FSS with greatest frequency in P. maximum lots. In general, there was low incidence of these fungus in the seeds. In relation to pathogenic fungi (FP, it was detected high frequency of contaminated lots by Bipolaris, Curvularia, Fusarium and Phoma genus. Generally, there was high incidence of FP in P. maximum seeds. The occurrence of Phoma sp. was hight, because in 81% of the lots showed incidence superior to 50%. In 'ECG' seeds it was detected FSS (Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium genus and FP (Bipolaris, Curvularia, Fusarium and Phoma genus, usually, in low incidence. FSS and FP were associated to P. maximum seeds for exportation, with significant incidence in some cases. The results indicated that there was a limiting factor in all producer regions regarding sanitary quality of the seeds.Sementes comerciais de forrageiras tropicais, pertencente a 26 lotes produzidos em diferentes regiões (safras 2004-05 e 2005-06, foram avaliadas quanto à sanidade. Foram analisadas sementes de cultivares de Panicum maximum (Massai, Mombaça e Tanzânia e de estilosantes (Estilosantes Campo Grande – ECG. Adicionalmente, avaliou-se a qualidade sanitária de dois lotes de sementes de P. maximum destinados à exportação. Para isso, as sementes foram submetidas ao teste de papel de filtro em gerbox, os quais foram incubados a 20ºC, com fotoperíodo de 12 h, durante sete dias. Os fungos saprófitos ou

  13. 78 FR 49370 - Inflation Adjustment of Maximum Forfeiture Penalties

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-14

    ... ``civil monetary penalties provided by law'' at least once every four years. DATES: Effective September 13... increases the maximum civil monetary forfeiture penalties available to the Commission under its rules... maximum civil penalties established in that section to account for inflation since the last adjustment to...

  14. 5 CFR 838.711 - Maximum former spouse survivor annuity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maximum former spouse survivor annuity... Orders Awarding Former Spouse Survivor Annuities Limitations on Survivor Annuities § 838.711 Maximum former spouse survivor annuity. (a) Under CSRS, payments under a court order may not exceed the amount...

  15. A tropospheric ozone maximum over the equatorial Southern Indian Ocean

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Zhang

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available We examine the distribution of tropical tropospheric ozone (O3 from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS and the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES by using a global three-dimensional model of tropospheric chemistry (GEOS-Chem. MLS and TES observations of tropospheric O3 during 2005 to 2009 reveal a distinct, persistent O3 maximum, both in mixing ratio and tropospheric column, in May over the Equatorial Southern Indian Ocean (ESIO. The maximum is most pronounced in 2006 and 2008 and less evident in the other three years. This feature is also consistent with the total column O3 observations from the Ozone Mapping Instrument (OMI and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS. Model results reproduce the observed May O3 maximum and the associated interannual variability. The origin of the maximum reflects a complex interplay of chemical and dynamic factors. The O3 maximum is dominated by the O3 production driven by lightning nitrogen oxides (NOx emissions, which accounts for 62% of the tropospheric column O3 in May 2006. We find the contribution from biomass burning, soil, anthropogenic and biogenic sources to the O3 maximum are rather small. The O3 productions in the lightning outflow from Central Africa and South America both peak in May and are directly responsible for the O3 maximum over the western ESIO. The lightning outflow from Equatorial Asia dominates over the eastern ESIO. The interannual variability of the O3 maximum is driven largely by the anomalous anti-cyclones over the southern Indian Ocean in May 2006 and 2008. The lightning outflow from Central Africa and South America is effectively entrained by the anti-cyclones followed by northward transport to the ESIO.

  16. Solar maximum observatory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rust, D.M.

    1984-01-01

    The successful retrieval and repair of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite by Shuttle astronauts in April 1984 permitted continuance of solar flare observations that began in 1980. The SMM carries a soft X ray polychromator, gamma ray, UV and hard X ray imaging spectrometers, a coronagraph/polarimeter and particle counters. The data gathered thus far indicated that electrical potentials of 25 MeV develop in flares within 2 sec of onset. X ray data show that flares are composed of compressed magnetic loops that have come too close together. Other data have been taken on mass ejection, impacts of electron beams and conduction fronts with the chromosphere and changes in the solar radiant flux due to sunspots. 13 references

  17. Post optimization paradigm in maximum 3-satisfiability logic programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansor, Mohd. Asyraf; Sathasivam, Saratha; Kasihmuddin, Mohd Shareduwan Mohd

    2017-08-01

    Maximum 3-Satisfiability (MAX-3SAT) is a counterpart of the Boolean satisfiability problem that can be treated as a constraint optimization problem. It deals with a conundrum of searching the maximum number of satisfied clauses in a particular 3-SAT formula. This paper presents the implementation of enhanced Hopfield network in hastening the Maximum 3-Satisfiability (MAX-3SAT) logic programming. Four post optimization techniques are investigated, including the Elliot symmetric activation function, Gaussian activation function, Wavelet activation function and Hyperbolic tangent activation function. The performances of these post optimization techniques in accelerating MAX-3SAT logic programming will be discussed in terms of the ratio of maximum satisfied clauses, Hamming distance and the computation time. Dev-C++ was used as the platform for training, testing and validating our proposed techniques. The results depict the Hyperbolic tangent activation function and Elliot symmetric activation function can be used in doing MAX-3SAT logic programming.

  18. Mass mortality of the vermetid gastropod Ceraesignum maximum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, A. L.; Frazer, T. K.; Shima, J. S.; Osenberg, C. W.

    2016-09-01

    Ceraesignum maximum (G.B. Sowerby I, 1825), formerly Dendropoma maximum, was subject to a sudden, massive die-off in the Society Islands, French Polynesia, in 2015. On Mo'orea, where we have detailed documentation of the die-off, these gastropods were previously found in densities up to 165 m-2. In July 2015, we surveyed shallow back reefs of Mo'orea before, during and after the die-off, documenting their swift decline. All censused populations incurred 100% mortality. Additional surveys and observations from Mo'orea, Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Huahine (but not Taha'a) suggested a similar, and approximately simultaneous, die-off. The cause(s) of this cataclysmic mass mortality are currently unknown. Given the previously documented negative effects of C. maximum on corals, we expect the die-off will have cascading effects on the reef community.

  19. Effect of children's shoes on gait: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burns Joshua

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The effect of footwear on the gait of children is poorly understood. This systematic review synthesises the evidence of the biomechanical effects of shoes on children during walking and running. Methods Study inclusion criteria were: barefoot and shod conditions; healthy children aged ≤ 16 years; sample size of n > 1. Novelty footwear was excluded. Studies were located by online database-searching, hand-searching and contact with experts. Two authors selected studies and assessed study methodology using the Quality Index. Meta-analysis of continuous variables for homogeneous studies was undertaken using the inverse variance approach. Significance level was set at P 2. Where I2 > 25%, a random-effects model analysis was used and where I2 Results Eleven studies were included. Sample size ranged from 4-898. Median Quality Index was 20/32 (range 11-27. Five studies randomised shoe order, six studies standardised footwear. Shod walking increased: velocity, step length, step time, base of support, double-support time, stance time, time to toe-off, sagittal tibia-rearfoot range of motion (ROM, sagittal tibia-foot ROM, ankle max-plantarflexion, Ankle ROM, foot lift to max-plantarflexion, 'subtalar' rotation ROM, knee sagittal ROM and tibialis anterior activity. Shod walking decreased: cadence, single-support time, ankle max-dorsiflexion, ankle at foot-lift, hallux ROM, arch length change, foot torsion, forefoot supination, forefoot width and midfoot ROM in all planes. Shod running decreased: long axis maximum tibial-acceleration, shock-wave transmission as a ratio of maximum tibial-acceleration, ankle plantarflexion at foot strike, knee angular velocity and tibial swing velocity. No variables increased during shod running. Conclusions Shoes affect the gait of children. With shoes, children walk faster by taking longer steps with greater ankle and knee motion and increased tibialis anterior activity. Shoes reduce foot motion and

  20. Maximum phytoplankton concentrations in the sea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jackson, G.A.; Kiørboe, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    A simplification of plankton dynamics using coagulation theory provides predictions of the maximum algal concentration sustainable in aquatic systems. These predictions have previously been tested successfully against results from iron fertilization experiments. We extend the test to data collect...

  1. On the Pontryagin maximum principle for systems with delays. Economic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, A. V.; Kormyshev, V. M.; Kwon, O. B.; Mukhametshin, E. R.

    2017-11-01

    The Pontryagin maximum principle [6] is the key stone of finite-dimensional optimal control theory [1, 2, 5]. So beginning with opening the maximum principle it was important to extend the maximum principle on various classes of dynamical systems. In t he paper we consider some aspects of application of i-smooth analysis [3, 4] in the theory of the Pontryagin maximum principle [6] for systems with delays, obtained results can be applied by elaborating optimal program controls in economic models with delays.

  2. Parametric optimization of thermoelectric elements footprint for maximum power generation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rezania, A.; Rosendahl, Lasse; Yin, Hao

    2014-01-01

    The development studies in thermoelectric generator (TEG) systems are mostly disconnected to parametric optimization of the module components. In this study, optimum footprint ratio of n- and p-type thermoelectric (TE) elements is explored to achieve maximum power generation, maximum cost......-performance, and variation of efficiency in the uni-couple over a wide range of the heat transfer coefficient on the cold junction. The three-dimensional (3D) governing equations of the thermoelectricity and the heat transfer are solved using the finite element method (FEM) for temperature dependent properties of TE...... materials. The results, which are in good agreement with the previous computational studies, show that the maximum power generation and the maximum cost-performance in the module occur at An/Ap

  3. Coronary ligation reduces maximum sustained swimming speed in Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Farrell, A P; Steffensen, J F

    1987-01-01

    The maximum aerobic swimming speed of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was measured before and after ligation of the coronary artery. Coronary artery ligation prevented blood flow to the compact layer of the ventricular myocardium, which represents 30% of the ventricular mass, and produced...... a statistically significant 35.5% reduction in maximum swimming speed. We conclude that the coronary circulation is important for maximum aerobic swimming and implicit in this conclusion is that maximum cardiac performance is probably necessary for maximum aerobic swimming performance....

  4. Effects of bruxism on the maximum bite force

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Todić Jelena T.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Bruxism is a parafunctional activity of the masticatory system, which is characterized by clenching or grinding of teeth. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the presence of bruxism has impact on maximum bite force, with particular reference to the potential impact of gender on bite force values. Methods. This study included two groups of subjects: without and with bruxism. The presence of bruxism in the subjects was registered using a specific clinical questionnaire on bruxism and physical examination. The subjects from both groups were submitted to the procedure of measuring the maximum bite pressure and occlusal contact area using a single-sheet pressure-sensitive films (Fuji Prescale MS and HS Film. Maximal bite force was obtained by multiplying maximal bite pressure and occlusal contact area values. Results. The average values of maximal bite force were significantly higher in the subjects with bruxism compared to those without bruxism (p 0.01. Maximal bite force was significantly higher in the males compared to the females in all segments of the research. Conclusion. The presence of bruxism influences the increase in the maximum bite force as shown in this study. Gender is a significant determinant of bite force. Registration of maximum bite force can be used in diagnosing and analysing pathophysiological events during bruxism.

  5. Acumulación de hojarasca en un pastizal de Panicum maximum y en un sistema silvopastoril de Panicum maximum y Leucaena leucocephala Litter accumulation in a Panicum maximum grassland and in a silvopastoral system of Panicum maximum and Leucaena leucocephala

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saray Sánchez

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio en la Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes "Indio Hatuey", Matanzas, Cuba, con el objetivo de determinar la acumulación de la hojarasca en un pastizal de Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Likoni y en un sistema silvopastoril de Panicum maximum y Leucaena leucocephala (Lam de Wit cv. Cunningham. En los pastizales de P. maximum de ambos sistemas se determinó la acumulación de la hojarasca según la técnica propuesta por Bruce y Ebershon (1982, mientras que la hojarasca de L. leucocephala acumulada en el sistema silvopastoril se determinó según Santa Regina et al. (1997. De forma general, los resultados demostraron que en ambos pastizales la guinea acumuló una menor cantidad de hojarasca durante el período junio-diciembre, etapa en la que se produce su mayor desarrollo vegetativo. En la leucaena la mayor producción de hojarasca ocurrió en el período de diciembre a enero, asociada con la caída natural de sus hojas que se produce por efecto de las temperaturas más bajas y la escasa humedad en el suelo. En el sistema silvopastoril la hojarasca de leucaena representó el mayor porcentaje de peso dentro de la producción total, con un contenido más alto de nitrógeno y de calcio que el de la hojarasca del estrato herbáceo. En la guinea la lluvia fue el factor climático que mayor correlación negativa presentó con la producción de hojarasca en ambos sistemas, y en la leucaena la mayor correlación negativa se encontró con la temperatura mínima.A study was carried out at the Experimental Station of Pastures and Forages "Indio Hatuey", Matanzas, Cuba, with the objective of determining the litter accumulation in a pastureland of Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Likoni and in a silvopastoral system of Panicum maximum and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam de Wit cv. Cunningham. In the P. maximum pasturelands of both systems the litter accumulation was determined by means of the technique proposed by Bruce and Ebershon (1982, while

  6. Parameters determining maximum wind velocity in a tropical cyclone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choudhury, A.M.

    1984-09-01

    The spiral structure of a tropical cyclone was earlier explained by a tangential velocity distribution which varies inversely as the distance from the cyclone centre outside the circle of maximum wind speed. The case has been extended in the present paper by adding a radial velocity. It has been found that a suitable combination of radial and tangential velocities can account for the spiral structure of a cyclone. This enables parametrization of the cyclone. Finally a formula has been derived relating maximum velocity in a tropical cyclone with angular momentum, radius of maximum wind speed and the spiral angle. The shapes of the spirals have been computed for various spiral angles. (author)

  7. Exercise-induced maximum metabolic rate scaled to body mass by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Exercise-induced maximum metabolic rate scaled to body mass by the fractal ... rate scaling is that exercise-induced maximum aerobic metabolic rate (MMR) is ... muscle stress limitation, and maximized oxygen delivery and metabolic rates.

  8. Electron density distribution in Si and Ge using multipole, maximum ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Si and Ge has been studied using multipole, maximum entropy method (MEM) and ... and electron density distribution using the currently available versatile ..... data should be subjected to maximum possible utility for the characterization of.

  9. The maximum-entropy method in superspace

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    van Smaalen, S.; Palatinus, Lukáš; Schneider, M.

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 59, - (2003), s. 459-469 ISSN 0108-7673 Grant - others:DFG(DE) XX Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1010914 Keywords : maximum-entropy method, * aperiodic crystals * electron density Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.558, year: 2003

  10. Maximum-entropy clustering algorithm and its global convergence analysis

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2001-01-01

    Constructing a batch of differentiable entropy functions touniformly approximate an objective function by means of the maximum-entropy principle, a new clustering algorithm, called maximum-entropy clustering algorithm, is proposed based on optimization theory. This algorithm is a soft generalization of the hard C-means algorithm and possesses global convergence. Its relations with other clustering algorithms are discussed.

  11. maximum neutron flux at thermal nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strugar, P.

    1968-10-01

    Since actual research reactors are technically complicated and expensive facilities it is important to achieve savings by appropriate reactor lattice configurations. There is a number of papers, and practical examples of reactors with central reflector, dealing with spatial distribution of fuel elements which would result in higher neutron flux. Common disadvantage of all the solutions is that the choice of best solution is done starting from the anticipated spatial distributions of fuel elements. The weakness of these approaches is lack of defined optimization criteria. Direct approach is defined as follows: determine the spatial distribution of fuel concentration starting from the condition of maximum neutron flux by fulfilling the thermal constraints. Thus the problem of determining the maximum neutron flux is solving a variational problem which is beyond the possibilities of classical variational calculation. This variational problem has been successfully solved by applying the maximum principle of Pontrjagin. Optimum distribution of fuel concentration was obtained in explicit analytical form. Thus, spatial distribution of the neutron flux and critical dimensions of quite complex reactor system are calculated in a relatively simple way. In addition to the fact that the results are innovative this approach is interesting because of the optimization procedure itself [sr

  12. 5 CFR 534.203 - Maximum stipends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... maximum stipend established under this section. (e) A trainee at a non-Federal hospital, clinic, or medical or dental laboratory who is assigned to a Federal hospital, clinic, or medical or dental... Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS Student...

  13. Influence of maximum bite force on jaw movement during gummy jelly mastication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuninori, T; Tomonari, H; Uehara, S; Kitashima, F; Yagi, T; Miyawaki, S

    2014-05-01

    It is known that maximum bite force has various influences on chewing function; however, there have not been studies in which the relationships between maximum bite force and masticatory jaw movement have been clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maximum bite force on masticatory jaw movement in subjects with normal occlusion. Thirty young adults (22 men and 8 women; mean age, 22.6 years) with good occlusion were divided into two groups based on whether they had a relatively high or low maximum bite force according to the median. The maximum bite force was determined according to the Dental Prescale System using pressure-sensitive sheets. Jaw movement during mastication of hard gummy jelly (each 5.5 g) on the preferred chewing side was recorded using a six degrees of freedom jaw movement recording system. The motion of the lower incisal point of the mandible was computed, and the mean values of 10 cycles (cycles 2-11) were calculated. A masticatory performance test was conducted using gummy jelly. Subjects with a lower maximum bite force showed increased maximum lateral amplitude, closing distance, width and closing angle; wider masticatory jaw movement; and significantly lower masticatory performance. However, no differences in the maximum vertical or maximum anteroposterior amplitudes were observed between the groups. Although other factors, such as individual morphology, may influence masticatory jaw movement, our results suggest that subjects with a lower maximum bite force show increased lateral jaw motion during mastication. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Maximum parsimony on subsets of taxa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Mareike; Thatte, Bhalchandra D

    2009-09-21

    In this paper we investigate mathematical questions concerning the reliability (reconstruction accuracy) of Fitch's maximum parsimony algorithm for reconstructing the ancestral state given a phylogenetic tree and a character. In particular, we consider the question whether the maximum parsimony method applied to a subset of taxa can reconstruct the ancestral state of the root more accurately than when applied to all taxa, and we give an example showing that this indeed is possible. A surprising feature of our example is that ignoring a taxon closer to the root improves the reliability of the method. On the other hand, in the case of the two-state symmetric substitution model, we answer affirmatively a conjecture of Li, Steel and Zhang which states that under a molecular clock the probability that the state at a single taxon is a correct guess of the ancestral state is a lower bound on the reconstruction accuracy of Fitch's method applied to all taxa.

  15. Maximum length scale in density based topology optimization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lazarov, Boyan Stefanov; Wang, Fengwen

    2017-01-01

    The focus of this work is on two new techniques for imposing maximum length scale in topology optimization. Restrictions on the maximum length scale provide designers with full control over the optimized structure and open possibilities to tailor the optimized design for broader range...... of manufacturing processes by fulfilling the associated technological constraints. One of the proposed methods is based on combination of several filters and builds on top of the classical density filtering which can be viewed as a low pass filter applied to the design parametrization. The main idea...

  16. Maximum Water Hammer Sensitivity Analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Jalil Emadi; Abbas Solemani

    2011-01-01

    Pressure waves and Water Hammer occur in a pumping system when valves are closed or opened suddenly or in the case of sudden failure of pumps. Determination of maximum water hammer is considered one of the most important technical and economical items of which engineers and designers of pumping stations and conveyance pipelines should take care. Hammer Software is a recent application used to simulate water hammer. The present study focuses on determining significance of ...

  17. Changes in gluteal muscle forces with alteration of footstrike pattern during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vannatta, Charles Nathan; Kernozek, Thomas W; Gheidi, Naghmeh

    2017-10-01

    Gait retraining is a common form of treatment for running related injuries. Proximal factors at the hip have been postulated as having a role in the development of running related injuries. How altering footstrike affects hip muscles forces and kinematics has not been described. Thus, we aimed to quantify differences in hip muscle forces and hip kinematics that may occur when healthy runners are instructed to alter their foot strike pattern from their habitual rear-foot strike to a forefoot strike. This may gain insight on the potential etiology and treatment methods of running related lower extremity injury. Twenty-five healthy female runners completed a minimum of 10 running trials in a controlled laboratory setting under rear-foot strike and instructed forefoot strike conditions. Kinetic and kinematic data were used in an inverse dynamic based static optimization to estimate individual muscle forces during running. Within subject differences were investigated using a repeated measures multi-variate analysis of variance. Peak gluteus medius and minimus and hamstring forces were reduced while peak gluteus maximus force was increased when running with an instructed forefoot strike pattern. Peak hip adduction, hip internal rotation, and heel-COM distance were also reduced. Therefore, instructing habitual rearfoot strike runners to run with a forefoot strike pattern resulted in changes in peak gluteal and hamstring muscle forces and hip kinematics. These changes may be beneficial to the development and treatment of running related lower extremity injury. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of body mass and midsole hardness on kinetic and perceptual variables during basketball landing manoeuvres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nin, Darren Z; Lam, Wing K; Kong, Pui W

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of body mass and shoe midsole hardness on kinetic and perceptual variables during the performance of three basketball movements: (1) the first and landing steps of layup, (2) shot-blocking landing and (3) drop landing. Thirty male basketball players, assigned into "heavy" (n = 15, mass 82.7 ± 4.3 kg) or "light" (n = 15, mass 63.1 ± 2.8 kg) groups, performed five trials of each movement in three identical shoes of varying midsole hardness (soft, medium, hard). Vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) during landing was sampled using multiple wooden-top force plates. Perceptual responses on five variables (forefoot cushioning, rearfoot cushioning, forefoot stability, rearfoot stability and overall comfort) were rated after each movement condition using a 150-mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). A mixed factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) (Body Mass × Shoe) was applied to all kinetic and perceptual variables. During the first step of the layup, the loading rate associated with rearfoot contact was 40.7% higher in the "heavy" than "light" groups (P = .014) and 12.4% higher in hard compared with soft shoes (P = .011). Forefoot peak VGRF in a soft shoe was higher (P = .011) than in a hard shoe during shot-block landing. Both "heavy" and "light" groups preferred softer to harder shoes. Overall, body mass had little effect on kinetic or perceptual variables.

  19. Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieberman, Daniel E; Venkadesan, Madhusudhan; Werbel, William A; Daoud, Adam I; D'Andrea, Susan; Davis, Irene S; Mang'eni, Robert Ojiambo; Pitsiladis, Yannis

    2010-01-28

    Humans have engaged in endurance running for millions of years, but the modern running shoe was not invented until the 1970s. For most of human evolutionary history, runners were either barefoot or wore minimal footwear such as sandals or moccasins with smaller heels and little cushioning relative to modern running shoes. We wondered how runners coped with the impact caused by the foot colliding with the ground before the invention of the modern shoe. Here we show that habitually barefoot endurance runners often land on the fore-foot (fore-foot strike) before bringing down the heel, but they sometimes land with a flat foot (mid-foot strike) or, less often, on the heel (rear-foot strike). In contrast, habitually shod runners mostly rear-foot strike, facilitated by the elevated and cushioned heel of the modern running shoe. Kinematic and kinetic analyses show that even on hard surfaces, barefoot runners who fore-foot strike generate smaller collision forces than shod rear-foot strikers. This difference results primarily from a more plantarflexed foot at landing and more ankle compliance during impact, decreasing the effective mass of the body that collides with the ground. Fore-foot- and mid-foot-strike gaits were probably more common when humans ran barefoot or in minimal shoes, and may protect the feet and lower limbs from some of the impact-related injuries now experienced by a high percentage of runners.

  20. Comparisons of foot anthropometry and plantar arch indices between German and Brazilian children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacco, Isabel C N; Onodera, Andrea N; Bosch, Kerstin; Rosenbaum, Dieter

    2015-02-12

    Nowadays, trades and research have become closely related between different countries and anthropometric data are important for the development in global markets. The appropriate use of anthropometry may improve wellbeing, health, comfort and safety especially for footwear design. For children a proper fit of footwear is very important, not constraining foot growth and allowing a normal development. The aim of this study was to compare the anthropometric characteristics of German and Brazilian children's feet from 3 to 10 years of age. We compared five indirect measures of two databases of children's feet. Forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot widths were measured in static footprints and the Chippaux-Smirak and Staheli indices of the longitudinal arch were calculated. Brazilian children showed a significantly narrower forefoot from 5 to 10 years, wider rearfoot from 3 to 4 years, wider midfoot for 4 year-olds and narrower midfoot for 10 year-old children. Nevertheless, the Chippaux-Smirak and Staheli indices showed no group differences. The only exception was for 4 year-old Brazilian children who showed a higher Chippaux-Smirak index compared to German children (48.4 ± 17.7%; 42.1 ± 13.8%). Our study revealed anthropometric differences in absolute forefoot and rearfoot widths of German and Brazilian children, but a similar longitudinal arch development. At 4 years of age, Brazilian children present a foot anthropometry similar to the 3 year-olds and develop the plantar longitudinal arch from 4 to 5 years more rapidly when compared to German children.

  1. PTree: pattern-based, stochastic search for maximum parsimony phylogenies

    OpenAIRE

    Gregor, Ivan; Steinbr?ck, Lars; McHardy, Alice C.

    2013-01-01

    Phylogenetic reconstruction is vital to analyzing the evolutionary relationship of genes within and across populations of different species. Nowadays, with next generation sequencing technologies producing sets comprising thousands of sequences, robust identification of the tree topology, which is optimal according to standard criteria such as maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood or posterior probability, with phylogenetic inference methods is a computationally very demanding task. Here, we ...

  2. The maximum significant wave height in the Southern North Sea

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bouws, E.; Tolman, H.L.; Holthuijsen, L.H.; Eldeberky, Y.; Booij, N.; Ferier, P.

    1995-01-01

    The maximum possible wave conditions along the Dutch coast, which seem to be dominated by the limited water depth, have been estimated in the present study with numerical simulations. Discussions with meteorologists suggest that the maximum possible sustained wind speed in North Sea conditions is

  3. Feedback and Feedforward Control During Walking in Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Sheng-Che; Corkery, Marie B; Donohoe, Amy; Grogan, Maddison; Wu, Yi-Ning

    2016-09-01

    Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Background Recurrent ankle sprains associated with chronic ankle instability (CAI) occur not only in challenging sports but also in daily walking. Understanding whether and how CAI alters feedback and feedforward controls during walking may be important for developing interventions for CAI prevention or treatment. Objective To understand whether CAI is associated with changes in feedback and feedforward control when individuals with CAI are subjected to experimental perturbation during walking. Methods Twelve subjects with CAI and 12 control subjects walked on a treadmill while adapting to external loading that generated inversion perturbation at the ankle joint. Ankle kinematics around heel contact during and after the adaptation were compared between the 2 groups. Results Both healthy and CAI groups showed an increase in eversion around heel contact in early adaptation to the external loading. However, the CAI group adapted back toward the baseline, while the healthy controls showed further increase in eversion in late adaptation. When the external loading was removed in the postadaptation period, healthy controls showed an aftereffect consisting of an increase in eversion around heel contact, but the CAI group showed no aftereffect. Conclusion The results provide preliminary evidence that CAI may alter individuals' feedback and feedforward control during walking. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(9):775-783. Epub 5 Aug 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.6403.

  4. Maximum mass ratio of AM CVn-type binary systems and maximum white dwarf mass in ultra-compact X-ray binaries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arbutina Bojan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available AM CVn-type stars and ultra-compact X-ray binaries are extremely interesting semi-detached close binary systems in which the Roche lobe filling component is a white dwarf transferring mass to another white dwarf, neutron star or a black hole. Earlier theoretical considerations show that there is a maximum mass ratio of AM CVn-type binary systems (qmax ≈ 2/3 below which the mass transfer is stable. In this paper we derive slightly different value for qmax and more interestingly, by applying the same procedure, we find the maximum expected white dwarf mass in ultra-compact X-ray binaries.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. Maximum Principle for General Controlled Systems Driven by Fractional Brownian Motions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han Yuecai; Hu Yaozhong; Song Jian

    2013-01-01

    We obtain a maximum principle for stochastic control problem of general controlled stochastic differential systems driven by fractional Brownian motions (of Hurst parameter H>1/2). This maximum principle specifies a system of equations that the optimal control must satisfy (necessary condition for the optimal control). This system of equations consists of a backward stochastic differential equation driven by both fractional Brownian motions and the corresponding underlying standard Brownian motions. In addition to this backward equation, the maximum principle also involves the Malliavin derivatives. Our approach is to use conditioning and Malliavin calculus. To arrive at our maximum principle we need to develop some new results of stochastic analysis of the controlled systems driven by fractional Brownian motions via fractional calculus. Our approach of conditioning and Malliavin calculus is also applied to classical system driven by standard Brownian motions while the controller has only partial information. As a straightforward consequence, the classical maximum principle is also deduced in this more natural and simpler way.

  8. Direct maximum parsimony phylogeny reconstruction from genotype data.

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2007-12-05

    Maximum parsimony phylogenetic tree reconstruction from genetic variation data is a fundamental problem in computational genetics with many practical applications in population genetics, whole genome analysis, and the search for genetic predictors of disease. Efficient methods are available for reconstruction of maximum parsimony trees from haplotype data, but such data are difficult to determine directly for autosomal DNA. Data more commonly is available in the form of genotypes, which consist of conflated combinations of pairs of haplotypes from homologous chromosomes. Currently, there are no general algorithms for the direct reconstruction of maximum parsimony phylogenies from genotype data. Hence phylogenetic applications for autosomal data must therefore rely on other methods for first computationally inferring haplotypes from genotypes. In this work, we develop the first practical method for computing maximum parsimony phylogenies directly from genotype data. We show that the standard practice of first inferring haplotypes from genotypes and then reconstructing a phylogeny on the haplotypes often substantially overestimates phylogeny size. As an immediate application, our method can be used to determine the minimum number of mutations required to explain a given set of observed genotypes. Phylogeny reconstruction directly from unphased data is computationally feasible for moderate-sized problem instances and can lead to substantially more accurate tree size inferences than the standard practice of treating phasing and phylogeny construction as two separate analysis stages. The difference between the approaches is particularly important for downstream applications that require a lower-bound on the number of mutations that the genetic region has undergone.

  9. Direct maximum parsimony phylogeny reconstruction from genotype data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravi R

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Maximum parsimony phylogenetic tree reconstruction from genetic variation data is a fundamental problem in computational genetics with many practical applications in population genetics, whole genome analysis, and the search for genetic predictors of disease. Efficient methods are available for reconstruction of maximum parsimony trees from haplotype data, but such data are difficult to determine directly for autosomal DNA. Data more commonly is available in the form of genotypes, which consist of conflated combinations of pairs of haplotypes from homologous chromosomes. Currently, there are no general algorithms for the direct reconstruction of maximum parsimony phylogenies from genotype data. Hence phylogenetic applications for autosomal data must therefore rely on other methods for first computationally inferring haplotypes from genotypes. Results In this work, we develop the first practical method for computing maximum parsimony phylogenies directly from genotype data. We show that the standard practice of first inferring haplotypes from genotypes and then reconstructing a phylogeny on the haplotypes often substantially overestimates phylogeny size. As an immediate application, our method can be used to determine the minimum number of mutations required to explain a given set of observed genotypes. Conclusion Phylogeny reconstruction directly from unphased data is computationally feasible for moderate-sized problem instances and can lead to substantially more accurate tree size inferences than the standard practice of treating phasing and phylogeny construction as two separate analysis stages. The difference between the approaches is particularly important for downstream applications that require a lower-bound on the number of mutations that the genetic region has undergone.

  10. 20 CFR 10.806 - How are the maximum fees defined?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... AMENDED Information for Medical Providers Medical Fee Schedule § 10.806 How are the maximum fees defined? For professional medical services, the Director shall maintain a schedule of maximum allowable fees.../Current Procedural Terminology (HCPCS/CPT) code which represents the relative skill, effort, risk and time...

  11. Maximum-likelihood estimation of the hyperbolic parameters from grouped observations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jens Ledet

    1988-01-01

    a least-squares problem. The second procedure Hypesti first approaches the maximum-likelihood estimate by iterating in the profile-log likelihood function for the scale parameter. Close to the maximum of the likelihood function, the estimation is brought to an end by iteration, using all four parameters...

  12. Scientific substantination of maximum allowable concentration of fluopicolide in water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pelo I.М.

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available In order to substantiate fluopicolide maximum allowable concentration in the water of water reservoirs the research was carried out. Methods of study: laboratory hygienic experiment using organoleptic and sanitary-chemical, sanitary-toxicological, sanitary-microbiological and mathematical methods. The results of fluopicolide influence on organoleptic properties of water, sanitary regimen of reservoirs for household purposes were given and its subthreshold concentration in water by sanitary and toxicological hazard index was calculated. The threshold concentration of the substance by the main hazard criteria was established, the maximum allowable concentration in water was substantiated. The studies led to the following conclusions: fluopicolide threshold concentration in water by organoleptic hazard index (limiting criterion – the smell – 0.15 mg/dm3, general sanitary hazard index (limiting criteria – impact on the number of saprophytic microflora, biochemical oxygen demand and nitrification – 0.015 mg/dm3, the maximum noneffective concentration – 0.14 mg/dm3, the maximum allowable concentration - 0.015 mg/dm3.

  13. Maximum likelihood estimation of finite mixture model for economic data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phoong, Seuk-Yen; Ismail, Mohd Tahir

    2014-06-01

    Finite mixture model is a mixture model with finite-dimension. This models are provides a natural representation of heterogeneity in a finite number of latent classes. In addition, finite mixture models also known as latent class models or unsupervised learning models. Recently, maximum likelihood estimation fitted finite mixture models has greatly drawn statistician's attention. The main reason is because maximum likelihood estimation is a powerful statistical method which provides consistent findings as the sample sizes increases to infinity. Thus, the application of maximum likelihood estimation is used to fit finite mixture model in the present paper in order to explore the relationship between nonlinear economic data. In this paper, a two-component normal mixture model is fitted by maximum likelihood estimation in order to investigate the relationship among stock market price and rubber price for sampled countries. Results described that there is a negative effect among rubber price and stock market price for Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia.

  14. 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.

  15. Zipf's law, power laws and maximum entropy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Visser, Matt

    2013-01-01

    Zipf's law, and power laws in general, have attracted and continue to attract considerable attention in a wide variety of disciplines—from astronomy to demographics to software structure to economics to linguistics to zoology, and even warfare. A recent model of random group formation (RGF) attempts a general explanation of such phenomena based on Jaynes' notion of maximum entropy applied to a particular choice of cost function. In the present paper I argue that the specific cost function used in the RGF model is in fact unnecessarily complicated, and that power laws can be obtained in a much simpler way by applying maximum entropy ideas directly to the Shannon entropy subject only to a single constraint: that the average of the logarithm of the observable quantity is specified. (paper)

  16. Einstein-Dirac theory in spin maximum I

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crumeyrolle, A.

    1975-01-01

    An unitary Einstein-Dirac theory, first in spin maximum 1, is constructed. An original feature of this article is that it is written without any tetrapod technics; basic notions and existence conditions for spinor structures on pseudo-Riemannian fibre bundles are only used. A coupling gravitation-electromagnetic field is pointed out, in the geometric setting of the tangent bundle over space-time. Generalized Maxwell equations for inductive media in presence of gravitational field are obtained. Enlarged Einstein-Schroedinger theory, gives a particular case of this E.D. theory. E. S. theory is a truncated E.D. theory in spin maximum 1. A close relation between torsion-vector and Schroedinger's potential exists and nullity of torsion-vector has a spinor meaning. Finally the Petiau-Duffin-Kemmer theory is incorporated in this geometric setting [fr

  17. Fuzzy Controller Design Using FPGA for Photovoltaic Maximum Power Point Tracking

    OpenAIRE

    Basil M Hamed; Mohammed S. El-Moghany

    2012-01-01

    The cell has optimum operating point to be able to get maximum power. To obtain Maximum Power from photovoltaic array, photovoltaic power system usually requires Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controller. This paper provides a small power photovoltaic control system based on fuzzy control with FPGA technology design and implementation for MPPT. The system composed of photovoltaic module, buck converter and the fuzzy logic controller implemented on FPGA for controlling on/off time of MOSF...

  18. Maximum penetration level of distributed generation without violating voltage limits

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Morren, J.; Haan, de S.W.H.

    2009-01-01

    Connection of Distributed Generation (DG) units to a distribution network will result in a local voltage increase. As there will be a maximum on the allowable voltage increase, this will limit the maximum allowable penetration level of DG. By reactive power compensation (by the DG unit itself) a

  19. 25 CFR 141.36 - Maximum finance charges on pawn transactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Maximum finance charges on pawn transactions. 141.36... PRACTICES ON THE NAVAJO, HOPI AND ZUNI RESERVATIONS Pawnbroker Practices § 141.36 Maximum finance charges on pawn transactions. No pawnbroker may impose an annual finance charge greater than twenty-four percent...

  20. Microprocessor-controlled step-down maximum-power-point tracker for photovoltaic systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazmuder, R. K.; Haidar, S.

    1992-12-01

    An efficient maximum power point tracker (MPPT) has been developed and can be used with a photovoltaic (PV) array and a load which requires lower voltage than the PV array voltage to be operated. The MPPT makes the PV array to operate at maximum power point (MPP) under all insolation and temperature, which ensures the maximum amount of available PV power to be delivered to the load. The performance of the MPPT has been studied under different insolation levels.

  1. 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

  2. Probable maximum flood control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeGabriele, C.E.; Wu, C.L.

    1991-11-01

    This study proposes preliminary design concepts to protect the waste-handling facilities and all shaft and ramp entries to the underground from the probable maximum flood (PMF) in the current design configuration for the proposed Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigation (NNWSI) repository protection provisions were furnished by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USSR) or developed from USSR data. Proposed flood protection provisions include site grading, drainage channels, and diversion dikes. Figures are provided to show these proposed flood protection provisions at each area investigated. These areas are the central surface facilities (including the waste-handling building and waste treatment building), tuff ramp portal, waste ramp portal, men-and-materials shaft, emplacement exhaust shaft, and exploratory shafts facility

  3. 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

  4. Application of Maximum Entropy Distribution to the Statistical Properties of Wave Groups

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2007-01-01

    The new distributions of the statistics of wave groups based on the maximum entropy principle are presented. The maximum entropy distributions appear to be superior to conventional distributions when applied to a limited amount of information. Its applications to the wave group properties show the effectiveness of the maximum entropy distribution. FFT filtering method is employed to obtain the wave envelope fast and efficiently. Comparisons of both the maximum entropy distribution and the distribution of Longuet-Higgins (1984) with the laboratory wind-wave data show that the former gives a better fit.

  5. 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.

  6. Dinosaur Metabolism and the Allometry of Maximum Growth Rate

    OpenAIRE

    Myhrvold, Nathan P.

    2016-01-01

    The allometry of maximum somatic growth rate has been used in prior studies to classify the metabolic state of both extant vertebrates and dinosaurs. The most recent such studies are reviewed, and their data is reanalyzed. The results of allometric regressions on growth rate are shown to depend on the choice of independent variable; the typical choice used in prior studies introduces a geometric shear transformation that exaggerates the statistical power of the regressions. The maximum growth...

  7. The spectrum of R Cygni during its exceptionally low maximum of 1983

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wallerstein, G.; Dominy, J.F.; Mattei, J.A.; Smith, V.V.

    1985-01-01

    In 1983 R Cygni experienced its faintest maximum ever recorded. A study of the light curve shows correlations between brightness at maximum and interval from the previous cycle, in the sense that fainter maxima occur later than normal and are followed by maxima that occur earlier than normal. Emission and absorption lines in the optical and near infrared (2.2 μm region) reveal two significant correlations. The amplitude of line doubling is independent of the magnitude at maximum for msub(v)(max)=7.1 to 9.8. The velocities of the emission lines, however, correlate with the magnitude at maximum, in that during bright maxima they are negatively displaced by 15 km s -1 with respect to the red component of absorption lines, while during the faintest maximum there is no displacement. (author)

  8. Maximum likelihood estimation for integrated diffusion processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baltazar-Larios, Fernando; Sørensen, Michael

    We propose a method for obtaining maximum likelihood estimates of parameters in diffusion models when the data is a discrete time sample of the integral of the process, while no direct observations of the process itself are available. The data are, moreover, assumed to be contaminated...... EM-algorithm to obtain maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters in the diffusion model. As part of the algorithm, we use a recent simple method for approximate simulation of diffusion bridges. In simulation studies for the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process and the CIR process the proposed method works...... by measurement errors. Integrated volatility is an example of this type of observations. Another example is ice-core data on oxygen isotopes used to investigate paleo-temperatures. The data can be viewed as incomplete observations of a model with a tractable likelihood function. Therefore we propose a simulated...

  9. Pareto versus lognormal: a maximum entropy test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bee, Marco; Riccaboni, Massimo; Schiavo, Stefano

    2011-08-01

    It is commonly found that distributions that seem to be lognormal over a broad range change to a power-law (Pareto) distribution for the last few percentiles. The distributions of many physical, natural, and social events (earthquake size, species abundance, income and wealth, as well as file, city, and firm sizes) display this structure. We present a test for the occurrence of power-law tails in statistical distributions based on maximum entropy. This methodology allows one to identify the true data-generating processes even in the case when it is neither lognormal nor Pareto. The maximum entropy approach is then compared with other widely used methods and applied to different levels of aggregation of complex systems. Our results provide support for the theory that distributions with lognormal body and Pareto tail can be generated as mixtures of lognormally distributed units.

  10. 7 CFR 762.129 - Percent of guarantee and maximum loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... loss. (a) General. The percent of guarantee will not exceed 90 percent based on the credit risk to the lender and the Agency both before and after the transaction. The Agency will determine the percentage of... PLP lenders will not be less than 80 percent. (d) Maximum loss. The maximum amount the Agency will pay...

  11. On the maximum entropy distributions of inherently positive nuclear data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taavitsainen, A., E-mail: aapo.taavitsainen@gmail.com; Vanhanen, R.

    2017-05-11

    The multivariate log-normal distribution is used by many authors and statistical uncertainty propagation programs for inherently positive quantities. Sometimes it is claimed that the log-normal distribution results from the maximum entropy principle, if only means, covariances and inherent positiveness of quantities are known or assumed to be known. In this article we show that this is not true. Assuming a constant prior distribution, the maximum entropy distribution is in fact a truncated multivariate normal distribution – whenever it exists. However, its practical application to multidimensional cases is hindered by lack of a method to compute its location and scale parameters from means and covariances. Therefore, regardless of its theoretical disadvantage, use of other distributions seems to be a practical necessity. - Highlights: • Statistical uncertainty propagation requires a sampling distribution. • The objective distribution of inherently positive quantities is determined. • The objectivity is based on the maximum entropy principle. • The maximum entropy distribution is the truncated normal distribution. • Applicability of log-normal or normal distribution approximation is limited.

  12. Effects of fasting on maximum thermogenesis in temperature-acclimated rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, L. C. H.

    1981-09-01

    To further investigate the limiting effect of substrates on maximum thermogenesis in acute cold exposure, the present study examined the prevalence of this effect at different thermogenic capabilities consequent to cold- or warm-acclimation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=11) were acclimated to 6, 16 and 26‡C, in succession, their thermogenic capabilities after each acclimation temperature were measured under helium-oxygen (21% oxygen, balance helium) at -10‡C after overnight fasting or feeding. Regardless of feeding conditions, both maximum and total heat production were significantly greater in 6>16>26‡C-acclimated conditions. In the fed state, the total heat production was significantly greater than that in the fasted state at all acclimating temperatures but the maximum thermogenesis was significant greater only in the 6 and 16‡C-acclimated states. The results indicate that the limiting effect of substrates on maximum and total thermogenesis is independent of the magnitude of thermogenic capability, suggesting a substrate-dependent component in restricting the effective expression of existing aerobic metabolic capability even under severe stress.

  13. Maximum gain of Yagi-Uda arrays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bojsen, J.H.; Schjær-Jacobsen, Hans; Nilsson, E.

    1971-01-01

    Numerical optimisation techniques have been used to find the maximum gain of some specific parasitic arrays. The gain of an array of infinitely thin, equispaced dipoles loaded with arbitrary reactances has been optimised. The results show that standard travelling-wave design methods are not optimum....... Yagi–Uda arrays with equal and unequal spacing have also been optimised with experimental verification....

  14. Solar Maximum Mission Experiment - Ultraviolet Spectroscopy and Polarimetry on the Solar Maximum Mission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandberg-Hanssen, E.; Cheng, C. C.; Woodgate, B. E.; Brandt, J. C.; Chapman, R. D.; Athay, R. G.; Beckers, J. M.; Bruner, E. C.; Gurman, J. B.; Hyder, C. L.

    1981-01-01

    The Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission spacecraft is described. It is pointed out that the instrument, which operates in the wavelength range 1150-3600 A, has a spatial resolution of 2-3 arcsec and a spectral resolution of 0.02 A FWHM in second order. A Gregorian telescope, with a focal length of 1.8 m, feeds a 1 m Ebert-Fastie spectrometer. A polarimeter comprising rotating Mg F2 waveplates can be inserted behind the spectrometer entrance slit; it permits all four Stokes parameters to be determined. Among the observing modes are rasters, spectral scans, velocity measurements, and polarimetry. Examples of initial observations made since launch are presented.

  15. Maximum β limited by ideal MHD ballooning instabilites in JT-60

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seki, Shogo; Azumi, Masashi

    1986-03-01

    Maximum β limited by ideal MHD ballooning instabilities is investigated on divertor configurations in JT-60. Maximum β against ballooning modes in JT-60 has strong dependecy on the distribution of the safety factor over the magnetic surfaces. Maximum β is ∼ 2 % for q 0 = 1.0, while more than 3 % for q 0 = 1.5. These results suggest that the profile control of the safety factor, especially on the magnetic axis, is attractive to the higher β operation in JT-60. (author)

  16. A maximum principle for time dependent transport in systems with voids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schofield, S.L.; Ackroyd, R.T.

    1996-01-01

    A maximum principle is developed for the first-order time dependent Boltzmann equation. The maximum principle is a generalization of Schofield's κ(θ) principle for the first-order steady state Boltzmann equation, and provides a treatment of time dependent transport in systems with void regions. The formulation comprises a direct least-squares minimization allied with a suitable choice of bilinear functional, and gives rise to a maximum principle whose functional is free of terms that have previously led to difficulties in treating void regions. (Author)

  17. The maximum sizes of large scale structures in alternative theories of gravity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhattacharya, Sourav [IUCAA, Pune University Campus, Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411 007 India (India); Dialektopoulos, Konstantinos F. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli ' Federico II' , Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Edificio G, Via Cinthia, Napoli, I-80126 Italy (Italy); Romano, Antonio Enea [Instituto de Física, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52–21, Medellín (Colombia); Skordis, Constantinos [Department of Physics, University of Cyprus, 1 Panepistimiou Street, Nicosia, 2109 Cyprus (Cyprus); Tomaras, Theodore N., E-mail: sbhatta@iitrpr.ac.in, E-mail: kdialekt@gmail.com, E-mail: aer@phys.ntu.edu.tw, E-mail: skordis@ucy.ac.cy, E-mail: tomaras@physics.uoc.gr [Institute of Theoretical and Computational Physics and Department of Physics, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion (Greece)

    2017-07-01

    The maximum size of a cosmic structure is given by the maximum turnaround radius—the scale where the attraction due to its mass is balanced by the repulsion due to dark energy. We derive generic formulae for the estimation of the maximum turnaround radius in any theory of gravity obeying the Einstein equivalence principle, in two situations: on a spherically symmetric spacetime and on a perturbed Friedman-Robertson-Walker spacetime. We show that the two formulae agree. As an application of our formula, we calculate the maximum turnaround radius in the case of the Brans-Dicke theory of gravity. We find that for this theory, such maximum sizes always lie above the ΛCDM value, by a factor 1 + 1/3ω, where ω>> 1 is the Brans-Dicke parameter, implying consistency of the theory with current data.

  18. Maximum nondiffracting propagation distance of aperture-truncated Airy beams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Xingchun; Zhao, Shanghong; Fang, Yingwu

    2018-05-01

    Airy beams have called attention of many researchers due to their non-diffracting, self-healing and transverse accelerating properties. A key issue in research of Airy beams and its applications is how to evaluate their nondiffracting propagation distance. In this paper, the critical transverse extent of physically realizable Airy beams is analyzed under the local spatial frequency methodology. The maximum nondiffracting propagation distance of aperture-truncated Airy beams is formulated and analyzed based on their local spatial frequency. The validity of the formula is verified by comparing the maximum nondiffracting propagation distance of an aperture-truncated ideal Airy beam, aperture-truncated exponentially decaying Airy beam and exponentially decaying Airy beam. Results show that the formula can be used to evaluate accurately the maximum nondiffracting propagation distance of an aperture-truncated ideal Airy beam. Therefore, it can guide us to select appropriate parameters to generate Airy beams with long nondiffracting propagation distance that have potential application in the fields of laser weapons or optical communications.

  19. Maximum Entropy and Theory Construction: A Reply to Favretti

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Harte

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available In the maximum entropy theory of ecology (METE, the form of a function describing the distribution of abundances over species and metabolic rates over individuals in an ecosystem is inferred using the maximum entropy inference procedure. Favretti shows that an alternative maximum entropy model exists that assumes the same prior knowledge and makes predictions that differ from METE’s. He shows that both cannot be correct and asserts that his is the correct one because it can be derived from a classic microstate-counting calculation. I clarify here exactly what the core entities and definitions are for METE, and discuss the relevance of two critical issues raised by Favretti: the existence of a counting procedure for microstates and the choices of definition of the core elements of a theory. I emphasize that a theorist controls how the core entities of his or her theory are defined, and that nature is the final arbiter of the validity of a theory.

  20. A novel algorithm for single-axis maximum power generation sun trackers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kung-Yen; Chung, Chi-Yao; Huang, Bin-Juine; Kuo, Ting-Jung; Yang, Huang-Wei; Cheng, Hung-Yen; Hsu, Po-Chien; Li, Kang

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A novel algorithm for a single-axis sun tracker is developed to increase the efficiency. • Photovoltaic module is rotated to find the optimal angle for generating the maximum power. • Electric energy increases up to 8.3%, compared with that of the tracker with three fixed angles. • The rotation range is optimized to reduce energy consumption from the rotation operations. - Abstract: The purpose of this study is to develop a novel algorithm for a single-axis maximum power generation sun tracker in order to identify the optimal stopping angle for generating the maximum amount of daily electric energy. First, the photovoltaic modules of the single-axis maximum power generation sun tracker are automatically rotated from 50° east to 50° west. During the rotation, the instantaneous power generated at different angles is recorded and compared, meaning that the optimal angle for generating the maximum power can be determined. Once the rotation (detection) is completed, the photovoltaic modules are then rotated to the resulting angle for generating the maximum power. The photovoltaic module is rotated once per hour in an attempt to detect the maximum irradiation and overcome the impact of environmental effects such as shading from cloud cover, other photovoltaic modules and surrounding buildings. Furthermore, the detection range is halved so as to reduce the energy consumption from the rotation operations and to improve the reliability of the sun tracker. The results indicate that electric energy production is increased by 3.4% in spring and autumn, 5.4% in summer, and 8.3% in winter, compared with that of the same sun tracker with three fixed angles of 50° east in the morning, 0° at noon and 50° west in the afternoon.

  1. Effects of variability in probable maximum precipitation patterns on flood losses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zischg, Andreas Paul; Felder, Guido; Weingartner, Rolf; Quinn, Niall; Coxon, Gemma; Neal, Jeffrey; Freer, Jim; Bates, Paul

    2018-05-01

    The assessment of the impacts of extreme floods is important for dealing with residual risk, particularly for critical infrastructure management and for insurance purposes. Thus, modelling of the probable maximum flood (PMF) from probable maximum precipitation (PMP) by coupling hydrological and hydraulic models has gained interest in recent years. Herein, we examine whether variability in precipitation patterns exceeds or is below selected uncertainty factors in flood loss estimation and if the flood losses within a river basin are related to the probable maximum discharge at the basin outlet. We developed a model experiment with an ensemble of probable maximum precipitation scenarios created by Monte Carlo simulations. For each rainfall pattern, we computed the flood losses with a model chain and benchmarked the effects of variability in rainfall distribution with other model uncertainties. The results show that flood losses vary considerably within the river basin and depend on the timing and superimposition of the flood peaks from the basin's sub-catchments. In addition to the flood hazard component, the other components of flood risk, exposure, and vulnerability contribute remarkably to the overall variability. This leads to the conclusion that the estimation of the probable maximum expectable flood losses in a river basin should not be based exclusively on the PMF. Consequently, the basin-specific sensitivities to different precipitation patterns and the spatial organization of the settlements within the river basin need to be considered in the analyses of probable maximum flood losses.

  2. Maximum potential preventive effect of hip protectors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Schoor, N.M.; Smit, J.H.; Bouter, L.M.; Veenings, B.; Asma, G.B.; Lips, P.T.A.M.

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To estimate the maximum potential preventive effect of hip protectors in older persons living in the community or homes for the elderly. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: Emergency departments in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Hip fracture patients aged 70 and older who

  3. 24 CFR 232.565 - Maximum loan amount.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... URBAN DEVELOPMENT MORTGAGE AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAMS UNDER NATIONAL HOUSING ACT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR NURSING HOMES, INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITIES, BOARD AND CARE HOMES, AND ASSISTED... Fire Safety Equipment Eligible Security Instruments § 232.565 Maximum loan amount. The principal amount...

  4. Achieving maximum sustainable yield in mixed fisheries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ulrich, Clara; Vermard, Youen; Dolder, Paul J.; Brunel, Thomas; Jardim, Ernesto; Holmes, Steven J.; Kempf, Alexander; Mortensen, Lars O.; Poos, Jan Jaap; Rindorf, Anna

    2017-01-01

    Achieving single species maximum sustainable yield (MSY) in complex and dynamic fisheries targeting multiple species (mixed fisheries) is challenging because achieving the objective for one species may mean missing the objective for another. The North Sea mixed fisheries are a representative example

  5. Maximum Power Point Tracking of Photovoltaic System for Traffic Light Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riza Muhida

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Photovoltaic traffic light system is a significant application of renewable energy source. The development of the system is an alternative effort of local authority to reduce expenditure for paying fees to power supplier which the power comes from conventional energy source. Since photovoltaic (PV modules still have relatively low conversion efficiency, an alternative control of maximum power point tracking (MPPT method is applied to the traffic light system. MPPT is intended to catch up the maximum power at daytime in order to charge the battery at the maximum rate in which the power from the battery is intended to be used at night time or cloudy day. MPPT is actually a DC-DC converter that can step up or down voltage in order to achieve the maximum power using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM control. From experiment, we obtained the voltage of operation using MPPT is at 16.454 V, this value has error of 2.6%, if we compared with maximum power point voltage of PV module that is 16.9 V. Based on this result it can be said that this MPPT control works successfully to deliver the power from PV module to battery maximally.

  6. Stochastic behavior of a cold standby system with maximum repair time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashish Kumar

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The main aim of the present paper is to analyze the stochastic behavior of a cold standby system with concept of preventive maintenance, priority and maximum repair time. For this purpose, a stochastic model is developed in which initially one unit is operative and other is kept as cold standby. There is a single server who visits the system immediately as and when required. The server takes the unit under preventive maintenance after a maximum operation time at normal mode if one standby unit is available for operation. If the repair of the failed unit is not possible up to a maximum repair time, failed unit is replaced by new one. The failure time, maximum operation time and maximum repair time distributions of the unit are considered as exponentially distributed while repair and maintenance time distributions are considered as arbitrary. All random variables are statistically independent and repairs are perfect. Various measures of system effectiveness are obtained by using the technique of semi-Markov process and RPT. To highlight the importance of the study numerical results are also obtained for MTSF, availability and profit function.

  7. Generic maximum likely scale selection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Kim Steenstrup; Loog, Marco; Markussen, Bo

    2007-01-01

    in this work is on applying this selection principle under a Brownian image model. This image model provides a simple scale invariant prior for natural images and we provide illustrative examples of the behavior of our scale estimation on such images. In these illustrative examples, estimation is based......The fundamental problem of local scale selection is addressed by means of a novel principle, which is based on maximum likelihood estimation. The principle is generally applicable to a broad variety of image models and descriptors, and provides a generic scale estimation methodology. The focus...

  8. 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.

  9. Information Entropy Production of Maximum Entropy Markov Chains from Spike Trains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cofré, Rodrigo; Maldonado, Cesar

    2018-01-01

    We consider the maximum entropy Markov chain inference approach to characterize the collective statistics of neuronal spike trains, focusing on the statistical properties of the inferred model. We review large deviations techniques useful in this context to describe properties of accuracy and convergence in terms of sampling size. We use these results to study the statistical fluctuation of correlations, distinguishability and irreversibility of maximum entropy Markov chains. We illustrate these applications using simple examples where the large deviation rate function is explicitly obtained for maximum entropy models of relevance in this field.

  10. Maximum power point tracker for photovoltaic power plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arcidiacono, V.; Corsi, S.; Lambri, L.

    The paper describes two different closed-loop control criteria for the maximum power point tracking of the voltage-current characteristic of a photovoltaic generator. The two criteria are discussed and compared, inter alia, with regard to the setting-up problems that they pose. Although a detailed analysis is not embarked upon, the paper also provides some quantitative information on the energy advantages obtained by using electronic maximum power point tracking systems, as compared with the situation in which the point of operation of the photovoltaic generator is not controlled at all. Lastly, the paper presents two high-efficiency MPPT converters for experimental photovoltaic plants of the stand-alone and the grid-interconnected type.

  11. Maximum mass-particle velocities in Kantor's information mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sverdlik, D.I.

    1989-01-01

    Kantor's information mechanics links phenomena previously regarded as not treatable by a single theory. It is used here to calculate the maximum velocities υ m of single particles. For the electron, υ m /c ∼ 1 - 1.253814 x 10 -77 . The maximum υ m corresponds to υ m /c ∼ 1 -1.097864 x 10 -122 for a single mass particle with a rest mass of 3.078496 x 10 -5 g. This is the fastest that matter can move. Either information mechanics or classical mechanics can be used to show that υ m is less for heavier particles. That υ m is less for lighter particles can be deduced from an information mechanics argument alone

  12. 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...

  13. A Maximum Entropy Method for a Robust Portfolio Problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yingying Xu

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available We propose a continuous maximum entropy method to investigate the robustoptimal portfolio selection problem for the market with transaction costs and dividends.This robust model aims to maximize the worst-case portfolio return in the case that allof asset returns lie within some prescribed intervals. A numerical optimal solution tothe problem is obtained by using a continuous maximum entropy method. Furthermore,some numerical experiments indicate that the robust model in this paper can result in betterportfolio performance than a classical mean-variance model.

  14. 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

  15. correlation between maximum dry density and cohesion

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HOD

    represents maximum dry density, signifies plastic limit and is liquid limit. Researchers [6, 7] estimate compaction parameters. Aside from the correlation existing between compaction parameters and other physical quantities there are some other correlations that have been investigated by other researchers. The well-known.

  16. Maximum Work of Free-Piston Stirling Engine Generators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kojima, Shinji

    2017-04-01

    Using the method of adjoint equations described in Ref. [1], we have calculated the maximum thermal efficiencies that are theoretically attainable by free-piston Stirling and Carnot engine generators by considering the work loss due to friction and Joule heat. The net work done by the Carnot cycle is negative even when the duration of heat addition is optimized to give the maximum amount of heat addition, which is the same situation for the Brayton cycle described in our previous paper. For the Stirling cycle, the net work done is positive, and the thermal efficiency is greater than that of the Otto cycle described in our previous paper by a factor of about 2.7-1.4 for compression ratios of 5-30. The Stirling cycle is much better than the Otto, Brayton, and Carnot cycles. We have found that the optimized piston trajectories of the isothermal, isobaric, and adiabatic processes are the same when the compression ratio and the maximum volume of the same working fluid of the three processes are the same, which has facilitated the present analysis because the optimized piston trajectories of the Carnot and Stirling cycles are the same as those of the Brayton and Otto cycles, respectively.

  17. 40 CFR 141.51 - Maximum contaminant level goals for inorganic contaminants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant level goals for inorganic contaminants. 141.51 Section 141.51 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Maximum Contaminant Level...

  18. 40 CFR 141.50 - Maximum contaminant level goals for organic contaminants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant level goals for organic contaminants. 141.50 Section 141.50 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Maximum Contaminant Level...

  19. 40 CFR 141.52 - Maximum contaminant level goals for microbiological contaminants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant level goals for microbiological contaminants. 141.52 Section 141.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Maximum Contaminant Level...

  20. Solar maximum mission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryan, J.

    1981-01-01

    By understanding the sun, astrophysicists hope to expand this knowledge to understanding other stars. To study the sun, NASA launched a satellite on February 14, 1980. The project is named the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM). The satellite conducted detailed observations of the sun in collaboration with other satellites and ground-based optical and radio observations until its failure 10 months into the mission. The main objective of the SMM was to investigate one aspect of solar activity: solar flares. A brief description of the flare mechanism is given. The SMM satellite was valuable in providing information on where and how a solar flare occurs. A sequence of photographs of a solar flare taken from SMM satellite shows how a solar flare develops in a particular layer of the solar atmosphere. Two flares especially suitable for detailed observations by a joint effort occurred on April 30 and May 21 of 1980. These flares and observations of the flares are discussed. Also discussed are significant discoveries made by individual experiments

  1. How long do centenarians survive? Life expectancy and maximum lifespan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modig, K; Andersson, T; Vaupel, J; Rau, R; Ahlbom, A

    2017-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the pattern of mortality above the age of 100 years. In particular, we aimed to examine whether Scandinavian data support the theory that mortality reaches a plateau at particularly old ages. Whether the maximum length of life increases with time was also investigated. The analyses were based on individual level data on all Swedish and Danish centenarians born from 1870 to 1901; in total 3006 men and 10 963 women were included. Birth cohort-specific probabilities of dying were calculated. Exact ages were used for calculations of maximum length of life. Whether maximum age changed over time was analysed taking into account increases in cohort size. The results confirm that there has not been any improvement in mortality amongst centenarians in the past 30 years and that the current rise in life expectancy is driven by reductions in mortality below the age of 100 years. The death risks seem to reach a plateau of around 50% at the age 103 years for men and 107 years for women. Despite the rising life expectancy, the maximum age does not appear to increase, in particular after accounting for the increasing number of individuals of advanced age. Mortality amongst centenarians is not changing despite improvements at younger ages. An extension of the maximum lifespan and a sizeable extension of life expectancy both require reductions in mortality above the age of 100 years. © 2017 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

  2. Modelling information flow along the human connectome using maximum flow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyoo, Youngwook; Kim, Jieun E; Yoon, Sujung

    2018-01-01

    The human connectome is a complex network that transmits information between interlinked brain regions. Using graph theory, previously well-known network measures of integration between brain regions have been constructed under the key assumption that information flows strictly along the shortest paths possible between two nodes. However, it is now apparent that information does flow through non-shortest paths in many real-world networks such as cellular networks, social networks, and the internet. In the current hypothesis, we present a novel framework using the maximum flow to quantify information flow along all possible paths within the brain, so as to implement an analogy to network traffic. We hypothesize that the connection strengths of brain networks represent a limit on the amount of information that can flow through the connections per unit of time. This allows us to compute the maximum amount of information flow between two brain regions along all possible paths. Using this novel framework of maximum flow, previous network topological measures are expanded to account for information flow through non-shortest paths. The most important advantage of the current approach using maximum flow is that it can integrate the weighted connectivity data in a way that better reflects the real information flow of the brain network. The current framework and its concept regarding maximum flow provides insight on how network structure shapes information flow in contrast to graph theory, and suggests future applications such as investigating structural and functional connectomes at a neuronal level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Exploring high-density baryonic matter: Maximum freeze-out density

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Randrup, Joergen [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Nuclear Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Cleymans, Jean [University of Cape Town, UCT-CERN Research Centre and Department of Physics, Rondebosch (South Africa)

    2016-08-15

    The hadronic freeze-out line is calculated in terms of the net baryon density and the energy density instead of the usual T and μ{sub B}. This analysis makes it apparent that the freeze-out density exhibits a maximum as the collision energy is varied. This maximum freeze-out density has μ{sub B} = 400 - 500 MeV, which is above the critical value, and it is reached for a fixed-target bombarding energy of 20-30 GeV/N well within the parameters of the proposed NICA collider facility. (orig.)

  4. Maximum organic carbon limits at different melter feed rates (U)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, A.S.

    1995-01-01

    This report documents the results of a study to assess the impact of varying melter feed rates on the maximum total organic carbon (TOC) limits allowable in the DWPF melter feed. Topics discussed include: carbon content; feed rate; feed composition; melter vapor space temperature; combustion and dilution air; off-gas surges; earlier work on maximum TOC; overview of models; and the results of the work completed

  5. Maximum speed of dewetting on a fiber

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chan, Tak Shing; Gueudre, Thomas; Snoeijer, Jacobus Hendrikus

    2011-01-01

    A solid object can be coated by a nonwetting liquid since a receding contact line cannot exceed a critical speed. We theoretically investigate this forced wetting transition for axisymmetric menisci on fibers of varying radii. First, we use a matched asymptotic expansion and derive the maximum speed

  6. 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

  7. Maximum Power Tracking by VSAS approach for Wind Turbine, Renewable Energy Sources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nacer Kouider Msirdi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper gives a review of the most efficient algorithms designed to track the maximum power point (MPP for catching the maximum wind power by a variable speed wind turbine (VSWT. We then design a new maximum power point tracking (MPPT algorithm using the Variable Structure Automatic Systems approach (VSAS. The proposed approachleads efficient algorithms as shown in this paper by the analysis and simulations.

  8. 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

  9. 12 CFR 221.7 - Supplement: Maximum loan value of margin stock and other collateral.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... value of margin stock and other collateral. (a) Maximum loan value of margin stock. The maximum loan... nonmargin stock and all other collateral. The maximum loan value of nonmargin stock and all other collateral... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Supplement: Maximum loan value of margin stock...

  10. MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC STATION MAXIMUM POWER POINT TRACKING SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Elzein

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present an alternative maximum power point tracking, MPPT, algorithm for a photovoltaic module, PVM, to produce the maximum power, Pmax, using the optimal duty ratio, D, for different types of converters and load matching.We present a state-based approach to the design of the maximum power point tracker for a stand-alone photovoltaic power generation system. The system under consideration consists of a solar array with nonlinear time-varying characteristics, a step-up converter with appropriate filter.The proposed algorithm has the advantages of maximizing the efficiency of the power utilization, can be integrated to other MPPT algorithms without affecting the PVM performance, is excellent for Real-Time applications and is a robust analytical method, different from the traditional MPPT algorithms which are more based on trial and error, or comparisons between present and past states. The procedure to calculate the optimal duty ratio for a buck, boost and buck-boost converters, to transfer the maximum power from a PVM to a load, is presented in the paper. Additionally, the existence and uniqueness of optimal internal impedance, to transfer the maximum power from a photovoltaic module using load matching, is proved.

  11. On the quirks of maximum parsimony and likelihood on phylogenetic networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryant, Christopher; Fischer, Mareike; Linz, Simone; Semple, Charles

    2017-03-21

    Maximum parsimony is one of the most frequently-discussed tree reconstruction methods in phylogenetic estimation. However, in recent years it has become more and more apparent that phylogenetic trees are often not sufficient to describe evolution accurately. For instance, processes like hybridization or lateral gene transfer that are commonplace in many groups of organisms and result in mosaic patterns of relationships cannot be represented by a single phylogenetic tree. This is why phylogenetic networks, which can display such events, are becoming of more and more interest in phylogenetic research. It is therefore necessary to extend concepts like maximum parsimony from phylogenetic trees to networks. Several suggestions for possible extensions can be found in recent literature, for instance the softwired and the hardwired parsimony concepts. In this paper, we analyze the so-called big parsimony problem under these two concepts, i.e. we investigate maximum parsimonious networks and analyze their properties. In particular, we show that finding a softwired maximum parsimony network is possible in polynomial time. We also show that the set of maximum parsimony networks for the hardwired definition always contains at least one phylogenetic tree. Lastly, we investigate some parallels of parsimony to different likelihood concepts on phylogenetic networks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Maximum Likelihood and Restricted Likelihood Solutions in Multiple-Method Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rukhin, Andrew L

    2011-01-01

    A formulation of the problem of combining data from several sources is discussed in terms of random effects models. The unknown measurement precision is assumed not to be the same for all methods. We investigate maximum likelihood solutions in this model. By representing the likelihood equations as simultaneous polynomial equations, the exact form of the Groebner basis for their stationary points is derived when there are two methods. A parametrization of these solutions which allows their comparison is suggested. A numerical method for solving likelihood equations is outlined, and an alternative to the maximum likelihood method, the restricted maximum likelihood, is studied. In the situation when methods variances are considered to be known an upper bound on the between-method variance is obtained. The relationship between likelihood equations and moment-type equations is also discussed.

  13. A Bayes-Maximum Entropy method for multi-sensor data fusion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beckerman, M.

    1991-01-01

    In this paper we introduce a Bayes-Maximum Entropy formalism for multi-sensor data fusion, and present an application of this methodology to the fusion of ultrasound and visual sensor data as acquired by a mobile robot. In our approach the principle of maximum entropy is applied to the construction of priors and likelihoods from the data. Distances between ultrasound and visual points of interest in a dual representation are used to define Gibbs likelihood distributions. Both one- and two-dimensional likelihoods are presented, and cast into a form which makes explicit their dependence upon the mean. The Bayesian posterior distributions are used to test a null hypothesis, and Maximum Entropy Maps used for navigation are updated using the resulting information from the dual representation. 14 refs., 9 figs.

  14. Validation of an electronic version of the Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olajos-Clow, J; Minard, J; Szpiro, K; Juniper, E F; Turcotte, S; Jiang, X; Jenkins, B; Lougheed, M D

    2010-05-01

    The Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (MiniAQLQ) is a validated disease-specific quality of life (QOL) paper (p) questionnaire. Electronic (e) versions enable inclusion of asthma QOL in electronic medical records and research databases. To validate an e-version of the MiniAQLQ, compare time required for completion of e- and p-versions, and determine which version participants prefer. Adults with stable asthma were randomized to complete either the e- or p-MiniAQLQ, followed by a 2-h rest period before completing the other version. Agreement between versions was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. Two participants with incomplete p-MiniAQLQ responses were excluded. Forty participants (85% female; age 47.7 +/- 14.9 years; asthma duration 22.6 +/- 16.1 years; FEV(1) 87.1 +/- 21.6% predicted) with both AQLQ scores limitation, emotional function and environmental stimuli domains were 0.94, 0.89, 0.90, and 0.91 respectively. A small but significant bias (Delta=0.3; P=0.004) was noted in the activity limitation domain. Completion time was significantly longer for the e-version (3.8 +/- 1.9min versus 2.7 +/- 1.1min; Ppreferred the e-MiniAQLQ; 35% had no preference. This e-version of the MiniAQLQ is valid and was preferred by most participants despite taking slightly longer to complete. Generalizabilty may be limited in younger (12-17) and older (>65) adults.

  15. 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...

  16. Microbiological Quality of Panicum maximum Grass Silage with Addition of Lactobacillus sp. as Starter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumarsih, S.; Sulistiyanto, B.; Utama, C. S.

    2018-02-01

    The aim of the research was to evaluate microbiological quality of Panicum maximum grass silage with addition Lactobacillus sp as starter. The completely randomized design was been used on this research with 4 treaments and 3 replications. The treatments were P0 ( Panicum maximum grass silage without addition Lactobacillus sp ), P1 ( Panicum maximum grass silage with 2% addition Lactobacillus sp), P2 (Panicum maximum grass silage with 4% addition Lactobacillus sp) and P3 (Panicum maximum grass silage with 6% addition Lactobacillus sp).The parameters were microbial populations of Panicum maximum grass silage (total lactic acid bacteria, total bacteria, total fungi, and Coliform bacteria. The data obtained were analyzed variance (ANOVA) and further tests performed Duncan’s Multiple Areas. The population of lactic acid bacteria was higher (PMicrobiological quality of Panicum maximum grass silage with addition Lactobacillus sp was better than no addition Lactobacillus sp.

  17. Estimating Rhododendron maximum L. (Ericaceae) Canopy Cover Using GPS/GIS Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyler J. Tran; Katherine J. Elliott

    2012-01-01

    In the southern Appalachians, Rhododendron maximum L. (Ericaceae) is a key evergreen understory species, often forming a subcanopy in forest stands. Little is known about the significance of R. maximum cover in relation to other forest structural variables. Only recently have studies used Global Positioning System (GPS) technology...

  18. 5 CFR 581.402 - Maximum garnishment limitations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... PROCESSING GARNISHMENT ORDERS FOR CHILD SUPPORT AND/OR ALIMONY Consumer Credit Protection Act Restrictions..., pursuant to section 1673(b)(2) (A) and (B) of title 15 of the United States Code (the Consumer Credit... local law, the maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings subject to garnishment to enforce any...

  19. Finite mixture model: A maximum likelihood estimation approach on time series data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Phoong Seuk; Ismail, Mohd Tahir; Hamzah, Firdaus Mohamad

    2014-09-01

    Recently, statistician emphasized on the fitting of finite mixture model by using maximum likelihood estimation as it provides asymptotic properties. In addition, it shows consistency properties as the sample sizes increases to infinity. This illustrated that maximum likelihood estimation is an unbiased estimator. Moreover, the estimate parameters obtained from the application of maximum likelihood estimation have smallest variance as compared to others statistical method as the sample sizes increases. Thus, maximum likelihood estimation is adopted in this paper to fit the two-component mixture model in order to explore the relationship between rubber price and exchange rate for Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. Results described that there is a negative effect among rubber price and exchange rate for all selected countries.

  20. Mid-depth temperature maximum in an estuarine lake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stepanenko, V. M.; Repina, I. A.; Artamonov, A. Yu; Gorin, S. L.; Lykossov, V. N.; Kulyamin, D. V.

    2018-03-01

    The mid-depth temperature maximum (TeM) was measured in an estuarine Bol’shoi Vilyui Lake (Kamchatka peninsula, Russia) in summer 2015. We applied 1D k-ɛ model LAKE to the case, and found it successfully simulating the phenomenon. We argue that the main prerequisite for mid-depth TeM development is a salinity increase below the freshwater mixed layer, sharp enough in order to increase the temperature with depth not to cause convective mixing and double diffusion there. Given that this condition is satisfied, the TeM magnitude is controlled by physical factors which we identified as: radiation absorption below the mixed layer, mixed-layer temperature dynamics, vertical heat conduction and water-sediments heat exchange. In addition to these, we formulate the mechanism of temperature maximum ‘pumping’, resulting from the phase shift between diurnal cycles of mixed-layer depth and temperature maximum magnitude. Based on the LAKE model results we quantify the contribution of the above listed mechanisms and find their individual significance highly sensitive to water turbidity. Relying on physical mechanisms identified we define environmental conditions favouring the summertime TeM development in salinity-stratified lakes as: small-mixed layer depth (roughly, ~wind and cloudless weather. We exemplify the effect of mixed-layer depth on TeM by a set of selected lakes.

  1. Computing the Maximum Detour of a Plane Graph in Subquadratic Time

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wulff-Nilsen, Christian

    Let G be a plane graph where each edge is a line segment. We consider the problem of computing the maximum detour of G, defined as the maximum over all pairs of distinct points p and q of G of the ratio between the distance between p and q in G and the distance |pq|. The fastest known algorithm f...... for this problem has O(n^2) running time. We show how to obtain O(n^{3/2}*(log n)^3) expected running time. We also show that if G has bounded treewidth, its maximum detour can be computed in O(n*(log n)^3) expected time....

  2. Modeling of Maximum Power Point Tracking Controller for Solar Power System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aryuanto Soetedjo

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT controller for solar power system is modeled using MATLAB Simulink. The model consists of PV module, buck converter, and MPPT controller. The contribution of the work is in the modeling of buck converter that allowing the input voltage of the converter, i.e. output voltage of PV is changed by varying the duty cycle, so that the maximum power point could be tracked when the environmental changes. The simulation results show that the developed model performs well in tracking the maximum power point (MPP of the PV module using Perturb and Observe (P&O Algorithm.

  3. Accurate Maximum Power Tracking in Photovoltaic Systems Affected by Partial Shading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierluigi Guerriero

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A maximum power tracking algorithm exploiting operating point information gained on individual solar panels is presented. The proposed algorithm recognizes the presence of multiple local maxima in the power voltage curve of a shaded solar field and evaluates the coordinated of the absolute maximum. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is evidenced by means of circuit level simulation and experimental results. Experiments evidenced that, in comparison with a standard perturb and observe algorithm, we achieve faster convergence in normal operating conditions (when the solar field is uniformly illuminated and we accurately locate the absolute maximum power point in partial shading conditions, thus avoiding the convergence on local maxima.

  4. Discontinuity of maximum entropy inference and quantum phase transitions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Jianxin; Ji, Zhengfeng; Yu, Nengkun; Zeng, Bei; Li, Chi-Kwong; Poon, Yiu-Tung; Shen, Yi; Zhou, Duanlu

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we discuss the connection between two genuinely quantum phenomena—the discontinuity of quantum maximum entropy inference and quantum phase transitions at zero temperature. It is shown that the discontinuity of the maximum entropy inference of local observable measurements signals the non-local type of transitions, where local density matrices of the ground state change smoothly at the transition point. We then propose to use the quantum conditional mutual information of the ground state as an indicator to detect the discontinuity and the non-local type of quantum phase transitions in the thermodynamic limit. (paper)

  5. 38 CFR 36.4204 - Loan purposes, maximum loan amounts and terms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Loan purposes, maximum loan amounts and terms. 36.4204 Section 36.4204 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF... constructing a suitable pad for the manufactured home. (e) The maximum permissible loan terms shall not exceed...

  6. Unification of field theory and maximum entropy methods for learning probability densities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinney, Justin B.

    2015-09-01

    The need to estimate smooth probability distributions (a.k.a. probability densities) from finite sampled data is ubiquitous in science. Many approaches to this problem have been described, but none is yet regarded as providing a definitive solution. Maximum entropy estimation and Bayesian field theory are two such approaches. Both have origins in statistical physics, but the relationship between them has remained unclear. Here I unify these two methods by showing that every maximum entropy density estimate can be recovered in the infinite smoothness limit of an appropriate Bayesian field theory. I also show that Bayesian field theory estimation can be performed without imposing any boundary conditions on candidate densities, and that the infinite smoothness limit of these theories recovers the most common types of maximum entropy estimates. Bayesian field theory thus provides a natural test of the maximum entropy null hypothesis and, furthermore, returns an alternative (lower entropy) density estimate when the maximum entropy hypothesis is falsified. The computations necessary for this approach can be performed rapidly for one-dimensional data, and software for doing this is provided.

  7. Unification of field theory and maximum entropy methods for learning probability densities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinney, Justin B

    2015-09-01

    The need to estimate smooth probability distributions (a.k.a. probability densities) from finite sampled data is ubiquitous in science. Many approaches to this problem have been described, but none is yet regarded as providing a definitive solution. Maximum entropy estimation and Bayesian field theory are two such approaches. Both have origins in statistical physics, but the relationship between them has remained unclear. Here I unify these two methods by showing that every maximum entropy density estimate can be recovered in the infinite smoothness limit of an appropriate Bayesian field theory. I also show that Bayesian field theory estimation can be performed without imposing any boundary conditions on candidate densities, and that the infinite smoothness limit of these theories recovers the most common types of maximum entropy estimates. Bayesian field theory thus provides a natural test of the maximum entropy null hypothesis and, furthermore, returns an alternative (lower entropy) density estimate when the maximum entropy hypothesis is falsified. The computations necessary for this approach can be performed rapidly for one-dimensional data, and software for doing this is provided.

  8. Design of Asymmetrical Relay Resonators for Maximum Efficiency of Wireless Power Transfer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo-Hee Choi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new design method of asymmetrical relay resonators for maximum wireless power transfer. A new design method for relay resonators is demanded because maximum power transfer efficiency (PTE is not obtained at the resonant frequency of unit resonator. The maximum PTE for relay resonators is obtained at the different resonances of unit resonator. The optimum design of asymmetrical relay is conducted by both the optimum placement and the optimum capacitance of resonators. The optimum placement is found by scanning the positions of the relays and optimum capacitance can be found by using genetic algorithm (GA. The PTEs are enhanced when capacitance is optimally designed by GA according to the position of relays, respectively, and then maximum efficiency is obtained at the optimum placement of relays. The capacitance of the second resonator to nth resonator and the load resistance should be determined for maximum efficiency while the capacitance of the first resonator and the source resistance are obtained for the impedance matching. The simulated and measured results are in good agreement.

  9. A practical exact maximum compatibility algorithm for reconstruction of recent evolutionary history.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherry, Joshua L

    2017-02-23

    Maximum compatibility is a method of phylogenetic reconstruction that is seldom applied to molecular sequences. It may be ideal for certain applications, such as reconstructing phylogenies of closely-related bacteria on the basis of whole-genome sequencing. Here I present an algorithm that rapidly computes phylogenies according to a compatibility criterion. Although based on solutions to the maximum clique problem, this algorithm deals properly with ambiguities in the data. The algorithm is applied to bacterial data sets containing up to nearly 2000 genomes with several thousand variable nucleotide sites. Run times are several seconds or less. Computational experiments show that maximum compatibility is less sensitive than maximum parsimony to the inclusion of nucleotide data that, though derived from actual sequence reads, has been identified as likely to be misleading. Maximum compatibility is a useful tool for certain phylogenetic problems, such as inferring the relationships among closely-related bacteria from whole-genome sequence data. The algorithm presented here rapidly solves fairly large problems of this type, and provides robustness against misleading characters than can pollute large-scale sequencing data.

  10. ON THE MAXIMUM MASS OF STELLAR BLACK HOLES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belczynski, Krzysztof; Fryer, Chris L.; Bulik, Tomasz; Ruiter, Ashley; Valsecchi, Francesca; Vink, Jorick S.; Hurley, Jarrod R.

    2010-01-01

    We present the spectrum of compact object masses: neutron stars and black holes (BHs) that originate from single stars in different environments. In particular, we calculate the dependence of maximum BH mass on metallicity and on some specific wind mass loss rates (e.g., Hurley et al. and Vink et al.). Our calculations show that the highest mass BHs observed in the Galaxy M bh ∼ 15 M sun in the high metallicity environment (Z = Z sun = 0.02) can be explained with stellar models and the wind mass loss rates adopted here. To reach this result we had to set luminous blue variable mass loss rates at the level of ∼10 -4 M sun yr -1 and to employ metallicity-dependent Wolf-Rayet winds. With such winds, calibrated on Galactic BH mass measurements, the maximum BH mass obtained for moderate metallicity (Z = 0.3 Z sun = 0.006) is M bh,max = 30 M sun . This is a rather striking finding as the mass of the most massive known stellar BH is M bh = 23-34 M sun and, in fact, it is located in a small star-forming galaxy with moderate metallicity. We find that in the very low (globular cluster-like) metallicity environment the maximum BH mass can be as high as M bh,max = 80 M sun (Z = 0.01 Z sun = 0.0002). It is interesting to note that X-ray luminosity from Eddington-limited accretion onto an 80 M sun BH is of the order of ∼10 40 erg s -1 and is comparable to luminosities of some known ultra-luminous X-ray sources. We emphasize that our results were obtained for single stars only and that binary interactions may alter these maximum BH masses (e.g., accretion from a close companion). This is strictly a proof-of-principle study which demonstrates that stellar models can naturally explain even the most massive known stellar BHs.

  11. A Hybrid Maximum Power Point Tracking Method for Automobile Exhaust Thermoelectric Generator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quan, Rui; Zhou, Wei; Yang, Guangyou; Quan, Shuhai

    2017-05-01

    To make full use of the maximum output power of automobile exhaust thermoelectric generator (AETEG) based on Bi2Te3 thermoelectric modules (TEMs), taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of existing maximum power point tracking methods, and according to the output characteristics of TEMs, a hybrid maximum power point tracking method combining perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm, quadratic interpolation and constant voltage tracking method was put forward in this paper. Firstly, it searched the maximum power point with P&O algorithms and a quadratic interpolation method, then, it forced the AETEG to work at its maximum power point with constant voltage tracking. A synchronous buck converter and controller were implemented in the electric bus of the AETEG applied in a military sports utility vehicle, and the whole system was modeled and simulated with a MATLAB/Simulink environment. Simulation results demonstrate that the maximum output power of the AETEG based on the proposed hybrid method is increased by about 3.0% and 3.7% compared with that using only the P&O algorithm and the quadratic interpolation method, respectively. The shorter tracking time is only 1.4 s, which is reduced by half compared with that of the P&O algorithm and quadratic interpolation method, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that the tracked maximum power is approximately equal to the real value using the proposed hybrid method,and it can preferentially deal with the voltage fluctuation of the AETEG with only P&O algorithm, and resolve the issue that its working point can barely be adjusted only with constant voltage tracking when the operation conditions change.

  12. 47 CFR 1.1507 - Rulemaking on maximum rates for attorney fees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Rulemaking on maximum rates for attorney fees... § 1.1507 Rulemaking on maximum rates for attorney fees. (a) If warranted by an increase in the cost of... types of proceedings), the Commission may adopt regulations providing that attorney fees may be awarded...

  13. The maximum entropy production and maximum Shannon information entropy in enzyme kinetics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobovišek, Andrej; Markovič, Rene; Brumen, Milan; Fajmut, Aleš

    2018-04-01

    We demonstrate that the maximum entropy production principle (MEPP) serves as a physical selection principle for the description of the most probable non-equilibrium steady states in simple enzymatic reactions. A theoretical approach is developed, which enables maximization of the density of entropy production with respect to the enzyme rate constants for the enzyme reaction in a steady state. Mass and Gibbs free energy conservations are considered as optimization constraints. In such a way computed optimal enzyme rate constants in a steady state yield also the most uniform probability distribution of the enzyme states. This accounts for the maximal Shannon information entropy. By means of the stability analysis it is also demonstrated that maximal density of entropy production in that enzyme reaction requires flexible enzyme structure, which enables rapid transitions between different enzyme states. These results are supported by an example, in which density of entropy production and Shannon information entropy are numerically maximized for the enzyme Glucose Isomerase.

  14. 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.

  15. Assessment of the effect of nanomaterials on sediment-dwelling invertebrate Chironomustentans larvae

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Oberholster, Paul J

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available in Icttalurus melas under mercury exposure. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 55, 162?167. Everse, J., Johnson, M.C., Marini, M.A., 1990. Peroxidative activities of hemoglobin and hemoglobin derivatives. Methods Enzymol. 186, 547?561. Fortner, J.D., Lyon, D...

  16. The effects of gait retraining in runners with patellofemoral pain: A randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roper, Jenevieve L; Harding, Elizabeth M; Doerfler, Deborah; Dexter, James G; Kravitz, Len; Dufek, Janet S; Mermier, Christine M

    2016-06-01

    Running popularity has increased resulting in a concomitant increase in running-related injuries with patellofemoral pain most commonly reported. The purpose of this study was to determine whether gait retraining by modifying footstrike patterns from rearfoot strike to forefoot strike reduces patellofemoral pain and improves associated biomechanical measures, and whether the modification influences risk of ankle injuries. Sixteen subjects (n=16) were randomly placed in the control (n=8) or experimental (n=8) group. The experimental group performed eight gait retraining running sessions over two weeks where footstrike pattern was switched from rearfoot strike to forefoot strike, while the control group performed running sessions with no intervention. Variables were recorded pre-, post-, and one-month post-running trials. Knee pain was significantly reduced post-retraining (Pforefoot strike pattern leads to reduced knee pain, and should be considered a possible strategy for management of patellofemoral pain in recreational runners. This trial is registered at the US National Institutes of Health (clinicaltrials.gov) #NCT02567123. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. The effect of gait velocity on calcaneal balance at heel strike; Implications for orthotic prescription in injury prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanthikumar, Shivanthan; Low, Zi; Falvey, Eanna; McCrory, Paul; Franklyn-Miller, Andy

    2010-01-01

    Exercise related lower limb injuries (ERLLI), are common in the recreational and competitive sporting population. Although ERLLI are thought to be multi-factorial in aetiology, one of the critical predisposing factors is known to gait abnormality. There is little published evidence comparing walking and running gait in the same subjects, and no evidence on the effect of gait velocity on calcaneal pronation, even though this may have implications for orthotic prescription and injury prevention. In this study, the walking and running gait of 50 physically active subjects was assessed using pressure plate analysis. The results show that rearfoot pronation occurs on foot contact in both running and walking gait, and that there is significantly more rearfoot pronation in walking gait (prunning vs. walking gait. The findings of this study suggest that in the athletic population orthoses prescription should be based on dynamic assessment of running gait. Crown Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Maximum neutron flux in thermal reactors; Maksimum neutronskog fluksa kod termalnih reaktora

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strugar, P V [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Yugoslavia)

    1968-07-01

    Direct approach to the problem is to calculate spatial distribution of fuel concentration if the reactor core directly using the condition of maximum neutron flux and comply with thermal limitations. This paper proved that the problem can be solved by applying the variational calculus, i.e. by using the maximum principle of Pontryagin. Mathematical model of reactor core is based on the two-group neutron diffusion theory with some simplifications which make it appropriate from maximum principle point of view. Here applied theory of maximum principle are suitable for application. The solution of optimum distribution of fuel concentration in the reactor core is obtained in explicit analytical form. The reactor critical dimensions are roots of a system of nonlinear equations and verification of optimum conditions can be done only for specific examples.

  19. Growth and maximum size of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) in Hawaii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Carl G; O'Malley, Joseph M; Papastamatiou, Yannis P; Dale, Jonathan J; Hutchinson, Melanie R; Anderson, James M; Royer, Mark A; Holland, Kim N

    2014-01-01

    Tiger sharks (Galecerdo cuvier) are apex predators characterized by their broad diet, large size and rapid growth. Tiger shark maximum size is typically between 380 & 450 cm Total Length (TL), with a few individuals reaching 550 cm TL, but the maximum size of tiger sharks in Hawaii waters remains uncertain. A previous study suggested tiger sharks grow rather slowly in Hawaii compared to other regions, but this may have been an artifact of the method used to estimate growth (unvalidated vertebral ring counts) compounded by small sample size and narrow size range. Since 1993, the University of Hawaii has conducted a research program aimed at elucidating tiger shark biology, and to date 420 tiger sharks have been tagged and 50 recaptured. All recaptures were from Hawaii except a single shark recaptured off Isla Jacques Cousteau (24°13'17″N 109°52'14″W), in the southern Gulf of California (minimum distance between tag and recapture sites  =  approximately 5,000 km), after 366 days at liberty (DAL). We used these empirical mark-recapture data to estimate growth rates and maximum size for tiger sharks in Hawaii. We found that tiger sharks in Hawaii grow twice as fast as previously thought, on average reaching 340 cm TL by age 5, and attaining a maximum size of 403 cm TL. Our model indicates the fastest growing individuals attain 400 cm TL by age 5, and the largest reach a maximum size of 444 cm TL. The largest shark captured during our study was 464 cm TL but individuals >450 cm TL were extremely rare (0.005% of sharks captured). We conclude that tiger shark growth rates and maximum sizes in Hawaii are generally consistent with those in other regions, and hypothesize that a broad diet may help them to achieve this rapid growth by maximizing prey consumption rates.

  20. An investigation of rugby scrimmaging posture and individual maximum pushing force.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wen-Lan; Chang, Jyh-Jong; Wu, Jia-Hroung; Guo, Lan-Yuen

    2007-02-01

    Although rugby is a popular contact sport and the isokinetic muscle torque assessment has recently found widespread application in the field of sports medicine, little research has examined the factors associated with the performance of game-specific skills directly by using the isokinetic-type rugby scrimmaging machine. This study is designed to (a) measure and observe the differences in the maximum individual pushing forward force produced by scrimmaging in different body postures (3 body heights x 2 foot positions) with a self-developed rugby scrimmaging machine and (b) observe the variations in hip, knee, and ankle angles at different body postures and explore the relationship between these angle values and the individual maximum pushing force. Ten national rugby players were invited to participate in the examination. The experimental equipment included a self-developed rugby scrimmaging machine and a 3-dimensional motion analysis system. Our results showed that the foot positions (parallel and nonparallel foot positions) do not affect the maximum pushing force; however, the maximum pushing force was significantly lower in posture I (36% body height) than in posture II (38%) and posture III (40%). The maximum forward force in posture III (40% body height) was also slightly greater than for the scrum in posture II (38% body height). In addition, it was determined that hip, knee, and ankle angles under parallel feet positioning are factors that are closely negatively related in terms of affecting maximum pushing force in scrimmaging. In cross-feet postures, there was a positive correlation between individual forward force and hip angle of the rear leg. From our results, we can conclude that if the player stands in an appropriate starting position at the early stage of scrimmaging, it will benefit the forward force production.

  1. Maximum Likelihood Blind Channel Estimation for Space-Time Coding Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hakan A. Çırpan

    2002-05-01

    Full Text Available Sophisticated signal processing techniques have to be developed for capacity enhancement of future wireless communication systems. In recent years, space-time coding is proposed to provide significant capacity gains over the traditional communication systems in fading wireless channels. Space-time codes are obtained by combining channel coding, modulation, transmit diversity, and optional receive diversity in order to provide diversity at the receiver and coding gain without sacrificing the bandwidth. In this paper, we consider the problem of blind estimation of space-time coded signals along with the channel parameters. Both conditional and unconditional maximum likelihood approaches are developed and iterative solutions are proposed. The conditional maximum likelihood algorithm is based on iterative least squares with projection whereas the unconditional maximum likelihood approach is developed by means of finite state Markov process modelling. The performance analysis issues of the proposed methods are studied. Finally, some simulation results are presented.

  2. Beat the Deviations in Estimating Maximum Power of Thermoelectric Modules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gao, Junling; Chen, Min

    2013-01-01

    Under a certain temperature difference, the maximum power of a thermoelectric module can be estimated by the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current. In practical measurement, there exist two switch modes, either from open to short or from short to open, but the two modes can give...... different estimations on the maximum power. Using TEG-127-2.8-3.5-250 and TEG-127-1.4-1.6-250 as two examples, the difference is about 10%, leading to some deviations with the temperature change. This paper analyzes such differences by means of a nonlinear numerical model of thermoelectricity, and finds out...... that the main cause is the influence of various currents on the produced electromotive potential. A simple and effective calibration method is proposed to minimize the deviations in specifying the maximum power. Experimental results validate the method with improved estimation accuracy....

  3. MPBoot: fast phylogenetic maximum parsimony tree inference and bootstrap approximation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoang, Diep Thi; Vinh, Le Sy; Flouri, Tomáš; Stamatakis, Alexandros; von Haeseler, Arndt; Minh, Bui Quang

    2018-02-02

    The nonparametric bootstrap is widely used to measure the branch support of phylogenetic trees. However, bootstrapping is computationally expensive and remains a bottleneck in phylogenetic analyses. Recently, an ultrafast bootstrap approximation (UFBoot) approach was proposed for maximum likelihood analyses. However, such an approach is still missing for maximum parsimony. To close this gap we present MPBoot, an adaptation and extension of UFBoot to compute branch supports under the maximum parsimony principle. MPBoot works for both uniform and non-uniform cost matrices. Our analyses on biological DNA and protein showed that under uniform cost matrices, MPBoot runs on average 4.7 (DNA) to 7 times (protein data) (range: 1.2-20.7) faster than the standard parsimony bootstrap implemented in PAUP*; but 1.6 (DNA) to 4.1 times (protein data) slower than the standard bootstrap with a fast search routine in TNT (fast-TNT). However, for non-uniform cost matrices MPBoot is 5 (DNA) to 13 times (protein data) (range:0.3-63.9) faster than fast-TNT. We note that MPBoot achieves better scores more frequently than PAUP* and fast-TNT. However, this effect is less pronounced if an intensive but slower search in TNT is invoked. Moreover, experiments on large-scale simulated data show that while both PAUP* and TNT bootstrap estimates are too conservative, MPBoot bootstrap estimates appear more unbiased. MPBoot provides an efficient alternative to the standard maximum parsimony bootstrap procedure. It shows favorable performance in terms of run time, the capability of finding a maximum parsimony tree, and high bootstrap accuracy on simulated as well as empirical data sets. MPBoot is easy-to-use, open-source and available at http://www.cibiv.at/software/mpboot .

  4. Efficient heuristics for maximum common substructure search.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Englert, Péter; Kovács, Péter

    2015-05-26

    Maximum common substructure search is a computationally hard optimization problem with diverse applications in the field of cheminformatics, including similarity search, lead optimization, molecule alignment, and clustering. Most of these applications have strict constraints on running time, so heuristic methods are often preferred. However, the development of an algorithm that is both fast enough and accurate enough for most practical purposes is still a challenge. Moreover, in some applications, the quality of a common substructure depends not only on its size but also on various topological features of the one-to-one atom correspondence it defines. Two state-of-the-art heuristic algorithms for finding maximum common substructures have been implemented at ChemAxon Ltd., and effective heuristics have been developed to improve both their efficiency and the relevance of the atom mappings they provide. The implementations have been thoroughly evaluated and compared with existing solutions (KCOMBU and Indigo). The heuristics have been found to greatly improve the performance and applicability of the algorithms. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the applied methods and present the experimental results.

  5. On minimizing the maximum broadcast decoding delay for instantly decodable network coding

    KAUST Repository

    Douik, Ahmed S.; Sorour, Sameh; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; Ai-Naffouri, Tareq Y.

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we consider the problem of minimizing the maximum broadcast decoding delay experienced by all the receivers of generalized instantly decodable network coding (IDNC). Unlike the sum decoding delay, the maximum decoding delay as a

  6. Computing the Maximum Detour of a Plane Graph in Subquadratic Time

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wulff-Nilsen, Christian

    2008-01-01

    Let G be a plane graph where each edge is a line segment. We consider the problem of computing the maximum detour of G, defined as the maximum over all pairs of distinct points p and q of G of the ratio between the distance between p and q in G and the distance |pq|. The fastest known algorithm...

  7. On an Objective Basis for the Maximum Entropy Principle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David J. Miller

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In this letter, we elaborate on some of the issues raised by a recent paper by Neapolitan and Jiang concerning the maximum entropy (ME principle and alternative principles for estimating probabilities consistent with known, measured constraint information. We argue that the ME solution for the “problematic” example introduced by Neapolitan and Jiang has stronger objective basis, rooted in results from information theory, than their alternative proposed solution. We also raise some technical concerns about the Bayesian analysis in their work, which was used to independently support their alternative to the ME solution. The letter concludes by noting some open problems involving maximum entropy statistical inference.

  8. Maximum Safety Regenerative Power Tracking for DC Traction Power Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guifu Du

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Direct current (DC traction power systems are widely used in metro transport systems, with running rails usually being used as return conductors. When traction current flows through the running rails, a potential voltage known as “rail potential” is generated between the rails and ground. Currently, abnormal rises of rail potential exist in many railway lines during the operation of railway systems. Excessively high rail potentials pose a threat to human life and to devices connected to the rails. In this paper, the effect of regenerative power distribution on rail potential is analyzed. Maximum safety regenerative power tracking is proposed for the control of maximum absolute rail potential and energy consumption during the operation of DC traction power systems. The dwell time of multiple trains at each station and the trigger voltage of the regenerative energy absorbing device (READ are optimized based on an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO algorithm to manage the distribution of regenerative power. In this way, the maximum absolute rail potential and energy consumption of DC traction power systems can be reduced. The operation data of Guangzhou Metro Line 2 are used in the simulations, and the results show that the scheme can reduce the maximum absolute rail potential and energy consumption effectively and guarantee the safety in energy saving of DC traction power systems.

  9. Maximum Mass of Hybrid Stars in the Quark Bag Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alaverdyan, G. B.; Vartanyan, Yu. L.

    2017-12-01

    The effect of model parameters in the equation of state for quark matter on the magnitude of the maximum mass of hybrid stars is examined. Quark matter is described in terms of the extended MIT bag model including corrections for one-gluon exchange. For nucleon matter in the range of densities corresponding to the phase transition, a relativistic equation of state is used that is calculated with two-particle correlations taken into account based on using the Bonn meson-exchange potential. The Maxwell construction is used to calculate the characteristics of the first order phase transition and it is shown that for a fixed value of the strong interaction constant αs, the baryon concentrations of the coexisting phases grow monotonically as the bag constant B increases. It is shown that for a fixed value of the strong interaction constant αs, the maximum mass of a hybrid star increases as the bag constant B decreases. For a given value of the bag parameter B, the maximum mass rises as the strong interaction constant αs increases. It is shown that the configurations of hybrid stars with maximum masses equal to or exceeding the mass of the currently known most massive pulsar are possible for values of the strong interaction constant αs > 0.6 and sufficiently low values of the bag constant.

  10. 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.

  11. Influence of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Approach on Maximum Kayak Paddling Force

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davidek Pavel

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS exercise on maximum paddling force (PF and self-reported pain perception in the shoulder girdle area in flatwater kayakers. Twenty male flatwater kayakers from a local club (age = 21.9 ± 2.4 years, body height = 185.1 ± 7.9 cm, body mass = 83.9 ± 9.1 kg were randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. During the 6-week study, subjects from both groups performed standard off-season training. Additionally, the intervention group engaged in a DNS-based core stabilization exercise program (quadruped exercise, side sitting exercise, sitting exercise and squat exercise after each standard training session. Using a kayak ergometer, the maximum PF stroke was measured four times during the six weeks. All subjects completed the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH questionnaire before and after the 6-week interval to evaluate subjective pain perception in the shoulder girdle area. Initially, no significant differences in maximum PF and the DASH questionnaire were identified between the two groups. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that the experimental group improved significantly compared to the control group on maximum PF (p = .004; Cohen’s d = .85, but not on the DASH questionnaire score (p = .731 during the study. Integration of DNS with traditional flatwater kayak training may significantly increase maximum PF, but may not affect pain perception to the same extent.

  12. Determining Maximum Photovoltaic Penetration in a Distribution Grid considering Grid Operation Limits

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kordheili, Reza Ahmadi; Bak-Jensen, Birgitte; Pillai, Jayakrishnan Radhakrishna

    2014-01-01

    High penetration of photovoltaic panels in distribution grid can bring the grid to its operation limits. The main focus of the paper is to determine maximum photovoltaic penetration level in the grid. Three main criteria were investigated for determining maximum penetration level of PV panels...... for this grid: even distribution of PV panels, aggregation of panels at the beginning of each feeder, and aggregation of panels at the end of each feeder. Load modeling is done using Velander formula. Since PV generation is highest in the summer due to irradiation, a summer day was chosen to determine maximum......; maximum voltage deviation of customers, cables current limits, and transformer nominal value. Voltage deviation of different buses was investigated for different penetration levels. The proposed model was simulated on a Danish distribution grid. Three different PV location scenarios were investigated...

  13. Effect of current on the maximum possible reward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallistel, C R; Leon, M; Waraczynski, M; Hanau, M S

    1991-12-01

    Using a 2-lever choice paradigm with concurrent variable interval schedules of reward, it was found that when pulse frequency is increased, the preference-determining rewarding effect of 0.5-s trains of brief cathodal pulses delivered to the medial forebrain bundle of the rat saturates (stops increasing) at values ranging from 200 to 631 pulses/s (pps). Raising the current lowered the saturation frequency, which confirms earlier, more extensive findings showing that the rewarding effect of short trains saturates at pulse frequencies that vary from less than 100 pps to more than 800 pps, depending on the current. It was also found that the maximum possible reward--the magnitude of the reward at or beyond the saturation pulse frequency--increases with increasing current. Thus, increasing the current reduces the saturation frequency but increases the subjective magnitude of the maximum possible reward.

  14. Rumor Identification with Maximum Entropy in MicroNet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suisheng Yu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The widely used applications of Microblog, WeChat, and other social networking platforms (that we call MicroNet shorten the period of information dissemination and expand the range of information dissemination, which allows rumors to cause greater harm and have more influence. A hot topic in the information dissemination field is how to identify and block rumors. Based on the maximum entropy model, this paper constructs the recognition mechanism of rumor information in the micronetwork environment. First, based on the information entropy theory, we obtained the characteristics of rumor information using the maximum entropy model. Next, we optimized the original classifier training set and the feature function to divide the information into rumors and nonrumors. Finally, the experimental simulation results show that the rumor identification results using this method are better than the original classifier and other related classification methods.

  15. Regularized maximum correntropy machine

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Jim Jing-Yan; Wang, Yunji; Jing, Bing-Yi; Gao, Xin

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we investigate the usage of regularized correntropy framework for learning of classifiers from noisy labels. The class label predictors learned by minimizing transitional loss functions are sensitive to the noisy and outlying labels of training samples, because the transitional loss functions are equally applied to all the samples. To solve this problem, we propose to learn the class label predictors by maximizing the correntropy between the predicted labels and the true labels of the training samples, under the regularized Maximum Correntropy Criteria (MCC) framework. Moreover, we regularize the predictor parameter to control the complexity of the predictor. The learning problem is formulated by an objective function considering the parameter regularization and MCC simultaneously. By optimizing the objective function alternately, we develop a novel predictor learning algorithm. The experiments on two challenging pattern classification tasks show that it significantly outperforms the machines with transitional loss functions.

  16. Regularized maximum correntropy machine

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Jim Jing-Yan

    2015-02-12

    In this paper we investigate the usage of regularized correntropy framework for learning of classifiers from noisy labels. The class label predictors learned by minimizing transitional loss functions are sensitive to the noisy and outlying labels of training samples, because the transitional loss functions are equally applied to all the samples. To solve this problem, we propose to learn the class label predictors by maximizing the correntropy between the predicted labels and the true labels of the training samples, under the regularized Maximum Correntropy Criteria (MCC) framework. Moreover, we regularize the predictor parameter to control the complexity of the predictor. The learning problem is formulated by an objective function considering the parameter regularization and MCC simultaneously. By optimizing the objective function alternately, we develop a novel predictor learning algorithm. The experiments on two challenging pattern classification tasks show that it significantly outperforms the machines with transitional loss functions.

  17. Analysis of medial deviation of center of pressure after initial heel contact in forefoot varus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Li Hsi

    2016-03-01

    Conclusion: The most medial CoP of the row and CoP% detected increased medial CoP deviation in FV ≥ 8°, and may be applied to other clinical conditions where rearfoot angle and CoP of the array after initial heel contact cannot detect significant differences.

  18. Quality, precision and accuracy of the maximum No. 40 anemometer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Obermeir, J. [Otech Engineering, Davis, CA (United States); Blittersdorf, D. [NRG Systems Inc., Hinesburg, VT (United States)

    1996-12-31

    This paper synthesizes available calibration data for the Maximum No. 40 anemometer. Despite its long history in the wind industry, controversy surrounds the choice of transfer function for this anemometer. Many users are unaware that recent changes in default transfer functions in data loggers are producing output wind speed differences as large as 7.6%. Comparison of two calibration methods used for large samples of Maximum No. 40 anemometers shows a consistent difference of 4.6% in output speeds. This difference is significantly larger than estimated uncertainty levels. Testing, initially performed to investigate related issues, reveals that Gill and Maximum cup anemometers change their calibration transfer functions significantly when calibrated in the open atmosphere compared with calibration in a laminar wind tunnel. This indicates that atmospheric turbulence changes the calibration transfer function of cup anemometers. These results call into question the suitability of standard wind tunnel calibration testing for cup anemometers. 6 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs.

  19. Maximum-entropy networks pattern detection, network reconstruction and graph combinatorics

    CERN Document Server

    Squartini, Tiziano

    2017-01-01

    This book is an introduction to maximum-entropy models of random graphs with given topological properties and their applications. Its original contribution is the reformulation of many seemingly different problems in the study of both real networks and graph theory within the unified framework of maximum entropy. Particular emphasis is put on the detection of structural patterns in real networks, on the reconstruction of the properties of networks from partial information, and on the enumeration and sampling of graphs with given properties.  After a first introductory chapter explaining the motivation, focus, aim and message of the book, chapter 2 introduces the formal construction of maximum-entropy ensembles of graphs with local topological constraints. Chapter 3 focuses on the problem of pattern detection in real networks and provides a powerful way to disentangle nontrivial higher-order structural features from those that can be traced back to simpler local constraints. Chapter 4 focuses on the problem o...

  20. MAXIMUM POWEWR POINT TRACKING SYSTEM FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC STATION: A REVIEW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Elzein

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years there has been a growing attention towards the use of renewable energy sources. Among them solar energy is one of the most promising green energy resources due to its environment sustainability and inexhaustibility. However photovoltaic systems (PhV suffer from big cost of equipment and low efficiency. Moreover, the solar cell V-I characteristic is nonlinear and varies with irradiation and temperature. In general, there is a unique point of PhV operation, called the Maximum Power Point (MPP, in which the PV system operates with maximum efficiency and produces its maximum output power. The location of the MPP is not known in advance, but can be located, either through calculation models or by search algorithms. Therefore MPPT techniques are important to maintain the PV array’s high efficiency. Many different techniques for MPPT are discussed. This review paper hopefully will serve as a convenient tool for future work in PhV power conversion.

  1. Maximum Range of a Projectile Thrown from Constant-Speed Circular Motion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poljak, Nikola

    2016-01-01

    The problem of determining the angle ? at which a point mass launched from ground level with a given speed v[subscript 0] will reach a maximum distance is a standard exercise in mechanics. There are many possible ways of solving this problem, leading to the well-known answer of ? = p/4, producing a maximum range of D[subscript max] = v[superscript…

  2. Anti-nutrient components of guinea grass ( Panicum maximum ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Yomi

    2012-01-31

    Jan 31, 2012 ... A true measure of forage quality is animal ... The anti-nutritional contents of a pasture could be ... nutrient factors in P. maximum; (2) assess the effect of nitrogen ..... 3. http://www.clemson.edu/Fairfield/local/news/quality.

  3. Characteristics of the Foot Static Alignment and the Plantar Pressure Associated with Fifth Metatarsal Stress Fracture History in Male Soccer Players: a Case-Control Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuda, Sho; Fukubayashi, Toru; Hirose, Norikazu

    2017-12-01

    There is a large amount of information regarding risk factors for fifth metatarsal stress fractures; however, there are few studies involving large numbers of subjects. This study aimed to compare the static foot alignment and distribution of foot pressure of athletes with and without a history of fifth metatarsal stress fractures. The study participants comprised 335 collegiate male soccer players. Twenty-nine with a history of fifth metatarsal stress fractures were in the fracture group and 306 were in the control group (with subgroups as follows: 30 in the fracture foot group and 28 in the non-fracture group). We measured the foot length, arch height, weight-bearing leg-heel alignment, non-weight-bearing leg-heel alignment, forefoot angle relative to the rearfoot, forefoot angle relative to the horizontal axis, and foot pressure. The non-weight-bearing leg-heel alignment was significantly smaller and the forefoot angle relative to the rearfoot was significantly greater in the fracture foot group than in the control foot group (P = 0.049 and P = 0.038, respectively). With regard to plantar pressure, there were no significant differences among the groups. Midfield players had significantly higher rates of fifth metatarsal stress fracture in their histories, whereas defenders had significantly lower rates (chi-square = 13.2, P stress fractures according to the type of foot (kicking foot vs. pivoting foot) or the severity of ankle sprain. Playing the midfield position and having an everted rearfoot and inverted forefoot alignment were associated with fifth metatarsal stress fractures. This information may be helpful for preventing fifth metatarsal stress fracture recurrence. More detailed load evaluations and a prospective study are needed in the future.

  4. Artificial Neural Network In Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithm Of Photovoltaic Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Modestas Pikutis

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Scientists are looking for ways to improve the efficiency of solar cells all the time. The efficiency of solar cells which are available to the general public is up to 20%. Part of the solar energy is unused and a capacity of solar power plant is significantly reduced – if slow controller or controller which cannot stay at maximum power point of solar modules is used. Various algorithms of maximum power point tracking were created, but mostly algorithms are slow or make mistakes. In the literature more and more oftenartificial neural networks (ANN in maximum power point tracking process are mentioned, in order to improve performance of the controller. Self-learner artificial neural network and IncCond algorithm were used for maximum power point tracking in created solar power plant model. The algorithm for control was created. Solar power plant model is implemented in Matlab/Simulink environment.

  5. Seeking the epoch of maximum luminosity for dusty quasars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vardanyan, Valeri; Weedman, Daniel; Sargsyan, Lusine

    2014-01-01

    Infrared luminosities νL ν (7.8 μm) arising from dust reradiation are determined for Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasars with 1.4 maximum at any redshift z < 5, reaching a plateau for z ≳ 3 with maximum luminosity νL ν (7.8 μm) ≳ 10 47 erg s –1 ; luminosity functions show one quasar Gpc –3 having νL ν (7.8 μm) > 10 46.6 erg s –1 for all 2 maximum luminosity has not yet been identified at any redshift below 5. The most ultraviolet luminous quasars, defined by rest frame νL ν (0.25 μm), have the largest values of the ratio νL ν (0.25 μm)/νL ν (7.8 μm) with a maximum ratio at z = 2.9. From these results, we conclude that the quasars most luminous in the ultraviolet have the smallest dust content and appear luminous primarily because of lessened extinction. Observed ultraviolet/infrared luminosity ratios are used to define 'obscured' quasars as those having >5 mag of ultraviolet extinction. We present a new summary of obscured quasars discovered with the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph and determine the infrared luminosity function of these obscured quasars at z ∼ 2.1. This is compared with infrared luminosity functions of optically discovered, unobscured quasars in the SDSS and in the AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey. The comparison indicates comparable numbers of obscured and unobscured quasars at z ∼ 2.1 with a possible excess of obscured quasars at fainter luminosities.

  6. Maximum total organic carbon limit for DWPF melter feed

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, A.S.

    1995-01-01

    DWPF recently decided to control the potential flammability of melter off-gas by limiting the total carbon content in the melter feed and maintaining adequate conditions for combustion in the melter plenum. With this new strategy, all the LFL analyzers and associated interlocks and alarms were removed from both the primary and backup melter off-gas systems. Subsequently, D. Iverson of DWPF- T ampersand E requested that SRTC determine the maximum allowable total organic carbon (TOC) content in the melter feed which can be implemented as part of the Process Requirements for melter feed preparation (PR-S04). The maximum TOC limit thus determined in this study was about 24,000 ppm on an aqueous slurry basis. At the TOC levels below this, the peak concentration of combustible components in the quenched off-gas will not exceed 60 percent of the LFL during off-gas surges of magnitudes up to three times nominal, provided that the melter plenum temperature and the air purge rate to the BUFC are monitored and controlled above 650 degrees C and 220 lb/hr, respectively. Appropriate interlocks should discontinue the feeding when one or both of these conditions are not met. Both the magnitude and duration of an off-gas surge have a major impact on the maximum TOC limit, since they directly affect the melter plenum temperature and combustion. Although the data obtained during recent DWPF melter startup tests showed that the peak magnitude of a surge can be greater than three times nominal, the observed duration was considerably shorter, on the order of several seconds. The long surge duration assumed in this study has a greater impact on the plenum temperature than the peak magnitude, thus making the maximum TOC estimate conservative. Two models were used to make the necessary calculations to determine the TOC limit

  7. Nonsymmetric entropy and maximum nonsymmetric entropy principle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Chengshi

    2009-01-01

    Under the frame of a statistical model, the concept of nonsymmetric entropy which generalizes the concepts of Boltzmann's entropy and Shannon's entropy, is defined. Maximum nonsymmetric entropy principle is proved. Some important distribution laws such as power law, can be derived from this principle naturally. Especially, nonsymmetric entropy is more convenient than other entropy such as Tsallis's entropy in deriving power laws.

  8. Remarks on the maximum luminosity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardoso, Vitor; Ikeda, Taishi; Moore, Christopher J.; Yoo, Chul-Moon

    2018-04-01

    The quest for fundamental limitations on physical processes is old and venerable. Here, we investigate the maximum possible power, or luminosity, that any event can produce. We show, via full nonlinear simulations of Einstein's equations, that there exist initial conditions which give rise to arbitrarily large luminosities. However, the requirement that there is no past horizon in the spacetime seems to limit the luminosity to below the Planck value, LP=c5/G . Numerical relativity simulations of critical collapse yield the largest luminosities observed to date, ≈ 0.2 LP . We also present an analytic solution to the Einstein equations which seems to give an unboundedly large luminosity; this will guide future numerical efforts to investigate super-Planckian luminosities.

  9. Scintillation counter, maximum gamma aspect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thumim, A.D.

    1975-01-01

    A scintillation counter, particularly for counting gamma ray photons, includes a massive lead radiation shield surrounding a sample-receiving zone. The shield is disassembleable into a plurality of segments to allow facile installation and removal of a photomultiplier tube assembly, the segments being so constructed as to prevent straight-line access of external radiation through the shield into radiation-responsive areas. Provisions are made for accurately aligning the photomultiplier tube with respect to one or more sample-transmitting bores extending through the shield to the sample receiving zone. A sample elevator, used in transporting samples into the zone, is designed to provide a maximum gamma-receiving aspect to maximize the gamma detecting efficiency. (U.S.)

  10. Comparsion of maximum viscosity and viscometric method for identification of irradiated sweet potato starch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yi, Sang Duk; Yang, Jae Seung

    2000-01-01

    A study was carried out to compare viscosity and maximum viscosity methods for the detection of irradiated sweet potato starch. The viscosity of all samples decreased by increasing stirring speeds and irradiation doses. This trend was similar for maximum viscosity. Regression coefficients and expressions of viscosity and maximum viscosity with increasing irradiation dose were 0.9823 (y=335.02e -0. 3 366x ) at 120 rpm and 0.9939 (y =-42.544x+730.26). This trend in viscosity was similar for all stirring speeds. Parameter A, B and C values showed a dose dependent relation and were a better parameter for detecting irradiation treatment than maximum viscosity and the viscosity value it self. These results suggest that the detection of irradiated sweet potato starch is possible by both the viscometric and maximum visosity method. Therefore, the authors think that the maximum viscosity method can be proposed as one of the new methods to detect the irradiation treatment for sweet potato starch

  11. Estimation of maximum credible atmospheric radioactivity concentrations and dose rates from nuclear tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Telegadas, K.

    1979-01-01

    A simple technique is presented for estimating maximum credible gross beta air concentrations from nuclear detonations in the atmosphere, based on aircraft sampling of radioactivity following each Chinese nuclear test from 1964 to 1976. The calculated concentration is a function of the total yield and fission yield, initial vertical radioactivity distribution, time after detonation, and rate of horizontal spread of the debris with time. calculated maximum credible concentrations are compared with the highest concentrations measured during aircraft sampling. The technique provides a reasonable estimate of maximum air concentrations from 1 to 10 days after a detonation. An estimate of the whole-body external gamma dose rate corresponding to the maximum credible gross beta concentration is also given. (author)

  12. On the maximum Q in feedback controlled subignited plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, D.; Hamnen, H.; Lisak, M.

    1990-01-01

    High Q operation in feedback controlled subignited fusion plasma requires the operating temperature to be close to the ignition temperature. In the present work we discuss technological and physical effects which may restrict this temperature difference. The investigation is based on a simplified, but still accurate, 0=D analytical analysis of the maximum Q of a subignited system. Particular emphasis is given to sawtooth ocsillations which complicate the interpretation of diagnostic neutron emission data into plasma temperatures and may imply an inherent lower bound on the temperature deviation from the ignition point. The estimated maximum Q is found to be marginal (Q = 10-20) from the point of view of a fusion reactor. (authors)

  13. Thermoelectric cooler concepts and the limit for maximum cooling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seifert, W; Hinsche, N F; Pluschke, V

    2014-01-01

    The conventional analysis of a Peltier cooler approximates the material properties as independent of temperature using a constant properties model (CPM). Alternative concepts have been published by Bian and Shakouri (2006 Appl. Phys. Lett. 89 212101), Bian (et al 2007 Phys. Rev. B 75 245208) and Snyder et al (2012 Phys. Rev. B 86 045202). While Snyder's Thomson cooler concept results from a consideration of compatibility, the method of Bian et al focuses on the redistribution of heat. Thus, both approaches are based on different principles. In this paper we compare the new concepts to CPM and we reconsider the limit for maximum cooling. The results provide a new perspective on maximum cooling. (paper)

  14. On the maximum of wave surface of sea waves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, B

    1980-01-01

    This article considers wave surface as a normal stationary random process to solve the estimation of the maximum of wave surface in a given time interval by means of the theoretical results of probability theory. The results are represented by formulas (13) to (19) in this article. It was proved in this article that when time interval approaches infinite, the formulas (3), (6) of E )eta max) that were derived from the references (Cartwright, Longuet-Higgins) can also be derived by asymptotic distribution of the maximum of wave surface provided by the article. The advantage of the results obtained from this point of view as compared with the results obtained from the references was discussed.

  15. Ancestral sequence reconstruction with Maximum Parsimony

    OpenAIRE

    Herbst, Lina; Fischer, Mareike

    2017-01-01

    One of the main aims in phylogenetics is the estimation of ancestral sequences based on present-day data like, for instance, DNA alignments. One way to estimate the data of the last common ancestor of a given set of species is to first reconstruct a phylogenetic tree with some tree inference method and then to use some method of ancestral state inference based on that tree. One of the best-known methods both for tree inference as well as for ancestral sequence inference is Maximum Parsimony (...

  16. Analysis of Minute Features in Speckled Imagery with Maximum Likelihood Estimation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro C. Frery

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with numerical problems arising when performing maximum likelihood parameter estimation in speckled imagery using small samples. The noise that appears in images obtained with coherent illumination, as is the case of sonar, laser, ultrasound-B, and synthetic aperture radar, is called speckle, and it can neither be assumed Gaussian nor additive. The properties of speckle noise are well described by the multiplicative model, a statistical framework from which stem several important distributions. Amongst these distributions, one is regarded as the universal model for speckled data, namely, the 𝒢0 law. This paper deals with amplitude data, so the 𝒢A0 distribution will be used. The literature reports that techniques for obtaining estimates (maximum likelihood, based on moments and on order statistics of the parameters of the 𝒢A0 distribution require samples of hundreds, even thousands, of observations in order to obtain sensible values. This is verified for maximum likelihood estimation, and a proposal based on alternate optimization is made to alleviate this situation. The proposal is assessed with real and simulated data, showing that the convergence problems are no longer present. A Monte Carlo experiment is devised to estimate the quality of maximum likelihood estimators in small samples, and real data is successfully analyzed with the proposed alternated procedure. Stylized empirical influence functions are computed and used to choose a strategy for computing maximum likelihood estimates that is resistant to outliers.

  17. Erich Regener and the ionisation maximum of the atmosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, P.; Watson, A. A.

    2014-12-01

    In the 1930s the German physicist Erich Regener (1881-1955) did important work on the measurement of the rate of production of ionisation deep under water and in the atmosphere. Along with one of his students, Georg Pfotzer, he discovered the altitude at which the production of ionisation in the atmosphere reaches a maximum, often, but misleadingly, called the Pfotzer maximum. Regener was one of the first to estimate the energy density of cosmic rays, an estimate that was used by Baade and Zwicky to bolster their postulate that supernovae might be their source. Yet Regener's name is less recognised by present-day cosmic ray physicists than it should be, largely because in 1937 he was forced to take early retirement by the National Socialists as his wife had Jewish ancestors. In this paper we briefly review his work on cosmic rays and recommend an alternative naming of the ionisation maximum. The influence that Regener had on the field through his son, his son-in-law, his grandsons and his students, and through his links with Rutherford's group in Cambridge, is discussed in an appendix. Regener was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics by Schrödinger in 1938. He died in 1955 at the age of 73.

  18. Maximum likelihood as a common computational framework in tomotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olivera, G.H.; Shepard, D.M.; Reckwerdt, P.J.; Ruchala, K.; Zachman, J.; Fitchard, E.E.; Mackie, T.R.

    1998-01-01

    Tomotherapy is a dose delivery technique using helical or axial intensity modulated beams. One of the strengths of the tomotherapy concept is that it can incorporate a number of processes into a single piece of equipment. These processes include treatment optimization planning, dose reconstruction and kilovoltage/megavoltage image reconstruction. A common computational technique that could be used for all of these processes would be very appealing. The maximum likelihood estimator, originally developed for emission tomography, can serve as a useful tool in imaging and radiotherapy. We believe that this approach can play an important role in the processes of optimization planning, dose reconstruction and kilovoltage and/or megavoltage image reconstruction. These processes involve computations that require comparable physical methods. They are also based on equivalent assumptions, and they have similar mathematical solutions. As a result, the maximum likelihood approach is able to provide a common framework for all three of these computational problems. We will demonstrate how maximum likelihood methods can be applied to optimization planning, dose reconstruction and megavoltage image reconstruction in tomotherapy. Results for planning optimization, dose reconstruction and megavoltage image reconstruction will be presented. Strengths and weaknesses of the methodology are analysed. Future directions for this work are also suggested. (author)

  19. PTree: pattern-based, stochastic search for maximum parsimony phylogenies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Gregor

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Phylogenetic reconstruction is vital to analyzing the evolutionary relationship of genes within and across populations of different species. Nowadays, with next generation sequencing technologies producing sets comprising thousands of sequences, robust identification of the tree topology, which is optimal according to standard criteria such as maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood or posterior probability, with phylogenetic inference methods is a computationally very demanding task. Here, we describe a stochastic search method for a maximum parsimony tree, implemented in a software package we named PTree. Our method is based on a new pattern-based technique that enables us to infer intermediate sequences efficiently where the incorporation of these sequences in the current tree topology yields a phylogenetic tree with a lower cost. Evaluation across multiple datasets showed that our method is comparable to the algorithms implemented in PAUP* or TNT, which are widely used by the bioinformatics community, in terms of topological accuracy and runtime. We show that our method can process large-scale datasets of 1,000–8,000 sequences. We believe that our novel pattern-based method enriches the current set of tools and methods for phylogenetic tree inference. The software is available under: http://algbio.cs.uni-duesseldorf.de/webapps/wa-download/.

  20. PTree: pattern-based, stochastic search for maximum parsimony phylogenies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregor, Ivan; Steinbrück, Lars; McHardy, Alice C

    2013-01-01

    Phylogenetic reconstruction is vital to analyzing the evolutionary relationship of genes within and across populations of different species. Nowadays, with next generation sequencing technologies producing sets comprising thousands of sequences, robust identification of the tree topology, which is optimal according to standard criteria such as maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood or posterior probability, with phylogenetic inference methods is a computationally very demanding task. Here, we describe a stochastic search method for a maximum parsimony tree, implemented in a software package we named PTree. Our method is based on a new pattern-based technique that enables us to infer intermediate sequences efficiently where the incorporation of these sequences in the current tree topology yields a phylogenetic tree with a lower cost. Evaluation across multiple datasets showed that our method is comparable to the algorithms implemented in PAUP* or TNT, which are widely used by the bioinformatics community, in terms of topological accuracy and runtime. We show that our method can process large-scale datasets of 1,000-8,000 sequences. We believe that our novel pattern-based method enriches the current set of tools and methods for phylogenetic tree inference. The software is available under: http://algbio.cs.uni-duesseldorf.de/webapps/wa-download/.

  1. Extending the maximum operation time of the MNSR reactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawahra, S; Khattab, K; Saba, G

    2016-09-01

    An effective modification to extend the maximum operation time of the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) to enhance the utilization of the reactor has been tested using the MCNP4C code. This modification consisted of inserting manually in each of the reactor inner irradiation tube a chain of three polyethylene-connected containers filled of water. The total height of the chain was 11.5cm. The replacement of the actual cadmium absorber with B(10) absorber was needed as well. The rest of the core structure materials and dimensions remained unchanged. A 3-D neutronic model with the new modifications was developed to compare the neutronic parameters of the old and modified cores. The results of the old and modified core excess reactivities (ρex) were: 3.954, 6.241 mk respectively. The maximum reactor operation times were: 428, 1025min and the safety reactivity factors were: 1.654 and 1.595 respectively. Therefore, a 139% increase in the maximum reactor operation time was noticed for the modified core. This increase enhanced the utilization of the MNSR reactor to conduct a long time irradiation of the unknown samples using the NAA technique and increase the amount of radioisotope production in the reactor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. An Efficient Algorithm for the Maximum Distance Problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabrielle Assunta Grün

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available Efficient algorithms for temporal reasoning are essential in knowledge-based systems. This is central in many areas of Artificial Intelligence including scheduling, planning, plan recognition, and natural language understanding. As such, scalability is a crucial consideration in temporal reasoning. While reasoning in the interval algebra is NP-complete, reasoning in the less expressive point algebra is tractable. In this paper, we explore an extension to the work of Gerevini and Schubert which is based on the point algebra. In their seminal framework, temporal relations are expressed as a directed acyclic graph partitioned into chains and supported by a metagraph data structure, where time points or events are represented by vertices, and directed edges are labelled with < or ≤. They are interested in fast algorithms for determining the strongest relation between two events. They begin by developing fast algorithms for the case where all points lie on a chain. In this paper, we are interested in a generalization of this, namely we consider the problem of finding the maximum ``distance'' between two vertices in a chain ; this problem arises in real world applications such as in process control and crew scheduling. We describe an O(n time preprocessing algorithm for the maximum distance problem on chains. It allows queries for the maximum number of < edges between two vertices to be answered in O(1 time. This matches the performance of the algorithm of Gerevini and Schubert for determining the strongest relation holding between two vertices in a chain.

  3. A conductance maximum observed in an inward-rectifier potassium channel

    OpenAIRE

    1994-01-01

    One prediction of a multi-ion pore is that its conductance should reach a maximum and then begin to decrease as the concentration of permeant ion is raised equally on both sides of the membrane. A conductance maximum has been observed at the single-channel level in gramicidin and in a Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel at extremely high ion concentration (> 1,000 mM) (Hladky, S. B., and D. A. Haydon. 1972. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 274:294-312; Eisenmam, G., J. Sandblom, and E. Neher. 1977. In ...

  4. 49 CFR 192.619 - Maximum allowable operating pressure: Steel or plastic pipelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... plastic pipelines. 192.619 Section 192.619 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation... Operations § 192.619 Maximum allowable operating pressure: Steel or plastic pipelines. (a) No person may operate a segment of steel or plastic pipeline at a pressure that exceeds a maximum allowable operating...

  5. Adaptive Unscented Kalman Filter using Maximum Likelihood Estimation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mahmoudi, Zeinab; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Madsen, Henrik

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to develop an adaptive unscented Kalman filter (UKF) by tuning the measurement noise covariance. We use the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) and the covariance matching (CM) method to estimate the noise covariance. The multi-step prediction errors generated...

  6. The constraint rule of the maximum entropy principle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uffink, J.

    1995-01-01

    The principle of maximum entropy is a method for assigning values to probability distributions on the basis of partial information. In usual formulations of this and related methods of inference one assumes that this partial information takes the form of a constraint on allowed probability

  7. Maximum Permissible Concentrations and Negligible Concentrations for pesticides

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Crommentuijn T; Kalf DF; Polder MD; Posthumus R; Plassche EJ van de; CSR

    1997-01-01

    Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPCs) and Negligible Concentrations (NCs) derived for a series of pesticides are presented in this report. These MPCs and NCs are used by the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) to set Environmental Quality Objectives. For some of the

  8. Phytophthora stricta isolated from Rhododendron maximum in Pennsylvania

    Science.gov (United States)

    During a survey in October 2013, in the Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania , necrotic Rhododendron maximum leaves were noticed on mature plants alongside a stream. Symptoms were nondescript necrotic lesions at the tips of mature leaves. Colonies resembling a Phytophthora sp. were observed from c...

  9. PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION BASED OF THE MAXIMUM PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER TRACTIOQG UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Labbi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Photovoltaic electricity is seen as an important source of renewable energy. The photovoltaic array is an unstable source of power since the peak power point depends on the temperature and the irradiation level. A maximum peak power point tracking is then necessary for maximum efficiency.In this work, a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO is proposed for maximum power point tracker for photovoltaic panel, are used to generate the optimal MPP, such that solar panel maximum power is generated under different operating conditions. A photovoltaic system including a solar panel and PSO MPP tracker is modelled and simulated, it has been has been carried out which has shown the effectiveness of PSO to draw much energy and fast response against change in working conditions.

  10. 5 CFR 9901.312 - Maximum rates of base salary and adjusted salary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maximum rates of base salary and adjusted salary. 9901.312 Section 9901.312 Administrative Personnel DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HUMAN RESOURCES....312 Maximum rates of base salary and adjusted salary. (a) Subject to § 9901.105, the Secretary may...

  11. The Betz-Joukowsky limit for the maximum power coefficient of wind turbines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Okulov, Valery; van Kuik, G.A.M.

    2009-01-01

    The article addresses to a history of an important scientific result in wind energy. The maximum efficiency of an ideal wind turbine rotor is well known as the ‘Betz limit’, named after the German scientist that formulated this maximum in 1920. Also Lanchester, a British scientist, is associated...

  12. Multi-Channel Maximum Likelihood Pitch Estimation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Mads Græsbøll

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, a method for multi-channel pitch estimation is proposed. The method is a maximum likelihood estimator and is based on a parametric model where the signals in the various channels share the same fundamental frequency but can have different amplitudes, phases, and noise characteristics....... This essentially means that the model allows for different conditions in the various channels, like different signal-to-noise ratios, microphone characteristics and reverberation. Moreover, the method does not assume that a certain array structure is used but rather relies on a more general model and is hence...

  13. On morphology and distribution of Neurohelea luteitarsis (Waltl) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Europe

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tóthová, A.; Knoz, J.; Gelbič, Ivan

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 45, č. 3 (2009), s. 297-301 ISSN 0037-9271 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IBS6022201 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : phylogeny * eversible sacs * spermatheca Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.600, year: 2009

  14. 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

  15. Applications of the Maximum Entropy Method in superspace

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    van Smaalen, S.; Palatinus, Lukáš

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 305, - (2004), s. 57-62 ISSN 0015-0193 Grant - others:DFG and FCI(DE) XX Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1010914 Keywords : Maximum Entropy Method * modulated structures * charge density Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.517, year: 2004

  16. 44 CFR 208.12 - Maximum Pay Rate Table.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ...) Physicians. DHS uses the latest Special Salary Rate Table Number 0290 for Medical Officers (Clinical... Personnel, in which case the Maximum Pay Rate Table would not apply. (3) Compensation for Sponsoring Agency... organizations, e.g., HMOs or medical or engineering professional associations, under the revised definition of...

  17. Maximum likelihood estimation of the attenuated ultrasound pulse

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Klaus Bolding

    1994-01-01

    The attenuated ultrasound pulse is divided into two parts: a stationary basic pulse and a nonstationary attenuation pulse. A standard ARMA model is used for the basic pulse, and a nonstandard ARMA model is derived for the attenuation pulse. The maximum likelihood estimator of the attenuated...

  18. correlation between maximum dry density and cohesion of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HOD

    investigation on sandy soils to determine the correlation between relative density and compaction test parameter. Using twenty soil samples, they were able to develop correlations between relative density, coefficient of uniformity and maximum dry density. Khafaji [5] using standard proctor compaction method carried out an ...

  19. The scaling of maximum and basal metabolic rates of mammals and birds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbosa, Lauro A.; Garcia, Guilherme J. M.; da Silva, Jafferson K. L.

    2006-01-01

    Allometric scaling is one of the most pervasive laws in biology. Its origin, however, is still a matter of dispute. Recent studies have established that maximum metabolic rate scales with an exponent larger than that found for basal metabolism. This unpredicted result sets a challenge that can decide which of the concurrent hypotheses is the correct theory. Here, we show that both scaling laws can be deduced from a single network model. Besides the 3/4-law for basal metabolism, the model predicts that maximum metabolic rate scales as M, maximum heart rate as M, and muscular capillary density as M, in agreement with data.

  20. Maximum field capability of energy saver superconducting magnets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turkot, F.; Cooper, W.E.; Hanft, R.; McInturff, A.

    1983-01-01

    At an energy of 1 TeV the superconducting cable in the Energy Saver dipole magnets will be operating at ca. 96% of its nominal short sample limit; the corresponding number in the quadrupole magnets will be 81%. All magnets for the Saver are individually tested for maximum current capability under two modes of operation; some 900 dipoles and 275 quadrupoles have now been measured. The dipole winding is composed of four individually wound coils which in general come from four different reels of cable. As part of the magnet fabrication quality control a short piece of cable from both ends of each reel has its critical current measured at 5T and 4.3K. In this paper the authors describe and present the statistical results of the maximum field tests (including quench and cycle) on Saver dipole and quadrupole magnets and explore the correlation of these tests with cable critical current

  1. Algorithms of maximum likelihood data clustering with applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giada, Lorenzo; Marsili, Matteo

    2002-12-01

    We address the problem of data clustering by introducing an unsupervised, parameter-free approach based on maximum likelihood principle. Starting from the observation that data sets belonging to the same cluster share a common information, we construct an expression for the likelihood of any possible cluster structure. The likelihood in turn depends only on the Pearson's coefficient of the data. We discuss clustering algorithms that provide a fast and reliable approximation to maximum likelihood configurations. Compared to standard clustering methods, our approach has the advantages that (i) it is parameter free, (ii) the number of clusters need not be fixed in advance and (iii) the interpretation of the results is transparent. In order to test our approach and compare it with standard clustering algorithms, we analyze two very different data sets: time series of financial market returns and gene expression data. We find that different maximization algorithms produce similar cluster structures whereas the outcome of standard algorithms has a much wider variability.

  2. Optimal Control of Polymer Flooding Based on Maximum Principle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Lei

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Polymer flooding is one of the most important technologies for enhanced oil recovery (EOR. In this paper, an optimal control model of distributed parameter systems (DPSs for polymer injection strategies is established, which involves the performance index as maximum of the profit, the governing equations as the fluid flow equations of polymer flooding, and the inequality constraint as the polymer concentration limitation. To cope with the optimal control problem (OCP of this DPS, the necessary conditions for optimality are obtained through application of the calculus of variations and Pontryagin’s weak maximum principle. A gradient method is proposed for the computation of optimal injection strategies. The numerical results of an example illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

  3. 30 CFR 77.902-1 - Fail safe ground check circuits; maximum voltage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... voltage. 77.902-1 Section 77.902-1 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.902-1 Fail safe ground check circuits; maximum voltage. The maximum voltage used for ground check circuits under § 77.902...

  4. 30 CFR 77.803-1 - Fail safe ground check circuits; maximum voltage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... voltage. 77.803-1 Section 77.803-1 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.803-1 Fail safe ground check circuits; maximum voltage. The maximum voltage used for ground check circuits under § 77.803 shall not...

  5. Characteristics of Plantar Loads in Maximum Forward Lunge Tasks in Badminton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xiaoyue; Li, Jing Xian; Hong, Youlian; Wang, Lin

    2015-01-01

    Badminton players often perform powerful and long-distance lunges during such competitive matches. The objective of this study is to compare the plantar loads of three one-step maximum forward lunges in badminton. Fifteen right-handed male badminton players participated in the study. Each participant performed five successful maximum lunges at three directions. For each direction, the participant wore three different shoe brands. Plantar loading, including peak pressure, maximum force, and contact area, was measured by using an insole pressure measurement system. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was employed to determine the effects of the different lunge directions and different shoes, as well as the interaction of these two variables, on the measurements. The maximum force (MF) on the lateral midfoot was lower when performing left-forward lunges than when performing front-forward lunges (p = 0.006, 95% CI = -2.88 to -0.04%BW). The MF and peak pressures (PP) on the great toe region were lower for the front-forward lunge than for the right-forward lunge (MF, p = 0.047, 95% CI = -3.62 to -0.02%BW; PP, p = 0.048, 95% CI = -37.63 to -0.16 KPa) and left-forward lunge (MF, p = 0.015, 95% CI = -4.39 to -0.38%BW; PP, p = 0.008, 95% CI = -47.76 to -5.91 KPa). These findings indicate that compared with the front-forward lunge, left and right maximum forward lunges induce greater plantar loads on the great toe region of the dominant leg of badminton players. The differences in the plantar loads of the different lunge directions may be potential risks for injuries to the lower extremities of badminton players.

  6. Three-level grid-connected photovoltaic inverter with maximum power point tracking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsang, K.M.; Chan, W.L.

    2013-01-01

    Highlight: ► This paper reports a novel 3-level grid connected photovoltaic inverter. ► The inverter features maximum power point tracking and grid current shaping. ► The inverter can be acted as an active filter and a renewable power source. - Abstract: This paper presents a systematic way of designing control scheme for a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) inverter featuring maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and grid current shaping. Unlike conventional design, only four power switches are required to achieve three output levels and it is not necessary to use any phase-locked-loop circuitry. For the proposed scheme, a simple integral controller has been designed for the tracking of the maximum power point of a PV array based on an improved extremum seeking control method. For the grid-connected inverter, a current loop controller and a voltage loop controller have been designed. The current loop controller is designed to shape the inverter output current while the voltage loop controller can maintain the capacitor voltage at a certain level and provide a reference inverter output current for the PV inverter without affecting the maximum power point of the PV array. Experimental results are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the tracking and control scheme.

  7. A new sentence generator providing material for maximum reading speed measurement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrin, Jean-Luc; Paillé, Damien; Baccino, Thierry

    2015-12-01

    A new method is proposed to generate text material for assessing maximum reading speed of adult readers. The described procedure allows one to generate a vast number of equivalent short sentences. These sentences can be displayed for different durations in order to determine the reader's maximum speed using a psychophysical threshold algorithm. Each sentence is built so that it is either true or false according to common knowledge. The actual reading is verified by asking the reader to determine the truth value of each sentence. We based our design on the generator described by Crossland et al. and upgraded it. The new generator handles concepts distributed in an ontology, which allows an easy determination of the sentences' truth value and control of lexical and psycholinguistic parameters. In this way many equivalent sentence can be generated and displayed to perform the measurement. Maximum reading speed scores obtained with pseudo-randomly chosen sentences from the generator were strongly correlated with maximum reading speed scores obtained with traditional MNREAD sentences (r = .836). Furthermore, the large number of sentences that can be generated makes it possible to perform repeated measurements, since the possibility of a reader learning individual sentences is eliminated. Researchers interested in within-reader performance variability could use the proposed method for this purpose.

  8. Probable maximum flood analysis, Richton Dome, Mississippi-Phase I: Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-03-01

    This report presents results of a preliminary analysis of the extent of inundation that would result from a probable maximum flood (PMF) event in the overdome area of Richton Dome, Mississippi. Bogue Homo and Thompson Creek watersheds drain the overdome area. The US Army Corps of Engineers' HEC-1 Flood Hydrograph Package was used to calculate runoff hydrographs, route computed flood hydrographs, and determine maximum flood stages at cross sections along overdome tributaries. The area and configuration of stream cross sections were determined from US Geological Survey topographic maps. Using maximum flood stages calculated by the HEC-1 analysis, areas of inundation were delineated on 10-ft (3-m) contour interval topographic maps. Approximately 10% of the overdome area, or 0.9 mi 2 (2 km 2 ), would be inundated by a PMF event. 34 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

  9. Evaluation of maximum power point tracking in hydrokinetic energy conversion systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jahangir Khan

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Maximum power point tracking is a mature control issue for wind, solar and other systems. On the other hand, being a relatively new technology, detailed discussion on power tracking of hydrokinetic energy conversion systems are generally not available. Prior to developing sophisticated control schemes for use in hydrokinetic systems, existing know-how in wind or solar technologies can be explored. In this study, a comparative evaluation of three generic classes of maximum power point scheme is carried out. These schemes are (a tip speed ratio control, (b power signal feedback control, and (c hill climbing search control. In addition, a novel concept for maximum power point tracking: namely, extremum seeking control is introduced. Detailed and validated system models are used in a simulation environment. Potential advantages and drawbacks of each of these schemes are summarised.

  10. Modelling maximum river flow by using Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheong, R. Y.; Gabda, D.

    2017-09-01

    Analysis of flood trends is vital since flooding threatens human living in terms of financial, environment and security. The data of annual maximum river flows in Sabah were fitted into generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution. Maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) raised naturally when working with GEV distribution. However, previous researches showed that MLE provide unstable results especially in small sample size. In this study, we used different Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) based on Metropolis-Hastings algorithm to estimate GEV parameters. Bayesian MCMC method is a statistical inference which studies the parameter estimation by using posterior distribution based on Bayes’ theorem. Metropolis-Hastings algorithm is used to overcome the high dimensional state space faced in Monte Carlo method. This approach also considers more uncertainty in parameter estimation which then presents a better prediction on maximum river flow in Sabah.

  11. 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.

  12. Design and optimization of automotive thermoelectric generators for maximum fuel efficiency improvement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kempf, Nicholas; Zhang, Yanliang

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A three-dimensional automotive thermoelectric generator (TEG) model is developed. • Heat exchanger design and TEG configuration are optimized for maximum fuel efficiency increase. • Heat exchanger conductivity has a strong influence on maximum fuel efficiency increase. • TEG aspect ratio and fin height increase with heat exchanger thermal conductivity. • A 2.5% fuel efficiency increase is attainable with nanostructured half-Heusler modules. - Abstract: Automotive fuel efficiency can be increased by thermoelectric power generation using exhaust waste heat. A high-temperature thermoelectric generator (TEG) that converts engine exhaust waste heat into electricity is simulated based on a light-duty passenger vehicle with a 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Strategies to optimize TEG configuration and heat exchanger design for maximum fuel efficiency improvement are provided. Through comparison of stainless steel and silicon carbide heat exchangers, it is found that both the optimal TEG design and the maximum fuel efficiency increase are highly dependent on the thermal conductivity of the heat exchanger material. Significantly higher fuel efficiency increase can be obtained using silicon carbide heat exchangers at taller fins and a longer TEG along the exhaust flow direction when compared to stainless steel heat exchangers. Accounting for major parasitic losses, a maximum fuel efficiency increase of 2.5% is achievable using newly developed nanostructured bulk half-Heusler thermoelectric modules.

  13. The maximum entropy method of moments and Bayesian probability theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bretthorst, G. Larry

    2013-08-01

    The problem of density estimation occurs in many disciplines. For example, in MRI it is often necessary to classify the types of tissues in an image. To perform this classification one must first identify the characteristics of the tissues to be classified. These characteristics might be the intensity of a T1 weighted image and in MRI many other types of characteristic weightings (classifiers) may be generated. In a given tissue type there is no single intensity that characterizes the tissue, rather there is a distribution of intensities. Often this distributions can be characterized by a Gaussian, but just as often it is much more complicated. Either way, estimating the distribution of intensities is an inference problem. In the case of a Gaussian distribution, one must estimate the mean and standard deviation. However, in the Non-Gaussian case the shape of the density function itself must be inferred. Three common techniques for estimating density functions are binned histograms [1, 2], kernel density estimation [3, 4], and the maximum entropy method of moments [5, 6]. In the introduction, the maximum entropy method of moments will be reviewed. Some of its problems and conditions under which it fails will be discussed. Then in later sections, the functional form of the maximum entropy method of moments probability distribution will be incorporated into Bayesian probability theory. It will be shown that Bayesian probability theory solves all of the problems with the maximum entropy method of moments. One gets posterior probabilities for the Lagrange multipliers, and, finally, one can put error bars on the resulting estimated density function.

  14. Tsallis distribution as a standard maximum entropy solution with 'tail' constraint

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bercher, J.-F.

    2008-01-01

    We show that Tsallis' distributions can be derived from the standard (Shannon) maximum entropy setting, by incorporating a constraint on the divergence between the distribution and another distribution imagined as its tail. In this setting, we find an underlying entropy which is the Renyi entropy. Furthermore, escort distributions and generalized means appear as a direct consequence of the construction. Finally, the 'maximum entropy tail distribution' is identified as a Generalized Pareto Distribution

  15. Maximum principles for boundary-degenerate second-order linear elliptic differential operators

    OpenAIRE

    Feehan, Paul M. N.

    2012-01-01

    We prove weak and strong maximum principles, including a Hopf lemma, for smooth subsolutions to equations defined by linear, second-order, partial differential operators whose principal symbols vanish along a portion of the domain boundary. The boundary regularity property of the smooth subsolutions along this boundary vanishing locus ensures that these maximum principles hold irrespective of the sign of the Fichera function. Boundary conditions need only be prescribed on the complement in th...

  16. Maximum drawdown and the allocation to real estate

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hamelink, F.; Hoesli, M.

    2004-01-01

    The role of real estate in a mixed-asset portfolio is investigated when the maximum drawdown (hereafter MaxDD), rather than the standard deviation, is used as the measure of risk. In particular, it is analysed whether the discrepancy between the optimal allocation to real estate and the actual

  17. Assessment of the phytoremediation potential of Panicum maximum ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Obvious signs of phyto-toxicity however appeared in plants exposed to 120 ppm Pb2+ and Cd2+ at day twenty-three, suggesting that P. maximum may be a moderate metal accumulator. Keywords: phytoremediation, heavy metals, uptake, tissues, accumulator. African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(19), 1979-1984 ...

  18. Design of simplified maximum-likelihood receivers for multiuser CPM systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bing, Li; Bai, Baoming

    2014-01-01

    A class of simplified maximum-likelihood receivers designed for continuous phase modulation based multiuser systems is proposed. The presented receiver is built upon a front end employing mismatched filters and a maximum-likelihood detector defined in a low-dimensional signal space. The performance of the proposed receivers is analyzed and compared to some existing receivers. Some schemes are designed to implement the proposed receivers and to reveal the roles of different system parameters. Analysis and numerical results show that the proposed receivers can approach the optimum multiuser receivers with significantly (even exponentially in some cases) reduced complexity and marginal performance degradation.

  19. Maximum Aerobic Capacity of Underground Coal Miners in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ratnadeep Saha

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Miners fitness test was assessed in terms of determination of maximum aerobic capacity by an indirect method following a standard step test protocol before going down to mine by taking into consideration of heart rates (Telemetric recording and oxygen consumption of the subjects (Oxylog-II during exercise at different working rates. Maximal heart rate was derived as 220−age. Coal miners reported a maximum aerobic capacity within a range of 35–38.3 mL/kg/min. It also revealed that oldest miners (50–59 yrs had a lowest maximal oxygen uptake (34.2±3.38 mL/kg/min compared to (42.4±2.03 mL/kg/min compared to (42.4±2.03 mL/kg/min the youngest group (20–29 yrs. It was found to be negatively correlated with age (r=−0.55 and −0.33 for younger and older groups respectively and directly associated with the body weight of the subjects (r=0.57 – 0.68, P≤0.001. Carriers showed maximum cardio respiratory capacity compared to other miners. Indian miners VO2max was found to be lower both compared to their abroad mining counterparts and various other non-mining occupational working groups in India.

  20. Environmental Monitoring, Water Quality - Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

    Data.gov (United States)

    NSGIC Education | GIS Inventory — The Clean Water Act Section 303(d) establishes the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program. The purpose of the TMDL program is to identify sources of pollution and...

  1. 5 CFR 531.221 - Maximum payable rate rule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... before the reassignment. (ii) If the rate resulting from the geographic conversion under paragraph (c)(2... previous rate (i.e., the former special rate after the geographic conversion) with the rates on the current... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maximum payable rate rule. 531.221...

  2. Predicting the Outcome of NBA Playoffs Based on the Maximum Entropy Principle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ge Cheng

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Predicting the outcome of National Basketball Association (NBA matches poses a challenging problem of interest to the research community as well as the general public. In this article, we formalize the problem of predicting NBA game results as a classification problem and apply the principle of Maximum Entropy to construct an NBA Maximum Entropy (NBAME model that fits to discrete statistics for NBA games, and then predict the outcomes of NBA playoffs using the model. Our results reveal that the model is able to predict the winning team with 74.4% accuracy, outperforming other classical machine learning algorithms that could only afford a maximum prediction accuracy of 70.6% in the experiments that we performed.

  3. Novel methods for estimating lithium-ion battery state of energy and maximum available energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng, Linfeng; Zhu, Jianguo; Wang, Guoxiu; He, Tingting; Wei, Yiying

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Study on temperature, current, aging dependencies of maximum available energy. • Study on the various factors dependencies of relationships between SOE and SOC. • A quantitative relationship between SOE and SOC is proposed for SOE estimation. • Estimate maximum available energy by means of moving-window energy-integral. • The robustness and feasibility of the proposed approaches are systematic evaluated. - Abstract: The battery state of energy (SOE) allows a direct determination of the ratio between the remaining and maximum available energy of a battery, which is critical for energy optimization and management in energy storage systems. In this paper, the ambient temperature, battery discharge/charge current rate and cell aging level dependencies of battery maximum available energy and SOE are comprehensively analyzed. An explicit quantitative relationship between SOE and state of charge (SOC) for LiMn_2O_4 battery cells is proposed for SOE estimation, and a moving-window energy-integral technique is incorporated to estimate battery maximum available energy. Experimental results show that the proposed approaches can estimate battery maximum available energy and SOE with high precision. The robustness of the proposed approaches against various operation conditions and cell aging levels is systematically evaluated.

  4. Superfast maximum-likelihood reconstruction for quantum tomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Jiangwei; Zhang, Zhengyun; Ng, Hui Khoon

    2017-06-01

    Conventional methods for computing maximum-likelihood estimators (MLE) often converge slowly in practical situations, leading to a search for simplifying methods that rely on additional assumptions for their validity. In this work, we provide a fast and reliable algorithm for maximum-likelihood reconstruction that avoids this slow convergence. Our method utilizes the state-of-the-art convex optimization scheme, an accelerated projected-gradient method, that allows one to accommodate the quantum nature of the problem in a different way than in the standard methods. We demonstrate the power of our approach by comparing its performance with other algorithms for n -qubit state tomography. In particular, an eight-qubit situation that purportedly took weeks of computation time in 2005 can now be completed in under a minute for a single set of data, with far higher accuracy than previously possible. This refutes the common claim that MLE reconstruction is slow and reduces the need for alternative methods that often come with difficult-to-verify assumptions. In fact, recent methods assuming Gaussian statistics or relying on compressed sensing ideas are demonstrably inapplicable for the situation under consideration here. Our algorithm can be applied to general optimization problems over the quantum state space; the philosophy of projected gradients can further be utilized for optimization contexts with general constraints.

  5. Objective Bayesianism and the Maximum Entropy Principle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jon Williamson

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective Bayesian epistemology invokes three norms: the strengths of our beliefs should be probabilities; they should be calibrated to our evidence of physical probabilities; and they should otherwise equivocate sufficiently between the basic propositions that we can express. The three norms are sometimes explicated by appealing to the maximum entropy principle, which says that a belief function should be a probability function, from all those that are calibrated to evidence, that has maximum entropy. However, the three norms of objective Bayesianism are usually justified in different ways. In this paper, we show that the three norms can all be subsumed under a single justification in terms of minimising worst-case expected loss. This, in turn, is equivalent to maximising a generalised notion of entropy. We suggest that requiring language invariance, in addition to minimising worst-case expected loss, motivates maximisation of standard entropy as opposed to maximisation of other instances of generalised entropy. Our argument also provides a qualified justification for updating degrees of belief by Bayesian conditionalisation. However, conditional probabilities play a less central part in the objective Bayesian account than they do under the subjective view of Bayesianism, leading to a reduced role for Bayes’ Theorem.

  6. Methodological aspects of crossover and maximum fat-oxidation rate point determination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michallet, A-S; Tonini, J; Regnier, J; Guinot, M; Favre-Juvin, A; Bricout, V; Halimi, S; Wuyam, B; Flore, P

    2008-11-01

    Indirect calorimetry during exercise provides two metabolic indices of substrate oxidation balance: the crossover point (COP) and maximum fat oxidation rate (LIPOXmax). We aimed to study the effects of the analytical device, protocol type and ventilatory response on variability of these indices, and the relationship with lactate and ventilation thresholds. After maximum exercise testing, 14 relatively fit subjects (aged 32+/-10 years; nine men, five women) performed three submaximum graded tests: one was based on a theoretical maximum power (tMAP) reference; and two were based on the true maximum aerobic power (MAP). Gas exchange was measured concomitantly using a Douglas bag (D) and an ergospirometer (E). All metabolic indices were interpretable only when obtained by the D reference method and MAP protocol. Bland and Altman analysis showed overestimation of both indices with E versus D. Despite no mean differences between COP and LIPOXmax whether tMAP or MAP was used, the individual data clearly showed disagreement between the two protocols. Ventilation explained 10-16% of the metabolic index variations. COP was correlated with ventilation (r=0.96, P<0.01) and the rate of increase in blood lactate (r=0.79, P<0.01), and LIPOXmax correlated with the ventilation threshold (r=0.95, P<0.01). This study shows that, in fit healthy subjects, the analytical device, reference used to build the protocol and ventilation responses affect metabolic indices. In this population, and particularly to obtain interpretable metabolic indices, we recommend a protocol based on the true MAP or one adapted to include the transition from fat to carbohydrate. The correlation between metabolic indices and lactate/ventilation thresholds suggests that shorter, classical maximum progressive exercise testing may be an alternative means of estimating these indices in relatively fit subjects. However, this needs to be confirmed in patients who have metabolic defects.

  7. Characteristics of Plantar Loads in Maximum Forward Lunge Tasks in Badminton.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyue Hu

    Full Text Available Badminton players often perform powerful and long-distance lunges during such competitive matches. The objective of this study is to compare the plantar loads of three one-step maximum forward lunges in badminton.Fifteen right-handed male badminton players participated in the study. Each participant performed five successful maximum lunges at three directions. For each direction, the participant wore three different shoe brands. Plantar loading, including peak pressure, maximum force, and contact area, was measured by using an insole pressure measurement system. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was employed to determine the effects of the different lunge directions and different shoes, as well as the interaction of these two variables, on the measurements.The maximum force (MF on the lateral midfoot was lower when performing left-forward lunges than when performing front-forward lunges (p = 0.006, 95% CI = -2.88 to -0.04%BW. The MF and peak pressures (PP on the great toe region were lower for the front-forward lunge than for the right-forward lunge (MF, p = 0.047, 95% CI = -3.62 to -0.02%BW; PP, p = 0.048, 95% CI = -37.63 to -0.16 KPa and left-forward lunge (MF, p = 0.015, 95% CI = -4.39 to -0.38%BW; PP, p = 0.008, 95% CI = -47.76 to -5.91 KPa.These findings indicate that compared with the front-forward lunge, left and right maximum forward lunges induce greater plantar loads on the great toe region of the dominant leg of badminton players. The differences in the plantar loads of the different lunge directions may be potential risks for injuries to the lower extremities of badminton players.

  8. Tutte sets in graphs II: The complexity of finding maximum Tutte sets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bauer, D.; Broersma, Haitze J.; Kahl, N.; Morgana, A.; Schmeichel, E.; Surowiec, T.

    2007-01-01

    A well-known formula of Tutte and Berge expresses the size of a maximum matching in a graph $G$ in terms of what is usually called the deficiency. A subset $X$ of $V(G)$ for which this deficiency is attained is called a Tutte set of $G$. While much is known about maximum matchings, less is known

  9. A short proof that phylogenetic tree reconstruction by maximum likelihood is hard.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roch, Sebastien

    2006-01-01

    Maximum likelihood is one of the most widely used techniques to infer evolutionary histories. Although it is thought to be intractable, a proof of its hardness has been lacking. Here, we give a short proof that computing the maximum likelihood tree is NP-hard by exploiting a connection between likelihood and parsimony observed by Tuffley and Steel.

  10. A Short Proof that Phylogenetic Tree Reconstruction by Maximum Likelihood is Hard

    OpenAIRE

    Roch, S.

    2005-01-01

    Maximum likelihood is one of the most widely used techniques to infer evolutionary histories. Although it is thought to be intractable, a proof of its hardness has been lacking. Here, we give a short proof that computing the maximum likelihood tree is NP-hard by exploiting a connection between likelihood and parsimony observed by Tuffley and Steel.

  11. Dynamical maximum entropy approach to flocking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavagna, Andrea; Giardina, Irene; Ginelli, Francesco; Mora, Thierry; Piovani, Duccio; Tavarone, Raffaele; Walczak, Aleksandra M

    2014-04-01

    We derive a new method to infer from data the out-of-equilibrium alignment dynamics of collectively moving animal groups, by considering the maximum entropy model distribution consistent with temporal and spatial correlations of flight direction. When bird neighborhoods evolve rapidly, this dynamical inference correctly learns the parameters of the model, while a static one relying only on the spatial correlations fails. When neighbors change slowly and the detailed balance is satisfied, we recover the static procedure. We demonstrate the validity of the method on simulated data. The approach is applicable to other systems of active matter.

  12. Maximum entropy PDF projection: A review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baggenstoss, Paul M.

    2017-06-01

    We review maximum entropy (MaxEnt) PDF projection, a method with wide potential applications in statistical inference. The method constructs a sampling distribution for a high-dimensional vector x based on knowing the sampling distribution p(z) of a lower-dimensional feature z = T (x). Under mild conditions, the distribution p(x) having highest possible entropy among all distributions consistent with p(z) may be readily found. Furthermore, the MaxEnt p(x) may be sampled, making the approach useful in Monte Carlo methods. We review the theorem and present a case study in model order selection and classification for handwritten character recognition.

  13. A maximum power point tracking algorithm for buoy-rope-drum wave energy converters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, J. Q.; Zhang, X. C.; Zhou, Y.; Cui, Z. C.; Zhu, L. S.

    2016-08-01

    The maximum power point tracking control is the key link to improve the energy conversion efficiency of wave energy converters (WEC). This paper presents a novel variable step size Perturb and Observe maximum power point tracking algorithm with a power classification standard for control of a buoy-rope-drum WEC. The algorithm and simulation model of the buoy-rope-drum WEC are presented in details, as well as simulation experiment results. The results show that the algorithm tracks the maximum power point of the WEC fast and accurately.

  14. Encoding Strategy for Maximum Noise Tolerance Bidirectional Associative Memory

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Shen, Dan

    2003-01-01

    In this paper, the Basic Bidirectional Associative Memory (BAM) is extended by choosing weights in the correlation matrix, for a given set of training pairs, which result in a maximum noise tolerance set for BAM...

  15. Maximum entropy analysis of liquid diffraction data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Root, J.H.; Egelstaff, P.A.; Nickel, B.G.

    1986-01-01

    A maximum entropy method for reducing truncation effects in the inverse Fourier transform of structure factor, S(q), to pair correlation function, g(r), is described. The advantages and limitations of the method are explored with the PY hard sphere structure factor as model input data. An example using real data on liquid chlorine, is then presented. It is seen that spurious structure is greatly reduced in comparison to traditional Fourier transform methods. (author)

  16. Gamma-ray spectra deconvolution by maximum-entropy methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Los Arcos, J.M.

    1996-01-01

    A maximum-entropy method which includes the response of detectors and the statistical fluctuations of spectra is described and applied to the deconvolution of γ-ray spectra. Resolution enhancement of 25% can be reached for experimental peaks and up to 50% for simulated ones, while the intensities are conserved within 1-2%. (orig.)

  17. SIMULATION OF NEW SIMPLE FUZZY LOGIC MAXIMUM POWER ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2010-06-30

    Jun 30, 2010 ... Basic structure photovoltaic system Solar array mathematic ... The equivalent circuit model of a solar cell consists of a current generator and a diode .... control of boost converter (tracker) such that maximum power is achieved at the output of the solar panel. Fig.11. The membership function of input. Fig.12.

  18. 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.

  19. Local Times of Galactic Cosmic Ray Intensity Maximum and Minimum in the Diurnal Variation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Su Yeon Oh

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available The Diurnal variation of galactic cosmic ray (GCR flux intensity observed by the ground Neutron Monitor (NM shows a sinusoidal pattern with the amplitude of 1sim 2 % of daily mean. We carried out a statistical study on tendencies of the local times of GCR intensity daily maximum and minimum. To test the influences of the solar activity and the location (cut-off rigidity on the distribution in the local times of maximum and minimum GCR intensity, we have examined the data of 1996 (solar minimum and 2000 (solar maximum at the low-latitude Haleakala (latitude: 20.72 N, cut-off rigidity: 12.91 GeV and the high-latitude Oulu (latitude: 65.05 N, cut-off rigidity: 0.81 GeV NM stations. The most frequent local times of the GCR intensity daily maximum and minimum come later about 2sim3 hours in the solar activity maximum year 2000 than in the solar activity minimum year 1996. Oulu NM station whose cut-off rigidity is smaller has the most frequent local times of the GCR intensity maximum and minimum later by 2sim3 hours from those of Haleakala station. This feature is more evident at the solar maximum. The phase of the daily variation in GCR is dependent upon the interplanetary magnetic field varying with the solar activity and the cut-off rigidity varying with the geographic latitude.

  20. 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.

  1. Exact parallel maximum clique algorithm for general and protein graphs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Depolli, Matjaž; Konc, Janez; Rozman, Kati; Trobec, Roman; Janežič, Dušanka

    2013-09-23

    A new exact parallel maximum clique algorithm MaxCliquePara, which finds the maximum clique (the fully connected subgraph) in undirected general and protein graphs, is presented. First, a new branch and bound algorithm for finding a maximum clique on a single computer core, which builds on ideas presented in two published state of the art sequential algorithms is implemented. The new sequential MaxCliqueSeq algorithm is faster than the reference algorithms on both DIMACS benchmark graphs as well as on protein-derived product graphs used for protein structural comparisons. Next, the MaxCliqueSeq algorithm is parallelized by splitting the branch-and-bound search tree to multiple cores, resulting in MaxCliquePara algorithm. The ability to exploit all cores efficiently makes the new parallel MaxCliquePara algorithm markedly superior to other tested algorithms. On a 12-core computer, the parallelization provides up to 2 orders of magnitude faster execution on the large DIMACS benchmark graphs and up to an order of magnitude faster execution on protein product graphs. The algorithms are freely accessible on http://commsys.ijs.si/~matjaz/maxclique.

  2. Design of Simplified Maximum-Likelihood Receivers for Multiuser CPM Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Bing

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A class of simplified maximum-likelihood receivers designed for continuous phase modulation based multiuser systems is proposed. The presented receiver is built upon a front end employing mismatched filters and a maximum-likelihood detector defined in a low-dimensional signal space. The performance of the proposed receivers is analyzed and compared to some existing receivers. Some schemes are designed to implement the proposed receivers and to reveal the roles of different system parameters. Analysis and numerical results show that the proposed receivers can approach the optimum multiuser receivers with significantly (even exponentially in some cases reduced complexity and marginal performance degradation.

  3. A thermoelectric generator using loop heat pipe and design match for maximum-power generation

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Bin-Juine

    2015-09-05

    The present study focuses on the thermoelectric generator (TEG) using loop heat pipe (LHP) and design match for maximum-power generation. The TEG uses loop heat pipe, a passive cooling device, to dissipate heat without consuming power and free of noise. The experiments for a TEG with 4W rated power show that the LHP performs very well with overall thermal resistance 0.35 K W-1, from the cold side of TEG module to the ambient. The LHP is able to dissipate heat up to 110W and is maintenance free. The TEG design match for maximum-power generation, called “near maximum-power point operation (nMPPO)”, is studied to eliminate the MPPT (maximum-power point tracking controller). nMPPO is simply a system design which properly matches the output voltage of TEG with the battery. It is experimentally shown that TEG using design match for maximum-power generation (nMPPO) performs better than TEG with MPPT.

  4. ORIGINAL ARTICLES Surgical practice in a maximum security prison

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Prison Clinic, Mangaung Maximum Security Prison, Bloemfontein. F Kleinhans, BA (Cur) .... HIV positivity rate and the use of the rectum to store foreign objects. ... fruit in sunlight. Other positive health-promoting factors may also play a role,.

  5. 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...

  6. Rapid calculation of maximum particle lifetime for diffusion in complex geometries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carr, Elliot J.; Simpson, Matthew J.

    2018-03-01

    Diffusion of molecules within biological cells and tissues is strongly influenced by crowding. A key quantity to characterize diffusion is the particle lifetime, which is the time taken for a diffusing particle to exit by hitting an absorbing boundary. Calculating the particle lifetime provides valuable information, for example, by allowing us to compare the timescale of diffusion and the timescale of the reaction, thereby helping us to develop appropriate mathematical models. Previous methods to quantify particle lifetimes focus on the mean particle lifetime. Here, we take a different approach and present a simple method for calculating the maximum particle lifetime. This is the time after which only a small specified proportion of particles in an ensemble remain in the system. Our approach produces accurate estimates of the maximum particle lifetime, whereas the mean particle lifetime always underestimates this value compared with data from stochastic simulations. Furthermore, we find that differences between the mean and maximum particle lifetimes become increasingly important when considering diffusion hindered by obstacles.

  7. 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.

  8. Maximum-likelihood estimation of recent shared ancestry (ERSA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huff, Chad D; Witherspoon, David J; Simonson, Tatum S; Xing, Jinchuan; Watkins, W Scott; Zhang, Yuhua; Tuohy, Therese M; Neklason, Deborah W; Burt, Randall W; Guthery, Stephen L; Woodward, Scott R; Jorde, Lynn B

    2011-05-01

    Accurate estimation of recent shared ancestry is important for genetics, evolution, medicine, conservation biology, and forensics. Established methods estimate kinship accurately for first-degree through third-degree relatives. We demonstrate that chromosomal segments shared by two individuals due to identity by descent (IBD) provide much additional information about shared ancestry. We developed a maximum-likelihood method for the estimation of recent shared ancestry (ERSA) from the number and lengths of IBD segments derived from high-density SNP or whole-genome sequence data. We used ERSA to estimate relationships from SNP genotypes in 169 individuals from three large, well-defined human pedigrees. ERSA is accurate to within one degree of relationship for 97% of first-degree through fifth-degree relatives and 80% of sixth-degree and seventh-degree relatives. We demonstrate that ERSA's statistical power approaches the maximum theoretical limit imposed by the fact that distant relatives frequently share no DNA through a common ancestor. ERSA greatly expands the range of relationships that can be estimated from genetic data and is implemented in a freely available software package.

  9. The Influence of Foot-Strike Technique on the Neuromechanical Function of the Foot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Luke A; Farris, Dominic J; Lichtwark, Glen A; Cresswell, Andrew G

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of foot-strike technique on longitudinal arch mechanics and intrinsic foot muscle function during running. Thirteen healthy participants ran barefoot on a force-instrumented treadmill at 2.8 ms with a forefoot (FFS) and rearfoot (RFS; habitual) running technique, whereas kinetic, kinematic, and electromyographic data from the intrinsic foot muscles were collected simultaneously. The longitudinal arch was modeled as a single "midfoot" joint representing motion of the rearfoot (calcaneus) relative to the forefoot (metatarsals). An inverse dynamic analysis was performed to estimate joint moments generated about the midfoot, as well as mechanical work and power. The midfoot was more plantar flexed (higher arch) at foot contact when running with a forefoot running technique (RFS 0.2 ± 1.8 vs FFS 6.9 ± 3.0°, effect size (ES) = 2.7); however, there was no difference in peak midfoot dorsiflexion in stance (RFS -11.6 ± 3.0 vs FFS -11.4 ± 3.4°, ES = 0.63). When running with a forefoot technique, participants generated greater moments about the midfoot (27% increase, ES = 1.1) and performed more negative work (240% increase, ES = 2.2) and positive work (42% increase, ES = 1.1) about the midfoot. Average stance-phase muscle activation was greater for flexor digitorum brevis (20% increase, ES = 0.56) and abductor hallucis (17% increase, ES = 0.63) when running with a forefoot technique. Forefoot running increases loading about the longitudinal arch and also increases the mechanical work performed by the intrinsic foot muscles. These findings have substantial implications in terms of injury prevention and management for runners who transition from a rearfoot to a forefoot running technique.

  10. The effect of different depths of medial heel skive on plantar pressures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bonanno Daniel R

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Foot orthoses are often used to treat lower limb injuries associated with excessive pronation. There are many orthotic modifications available for this purpose, with one being the medial heel skive. However, empirical evidence for the mechanical effects of the medial heel skive modification is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effect that different depths of medial heel skive have on plantar pressures. Methods Thirty healthy adults (mean age 24 years, range 18–46 with a flat-arched or pronated foot posture and no current foot pain or deformity participated in this study. Using the in-shoe pedar-X® system, plantar pressure data were collected for the rearfoot, midfoot and forefoot while participants walked along an 8 metre walkway wearing a standardised shoe. Experimental conditions included a customised foot orthosis with the following 4 orthotic modifications: (i no medial heel skive, (ii a 2 mm medial heel skive, (iii a 4 mm medial heel skive and (iv a 6 mm medial heel skive. Results Compared to the foot orthosis with no medial heel skive, statistically significant increases in peak pressure were observed at the medial rearfoot – there was a 15% increase (p = 0.001 with the 4 mm skive and a 29% increase (p  Conclusions This study found that a medial heel skive of 4 mm or 6 mm increases peak pressure under the medial rearfoot in asymptomatic adults with a flat-arched or pronated foot posture. Plantar pressures at the midfoot and forefoot were not altered by a medial heel skive of 2, 4 or 6 mm. These findings provide some evidence for the effects of the medial heel skive orthotic modification.

  11. Optimizing the maximum reported cluster size in the spatial scan statistic for ordinal data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sehwi; Jung, Inkyung

    2017-01-01

    The spatial scan statistic is an important tool for spatial cluster detection. There have been numerous studies on scanning window shapes. However, little research has been done on the maximum scanning window size or maximum reported cluster size. Recently, Han et al. proposed to use the Gini coefficient to optimize the maximum reported cluster size. However, the method has been developed and evaluated only for the Poisson model. We adopt the Gini coefficient to be applicable to the spatial scan statistic for ordinal data to determine the optimal maximum reported cluster size. Through a simulation study and application to a real data example, we evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. With some sophisticated modification, the Gini coefficient can be effectively employed for the ordinal model. The Gini coefficient most often picked the optimal maximum reported cluster sizes that were the same as or smaller than the true cluster sizes with very high accuracy. It seems that we can obtain a more refined collection of clusters by using the Gini coefficient. The Gini coefficient developed specifically for the ordinal model can be useful for optimizing the maximum reported cluster size for ordinal data and helpful for properly and informatively discovering cluster patterns.

  12. Jarzynski equality in the context of maximum path entropy

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Diego; Davis, Sergio

    2017-06-01

    In the global framework of finding an axiomatic derivation of nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics from fundamental principles, such as the maximum path entropy - also known as Maximum Caliber principle -, this work proposes an alternative derivation of the well-known Jarzynski equality, a nonequilibrium identity of great importance today due to its applications to irreversible processes: biological systems (protein folding), mechanical systems, among others. This equality relates the free energy differences between two equilibrium thermodynamic states with the work performed when going between those states, through an average over a path ensemble. In this work the analysis of Jarzynski's equality will be performed using the formalism of inference over path space. This derivation highlights the wide generality of Jarzynski's original result, which could even be used in non-thermodynamical settings such as social systems, financial and ecological systems.

  13. 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

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. Effect of Training Frequency on Maximum Expiratory Pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anand, Supraja; El-Bashiti, Nour; Sapienza, Christine

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the effects of expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) frequency on maximum expiratory pressure (MEP). Method: We assigned 12 healthy participants to 2 groups of training frequency (3 days per week and 5 days per week). They completed a 4-week training program on an EMST trainer (Aspire Products, LLC). MEP was the primary…

  17. Ethylene Production Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) Compliance Manual

    Science.gov (United States)

    This July 2006 document is intended to help owners and operators of ethylene processes understand and comply with EPA's maximum achievable control technology standards promulgated on July 12, 2002, as amended on April 13, 2005 and April 20, 2006.

  18. Collophore may help direct springtail jump

    Science.gov (United States)

    The collophore of specimens of Entomobrya multifasciata (Tullberg 1871) is composed of four segments. The third segment telescopes in and out of the second and the fourth is an eversible vesicle that is entirely enclosed in the third when not deployed. The four segments are each likely serial homolo...

  19. 13 CFR 107.845 - Maximum rate of amortization on Loans and Debt Securities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... ADMINISTRATION SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT COMPANIES Financing of Small Businesses by Licensees Structuring Licensee's Financing of An Eligible Small Business: Terms and Conditions of Financing § 107.845 Maximum... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maximum rate of amortization on...

  20. Current opinion about maximum entropy methods in Moessbauer spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szymanski, K

    2009-01-01

    Current opinion about Maximum Entropy Methods in Moessbauer Spectroscopy is presented. The most important advantage offered by the method is the correct data processing under circumstances of incomplete information. Disadvantage is the sophisticated algorithm and its application to the specific problems.

  1. Bistability, non-ergodicity, and inhibition in pairwise maximum-entropy models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rostami, Vahid; Porta Mana, PierGianLuca; Grün, Sonja; Helias, Moritz

    2017-10-01

    Pairwise maximum-entropy models have been used in neuroscience to predict the activity of neuronal populations, given only the time-averaged correlations of the neuron activities. This paper provides evidence that the pairwise model, applied to experimental recordings, would produce a bimodal distribution for the population-averaged activity, and for some population sizes the second mode would peak at high activities, that experimentally would be equivalent to 90% of the neuron population active within time-windows of few milliseconds. Several problems are connected with this bimodality: 1. The presence of the high-activity mode is unrealistic in view of observed neuronal activity and on neurobiological grounds. 2. Boltzmann learning becomes non-ergodic, hence the pairwise maximum-entropy distribution cannot be found: in fact, Boltzmann learning would produce an incorrect distribution; similarly, common variants of mean-field approximations also produce an incorrect distribution. 3. The Glauber dynamics associated with the model is unrealistically bistable and cannot be used to generate realistic surrogate data. This bimodality problem is first demonstrated for an experimental dataset from 159 neurons in the motor cortex of macaque monkey. Evidence is then provided that this problem affects typical neural recordings of population sizes of a couple of hundreds or more neurons. The cause of the bimodality problem is identified as the inability of standard maximum-entropy distributions with a uniform reference measure to model neuronal inhibition. To eliminate this problem a modified maximum-entropy model is presented, which reflects a basic effect of inhibition in the form of a simple but non-uniform reference measure. This model does not lead to unrealistic bimodalities, can be found with Boltzmann learning, and has an associated Glauber dynamics which incorporates a minimal asymmetric inhibition.

  2. Rate maximum calculation of Dpa in CNA-II pressure vessel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mascitti, J. A

    2012-01-01

    The maximum dpa rate was calculated for the reactor in the following state: fresh fuel, no Xenon, a Boron concentration of 15.3 ppm, critical state, its control rods in the criticality position, hot, at full power (2160 MW). It was determined that the maximum dpa rate under such conditions is 3.54(2)x10 12 s -1 and it is located in the positions corresponding to θ=210 o in the azimuthal direction, and z=20 cm and -60 cm respectively in the axial direction, considering the calculation mesh centered at half height of the fuel element (FE) active length. The dpa rate spectrum was determined as well as the contribution to it for 4 energy groups: a thermal group, two epithermal groups and a fast one. The maximum dpa rate considering the photo-neutrons production from (γ, n) reaction in the heavy water of coolant and moderator was 3.93(4)x10 12 s -1 that is 11% greater than the obtained without photo-neutrons. This verified significant difference between both cases, suggest that photo-neutrons in large heavy water reactors such as CNA-II should not be ignored. The maximum DPA rate in the first mm of the reactor pressure vessel was calculated too and it was obtained a value of 4.22(6)x10 12 s -1 . It should be added that the calculation was carried out with the reactor complete accurate model, with no approximations in spatial or energy variables. Each value has, between parentheses, a percentage relative error representing the statistical uncertainty due to the probabilistic Monte Carlo method used to estimate it. More representative values may be obtained with this method if equilibrium burn-up distribution is used (author)

  3. Probable Maximum Earthquake Magnitudes for the Cascadia Subduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rong, Y.; Jackson, D. D.; Magistrale, H.; Goldfinger, C.

    2013-12-01

    The concept of maximum earthquake magnitude (mx) is widely used in seismic hazard and risk analysis. However, absolute mx lacks a precise definition and cannot be determined from a finite earthquake history. The surprising magnitudes of the 2004 Sumatra and the 2011 Tohoku earthquakes showed that most methods for estimating mx underestimate the true maximum if it exists. Thus, we introduced the alternate concept of mp(T), probable maximum magnitude within a time interval T. The mp(T) can be solved using theoretical magnitude-frequency distributions such as Tapered Gutenberg-Richter (TGR) distribution. The two TGR parameters, β-value (which equals 2/3 b-value in the GR distribution) and corner magnitude (mc), can be obtained by applying maximum likelihood method to earthquake catalogs with additional constraint from tectonic moment rate. Here, we integrate the paleoseismic data in the Cascadia subduction zone to estimate mp. The Cascadia subduction zone has been seismically quiescent since at least 1900. Fortunately, turbidite studies have unearthed a 10,000 year record of great earthquakes along the subduction zone. We thoroughly investigate the earthquake magnitude-frequency distribution of the region by combining instrumental and paleoseismic data, and using the tectonic moment rate information. To use the paleoseismic data, we first estimate event magnitudes, which we achieve by using the time interval between events, rupture extent of the events, and turbidite thickness. We estimate three sets of TGR parameters: for the first two sets, we consider a geographically large Cascadia region that includes the subduction zone, and the Explorer, Juan de Fuca, and Gorda plates; for the third set, we consider a narrow geographic region straddling the subduction zone. In the first set, the β-value is derived using the GCMT catalog. In the second and third sets, the β-value is derived using both the GCMT and paleoseismic data. Next, we calculate the corresponding mc

  4. Kinematic adaptations of the hindfoot, forefoot, and hallux during cross-slope walking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damavandi, Mohsen; Dixon, Philippe C; Pearsall, David J

    2010-07-01

    Despite cross-slope surfaces being a regular feature of our environment, little is known about segmental adaptations required to maintain both balance and forward locomotion. The purpose of this study was to determine kinematic adaptations of the foot segments in relation to transverse (cross-sloped) walking surfaces. Ten young adult males walked barefoot along an inclinable walkway (level, 0° and cross-slope, 10°). Kinematic adaptations of hindfoot with respect to tibia (HF/TB), forefoot with respect to hindfoot (FF/HF), and hallux with respect to forefoot (HX/FF) in level walking (LW), inclined walking up-slope (IWU), i.e., the foot at the higher elevation, and inclined walking down-slope (IWD), i.e., the foot at the lower elevation, were measured. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) for repeated measures was used to analyze the data. In the sagittal plane, the relative FF/HF and HX/FF plantar/dorsiflexion angles differed across conditions (p=0.024 and p=0.026, respectively). More importantly, numerous frontal plane alterations occurred. For the HF/TB angle, inversion of IWU and eversion of IWD was seen at heel-strike (p<0.001). This pattern reversed with IWU showing eversion and IWD inversion in early stance (p=0.024). For the FF/HF angle, significant differences were observed in mid-stance with IWD revealing inversion while IWU was everted (p<0.004). At toe-off, the pattern switched to eversion of IWD and inversion of IWU (p=0.032). The information obtained from this study enhances our understanding of the kinematics of the human foot in stance during level and cross-slope walking. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. The Hemi-Castaing ligamentoplasty for chronic lateral ankle instability does not modify proprioceptive, muscular and posturographic parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baray, Anne-Laure; Philippot, Rémi; Neri, Thomas; Farizon, Frédéric; Edouard, Pascal

    2016-04-01

    The Hemi-Castaing ligamentoplasty uses a powerful dynamic stabilizer of the ankle which is the peroneus brevis tendon. To our knowledge, there is no study available evaluating the effects of this type of surgery on proprioceptive, muscular and posturographic parameters. This case-control study included 39 subjects divided into two groups: the operated (n = 24) and the control group (n = 15). All subjects underwent a clinical, proprioceptive and isokinetic assessment using a CON-TREX dynamometer, and a postural evaluation using the Win-Posturo force platform. At a mean period of 23 (SD 5.4) post-operative months, the Karlsson ankle functional score was 84.2 (SD 23.8) and the AOFAS score was 88.1 (SD 16.2). The mean ankle joint position error for operated ankles was from 1.9° (SD 0.9) at 10° of inversion range of motion to 2.5° (SD 1.7) at 20°. It was similar to that achieved in the control group ranging from 2.2° (SD 1) at 10° to 2.3° (SD 1.3) at 20°. No significant loss of ankle eversion strength could be observed after ligamentoplasty. Ankle eversion/inversion ratio when tested under all velocities and contraction modes failed to reveal any statistical difference between the operated and healthy ankles in the patient group, neither between the patient and control groups. This surgical technique achieved excellent functional outcomes. It did not impair the agonist/antagonist balance of ankle muscles, and use of half the peroneus brevis tendon did not lessen the eversion strength. Case-control study, Level III.

  6. The Structure of the Class of Maximum Tsallis–Havrda–Chavát Entropy Copulas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús E. García

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available A maximum entropy copula is the copula associated with the joint distribution, with prescribed marginal distributions on [ 0 , 1 ] , which maximizes the Tsallis–Havrda–Chavát entropy with q = 2 . We find necessary and sufficient conditions for each maximum entropy copula to be a copula in the class introduced in Rodríguez-Lallena and Úbeda-Flores (2004, and we also show that each copula in that class is a maximum entropy copula.

  7. Optimum detection for extracting maximum information from symmetric qubit sets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mizuno, Jun; Fujiwara, Mikio; Sasaki, Masahide; Akiba, Makoto; Kawanishi, Tetsuya; Barnett, Stephen M.

    2002-01-01

    We demonstrate a class of optimum detection strategies for extracting the maximum information from sets of equiprobable real symmetric qubit states of a single photon. These optimum strategies have been predicted by Sasaki et al. [Phys. Rev. A 59, 3325 (1999)]. The peculiar aspect is that the detections with at least three outputs suffice for optimum extraction of information regardless of the number of signal elements. The cases of ternary (or trine), quinary, and septenary polarization signals are studied where a standard von Neumann detection (a projection onto a binary orthogonal basis) fails to access the maximum information. Our experiments demonstrate that it is possible with present technologies to attain about 96% of the theoretical limit

  8. Estimation of Maximum Allowable PV Connection to LV Residential Power Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Demirok, Erhan; Sera, Dezso; Teodorescu, Remus

    2011-01-01

    Maximum photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity of low voltage (LV) power networks is mainly restricted by either thermal limits of network components or grid voltage quality resulted from high penetration of distributed PV systems. This maximum hosting capacity may be lower than the available solar...... potential of geographic area due to power network limitations even though all rooftops are fully occupied with PV modules. Therefore, it becomes more of an issue to know what exactly limits higher PV penetration level and which solutions should be engaged efficiently such as over sizing distribution...

  9. Maximum power operation of interacting molecular motors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Golubeva, Natalia; Imparato, Alberto

    2013-01-01

    , as compared to the non-interacting system, in a wide range of biologically compatible scenarios. We furthermore consider the case where the motor-motor interaction directly affects the internal chemical cycle and investigate the effect on the system dynamics and thermodynamics.......We study the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of different traffic models for kinesin which are relevant in biological and experimental contexts. We find that motor-motor interactions play a fundamental role by enhancing the thermodynamic efficiency at maximum power of the motors...

  10. 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

  11. Maximum power point tracking for PV systems under partial shading conditions using current sweeping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsang, K.M.; Chan, W.L.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A novel approach for tracking the maximum power point of photovoltaic systems. • Able to handle both the uniform insolation and partial shading conditions. • Maximum power point tracking based on current sweeping. - Abstract: Partial shading on photovoltaic (PV) arrays causes multiple peaks on the output power–voltage characteristic curve and local searching technique such as perturb and observe (P&O) method could easily fail in searching for the global maximum. Moreover, existing global searching techniques are still not very satisfactory in terms of speed and implementation complexity. In this paper, a fast global maximum power point (MPPT) tracking method which is using current sweeping for photovoltaic arrays under partial shading conditions is proposed. Unlike conventional approach, the proposed method is current based rather than voltage based. The initial maximum power point will be derived based on a current sweeping test and the maximum power point can be enhanced by a finer local search. The speed of the global search is mainly governed by the apparent time constant of the PV array and the generation of a fast current sweeping test. The fast current sweeping test can easily be realized by a DC/DC boost converter with a very fast current control loop. Experimental results are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed global searching scheme

  12. Impact of marine reserve on maximum sustainable yield in a traditional prey-predator system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Prosenjit; Kar, T. K.; Ghorai, Abhijit

    2018-01-01

    Multispecies fisheries management requires managers to consider the impact of fishing activities on several species as fishing impacts both targeted and non-targeted species directly or indirectly in several ways. The intended goal of traditional fisheries management is to achieve maximum sustainable yield (MSY) from the targeted species, which on many occasions affect the targeted species as well as the entire ecosystem. Marine reserves are often acclaimed as the marine ecosystem management tool. Few attempts have been made to generalize the ecological effects of marine reserve on MSY policy. We examine here how MSY and population level in a prey-predator system are affected by the low, medium and high reserve size under different possible scenarios. Our simulation works shows that low reserve area, the value of MSY for prey exploitation is maximum when both prey and predator species have fast movement rate. For medium reserve size, our analysis revealed that the maximum value of MSY for prey exploitation is obtained when prey population has fast movement rate and predator population has slow movement rate. For high reserve area, the maximum value of MSY for prey's exploitation is very low compared to the maximum value of MSY for prey's exploitation in case of low and medium reserve. On the other hand, for low and medium reserve area, MSY for predator exploitation is maximum when both the species have fast movement rate.

  13. A practical exact maximum compatibility algorithm for reconstruction of recent evolutionary history

    OpenAIRE

    Cherry, Joshua L.

    2017-01-01

    Background Maximum compatibility is a method of phylogenetic reconstruction that is seldom applied to molecular sequences. It may be ideal for certain applications, such as reconstructing phylogenies of closely-related bacteria on the basis of whole-genome sequencing. Results Here I present an algorithm that rapidly computes phylogenies according to a compatibility criterion. Although based on solutions to the maximum clique problem, this algorithm deals properly with ambiguities in the data....

  14. Maximum Power Point Tracking Based on Sliding Mode Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nimrod Vázquez

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Solar panels, which have become a good choice, are used to generate and supply electricity in commercial and residential applications. This generated power starts with the solar cells, which have a complex relationship between solar irradiation, temperature, and output power. For this reason a tracking of the maximum power point is required. Traditionally, this has been made by considering just current and voltage conditions at the photovoltaic panel; however, temperature also influences the process. In this paper the voltage, current, and temperature in the PV system are considered to be a part of a sliding surface for the proposed maximum power point tracking; this means a sliding mode controller is applied. Obtained results gave a good dynamic response, as a difference from traditional schemes, which are only based on computational algorithms. A traditional algorithm based on MPPT was added in order to assure a low steady state error.

  15. Measurement and estimation of maximum skin dose to the patient for different interventional procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Yuxi; Liu Lantao; Wei Kedao; Yu Peng; Yan Shulin; Li Tianchang

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To determine the dose distribution and maximum skin dose to the patient for four interventional procedures: coronary angiography (CA), hepatic angiography (HA), radiofrequency ablation (RF) and cerebral angiography (CAG), and to estimate the definitive effect of radiation on skin. Methods: Skin dose was measured using LiF: Mg, Cu, P TLD chips. A total of 9 measuring points were chosen on the back of the patient with two TLDs placed at each point, for CA, HA and RF interventional procedures, whereas two TLDs were placed on one point each at the postero-anterior (PA) and lateral side (LAT) respectively, during the CAG procedure. Results: The results revealed that the maximum skin dose to the patient was 1683.91 mGy for the HA procedure with a mean value of 607.29 mGy. The maximum skin dose at the PA point was 959.3 mGy for the CAG with a mean value of 418.79 mGy; While the maximum and the mean doses at the LAT point were 704 mGy and 191.52 mGy, respectively. For the RF procedure the maximum dose was 853.82 mGy and the mean was 219.67 mGy. For the CA procedure the maximum dose was 456.1 mGy and the mean was 227.63 mGy. Conclusion: All the measured dose values in this study are estimated ones which could not provide the accurate maximum value because it is difficult to measure using a great deal of TLDs. On the other hand, the small area of skin exposed to high dose could be missed as the distribution of the dose is successive. (authors)

  16. Water Quality Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Loads Information (ATTAINS)

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Water Quality Assessment TMDL Tracking And Implementation System (ATTAINS) stores and tracks state water quality assessment decisions, Total Maximum Daily Loads...

  17. STUDY ON MAXIMUM SPECIFIC SLUDGE ACIVITY OF DIFFERENT ANAEROBIC GRANULAR SLUDGE BY BATCH TESTS

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2001-01-01

    The maximum specific sludge activity of granular sludge from large-scale UASB, IC and Biobed anaerobic reactors were investigated by batch tests. The limitation factors related to maximum specific sludge activity (diffusion, substrate sort, substrate concentration and granular size) were studied. The general principle and procedure for the precise measurement of maximum specific sludge activity were suggested. The potential capacity of loading rate of the IC and Biobed anaerobic reactors were analyzed and compared by use of the batch tests results.

  18. Classifying running-related injuries based upon etiology, with emphasis on volume and pace

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, R.O.; Nohr, Ellen Aagaard; Rasmussen, Sten

    2013-01-01

    Many researchers acknowledge the importance of "training errors" as the main cause of running-related injuries. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to present a theoretical framework for the assumption that some running-related injuries among rear-foot strikers develop due to rapidly...... changing running volume, while others develop due to rapidly changing running pace....

  19. Influence of aliphatic amides on the temperature of maximum density of water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torres, Andrés Felipe; Romero, Carmen M.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • The addition of amides decreases the temperature of maximum density of water suggesting a disruptive effect on water structure. • The amides in aqueous solution do not follow the Despretz equation in the concentration range considered. • The temperature shift Δθ as a function of molality is represented by a second order equation. • The Despretz constants were determined considering the dilute concentration region for each amide solution. • Solute disrupting effect of amides becomes smaller as its hydrophobic character increases. - Abstract: The influence of dissolved substances on the temperature of the maximum density of water has been studied in relation to their effect on water structure as they can change the equilibrium between structured and unstructured species of water. However, most work has been performed using salts and the studies with small organic solutes such as amides are scarce. In this work, the effect of acetamide, propionamide and butyramide on the temperature of maximum density of water was determined from density measurements using a magnetic float densimeter. Densities of aqueous solutions were measured within the temperature range from T = (275.65–278.65) K at intervals of 0.50 K in the concentration range between (0.10000 and 0.80000) mol·kg −1 . The temperature of maximum density was determined from the experimental results. The effect of the three amides is to decrease the temperature of maximum density of water and the change does not follow the Despretz equation. The results are discussed in terms of solute-water interactions and the disrupting effect of amides on water structure.

  20. On minimizing the maximum broadcast decoding delay for instantly decodable network coding

    KAUST Repository

    Douik, Ahmed S.

    2014-09-01

    In this paper, we consider the problem of minimizing the maximum broadcast decoding delay experienced by all the receivers of generalized instantly decodable network coding (IDNC). Unlike the sum decoding delay, the maximum decoding delay as a definition of delay for IDNC allows a more equitable distribution of the delays between the different receivers and thus a better Quality of Service (QoS). In order to solve this problem, we first derive the expressions for the probability distributions of maximum decoding delay increments. Given these expressions, we formulate the problem as a maximum weight clique problem in the IDNC graph. Although this problem is known to be NP-hard, we design a greedy algorithm to perform effective packet selection. Through extensive simulations, we compare the sum decoding delay and the max decoding delay experienced when applying the policies to minimize the sum decoding delay and our policy to reduce the max decoding delay. Simulations results show that our policy gives a good agreement among all the delay aspects in all situations and outperforms the sum decoding delay policy to effectively minimize the sum decoding delay when the channel conditions become harsher. They also show that our definition of delay significantly improve the number of served receivers when they are subject to strict delay constraints.

  1. Psychophysical basis for maximum pushing and pulling forces: A review and recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garg, Arun; Waters, Thomas; Kapellusch, Jay; Karwowski, Waldemar

    2014-03-01

    The objective of this paper was to perform a comprehensive review of psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces. Factors affecting pushing and pulling forces are identified and discussed. Recent studies show a significant decrease (compared to previous studies) in maximum acceptable forces for males but not for females when pushing and pulling on a treadmill. A comparison of pushing and pulling forces measured using a high inertia cart with those measured on a treadmill shows that the pushing and pulling forces using high inertia cart are higher for males but are about the same for females. It is concluded that the recommendations of Snook and Ciriello (1991) for pushing and pulling forces are still valid and provide reasonable recommendations for ergonomics practitioners. Regression equations as a function of handle height, frequency of exertion and pushing/pulling distance are provided to estimate maximum initial and sustained forces for pushing and pulling acceptable to 75% male and female workers. At present it is not clear whether pushing or pulling should be favored. Similarly, it is not clear what handle heights would be optimal for pushing and pulling. Epidemiological studies are needed to determine relationships between psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces and risk of musculoskeletal injuries, in particular to low back and shoulders.

  2. Smart Global Maximum Power Point Tracking Controller of Photovoltaic Module Arrays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Long-Yi Chang

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This study first explored the effect of shading on the output characteristics of modules in a photovoltaic module array. Next, a modified particle swarm optimization (PSO method was employed to track the maximum power point of the multiple-peak characteristic curve of the array. Through the optimization method, the weighting value and cognition learning factor decreased with an increasing number of iterations, whereas the social learning factor increased, thereby enhancing the tracking capability of a maximum power point tracker. In addition, the weighting value was slightly modified on the basis of the changes in the slope and power of the characteristic curve to increase the tracking speed and stability of the tracker. Finally, a PIC18F8720 microcontroller was coordinated with peripheral hardware circuits to realize the proposed PSO method, which was then adopted to track the maximum power point of the power–voltage (P–V output characteristic curve of the photovoltaic module array under shading. Subsequently, tests were conducted to verify that the modified PSO method exhibited favorable tracking speed and accuracy.

  3. Image coding based on maximum entropy partitioning for identifying ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    A new coding scheme based on maximum entropy partitioning is proposed in our work, particularly to identify the improbable intensities related to different emotions. The improbable intensities when used as a mask decode the facial expression correctly, providing an effectiveplatform for future emotion categorization ...

  4. Distribution of phytoplankton groups within the deep chlorophyll maximum

    KAUST Repository

    Latasa, Mikel; Cabello, Ana Marí a; Moran, Xose Anxelu G.; Massana, Ramon; Scharek, Renate

    2016-01-01

    and optical and FISH microscopy. All groups presented minimum abundances at the surface and a maximum in the DCM layer. The cell distribution was not vertically symmetrical around the DCM peak and cells tended to accumulate in the upper part of the DCM layer

  5. Inverse feasibility problems of the inverse maximum flow problems

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    199–209. c Indian Academy of Sciences. Inverse feasibility problems of the inverse maximum flow problems. ADRIAN DEACONU. ∗ and ELEONOR CIUREA. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Iuliu Maniu st. 50,. Romania.

  6. Combining Experiments and Simulations Using the Maximum Entropy Principle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boomsma, Wouter; Ferkinghoff-Borg, Jesper; Lindorff-Larsen, Kresten

    2014-01-01

    in the context of a simple example, after which we proceed with a real-world application in the field of molecular simulations, where the maximum entropy procedure has recently provided new insight. Given the limited accuracy of force fields, macromolecular simulations sometimes produce results...

  7. Kabuki make-up syndrome with genitourinary anomalies ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We report a 3.5 year old male child, first in order of birth of healthy consanguineous Egyptian parents with typical characteristics of Kabuki make-up syndrome. The patient had microcephaly, high arched sparse eyebrows, hypertelorism, long palpebral fissures with eversion of the lateral third of the lower eyelids, bilateral ...

  8. Modelling maximum likelihood estimation of availability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waller, R.A.; Tietjen, G.L.; Rock, G.W.

    1975-01-01

    Suppose the performance of a nuclear powered electrical generating power plant is continuously monitored to record the sequence of failure and repairs during sustained operation. The purpose of this study is to assess one method of estimating the performance of the power plant when the measure of performance is availability. That is, we determine the probability that the plant is operational at time t. To study the availability of a power plant, we first assume statistical models for the variables, X and Y, which denote the time-to-failure and the time-to-repair variables, respectively. Once those statistical models are specified, the availability, A(t), can be expressed as a function of some or all of their parameters. Usually those parameters are unknown in practice and so A(t) is unknown. This paper discusses the maximum likelihood estimator of A(t) when the time-to-failure model for X is an exponential density with parameter, lambda, and the time-to-repair model for Y is an exponential density with parameter, theta. Under the assumption of exponential models for X and Y, it follows that the instantaneous availability at time t is A(t)=lambda/(lambda+theta)+theta/(lambda+theta)exp[-[(1/lambda)+(1/theta)]t] with t>0. Also, the steady-state availability is A(infinity)=lambda/(lambda+theta). We use the observations from n failure-repair cycles of the power plant, say X 1 , X 2 , ..., Xsub(n), Y 1 , Y 2 , ..., Ysub(n) to present the maximum likelihood estimators of A(t) and A(infinity). The exact sampling distributions for those estimators and some statistical properties are discussed before a simulation model is used to determine 95% simulation intervals for A(t). The methodology is applied to two examples which approximate the operating history of two nuclear power plants. (author)

  9. Maximum a posteriori decoder for digital communications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altes, Richard A. (Inventor)

    1997-01-01

    A system and method for decoding by identification of the most likely phase coded signal corresponding to received data. The present invention has particular application to communication with signals that experience spurious random phase perturbations. The generalized estimator-correlator uses a maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimator to generate phase estimates for correlation with incoming data samples and for correlation with mean phases indicative of unique hypothesized signals. The result is a MAP likelihood statistic for each hypothesized transmission, wherein the highest value statistic identifies the transmitted signal.

  10. Maximum Power Point Tracking Control of Photovoltaic Systems: A Polynomial Fuzzy Model-Based Approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rakhshan, Mohsen; Vafamand, Navid; Khooban, Mohammad Hassan

    2018-01-01

    This paper introduces a polynomial fuzzy model (PFM)-based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control approach to increase the performance and efficiency of the solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation. The proposed method relies on a polynomial fuzzy modeling, a polynomial parallel......, a direct maximum power (DMP)-based control structure is considered for MPPT. Using the PFM representation, the DMP-based control structure is formulated in terms of SOS conditions. Unlike the conventional approaches, the proposed approach does not require exploring the maximum power operational point...

  11. A performance analysis for MHD power cycles operating at maximum power density

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahin, Bahri; Kodal, Ali; Yavuz, Hasbi

    1996-01-01

    An analysis of the thermal efficiency of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power cycle at maximum power density for a constant velocity type MHD generator has been carried out. The irreversibilities at the compressor and the MHD generator are taken into account. The results obtained from power density analysis were compared with those of maximum power analysis. It is shown that by using the power density criteria the MHD cycle efficiency can be increased effectively. (author)

  12. The Influence of Creatine Monohydrate on Strength and Endurance After Doing Physical Exercise With Maximum Intensity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asrofi Shicas Nabawi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was: (1 to analyze the effect of creatine monohydrate to give strength after doing physical exercise with maximum intensity, towards endurance after doing physical exercise with maximum intensity, (2 to analyze the effect of non creatine monohydrate to give strength after doing physical exercise with maximum intensity, towards endurance after doing physical exercise with maximum intensity, (3 to analyze the results of the difference by administering creatine and non creatine on strength and endurance after exercise with maximum intensity. This type of research used in this research was quantitative with quasi experimental research methods. The design of this study was using pretest and posttest control group design, and data analysis was using a paired sample t-test. The process of data collection was done with the test leg muscle strength using a strength test with back and leg dynamometer, sit ups test with 1 minute sit ups, push ups test with push ups and 30 seconds with a VO2max test cosmed quart CPET during the pretest and posttest. Furthermore, the data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 series. The results showed: (1 There was the influence of creatine administration against the strength after doing exercise with maximum intensity; (2 There was the influence of creatine administration against the group endurance after doing exercise with maximum intensity; (3 There was the influence of non creatine against the force after exercise maximum intensity; (4 There was the influence of non creatine against the group after endurance exercise maximum intensity; (5 The significant difference with the provision of non creatine and creatine from creatine group difference delta at higher against the increased strength and endurance after exercise maximum intensity. Based on the above analysis, it can be concluded that the increased strength and durability for each of the groups after being given a workout.

  13. Effect of a High-intensity Interval Training method on maximum oxygen consumption in Chilean schoolchildren

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio Galdames-Maliqueo

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The low levels of maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max evaluated in Chilean schoolchildren suggest the startup of trainings that improve the aerobic capacity. Objective: To analyze the effect of a High-intensity Interval Training method on maximum oxygen consumption in Chilean schoolchildren. Materials and methods: Thirty-two high school students from the eighth grade, who were divided into two groups, were part of the study (experimental group = 16 students and control group = 16 students. The main analyzed variable was the maximum oxygen consumption through the Course Navette Test. A High-intensity Interval training method was applied based on the maximum aerobic speed obtained through the Test. A mixed ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Results: The experimental group showed a significant increase in the Maximum Oxygen Consumption between the pretest and posttest when compared with the control group (p < 0.0001. Conclusion: The results of the study showed a positive effect of the High-intensity Interval Training on the maximum consumption of oxygen. At the end of the study, it is concluded that High-intensity Interval Training is a good stimulation methodology for Chilean schoolchildren.

  14. Maximum Likelihood Compton Polarimetry with the Compton Spectrometer and Imager

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lowell, A. W.; Boggs, S. E; Chiu, C. L.; Kierans, C. A.; Sleator, C.; Tomsick, J. A.; Zoglauer, A. C. [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley (United States); Chang, H.-K.; Tseng, C.-H.; Yang, C.-Y. [Institute of Astronomy, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan (China); Jean, P.; Ballmoos, P. von [IRAP Toulouse (France); Lin, C.-H. [Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (China); Amman, M. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (United States)

    2017-10-20

    Astrophysical polarization measurements in the soft gamma-ray band are becoming more feasible as detectors with high position and energy resolution are deployed. Previous work has shown that the minimum detectable polarization (MDP) of an ideal Compton polarimeter can be improved by ∼21% when an unbinned, maximum likelihood method (MLM) is used instead of the standard approach of fitting a sinusoid to a histogram of azimuthal scattering angles. Here we outline a procedure for implementing this maximum likelihood approach for real, nonideal polarimeters. As an example, we use the recent observation of GRB 160530A with the Compton Spectrometer and Imager. We find that the MDP for this observation is reduced by 20% when the MLM is used instead of the standard method.

  15. Maximum Profit Configurations of Commercial Engines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiran Chen

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available An investigation of commercial engines with finite capacity low- and high-price economic subsystems and a generalized commodity transfer law [n ∝ Δ (P m] in commodity flow processes, in which effects of the price elasticities of supply and demand are introduced, is presented in this paper. Optimal cycle configurations of commercial engines for maximum profit are obtained by applying optimal control theory. In some special cases, the eventual state—market equilibrium—is solely determined by the initial conditions and the inherent characteristics of two subsystems; while the different ways of transfer affect the model in respects of the specific forms of the paths of prices and the instantaneous commodity flow, i.e., the optimal configuration.

  16. Study of the X-ray binary AM Herculis. II - Spectrophotometry at maximum light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voikhanskaia, N.F.

    1980-01-01

    The spectrum of the AM Her system at maximum light is analyzed, and a comparison is made between the spectra when the system is at different levels of brightness. At maximum light the equivalent line widths fluctuate rapidly on a time scale of about 1 min at all phases of the orbit period. As the brightness drops, the system becomes less strongly excited consequently, the high-excitation elements represented in the spectrum first fade and then vanish. At maximum light the bulk of the radiation comes from the hottest and densest parts of the luminous region. As the light wanes the contribution of their radiation to the total light of the system diminishes, and the radiation of the cooler, more tenuous parts of the emission region becomes perceptible. In addition, the pronounced change in the shape of the emission-line profiles during the orbital period at minimum light implies a considerable amount of irregularity in the region producing the lines, unlike the uniform emission region at maximum light

  17. Towards a frequency-dependent discrete maximum principle for the implicit Monte Carlo equations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wollaber, Allan B [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Larsen, Edward W [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Densmore, Jeffery D [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2010-12-15

    It has long been known that temperature solutions of the Implicit Monte Carlo (IMC) equations can exceed the external boundary temperatures, a so-called violation of the 'maximum principle.' Previous attempts at prescribing a maximum value of the time-step size {Delta}{sub t} that is sufficient to eliminate these violations have recommended a {Delta}{sub t} that is typically too small to be used in practice and that appeared to be much too conservative when compared to numerical solutions of the IMC equations for practical problems. In this paper, we derive a new estimator for the maximum time-step size that includes the spatial-grid size {Delta}{sub x}. This explicitly demonstrates that the effect of coarsening {Delta}{sub x} is to reduce the limitation on {Delta}{sub t}, which helps explain the overly conservative nature of the earlier, grid-independent results. We demonstrate that our new time-step restriction is a much more accurate means of predicting violations of the maximum principle. We discuss how the implications of the new, grid-dependent timestep restriction can impact IMC solution algorithms.

  18. Towards a frequency-dependent discrete maximum principle for the implicit Monte Carlo equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wollaber, Allan B.; Larsen, Edward W.; Densmore, Jeffery D.

    2011-01-01

    It has long been known that temperature solutions of the Implicit Monte Carlo (IMC) equations can exceed the external boundary temperatures, a so-called violation of the 'maximum principle'. Previous attempts at prescribing a maximum value of the time-step size Δ t that is sufficient to eliminate these violations have recommended a Δ t that is typically too small to be used in practice and that appeared to be much too conservative when compared to numerical solutions of the IMC equations for practical problems. In this paper, we derive a new estimator for the maximum time-step size that includes the spatial-grid size Δ x . This explicitly demonstrates that the effect of coarsening Δ x is to reduce the limitation on Δ t , which helps explain the overly conservative nature of the earlier, grid-independent results. We demonstrate that our new time-step restriction is a much more accurate means of predicting violations of the maximum principle. We discuss how the implications of the new, grid-dependent time-step restriction can impact IMC solution algorithms. (author)

  19. A Family of Maximum SNR Filters for Noise Reduction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huang, Gongping; Benesty, Jacob; Long, Tao

    2014-01-01

    significantly increase the SNR but at the expense of tremendous speech distortion. As a consequence, the speech quality improvement, measured by the perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) algorithm, is marginal if any, regardless of the number of microphones used. In the STFT domain, the maximum SNR...

  20. Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation During the Last Glacial Maximum.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lynch-Stieglitz, J.; Adkins, J.F.; Curry, W.B.; Dokken, T.; Hall, I.R.; Herguera, J.C.; Hirschi, J.J.-M.; Ivanova, E.V.; Kissel, C.; Marchal, O.; Marchitto, T.M.; McCave, I.N.; McManus, J.F.; Mulitza, S.; Ninnemann, U.; Peeters, F.J.C.; Yu, E.-F.; Zahn, R.

    2007-01-01

    The circulation of the deep Atlantic Ocean during the height of the last ice age appears to have been quite different from today. We review observations implying that Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum was neither extremely sluggish nor an enhanced version of