FRESCO: Referential compression of highly similar sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Wandelt, Sebastian; Leser, Ulf

2013-01-01

In many applications, sets of similar texts or sequences are of high importance. Prominent examples are revision histories of documents or genomic sequences. Modern high-throughput sequencing technologies are able to generate DNA sequences at an ever-increasing rate. In parallel to the decreasing experimental time and cost necessary to produce DNA sequences, computational requirements for analysis and storage of the sequences are steeply increasing. Compression is a key technology to deal with this challenge. Recently, referential compression schemes, storing only the differences between a to-be-compressed input and a known reference sequence, gained a lot of interest in this field. In this paper, we propose a general open-source framework to compress large amounts of biological sequence data called Framework for REferential Sequence COmpression (FRESCO). Our basic compression algorithm is shown to be one to two orders of magnitudes faster than comparable related work, while achieving similar compression ratios. We also propose several techniques to further increase compression ratios, while still retaining the advantage in speed: 1) selecting a good reference sequence; and 2) rewriting a reference sequence to allow for better compression. In addition,we propose a new way of further boosting the compression ratios by applying referential compression to already referentially compressed files (second-order compression). This technique allows for compression ratios way beyond state of the art, for instance,4,000:1 and higher for human genomes. We evaluate our algorithms on a large data set from three different species (more than 1,000 genomes, more than 3 TB) and on a collection of versions of Wikipedia pages. Our results show that real-time compression of highly similar sequences at high compression ratios is possible on modern hardware.

Referential communication in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlgren, Svenolof; Sandberg, Annika Dahlgren

2008-07-01

Referential communication was studied in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including children with autism and Asperger syndrome. The aim was to study alternative explanations for the children's communicative problems in such situations. Factors studied were theory of mind, IQ, verbal ability and memory. The main results demonstrated diminished performance in children with autism spectrum disorder, mirroring performance in everyday life, in comparison to verbal IQ and mental age matched typically developing children. Among children with autism spectrum disorders, there was a positive relationship between performance in referential communication and theory of mind. Memory capacity also proved to play a role in success in the task.

Self-referential and social cognition in a case of autism and agenesis of the corpus callosum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lombardo Michael V

2012-11-01

those observed for both of the comparison groups. However, the AgCC patient scored within the range observed in the comparison groups on measures of first-person pronoun usage and self-reported affective empathy subscales. Conclusions We conclude that AgCC co-occurring with a diagnosis of ASC may be a relevant model at the level of neuroanatomy for understanding mechanisms involved in self-referential and high-level social-cognitive difficulties in ASC.

Referential processing: reciprocity and correlates of naming and imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Paivio, A; Clark, J M; Digdon, N; Bons, T

1989-03-01

To shed light on the referential processes that underlie mental translation between representations of objects and words, we studied the reciprocity and determinants of naming and imaging reaction times (RT). Ninety-six subjects pressed a key when they had covertly named 248 pictures or imaged to their names. Mean naming and imagery RTs for each item were correlated with one another, and with properties of names, images, and their interconnections suggested by prior research and dual coding theory. Imagery RTs correlated .56 (df = 246) with manual naming RTs and .58 with voicekey naming RTs from prior studies. A factor analysis of the RTs and of 31 item characteristics revealed 7 dimensions. Imagery and naming RTs loaded on a common referential factor that included variables related to both directions of processing (e.g., missing names and missing images). Naming RTs also loaded on a nonverbal-to-verbal factor that included such variables as number of different names, whereas imagery RTs loaded on a verbal-to-nonverbal factor that included such variables as rated consistency of imagery. The other factors were verbal familiarity, verbal complexity, nonverbal familiarity, and nonverbal complexity. The findings confirm the reciprocity of imaging and naming, and their relation to constructs associated with distinct phases of referential processing.

Noun complement clauses as referential modifiers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos de Cuba

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A number of recent analyses propose that so-called noun complement clauses should be analyzed as a type of relative clause. In this paper, I present a number of complications for any analysis that equates noun complement clauses to relative clauses, and conclude that this type of analysis is on the wrong track. I present cross-linguistic evidence showing that the syntactic behavior of noun complement clauses does not pattern with relative clauses. Patterns of complementizer choice and complementizer drop as well as patterns involving main clause phenomena and extraction differ in the two constructions, which I argue is unexpected under a relative clause analysis that involves operator movement. Instead I present an alternative analysis in which I propose that the referentiality of a noun complement clause is linked to its syntactic behavior. Following recent work, I claim that referential clauses have a syntactically truncated left-periphery, and this truncation can account for the lack of main clause phenomena in noun complement clauses. I argue that the truncation analysis is also able to accommodate complementizer data patterns more easily than relative clause analyses that appeal to operator movement.

Social inference and social anxiety: evidence of a fear-congruent self-referential learning bias.

Science.gov (United States)

Button, Katherine S; Browning, Michael; Munafò, Marcus R; Lewis, Glyn

2012-12-01

Fears of negative evaluation characterise social anxiety, and preferential processing of fear-relevant information is implicated in maintaining symptoms. Little is known, however, about the relationship between social anxiety and the process of inferring negative evaluation. The ability to use social information to learn what others think about one, referred to here as self-referential learning, is fundamental for effective social interaction. The aim of this research was to examine whether social anxiety is associated with self-referential learning. 102 Females with either high (n = 52) or low (n = 50) self-reported social anxiety completed a novel probabilistic social learning task. Using trial and error, the task required participants to learn two self-referential rules, 'I am liked' and 'I am disliked'. Participants across the sample were better at learning the positive rule 'I am liked' than the negative rule 'I am disliked', β = -6.4, 95% CI [-8.0, -4.7], p learning positive self-referential information was strongest in the lowest socially anxious and was abolished in the most symptomatic participants. Relative to the low group, the high anxiety group were better at learning they were disliked and worse at learning they were liked, social anxiety by rule interaction β = 3.6; 95% CI [+0.3, +7.0], p = 0.03. The specificity of the results to self-referential processing requires further research. Healthy individuals show a robust preference for learning that they are liked relative to disliked. This positive self-referential bias is reduced in social anxiety in a way that would be expected to exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linguistic measures of the referential process in psychodynamic treatment: the English and Italian versions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mariani, Rachele; Maskit, Bernard; Bucci, Wilma; De Coro, Alessandra

2013-01-01

The referential process is defined in the context of Bucci's multiple code theory as the process by which nonverbal experience is connected to language. The English computerized measures of the referential process, which have been applied in psychotherapy research, include the Weighted Referential Activity Dictionary (WRAD), and measures of Reflection, Affect and Disfluency. This paper presents the development of the Italian version of the IWRAD by modeling Italian texts scored by judges, and shows the application of the IWRAD and other Italian measures in three psychodynamic treatments evaluated for personality change using the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP-200). Clinical predictions based on applications of the English measures were supported.

Decreased medial prefrontal cortex activation during self-referential processing in bipolar mania.

Science.gov (United States)

Herold, Dorrit; Usnich, Tatiana; Spengler, Stephanie; Sajonz, Bastian; Bauer, Michael; Bermpohl, Felix

2017-09-01

Patients with bipolar disorder in mania exhibit symptoms pointing towards altered self-referential processing, such as decreased self-focus, flight of ideas and high distractibility. In depression, the opposite pattern of symptoms has been connected to increased activation of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during self-referential processing. In this study, we hypothesized that (1) patients with mania will exhibit decreased activation in the mPFC during self-referential processing and (2) will be more alexithymic and that levels of alexithymia will correlate negatively with mPFC activation. The neural response to standardized pictures was compared in 14 patients with bipolar I disorder in mania to 14 healthy controls using blood oxygen level dependent contrast magnetic resonance imaging. Participants were asked to indicate with button press during the scanning session for each picture whether the pictures personally related to them or not. Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS) scores were recorded from all participants. In the group analysis, patients with mania exhibited decreased activation in a predefined region of interest in the mPFC during self-referential processing compared to healthy controls. Patients with mania showed significantly higher levels of alexithymia, attributable to difficulties in identifying and describing emotions. Activation in the mPFC correlated negatively with levels of alexithymia. Results presented here should be replicated in a larger group, potentially including unmedicated patients. The finding of decreased mPFC activation during self-referential processing in mania may reflect decreased self-focus and high distractibility. Support for this view comes from the negative correlation between higher alexithymia scores and decreased mPFC activation. These findings represent an opposite clinical and neuroimaging pattern to findings in depression. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Discourse Model Representation of Referential and Attributive Descriptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Onishi, Kristine H.; Murphy, Gregory L.

2002-01-01

Manipulated shared knowledge and focus on specific entities, the verb in the sentence, and whether the description was definite or indefinite. Each factor influenced interpretation of the description. Confirmed that changing verbs alone affected reference choice. Indicated that both referentially and attributively introduced entities are…

The Spatiotemporal Features of Self- Referential Processing: Evidence of ERPs%音乐情境中自我参照加工的时间特征：来自ERPs的证据

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

钟毅平; 范伟; 周路平; 肖丽辉; 王小艳; 张笑仪; 龙腾; 颜志雄

2012-01-01

采用事件相关电位技术，考察在有情境条件下不同层面的自我参照加工的特性及其神经机制。实验发现，在两种音乐情境条件下个体自我参展刺激所激发的P300波幅比集体自我参照刺激和非自我刺激更大，而集体自我参照刺激所激发的P300波幅比非自我刺激更大；两种音乐情境条件下个体自我参照刺激所激发的P300波幅差异显著，而集体自我参照刺激所激发的P300波幅差异不显著。研究结果表明了在不同的情境中，个体自我参照加工的差异较大，表现出不稳定的特征；个体自我参照加工与集体自我参照加工的神经机制是不同的。这些结果还可能表明了相对于集体自我来讲，个体自我是自我的核心层面。%Based on previous studies, this study used event-related potential to investigate the self-referential processing in the case of context, the characteristics at different levels of self-reference processing and its neural mechanisms under situational conditions. To extend the results of the previous studies and to further the discussion, we designed the experiment, in which we added the indi- vidual self-referential and collective self-referential stimuli, and compared the processing course with each other. In the experiment, we used the lexical decision task, and took the characteristic adjectives as individual self-referential and collective self-referential stimuli. To investigate the characteristics of the two self-referential processing, we also took the situation into consideration, and placed the indi- vidual self-referential processing and collective self-referential processing in different situations. In the experiment, we used the decision task, combined with unrelated individualistic music and group- oriented music as background, three characteristic adjectives as target stimulus, in total, six types of stimuli. In the experiment, we found that under the two musical

Referential Communication in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlgren, Svenolof; Sandberg, Annika Dahlgren

2008-01-01

Referential communication was studied in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including children with autism and Asperger syndrome. The aim was to study alternative explanations for the children's communicative problems in such situations. Factors studied were theory of mind, IQ, verbal ability and memory. The main results demonstrated…

Genuine eye contact elicits self-referential processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Hietanen, Jonne O; Hietanen, Jari K

2017-05-01

The effect of eye contact on self-awareness was investigated with implicit measures based on the use of first-person singular pronouns in sentences. The measures were proposed to tap into self-referential processing, that is, information processing associated with self-awareness. In addition, participants filled in a questionnaire measuring explicit self-awareness. In Experiment 1, the stimulus was a video clip showing another person and, in Experiment 2, the stimulus was a live person. In both experiments, participants were divided into two groups and presented with the stimulus person either making eye contact or gazing downward, depending on the group assignment. During the task, the gaze stimulus was presented before each trial of the pronoun-selection task. Eye contact was found to increase the use of first-person pronouns, but only when participants were facing a real person, not when they were looking at a video of a person. No difference in self-reported self-awareness was found between the two gaze direction groups in either experiment. The results indicate that eye contact elicits self-referential processing, but the effect may be stronger, or possibly limited to, live interaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pragmatic Failure and Referential Ambiguity when Attorneys Ask Child Witnesses "Do You Know/Remember" Questions.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Angela D; Stolzenberg, Stacia N; Lyon, Thomas D

2017-05-01

"Do you know" and "Do you remember" (DYK/R) questions explicitly ask whether one knows or remembers some information while implicitly asking for that information. This study examined how 104 4- to 9-year-old children testifying in child sexual abuse cases responded to DYK/R wh- and yes/no questions. When asked DYK/R questions containing an implicit wh- question requesting information, children often provided unelaborated "Yes" responses. Attorneys' follow-up questions suggested that children usually misunderstood the pragmatics of the questions. When DYK/R questions contained an implicit yes/no question, unelaborated "Yes" or "No" responses could be responding to the explicit or the implicit questions resulting in referentially ambiguous responses. Children often provided referentially ambiguous responses and attorneys usually failed to disambiguate children's answers. Although pragmatic failure following DYK/R wh- questions decreased with age, the likelihood of referential ambiguity following DYK/R yes/no questions did not. The results highlight the risks of serious miscommunications caused by pragmatic misunderstanding and referential ambiguity when children testify.

Referential calls coordinate multi-species mobbing in a forest bird community.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Toshitaka N

2016-01-01

Japanese great tits ( Parus minor ) use a sophisticated system of anti-predator communication when defending their offspring: they produce different mobbing calls for different nest predators (snake versus non-snake predators) and thereby convey this information to conspecifics (i.e. functionally referential call system). The present playback experiments revealed that these calls also serve to coordinate multi-species mobbing at nests; snake-specific mobbing calls attracted heterospecific individuals close to the sound source and elicited snake-searching behaviour, whereas non-snake mobbing calls attracted these birds at a distance. This study demonstrates for the first time that referential mobbing calls trigger different formations of multi-species mobbing parties.

Kwelders en schorren in de Kaderrichtlijn Water; ontwikkeling van potentiële referenties en van potentiële goede ecologische toestanden

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkema, K.S.; Jong, de D.J.; Vreeken-Buijs, M.J.; Duin, van W.E.

2005-01-01

Ten behoeve van maatlatontwikkeling worden in dit document twee parameters ontwikkeld voor de Nederlandse kwelders. En wel: een areaal-referentie (deze studie gaat uit van historische referenties over bedijkingen; soms is het huidige areaal als referentie of als goede ecologische toestand gebruikt)

Do domestic dogs learn words based on humans' referential behaviour?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Tempelmann

Full Text Available Some domestic dogs learn to comprehend human words, although the nature and basis of this learning is unknown. In the studies presented here we investigated whether dogs learn words through an understanding of referential actions by humans rather than simple association. In three studies, each modelled on a study conducted with human infants, we confronted four word-experienced dogs with situations involving no spatial-temporal contiguity between the word and the referent; the only available cues were referential actions displaced in time from exposure to their referents. We found that no dogs were able to reliably link an object with a label based on social-pragmatic cues alone in all the tests. However, one dog did show skills in some tests, possibly indicating an ability to learn based on social-pragmatic cues.

Descriptive and discourse-referential modifiers in a layered model of the noun phrase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rijkhoff, Jan

2008-01-01

This article argues that adnominal modifiers in a layered model of the noun phrase can be divided into two major subcategories: descriptive modifiers and discourse-referential modifiers. Whereas descriptive modifiers can be subdivided into classifying, qualifying, quantifying and localizing...... modifiers (section 2), discourse-referential modifiers in the noun phrase are concerned with the status of entities as referents in the world of discourse (section 3). I will pay particular attention to three issues: (i) formal reflections of the layered, semantic structure of the noun phrase (section 4...

Pragmatic Failure and Referential Ambiguity when Attorneys Ask Child Witnesses “Do You Know/Remember” Questions

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Angela D.; Stolzenberg, Stacia N.; Lyon, Thomas D.

2016-01-01

“Do you know” and “Do you remember” (DYK/R) questions explicitly ask whether one knows or remembers some information while implicitly asking for that information. This study examined how 104 4- to 9-year-old children testifying in child sexual abuse cases responded to DYK/R wh- and yes/no questions. When asked DYK/R questions containing an implicit wh- question requesting information, children often provided unelaborated “Yes” responses. Attorneys’ follow-up questions suggested that children usually misunderstood the pragmatics of the questions. When DYK/R questions contained an implicit yes/no question, unelaborated “Yes” or “No” responses could be responding to the explicit or the implicit questions resulting in referentially ambiguous responses. Children often provided referentially ambiguous responses and attorneys usually failed to disambiguate children’s answers. Although pragmatic failure following DYK/R wh- questions decreased with age, the likelihood of referential ambiguity following DYK/R yes/no questions did not. The results highlight the risks of serious miscommunications caused by pragmatic misunderstanding and referential ambiguity when children testify. PMID:28652686

An experimental investigation of referential looking in free-ranging Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus).

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Sam G B; McComb, Karen; Ruffman, Ted

2008-02-01

The authors examined looking behavior between 15 Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) infants and their mothers in the presence of a rubber snake (experimental period) and in the absence of the snake (control period). Two of the 15 infants looked referentially at their mother in the experimental period. Including both referential and nonreferential looks, the six older infants (aged 5 to 12 months) displayed a higher frequency of looks to mother than nine younger infants (aged 3 to 4.5 months) in the experimental period, but not in the control period. Older infants looked more to the mother in the experimental condition, whereas the younger infants looked more to the mother in the control condition, or looked equally in the two conditions. These results suggest that age is an important factor in determining looking behavior to mother in situations of uncertainty. Compared to hand-reared chimpanzees or human infants tested in standard social referencing paradigms, the infant macaques displayed a low rate of referential looking. Possible explanations for this are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-referential and anxiety-relevant information processing in subclinical social anxiety: an fMRI study.

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, Anna; Kaufmann, Carolin; Redlich, Ronny; Hermann, Andrea; Stark, Rudolf; Stevens, Stephan; Hermann, Christiane

2013-03-01

The fear of negative evaluation is one of the hallmark features of social anxiety. Behavioral evidence thus far largely supports cognitive models which postulate that information processing biases in the face of socially relevant information are a key factor underlying this widespread phobia. So far only one neuroimaging study has explicitly focused on the fear of negative evaluation in social anxiety where the brain responses of social phobics were compared to healthy participants during the processing of self-referential relative to other-referential criticism, praise or neutral information. Only self-referential criticism led to stronger activations in emotion-relevant regions of the brain, such as the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortices (mPFC), in the social phobics. The objective of the current study was to determine whether these findings could be extended to subclinical social anxiety. In doing so, the specificity of this self-referential bias was also examined by including both social and non-social (physical illness-related) threat information as well as a highly health anxious control group in the experimental paradigm. The fMRI findings indicated that the processing of emotional stimuli was accompanied by activations in the amygdala and the ventral mPFC, while self-referential processing was associated with activity in regions such as the mPFC, posterior cingulate and temporal poles. Despite the validation of the paradigm, the results revealed that the previously reported behavioral and brain biases associated with social phobia could not be unequivocally extended to subclinical social anxiety. The divergence between the findings is explored in detail with reference to paradigm differences and conceptual issues.

Referential communication in children with ADHD: challenges in the role of a listener.

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsen, Elizabeth S; Mangal, Leilani; Macdonald, Kristi

2013-04-01

Successful communication requires that listeners accurately interpret the meaning of speakers' statements. The present work examined whether children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) differ in their ability to interpret referential statements (i.e., phrases that denote objects or events) from speakers. Children (6 to 9 years old), diagnosed with ADHD (n = 27) and typically developing (n = 26), took part in an interactive task in which they were asked by an adult speaker to retrieve objects from a display case. Children interpreted the referential statements in contexts that either did or did not require perspective-taking. Children's eye movements and object choices were recorded. Parents completed questionnaires assessing their child's frequency of ADHD symptoms and pragmatic communicative abilities. Behavioral and eye movement measures revealed that children with ADHD made more interpretive errors and were less likely to consider target referents across the 2 communicative conditions. Furthermore, ADHD symptoms related to children's performance on the communicative task and to parental report of the child's pragmatic skills. Children with ADHD are less accurate in their interpretations of referential statements. Such difficulties would lead to greater occurrences of miscommunication.

Ways of thinking: an essay on referential coordination

OpenAIRE

Clarke, H. H. P.

2016-01-01

Referential coordination occurs when a thinker is rational in treating her thoughts as being about the same thing. This is manifested primarily in the thinker’s dispositions to make inferences, paradigmatically the disposition to infer an existential generalisation conjoining two or more properties without recourse to an additional premise concerning an identity. It therefore presents an indispensable way for identity to figure in thought. This topic is often addressed in the form of discussi...

Sensitivity to Referential Ambiguity in Discourse: The Role of Attention, Working Memory, and Verbal Ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Boudewyn, Megan A; Long, Debra L; Traxler, Matthew J; Lesh, Tyler A; Dave, Shruti; Mangun, George R; Carter, Cameron S; Swaab, Tamara Y

2015-12-01

The establishment of reference is essential to language comprehension. The goal of this study was to examine listeners' sensitivity to referential ambiguity as a function of individual variation in attention, working memory capacity, and verbal ability. Participants listened to stories in which two entities were introduced that were either very similar (e.g., two oaks) or less similar (e.g., one oak and one elm). The manipulation rendered an anaphor in a subsequent sentence (e.g., oak) ambiguous or unambiguous. EEG was recorded as listeners comprehended the story, after which participants completed tasks to assess working memory, verbal ability, and the ability to use context in task performance. Power in the alpha and theta frequency bands when listeners received critical information about the discourse entities (e.g., oaks) was used to index attention and the involvement of the working memory system in processing the entities. These measures were then used to predict an ERP component that is sensitive to referential ambiguity, the Nref, which was recorded when listeners received the anaphor. Nref amplitude at the anaphor was predicted by alpha power during the earlier critical sentence: Individuals with increased alpha power in ambiguous compared with unambiguous stories were less sensitive to the anaphor's ambiguity. Verbal ability was also predictive of greater sensitivity to referential ambiguity. Finally, increased theta power in the ambiguous compared with unambiguous condition was associated with higher working-memory span. These results highlight the role of attention and working memory in referential processing during listening comprehension.

Can the Pro-Drop Parameter Account for All the Errors in the Acquisition of Non-Referential "It" in L2 English?

Science.gov (United States)

Antonova-Ünlü, Elena

2015-01-01

Numerous studies, examining the acquisition of non-referential it in [-pro-drop] English by learners of [+pro-drop] languages, have revealed that their participants omit non-referential subjects in English if their L1 allows null-subject position. However, due to the specificity of their focus, these studies have not considered other difficulties…

De sterktebepaling van drie monocomponent insulines ten opzichte van het Europese Referentie Preparaat

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hillen; F.C.; Jong; Y. de; Weick; G.

1986-01-01

Drie monocomponent insulines werden geijkt tegen de Europese Referentie Standaar. Van iedere insuline-soort (humaan-, varken-, en runderinsulines) werden drie ijkingen uitgevoerd als 2 x 2 punts- kuisijking bij konijnen met de bloedglucose-verlaging methode. De gecombineerde sterktes waren

Functionally referential and intentional communication in the domestic dog: effects of spatial and social contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaunet, Florence; Deputte, Bertrand L

2011-11-01

In apes, four criteria are set to explore referential and intentional communication: (1) successive visual orienting between a partner and distant targets, (2) the presence of apparent attention-getting behaviours, (3) the requirement of an audience to exhibit the behaviours, and (4) the influence of the direction of attention of an observer on the behaviours. The present study aimed at identifying these criteria in behaviours used by dogs in communicative episodes with their owner when their toy is out of reach, i.e. gaze at a hidden target or at the owner, gaze alternation between a hidden target and the owner, vocalisations and contacts. In this study, an additional variable was analysed: the position of the dog in relation to the location of the target. Dogs witnessed the hiding of a favourite toy, in a place where they could not get access to. We analysed how dogs engaged in communicative deictic behaviours in the presence of their owner; four heights of the target were tested. To control for the motivational effects of the toy on the dogs' behaviour and for the referential nature of the behaviours, observations were staged where only the toy or only the owner was present, for one of the four heights. The results show that gazing at the container and gaze alternation were used as functionally referential and intentional communicative behaviours. Behavioural patterns of dog position, the new variable, fulfilled the operational criteria for functionally referential behaviour and a subset of operational criteria for intentional communication: the dogs used their own position as a local enhancement signal. Finally, our results suggest that the dogs gazed at their owner at optimal locations in the experimental area, with respect to the target height and their owner's (or their own) line of gaze. © Springer-Verlag 2011

Processos de Referenciação Na Produção Discursiva Referential processes in discourse production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingedore Villaça KOCH

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Este ensaio analisa algumas das estratégias pelas quais se realizam os processos referenciais na produção do texto oral. Trata de explicar como os referentes são introduzidos, conduzidos, retomados, apontados e identificados no texto. A relevância desta investigação está diretamente ligada à essencialidade do sistema referencial na coesividade e organização tópica do texto. Justamente por isso, Sanford e Garrod (1982:100 julgam importante a resolução do processo referencial para a própria compreensão textual.In this paper, we discuss some of the strategies responsable for the accomplishment of referential processes in spoken language. Our aim is to elucidate how referents are introduced, maintained, retrieved, indicated and identified in the text. The relevance of this investigation is directly connected with the essenciality of referential system for the connexity and tropical organization of texts and with the conviction that the resolution of referential processes is the basis for text comprehension.

Tone of voice guides word learning in informative referential contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Reinisch, Eva; Jesse, Alexandra; Nygaard, Lynne C

2013-06-01

Listeners infer which object in a visual scene a speaker refers to from the systematic variation of the speaker's tone of voice (ToV). We examined whether ToV also guides word learning. During exposure, participants heard novel adjectives (e.g., "daxen") spoken with a ToV representing hot, cold, strong, weak, big, or small while viewing picture pairs representing the meaning of the adjective and its antonym (e.g., elephant-ant for big-small). Eye fixations were recorded to monitor referent detection and learning. During test, participants heard the adjectives spoken with a neutral ToV, while selecting referents from familiar and unfamiliar picture pairs. Participants were able to learn the adjectives' meanings, and, even in the absence of informative ToV, generalize them to new referents. A second experiment addressed whether ToV provides sufficient information to infer the adjectival meaning or needs to operate within a referential context providing information about the relevant semantic dimension. Participants who saw printed versions of the novel words during exposure performed at chance during test. ToV, in conjunction with the referential context, thus serves as a cue to word meaning. ToV establishes relations between labels and referents for listeners to exploit in word learning.

Effects of Target Attributes on Children's Patterns of Referential Under- and Overspecification

Science.gov (United States)

Charest, Monique; Johnston, Judith R.

2016-01-01

We examined the effects of object attributes on children's descriptive patterns in a referential communication task. Thirty preschoolers described object pairs that were selected by the experimenter. The targets were defined by shared size or colour, and differed on the non-target dimension in half of the trials. The children also completed a…

Early referential context effects in sentence processing: Evidence from event-related brain potentials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berkum, J.J.A. van; Brown, C.M.; Hagoort, P.

1999-01-01

An event-related brain potentials experiment was carried out to examine the interplay of referential and structural factors during sentence processing in discourse. Subjects read (Dutch) sentences beginning like “David told the girl that … ” in short story contexts that had introduced either one or

Referential Communication Skills of Children with Williams Syndrome: Understanding when Messages Are Not Adequate

Science.gov (United States)

John, Angela E.; Rowe, Melissa L.; Mervis, Carolyn B.

2009-01-01

Although children with Williams syndrome have relatively good structural language and concrete vocabulary abilities, they have difficulty with pragmatic aspects of language. To investigate the impact of pragmatic difficulties on listener-role referential communication, we administered a picture placement task designed to measure ability to…

Eigenvector/eigenvalue analysis of a 3D current referential fault detection and diagnosis of an induction motor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pires, V. Fernao; Martins, J.F.; Pires, A.J.

2010-01-01

In this paper an integrated approach for on-line induction motor fault detection and diagnosis is presented. The need to insure a continuous and safety operation for induction motors involves preventive maintenance procedures combined with fault diagnosis techniques. The proposed approach uses an automatic three step algorithm. Firstly, the induction motor stator currents are measured which will give typical patterns that can be used to identify the fault. Secondly, the eigenvectors/eigenvalues of the 3D current referential are computed. Finally the proposed algorithm will discern if the motor is healthy or not and report the extent of the fault. Furthermore this algorithm is able to identify distinct faults (stator winding faults or broken bars). The proposed approach was experimentally implemented and its performance verified on various types of working conditions.

Classical Mechanics and Symplectic Integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordkvist, Nikolaj; Hjorth, Poul G.

2005-01-01

Content: Classical mechanics: Calculus of variations, Lagrange’s equations, Symmetries and Noether’s theorem, Hamilton’s equations, cannonical transformations, integrable systems, pertubation theory. Symplectic integration: Numerical integrators, symplectic integrators, main theorem on symplectic...

Self-Referential Thinking, Suicide, and Function of the Cortical Midline Structures and Striatum in Mood Disorders: Possible Implications for Treatment Studies of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Bipolar Depression

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William R. Marchand

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Bipolar depression is often refractory to treatment and is frequently associated with anxiety symptoms and elevated suicide risk. There is a great need for adjunctive psychotherapeutic interventions. Treatments with effectiveness for depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as suicide-related thoughts and behaviors would be particularly beneficial. Mindfulness-based interventions hold promise, and studies of these approaches for bipolar disorder are warranted. The aim of this paper is to provide a conceptual background for such studies by reviewing key findings from diverse lines of investigation. Results of that review indicate that cortical midline structures (CMS appear to link abnormal self-referential thinking to emotional dysregulation in mood disorders. Furthermore, CMS and striatal dysfunction may play a role in the neuropathology underlying suicide-related thoughts and behaviors. Thus, combining studies of mindfulness interventions targeting abnormal self-referential thinking with functional imaging of CMS and striatal function may help delineate the neurobiological mechanisms of action of these treatments.

Integrating cognitive (neuroscience using mechanisms

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Marcin Miłkowski

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, an account of theoretical integration in cognitive (neuroscience from the mechanistic perspective is defended. It is argued that mechanistic patterns of integration can be better understood in terms of constraints on representations of mechanisms, not just on the space of possible mechanisms, as previous accounts of integration had it. This way, integration can be analyzed in more detail with the help of constraintsatisfaction account of coherence between scientific represen-tations. In particular, the account has resources to talk of idealizations and research heuristics employed by researchers to combine separate results and theoretical frameworks. The account is subsequently applied to an example of successful integration in the research on hippocampus and memory, and to a failure of integration in the research on mirror neurons as purportedly explanatory of sexual orientation.

Referential values of certain roentgenometric indices of the humerus diaphysis in newborn infants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgieva, P.G.; Georgiev, I.G.

1985-01-01

A roentgenometric study was made on two indicies of the humerus diaphysis in the corpses of newborn infants: 1) the transverse diameter of the medullar canal in the centre of the diaphysis after Svadkovski; 2) the transverse diameter of the diaphysis at the level of the same bone after Spencer. The statistical processing of the data established had to take into consideration the fact that Gauss's distribution is not often found in biological indices. This complicates the determination of referntial values. That is why a combined method was applied which was worked out by the authors and ensures orderliness and precision. A similar mathematical-statistical apparatus has not been used by other authors. The studies made and the processing of the data obtained contribute to the following inferences on the transverse diameter of the medullar canal in the centre of the humerus diaphysis and the transverse diameter of the diaphysis at the same level of the same bone in newborn infants: 1) their referential values have Gauss's distribution; 2) sex dimorphism does not exist as an objective law; 3) their referential intervals have been determined

Negative self-referential processing is associated with genetic variation in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR): Evidence from two independent studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Dainer-Best, Justin; Disner, Seth G; McGeary, John E; Hamilton, Bethany J; Beevers, Christopher G

2018-01-01

The current research examined whether carriers of the short 5-HTTLPR allele (in SLC6A4), who have been shown to selectively attend to negative information, exhibit a bias towards negative self-referent processing. The self-referent encoding task (SRET) was used to measure self-referential processing of positive and negative adjectives. Ratcliff's diffusion model isolated and extracted decision-making components from SRET responses and reaction times. Across the initial (N = 183) and replication (N = 137) studies, results indicated that short 5-HTTLPR allele carriers more easily categorized negative adjectives as self-referential (i.e., higher drift rate). Further, drift rate was associated with recall of negative self-referential stimuli. Findings across both studies provide further evidence that genetic variation may contribute to the etiology of negatively biased processing of self-referent information. Large scale studies examining the genetic contributions to negative self-referent processing may be warranted.

Written production of learners of Portuguese as an additional foreign language: referentiation as a sociocognitive processing resource

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Lucia Rottava

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article discusses referentiation in texts written by learners of Portuguese as an additional foreign language. Referentiation consists of construction and reconstruction of discourse objects, a product that results from cognitive and interactive activity. Among forms of interaction, written production is an interactive process as meanings derive from the interaction between writer/reader and text in complex and multifaceted experiences that involve prior experiences and/or knowledge, besides the interlocutor’s discursive purpose. Therefore, the text is the result of an action ‘under construction’ made possible through the use of language. Data for this article come from written production developed in classes of Portuguese as a foreign language. The findings reveal learners’ textual processing and its peculiarities resulting from the learners’ proficiency levels and the requirements of the type and theme of the specified task.

Toward Self-Referential Autonomous Learning of Object and Situation Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Damerow, Florian; Knoblauch, Andreas; Körner, Ursula; Eggert, Julian; Körner, Edgar

2016-01-01

Most current approaches to scene understanding lack the capability to adapt object and situation models to behavioral needs not anticipated by the human system designer. Here, we give a detailed description of a system architecture for self-referential autonomous learning which enables the refinement of object and situation models during operation in order to optimize behavior. This includes structural learning of hierarchical models for situations and behaviors that is triggered by a mismatch between expected and actual action outcome. Besides proposing architectural concepts, we also describe a first implementation of our system within a simulated traffic scenario to demonstrate the feasibility of our approach.

Self-referential processing is distinct from semantic elaboration: evidence from long-term memory effects in a patient with amnesia and semantic impairments.

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Jie; Humphreys, Glyn W

2013-11-01

We report data demonstrating that self-referential encoding facilitates memory performance in the absence of effects of semantic elaboration in a severely amnesic patient also suffering semantic problems. In Part 1, the patient, GA, was trained to associate items with the self or a familiar other during the encoding phase of a memory task (self-ownership decisions in Experiment 1 and self-evaluation decisions in Experiment 2). Tests of memory showed a consistent self-reference advantage, relative to a condition where the reference was another person in both experiments. The pattern of the self-reference advantage was similar to that in healthy controls. In Part 2 we demonstrate that GA showed minimal effects of semantic elaboration on memory for items he semantically classified, compared with items subject to physical size decisions; in contrast, healthy controls demonstrated enhanced memory performance after semantic relative to physical encoding. The results indicate that self-referential encoding, not semantic elaboration, improves memory in amnesia. Self-referential processing may provide a unique scaffold to help improve learning in amnesic cases. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Path Integrals in Quantum Mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chetouani, L

2005-01-01

By treating path integrals the author, in this book, places at the disposal of the reader a modern tool for the comprehension of standard quantum mechanics. Thus the most important applications, such as the tunnel effect, the diffusion matrix, etc, are presented from an original point of view on the action S of classical mechanics while having it play a central role in quantum mechanics. What also emerges is that the path integral describes these applications more richly than are described traditionally by differential equations, and consequently explains them more fully. The book is certainly of high quality in all aspects: original in presentation, rigorous in the demonstrations, judicious in the choice of exercises and, finally, modern, for example in the treatment of the tunnel effect by the method of instantons. Moreover, the correspondence that exists between classical and quantum mechanics is well underlined. I thus highly recommend this book (the French version being already available) to those who wish to familiarize themselves with formulation by path integrals. They will find, in addition, interesting topics suitable for exploring further. (book review)

The response of guide dogs and pet dogs (Canis familiaris) to cues of human referential communication (pointing and gaze).

Science.gov (United States)

Ittyerah, Miriam; Gaunet, Florence

2009-03-01

The study raises the question of whether guide dogs and pet dogs are expected to differ in response to cues of referential communication given by their owners; especially since guide dogs grow up among sighted humans, and while living with their blind owners, they still have interactions with several sighted people. Guide dogs and pet dogs were required to respond to point, point and gaze, gaze and control cues of referential communication given by their owners. Results indicate that the two groups of dogs do not differ from each other, revealing that the visual status of the owner is not a factor in the use of cues of referential communication. Both groups of dogs have higher frequencies of performance and faster latencies for the point and the point and gaze cues as compared to gaze cue only. However, responses to control cues are below chance performance for the guide dogs, whereas the pet dogs perform at chance. The below chance performance of the guide dogs may be explained by a tendency among them to go and stand by the owner. The study indicates that both groups of dogs respond similarly in normal daily dyadic interaction with their owners and the lower comprehension of the human gaze may be a less salient cue among dogs in comparison to the pointing gesture.

Referential first mention in narratives by mildly mentally retarded adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Kernan, K T; Sabsay, S

1987-01-01

Referential first mentions in narrative reports of a short film by 40 mildly mentally retarded adults and 20 nonretarded adults were compared. The mentally retarded sample included equal numbers of male and female, and black and white speakers. The mentally retarded speakers made significantly fewer first mentions and significantly more errors in the form of the first mentions than did nonretarded speakers. A pattern of better performance by black males than by other mentally retarded speakers was found. It is suggested that task difficulty and incomplete mastery of the use of definite and indefinite forms for encoding old and new information, rather than some global type of egocentrism, accounted for the poorer performance by mentally retarded speakers.

Electrocortical Reactivity During Self-referential Processing in Female Youth With Borderline Personality Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Auerbach, Randy P; Tarlow, Naomi; Bondy, Erin; Stewart, Jeremy G; Aguirre, Blaise; Kaplan, Cynthia; Yang, Wenhui; Pizzagalli, Diego A

2016-07-01

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is debilitating, and theoretical models have postulated that cognitive-affective biases contribute to the onset and maintenance of BPD symptoms. Despite advances, our understanding of BPD pathophysiology in youth is limited. The present study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to identify cognitive-affective processes that underlie negative self-referential processing in BPD youth. Healthy females ( n = 33) and females with BPD ( n = 26) 13 to 22 years of age completed a self-referential encoding task while 128-channel electroencephalography data were recorded to examine early (i.e., P1 and P2) and late (late positive potential [LPP]) ERP components. Whole-brain standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography explored intracortical sources underlying significant scalp ERP effects. Compared to healthy females, participants with BPD endorsed, recalled, and recognized fewer positive and more negative words. Moreover, unlike the healthy group, females with BPD had faster reaction times to endorse negative versus positive words. In the scalp ERP analyses, the BPD group had greater P2 and late LPP positivity to negative as opposed to positive words. For P2 and late LPP, whole-brain standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography analyses suggested that females with BPD overrecruit frontolimbic circuitry in response to negative stimuli. Collectively, these findings show that females with BPD process negative self-relevant information differently than healthy females. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

Mechanical integrity of canisters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, Fred

1992-12-01

This document constitutes the final report from 'SKBs reference group for mechanical integrity of canisters for spent nuclear fuel'. A complete list of all reports initiated by the reference group can be found in the summary report in this document. The main task of the reference group has been to advice SKB regarding the choice (ranking of alternatives) of canister type for different types of storage. The choice should be based on requirements of impermeability for a given time period and identification of possible limiting mechanisms. The main conclusions from the work were: From mechanical point of view, low phosphorous oxygen free copper (Cu-OFP) is a preferred canisters material. It exhibits satisfactory ductility both during tensile and creep testing. The residual stresses in the canisters are of such a magnitude that the estimated time to creep rupture with the data obtained for the Cu-OFP material is essentially infinite. Based on the present knowledge of stress corrosion cracking of copper there appears to be a small risk for such to occur in the projected environment. This risk need some further study. Rock shear movements of the size of 10 cm should pose no direct threat to the integrity of the canisters. Considering mechanical integrity, the composite copper/steel canister is an advantageous alternative. The recommendations for further research included continued studies of the creep properties of copper and of stress corrosion cracking. However, the studies should focus more directly on the design and fabrication aspect of the canister

Path Integrals in Quantum Mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louko, J

2005-01-01

Jean Zinn-Justin's textbook Path Integrals in Quantum Mechanics aims to familiarize the reader with the path integral as a calculational tool in quantum mechanics and field theory. The emphasis is on quantum statistical mechanics, starting with the partition function Tr exp(-β H) and proceeding through the diffusion equation to barrier penetration problems and their semiclassical limit. The 'real time' path integral is defined via analytic continuation and used for the path-integral representation of the nonrelativistic S-matrix and its perturbative expansion. Holomorphic and Grassmannian path integrals are introduced and applied to nonrelativistic quantum field theory. There is also a brief discussion of path integrals in phase space. The introduction includes a brief historical review of path integrals, supported by a bibliography with some 40 entries. As emphasized in the introduction, mathematical rigour is not a central issue in the book. This allows the text to present the calculational techniques in a very readable manner: much of the text consists of worked-out examples, such as the quartic anharmonic oscillator in the barrier penetration chapter. At the end of each chapter there are exercises, some of which are of elementary coursework type, but the majority are more in the style of extended examples. Most of the exercises indeed include the solution or a sketch thereof. The book assumes minimal previous knowledge of quantum mechanics, and some basic quantum mechanical notation is collected in an appendix. The material has a large overlap with selected chapters in the author's thousand-page textbook Quantum Field Theory and Critical Phenomena (2002 Oxford: Clarendon). The stand-alone scope of the present work has, however, allowed a more focussed organization of this material, especially in the chapters on, respectively, holomorphic and Grassmannian path integrals. In my view the book accomplishes its aim admirably and is eminently usable as a textbook

Symptom-specific self-referential cognitive processes in bipolar disorder: a longitudinal analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlickova, H; Varese, F; Turnbull, O; Scott, J; Morriss, R; Kinderman, P; Paykel, E; Bentall, R P

2013-09-01

Although depression and mania are often assumed to be polar opposites, studies have shown that, in patients with bipolar disorder, they are weakly positively correlated and vary somewhat independently over time. Thus, when investigating relationships between specific psychological processes and specific symptoms (mania and depression), co-morbidity between the symptoms and changes over time must be taken into account. Method A total of 253 bipolar disorder patients were assessed every 24 weeks for 18 months using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), the Bech-Rafaelsen Mania Assessment Scale (MAS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire (RSEQ), the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS), the Internal, Personal and Situational Attributions Questionnaire (IPSAQ) and the Personal Qualities Questionnaire (PQQ). We calculated multilevel models using the xtreg module of Stata 9.1, with psychological and clinical measures nested within each participant. Mania and depression were weakly, yet significantly, associated; each was related to distinct psychological processes. Cross-sectionally, self-esteem showed the most robust associations with depression and mania: depression was associated with low positive and high negative self-esteem, and mania with high positive self-esteem. Depression was significantly associated with most of the other self-referential measures, whereas mania was weakly associated only with the externalizing bias of the IPSAQ and the achievement scale of the DAS. Prospectively, low self-esteem predicted future depression. The associations between different self-referential thinking processes and different phases of bipolar disorder, and the presence of the negative self-concept in both depression and mania, have implications for therapeutic management, and also for future directions of research.

Su, X. (2011. Reflexivität im Chinesischen: Eine integrative Analyse: Mit zwei Anhängen von Hans-Heinrich Lieb. (XIV + 293 pp.. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Paperback.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mateja PETROVČIČ

2011-10-01

Full Text Available This book was published in the Linguistics Series of European University Studies, and is written in German. As the book's title suggests, this monograph is primarily a comprehensive analysis of reflexivity in spoken Standard Chinese in the framework of Integrational Linguistics. The author demonstrates that Chinese marks reflexivity only phonologically, with the use of reflexive pronoun(s, and argues that ziji (自己 is the only reflexive pronoun in Standard Chinese. Different languages distinguish between referential and non-referential reflexive pronouns, and the author briefly demonstrates this with German sich. Referential uses denote semantic reflexivity (inhaltliche Reflexivität, whereas non-referential uses represent formal reflexivity (formale Reflexivität. Su asserts that the Chinese reflexive pronoun ziji is always referential and that there is no formal reflexivity in Chinese. Since the research mainly focuses on the word ziji, not only in its reflexive usage but also in relation to intensifying and contrastive meanings and effects, this monograph could also be considered as a comprehensive research on ziji in Standard Chinese.

Randomized controlled trial of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction versus aerobic exercise: effects on the self-referential brain network in social anxiety disorder

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Philippe eGoldin

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD is characterized by distorted self-views. The goal of this study was to examine whether Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR alters behavioral and brain measures of negative and positive self-views. Methods: 56 adult patients with generalized SAD were randomly assigned to MBSR or a comparison aerobic exercise (AE program. A self-referential encoding task was administered at baseline and post-intervention to examine changes in behavioral and neural responses in the self-referential brain network during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Patients were cued to decide whether positive and negative social trait adjectives were self-descriptive or in upper case font. Results: Behaviorally, compared to AE, MBSR produced greater decreases in negative self-views, and equivalent increases in positive self-views. Neurally, during negative self vs. case, compared to AE, MBSR led to increased brain responses in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC. There were no differential changes for positive self vs. case. Secondary analyses showed that changes in endorsement of negative and positive self-views were associated with decreased social anxiety symptom severity for MBSR, but not AE. Additionally, MBSR-related increases in DMPFC activity during negative self-view vs. case were associated with decreased social anxiety-related disability and increased mindfulness. Analysis of neural temporal dynamics revealed MBSR-related changes in the timing of neural responses in the DMPFC and PCC for negative self-view vs. case.Conclusions: These findings suggest that MBSR attenuates maladaptive habitual self-views by facilitating automatic (i.e., uninstructed recruitment of cognitive and attention regulation neural networks. This highlights potentially important links between self-referential and cognitive-attention regulation systems and suggests that MBSR may enhance more adaptive social self-referential processes in

How to solve path integrals in quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosche, C.

1994-10-01

A systematic classification of Feynman path integrals in quantum mechanics is presented and a table of solvable path integrals is given which reflects the progress made during the last 15 years, including, of course, the main contributions since the invention of the path integral by Feynman in 1942. An outline of the general theory is given which will serve as a quick reference for solving path integrals. Explicit formulae for the so-called basic path integrals are presented on which our general scheme to classify and calculate path integrals in quantum mechanics is based. (orig.)

Self-Referential Processing in Adolescents: Stability of Behavioral and Event-Related Potential Markers

Science.gov (United States)

Auerbach, Randy P.; Bondy, Erin; Stanton, Colin H.; Webb, Christian A.; Shankman, Stewart A.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.

2016-01-01

The self-referential encoding task (SRET)—an implicit measure of self-schema—has been used widely to probe cognitive biases associated with depression, including among adolescents. However, research testing the stability of behavioral and electrocortical effects is sparse. Therefore, the current study sought to evaluate the stability of behavioral markers and event-related potentials (ERP) elicited from the SRET over time in healthy, female adolescents (n = 31). At baseline, participants were administered a diagnostic interview and a self-report measure of depression severity. In addition, they completed the SRET while 128-channel event-related potential (ERP) data were recorded to examine early (P1) and late (late positive potential [LPP]) ERPs. Three months later, participants were re-administered the depression self-report measure and the SRET in conjunction with ERPs. Results revealed that healthy adolescents endorsed, recalled, and recognized more positive and fewer negative words at each assessment, and these effects were stable over time (rs = 0.44–0.83). Similarly, they reported a faster reaction time when endorsing self-relevant positive words, as opposed to negative words, at both the initial and follow-up assessment (r = 0.82). Second, ERP responses, specifically potentiated P1 and late LPP positivity to positive versus negative words, were consistent over time (rs = 0.56–0.83), and the internal reliability of ERPs were robust at each time point (rs = 0.52–0.80). As a whole, these medium-to-large effects suggest that the SRET is a reliable behavioral and neural probe of self-referential processing. PMID:27302282

40 CFR 68.73 - Mechanical integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Program 3 Prevention Program § 68.73 Mechanical integrity. (a) Application. Paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section apply to the following process equipment: (1) Pressure... shall establish and implement written procedures to maintain the on-going integrity of process equipment...

The Peace System - As a self-referential communication system

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Gorm Harste

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Peace communication as diplomatic communication is an often neglected phenomenon in social and political theory that concerns problems of international order, justice and peace. Political philosophy seldom embarks on the theme with more than a few comments. Yet, throughout history, diplomacy has a strong record not only for negotiations but also for social learning processes about communication codes. Many codes of respect, trust, expression and listening have a top-down history from aristocratic circles to broader social layers. However, the article argues that communication codes of peace developed in opposition to violence and war exactly when they transgress dividing lines allowing for cross-cultural and even cross-stratified communication. The article’s main point is to describe how such communication codes about peace and diplomacy can be described in recent social theory of communication, and to get some added value in this respect, Niklas Luhmann’s theory of self-referential communication systems has been applied.

Dispositional Mindfulness and Depressive Symptomatology: Correlations with Limbic and Self-Referential Neural Activity during Rest

Science.gov (United States)

Way, Baldwin M.; Creswell, J. David; Eisenberger, Naomi I.; Lieberman, Matthew D.

2010-01-01

To better understand the relationship between mindfulness and depression, we studied normal young adults (n=27) who completed measures of dispositional mindfulness and depressive symptomatology, which were then correlated with: a) Rest: resting neural activity during passive viewing of a fixation cross, relative to a simple goal-directed task (shape-matching); and b) Reactivity: neural reactivity during viewing of negative emotional faces, relative to the same shape-matching task. Dispositional mindfulness was negatively correlated with resting activity in self-referential processing areas, while depressive symptomatology was positively correlated with resting activity in similar areas. In addition, dispositional mindfulness was negatively correlated with resting activity in the amygdala, bilaterally, while depressive symptomatology was positively correlated with activity in the right amygdala. Similarly, when viewing emotional faces, amygdala reactivity was positively correlated with depressive symptomatology and negatively correlated with dispositional mindfulness, an effect that was largely attributable to differences in resting activity. These findings indicate that mindfulness is associated with intrinsic neural activity and that changes in resting amygdala activity could be a potential mechanism by which mindfulness-based depression treatments elicit therapeutic improvement. PMID:20141298

The Development of Narrative Productivity, Syntactic Complexity, Referential Cohesion and Event Content in Four- to Eight-Year-Old Finnish Children

Science.gov (United States)

Mäkinen, Leena; Loukusa, Soile; Nieminen, Lea; Leinonen, Eeva; Kunnari, Sari

2014-01-01

This study focuses on the development of narrative structure and the relationship between narrative productivity and event content. A total of 172 Finnish children aged between four and eight participated. Their picture-elicited narrations were analysed for productivity, syntactic complexity, referential cohesion and event content. Each measure…

Explicit integration of some integrable systems of classical mechanics

OpenAIRE

Basak Gancheva, Inna

2011-01-01

The main objective of the thesis is the analytical and geometrical study of several integrable finite-dimentional dynamical systems of classical mechanics, which are closely related, namely: - the classical generalization of the Euler top: the Zhukovski-Volterra (ZV) system describing the free motion of a gyrostat, i.e., a rigid body carrying a symmetric rotator whose axis is fixed in the body; - the Steklov-Lyapunov integrable case of the Kirchhoff equations describing the motio...

Introduction to solid mechanics an integrated approach

CERN Document Server

Lubliner, Jacob

2014-01-01

This textbook presents for the first time in one text the concepts and processes covered in statics and mechanics of materials curricula following a systematic, topically integrated approach. Since the turn of the millennium, it has become common in engineering schools to combine the traditional undergraduate offerings in rigid-body statics (usually called “statics”) and deformable body mechanics (known traditionally as “strength of materials” or, more recently, “mechanics of materials”) into a single, introductory course in solid mechanics. Many textbooks for the new course sequentially meld pieces of existing, discrete books—sometimes, but not always, acknowledging the origin—into two halves covering Statics and Mechanics of Materials. In this volume, Professors Lubliner and Papadopoulos methodically combine the essentials of statics and mechanics of materials, illustrating the relationship of concepts throughout, into one "integrated" text. This book also: ·         Offers thorough...

Nonparametric Information Geometry: From Divergence Function to Referential-Representational Biduality on Statistical Manifolds

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Jun Zhang

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Divergence functions are the non-symmetric “distance” on the manifold, Μθ, of parametric probability density functions over a measure space, (Χ,μ. Classical information geometry prescribes, on Μθ: (i a Riemannian metric given by the Fisher information; (ii a pair of dual connections (giving rise to the family of α-connections that preserve the metric under parallel transport by their joint actions; and (iii a family of divergence functions ( α-divergence defined on Μθ x Μθ, which induce the metric and the dual connections. Here, we construct an extension of this differential geometric structure from Μθ (that of parametric probability density functions to the manifold, Μ, of non-parametric functions on X, removing the positivity and normalization constraints. The generalized Fisher information and α-connections on M are induced by an α-parameterized family of divergence functions, reflecting the fundamental convex inequality associated with any smooth and strictly convex function. The infinite-dimensional manifold, M, has zero curvature for all these α-connections; hence, the generally non-zero curvature of M can be interpreted as arising from an embedding of Μθ into Μ. Furthermore, when a parametric model (after a monotonic scaling forms an affine submanifold, its natural and expectation parameters form biorthogonal coordinates, and such a submanifold is dually flat for α = ± 1, generalizing the results of Amari’s α-embedding. The present analysis illuminates two different types of duality in information geometry, one concerning the referential status of a point (measurable function expressed in the divergence function (“referential duality” and the other concerning its representation under an arbitrary monotone scaling (“representational duality”.

Introduction to solid mechanics an integrated approach

CERN Document Server

Lubliner, Jacob

2017-01-01

This expanded second edition presents in one text the concepts and processes covered in statics and mechanics of materials curricula following a systematic, topically integrated approach. Building on the novel pedagogy of fusing concepts covered in traditional undergraduate courses in rigid-body statics and deformable body mechanics, rather than simply grafting them together, this new edition develops further the authors’ very original treatment of solid mechanics with additional figures, an elaboration on selected solved problems, and additional text as well as a new subsection on viscoelasticity in response to students’ feedback. Introduction to Solid Mechanics: An Integrated Approach, Second Edition, offers a holistic treatment of the depth and breadth of solid mechanics and the inter-relationships of its underlying concepts. Proceeding from first principles to applications, the book stands as a whole greater than the sum of its parts.  .

Integrating Thermal Tools Into the Mechanical Design Process

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuyuki, Glenn T.; Siebes, Georg; Novak, Keith S.; Kinsella, Gary M.

1999-01-01

The intent of mechanical design is to deliver a hardware product that meets or exceeds customer expectations, while reducing cycle time and cost. To this end, an integrated mechanical design process enables the idea of parallel development (concurrent engineering). This represents a shift from the traditional mechanical design process. With such a concurrent process, there are significant issues that have to be identified and addressed before re-engineering the mechanical design process to facilitate concurrent engineering. These issues also assist in the integration and re-engineering of the thermal design sub-process since it resides within the entire mechanical design process. With these issues in mind, a thermal design sub-process can be re-defined in a manner that has a higher probability of acceptance, thus enabling an integrated mechanical design process. However, the actual implementation is not always problem-free. Experience in applying the thermal design sub-process to actual situations provides the evidence for improvement, but more importantly, for judging the viability and feasibility of the sub-process.

Using Self-Referential Pronouns in Writing: The Effect of Explicit Instruction on L2 Writers at Two Levels of Proficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Abbuhl, Rebekha

2012-01-01

Skilled writers have at their disposal a range of rhetorical strategies for positioning themselves as competent members of a particular discourse community, including the judicious use of self-referential pronouns (e.g. "I," "she," "he") to overtly signal authorial presence. However, while researchers routinely recommend that second language (L2)…

Self-reference modulates the processing of emotional stimuli in the absence of explicit self-referential appraisal instructions

Science.gov (United States)

Pauli, Paul; Herbert, Beate M.

2011-01-01

Self-referential evaluation of emotional stimuli has been shown to modify the way emotional stimuli are processed. This study aimed at a new approach by investigating whether self-reference alters emotion processing in the absence of explicit self-referential appraisal instructions. Event-related potentials were measured while subjects spontaneously viewed a series of emotional and neutral nouns. Nouns were preceded either by personal pronouns (‘my’) indicating self-reference or a definite article (‘the’) without self-reference. The early posterior negativity, a brain potential reflecting rapid attention capture by emotional stimuli was enhanced for unpleasant and pleasant nouns relative to neutral nouns irrespective of whether nouns were preceded by personal pronouns or articles. Later brain potentials such as the late positive potential were enhanced for unpleasant nouns only when preceded by personal pronouns. Unpleasant nouns were better remembered than pleasant or neutral nouns when paired with a personal pronoun. Correlation analysis showed that this bias in favor of self-related unpleasant concepts can be explained by participants’ depression scores. Our results demonstrate that self-reference acts as a first processing filter for emotional material to receive higher order processing after an initial rapid attention capture by emotional content has been completed. Mood-congruent processing may contribute to this effect. PMID:20855295

Stability of referential signalling across time and locations: testing alarm calls of Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen in urban and rural Australia and in Fiji

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gisela Kaplan

2013-07-01

Full Text Available In many avian species, vocal repertoire expands and changes throughout life as new syllables are added and sounds adapted to neighbours and circumstances. Referential signals, on the other hand, demand stability and lack of variation so that their meaning can be understood by conspecifics at all times. It is not known how stable such signals may be when the context is changed entirely but the point of reference remains unchanged. We investigated these questions in a rare case of forced translocation of an avian species, the Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen, from Australia to the remote Fijian island of Taveuni decades ago. By using playbacks of vocalisations to 45 magpie groups in Australia, we first established that magpies use functionally referential signals in their alarm call repertoire signalling aerial danger (measured as looking up in response to a specific alarm call even though the speakers were on the ground. With these results in hand, we then used the same playbacks to magpie groups on the island of Taveuni. Our results showed that the meaning of one specific call (eagle alarm call is stable and maintained even in populations that have been isolated from Australian conspecifics over many (at least 10 generations. To our knowledge, this is the first time such a stability of a referential signal has been shown in the natural habitat.

In vitro mechanical integrity of hydroxyapatite coated magnesium alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kannan, M Bobby; Orr, Lynnley

2011-01-01

The mechanical integrity of resorbable implants during service, especially in load bearing orthopaedic applications, is critical. The high degradation rate of resorbable magnesium and magnesium-based implants in body fluid may potentially cause premature in-service failure. In this study, a magnesium alloy (AZ91) was potentiostatically coated with hydroxyapatite at different cathodic voltages in an attempt to enhance the mechanical integrity. The mechanical integrity of the uncoated and hydroxyapatite coated alloys was evaluated after in vitro testing of the coated samples in simulated body fluid (SBF). The uncoated alloy showed 40% loss in the mechanical strength after five days exposure to SBF. However, the hydroxyapatite coated alloy exposed to SBF showed 20% improvement in the mechanical strength as compared to that of the uncoated alloy. The alloy coated potentiostatically at -2 V performed better than the -3 V coated alloy. The cross-sectional analysis of the coatings revealed relatively uniform coating thickness for the -2 V coated alloy, whereas the -3 V coated alloy exhibited areas of uneven coating. This can be attributed to the increase in hydrogen evolution on the alloy during -3 V coating as compared to -2 V coating. The scanning electron micrographs of the in vitro tested alloy revealed that hydroxyapatite coating significantly reduced the localized corrosion of the alloy, which is critical for better in-service mechanical integrity. Thus, the study suggests that the in vitro mechanical integrity of resorbable magnesium-based alloy can be improved by potentiostatic hydroxyapatite coating.

In vitro mechanical integrity of hydroxyapatite coated magnesium alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kannan, M Bobby; Orr, Lynnley, E-mail: bobby.mathan@jcu.edu.au [Discipline of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811 (Australia)

2011-08-15

The mechanical integrity of resorbable implants during service, especially in load bearing orthopaedic applications, is critical. The high degradation rate of resorbable magnesium and magnesium-based implants in body fluid may potentially cause premature in-service failure. In this study, a magnesium alloy (AZ91) was potentiostatically coated with hydroxyapatite at different cathodic voltages in an attempt to enhance the mechanical integrity. The mechanical integrity of the uncoated and hydroxyapatite coated alloys was evaluated after in vitro testing of the coated samples in simulated body fluid (SBF). The uncoated alloy showed 40% loss in the mechanical strength after five days exposure to SBF. However, the hydroxyapatite coated alloy exposed to SBF showed 20% improvement in the mechanical strength as compared to that of the uncoated alloy. The alloy coated potentiostatically at -2 V performed better than the -3 V coated alloy. The cross-sectional analysis of the coatings revealed relatively uniform coating thickness for the -2 V coated alloy, whereas the -3 V coated alloy exhibited areas of uneven coating. This can be attributed to the increase in hydrogen evolution on the alloy during -3 V coating as compared to -2 V coating. The scanning electron micrographs of the in vitro tested alloy revealed that hydroxyapatite coating significantly reduced the localized corrosion of the alloy, which is critical for better in-service mechanical integrity. Thus, the study suggests that the in vitro mechanical integrity of resorbable magnesium-based alloy can be improved by potentiostatic hydroxyapatite coating.

In vitro mechanical integrity of hydroxyapatite coated magnesium alloy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kannan, M Bobby; Orr, Lynnley

2011-08-01

The mechanical integrity of resorbable implants during service, especially in load bearing orthopaedic applications, is critical. The high degradation rate of resorbable magnesium and magnesium-based implants in body fluid may potentially cause premature in-service failure. In this study, a magnesium alloy (AZ91) was potentiostatically coated with hydroxyapatite at different cathodic voltages in an attempt to enhance the mechanical integrity. The mechanical integrity of the uncoated and hydroxyapatite coated alloys was evaluated after in vitro testing of the coated samples in simulated body fluid (SBF). The uncoated alloy showed 40% loss in the mechanical strength after five days exposure to SBF. However, the hydroxyapatite coated alloy exposed to SBF showed 20% improvement in the mechanical strength as compared to that of the uncoated alloy. The alloy coated potentiostatically at -2 V performed better than the -3 V coated alloy. The cross-sectional analysis of the coatings revealed relatively uniform coating thickness for the -2 V coated alloy, whereas the -3 V coated alloy exhibited areas of uneven coating. This can be attributed to the increase in hydrogen evolution on the alloy during -3 V coating as compared to -2 V coating. The scanning electron micrographs of the in vitro tested alloy revealed that hydroxyapatite coating significantly reduced the localized corrosion of the alloy, which is critical for better in-service mechanical integrity. Thus, the study suggests that the in vitro mechanical integrity of resorbable magnesium-based alloy can be improved by potentiostatic hydroxyapatite coating. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd

RISK INTEGRATION MECHANISMS AND APPROACHES IN BANKING INDUSTRY

OpenAIRE

JIANPING LI; JICHUANG FENG; XIAOLEI SUN; MINGLU LI

2012-01-01

Recently, the number of consultative documents and research papers that discuss risk integration has grown considerably. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the work done on risk integration in the banking industry. This survey includes: (1) risk integration methods within regulatory frameworks and the banking industry; (2) challenges of risk integration; (3) risk interaction mechanisms; (4) development of risk integration approaches; (5) risk interaction results: diversification ve...

Cognitive Defusion versus Thought Distraction: A Clinical Rationale, Training, and Experiential Exercise in Altering Psychological Impacts of Negative Self-Referential Thoughts

Science.gov (United States)

Masuda, Akihiko; Feinstein, Amanda B.; Wendell, Johanna W.; Sheehan, Shawn T.

2010-01-01

Using two modes of intervention delivery, the present study compared the effects of a cognitive defusion strategy with a thought distraction strategy on the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts. One mode of intervention delivery consisted of a clinical rationale and training (i.e., Partial condition). The…

Working memory and referential communication – multimodal aspects of interaction between children with sensorineural hearing impairment and normal hearing peers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olof eSandgren

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Whereas the language development of children with sensorineural hearing impairment (SNHI has repeatedly been shown to differ from that of peers with normal hearing (NH, few studies have used an experimental approach to investigate the consequences on everyday communicative interaction. This mini review gives an overview of a range of studies on children with SNHI and NH exploring intra- and inter-individual cognitive and linguistic systems during communication.Over the last decade, our research group has studied the conversational strategies of Swedish speaking children and adolescents with SNHI and NH using referential communication, an experimental analogue to problem-solving in the classroom. We have established verbal and nonverbal control and validation mechanisms, related to working memory capacity (WMC and phonological short term memory (PSTM. We present main findings and future directions relevant for the field of cognitive hearing science and for the clinical and school-based management of children and adolescents with SNHI.

HBV DNA Integration: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Thomas; Budzinska, Magdalena A.; Shackel, Nicholas A.; Urban, Stephan

2017-01-01

Chronic infection with the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. One peculiar observation in cells infected with HBV (or with closely‑related animal hepadnaviruses) is the presence of viral DNA integration in the host cell genome, despite this form being a replicative dead-end for the virus. The frequent finding of somatic integration of viral DNA suggests an evolutionary benefit for the virus; however, the mechanism of integration, its functions, and the clinical implications remain unknown. Here we review the current body of knowledge of HBV DNA integration, with particular focus on the molecular mechanisms and its clinical implications (including the possible consequences of replication-independent antigen expression and its possible role in hepatocellular carcinoma). HBV DNA integration is likely to influence HBV replication, persistence, and pathogenesis, and so deserves greater attention in future studies. PMID:28394272

General aspects of the mechanical integrity of canisters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saario, Timo

2007-01-01

This paper attempts to introduce a new point of view to the mechanical integrity of the canisters, 'mechanical integrity evolutionary path'. The mechanical integrity evolutionary path is a description of development of the critical parameters involved in the prevailing degradation modes as a function of time. The degradation mechanisms considered are: mechanical overload; creep; and stress corrosion cracking. For each degradation mechanism one may consider two different states; initial state; critical state. The initial state considered will be different for different degradation mechanisms. For example stress corrosion cracking (SCC), which involves electrochemical steps is not possible without a surface covering aqueous phase. Thus, potentially, the initial state for SCC is that existing after saturation. On the other hand, the initial state for a possible mechanical overload can be different in different periods during the mechanical integrity evolutionary path. During the handling and transport stages the initial state is 'ex works', while during a glaciation the initial state has been altered due to creep, corrosion and possible SCC processes. The canister will go through mechanical overload during saturation and bentonite swelling phases and it will deform to fit the form of the insert. The initial state for this period is 'ex works', with e.g. manufacturing defects. The insert is designed to bear the load after closing the gap. In the 'ex works' state directionality of the mechanical properties has been raised lately as a new issue worth checking. Within the projected evolutionary path two events have been especially considered; seismic events and glaciation. A glacier 2 km thick would increase the hydrostatic pressure with 20 MPa if there were a mechanism transmitting the load into the aqueous phase. Remembering what makes ice skating possible such a mechanism seems plausible. For mechanical overload the critical state is relatively straightforward to

General aspects of the mechanical integrity of canisters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saario, Timo [VTT Materials and Building (Finland)

2007-09-15

This paper attempts to introduce a new point of view to the mechanical integrity of the canisters, 'mechanical integrity evolutionary path'. The mechanical integrity evolutionary path is a description of development of the critical parameters involved in the prevailing degradation modes as a function of time. The degradation mechanisms considered are: mechanical overload; creep; and stress corrosion cracking. For each degradation mechanism one may consider two different states; initial state; critical state. The initial state considered will be different for different degradation mechanisms. For example stress corrosion cracking (SCC), which involves electrochemical steps is not possible without a surface covering aqueous phase. Thus, potentially, the initial state for SCC is that existing after saturation. On the other hand, the initial state for a possible mechanical overload can be different in different periods during the mechanical integrity evolutionary path. During the handling and transport stages the initial state is 'ex works', while during a glaciation the initial state has been altered due to creep, corrosion and possible SCC processes. The canister will go through mechanical overload during saturation and bentonite swelling phases and it will deform to fit the form of the insert. The initial state for this period is 'ex works', with e.g. manufacturing defects. The insert is designed to bear the load after closing the gap. In the 'ex works' state directionality of the mechanical properties has been raised lately as a new issue worth checking. Within the projected evolutionary path two events have been especially considered; seismic events and glaciation. A glacier 2 km thick would increase the hydrostatic pressure with 20 MPa if there were a mechanism transmitting the load into the aqueous phase. Remembering what makes ice skating possible such a mechanism seems plausible. For mechanical overload the critical

Adequate formal language performance in unilateral cochlear implanted children: is it indicative of complete recovery in all linguistic domains? Insights from referential communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Mancini, Patrizia; Dincer D'Alessandro, Hilal; Guerzoni, Letizia; Cuda, Domenico; Ruoppolo, Giovanni; Musacchio, Angela; Di Mario, Alessia; De Seta, Elio; Bosco, Ersilia; Nicastri, Maria

2015-04-01

Referential communication (RC) is a key element in achieving a successful communication. This case series aimed to evaluate RC in children with unilateral cochlear implants (CIs) with formal language skills within the normal range. A total of 31 children with CIs, with language development within the normal range, were assessed using the Pragmatic Language Skills test (MEDEA). Of the children with CIs, 83.9% reached performance levels appropriate for their chronological ages. The results confirmed a positive effect of cochlear implantation on RC development, although difficulties remained in some CI users. The outcomes emphasize the need to pay greater attention to the pragmatic aspects of language, assessing them with adequate testing in the early phase after cochlear implantation. Clear knowledge of children's communicative competence is the key in optimizing their communicative environments in order to create the basis for future successful interpersonal exchanges and social integration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integral transforms of the quantum mechanical path integral: Hit function and path-averaged potential

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, James P.; Gerber, Urs; Schubert, Christian; Trejo, Maria Anabel; Weber, Axel

2018-04-01

We introduce two integral transforms of the quantum mechanical transition kernel that represent physical information about the path integral. These transforms can be interpreted as probability distributions on particle trajectories measuring respectively the relative contribution to the path integral from paths crossing a given spatial point (the hit function) and the likelihood of values of the line integral of the potential along a path in the ensemble (the path-averaged potential).

Overview of the health care system in Hong Kong and its referential significance to mainland China.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Xiangyi; Yang, Yi; Gao, Jun; Guan, Jian; Liu, Yang; Wang, Renzhi; Xing, Bing; Li, Yongning; Ma, Wenbin

2015-10-01

Hong Kong's health system was established within the framework of a perfect market-oriented economic matrix, where there are wide-ranging social security and medical service systems. There are many differences in the economic foundations, social systems, and ideologies between Hong Kong and mainland China, therefore, it would probably be entirely impossible to copy Hong Kong's health care system mode. However, under the framework of one country, two systems, the referential significance of relevant concepts of Hong Kong's medical service system to mainland China cannot be ignored, and merits further study. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Payment Mechanisms for Integrated Teams in Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Motawa

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The overwhelming consensus for process andteam integration has emerged as an enabler tomanage construction projects. Theperformance of integrated teams is highlyaffected by the adopted payment mechanism.However, the payment mechanisms availablefor a project may need the team tocompromise in order to agree on a fairmechanism for as many members as possible.This paper introduces a methodology tosimulate the profiles of alternative paymentmechanisms. The methodology aims to helpproject teams define the most appropriatemechanism for each member. The proposedmethodology is therefore novel and superior toexisting cash flow models where the focus hasbeen limited to main contractors only. Topromote its use as a performance enablingmechanism, the methodology utilizes “theproject process map”, “the stakeholders &supply chain”, “the pricing method” and “thepayment mechanism”. This will act as an aid todesign or “fine-tune” payment mechanisms toindividual projects characteristics consideringpayment for off-site materials andcomponents, which always concerns projectfabricators and supply chain.

Polymer quantum mechanics some examples using path integrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parra, Lorena; Vergara, J. David

2014-01-01

In this work we analyze several physical systems in the context of polymer quantum mechanics using path integrals. First we introduce the group averaging method to quantize constrained systems with path integrals and later we use this procedure to compute the effective actions for the polymer non-relativistic particle and the polymer harmonic oscillator. We analyze the measure of the path integral and we describe the semiclassical dynamics of the systems

Defect vectors and path integrals in fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, R.L.

1979-01-01

Several criteria have been proposed in Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics. One of the most interesting ones is the J 1 criterion where J 1 is a path integral surrounding the crack tip. Other path integrals (or surface integrals in 3D problems) can be used. But all these integrals are introduced on an elastic basis, though they are applied in plasticity. This paper shows that it is possible to introduce these integrals without any reference to the elastic behavior of the material. The method is based on the 'defect vector theory' which is an extension of the energy-momentum tensor theory. (orig.)

The higher the farther: distance-specific referential gestures in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

Science.gov (United States)

Gonseth, Chloe; Kawakami, Fumito; Ichino, Etsuko; Tomonaga, Masaki

2017-11-01

Referential signals, such as manual pointing or deictic words, allow individuals to efficiently locate a specific entity in the environment, using distance-specific linguistic and/or gestural units. To explore the evolutionary prerequisites of such deictic ability, the present study investigates the ability of chimpanzees to adjust their communicative signals to the distance of a referent. A food-request paradigm in which the chimpanzees had to request a close or distant piece of food on a table in the presence/absence of an experimenter was employed. Our main finding concerns the chimpanzees adjusting their requesting behaviours to the distance of the food such that higher manual gestures and larger mouth openings were used to request the distant piece of food. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that chimpanzees are able to use distance-specific gestures. © 2017 The Authors.

Functional integral in supersymmetric quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ktitarev, D.V.

1990-01-01

The solution of the square root of the Schroedinger equation for the supersymmetric quantum mechanics is expressed in the form of series. The formula may be considered as a functional integral of the chronological exponent of the super-pseudodifferential operator symbol over the superspace. 10 refs

Mechanical systems development of integral reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Keun Bae; Chang, M. H.; Kim, J. I.; Choi, S.; Kim, K. S.; Kim, T. W.; Jeong, K. H.; Kim, J. H.; Kim, Y. W.; Lee, G. M.

1997-07-01

While Korean nuclear reactor strategy seems to remain focused on the large capacity power generation, it is expected that demand of small and medium size reactor will arise for multi-purpose applications such as small capacity power generation, co-generation and sea water desalination. This in mind, survey has been made on the worldwide small and medium integral reactors under development. Reviewed are their technical characteristics, development status, design features, application plans, etc. For the mechanical design scope of work, the structural concept compatible with the characteristics and requirements of integral reactor has been established. Types of major components were evaluated and selected. Functional and structural concept, equipment layout and supporting concept within the reactor pressure vessel have also been established. Preliminary mechanical design requirements were developed considering the reactor lifetime, operation conditions, and the expected loading combinations. To embody the concurrent design approach, recent CAD technology and team engineering concept were evaluated. (author). 31 refs.,16 tabs., 35 figs

Energy care in relation to your management system. Linking lists between the Reference Energy Care and ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and HACCP; Energiezorg in relatie tot uw zorgsysteem. Linking lists tussen de Referentie Energiezorg en ISO 14001, ISO 9001 en HACCP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

Several so-called care systems are in use at institutes and companies. For efficiency reasons it makes sense to integrate an energy care system to the existing care system. For the so-called Reference Energy Care, developed by the Netherlands Agency for Energy and the Environment (Novem) links to three of the most important care systems have been elaborated: environmental care according to ISO 14001, the quality care system ISO 9001:2000 and the food safety system Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). The elaboration resulted in three tables, indicating the connections ('linking lists') between each of those care systems and the Reference Energy Care system and how energy care can be integrated into those systems. [Dutch] Bij instellingen en bedrijven zijn diverse zorgsystemen in gebruik. Het is zinvol om energiezorg - waar mogelijk - in een dergelijk bestaand systeem op te nemen. Meerdere zorgsystemen naast elkaar in stand houden is minder efficient dan de systemen integreren tot een systeem. Novem heeft daarom voor haar Referentie Energiezorg de link laten uitwerken naar drie van de meest voorkomende systemen: milieuzorg volgens ISO 14001, het kwaliteitszorgsysteem ISO 9001:2000 en het voedselveiligheidssysteem HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). Hieruit zijn drie tabellen voortgekomen, die aangeven welke verbanden er zijn tussen elk van deze zorgsystemen en de Referentie Energiezorg en hoe u energiezorg kunt integreren in elk van deze systemen. Deze tabellen worden aangeduid als 'linking lists' en u kunt ze gebruiken als hulpmiddel bij het integreren van energiezorg in uw eigen zorgsysteem. U vindt ze in deze brochure.

Energy care in relation to your management system. Linking lists between the Reference Energy Care and ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and HACCP; Energiezorg in relatie tot uw zorgsysteem. Linking lists tussen de Referentie Energiezorg en ISO 14001, ISO 9001 en HACCP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

Several so-called care systems are in use at institutes and companies. For efficiency reasons it makes sense to integrate an energy care system to the existing care system. For the so-called Reference Energy Care, developed by the Netherlands Agency for Energy and the Environment (Novem) links to three of the most important care systems have been elaborated: environmental care according to ISO 14001, the quality care system ISO 9001:2000 and the food safety system Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). The elaboration resulted in three tables, indicating the connections ('linking lists') between each of those care systems and the Reference Energy Care system and how energy care can be integrated into those systems. [Dutch] Bij instellingen en bedrijven zijn diverse zorgsystemen in gebruik. Het is zinvol om energiezorg - waar mogelijk - in een dergelijk bestaand systeem op te nemen. Meerdere zorgsystemen naast elkaar in stand houden is minder efficient dan de systemen integreren tot een systeem. Novem heeft daarom voor haar Referentie Energiezorg de link laten uitwerken naar drie van de meest voorkomende systemen: milieuzorg volgens ISO 14001, het kwaliteitszorgsysteem ISO 9001:2000 en het voedselveiligheidssysteem HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). Hieruit zijn drie tabellen voortgekomen, die aangeven welke verbanden er zijn tussen elk van deze zorgsystemen en de Referentie Energiezorg en hoe u energiezorg kunt integreren in elk van deze systemen. Deze tabellen worden aangeduid als 'linking lists' en u kunt ze gebruiken als hulpmiddel bij het integreren van energiezorg in uw eigen zorgsysteem. U vindt ze in deze brochure.

The formal path integral and quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson-Freyd, Theo

2010-01-01

Given an arbitrary Lagrangian function on R d and a choice of classical path, one can try to define Feynman's path integral supported near the classical path as a formal power series parameterized by 'Feynman diagrams', although these diagrams may diverge. We compute this expansion and show that it is (formally, if there are ultraviolet divergences) invariant under volume-preserving changes of coordinates. We prove that if the ultraviolet divergences cancel at each order, then our formal path integral satisfies a 'Fubini theorem' expressing the standard composition law for the time evolution operator in quantum mechanics. Moreover, we show that when the Lagrangian is inhomogeneous quadratic in velocity such that its homogeneous-quadratic part is given by a matrix with constant determinant, then the divergences cancel at each order. Thus, by 'cutting and pasting' and choosing volume-compatible local coordinates, our construction defines a Feynman-diagrammatic 'formal path integral' for the nonrelativistic quantum mechanics of a charged particle moving in a Riemannian manifold with an external electromagnetic field.

NRGC: a novel referential genome compression algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Subrata; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar

2016-11-15

Next-generation sequencing techniques produce millions to billions of short reads. The procedure is not only very cost effective but also can be done in laboratory environment. The state-of-the-art sequence assemblers then construct the whole genomic sequence from these reads. Current cutting edge computing technology makes it possible to build genomic sequences from the billions of reads within a minimal cost and time. As a consequence, we see an explosion of biological sequences in recent times. In turn, the cost of storing the sequences in physical memory or transmitting them over the internet is becoming a major bottleneck for research and future medical applications. Data compression techniques are one of the most important remedies in this context. We are in need of suitable data compression algorithms that can exploit the inherent structure of biological sequences. Although standard data compression algorithms are prevalent, they are not suitable to compress biological sequencing data effectively. In this article, we propose a novel referential genome compression algorithm (NRGC) to effectively and efficiently compress the genomic sequences. We have done rigorous experiments to evaluate NRGC by taking a set of real human genomes. The simulation results show that our algorithm is indeed an effective genome compression algorithm that performs better than the best-known algorithms in most of the cases. Compression and decompression times are also very impressive. The implementations are freely available for non-commercial purposes. They can be downloaded from: http://www.engr.uconn.edu/~rajasek/NRGC.zip CONTACT: rajasek@engr.uconn.edu. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Referential communication abilities and Theory of Mind development in preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Resches, Mariela; Pérez Pereira, Miguel

2007-02-01

This work aims to analyse the specific contribution of social abilities (here considered as the capacity for attributing knowledge to others) in a particular communicative context. 74 normally developing children (aged 3;4 to 5;9, M = 4.6) were given two Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks, which are considered to assess increasing complexity levels of epistemic state attribution: Attribution of knowledge-ignorance (Pillow, 1989; adapted by Welch-Ross, 1997) and Understanding of False-belief (Baron Cohen, Leslie & Frith, 1985). Subjects were paired according to their age and level of performance in ToM tasks. These dyads participated in a referential communication task specially designed for this research. The resulting communicative interchanges were analysed using a three-level category system (pragmatic functions, descriptive accuracy, and ambiguity of messages). The results showed significant differences among subjects with different levels of social comprehension regarding the type of communicative resources used by them in every category level. In particular, understanding of false belief seems to be the most powerful predictor of changes in the children's development of communicative competence.

Mechanical Model of Traditional Thai Massage for Integrated Healthcare

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salinee Rattanaphan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, a mechanical model was developed, aiming to provide standardized and programmable traditional Thai massage (TTM therapy to patients. The TTM was modeled and integrated into a mechanical hand (MH system, and a prototype massage chair was built and tested for user satisfaction. Three fundamental principles of Thai massage were integrated: pull, press, and pin. Based on these principles, the mechanics of Thai massage was studied and a mathematical model was developed to describe the dynamics and conditions for the design and prototyping of an MH. On average, it was found that users were satisfied with the treatment and felt that the treatment was similar to that performed by human hands. According to the interview results, users indicated that they were likely to utilize the MH as an alternative to traditional massage. Therefore, integrated TTM with an MH may help healthcare providers deliver standardized, programmable massage therapy to patients as opposed to variable, inconsistent human massage.

Integration of fracture mechanics and NDE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Njo, D.H.; McDonald, N.R.; Nichols, R.W.

1991-01-01

This paper addresses issues concerning the effective assessment of the structural integrity of safety related components, principally the primary system, in operating nuclear power plants. The failure mode of greatest safety concern is fracture and this is usually assessed by fracture mechanics (FM) procedures. These require the choice and application of an appropriate analytical method based on a knowledge of the materials, loading and environmental conditions, and characteristics of such defects as have been identified by non destructive examination (NDE). The paper focuses on capabilities and limitations of the NDE procedures, FM methods and other input information which must be taken into account in practical circumstances as well as some problems encountered. It concludes that an integral approach requiring mutual understanding, dialogue and cooperation among the materials, FM and NDE experts is essential for effective and reliable structural integrity assessments

Thermal integrity in mechanics and engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shorr, Boris F.

2015-01-01

The book is targeted at engineers, university lecturers, postgraduates, and final year undergraduate students involved in computational modelling and experimental and theoretical analysis of the high-temperature behavior of engineering structures. It will also be of interest to researchers developing the thermal strength theory as a branch of continuum mechanics. Thermal integrity is a multidisciplinary field combining the expertise of mechanical engineers, material scientists and applied mathematicians, each approaching the problem from their specific viewpoint. This monograph draws on the research of a broad scientific community including the author's contribution. The scope of thermal strength analysis was considerably extended thanks to modern computers and the implementation of FEM codes. However, the author believes that some material models adopted in the advanced high-performance software, are not sufficiently justificated due to lack of easy-to-follow books on the theoretical and experimental aspects of thermal integrity. The author endeavors to provide a thorough yet sufficiently simple presentation of the underlying concepts, making the book compelling to a wide audience.

Thermal integrity in mechanics and engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shorr, Boris F. [Central Institute of Aviation Motors (CIAM), Moscow (Russian Federation)

2015-07-01

The book is targeted at engineers, university lecturers, postgraduates, and final year undergraduate students involved in computational modelling and experimental and theoretical analysis of the high-temperature behavior of engineering structures. It will also be of interest to researchers developing the thermal strength theory as a branch of continuum mechanics. Thermal integrity is a multidisciplinary field combining the expertise of mechanical engineers, material scientists and applied mathematicians, each approaching the problem from their specific viewpoint. This monograph draws on the research of a broad scientific community including the author's contribution. The scope of thermal strength analysis was considerably extended thanks to modern computers and the implementation of FEM codes. However, the author believes that some material models adopted in the advanced high-performance software, are not sufficiently justificated due to lack of easy-to-follow books on the theoretical and experimental aspects of thermal integrity. The author endeavors to provide a thorough yet sufficiently simple presentation of the underlying concepts, making the book compelling to a wide audience.

Bilingual children weigh speaker’s referential cues and word-learning heuristics differently in different language contexts when interpreting a speaker’s intent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wan-Yu eHung

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Past research has investigated how children use different sources of information such as social cues and word-learning heuristics to infer referential intents. The present research explored how children weigh and use some of these cues to make referential inferences. Specifically, we examined how switching between languages known (familiar or unknown (unfamiliar to a child would influence his or her choice of cue to interpret a novel label in a challenging disambiguation task, where a pointing cue was pitted against the mutual exclusivity (ME principle. Forty-eight 3-and 4-year-old English-Mandarin bilingual children listened to a story told either in English only (No-Switch, English and Mandarin (Familiar-Switch, English and Japanese (Unfamiliar-Switch, or English and English-sounding nonsense sentences (Nonsense-Switch. They were then asked to select an object (from a pair of familiar and novel objects after hearing a novel label paired with the speaker’s point at the familiar object, e.g., Can you give me the blicket? Results showed that children in the Familiar-Switch condition were more willing to relax ME to follow the speaker’s point to pick the familiar object than those in the Unfamiliar-Switch condition, who were more likely to pick the novel object. No significant differences were found between the other conditions. Further analyses revealed that children in the Unfamiliar-Switch condition looked at the speaker longer than children in the other conditions when the switch happened. Our findings suggest that children weigh speakers’ referential cues and word-learning heuristics differently in different language contexts while taking into account their communicative history with the speaker. There are important implications for general education and other learning efforts, such as designing learning games so that the history of credibility with the user is maintained and how learning may be best scaffolded in a helpful and trusting

Prediction of thermo-mechanical integrity of wafer backend processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gonda, V.; Toonder, den J.M.J.; Beijer, J.G.J.; Zhang, G.Q.; Hoofman, R.J.O.M.; Ernst, L.J.; Ernst, L.J.

2003-01-01

More than 65% of IC failures are related to thermal and mechanical problems. For wafer backend processes, thermo-mechanical failure is one of the major bottlenecks. The ongoing technological trends like miniaturization, introduction of new materials, and function/product integration will increase

The Effect of Headquarter Integration Mechanisms on Subsidiaries’ New Product Success: From Control to Coordination Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firmanzah Firmanzah

2013-07-01

Full Text Available New product launching (NPL to the local market by subsidiary managers is a strategic activity, which requires organizational supports from MNC global network. The NPL activity is marked by high level of uncertainty, risk, and market failure. Thus, a headquarter needs to integrate the subsidiary NPL into global strategy. There are two mechanisms to integrate subsidiaries’ activities during NPL process; coordination and control process. By testing the effect of each mechanism on role clarity and functional conflict, I found that coordination mechanism increase role clarity between headquarter and subsidiaries’ managers. In contrast, exercising control mechanism reduces role clarity and functional conflict between headquarter and subsidiaries’ managers during NPL. This research shows that both role clarity and functional conflict increase new product commercial performance introduced by subsidiary in the local market. Keywords: new product launching (NPL, coordination mechanism, control mechanism, and new product performance

Self-referential forces are sufficient to explain different dendritic morphologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heraldo eMemelli

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Dendritic morphology constrains brain activity, as it determines first which neuronal circuits are possible and second which dendritic computations can be performed over a neuron's inputs. It is known that a range of chemical cues can influence the final shape of dendrites during development. Here, we investigate the extent to which self-referential influences, cues generated by the neuron itself, might influence morphology. To this end, we developed a phenomenological model and algorithm to generate virtual morphologies, which are then compared to experimentally reconstructed morphologies. In the model, branching probability follows a Galton-Watson process, while the geometry is determined by "homotypic forces" exerting influence on the direction of random growth in a constrained space. We model three such homotypic forces, namely an inertial force based on membrane stiffness, a soma-oriented tropism, and a force of self avoidance, as directional biases in the growth algorithm. With computer simulations we explored how each bias shapes neuronal morphologies. We show that based on these principles, we can generate realistic morphologies of several distinct neuronal types. We discuss the extent to which homotypic forces might influence real dendritic morphologies, and speculate about the influence of other environmental cues on neuronal shape and circuitry.

Self-referential forces are sufficient to explain different dendritic morphologies

Science.gov (United States)

Memelli, Heraldo; Torben-Nielsen, Benjamin; Kozloski, James

2013-01-01

Dendritic morphology constrains brain activity, as it determines first which neuronal circuits are possible and second which dendritic computations can be performed over a neuron's inputs. It is known that a range of chemical cues can influence the final shape of dendrites during development. Here, we investigate the extent to which self-referential influences, cues generated by the neuron itself, might influence morphology. To this end, we developed a phenomenological model and algorithm to generate virtual morphologies, which are then compared to experimentally reconstructed morphologies. In the model, branching probability follows a Galton–Watson process, while the geometry is determined by “homotypic forces” exerting influence on the direction of random growth in a constrained space. We model three such homotypic forces, namely an inertial force based on membrane stiffness, a soma-oriented tropism, and a force of self-avoidance, as directional biases in the growth algorithm. With computer simulations we explored how each bias shapes neuronal morphologies. We show that based on these principles, we can generate realistic morphologies of several distinct neuronal types. We discuss the extent to which homotypic forces might influence real dendritic morphologies, and speculate about the influence of other environmental cues on neuronal shape and circuitry. PMID:23386828

Assessment of predation risk through referential communication in incubating birds

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Toshitaka N.

2015-05-01

Parents of many bird species produce alarm calls when they approach and deter a nest predator in order to defend their offspring. Alarm calls have been shown to warn nestlings about predatory threats, but parents also face a similar risk of predation when incubating eggs in their nests. Here, I show that incubating female Japanese great tits, Parus minor, assess predation risk by conspecific alarm calls given outside the nest cavity. Tits produce acoustically discrete alarm calls for different nest predators: “jar” calls for snakes and “chicka” calls for other predators such as crows and martens. Playback experiments revealed that incubating females responded to “jar” calls by leaving their nest, whereas they responded to “chicka” calls by looking out of the nest entrance. Since snakes invade the nest cavity, escaping from the nest helps females avoid snake predation. In contrast, “chicka” calls are used for a variety of predator types, and therefore, looking out of the nest entrance helps females gather information about the type and location of approaching predators. These results show that incubating females derive information about predator type from different types of alarm calls, providing a novel example of functionally referential communication.

What is in a name?: The development of cross-cultural differences in referential intuitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jincai; Liu, Longgen; Chalmers, Elizabeth; Snedeker, Jesse

2018-02-01

Past work has shown systematic differences between Easterners' and Westerners' intuitions about the reference of proper names. Understanding when these differences emerge in development will help us understand their origins. In the present study, we investigate the referential intuitions of English- and Chinese-speaking children and adults in the U.S. and China. Using a truth-value judgment task modeled on Kripke's classic Gödel case, we find that the cross-cultural differences are already in place at age seven. Thus, these differences cannot be attributed to later education or enculturation. Instead, they must stem from differences that are present in early childhood. We consider alternate theories of reference that are compatible with these findings and discuss the possibility that the cross-cultural differences reflect differences in perspective-taking strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Super-Quantum Mechanics in the Integral Form Formalism

Science.gov (United States)

Castellani, L.; Catenacci, R.; Grassi, P. A.

2018-05-01

We reformulate Super Quantum Mechanics in the context of integral forms. This framework allows to interpolate between different actions for the same theory, connected by different choices of Picture Changing Operators (PCO). In this way we retrieve component and superspace actions, and prove their equivalence. The PCO are closed integral forms, and can be interpreted as super Poincar\\'e duals of bosonic submanifolds embedded into a supermanifold.. We use them to construct Lagrangians that are top integral forms, and therefore can be integrated on the whole supermanifold. The $D=1, ~N=1$ and the $D=1,~ N=2$ cases are studied, in a flat and in a curved supermanifold. In this formalism we also consider coupling with gauge fields, Hilbert space of quantum states and observables.

The Effect of Headquarter Integration Mechanisms on Subsidiaries’ New Product Success: From Control to Coordination Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firmanzah

2007-10-01

Full Text Available New product launching (NPL to the local market by subsidiary managers is a strategic activity, which requires organizational supports from MNC global network. The NPL activity is marked by high level of uncertainty, risk, and market failure. Thus, a headquarter needs to integrate the subsidiary NPL into global strategy. There are two mechanisms to integrate subsidiaries’ activities during NPL process; coordination and control process. By testing the effect of each mechanism on role clarity and functional conflict, I found that coordination mechanism increase role clarity between headquarter and subsidiaries’ managers. In contrast, exercising control mechanism reduces role clarity and functional conflict between headquarter and subsidiaries’ managers during NPL. This research shows that both role clarity and functional conflict increase new product commercial performance introduced by subsidiary in the local market.

On certain two-dimensional conservative mechanical systems with a cubic second integral

CERN Document Server

Yehia, H M

2002-01-01

In a previous paper (Yehia H M 1986 J. Mec. Theor. Appl. 5 55-71) we have introduced a method for constructing integrable conservative two-dimensional mechanical systems whose second integral of motion is polynomial in the velocities. This method has proved successful in constructing a multitude of irreversible systems (involving gyroscopic forces) with a second quadratic integral (Yehia H M 1992 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 25 197-221). The objective of this paper is to apply the same method for the systematic construction of mechanical systems with a cubic integral. As in our previous works, the configuration space is not assumed to be a Euclidean plane. This widens the range of applicability of the results to diverse mechanical systems to include such problems as rigid body dynamics. Several new reversible and irreversible integrable systems are obtained. Some of these systems generalize previously known ones by introducing additional parameters which may change either or both of the configuration manifold and t...

Domestic dogs and puppies can use human voice direction referentially.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossano, Federico; Nitzschner, Marie; Tomasello, Michael

2014-06-22

Domestic dogs are particularly skilled at using human visual signals to locate hidden food. This is, to our knowledge, the first series of studies that investigates the ability of dogs to use only auditory communicative acts to locate hidden food. In a first study, from behind a barrier, a human expressed excitement towards a baited box on either the right or left side, while sitting closer to the unbaited box. Dogs were successful in following the human's voice direction and locating the food. In the two following control studies, we excluded the possibility that dogs could locate the box containing food just by relying on smell, and we showed that they would interpret a human's voice direction in a referential manner only when they could locate a possible referent (i.e. one of the boxes) in the environment. Finally, in a fourth study, we tested 8-14-week-old puppies in the main experimental test and found that those with a reasonable amount of human experience performed overall even better than the adult dogs. These results suggest that domestic dogs' skills in comprehending human communication are not based on visual cues alone, but are instead multi-modal and highly flexible. Moreover, the similarity between young and adult dogs' performances has important implications for the domestication hypothesis.

Development of mechanical design technology for integral reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Keun Bae; Choi, Suhn; Kim, Kang Soo; Kim, Tae Wan; Jeong, Kyeong Hoon; Lee, Gyu Mahn; Kim, Jong Wook; Choi, Woo Seok

2002-03-01

This report is the final documentation of the 'Development of Mechanical Design Technology for Integral Reactor' which describes the design activities including reactor vessel assembly structural modelling, normal operation and transient analysis, preparation of design specification, major component stress analysis, evaluation of structural integrity, review of fabricability, maintenance and repair scheme, etc. To establish the design requirements and applicable codes and standards, each GDC criterion was reviewed regarding the SMART structural characteristics and design status, and then the applicability and point of issues were evaluated. To accomodate the result of the core optimization program, modification of pressure vessel and reactor internal components were carried out. SG nozzles were rearranged to penetrate the pressure vessel wall instead of the annular cover. Coolant flow path through the MCP impeller was revised and the adjacent structures were modified. Dynamic analysis model was developed reflecting all the structural changes to perform the seismic and BLPB analysis. Fracture mechanics evaluation on the structural integrity of the reactor pressure vessel was also conducted. Besides, equipment maintenance and replacement plan including the refueling scheme was discussed to confirm the embodiment of SMART through construction and operation

Integrating optical, mechanical, and test software (with applications to freeform optics)

Science.gov (United States)

Genberg, Victor; Michels, Gregory; Myer, Brian

2017-10-01

Optical systems must perform under environmental conditions including thermal and mechanical loading. To predict the performance in the field, integrated analysis combining optical and mechanical software is required. Freeform and conformal optics offer many new opportunities for optical design. The unconventional geometries can lead to unconventional, and therefore unintuitive, mechanical behavior. Finite element (FE) analysis offers the ability to predict the deformations of freeform optics under various environments and load conditions. To understand the impact on optical performance, the deformations must be brought into optical analysis codes. This paper discusses several issues related to the integrated optomechanical analysis of freeform optics.

Mechanical shape correlation : a novel integrated digital image correlation approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleinendorst, S.M.; Hoefnagels, J.P.M.; Geers, M.G.D.; Lamberti, L.; Lin, M.-T.; Furlong, C.; Sciammarella, C.

2018-01-01

Mechanical Shape Correlation (MSC) is a novel integrated digital image correlation technique, used to determine the optimal set of constitutive parameters to describe the experimentally observed mechanical behavior of a test specimen, based on digital images taken during the experiment. In contrast

High-speed and high-ratio referential genome compression.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuansheng; Peng, Hui; Wong, Limsoon; Li, Jinyan

2017-11-01

The rapidly increasing number of genomes generated by high-throughput sequencing platforms and assembly algorithms is accompanied by problems in data storage, compression and communication. Traditional compression algorithms are unable to meet the demand of high compression ratio due to the intrinsic challenging features of DNA sequences such as small alphabet size, frequent repeats and palindromes. Reference-based lossless compression, by which only the differences between two similar genomes are stored, is a promising approach with high compression ratio. We present a high-performance referential genome compression algorithm named HiRGC. It is based on a 2-bit encoding scheme and an advanced greedy-matching search on a hash table. We compare the performance of HiRGC with four state-of-the-art compression methods on a benchmark dataset of eight human genomes. HiRGC takes compress about 21 gigabytes of each set of the seven target genomes into 96-260 megabytes, achieving compression ratios of 217 to 82 times. This performance is at least 1.9 times better than the best competing algorithm on its best case. Our compression speed is also at least 2.9 times faster. HiRGC is stable and robust to deal with different reference genomes. In contrast, the competing methods' performance varies widely on different reference genomes. More experiments on 100 human genomes from the 1000 Genome Project and on genomes of several other species again demonstrate that HiRGC's performance is consistently excellent. The C ++ and Java source codes of our algorithm are freely available for academic and non-commercial use. They can be downloaded from https://github.com/yuansliu/HiRGC. jinyan.li@uts.edu.au. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Iterative integral parameter identification of a respiratory mechanics model.

Science.gov (United States)

Schranz, Christoph; Docherty, Paul D; Chiew, Yeong Shiong; Möller, Knut; Chase, J Geoffrey

2012-07-18

Patient-specific respiratory mechanics models can support the evaluation of optimal lung protective ventilator settings during ventilation therapy. Clinical application requires that the individual's model parameter values must be identified with information available at the bedside. Multiple linear regression or gradient-based parameter identification methods are highly sensitive to noise and initial parameter estimates. Thus, they are difficult to apply at the bedside to support therapeutic decisions. An iterative integral parameter identification method is applied to a second order respiratory mechanics model. The method is compared to the commonly used regression methods and error-mapping approaches using simulated and clinical data. The clinical potential of the method was evaluated on data from 13 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) patients. The iterative integral method converged to error minima 350 times faster than the Simplex Search Method using simulation data sets and 50 times faster using clinical data sets. Established regression methods reported erroneous results due to sensitivity to noise. In contrast, the iterative integral method was effective independent of initial parameter estimations, and converged successfully in each case tested. These investigations reveal that the iterative integral method is beneficial with respect to computing time, operator independence and robustness, and thus applicable at the bedside for this clinical application.

Mechanical integrity of PFHE in LNG liquefaction process

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ligterink, N.E.; Hageraats-Ponomareva, S.V.; Velthuis, J.F.M.

2012-01-01

The mechanical integrity of heat exchangers is the result of an interplay of many physical phenomena. A full, albeit simple, model, that covers mixture phase thermodynamics, heat transfer, flow dynamics, and the thermal and pressure stresses has been created. Using this simulation model it is now

Identification of mechanisms enabling integrated care for patients with chronic diseases: a literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise van der Klauw

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Notwithstanding care for chronically ill patients requires a shift towards care that is well coordinated and focused on prevention and self-care, the concept of integrated care lacks specificity and clarity. This article presents a literature review to identify mechanisms for achieving integrated care objectives.Theory and methods: Existing models often present a large variety of dimensions, archetypes and categories of integration without specifying them. Models and programmes describing integrated care for chronic diseases were reviewed. Data were extracted related to objectives and clusters of mechanisms of integration.Results: Thirty-four studies presented four objectives: functional, organisational, professional and service integration. We categorised approaches and interventions to achieve these objectives by strategy and clusters of ‘mechanisms of integration’: degree, patient centredness and normative aspects.Conclusions and discussion: The clarification of mechanisms to achieve objectives of integrated care as presented may be used as starting point for the development and refinement of integrated care programmes, including methodological grounding of their evaluation. Given that most studies reviewed lack both empirical data and descriptions of the methods used, future research needs to close these gaps. Validation of the findings by a large panel of experts is suggested as recommendation to work towards a grounded framework.

Thermal integrity in mechanics and engineering

CERN Document Server

Shorr, Boris F

2015-01-01

The book is targeted at engineers, university lecturers, postgraduates, and final year undergraduate students involved in computational modelling and experimental and theoretical analysis of the high-temperature behavior of engineering structures. It will also be of interest to researchers developing the thermal strength theory as a branch of continuum mechanics. Thermal integrity is a multidisciplinary field combining the expertise of mechanical engineers, material scientists and applied mathematicians, each approaching the problem from their specific viewpoint. This monograph draws on the research of a broad scientific community including the author’s contribution. The scope of thermal strength analysis was considerably extended thanks to modern computers and the implementation of FEM codes. However, the author believes that some material models adopted in the advanced high-performance software, are not sufficiently justificated due to lack of easy-to-follow books on the theoretical and experimental aspec...

A universal data access and protocol integration mechanism for smart home

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Pengfei; Yang, Qi; Zhang, Xuan

2013-03-01

With the lack of standardized or completely missing communication interfaces in home electronics, there is no perfect solution to address every aspect in smart homes based on existing protocols and technologies. In addition, the central control unit (CCU) of smart home system working point-to-point between the multiple application interfaces and the underlying hardware interfaces leads to its complicated architecture and unpleasant performance. A flexible data access and protocol integration mechanism is required. The current paper offers a universal, comprehensive data access and protocol integration mechanism for a smart home. The universal mechanism works as a middleware adapter with unified agreements of the communication interfaces and protocols, offers an abstraction of the application level from the hardware specific and decoupling the hardware interface modules from the application level. Further abstraction for the application interfaces and the underlying hardware interfaces are executed based on adaption layer to provide unified interfaces for more flexible user applications and hardware protocol integration. This new universal mechanism fundamentally changes the architecture of the smart home and in some way meets the practical requirement of smart homes more flexible and desirable.

The mechanisms of collinear integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Cass, John; Alais, David

2006-08-11

Low-contrast visual contour fragments are easier to detect when presented in the context of nearby collinear contour elements (U. Polat & D. Sagi, 1993). The spatial and temporal determinants of this collinear facilitation have been studied extensively (J. R. Cass & B. Spehar, 2005; Y. Tanaka & D. Sagi, 1998; C. B. Williams & R. F. Hess, 1998), although considerable debate surrounds the neural mechanisms underlying it. Our study examines this question using a novel stimulus, whereby the flanking "contour" elements are rotated around their own axis. By measuring contrast detection thresholds to a brief foveal target presented at various phases of flanker rotation, we find peak facilitation after flankers have rotated beyond their collinear phase. This optimal facilitative delay increases monotonically as a function of target-flanker separation, yielding estimates of cortical propagation of 0.1 m/s, a value highly consistent with the dynamics of long-range horizontal interactions observed within primary visual cortex (V1). A curious new finding is also observed: Facilitative peaks also occur when the target flash precedes flanker collinearity by 20-80 ms, a range consistent with contrast-dependent cortical onset latencies. Together, these data suggest that collinear facilitation involves two separate mechanisms, each possessing distinct dynamics: (i) slowly propagating horizontal interactions within V1 and (ii) a faster integrative mechanism, possibly driven by synchronous collinear cortical onset.

Adolescent Gender Differences in Cognitive Control Performance and Functional Connectivity Between Default Mode and Fronto-Parietal Networks Within a Self-Referential Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Alarcón

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Ineffective reduction of functional connectivity between the default mode network (DMN and frontoparietal network (FPN during cognitive control can interfere with performance in healthy individuals—a phenomenon present in psychiatric disorders, such as depression. Here, this mechanism is studied in healthy adolescents by examining gender differences in task-regressed functional connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and a novel task designed to place the DMN—supporting self-referential processing (SRP—and FPN—supporting cognitive control—into conflict. Compared to boys, girls showed stronger functional connectivity between DMN and FPN during cognitive control in an SRP context (n = 40; boys = 20, a context that also elicited more errors of omission in girls. The gender difference in errors of omission was mediated by higher self-reported co-rumination—the extensive and repetitive discussion of problems and focus on negative feelings with a same-gender peer—by girls, compared to boys. These findings indicate that placing internal and external attentional demands in conflict lead to persistent functional connectivity between FPN and DMN in girls, but not boys; however, deficits in performance during this context were explained by co-rumination, such that youth with higher co-rumination displayed the largest performance deficits. Previous research shows that co-rumination predicts depressive symptoms during adolescence; thus, gender differences in the mechanisms involved with transitioning from internal to external processing may be relevant for understanding heightened vulnerability for depression in adolescent girls.

Hidden symmetries of integrable conformal mechanical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakobyan, Tigran; Krivonos, Sergey; Lechtenfeld, Olaf; Nersessian, Armen

2010-01-01

We split the generic conformal mechanical system into a 'radial' and an 'angular' part, where the latter is defined as the Hamiltonian system on the orbit of the conformal group, with the Casimir function in the role of the Hamiltonian. We reduce the analysis of the constants of motion of the full system to the study of certain differential equations on this orbit. For integrable mechanical systems, the conformal invariance renders them superintegrable, yielding an additional series of conserved quantities originally found by Wojciechowski in the rational Calogero model. Finally, we show that, starting from any N=4 supersymmetric 'angular' Hamiltonian system one may construct a new system with full N=4 superconformal D(1,2;α) symmetry.

Mechanical Integrity of Canisters Using a Fracture Mechanics Approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koyama, Tomofumi; Guoxiang Zhang; Lanru Jing [Royal Inst. of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden). Dept. of Land and Water Resources Engineering

2006-07-15

This report presents the methods and results of a research project about numerical modeling of mechanical integrity of cast-iron canisters for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden, using combined boundary element (BEM) and finite element (FEM) methods. The objectives of the project are: 1) to investigate the possibility of initiation and growth of fractures in the cast-iron canisters under the mechanical loading conditions defined in the premises of canister design by Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co. (SKB); 2) to investigate the maximum bearing capacity of the cast iron canisters under uniformly distributed and gradually increasing boundary pressure until plastic failure. Achievement of the two objectives may provide some quantitative evidence for the mechanical integrity and overall safety of the cast-iron canisters that are needed for the final safety assessment of the geological repository of the radioactive waste repository in Sweden. The geometrical dimension, distribution and magnitudes of loads and Material properties of the canisters and possible fractures were provided by the latest investigations of SKB. The results of the BEM simulations, using the commercial code BEASY, indicate that under the currently defined loading conditions the possibility of initiation of new fractures or growth of existing fractures (defects) are very small, due to the reasons that: 1) the canisters are under mainly compressive stresses; 2) the induced tensile stress regions are too small in both dimension and magnitude to create new fractures or to induce growth of existing fractures, besides the fact that the toughness of the fractures in the cast iron canisters are much higher that the stress intensity factors in the fracture tips. The results of the FEM simulation show a approximately 75 MPa maximum pressure beyond which plastic collapse of the cast-iron canisters may occur, using an elastoplastic Material model. This figure is smaller compared

Iterative integral parameter identification of a respiratory mechanics model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schranz Christoph

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patient-specific respiratory mechanics models can support the evaluation of optimal lung protective ventilator settings during ventilation therapy. Clinical application requires that the individual’s model parameter values must be identified with information available at the bedside. Multiple linear regression or gradient-based parameter identification methods are highly sensitive to noise and initial parameter estimates. Thus, they are difficult to apply at the bedside to support therapeutic decisions. Methods An iterative integral parameter identification method is applied to a second order respiratory mechanics model. The method is compared to the commonly used regression methods and error-mapping approaches using simulated and clinical data. The clinical potential of the method was evaluated on data from 13 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS patients. Results The iterative integral method converged to error minima 350 times faster than the Simplex Search Method using simulation data sets and 50 times faster using clinical data sets. Established regression methods reported erroneous results due to sensitivity to noise. In contrast, the iterative integral method was effective independent of initial parameter estimations, and converged successfully in each case tested. Conclusion These investigations reveal that the iterative integral method is beneficial with respect to computing time, operator independence and robustness, and thus applicable at the bedside for this clinical application.

The Effectiveness of Different Mechanisms for Integrating Marketing and R&D

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.A.A.M. Leenders (Mark); B. Wierenga (Berend)

2001-01-01

textabstractThe integration of marketing and R&D is a major concern for companies that want to improve their new product performance (NPP). In order to integrate, companies are using mechanisms such as physical proximity, cross-functional teams, and job rotation. This study examines the relative

ABOUT APPROACHES OF CREATION OF INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEM PDM-ERP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. G. Mikhailov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The problems which has added in the field of creation of systems PDM and their integration with ERP is considered. The analysis of the reasons of low efficiency existing PDM is carried out: insufficiency of the primary information brought in PDM unit, structures of a DB, entering of designations in one field, application of referential character of guiding of composition that leads to lowering of its functionality and creates problems with integration with ERP.It is shown that the uniform integrated information system created on uniform databases is necessary for the enterprises with a full stroke, using as the primary document card part-bom-unit, instead of a file. For it other is necessary in difference from databases existing the general-purpose structure in which it is possible to bring any information.Implementation of the new system CDRP, uniting on functional PDM-ERP and providing enterprise basic needs is offered.

Mechanisms for integration of information models across related domains

Science.gov (United States)

Atkinson, Rob

2010-05-01

It is well recognised that there are opportunities and challenges in cross-disciplinary data integration. A significant barrier, however, is creating a conceptual model of the combined domains and the area of integration. For example, a groundwater domain application may require information from several related domains: geology, hydrology, water policy, etc. Each domain may have its own data holdings and conceptual models, but these will share various common concepts (eg. The concept of an aquifer). These areas of semantic overlap present significant challenges, firstly to choose a single representation (model) of a concept that appears in multiple disparate models,, then to harmonise these other models with the single representation. In addition, models may exist at different levels of abstraction depending on how closely aligned they are with a particular implementation. This makes it hard for modellers in one domain to introduce elements from another domain without either introducing a specific style of implementation, or conversely dealing with a set of abstract patterns that are hard to integrate with existing implementations. Models are easier to integrate if they are broken down into small units, with common concepts implemented using common models from well-known, and predictably managed shared libraries. This vision however requires development of a set of mechanisms (tools and procedures) for implementing and exploiting libraries of model components. These mechanisms need to handle publication, discovery, subscription, versioning and implementation of models in different forms. In this presentation a coherent suite of such mechanisms is proposed, using a scenario based on re-use of geosciences models. This approach forms the basis of a comprehensive strategy to empower domain modellers to create more interoperable systems. The strategy address a range of concerns and practice, and includes methodologies, an accessible toolkit, improvements to available

Referential communication abilities in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Den Heuvel, Ellen; ReuterskiöLd, Christina; Solot, Cynthia; Manders, Eric; Swillen, Ann; Zink, Inge

2017-10-01

This study describes the performance on a perspective- and role-taking task in 27 children, ages 6-13 years, with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). A cross-cultural design comparing Dutch- and English-speaking children with 22q11.2DS explored the possibility of cultural differences. Chronologically age-matched and younger typically developing (TD) children matched for receptive vocabulary served as control groups to identify challenges in referential communication. The utterances of children with 22q11.2DS were characterised as short and simple in lexical and grammatical terms. However, from a language use perspective, their utterances were verbose, ambiguous and irrelevant given the pictured scenes. They tended to elaborate on visual details and conveyed off-topic, extraneous information when participating in a barrier-game procedure. Both types of aberrant utterances forced a listener to consistently infer the intended message. Moreover, children with 22q11.2DS demonstrated difficulty selecting correct speech acts in accordance with contextual cues during a role-taking task. Both English- and Dutch-speaking children with 22q11.2DS showed impoverished information transfer and an increased number of elaborations, suggesting a cross-cultural syndrome-specific feature.

Method of mechanical quadratures for solving singular integral equations of various types

Science.gov (United States)

Sahakyan, A. V.; Amirjanyan, H. A.

2018-04-01

The method of mechanical quadratures is proposed as a common approach intended for solving the integral equations defined on finite intervals and containing Cauchy-type singular integrals. This method can be used to solve singular integral equations of the first and second kind, equations with generalized kernel, weakly singular equations, and integro-differential equations. The quadrature rules for several different integrals represented through the same coefficients are presented. This allows one to reduce the integral equations containing integrals of different types to a system of linear algebraic equations.

Burning properties and mechanical integrity of aged gun propellants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driel, C.A. van; Klerk, W.P.C. de

2017-01-01

Conventional gun propellants exhibit the phenomenon of nitrocellulose (NC) decomposition. Besides an effect on thermal stability of propellants, decomposition of NC has an effect on the mechanical integrity of the propellant grains. Enhanced grain fracture may lead to unacceptable changes of the

Pipeline integrity management: integration of geotechnical and mechanical assessment to control potential risks due to external forces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malpartida Moya, John E.; Sota, Giancarlo Massucco de la; Seri, Walter [Compania Operadora de Gas del Amazonas, Lima (Peru)

2009-07-01

Every pipeline integrity management system evaluates and controls various threats. On pipelines which have particular characteristics as it is the case of the Andean pipelines and pipelines crossing jungles, one of the main threats are the external forces. Even, this threat causes a greater number of failures than other threats like corrosion or the third part damage. Facing this situation, the pipeline integrity management system of TgP has achieved an important development in the use and suitable handling of the information provided by diverse techniques of pipeline mechanical inspection and geotechnical inspection of the right-of-way (ROW). This document presents our methodology, which interrelate information of the in-line inspection, information of geotechnical inspections of the ROW, instrumentation (Strain Gages), topographic monitoring, among others. All this information is supported in a Geographic Information System (GIS) which allows us to integrate the information. By means of the pipeline integrity management system we control potential risks due to external forces, we have been able to act before events become critical, with no occurrence of failures. This system allows us simultaneously to optimize efforts and preserve the mechanical integrity of our pipelines, not producing neither personal nor environmental nor economical affectation. (author)

Integrated investigation approach for determining mechanical properties of poly-silicon membranes

OpenAIRE

Brueckner, J.; Dehe, A.; Auerswald, E.; Dudek, R.; Michel, B.; Rzepka, S.

2014-01-01

A methodology is presented for determining mechanical properties of free-standing thin films such as poly-silicon membranes. The integrated investigation approach comprises test structure development, mechanical testing, and numerical simulation. All membrane test structures developed and manufactured consist of the same material but have different stiffness due to variations in the geometric design. The mechanical tests apply microscopic loads utilizing a nanoindentation tool. Young's modulu...

Development of mechanical design technology for integral reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Keun Bae; Choi, Suhn; Kim, Kang Soo; Kim, Tae Wan; Jeong, Kyeong Hoon; Lee, Gyu Mahn

1999-03-01

While Korean nuclear reactor strategy seems to remain focused on the large capacity power generation, it is expected that demand of small and medium size reactor will arise for multi-purpose application such as small capacity power generation, co-generation and sea water desalination. With this in mind, an integral reactor SMART is under development. Design concepts, system layout and types of equipment of integral reactor are significantly different from those of loop type reactor. Conceptual design development of mechanical structures of integral reactor SMART is completed through the first stage of the project. Efforts were endeavored for the establishment of design basis and evaluation of applicable codes and standards. Design and functional requirements of major structural components were setup, and three dimensional structural modelling of SMART reactor vessel assembly was prepared. Also, maintenance and repair scheme as well as preliminary fabricability evaluation were carried out. Since small integral reactor technology includes sensitive technologies and know-how's, it is hard to achieve systematic and comprehensive technology transfer from nuclear-advanced countries. Thus, it is necessary to develop the related design technology and to verify the adopted methodologies through test and experiments in order to assure the structural integrity of reactor system. (author)

Development of mechanical design technology for integral reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Keun Bae; Choi, Suhn; Kim, Kang Soo; Kim, Tae Wan; Jeong, Kyeong Hoon; Lee, Gyu Mahn

1999-03-01

While Korean nuclear reactor strategy seems to remain focused on the large capacity power generation, it is expected that demand of small and medium size reactor will arise for multi-purpose application such as small capacity power generation, co-generation and sea water desalination. With this in mind, an integral reactor SMART is under development. Design concepts, system layout and types of equipment of integral reactor are significantly different from those of loop type reactor. Conceptual design development of mechanical structures of integral reactor SMART is completed through the first stage of the project. Efforts were endeavored for the establishment of design basis and evaluation of applicable codes and standards. Design and functional requirements of major structural components were set up, and three dimensional structural modelling of SMART reactor vessel assembly was prepared. Also, maintenance and repair scheme as well as preliminary fabricability evaluation were carried out. Since small integral reactor technology includes sensitive technologies and know-how's, it is hard to achieve systematic and comprehensive technology transfer from nuclear-advanced countries. Thus, it is necessary to develop the related design technology and to verify the adopted methodologies through test and experiments in order to assure the structural integrity of reactor system. (author)

The Neural Mechanisms of Meditative Practices: Novel Approaches for Healthy Aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Acevedo, Bianca P; Pospos, Sarah; Lavretsky, Helen

2016-01-01

Meditation has been shown to have physical, cognitive, and psychological health benefits that can be used to promote healthy aging. However, the common and specific mechanisms of response remain elusive due to the diverse nature of mind-body practices. In this review, we aim to compare the neural circuits implicated in focused-attention meditative practices that focus on present-moment awareness to those involved in active-type meditative practices (e.g., yoga) that combine movement, including chanting, with breath practices and meditation. Recent meta-analyses and individual studies demonstrated common brain effects for attention-based meditative practices and active-based meditations in areas involved in reward processing and learning, attention and memory, awareness and sensory integration, and self-referential processing and emotional control, while deactivation was seen in the amygdala, an area implicated in emotion processing. Unique effects for mindfulness practices were found in brain regions involved in body awareness, attention, and the integration of emotion and sensory processing. Effects specific to active-based meditations appeared in brain areas involved in self-control, social cognition, language, speech, tactile stimulation, sensorimotor integration, and motor function. This review suggests that mind-body practices can target different brain systems that are involved in the regulation of attention, emotional control, mood, and executive cognition that can be used to treat or prevent mood and cognitive disorders of aging, such as depression and caregiver stress, or serve as "brain fitness" exercise. Benefits may include improving brain functional connectivity in brain systems that generally degenerate with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other aging-related diseases.

Public vs. Banking Sector Accounting - How Far Is Romania from International Referential?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Stefanescu

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of our paper is to identify the level of accounting harmonization in Romania for both public and banking sector with international referential (IPSAS and IFRS focusing on financial reporting requirements, by providing both vertical and horizontal analysis beginning with the year 2001 up to present. Unlike prior studies conducted on the same topic, which measure the general accounting harmonization for private sector, our paper is focused on specific economic fields – public vs. banking sector – thus providing a different approach of accounting harmonization. The research methodology used for achieving our goal was based on both static and dynamic analysis of the degree of similarity and dissimilitude between national and international accounting frameworks, by using appropriate statistical tools (e.g. Euclidian distance, Jaccard and Spearman coefficients. Our results reveal continuous improvements in accounting regulations in both sectors along time, but banking sector was always much closer to international standards than the public one. Considering the controversies between cash and accrual basis accounting which affected harmonization in public sector, as well as the latest challenges for banking sector due to IFRS adoption, we appreciate the overview image of accounting development in Romania provided by our empirical results as valuable for a wide range of users: academics, researchers, practitioners for both public and banking sector.

INTEGRATION MECHANISMS OF IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera A. Akimenko

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the current economic conditions, the efficiency of business processes of an organization is determined by the quality of the staff. Therefore, actual is the creation and application of new approaches to the management of human re-sources. The article presents a comparative analysis of management practices and their impact on the effectiveness of personnel management, the mechanism of their integration to improve the efficiency of the process.

Integrative modelling reveals mechanisms linking productivity and plant species richness.

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, James B; Anderson, T Michael; Seabloom, Eric W; Borer, Elizabeth T; Adler, Peter B; Harpole, W Stanley; Hautier, Yann; Hillebrand, Helmut; Lind, Eric M; Pärtel, Meelis; Bakker, Jonathan D; Buckley, Yvonne M; Crawley, Michael J; Damschen, Ellen I; Davies, Kendi F; Fay, Philip A; Firn, Jennifer; Gruner, Daniel S; Hector, Andy; Knops, Johannes M H; MacDougall, Andrew S; Melbourne, Brett A; Morgan, John W; Orrock, John L; Prober, Suzanne M; Smith, Melinda D

2016-01-21

How ecosystem productivity and species richness are interrelated is one of the most debated subjects in the history of ecology. Decades of intensive study have yet to discern the actual mechanisms behind observed global patterns. Here, by integrating the predictions from multiple theories into a single model and using data from 1,126 grassland plots spanning five continents, we detect the clear signals of numerous underlying mechanisms linking productivity and richness. We find that an integrative model has substantially higher explanatory power than traditional bivariate analyses. In addition, the specific results unveil several surprising findings that conflict with classical models. These include the isolation of a strong and consistent enhancement of productivity by richness, an effect in striking contrast with superficial data patterns. Also revealed is a consistent importance of competition across the full range of productivity values, in direct conflict with some (but not all) proposed models. The promotion of local richness by macroecological gradients in climatic favourability, generally seen as a competing hypothesis, is also found to be important in our analysis. The results demonstrate that an integrative modelling approach leads to a major advance in our ability to discern the underlying processes operating in ecological systems.

Simulated effect on the compressive and shear mechanical properties of bionic integrated honeycomb plates.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Chenglin; Chen, Jinxiang; Wu, Zhishen; Xie, Juan; Zu, Qiao; Lu, Yun

2015-05-01

Honeycomb plates can be applied in many fields, including furniture manufacturing, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, transportation and aerospace. In the present study, we discuss the simulated effect on the mechanical properties of bionic integrated honeycomb plates by investigating the compressive and shear failure modes and the mechanical properties of trabeculae reinforced by long or short fibers. The results indicate that the simulated effect represents approximately 80% and 70% of the compressive and shear strengths, respectively. Compared with existing bionic samples, the mass-specific strength was significantly improved. Therefore, this integrated honeycomb technology remains the most effective method for the trial manufacturing of bionic integrated honeycomb plates. The simulated effect of the compressive rigidity is approximately 85%. The short-fiber trabeculae have an advantage over the long-fiber trabeculae in terms of shear rigidity, which provides new evidence for the application of integrated bionic honeycomb plates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An integrative process model of leadership: examining loci, mechanisms, and event cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

Eberly, Marion B; Johnson, Michael D; Hernandez, Morela; Avolio, Bruce J

2013-09-01

Utilizing the locus (source) and mechanism (transmission) of leadership framework (Hernandez, Eberly, Avolio, & Johnson, 2011), we propose and examine the application of an integrative process model of leadership to help determine the psychological interactive processes that constitute leadership. In particular, we identify the various dynamics involved in generating leadership processes by modeling how the loci and mechanisms interact through a series of leadership event cycles. We discuss the major implications of this model for advancing an integrative understanding of what constitutes leadership and its current and future impact on the field of psychological theory, research, and practice. © 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Calculation of quantum-mechanical system energy spectra using path integrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evseev, A.M.; Dmitriev, V.P.

1977-01-01

A solution of the Feynman quantum-mechanical integral connecting a wave function (psi (x, t)) at a moment t+tau (tau → 0) with the wave function at the moment t is provided by complex variable substitution and subsequent path integration. Time dependence of the wave function is calculated by the Monte Carlo method. The Fourier inverse transformation of the wave function by path integration calculated has been applied to determine the energy spectra. Energy spectra are presented of a hydrogen atom derived from wave function psi (x, t) at different x, as well as boson energy spectra of He, Li, and Be atoms obtained from psi (x, t) at X = O

The Investigation of Youth Religiosity, with the Emphasis on Self Referential Religiosity (Using Grounded Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arash Hassan pour

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Religiosity has been pluralized and diversified at present era. This study, accepted this presupposition that religiosity as a varied, diverse and instable issue is out of duality of being religiousness or not. By accepting this presupposition we study and interpret one type of religiosity among youth in Isfahan. To achieve the given purpose, by review the previous studies, in interpretive approach, qualitative method framework, Grounded Theory tradition, interview and Simmel theory about religiosity, data is collected. Based on the findings of the study, and with criteria of “self-recognition” we discovered and identified Self referential religiosity. Also, the results of the qualitative data reveal that religiosity of Youth change to: individual, non-compulsory, private, dispositional, and selective, based on self- Intellection, non-accepting heteronomy of religious institution and tend to contingency, hedonistic Phenomena. Finally In this study we also tried to offer, describe and illustrate paradigmatic model of qualitative data in frame of casual, contextual, consequential circumstances about advent and influence this type of religiosity.

Five-Year-Olds’ and Adults’ Use of Paralinguistic Cues to Overcome Referential Uncertainty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justine M. Thacker

2018-02-01

Full Text Available An eye-tracking methodology was used to explore adults’ and children’s use of two utterance-based cues to overcome referential uncertainty in real time. Participants were first introduced to two characters with distinct color preferences. These characters then produced fluent (“Look! Look at the blicket.” or disfluent (“Look! Look at thee, uh, blicket.” instructions referring to novel objects in a display containing both talker-preferred and talker-dispreferred colored items. Adults (Expt 1, n = 24 directed a greater proportion of looks to talker-preferred objects during the initial portion of the utterance (“Look! Look at…”, reflecting the use of indexical cues for talker identity. However, they immediately reduced consideration of an object bearing the talker’s preferred color when the talker was disfluent, suggesting they infer disfluency would be more likely as a talker describes dispreferred objects. Like adults, 5-year-olds (Expt 2, n = 27 directed more attention to talker-preferred objects during the initial portion of the utterance. Children’s initial predictions, however, were not modulated when disfluency was encountered. Together, these results demonstrate that adults, but not 5-year-olds, can act on information from two talker-produced cues within an utterance, talker preference, and speech disfluencies, to establish reference.

The Routh theorem for mechanical systems with unknown first integrals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karapetyan Alexander V.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we discuss problems of stability of stationary motions of conservative and dissipative mechanical systems with first integrals. General results are illustrated by the problem of motion of a rotationally symmetric rigid body on a perfectly rough plane.

Transcriptional integration of mitogenic and mechanical signals by Myc and YAP.

Science.gov (United States)

Croci, Ottavio; De Fazio, Serena; Biagioni, Francesca; Donato, Elisa; Caganova, Marieta; Curti, Laura; Doni, Mirko; Sberna, Silvia; Aldeghi, Deborah; Biancotto, Chiara; Verrecchia, Alessandro; Olivero, Daniela; Amati, Bruno; Campaner, Stefano

2017-10-15

Mammalian cells must integrate environmental cues to determine coherent physiological responses. The transcription factors Myc and YAP-TEAD act downstream from mitogenic signals, with the latter responding also to mechanical cues. Here, we show that these factors coordinately regulate genes required for cell proliferation. Activation of Myc led to extensive association with its genomic targets, most of which were prebound by TEAD. At these loci, recruitment of YAP was Myc-dependent and led to full transcriptional activation. This cooperation was critical for cell cycle entry, organ growth, and tumorigenesis. Thus, Myc and YAP-TEAD integrate mitogenic and mechanical cues at the transcriptional level to provide multifactorial control of cell proliferation. © 2017 Croci et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Path integrals in quantum mechanics, statistics, polymer physics, and financial markets

CERN Document Server

Kleinert, Hagen

2009-01-01

This is the fifth, expanded edition of the comprehensive textbook published in 1990 on the theory and applications of path integrals. It is the first book to explicitly solve path integrals of a wide variety of nontrivial quantum-mechanical systems, in particular the hydrogen atom. The solutions have been made possible by two major advances. The first is a new euclidean path integral formula which increases the restricted range of applicability of Feynman's time-sliced formula to include singular attractive 1/r- and 1/r2-potentials. The second is a new nonholonomic mapping principle carrying p

High Gain Antenna System Deployment Mechanism Integration, Characterization, and Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

Parong, Fil; Russell, Blair; Garcen, Walter; Rose, Chris; Johnson, Chris; Huber, Craig

2014-01-01

The integration and deployment testing of the High Gain Antenna System for the Global Precipitation Measurement mission is summarized. The HGAS deployment mechanism is described. The gravity negation system configuration and its influence on vertical, ground-based, deployment tests are presented with test data and model predictions. A focus is made on the late discovery and resolution of a potentially mission degrading deployment interference condition. The interaction of the flight deployment mechanism, gravity negation mechanism, and use of dynamic modeling is described and lessons learned presented.

Data integration reveals key homeostatic mechanisms following low dose radiation exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tilton, Susan C.; Matzke, Melissa M. [Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99338 (United States); Sowa, Marianne B.; Stenoien, David L.; Weber, Thomas J. [Health Impacts and Exposure Science, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99338 (United States); Morgan, William F. [Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99338 (United States); Waters, Katrina M., E-mail: katrina.waters@pnnl.gov [Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99338 (United States)

2015-05-15

The goal of this study was to define pathways regulated by low dose radiation to understand how biological systems respond to subtle perturbations in their environment and prioritize pathways for human health assessment. Using an in vitro 3-D human full thickness skin model, we have examined the temporal response of dermal and epidermal layers to 10 cGy X-ray using transcriptomic, proteomic, phosphoproteomic and metabolomic platforms. Bioinformatics analysis of each dataset independently revealed potential signaling mechanisms affected by low dose radiation, and integrating data shed additional insight into the mechanisms regulating low dose responses in human tissue. We examined direct interactions among datasets (top down approach) and defined several hubs as significant regulators, including transcription factors (YY1, MYC and CREB1), kinases (CDK2, PLK1) and a protease (MMP2). These data indicate a shift in response across time — with an increase in DNA repair, tissue remodeling and repression of cell proliferation acutely (24–72 h). Pathway-based integration (bottom up approach) identified common molecular and pathway responses to low dose radiation, including oxidative stress, nitric oxide signaling and transcriptional regulation through the SP1 factor that would not have been identified by the individual data sets. Significant regulation of key downstream metabolites of nitrative stress was measured within these pathways. Among the features identified in our study, the regulation of MMP2 and SP1 was experimentally validated. Our results demonstrate the advantage of data integration to broadly define the pathways and networks that represent the mechanisms by which complex biological systems respond to perturbation. - Highlights: • Low dose ionizing radiation altered homeostasis in 3D skin tissue model. • Global gene/protein/metabolite data integrated using complementary statistical approaches • Time and location-specific change in matrix regulation

Mechanical integration studies for the CLIC vertex and inner tracking detectors

CERN Document Server

Villarejo Bermudez, M.A.; Gerwig, H.

2015-01-01

Since the publication of the CLIC Conceptual Design Report, work has proceeded in order to establish a preliminary mechanical design for the innermost CLIC detector region. This note proposes a design for the main Carbon-Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) structural elements of the inner detectors, for the beam pipe and their supports. It also describes an assembly sequence for the integration of the sensors and the mechanical components. Mechanical simulations of different structural elements and a material budget estimation are appended. Details of a proposed cabling layout for all the subdetectors are included.

Technical note. A review of the mechanical integrity of the canister

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segle, Peter

2012-01-01

Background: The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) reviews the Swedish Nuclear Fuel Company's (SKB) applications under the Act on Nuclear Activities (SFS 1984:3) for the construction and operation of a repository for spent nuclear fuel and for an encapsulation facility. As part of the review, SSM commissions consultants to carry out work in order to obtain information on specific issues. The results from the consultants' tasks are reported in SSM's Technical Note series. Objectives of the project: This project is part of SSM:s review of SKB:s license application for final disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The assignment concerns a review of the mechanical integrity of the canister. Summary by the author: An introductory review of SR-Site has been conducted with respect to the mechanical integrity of the canister. The review is focused on the copper canister and the nodular cast iron insert. Review results show that a number of loads and loading scenarios for the copper canister has not been analysed by SKB. The importance of sufficient creep ductility of the copper material and sufficient ductility and fracture toughness of the nodular cast iron material is pointed out in the review. A sensitivity study is suggested where the impact of these properties on the mechanical integrity of the canister is investigated. It is also suggested that potential damage mechanisms influencing these properties are further investigated. SKB's modelling of creep elongation at rupture under repository conditions is questioned. Needs for complementary information from SKB for the main review of SR-Site is listed. A list of review topics for SSM is also suggested

Mechanical behaviour of textile-reinforced thermoplastics with integrated sensor network components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hufenbach, W.; Adam, F.; Fischer, W.-J.; Kunadt, A.; Weck, D.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Consideration of two types of integrated bus systems for textile-reinforced thermoplastics with embedded sensor networks. → Specimens with bus systems made of flexible printed circuit boards show good mechanical performance compared to the reference. → Inhomogeneous interface and reduced stiffnesses and strengths for specimens with bus systems basing on single copper wires. -- Abstract: The embedding of sensor networks into textile-reinforced thermoplastics enables the design of function-integrative lightweight components suitable for high volume production. In order to investigate the mechanical behaviour of such functionalised composites, two types of bus systems are selected as exemplary components of sensor networks. These elements are embedded into glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (GF/PP) during the layup process of unconsolidated weft-knitted GF/PP-preforms. Two fibre orientations are considered and orthotropic composite plates are manufactured by hot pressing technology. Micrograph investigations and computer tomography analyses show different interface qualities between the thermoplastic composite and the two types of bus systems. Mechanical tests under tensile and flexural loading indicate a significant influence of the embedded bus system elements on the structural stiffness and strength.

Integrable systems and lie symmetries in classical mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, T.

1986-01-01

The interrelationship between integrability and symmetries in classical mechanics is studied. Two-dimensional time- and velocity-independent potentials form the domain of the study. It is shown that, contrary to folklore, existence of a single finite symmetry does not ensure integrability. A method due to Darboux is used to construct potentials that admit a time-independent invariant. All potentials admitting invariants linear or quadratic in the momentum coordinates are constructed. These are the only integrable potentials which can be expressed as arbitrary functions of certain arguments. A complete construction of potentials admitting higher-order invariants does not seem possible. However, the necessary general forms for potentials that admit a particular invariant of arbitrary order are found. These invariants must be spherically symmetric in the leading terms. Two kinds of symmetries are studied: point Lie symmetries of the Newtonian equations of motion for conservative potentials, and point Noether symmetries of the action functionals obtained from the standard Lagrangians associated with these potentials. All conservative potentials which admit these symmetries are constructed. The class of potentials admitting Noether symmetries is shown to be a subclass of those admitting Lie symmetries

Framework programmable platform for the advanced software development workstation. Integration mechanism design document

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Richard J.; Blinn, Thomas M.; Mayer, Paula S. D.; Reddy, Uday; Ackley, Keith; Futrell, Mike

1991-01-01

The Framework Programmable Software Development Platform (FPP) is a project aimed at combining effective tool and data integration mechanisms with a model of the software development process in an intelligent integrated software development environment. Guided by this model, this system development framework will take advantage of an integrated operating environment to automate effectively the management of the software development process so that costly mistakes during the development phase can be eliminated.

Mechanical Integrity Issues at MCM-Cs for High Reliability Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgenstern, H.A.; Tarbutton, T.J.; Becka, G.A.; Uribe, F.; Monroe, S.; Burchett, S.

1998-01-01

During the qualification of a new high reliability low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) multichip module (MCM), two issues relating to the electrical and mechanical integrity of the LTCC network were encountered while performing qualification testing. One was electrical opens after aging tests that were caused by cracks in the solder joints. The other was fracturing of the LTCC networks during mechanical testing. Through failure analysis, computer modeling, bend testing, and test samples, changes were identified. Upon implementation of all these changes, the modules passed testing, and the MCM was placed into production

DESI focal plate mechanical integration and cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, A. R.; Besuner, R. W.; Claybaugh, T. M.; Silber, J. H.

2016-08-01

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is under construction to measure the expansion history of the Universe using the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation technique[1]. The spectra of 40 million galaxies over 14000 sq. deg will be measured during the life of the experiment. A new prime focus corrector for the KPNO Mayall telescope will deliver light to 5000 fiber optic positioners. The fibers in turn feed ten broad-band spectrographs. This paper describes the mechanical integration of the DESI focal plate and the thermal system design. The DESI focal plate is comprised of ten identical petal assemblies. Each petal contains 500 robotic fiber positioners. Each petal is a complete, self-contained unit, independent from the others, with integrated power supply, controllers, fiber routing, and cooling services. The major advantages of this scheme are: (1) supports installation and removal of complete petal assemblies in-situ, without disturbing the others, (2) component production, assembly stations, and test procedures are repeated and parallelizable, (3) a complete, full-scale prototype can be built and tested at an early date, (4) each production petal can be surveyed and tested as a complete unit, prior to integration, from the fiber tip at the focal surface to the fiber slit at the spectrograph. The ten petal assemblies will be installed in a single integration ring, which is mounted to the DESI corrector. The aluminum integration ring attaches to the steel corrector barrel via a flexured steel adapter, isolating the focal plate from differential thermal expansions. The plate scale will be kept stable by conductive cooling of the petal assembly. The guider and wavefront sensors (one per petal) will be convectively cooled by forced flow of air. Heat will be removed from the system at ten liquid-cooled cold plates, one per petal, operating at ambient temperature. The entire focal plate structure is enclosed in an insulating shroud, which serves as a thermal barrier

INTEGRATING DISTRIBUTED WORK: COMPARING TASK DESIGN, COMMUNICATION, AND TACIT COORDINATION MECHANISMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Srikanth, K.; Puranam, P.

2011-01-01

We investigate coordination strategies in integrating distributed work. In the context of Business Process Offshoring (BPO), we analyze survey data from 126 offshored processes to understand both the sources of difficulty in integrating distributed work as well as how organizations overcome...... on tacit coordination-and theoretically articulate and empirically show that tacit coordination mechanisms are distinct from the well-known duo of coordination strategies: building communication channels or modularizing processes to minimize the need for communication. We discuss implications for the study...

Biological information systems: Evolution as cognition-based information management.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, William B

2018-05-01

An alternative biological synthesis is presented that conceptualizes evolutionary biology as an epiphenomenon of integrated self-referential information management. Since all biological information has inherent ambiguity, the systematic assessment of information is required by living organisms to maintain self-identity and homeostatic equipoise in confrontation with environmental challenges. Through their self-referential attachment to information space, cells are the cornerstone of biological action. That individualized assessment of information space permits self-referential, self-organizing niche construction. That deployment of information and its subsequent selection enacted the dominant stable unicellular informational architectures whose biological expressions are the prokaryotic, archaeal, and eukaryotic unicellular forms. Multicellularity represents the collective appraisal of equivocal environmental information through a shared information space. This concerted action can be viewed as systematized information management to improve information quality for the maintenance of preferred homeostatic boundaries among the varied participants. When reiterated in successive scales, this same collaborative exchange of information yields macroscopic organisms as obligatory multicellular holobionts. Cognition-Based Evolution (CBE) upholds that assessment of information precedes biological action, and the deployment of information through integrative self-referential niche construction and natural cellular engineering antecedes selection. Therefore, evolutionary biology can be framed as a complex reciprocating interactome that consists of the assessment, communication, deployment and management of information by self-referential organisms at multiple scales in continuous confrontation with environmental stresses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fatigue, Indolence And The There Is, Or, The Temporal Logic Of Collage In Donald Barthelme’s Snow White

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuzanna Ładyga

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The essay examines Donald Barthelme’s Snow White’s from the perspective of the ethical philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas. Drawing on a reciprocity between Barthelme’s collage principle and Levinas’s notion of the there is, the paper applies the concept in the analysis of Snow White’s referential and affect construction strategies. The novel is proven to textualize the ethical dimension of Barthelme’s referential uses of language, while the figure of Snow White is demonstrated to be the trope of the referentiality-performativity conflict that lies at the core of a literary collage. The tension between referentiality and performativity is further developed in Barthelme’s novel via the figures of Bill and Paul, who, in the context of Levinas’s concepts of fatigue and indolence respectively, are interpreted as the tropological markers of the temporal mechanism of Snow White’s collage. Accordingly, Bill’s constant weariness is interpreted as a trope of referentiality, and Paul’s inertia as narrating the mechanism of language performatives. Since the suspension between the two tropes propels the text’s constant self-questioning, a process mirroring Levinas’s idea of how ethical subjectivity hypostatically emerges in language as a questioning of its ontological stability, it is argued that the mechanism of subject construction strategy in Snow White follows a similar logic.

Effect of the Shrink Fit and Mechanical Tolerance on Reactor Coolant Pump Flywheel Integrity Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Donghak [Korea KHNP Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

Reactor coolant pump (RCP) flywheel should satisfy the RCP flywheel integrity criteria of the US NRC standard review plan (SRP) 5.4.1.1 and regulatory guide (RG) 1.14. Shrink-fit and rotational stresses should be calculated to evaluate the integrity. In this paper the effects of the shrink fit and mechanical tolerance on the RCP flywheel integrity evaluation are studied. The shrink fit should be determined by the joint release speed and the stresses in the flywheel will be increased by the shrink fit. The stress at the interface between the hub and the outer wheel shows the highest value. The effect of the mechanical tolerance should be considered for the stress evaluation. And the effect of the mechanical tolerance should be not considered to determine the joint release speed.

Effect of the Shrink Fit and Mechanical Tolerance on Reactor Coolant Pump Flywheel Integrity Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Donghak

2015-01-01

Reactor coolant pump (RCP) flywheel should satisfy the RCP flywheel integrity criteria of the US NRC standard review plan (SRP) 5.4.1.1 and regulatory guide (RG) 1.14. Shrink-fit and rotational stresses should be calculated to evaluate the integrity. In this paper the effects of the shrink fit and mechanical tolerance on the RCP flywheel integrity evaluation are studied. The shrink fit should be determined by the joint release speed and the stresses in the flywheel will be increased by the shrink fit. The stress at the interface between the hub and the outer wheel shows the highest value. The effect of the mechanical tolerance should be considered for the stress evaluation. And the effect of the mechanical tolerance should be not considered to determine the joint release speed

HMP-1/α-catenin promotes junctional mechanical integrity during morphogenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thanh Thi Kim Vuong-Brender

Full Text Available Adherens junctions (AJs are key structures regulating tissue integrity and maintaining adhesion between cells. During morphogenesis, junctional proteins cooperate closely with the actomyosin network to drive cell movement and shape changes. How the junctions integrate the mechanical forces in space and in time during an in vivo morphogenetic event is still largely unknown, due to a lack of quantitative data. To address this issue, we inserted a functional Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET-based force biosensor within HMP-1/α-catenin of Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that the tension exerted on HMP-1 has a cell-specific distribution, is actomyosin-dependent, but is regulated differently from the tension on the actin cortex during embryonic elongation. By using time-lapse analysis of mutants and tissue-specific rescue experiments, we confirm the role of VAB-9/Claudin as an actin bundle anchor. Nevertheless, the tension exerted on HMP-1 did not increase in the absence of VAB-9/Claudin, suggesting that HMP-1 activity is not upregulated to compensate for loss of VAB-9. Our data indicate that HMP-1 does not modulate HMR-1/E-cadherin turnover, is required to recruit junctional actin but not stress fiber-like actin bundles. Altogether, our data suggest that HMP-1/α-catenin acts to promote the mechanical integrity of adherens junctions.

Looking at a contrast object before speaking boosts referential informativeness, but is not essential.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Catherine; Kreysa, Helene

2017-07-01

Variation in referential form has traditionally been accounted for by theoretical frameworks focusing on linguistic and discourse features. Despite the explosion of interest in eye tracking methods in psycholinguistics, the role of visual scanning behaviour in informative reference production is yet to be comprehensively investigated. Here we examine the relationship between speakers' fixations to relevant referents and the form of the referring expressions they produce. Overall, speakers were fully informative across simple and (to a lesser extent) more complex displays, providing appropriately modified referring expressions to enable their addressee to locate the target object. Analysis of contrast fixations revealed that looking at a contrast object boosts but is not essential for full informativeness. Contrast fixations which take place immediately before speaking provide the greatest boost. Informative referring expressions were also associated with later speech onsets than underinformative ones. Based on the finding that fixations during speech planning facilitate but do not fully predict informative referring, direct visual scanning is ruled out as a prerequisite for informativeness. Instead, pragmatic expectations of informativeness may play a more important role. Results are consistent with a goal-based link between eye movements and language processing, here applied for the first time to production processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A variational integrators approach to second order modeling and identification of linear mechanical systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruschetta, M.; Saccon, A.; Picci, G.

2014-01-01

The theory of variational integration provides a systematic procedure to discretize the equations of motion of a mechanical system, preserving key properties of the continuous time flow. The discrete-time model obtained by variational integration theory inherits structural conditions which in

The use of the J* integral for non-linear fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellen, T.K.

1976-09-01

The Griffith energy balance criterion, first postulated over 50 years ago, is still the basis of linear elastic fracture mechanics. From this, accurate numerical methods for establishing stress intensity factors and energy release rates have been developed. One such method involves path independent contour integrals about the crack tip. An improved contour integral, designated J* is discussed, and shown to have distinct advantages over others in non-linear strain situations. A number of examples are shown including fractures in thermo-plastic and creep situations. (author)

Optimization of the pumping ring in a mechanical seal with an integrated cooler for feed-water pumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchdahl, D.; Martin, R.; Gueret, G.; Blanc, M.

1994-07-01

To simplify maintenance, E.D.F. along with its collaborators undertook the study of mechanical seal with integrated cooler used in feed-water pumps in the nuclear power plants. The cooler, integrated to the pump acts as a thermal barrier as well as a cooler of the mechanical seal. The water circulation in the cooler is assumed by an integrated pumping ring in the rotary part of the mechanical seal, with a matching screw thread in the pumping case. This assembly of mechanical seal/integrated cooler is tested in a test loop at the EDF/DER Laboratory. All working conditions are similar to that at site. Tests with different configurations of the rotor/stator profiles are performed, i.e.; different lengths and types of threading. Hydraulic performances and the global thermal balance of this assembly are studied. Our basic aim during these tests is to optimize the hydraulic performance of the pumping ring so as to best cool the mechanical seal faces. The different results obtained and the conclusions drawn during these tests are presented. (authors). 7 figs., 3 refs

The mechanism of development of integration processes in the region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Bautin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the context of the weakening economic development of the region, it is necessary to find new ways to increase the efficiency of interaction between the economic structures of the region. One of the areas is the development of integration processes in the field of cooperation between the public and private capital to meet the goals and objectives of the effective functioning of both the participants of integration interaction, as well as the region as a whole. Factors that influence the emergence and development of integration processes, are a scarce resource; motivated by the need to diversify the business; the desire to improve the economic efficiency of business entities. Development grace-integral process is economic interaction managing subjects, followed by combining them to achieve common objectives and obtain the synergistic effect due to a number of resource solutions, organizational and administrative problems. To obtain high economic benefits of integration interaction of the participants, we have proposed a mechanism for the development of integration processes in the region, based on three levels of interaction between regional authorities, educational institutions and private organizations. It allows forming a single chain integration and process management to increase the effectiveness of their implementation in practice, and to avoid the disadvantages associated with the formation of the integrated structures. Integration cooperation of regional authorities with organizations of various spheres of activity of the region and education (research organizations is a key component of the new Russian innovation policy because, if done right, it provides broader benefits from investments in research and development, creating favorable conditions for sustainable innovation development and is a strategic factor in the economic growth of the region.

Neurocognitive mechanisms of the flow state.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, David J; Vine, Samuel J; Wilson, Mark R

2017-01-01

While the experience of flow is often described in attentional terms-focused concentration or task absorption-specific cognitive mechanisms have received limited interest. We propose that an attentional explanation provides the best way to advance theoretical models and produce practical applications, as well as providing potential solutions to core issues such as how an objectively difficult task can be subjectively effortless. Recent research has begun to utilize brain-imaging techniques to investigate neurocognitive changes during flow, which enables attentional mechanisms to be understood in greater detail. Some tensions within flow research are discussed; including the dissociation between psychophysiological and experiential measures, and the equivocal neuroimaging findings supporting prominent accounts of hypofrontality. While flow has received only preliminary investigation from a neuroscientific perspective, findings already provide important insights into the crucial role played by higher-order attentional networks, and clear indications of reduced activity in brain regions linked to self-referential processing. The manner in which these processes may benefit sporting performance are discussed. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integrated Stress Response Mediates Epithelial Injury in Mechanical Ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolinay, Tamas; Himes, Blanca E; Shumyatcher, Maya; Lawrence, Gladys Gray; Margulies, Susan S

2017-08-01

Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is a severe complication of mechanical ventilation that can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome. VILI is characterized by damage to the epithelial barrier with subsequent pulmonary edema and profound hypoxia. Available lung-protective ventilator strategies offer only a modest benefit in preventing VILI because they cannot impede alveolar overdistension and concomitant epithelial barrier dysfunction in the inflamed lung regions. There are currently no effective biochemical therapies to mitigate injury to the alveolar epithelium. We hypothesize that alveolar stretch activates the integrated stress response (ISR) pathway and that the chemical inhibition of this pathway mitigates alveolar barrier disruption during stretch and mechanical ventilation. Using our established rat primary type I-like alveolar epithelial cell monolayer stretch model and in vivo rat mechanical ventilation that mimics the alveolar overdistension seen in acute respiratory distress syndrome, we studied epithelial responses to mechanical stress. Our studies revealed that the ISR signaling pathway is a key modulator of epithelial permeability. We show that prolonged epithelial stretch and injurious mechanical ventilation activate the ISR, leading to increased alveolar permeability, cell death, and proinflammatory signaling. Chemical inhibition of protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase, an upstream regulator of the pathway, resulted in decreased injury signaling and improved barrier function after prolonged cyclic stretch and injurious mechanical ventilation. Our results provide new evidence that therapeutic targeting of the ISR can mitigate VILI.

Nobiletin improves emotional and novelty recognition memory but not spatial referential memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jiyun; Shin, Jung-Won; Kim, Yoo-Rim; Swanberg, Kelley M; Kim, Yooseung; Bae, Jae Ryong; Kim, Young Ki; Lee, Jinwon; Kim, Soo-Yeon; Sohn, Nak-Won; Maeng, Sungho

2017-01-01

How to maintain and enhance cognitive functions for both aged and young populations is a highly interesting subject. But candidate memory-enhancing reagents are tested almost exclusively on lesioned or aged animals. Also, there is insufficient information on the type of memory these reagents can improve. Working memory, located in the prefrontal cortex, manages short-term sensory information, but, by gaining significant relevance, this information is converted to long-term memory by hippocampal formation and/or amygdala, followed by tagging with space-time or emotional cues, respectively. Nobiletin is a product of citrus peel known for cognitive-enhancing effects in various pharmacological and neurodegenerative disease models, yet, it is not well studied in non-lesioned animals and the type of memory that nobiletin can improve remains unclear. In this study, 8-week-old male mice were tested using behavioral measurements for working, spatial referential, emotional and visual recognition memory after daily administration of nobiletin. While nobiletin did not induce any change of spontaneous activity in the open field test, freezing by fear conditioning and novel object recognition increased. However, the effectiveness of spatial navigation in the Y-maze and Morris water maze was not improved. These results mean that nobiletin can specifically improve memories of emotionally salient information associated with fear and novelty, but not of spatial information without emotional saliency. Accordingly, the use of nobiletin on normal subjects as a memory enhancer would be more effective on emotional types but may have limited value for the improvement of episodic memories.

[The triad configuration, humanist-existential-personal: a theoretical and methodological approach to psychiatric and mental health nursing].

Science.gov (United States)

Vietta, E P

1995-01-01

The author establishes a research line based on a theoretical-methodological referential for the qualitative investigation of psychiatric nursing and mental health. Aspects of humanist and existential philosophies and personalism were evaluated integrating them in a unique perspective. In order to maintain the scientific method of research in this referential the categorization process which will be adopted in this kind of investigation was explained.

Analytical study on optically measured surface profiles of referential geometry using a finite-difference time-domain method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, A; Hayashi, S; Fujii, S; Yanagi, K

2014-01-01

This paper deals with the functional performance of optical surface texture measuring instruments on the market. It is well known that their height response curves against certain referential geometry are not always identical to each other. So, a more precise study on the optical instrument's characteristics is greatly needed. Firstly, we developed a new simulation tool using a finite-difference time-domain technique, which enables the prediction of the height response curve against the fundamental surface geometry in the case of the confocal laser scanning microscope. Secondly, by utilizing this new simulation tool, measurement results, including outliers, were compared with the analytical simulation results. The comparison showed the consistency, which indicates that necessary conditions of surface measurement standards for verifying the instrument performance can be established. Consequently, we suggest that the maximum measurable slope angle must be added to evaluation subjects as significant metrological characteristics of measuring instruments, along with the lateral period limit. Finally, we propose a procedure to determine the lateral period limit in an ISO standard. (paper)

Defect forces, defect couples and path integrals in fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, R.L.

1979-07-01

In this work, it is shown that the path integrals can be introduced without any reference to the material behavior. The method is based on the definition in a continuous medium of a set of vectors and couples having the dimension of a force or a moment. More precisely, definitions are given of volume defect forces, surface defect forces, volume defect couples, and surface defect couples. This is done with the help of the stress working variation of a particule moving through the solid. The most important result is: the resultant of all the defect forces included in a volume V is the J integral on the surface surrounding V and the moment resultant is the L integral. So these integrals are defined without any assumption on the material constitutive equation. Another result is the material form of the virtual work principle - defect forces are acting like conventional forces in the conventional principles of virtual work. This lead to the introduction of the energy momentum tensor and of the associated couple stress. Application of this method is made to fracture mechanics in studying the defect forces distribution around a crack [fr

2.5-year-olds use cross-situational consistency to learn verbs under referential uncertainty.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Rose M; Fisher, Cynthia

2012-02-01

Recent evidence shows that children can use cross-situational statistics to learn new object labels under referential ambiguity (e.g., Smith & Yu, 2008). Such evidence has been interpreted as support for proposals that statistical information about word-referent co-occurrence plays a powerful role in word learning. But object labels represent only a fraction of the vocabulary children acquire, and arguably represent the simplest case of word learning based on observations of world scenes. Here we extended the study of cross-situational word learning to a new segment of the vocabulary, action verbs, to permit a stronger test of the role of statistical information in word learning. In two experiments, on each trial 2.5-year-olds encountered two novel intransitive (e.g., "She's pimming!"; Experiment 1) or transitive verbs (e.g., "She's pimming her toy!"; Experiment 2) while viewing two action events. The consistency with which each verb accompanied each action provided the only source of information about the intended referent of each verb. The 2.5-year-olds used cross-situational consistency in verb learning, but also showed significant limits on their ability to do so as the sentences and scenes became slightly more complex. These findings help to define the role of cross-situational observation in word learning. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The plant cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism--a case study of a cell wall plasma membrane signaling network.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Thorsten

2015-04-01

Some of the most important functions of plant cell walls are protection against biotic/abiotic stress and structural support during growth and development. A prerequisite for plant cell walls to perform these functions is the ability to perceive different types of stimuli in both qualitative and quantitative manners and initiate appropriate responses. The responses in turn involve adaptive changes in cellular and cell wall metabolism leading to modifications in the structures originally required for perception. While our knowledge about the underlying plant mechanisms is limited, results from Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggest the cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism represents an excellent example to illustrate how the molecular mechanisms responsible for stimulus perception, signal transduction and integration can function. Here I will review the available knowledge about the yeast cell wall integrity maintenance system for illustration purposes, summarize the limited knowledge available about the corresponding plant mechanism and discuss the relevance of the plant cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism in biotic stress responses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proof of integrity and ageing management of mechanical components in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roos, E.; Herter, K.-H.; Kockelmann, H.; Schuler, X.

2005-01-01

Demands and requirements for a safe operation of mechanical components during the whole operation life time (plant life management) to assure aging phenomena (aging management) and to prove the integrity (prove of integrity, e.g. in order to exclude large breaks) can be found in guidelines, codes and standards. In the present paper a general concept to proof the integrity as part of the ageing management of pressurized components and systems is presented. The concept is based on the actual material characteristics, the actual as-built configurations and the design of the components and systems including the knowledge of possible failure mechanism during operation. An important part of the assessment is the leak before break behavior and the break preclusion concept. Based on essential research results the developed procedures and methodologies for the assessment of the critical crack sizes as well as the critical loading conditions are reported and discussed. In detail the following aspects have to be treated: (a) evaluation of the as-built status of quality (design, construction, material, fabrication; results of recurrent non destructive examinations up to now, operational experience); (b) determination of the relevant loading conditions by means of in-service monitoring (monitoring of the mode of operation, the water chemistry, the mechanical and thermal stresses, the dynamic loading), emergency and faulted condition loads as specified; (c) evaluation of the actual status of quality with respect to the relevant loading conditions (stress analysis-limitation of the stresses; fatigue analysis-determination of the usage factor; fracture mechanics analysis-determination of crack growth, critical crack sizes and loading conditions); (d) evaluation and extent of the in-service monitoring and recurrent inspections to guarantee the succeeding operation (recurrent non destructive examination - minimum detectable flaw sizes, examination area, examination intervals; leak

Li-ion Battery Separators, Mechanical Integrity and Failure Mechanisms Leading to Soft and Hard Internal Shorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaowei; Sahraei, Elham; Wang, Kai

2016-09-01

Separator integrity is an important factor in preventing internal short circuit in lithium-ion batteries. Local penetration tests (nail or conical punch) often produce presumably sporadic results, where in exactly similar cell and test set-ups one cell goes to thermal runaway while the other shows minimal reactions. We conducted an experimental study of the separators under mechanical loading, and discovered two distinct deformation and failure mechanisms, which could explain the difference in short circuit characteristics of otherwise similar tests. Additionally, by investigation of failure modes, we provided a hypothesis about the process of formation of local "soft short circuits" in cells with undetectable failure. Finally, we proposed a criterion for predicting onset of soft short from experimental data.

Integrity evaluation of power plant components by fracture mechanics and related techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukherjee, B.; Vanderglas, M.L.; Davies, P.H.

1982-01-01

Power plant components can be subject to unexpected failures with serious consequences, unless careful attention is paid to minute crack defects and their possible growth. The Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics approach to structural integrity evaluation, as it appears in the ASME Code, is discussed. Projects related to material data generation and the development of structural analysis methods to make the above method usable are described. Several integrity-related questions outside the scope of the Code guidelines are documented, concluding with comments on possible future developments

Numerical calculations in elementary quantum mechanics using Feynman path integrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scher, G.; Smith, M.; Baranger, M.

1980-01-01

We show that it is possible to do numerical calculations in elementary quantum mechanics using Feynman path integrals. Our method involves discretizing both time and space, and summing paths through matrix multiplication. We give numerical results for various one-dimensional potentials. The calculations of energy levels and wavefunctions take approximately 100 times longer than with standard methods, but there are other problems for which such an approach should be more efficient

Natural color image segmentation using integrated mechanism

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jie Xu (徐杰); Pengfei Shi (施鹏飞)

2003-01-01

A new method for natural color image segmentation using integrated mechanism is proposed in this paper.Edges are first detected in term of the high phase congruency in the gray-level image. K-mean cluster is used to label long edge lines based on the global color information to estimate roughly the distribution of objects in the image, while short ones are merged based on their positions and local color differences to eliminate the negative affection caused by texture or other trivial features in image. Region growing technique is employed to achieve final segmentation results. The proposed method unifies edges, whole and local color distributions, as well as spatial information to solve the natural image segmentation problem.The feasibility and effectiveness of this method have been demonstrated by various experiments.

Integrated design of castings: effect of porosity on mechanical performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardin, R A; Beckermann, C

2012-01-01

Porosity can significantly reduce the strength and durability of castings in service. An integrated design approach has been developed where casting simulation is combined with mechanical performance simulations. Predictions of the porosity distribution from the casting process simulation are transferred to and used in stress and fatigue life simulations. Thus, the effect of casting quality on service performance can be evaluated. Results of a study are presented where the measured porosity distribution in cast steel specimens is transferred to an elasto-plastic finite-element stress analysis model. Methods are developed to locally reduce the mechanical properties according to the porosity present, without having to resolve individual pores. Plastic deformation is modeled using porous metal plasticity theory. The predictions are compared to tensile measurements performed on the specimens. The complex deformations and the reductions in the ductility of the specimens due to porosity are predicted well. The predicted stresses are transferred to a fatigue analysis code that takes the porosity distribution into account as well. The measured and predicted fatigue lives are also in good agreement. Finally, the results of a case study are presented that illustrate the utility of the present integrated approach in optimizing the design of a steel casting.

A Neural Path Integration Mechanism for Adaptive Vector Navigation in Autonomous Agents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goldschmidt, Dennis; Dasgupta, Sakyasingha; Wörgötter, Florentin

2015-01-01

Animals show remarkable capabilities in navigating their habitat in a fully autonomous and energy-efficient way. In many species, these capabilities rely on a process called path integration, which enables them to estimate their current location and to find their way back home after long-distance...... of autonomous agent navigation, but it also reproduces various aspects of animal navigation. Finally, we discuss how the proposed path integration mechanism may be used as a scaffold for spatial learning in terms of vector navigation.......Animals show remarkable capabilities in navigating their habitat in a fully autonomous and energy-efficient way. In many species, these capabilities rely on a process called path integration, which enables them to estimate their current location and to find their way back home after long...

Noether symmetries and integrability in time-dependent Hamiltonian mechanics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovanović Božidar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We consider Noether symmetries within Hamiltonian setting as transformations that preserve Poincaré-Cartan form, i.e., as symmetries of characteristic line bundles of nondegenerate 1-forms. In the case when the Poincaré-Cartan form is contact, the explicit expression for the symmetries in the inverse Noether theorem is given. As examples, we consider natural mechanical systems, in particular the Kepler problem. Finally, we prove a variant of the theorem on complete (non-commutative integrability in terms of Noether symmetries of time-dependent Hamiltonian systems.

The heart as a self-regulating system: integration of homeodynamic mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kresh, J Y; Armour, J A

1997-04-01

In the past the study of mechanical and electrical properties of the heart has been disjointed with minimal overlap and unification. The fact remains that these features are tightly coupled and central to the functioning heart. The maintenance of adequate cardiac output relies upon the highly integrated autoregulatory mechanisms and modulation of cardiac myocyte function. Regional ventricular mechanics and energetics are dependent upon muscle fiber stress-strain rate, the passive properties of myocardial collagen matrix, adequate vascular perfusion, transcapillary transport and electrical activation pattern. Intramural hydraulic "loading" is regulated by coronary arterial and venous dynamics. All of these components are under the constant influence of intrinsic cardiac and extracardiac autonomic neurons, as well as circulating hormones. A brief overview of the putative regulation of these various components is presented in this paper.

Integrating rock mechanics issues with repository design through design process principles and methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bieniawski, Z.T.

1996-01-01

A good designer needs not only knowledge for designing (technical know-how that is used to generate alternative design solutions) but also must have knowledge about designing (appropriate principles and systematic methodology to follow). Concepts such as open-quotes design for manufactureclose quotes or open-quotes concurrent engineeringclose quotes are widely used in the industry. In the field of rock engineering, only limited attention has been paid to the design process because design of structures in rock masses presents unique challenges to the designers as a result of the uncertainties inherent in characterization of geologic media. However, a stage has now been reached where we are be able to sufficiently characterize rock masses for engineering purposes and identify the rock mechanics issues involved but are still lacking engineering design principles and methodology to maximize our design performance. This paper discusses the principles and methodology of the engineering design process directed to integrating site characterization activities with design, construction and performance of an underground repository. Using the latest information from the Yucca Mountain Project on geology, rock mechanics and starter tunnel design, the current lack of integration is pointed out and it is shown how rock mechanics issues can be effectively interwoven with repository design through a systematic design process methodology leading to improved repository performance. In essence, the design process is seen as the use of design principles within an integrating design methodology, leading to innovative problem solving. In particular, a new concept of open-quotes Design for Constructibility and Performanceclose quotes is introduced. This is discussed with respect to ten rock mechanics issues identified for repository design and performance

Not ‘me – but a supposed person’: Emily Dickinson’s Non-Referential Correspondence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trisha Kannan

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This essay takes issue with the notion of Dickinson as the poet of privacy and argues that her conception of authorship involved a concentrated effort to break traditional conventions and assumptions regarding private communication and literary production. The uniqueness of Dickinson's poetry stems from its cryptic, deceptive, and fierce simplicity, and she achieves the illusion of simplicity through a meticulous attention to diction. Dickinson consciously works with the established notions of public and private during the nineteenth century, and uses the assumed simplicity of the distinction to develop a "new department" of prose and poetry that centers on manuscript construction and circulation. Dickinson's manuscripts reveal a sustained commitment to breaking the generic conventions of lyric poetry and epistolary prose. Readers since the nineteenth century have searched within Dickinson's correspondence for a static, autobiographical "I" in order to make the lyric "I" of her poetry more clear. However, assuming a static "I" proves problematic in both genres. Readers have sought an explanation of the poetry in Dickinson's biography, and they often turn to the letters as evidence, but a static voice in the correspondence proves to be an illusion. In contrast to the spontaneous, natural, and emotional letters that proper nineteenth-century women were supposed to write, Dickinson makes private communication artful. Dickinson's body of work represents a meticulous exploration into the power of un-occasional, non-referential prose and poetry.

An analysis of a large dataset on immigrant integration in Spain. The Statistical Mechanics perspective on Social Action

Science.gov (United States)

Barra, Adriano; Contucci, Pierluigi; Sandell, Rickard; Vernia, Cecilia

2014-02-01

How does immigrant integration in a country change with immigration density? Guided by a statistical mechanics perspective we propose a novel approach to this problem. The analysis focuses on classical integration quantifiers such as the percentage of jobs (temporary and permanent) given to immigrants, mixed marriages, and newborns with parents of mixed origin. We find that the average values of different quantifiers may exhibit either linear or non-linear growth on immigrant density and we suggest that social action, a concept identified by Max Weber, causes the observed non-linearity. Using the statistical mechanics notion of interaction to quantitatively emulate social action, a unified mathematical model for integration is proposed and it is shown to explain both growth behaviors observed. The linear theory instead, ignoring the possibility of interaction effects would underestimate the quantifiers up to 30% when immigrant densities are low, and overestimate them as much when densities are high. The capacity to quantitatively isolate different types of integration mechanisms makes our framework a suitable tool in the quest for more efficient integration policies.

A reductionist perspective on quantum statistical mechanics: Coarse-graining of path integrals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinitskiy, Anton V; Voth, Gregory A

2015-09-07

Computational modeling of the condensed phase based on classical statistical mechanics has been rapidly developing over the last few decades and has yielded important information on various systems containing up to millions of atoms. However, if a system of interest contains important quantum effects, well-developed classical techniques cannot be used. One way of treating finite temperature quantum systems at equilibrium has been based on Feynman's imaginary time path integral approach and the ensuing quantum-classical isomorphism. This isomorphism is exact only in the limit of infinitely many classical quasiparticles representing each physical quantum particle. In this work, we present a reductionist perspective on this problem based on the emerging methodology of coarse-graining. This perspective allows for the representations of one quantum particle with only two classical-like quasiparticles and their conjugate momenta. One of these coupled quasiparticles is the centroid particle of the quantum path integral quasiparticle distribution. Only this quasiparticle feels the potential energy function. The other quasiparticle directly provides the observable averages of quantum mechanical operators. The theory offers a simplified perspective on quantum statistical mechanics, revealing its most reductionist connection to classical statistical physics. By doing so, it can facilitate a simpler representation of certain quantum effects in complex molecular environments.

A reductionist perspective on quantum statistical mechanics: Coarse-graining of path integrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinitskiy, Anton V.; Voth, Gregory A.

2015-01-01

Computational modeling of the condensed phase based on classical statistical mechanics has been rapidly developing over the last few decades and has yielded important information on various systems containing up to millions of atoms. However, if a system of interest contains important quantum effects, well-developed classical techniques cannot be used. One way of treating finite temperature quantum systems at equilibrium has been based on Feynman’s imaginary time path integral approach and the ensuing quantum-classical isomorphism. This isomorphism is exact only in the limit of infinitely many classical quasiparticles representing each physical quantum particle. In this work, we present a reductionist perspective on this problem based on the emerging methodology of coarse-graining. This perspective allows for the representations of one quantum particle with only two classical-like quasiparticles and their conjugate momenta. One of these coupled quasiparticles is the centroid particle of the quantum path integral quasiparticle distribution. Only this quasiparticle feels the potential energy function. The other quasiparticle directly provides the observable averages of quantum mechanical operators. The theory offers a simplified perspective on quantum statistical mechanics, revealing its most reductionist connection to classical statistical physics. By doing so, it can facilitate a simpler representation of certain quantum effects in complex molecular environments

Integrity mechanism for eHealth tele-monitoring system in smart home environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantas, Georgios; Lymberopoulos, Dimitrios; Komninos, Nikos

2009-01-01

During the past few years, a lot of effort has been invested in research and development of eHealth tele-monitoring systems that will provide many benefits for healthcare delivery from the healthcare provider to the patient's home. However, there is a plethora of security requirements in eHealth tele-monitoring systems. Data integrity of the transferred medical data is one of the most important security requirements that should be satisfied in these systems, since medical information is extremely sensitive information, and even sometimes life threatening information. In this paper, we present a data integrity mechanism for eHealth tele-monitoring system that operates in a smart home environment. Agent technology is applied to achieve data integrity with the use of cryptographic smart cards. Furthermore, the overall security infrastructure and its various components are described.

Novel in situ mechanical testers to enable integrated metal surface micro-machines.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Follstaedt, David Martin; de Boer, Maarten Pieter; Kotula, Paul Gabriel; Hearne, Sean Joseph; Foiles, Stephen Martin; Buchheit, Thomas Edward; Dyck, Christopher William

2005-10-01

The ability to integrate metal and semiconductor micro-systems to perform highly complex functions, such as RF-MEMS, will depend on developing freestanding metal structures that offer improved conductivity, reflectivity, and mechanical properties. Three issues have prevented the proliferation of these systems: (1) warpage of active components due to through-thickness stress gradients, (2) limited component lifetimes due to fatigue, and (3) low yield strength. To address these issues, we focus on developing and implementing techniques to enable the direct study of the stress and microstructural evolution during electrodeposition and mechanical loading. The study of stress during electrodeposition of metal thin films is being accomplished by integrating a multi-beam optical stress sensor into an electrodeposition chamber. By coupling the in-situ stress information with ex-situ microstructural analysis, a scientific understanding of the sources of stress during electrodeposition will be obtained. These results are providing a foundation upon which to develop a stress-gradient-free thin film directly applicable to the production of freestanding metal structures. The issues of fatigue and yield strength are being addressed by developing novel surface micromachined tensile and bend testers, by interferometry, and by TEM analysis. The MEMS tensile tester has a ''Bosch'' etched hole to allow for direct viewing of the microstructure in a TEM before, during, and after loading. This approach allows for the quantitative measurements of stress-strain relations while imaging dislocation motion, and determination of fracture nucleation in samples with well-known fatigue/strain histories. This technique facilitates the determination of the limits for classical deformation mechanisms and helps to formulate a new understanding of the mechanical response as the grain sizes are refined to a nanometer scale. Together, these studies will result in a science

Numerical Modelling of Mechanical Integrity of the Copper-Cast Iron Canister. A Literature Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanru Jing

2004-04-01

This review article presents a summary of the research works on the numerical modelling of the mechanical integrity of the composite copper-cast iron canisters for the final disposal of Swedish nuclear wastes, conducted by SKB and SKI since 1992. The objective of the review is to evaluate the outstanding issues existing today about the basic design concepts and premises, fundamental issues on processes, properties and parameters considered for the functions and requirements of canisters under the conditions of a deep geological repository. The focus is placed on the adequacy of numerical modelling approaches adopted in regards to the overall mechanical integrity of the canisters, especially the initial state of canisters regarding defects and the consequences of their evolution under external and internal loading mechanisms adopted in the design premises. The emphasis is the stress-strain behaviour and failure/strength, with creep and plasticity involved. Corrosion, although one of the major concerns in the field of canister safety, was not included

An integrated finite-element approach to mechanics, transport and biosynthesis in tissue engineering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sengers, B.G.; Oomens, C.W.J.; Baaijens, F.P.T.

2004-01-01

A finite-element approach was formulated, aimed at enabling an integrated study of mechanical and biochemical factors that control the functional development of tissue engineered constructs. A nonlinear biphasic displacement-velocity-pressure description was combined with adjective and diffusive

Self-reflection and the inner voice: activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus during perceptual and conceptual self-referential thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Morin, Alain; Hamper, Breanne

2012-01-01

Inner speech involvement in self-reflection was examined by reviewing 130 studies assessing brain activation during self-referential processing in key self-domains: agency, self-recognition, emotions, personality traits, autobiographical memory, and miscellaneous (e.g., prospection, judgments). The left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) has been shown to be reliably recruited during inner speech production. The percentage of studies reporting LIFG activity for each self-dimension was calculated. Fifty five percent of all studies reviewed indicated LIFG (and presumably inner speech) activity during self-reflection tasks; on average LIFG activation is observed 16% of the time during completion of non-self tasks (e.g., attention, perception). The highest LIFG activation rate was observed during retrieval of autobiographical information. The LIFG was significantly more recruited during conceptual tasks (e.g., prospection, traits) than during perceptual tasks (agency and self-recognition). This constitutes additional evidence supporting the idea of a participation of inner speech in self-related thinking.

Mindfulness and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: State of the Evidence, Plausible Mechanisms, and Theoretical Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Schuman-Olivier, Zev; Britton, Willoughby B.; Fresco, David M.; Desbordes, Gaelle; Brewer, Judson A.; Fulwiler, Carl

2016-01-01

The purpose of this review is to provide (1) a synopsis on relations of mindfulness with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and major CVD risk factors, and (2) an initial consensus-based overview of mechanisms and theoretical framework by which mindfulness might influence CVD. Initial evidence, often of limited methodological quality, suggests possible impacts of mindfulness on CVD risk factors including physical activity, smoking, diet, obesity, blood pressure, and diabetes regulation. Plausible mechanisms include (1) improved attention control (e.g., ability to hold attention on experiences related to CVD risk, such as smoking, diet, physical activity, and medication adherence), (2) emotion regulation (e.g., improved stress response, self-efficacy, and skills to manage craving for cigarettes, palatable foods, and sedentary activities), and (3) self-awareness (e.g., self-referential processing and awareness of physical sensations due to CVD risk factors). Understanding mechanisms and theoretical framework should improve etiologic knowledge, providing customized mindfulness intervention targets that could enable greater mindfulness intervention efficacy. PMID:26482755

Two- and 3-year-olds integrate linguistic and pedagogical cues in guiding inductive generalization and exploration.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Lucas P; Tomasello, Michael

2016-05-01

Young children can in principle make generic inferences (e.g., "doffels are magnetic") on the basis of their own individual experience. Recent evidence, however, shows that by 4 years of age children make strong generic inferences on the basis of a single pedagogical demonstration with an individual (e.g., an adult demonstrates for the child that a single "doffel" is magnetic). In the current experiments, we extended this to look at younger children, investigating how the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are integrated with other aspects of inductive inference during early development. We found that both 2- and 3-year-olds used pedagogical cues to guide such generic inferences, but only so long as the "doffel" was linguistically labeled. In a follow-up study, 3-year-olds, but not 2-year-olds, continued to make this generic inference even if the word "doffel" was uttered incidentally and non-referentially in a context preceding the pedagogical demonstration, thereby simply marking the opportunity to learn about a culturally important category. By 3 years of age, then, young children show a remarkable ability to flexibly combine different sources of culturally relevant information (e.g., linguistic labeling, pedagogy) to make the kinds of generic inferences so central in human cultural learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics an integrated approach

CERN Document Server

Shell, M Scott

2015-01-01

Learn classical thermodynamics alongside statistical mechanics with this fresh approach to the subjects. Molecular and macroscopic principles are explained in an integrated, side-by-side manner to give students a deep, intuitive understanding of thermodynamics and equip them to tackle future research topics that focus on the nanoscale. Entropy is introduced from the get-go, providing a clear explanation of how the classical laws connect to the molecular principles, and closing the gap between the atomic world and thermodynamics. Notation is streamlined throughout, with a focus on general concepts and simple models, for building basic physical intuition and gaining confidence in problem analysis and model development. Well over 400 guided end-of-chapter problems are included, addressing conceptual, fundamental, and applied skill sets. Numerous worked examples are also provided together with handy shaded boxes to emphasize key concepts, making this the complete teaching package for students in chemical engineer...

Default Mode Dynamics for Global Functional Integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Vatansever, Deniz; Menon, David K; Manktelow, Anne E; Sahakian, Barbara J; Stamatakis, Emmanuel A

2015-11-18

The default mode network (DMN) has been traditionally assumed to hinder behavioral performance in externally focused, goal-directed paradigms and to provide no active contribution to human cognition. However, recent evidence suggests greater DMN activity in an array of tasks, especially those that involve self-referential and memory-based processing. Although data that robustly demonstrate a comprehensive functional role for DMN remains relatively scarce, the global workspace framework, which implicates the DMN in global information integration for conscious processing, can potentially provide an explanation for the broad range of higher-order paradigms that report DMN involvement. We used graph theoretical measures to assess the contribution of the DMN to global functional connectivity dynamics in 22 healthy volunteers during an fMRI-based n-back working-memory paradigm with parametric increases in difficulty. Our predominant finding is that brain modularity decreases with greater task demands, thus adapting a more global workspace configuration, in direct relation to increases in reaction times to correct responses. Flexible default mode regions dynamically switch community memberships and display significant changes in their nodal participation coefficient and strength, which may reflect the observed whole-brain changes in functional connectivity architecture. These findings have important implications for our understanding of healthy brain function, as they suggest a central role for the DMN in higher cognitive processing. The default mode network (DMN) has been shown to increase its activity during the absence of external stimulation, and hence was historically assumed to disengage during goal-directed tasks. Recent evidence, however, implicates the DMN in self-referential and memory-based processing. We provide robust evidence for this network's active contribution to working memory by revealing dynamic reconfiguration in its interactions with other networks

Multiscale mechanical integrity of human supraspinatus tendon in shear after elastin depletion.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Fei; Lake, Spencer P

2016-10-01

Human supraspinatus tendon (SST) exhibits region-specific nonlinear mechanical properties under tension, which have been attributed to its complex multiaxial physiological loading environment. However, the mechanical response and underlying multiscale mechanism regulating SST behavior under other loading scenarios are poorly understood. Furthermore, little is known about the contribution of elastin to tendon mechanics. We hypothesized that (1) SST exhibits region-specific shear mechanical properties, (2) fiber sliding is the predominant mode of local matrix deformation in SST in shear, and (3) elastin helps maintain SST mechanical integrity by facilitating force transfer among collagen fibers. Through the use of biomechanical testing and multiphoton microscopy, we measured the multiscale mechanical behavior of human SST in shear before and after elastase treatment. Three distinct SST regions showed similar stresses and microscale deformation. Collagen fiber reorganization and sliding were physical mechanisms observed as the SST response to shear loading. Measures of microscale deformation were highly variable, likely due to a high degree of extracellular matrix heterogeneity. After elastase treatment, tendon exhibited significantly decreased stresses under shear loading, particularly at low strains. These results show that elastin contributes to tendon mechanics in shear, further complementing our understanding of multiscale tendon structure-function relationships. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Some comments about the J1 integral criterion in post yield fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, R.L.

1977-01-01

Several criteria have been proposed for Post Yield Fracture Mechanics. One of the most interesting ones is the J 1 integral. When the behaviour of material is elastic (even non-linear) it can be shown that J 1 is not path dependent (for a straight crack without thermal stresses). For this reason, it may be considered that J 1 characterizes the crack tip singularity. Extension is easy to deformation-type elastic plastic material, but there is no proof of path independence for flow-type plastic material (incremental plasticity or creep). Experimental results are often given as a proof of J 1 criterion validity, but there is no experimental value of a contour integral and assumptions are made in the use of experimental results. The main assumption implies that the received mechanical work (strain energy) is not dependent on the loading history (is only dependent on mechanical state). A general method to assess J 1 path dependence can be founded on the 'defect vector' (or driving force) concept. It can be shown that the resultant of defects included in a volumne is the J integral on the surface surrounding the volume (and L for the moment). In order to have an empirical idea of the J 1 path independence, it is possible to make computations with finite elements method. Some results are given and it seems that no noticeable path dependence is seen with simple shapes and radial (proportional) loading. A few cases with complex way of loading are also studied. (Auth.)

Discourse Analysis of the Documentary Method as "Key" to Self-Referential Communication Systems? Theoretic-Methodological Basics and Empirical Vignettes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gian-Claudio Gentile

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Niklas LUHMANN is well known for his deliberate departure from the classical focus on studying individual actions and directing attention on the actors' relatedness through so called (autopoietic communication systems. In contrast to the gain of a new perspective of observation his focus on autopoietic systems is simultaneously its biggest methodological obstacle for the use in social and management sciences. The present contribution considers the above shift on a theoretical level and with a specific qualitative method. It argues for a deeper understanding of systemic sense making and its enactment in a systematic and comprehensible way. Central to this approach is its focus on groups. Using group discussions as the method of data collection, and the "documentary method" by Ralf BOHNSACK (2003 as a method of data analysis, the article describes a methodologically grounded way to record the self-referential systems proposed by LUHMANN's system theory. The theoretical considerations of the paper are illustrated by empirical vignettes derived from a research project conducted in Switzerland concerning the social responsibility of business. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1003156

Integrating multiple omics to unravel mechanisms of Cyclosporin A induced hepatotoxicity in vitro

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hof, Van den W.F.P.M.; Ruiz Aracama, Ainhoa; Summeren, Van Anke; Jennen, D.G.J.; Gaj, Stan; Coonen, M.L.J.; Brauers, Karen; Wodzig, W.K.W.H.; Delft, van J.H.M.; Kleinjans, J.C.S.

2015-01-01

In order to improve attrition rates of candidate-drugs there is a need for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying drug-induced hepatotoxicity. We aim to further unravel the toxicological response of hepatocytes to a prototypical cholestatic compound by integrating transcriptomic and

[New theory of holistic integrative physiology and medicine. I: New insight of mechanism of control and regulation of breathing].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xing-guo

2015-07-01

The modern systemic physiology, based on limit-understand functional classification, has significant limitation and one-sidedness. Human being is organic; we should approach the mechanism of control and regulation of breathing integrating all the systems. We use new theory of holistic integrative physiology and medicine to explain the mechanism of control and regulation of breathing. Except the mean level information, the up-down "W" waveform information of arterial blood gas (ABG) is core signal to control and regulate breathing. In order to do so, we must integrate all systems together. New theory will help to explain some unanswered questions in physiology and medicine, for example: fetal does not breathing; how first breath generate; how respiratory rhythm and frequency generate, etc. Breathing is the sign of life. Mechanism of control and regulation of breathing has to integrate respiration, circulation, nerves, metabolism, exercise, sleep and digestion, absorption and elimination and etc altogether.

Effects of the exposure to self- and other-referential bodies on state body image and negative affect in resistance-trained men.

Science.gov (United States)

Cordes, Martin; Vocks, Silja; Düsing, Rainer; Waldorf, Manuel

2017-06-01

Previous body image research suggests that first, exposure to body stimuli can negatively affect men's body satisfaction and second, body concerns are associated with dysfunctional gaze behavior. To date, however, the effects of self- vs. other-referential body stimuli and of gaze behavior on body image in men under exposure conditions have not been investigated. Therefore, 49 weight-trained men were presented with pictures of their own and other bodies of different builds (i.e., normal, muscular, hyper-muscular) while being eye-tracked. Participants completed pre- and post-exposure measures of body image and affect. Results indicated that one's own and the muscular body negatively affected men's body image to a comparable degree. Exposure to one's own body also led to increased negative affect. Increased attention toward disliked own body parts was associated with a more negative post-exposure body image and affect. These results suggest a crucial role of critical self-examination in maintaining body dissatisfaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating Joint Attention Mechanisms through Spoken Human-Robot Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Staudte, Maria; Crocker, Matthew W.

2011-01-01

Referential gaze during situated language production and comprehension is tightly coupled with the unfolding speech stream (Griffin, 2001; Meyer, Sleiderink, & Levelt, 1998; Tanenhaus, Spivey-Knowlton, Eberhard, & Sedivy, 1995). In a shared environment, utterance comprehension may further be facilitated when the listener can exploit the speaker's…

Structural integrity and failure mechanisms of a smart piezoelectric actuator under a cyclic bending mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, Sung-Choong; Goo, Nam Seo

2008-01-01

Information on the onset and evolution of damage within materials is essential for guaranteeing the integrity of actuator systems. The authors have evaluated the structural integrity and the failure mechanisms of smart composite actuators with a PZT ceramic plate under electric cyclic loading. For this, two kinds of actuators, actuator 1 and actuator 2, were manufactured. Prior to the main testing, performance testing was performed on the actuators to determine their resonant frequencies. Electric cyclic tests were conducted up to twenty million cycles. An acoustic emission technique was used for monitoring the damage evolution in real time. We observed the extent of the damage after testing using scanning electron microscopy and reflected optical microscopy to support characteristics in the acoustic emission behavior that corresponded to specific types of damage mechanisms. It was shown that the initial damage mechanism of the smart composite actuator under electric cyclic loading originated from the transgranular micro-fatigue damage in the PZT ceramic layer. With increasing cycles, a local intergranular crack initiated and developed onto the surface of the PZT ceramic layer or propagated into the internal layer. Finally, short-circuiting led to the electric breakdown of the actuator. These results were different depending on the drive frequencies and the configuration of the actuators. Moreover, we differentiated between the aforementioned damage mechanisms via AE signal pattern analyses based on the primary frequency and the waveform. From our results, we conclude that the drive frequency and the existence of a protecting layer are dominant factors in the structural integrity of the smart composite actuator

Bite of the cats: relationships between functional integration and mechanical performance as revealed by mandible geometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Piras, Paolo; Maiorino, Leonardo; Teresi, Luciano; Meloro, Carlo; Lucci, Federico; Kotsakis, Tassos; Raia, Pasquale

2013-11-01

Cat-like carnivorous mammals represent a relatively homogeneous group of species whose morphology appears constrained by exclusive adaptations for meat eating. We present the most comprehensive data set of extant and extinct cat-like species to test for evolutionary transformations in size, shape and mechanical performance, that is, von Mises stress and surface traction, of the mandible. Size and shape were both quantified by means of geometric morphometrics, whereas mechanical performance was assessed applying finite element models to 2D geometry of the mandible. Additionally, we present the first almost complete composite phylogeny of cat-like carnivorans for which well-preserved mandibles are known, including representatives of 35 extant and 59 extinct species of Felidae, Nimravidae, and Barbourofelidae. This phylogeny was used to test morphological differentiation, allometry, and covariation of mandible parts within and among clades. After taking phylogeny into account, we found that both allometry and mechanical variables exhibit a significant impact on mandible shape. We also tested whether mechanical performance was linked to morphological integration. Mechanical stress at the coronoid process is higher in sabertoothed cats than in any other clade. This is strongly related to the high degree of covariation within modules of sabertooths mandibles. We found significant correlation between integration at the clade level and per-clade averaged stress values, on both original data and by partialling out interclade allometry from shapes when calculating integration. This suggests a strong interaction between natural selection and the evolution of developmental and functional modules at the clade level.

Hierarchical Kinematic Modelling and Optimal Design of a Novel Hexapod Robot with Integrated Limb Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guiyang Xin

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel hexapod robot, hereafter named PH-Robot, with three degrees of freedom (3-DOF parallel leg mechanisms based on the concept of an integrated limb mechanism (ILM for the integration of legged locomotion and arm manipulation. The kinematic model plays an important role in the parametric optimal design and motion planning of robots. However, models of parallel mechanisms are often difficult to obtain because of the implicit relationship between the motions of actuated joints and the motion of a moving platform. In order to derive the kinematic equations of the proposed hexapod robot, an extended hierarchical kinematic modelling method is proposed. According to the kinematic model, the geometrical parameters of the leg are optimized utilizing a comprehensive objective function that considers both dexterity and payload. PH-Robot has distinct advantages in accuracy and load ability over a robot with serial leg mechanisms through the former's comparison of performance indices. The reachable workspace of the leg verifies its ability to walk and manipulate. The results of the trajectory tracking experiment demonstrate the correctness of the kinematic model of the hexapod robot.

Obtaining bixin from semi-defatted annatto seeds by a mechanical method and solvent extraction: Process integration and economic evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcázar-Alay, Sylvia C; Osorio-Tobón, J Felipe; Forster-Carneiro, Tânia; Meireles, M Angela A

2017-09-01

This work involves the application of physical separation methods to concentrate the pigment of semi-defatted annatto seeds, a noble vegetal biomass rich in bixin pigments. Semi-defatted annatto seeds are the residue produced after the extraction of the lipid fraction from annatto seeds using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Semi-defatted annatto seeds are use in this work due to three important reasons: i) previous lipid extraction is necessary to recovery the tocotrienol-rich oil present in the annatto seeds, ii) an initial removal of the oil via SFE process favors bixin separation and iii) the cost of raw material is null. Physical methods including i) the mechanical fractionation method and ii) an integrated process of mechanical fractionation method and low-pressure solvent extraction (LPSE) were studied. The integrated process was proposed for processing two different semi-defatted annatto materials denoted Batches 1 and 2. The cost of manufacture (COM) was calculated for two different production scales (5 and 50L) considering the integrated process vs. only the mechanical fractionation method. The integrated process showed a significantly higher COM than mechanical fractionation method. This work suggests that mechanical fractionation method is an adequate and low-cost process to obtain a rich-pigment product from semi-defatted annatto seeds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teaching Basic Quantum Mechanics in Secondary School Using Concepts of Feynman Path Integrals Method

Science.gov (United States)

Fanaro, Maria de los Angeles; Otero, Maria Rita; Arlego, Marcelo

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the teaching of basic quantum mechanics in high school. Rather than following the usual formalism, our approach is based on Feynman's path integral method. Our presentation makes use of simulation software and avoids sophisticated mathematical formalism. (Contains 3 figures.)

Improving integration for integrated coastal zone management: an eight country study.

Science.gov (United States)

Portman, M E; Esteves, L S; Le, X Q; Khan, A Z

2012-11-15

Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is a widely accepted approach for sustainable management of the coastal environment. ICZM emphasizes integration across sectors, levels of government, uses, stakeholders, and spatial and temporal scales. While improving integration is central to progress in ICZM, the role of and the achievement of integration remain understudied. To further study these two points, our research analyzes the performance of specific mechanisms used to support ICZM in eight countries (Belgium, India, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, UK, and Vietnam). The assessment is based on a qualitative comparative analysis conducted through the use of two surveys. It focuses on five ICZM mechanisms (environmental impact assessment; planning hierarchy; setback lines; marine spatial planning, and regulatory commission) and their role in improving integration. Our findings indicate that certain mechanisms enhance specific types of integration more effectively than others. Environmental impact assessment enhances science-policy integration and can be useful to integrate knowledge across sectors. Planning hierarchy and regulatory commissions are effective mechanisms to integrate policies across government levels, with the latter also promoting public-government integration. Setback lines can be applied to enhance integration across landscape units. Marine spatial planning is a multi-faceted mechanism with the potential to promote all types of integration. Policy-makers should adopt the mechanisms that are suited to the type of integration needed. Results of this study also contribute to evidence-based coastal management by identifying the most common impediments related to the mechanisms of integration in the eight studied countries. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The management of mechanical integrity inspections at small-sized 'Seveso' facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bragatto, Paolo A.; Pittiglio, Paolo; Ansaldi, Silvia

2009-01-01

The mechanical integrity (MI) of equipment has been controlled at all industrial facilities for many decades. Control methods and intervals are regulated by laws or codes and best practices. In European countries, the legislations implementing the Seveso Directives on the control of major accident hazards require the owner of establishments where hazardous chemicals are handled, to implement a safety management system (SMS). MI controls should be an integral part of the SMS. At large establishments this goal is achieved by adopting the RBI method, but in small-sized establishments with a limited budget and scanty personnel, a heuristic approach is more suitable. This paper demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of integrating SMS and MI by means of a simple method that includes a few basic concepts of RBI without additional costs for operator. This method, supported by a software tool, is resilient as it functions effectively in spite of eventual budget reductions and personnel turnover. The results of MI controls can also be exploited to monitor equipment condition and demonstrate the adequacy of technical systems to the Competent Authorities (CA). Furthermore, the SMS can 'capture' knowledge resulting from MI experience and exploit it for a better understanding of risk

Neurocognitive mechanisms of perception-action coordination: a review and theoretical integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Ridderinkhof, K Richard

2014-10-01

The present analysis aims at a theoretical integration of, and a systems-neuroscience perspective on, a variety of historical and contemporary views on perception-action coordination (PAC). We set out to determine the common principles or lawful linkages between sensory and motor systems that explain how perception is action-oriented and how action is perceptually guided. To this end, we analyze the key ingredients to such an integrated framework, examine the architecture of dual-system conjectures of PAC, and endeavor in an historical analysis of the key characteristics, mechanisms, and phenomena of PACs. This analysis will reveal that dual-systems views are in need of fundamental re-thinking, and its elements will be amalgamated with current views on action-oriented predictive processing into a novel integrative theoretical framework (IMPPACT: Impetus, Motivation, and Prediction in Perception-Action Coordination theory). From this framework and its neurocognitive architecture we derive a number of non-trivial predictions regarding conative, motive-driven PAC. We end by presenting a brief outlook on how IMPPACT might present novel insights into certain pathologies and into action expertise. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An analytical procedure to evaluate electronic integrals for molecular quantum mechanical calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mundim, Kleber C.

2004-01-01

Full text: We propose an alternative methodology for the calculation of electronic integrals, through an analytical function based on the generalized Gaussian function (q Gaussian), where a single q Gaussian replaces the usual linear combination of Gaussian functions for different basis set. Moreover, the integrals become analytical functions of the interatomic distances. Therefore, when estimating certain quantities such as molecular energy, g Gaussian avoid new calculations of the integrals: they are simply another value of the corresponding function. The procedure proposed here is particularly advantageous, when compared with the usual one, because it reduces drastically the number of two-electronic integrals used in the construction of the Fock matrix, enabling the use of the quantum mechanics in the description of macro-molecular systems. This advantage increases when the size of the molecular systems become larger and more complex. While in the usual approach CPU time increases with n4, in the one proposed here the CPU time scales linearly with n. This catastrophic dependence of the rank the Hamiltonian or Fock matrix with n4 two-electron integrals is a severe bottleneck for petaFLOPS computing time. Its is important to emphasize that this methodology is equally applicable to systems of any sizes, including biomolecules, solid materials and solutions, within the HF, post-HF and DFT theories. (author)

Evaluation of quantum mechanics path integrals by the approximations exact on a class of polynomial functionals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobanov, Yu.Yu.; Shidkov, E.P.

1987-01-01

The method for numerical evaluation of path integrals in Eucledean quantum mechanics without lattice discretization is elaborated. The method is based on the representation of these integrals in the form of functional integrals with respect to the conditional Wiener measure and on the use of the derived approximate exact on a class of polynomial functionals of a given degree. By the computations of non-perturbative characteristics, concerned the topological structure of vacuum, the advantages of this method versus lattice Monte-Carlo calculations are demonstrated

A Referential-Structural Research on Universals

OpenAIRE

Pareyon, Gabriel

2004-01-01

This research and practice project studies the way in which some aspects of linguistic order are also found in music’s order. Whereas some aspects of order and organisation are attributed to music because of their psychophysical integration, other aspects seem to be more related to the configuration of music in memory and experience (i.e. individual memory and memory-in-society processes). This fundamental condition is shared with speech and visual symbolizing. Since order in music is commonl...

Influence of circumferential notch and fatigue crack on the mechanical integrity of biodegradable magnesium-based alloy in simulated body fluid.

Science.gov (United States)

Bobby Kannan, M; Singh Raman, R K; Witte, F; Blawert, C; Dietzel, W

2011-02-01

Applications of magnesium alloys as biodegradable orthopaedic implants are critically dependent on the mechanical integrity of the implant during service. In this study, the mechanical integrity of an AZ91 magnesium alloy was studied using a constant extension rate tensile (CERT) method. The samples in two different geometries that is, circumferentially notched (CN), and circumferentially notched and fatigue cracked (CNFC), were tested in air and in simulated body fluid (SBF). The test results show that the mechanical integrity of the AZ91 magnesium alloy decreased substantially (∼50%) in both the CN and CNFC samples exposed to SBF. Fracture surface analysis revealed secondary cracks suggesting stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of the alloy in SBF. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The mechanisms of integration in conditions of asymmetry of innovative development of the EU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oksana OKHRIMENKO

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The article concerns to methodological and applied aspects of integration mechanisms functioning in the field of innovation activity of the EU countries. Evolution of models of innovative processes and the detailed forms of integration in their section were investigated. The innovative strategies of EU member states in the context of integration and their effectiveness were analysed. The attention is focused on the transfer of knowledge as the main resource of international cooperation. The advantages of a common innovation environment for participants were considered. The experience of innovative development of the leaders of the countries was highlighted. Requirements for companies planning to innovate or implement innovative projects were disclosed. Preliminary recommendations for eliminating asymmetry in EU innovation development were formulated.

Introduction to quantum mechanics Schrödinger equation and path integral

CERN Document Server

Müller-Kirsten, H J W

2012-01-01

This text on quantum mechanics begins by covering all the main topics of an introduction to the subject. It then concentrates on newer developments. In particular it continues with the perturbative solution of the Schrodinger equation for various potentials and thereafter with the introduction and evaluation of their path integral counterparts. Considerations of the large order behavior of the perturbation expansions show that in most applications these are asymptotic expansions. The parallel consideration of path integrals requires the evaluation of these around periodic classical configurations, the fluctuation equations about which lead back to specific wave equations. The period of the classical configurations is related to temperature, and permits transitions to the thermal domain to be classified as phase transitions. In this second edition of the text important applications and numerous examples have been added. In particular, the chapter on the Coulomb potential has been extended to include an introdu...

Fractional quantum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Laskin, Nick

2018-01-01

Fractional quantum mechanics is a recently emerged and rapidly developing field of quantum physics. This is the first monograph on fundamentals and physical applications of fractional quantum mechanics, written by its founder. The fractional Schrödinger equation and the fractional path integral are new fundamental physical concepts introduced and elaborated in the book. The fractional Schrödinger equation is a manifestation of fractional quantum mechanics. The fractional path integral is a new mathematical tool based on integration over Lévy flights. The fractional path integral method enhances the well-known Feynman path integral framework. Related topics covered in the text include time fractional quantum mechanics, fractional statistical mechanics, fractional classical mechanics and the α-stable Lévy random process. The book is well-suited for theorists, pure and applied mathematicians, solid-state physicists, chemists, and others working with the Schrödinger equation, the path integral technique...

Systematic study of imidazoles inhibiting IDO1 via the integration of molecular mechanics and quantum mechanics calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Yi; Wang, Fang; Wang, Yan; Guo, Wenjie; Zhang, Yihua; Xu, Qiang; Lai, Yisheng

2017-05-05

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is regarded as an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. To rationalize the detailed interactions between IDO1 and its inhibitors at the atomic level, an integrated computational approach by combining molecular mechanics and quantum mechanics methods was employed in this report. Specifically, the binding modes of 20 inhibitors was initially investigated using the induced fit docking (IFD) protocol, which outperformed other two docking protocols in terms of correctly predicting ligand conformations. Secondly, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and MM/PBSA free energy calculations were employed to determine the dynamic binding process and crucial residues were confirmed through close contact analysis, hydrogen-bond analysis and binding free energy decomposition calculations. Subsequent quantum mechanics and nonbonding interaction analysis were carried out to provide in-depth explanations on the critical role of those key residues, and Arg231 and 7-propionate of the heme group were major contributors to ligand binding, which lowed a great amount of interaction energy. We anticipate that these findings will be valuable for enzymatic studies and rational drug design. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Fault geometry and mechanics of marly carbonate multilayers: An integrated field and laboratory study from the Northern Apennines, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Giorgetti, C.; Collettini, C.; Scuderi, M. M.; Barchi, M. R.; Tesei, T.

2016-12-01

Sealing layers are often represented by sedimentary sequences characterized by alternating strong and weak lithologies. When involved in faulting processes, these mechanically heterogeneous multilayers develop complex fault geometries. Here we investigate fault initiation and evolution within a mechanical multilayer by integrating field observations and rock deformation experiments. Faults initiate with a staircase trajectory that partially reflects the mechanical properties of the involved lithologies, as suggested by our deformation experiments. However, some faults initiating at low angles in calcite-rich layers (θi = 5°-20°) and at high angles in clay-rich layers (θi = 45°-86°) indicate the important role of structural inheritance at the onset of faulting. With increasing displacement, faults develop well-organized fault cores characterized by a marly, foliated matrix embedding fragments of limestone. The angles of fault reactivation, which concentrate between 30° and 60°, are consistent with the low friction coefficient measured during our experiments on marls (μs = 0.39), indicating that clay minerals exert a main control on fault mechanics. Moreover, our integrated analysis suggests that fracturing and faulting are the main mechanisms allowing fluid circulation within the low-permeability multilayer, and that its sealing integrity can be compromised only by the activity of larger faults cutting across its entire thickness.

A variable stiffness mechanism for steerable percutaneous instruments: integration in a needle.

Science.gov (United States)

De Falco, Iris; Culmone, Costanza; Menciassi, Arianna; Dankelman, Jenny; van den Dobbelsteen, John J

2018-06-04

Needles are advanced tools commonly used in minimally invasive medical procedures. The accurate manoeuvrability of flexible needles through soft tissues is strongly determined by variations in tissue stiffness, which affects the needle-tissue interaction and thus causes needle deflection. This work presents a variable stiffness mechanism for percutaneous needles capable of compensating for variations in tissue stiffness and undesirable trajectory changes. It is composed of compliant segments and rigid plates alternately connected in series and longitudinally crossed by four cables. The tensioning of the cables allows the omnidirectional steering of the tip and the stiffness tuning of the needle. The mechanism was tested separately under different working conditions, demonstrating a capability to exert up to 3.6 N. Afterwards, the mechanism was integrated into a needle, and the overall device was tested in gelatine phantoms simulating the stiffness of biological tissues. The needle demonstrated the capability to vary deflection (from 11.6 to 4.4 mm) and adapt to the inhomogeneity of the phantoms (from 21 to 80 kPa) depending on the activation of the variable stiffness mechanism. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Quantum Mechanics, Path Integrals and Option Pricing: Reducing the Complexity of Finance

OpenAIRE

Baaquie, Belal E.; Coriano, Claudio; Srikant, Marakani

2002-01-01

Quantum Finance represents the synthesis of the techniques of quantum theory (quantum mechanics and quantum field theory) to theoretical and applied finance. After a brief overview of the connection between these fields, we illustrate some of the methods of lattice simulations of path integrals for the pricing of options. The ideas are sketched out for simple models, such as the Black-Scholes model, where analytical and numerical results are compared. Application of the method to nonlinear sy...

Mechanical integrity of a carbon nanotube/copper-based through-silicon via for 3D integrated circuits: a multi-scale modeling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Awad, Ibrahim; Ladani, Leila

2015-12-04

Carbon nanotube (CNT)/copper (Cu) composite material is proposed to replace Cu-based through-silicon vias (TSVs) in micro-electronic packages. The proposed material is believed to offer extraordinary mechanical and electrical properties and the presence of CNTs in Cu is believed to overcome issues associated with miniaturization of Cu interconnects, such as electromigration. This study introduces a multi-scale modeling of the proposed TSV in order to evaluate its mechanical integrity under mechanical and thermo-mechanical loading conditions. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was used to determine CNT/Cu interface adhesion properties. A cohesive zone model (CZM) was found to be most appropriate to model the interface adhesion, and CZM parameters at the nanoscale were determined using MD simulation. CZM parameters were then used in the finite element analysis in order to understand the mechanical and thermo-mechanical behavior of composite TSV at micro-scale. From the results, CNT/Cu separation does not take place prior to plastic deformation of Cu in bending, and separation does not take place when standard thermal cycling is applied. Further investigation is recommended in order to alleviate the increased plastic deformation in Cu at the CNT/Cu interface in both loading conditions.

Analysis of two way fluid structure interaction and local material properties of brazed joints for estimation of mechanical integrity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Seok Hoon; Park, Sang Hu; Son, Chang Min; Ha, Man Young; Min, June Kee; Jeong, Ho Sung [Pusan Nat' l Univ., Busan (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jongrae [Korea Maritime Univ., Busan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyun Jun [Donghwa Entec Co., Ltd., Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2013-01-15

Recent years have witnessed a strong need for eco friendly and energy efficient systems owing to global environmental problems. A heat exchanger is a well known mechanical rig that has long been used in many energy systems. The use of a heat exchanger in an airplane engine has been attempted. In this case, the heat exchanger should be redesigned to be compact, lightweight, and highly reliable, and the issue of mechanical integrity gains importance. Therefore, in this study, we proposed a method for evaluating the mechanical integrity of a tube type heat exchanger. A U shaped single tube was used as an example, and its behavior and stress distribution were studied using fluid structure interaction (FSI) analysis.

The Cosmologic continuum from physics to consciousness.

Science.gov (United States)

Torday, John S; Miller, William B

2018-04-13

Reduction of developmental biology to self-referential cell-cell communication offers a portal for understanding fundamental mechanisms of physiology as derived from physics through quantum mechanics. It is argued that self-referential organization is implicit to the Big Bang and its further expression is a recoil reaction to that Singularity. When such a frame is considered, in combination with experimental evidence for the importance of epigenetic inheritance, the unicellular state can be reappraised as the primary object of selection. This framework provides a significant shift in understanding the relationship between physics and biology, providing novel insights to the nature and origin of consciousness. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Solvability of a class of systems of infinite-dimensional integral equations and their application in statistical mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonchar, N.S.

1986-01-01

This paper presents a mathematical method developed for investigating a class of systems of infinite-dimensional integral equations which have application in statistical mechanics. Necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for the uniqueness and bifurcation of the solution of this class of systems of equations. Problems of equilibrium statistical mechanics are considered on the basis of this method

Mechanisms of spectral and temporal integration in the mustached bat inferior colliculus

Science.gov (United States)

Wenstrup, Jeffrey James; Nataraj, Kiran; Sanchez, Jason Tait

2012-01-01

This review describes mechanisms and circuitry underlying combination-sensitive response properties in the auditory brainstem and midbrain. Combination-sensitive neurons, performing a type of auditory spectro-temporal integration, respond to specific, properly timed combinations of spectral elements in vocal signals and other acoustic stimuli. While these neurons are known to occur in the auditory forebrain of many vertebrate species, the work described here establishes their origin in the auditory brainstem and midbrain. Focusing on the mustached bat, we review several major findings: (1) Combination-sensitive responses involve facilitatory interactions, inhibitory interactions, or both when activated by distinct spectral elements in complex sounds. (2) Combination-sensitive responses are created in distinct stages: inhibition arises mainly in lateral lemniscal nuclei of the auditory brainstem, while facilitation arises in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the midbrain. (3) Spectral integration underlying combination-sensitive responses requires a low-frequency input tuned well below a neuron's characteristic frequency (ChF). Low-ChF neurons in the auditory brainstem project to high-ChF regions in brainstem or IC to create combination sensitivity. (4) At their sites of origin, both facilitatory and inhibitory combination-sensitive interactions depend on glycinergic inputs and are eliminated by glycine receptor blockade. Surprisingly, facilitatory interactions in IC depend almost exclusively on glycinergic inputs and are largely independent of glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs. (5) The medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), the lateral lemniscal nuclei, and the IC play critical roles in creating combination-sensitive responses. We propose that these mechanisms, based on work in the mustached bat, apply to a broad range of mammals and other vertebrates that depend on temporally sensitive integration of information across the audible spectrum. PMID:23109917

Intact and Impaired Mechanisms of Action Understanding in Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Vivanti, Giacomo; McCormick, Carolyn; Young, Gregory S.; Abucayan, Floridette; Hatt, Naomi; Nadig, Aparna; Ozonoff, Sally; Rogers, Sally J.

2016-01-01

Typically developing children understand and predict others’ behavior by extracting and processing relevant information such as the logic of their actions within the situational constraints and the intentions conveyed by their gaze direction and emotional expressions. Children with autism have difficulties understanding and predicting others’ actions. With the use of eye tracking and behavioral measures, we investigated action understanding mechanisms used by 18 children with autism and a well-matched group of 18 typically developing children. Results showed that children with autism (a) consider situational constraints in order to understand the logic of an agent’s action and (b) show typical usage of the agent’s emotional expressions to infer his or her intentions. We found (c) subtle atypicalities in the way children with autism respond to an agent’s direct gaze and (d) marked impairments in their ability to attend to and interpret referential cues such as a head turn for understanding an agent’s intentions. PMID:21401220

The neural sociometer: brain mechanisms underlying state self-esteem.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenberger, Naomi I; Inagaki, Tristen K; Muscatell, Keely A; Byrne Haltom, Kate E; Leary, Mark R

2011-11-01

On the basis of the importance of social connection for survival, humans may have evolved a "sociometer"-a mechanism that translates perceptions of rejection or acceptance into state self-esteem. Here, we explored the neural underpinnings of the sociometer by examining whether neural regions responsive to rejection or acceptance were associated with state self-esteem. Participants underwent fMRI while viewing feedback words ("interesting," "boring") ostensibly chosen by another individual (confederate) to describe the participant's previously recorded interview. Participants rated their state self-esteem in response to each feedback word. Results demonstrated that greater activity in rejection-related neural regions (dorsal ACC, anterior insula) and mentalizing regions was associated with lower-state self-esteem. Additionally, participants whose self-esteem decreased from prescan to postscan versus those whose self-esteem did not showed greater medial prefrontal cortical activity, previously associated with self-referential processing, in response to negative feedback. Together, the results inform our understanding of the origin and nature of our feelings about ourselves.

Multilevel Mechanisms of Implementation Strategies in Mental Health: Integrating Theory, Research, and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

A step toward the development of optimally effective, efficient, and feasible implementation strategies that increase evidence-based treatment integration in mental health services involves identification of the multilevel mechanisms through which these strategies influence implementation outcomes. This article (a) provides an orientation to, and rationale for, consideration of multilevel mediating mechanisms in implementation trials, and (b) systematically reviews randomized controlled trials that examined mediators of implementation strategies in mental health. Nine trials were located. Mediation-related methodological deficiencies were prevalent and no trials supported a hypothesized mediator. The most common reason was failure to engage the mediation target. Discussion focuses on directions to accelerate implementation strategy development in mental health. PMID:26474761

Leach behavior and mechanical-integrity studies of irradiated Epicor-II waste products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barletta, R.E.; Swyler, K.J.; Chan, S.F.; Davis, R.E.

1982-01-01

The leachability of Cs and Sr from cement solidified ion exchange media claimed to be representative of the Epicor-II prefilters (D-mix) is presented. The Cs and Sr release is significantly lower than that typically observed for organic ion exchange resin/cement composites. The effect of radiation up to a total dose of 10 7 Gy upon the leachability and mechanical integrity (as measured by MCC-11) of D-mix/cement composites has been investigated. No deleterious effects were found. 6 figures

Talented football players' development of achievement motives, volitional components, and self-referential cognitions: A longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Feichtinger, Philip; Höner, Oliver

2015-01-01

Adolescence is regarded as a key developmental phase in the course of talented football players' careers. The present study focuses on early adolescent players' development of achievement motives, volitional components, and self-referential cognitions. Based on the multidimensional and dynamic nature of talent, the development of multifaceted personality characteristics is an important issue in the context of sports talent research. According to previous findings in psychology, personality characteristics' development is defined by both stability and change, and the current study analyses four different types: differential stability (I), mean-level change (II), individual-level change (III), and structural stability (IV). The sample consists of 151 male players in the talent development programme of the German Football Association. Psychological diagnostics of the personality characteristics are implemented across longitudinal sections over a time period of three seasons, from the U12 to U14 age classes. The results reveal that the personality characteristics show (I) moderate test-retest correlations over one-year intervals (.43 ≤ rtt ≤ .62), and lower coefficients for a two-year period (.26 ≤ rtt ≤ .53). (II) Most of the personality characteristics' mean values differ significantly across the age classes with small effect sizes (.01 ≤ [Formula: see text] ≤ .03). (III) Only minor individual-level changes in the football players' development are found. (IV) The personality characteristics' associations within a two-factor structure do not stay invariant over time. From the results of the present study, conclusions are drawn regarding the talent identification and development process.

"Estoy viejo" [I'm old]: internalized ageism as self-referential, negative, ageist speech in the Republic of Panama.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos, Irma D; Stripling, Ashley M; Heesacker, Martin

2012-12-01

Ageism is a form of discrimination that anyone may experience at some point in life (Palmore 2004). Yet ageism is rarely the focus of behavioral research (Nelson 2005). Age can be understood as a social construct that reflects social norms (Lemus and Exposito 2005). Based on our review of the published literature, there were two studies on perceptions of aging among Latina/os in the United States (Beyene et al. 2002; Sarkisian et al. 2006). These studies investigated perceptions and expectations of aging among older Latina/o adults rather than direct experiences of ageism. It is important to note that Latina/os are not a homogenous group and that there are within-group differences. For this reason, this study explored internalized, negative ageism specifically in the Republic of Panama. Although Panama has unique characteristics, it also reflects Central American culture and therefore should provide initial insights regarding Central American self-referential, negative, ageist talk, which we labeled "Estoy viejo." Flanagan's Critical Incident Technique was used to access and understand participants' (ages 18-65) negative ageist talk (n=159). Participants who reported engaging in "Estoy viejo." (46.3% of those sampled) were significantly younger than participants who did not (pexplanation is that younger participants may have been more influenced by North American culture and its strongly negative ageist stereotypes than older participants, who may have identified primarily with Central American culture.

Derivation of the Schrodinger Equation from the Hamilton-Jacobi Equation in Feynman's Path Integral Formulation of Quantum Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Field, J. H.

2011-01-01

It is shown how the time-dependent Schrodinger equation may be simply derived from the dynamical postulate of Feynman's path integral formulation of quantum mechanics and the Hamilton-Jacobi equation of classical mechanics. Schrodinger's own published derivations of quantum wave equations, the first of which was also based on the Hamilton-Jacobi…

The mechanical problems on additive manufacturing of viscoelastic solids with integral conditions on a surface increasing in the growth process

Science.gov (United States)

Parshin, D. A.; Manzhirov, A. V.

2018-04-01

Quasistatic mechanical problems on additive manufacturing aging viscoelastic solids are investigated. The processes of piecewise-continuous accretion of such solids are considered. The consideration is carried out in the framework of linear mechanics of growing solids. A theorem about commutativity of the integration over an arbitrary surface increasing in the solid growing process and the time-derived integral operator of viscoelasticity with a limit depending on the solid point is proved. This theorem provides an efficient way to construct on the basis of Saint-Venant principle solutions of nonclassical boundary-value problems for describing the mechanical behaviour of additively formed solids with integral satisfaction of boundary conditions on the surfaces expanding due to the additional material influx to the formed solid. The constructed solutions will retrace the evolution of the stress-strain state of the solids under consideration during and after the processes of their additive formation. An example of applying the proved theorem is given.

Integration of nondestructive examination reliability and fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doctor, S.R.; Bates, D.J.; Charlot, L.A.

1985-01-01

The primary pressure boundaries (pressure vessels and piping) of nuclear power plants are in-service inspected (ISI) according to the rules of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section XI. Ultrasonic techniques are normally used for these inspections, which are periodically performed on a sampling of welds. The Integration of Nondestructive Examination (NDE) Reliability and Fracture Mechanics (FM) Program at Pacific Northwest Laboratory was established to determine the reliability of current ISI techniques and to develop recommendations that will ensure a suitably high inspection reliability. The objectives of this NRC program are to: 1) determine the reliability of ultrasonic ISI performed on commercial light-water reactor primary systems; 2) using probabilistic FM analysis, determine the impact of NDE unreliability on system safety and determine the level of inspection reliability required to ensure a suitably low failure probability; 3) evaluate the degree of reliability improvement that could be achieved using improved and advanced NDE techniques; and 4) based on material properties, service conditions, and NDE uncertainties, formulate recommended revisions to ASME Code, Section XI, and Regulatory Requirements needed to ensure suitably low failure probabilities

Defect-vectors and path integrals in fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, R.L.

1979-01-01

It seems necessary to introduce the J integral without hypothesis on material behavior. The aim of this paper is this introduction and its consequences. Successively are presented: introduction to defect-vectors and defect-momentum, definition of J(K) and J(L) integrals, equilibrium and energy momentum tensor, energetic signification of the path J and L integrals, and local aspects of the criteria based on path integrals [fr

New application of functional integrals to classical mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zherebtsov, Anton; Ilinski, Kirill

2005-01-01

In this Letter a new functional integral representation for classical dynamics is introduced. It is achieved by rewriting the Liouville picture in terms of bosonic creation-annihilation operators and utilizing the standard derivation of functional integrals for dynamical quantities in the coherent states representation. This results in a new class of functional integrals which are exactly solvable and can be found explicitly when the underlying classical systems are integrable

Cortical mechanisms for trans-saccadic memory and integration of multiple object features

Science.gov (United States)

Prime, Steven L.; Vesia, Michael; Crawford, J. Douglas

2011-01-01

Constructing an internal representation of the world from successive visual fixations, i.e. separated by saccadic eye movements, is known as trans-saccadic perception. Research on trans-saccadic perception (TSP) has been traditionally aimed at resolving the problems of memory capacity and visual integration across saccades. In this paper, we review this literature on TSP with a focus on research showing that egocentric measures of the saccadic eye movement can be used to integrate simple object features across saccades, and that the memory capacity for items retained across saccades, like visual working memory, is restricted to about three to four items. We also review recent transcranial magnetic stimulation experiments which suggest that the right parietal eye field and frontal eye fields play a key functional role in spatial updating of objects in TSP. We conclude by speculating on possible cortical mechanisms for governing egocentric spatial updating of multiple objects in TSP. PMID:21242142

Integrable models in classical and quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jurco, B.

1991-01-01

Integrable systems are investigated, especially the rational and trigonometric Gaudin models. The Gaudin models are diagonalized for the case of classical Lie algebras. Their relation to the other integrable models and to the quantum inverse scattering method is investigated. Applications in quantum optics and plasma physics are discussed. (author). 94 refs

Novel Therapeutic Effects of Leonurine On Ischemic Stroke: New Mechanisms of BBB Integrity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiu-Yan Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Leonurine (also named SCM-198, a compound extracted from Herba leonuri, was effective on the prevention of various cardiovascular and brain diseases. The purpose of this study was to explore the possible therapeutic potential of SCM-198 against ischemia reperfusion injury and underlying mechanisms. In the in vivo transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO rat model, we found that treatment with SCM-198 could decrease infarct volume and improve neurological deficit by protecting against blood-brain barrier (BBB breakdown. In the in vitro model of cell oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R, consistent results were obtained with decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS production and maintained the BBB integrity. Further study demonstrated that SCM-198 increased the expression of histone deacetylase- (HDAC- 4 which could inhibit NADPH oxidase- (NOX- 4 and matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP- 9 expression, resulting in the elevation of tight junction proteins, including claudin-5, occludin, and zonula occluden- (ZO- 1. These results indicated SCM-198 protected BBB integrity by regulating the HDAC4/NOX4/MMP-9 tight junction pathway. Our findings provided novel insights into the protective effects and mechanisms of SCM-198 on ischemic stroke, indicating SCM-198 as a new class of potential drug against acute onset of ischemic stroke.

Linear pulse motor type control element drive mechanism for the integral reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, J. Y.; Choi, S.; Kim, J. H.; Huh, H.; Park, K. B.

2007-01-01

The integral reactor SMART currently under development at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute is designed with soluble boron free operation and use of nuclear heating for reactor startup. These design features require the Control Element Drive Mechanism (CEDM) for SMART to have fine-step movement capability as well as high reliability for the fine reactivity control. In this paper, design characteristics of a new concept CEDM driven by the Linear Pulse Motor (LPM) which meets the design requirements of the integral reactor SMART are introduced. The primary dimensions of the linear pulse motor are determined by the electro-magnetic analysis and the results are also presented. In parallel with the electro-magnetic analysis, the conceptual design of the CEDM is visualized and checked for interferences among parts by assembling three dimensional (3D) models on the computer. Prototype of LPM with double air-gaps for the CEDM sub-assemblies to lift 100 kg is designed, analysed, manufactured and tested to confirm the validity of the CEDM design concept. A converter and a test facility are manufactured to verify the dynamic performance of the LPM. The mover of the LPM is welded with ferromagnetic material and non-ferromagnetic material to get the magnetic flux path between inner stator and outer stator. The thrust forces of LPM predicted by analytic model have shown good agreement with experimental results from the prototype LPM. It is found that the LPM type CEDM has high force density and simple drive mechanism to reduce volume and satisfy the reactor operating circumstances with high pressure and temperature

[Ginseng prescription rules and molecular mechanism in treating coronary heart disease based on data mining and integrative pharmacology].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Sen; Tang, Shi-Huan; Liu, Jin-Ling; Su, Jin; He, Fu-Yuan

2018-04-01

The ancient dragon Materia Medica, Compendium of Materia Medica and other works recorded that the main effect of ginseng is tonifying qi. It is reported that the main active ingredient of ginseng is ginsenoside. Modern studies have found that ginseng mono saponins are effective for cardiovascular related diseases. This paper preliminary clarified the efficacy of traditional ginseng-nourishing qi and cardiovascular disease through the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) inheritance auxiliary platform and integration platform of association of pharmacology. With the help of TCM inheritance auxiliary platform-analysis of "Chinese medicine database", Chinese medicine treatment of modern diseases that ginseng rules, so the traditional effect associated with modern medicine and pharmacology; application integration platform enrichment analysis on the target of drug and gene function, metabolic pathway, to further explore the molecular mechanism of ginseng in the treatment of coronary heart disease, aimed at mining the molecular mechanism of ginseng in the treatment of coronary heart disease. Chinese medicine containing ginseng 307 prescriptions, 87 kinds of disease indications, western medicine disease Chinese medicine therapy for ginseng main coronary heart disease; analysis of molecular mechanism of ginseng pharmacology integration platform for the treatment of coronary heart disease. Ginsenosides（Ra₁, Ra₂, Rb₁, Rb₂, Rg₁, Ro) bind these targets, PRKAA1, PRKAA2, NDUFA4, COX5B, UQCRC1, affect chemokines, non-alcoholic fatty liver, gonadotropin, carbon metabolism, glucose metabolism and other pathways to treat coronary heart disease indirectly. The molecular mechanism of Panax ginseng's multi-component, multi-target and synergistic action is preliminarily elucidated in this paper. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Methods and mechanisms of gettering of silicon structures in the production of integrated circuits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pilipenko V. A.

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Increasing the degree of integration of hardware components imposes more stringent requirements for the reduction of the concentration of contaminants and oxidation stacking faults in the original silicon wafers with its preservation in the IC manufacturing process cycle. This causes high relevance of the application of gettering in modern microelectronic technology. The existing methods of silicon wafers gettering and the mechanisms of their occurrence are considered.

Thermal loads and their effect on integrity of mechanical systems and components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koenig, G.; Schoeckle, F.

2010-01-01

The initial step to establish a required quality status of systems and components is performed during the state of design. Main goal of the design is to consider every possible damage mechanism of the future operation (by specification of loads, medium and environment and the selection of the materials). The knowledge during the state of design determines the reliability of the component. Regarding the thermal loads, especially, only global parameters are specified usually (transients of flow and temperature connected to specified operation). These global transients are analyzed according to the standards. In operation, the safety (integrity) resp. remaining life of a component is determined by the real operation history. As experience showed, failures, defects and not specified (new) loads were discovered during operation, e.g. stratification effects in feedwater pipes and in surge lines or thermal effects in the region of valves due to switching or internal leakage. Standard surveillance in operation is performed using plant transducers that can only monitor global loads. However, problems usually are of local nature. Thermal loads like - turbulent temperatures due to mixing of media with different temperatures - temperature differences across shells or in regions of nozzles/thermal sleeves - temperature differences in piping cross sections (local and global stratification effects) - temperature differences along sections of piping systems have to be monitored by use of local instrumentation. During analysis, both the local loads and construction details have to be considered, in detail, using appropriate calculation / analysis tools. The complexity of the loads requires a comprehensive procedure: - determine the types of loads resulting from measured temperature transients - perform sensitivity studies to identify the load type that results in relevant stresses - evaluate the stresses of the significant loads - assess these stresses according to component

Irradiation effects on the mechanical properties of aluminium and the structural integrity of aluminium reactor components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, R.P.; McDonald, N.R.; Mitchell, D.R.G.; Hellier, A.K.; Stathers, P.A.; Carr, D.G.; Ripley, M.I.

2000-01-01

The results of micro-structural and mechanical property studies on aluminum after being exposed to large fluences of neutrons are presented. These property changes are of importance in determining the structural integrity of the Australian HIFAR reactor aluminium tank, which in turn determines the lifetime of the reactor. (author)

Guarantee of remaining life time. Integrity of mechanical components and control of ageing phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuler, X.; Herter, K.H.; Koenig, G.

2012-01-01

The life time of safety relevant systems, structures and components (SSC) of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) is determined by two main principles. First of all the required quality has to be produced during the design and fabrication process. This means that quality has to be produced and can't be improved by excessive inspections (Basis Safety - quality through production principle). The second one is assigned to the initial quality which has to be maintained during operation. This concerns safe operation during the total life time (life time management), safety against ageing phenomena (AM - ageing management) as well as proof of integrity (e.g. break preclusion or avoidance of fracture for SSC with high safety relevance). Initiated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi event in Japan in spring 2011 for German NPP's Long Term Operation (LTO) is out of question. In June 2011 legislation took decision to phase-out from nuclear by 2022. As a fact safe operation shall be guaranteed for the remaining life time. Within this technical framework the ageing management is a key element. Depending on the safety-relevance of the SSC under observation including preventive maintenance various tasks are required in particular to clarify the mechanisms which contribute systemspecifically to the damage of the components and systems and to define their controlling parameters which have to be monitored and checked. Appropriate continuous or discontinuous measures are to be considered in this connection. The approach to ensure a high standard of quality in operation for the remaining life time and the management of the technical and organizational aspects are demonstrated and explained. The basis for ageing management to be applied to NNPs is included in Nuclear Safety Standard 1403 which describes the ageing management procedures. For SSC with high safety relevance a verification analysis for rupture preclusion (proof of integrity, integrity concept) shall be performed (Nuclear Safety Standard 3206

Linking Cellular Mechanisms to Behavior: Entorhinal Persistent Spiking and Membrane Potential Oscillations May Underlie Path Integration, Grid Cell Firing, and Episodic Memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael E. Hasselmo

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The entorhinal cortex plays an important role in spatial memory and episodic memory functions. These functions may result from cellular mechanisms for integration of the afferent input to entorhinal cortex. This article reviews physiological data on persistent spiking and membrane potential oscillations in entorhinal cortex then presents models showing how both these cellular mechanisms could contribute to properties observed during unit recording, including grid cell firing, and how they could underlie behavioural functions including path integration. The interaction of oscillations and persistent firing could contribute to encoding and retrieval of trajectories through space and time as a mechanism relevant to episodic memory.

Efficient Sustainable Operation Mechanism of Distributed Desktop Integration Storage Based on Virtualization with Ubiquitous Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyun-Woo Kim

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Following the rapid growth of ubiquitous computing, many jobs that were previously manual have now been automated. This automation has increased the amount of time available for leisure; diverse services are now being developed for this leisure time. In addition, the development of small and portable devices like smartphones, diverse Internet services can be used regardless of time and place. Studies regarding diverse virtualization are currently in progress. These studies aim to determine ways to efficiently store and process the big data generated by the multitude of devices and services in use. One topic of such studies is desktop storage virtualization, which integrates distributed desktop resources and provides these resources to users to integrate into distributed legacy desktops via virtualization. In the case of desktop storage virtualization, high availability of virtualization is necessary and important for providing reliability to users. Studies regarding hierarchical structures and resource integration are currently in progress. These studies aim to create efficient data distribution and storage for distributed desktops based on resource integration environments. However, studies regarding efficient responses to server faults occurring in desktop-based resource integration environments have been insufficient. This paper proposes a mechanism for the sustainable operation of desktop storage (SODS for high operational availability. It allows for the easy addition and removal of desktops in desktop-based integration environments. It also activates alternative servers when a fault occurs within a system.

MeDALL (Mechanisms of the Development of ALLergy): an integrated approach from phenotypes to systems medicine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bousquet, J; Anto, J; Auffray, C

2011-01-01

) Building discovery of the relevant mechanisms in IgE-associated allergic diseases in existing longitudinal birth cohorts and Karelian children; (iii) Validation and redefinition of classical and novel phenotypes of IgE-associated allergic diseases; and (iv) Translational integration of systems biology......The origin of the epidemic of IgE-associated (allergic) diseases is unclear. MeDALL (Mechanisms of the Development of ALLergy), an FP7 European Union project (No. 264357), aims to generate novel knowledge on the mechanisms of initiation of allergy and to propose early diagnosis, prevention...... of complementary experts in allergy, epidemiology, allergen biochemistry, immunology, molecular biology, epigenetics, functional genomics, bioinformatics, computational and systems biology. The following steps are proposed: (i) Identification of 'classical' and 'novel' phenotypes in existing birth cohorts; (ii...

INTEGRATED MECHANISMS FOR APROACHING PRIORITY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AT GLOBAL LEVEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

iLDIKO iOAN

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Integrated mechanisms for approaching priority environmentalissues at global level. At global level, there are considered priorityenvironmental issues two interdependent processes that are essential for thesupport the processes that provide living conditions and wellbeing for the entirehumankind: climate change and loss of biodiversity. Payments of ecosystemservices became already well-known and applied economic instruments, althoughthere are still many uncertainties in the knowledge of eco-economic interdependencies.The paper discusses these aspects in the first part highlighting advantagesand disadvantages, while in the second part there is analyzed an integratedprogram of the United Nations, which was designed for making progress towardboth climate change, and loss of biodiversity. The REDD program – Reduction ofEmissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation – is addressed to developingcountries and it started in 2008. Based on assessment reports we will try toformulate a number of conclusions regarding the program’s effectiveness.

Referential framework for transcranial anatomical correspondence for fNIRS based on manually traced sulci and gyri of an infant brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsui, Mie; Homae, Fumitaka; Tsuzuki, Daisuke; Watanabe, Hama; Katagiri, Masatoshi; Uda, Satoshi; Nakashima, Mitsuhiro; Dan, Ippeita; Taga, Gentaro

2014-03-01

Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), which is compact, portable, and tolerant of body movement, is suitable for monitoring infant brain functions. Nevertheless, fNIRS also poses a technical problem in that it cannot provide structural information. Supplementation with structural magnetic resonance images (MRI) is not always feasible for infants who undergo fNIRS measurement. Probabilistic registration methods using an MRI database instead of subjects' own MRIs are optimized for adult studies and offer only limited resources for infant studies. To overcome this, we used high-quality infant MRI data for a 12-month-old infant and manually delineated segmented gyri from among the highly visible macroanatomies on the lateral cortical surface. These macroanatomical regions are primarily linked to the spherical coordinate system based on external cranial landmarks, and further to traditional 10-20-based head-surface positioning systems. While macroanatomical structures were generally comparable between adult and infant atlases, differences were found in the parietal lobe, which was positioned posteriorly at the vertex in the infant brain. The present study provides a referential framework for macroanatomical analyses in infant fNIRS studies. With this resource, multichannel fNIRS functional data could be analyzed in reference to macroanatomical structures through virtual and probabilistic registrations without acquiring subject-specific MRIs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

The dynamical integrity concept for interpreting/ predicting experimental behaviour: from macro- to nano-mechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenci, Stefano; Rega, Giuseppe; Ruzziconi, Laura

2013-06-28

The dynamical integrity, a new concept proposed by J.M.T. Thompson, and developed by the authors, is used to interpret experimental results. After reviewing the main issues involved in this analysis, including the proposal of a new integrity measure able to capture in an easy way the safe part of basins, attention is dedicated to two experiments, a rotating pendulum and a micro-electro-mechanical system, where the theoretical predictions are not fulfilled. These mechanical systems, the former at the macro-scale and the latter at the micro-scale, permit a comparative analysis of different mechanical and dynamical behaviours. The fact that in both cases the dynamical integrity permits one to justify the difference between experimental and theoretical results, which is the main achievement of this paper, shows the effectiveness of this new approach and suggests its use in practical situations. The men of experiment are like the ant, they only collect and use; the reasoners resemble spiders, who make cobwebs out of their own substance. But the bee takes the middle course: it gathers its material from the flowers of the garden and field, but transforms and digests it by a power of its own. Not unlike this is the true business of philosophy (science); for it neither relies solely or chiefly on the powers of the mind, nor does it take the matter which it gathers from natural history and mechanical experiments and lay up in the memory whole, as it finds it, but lays it up in the understanding altered and digested. Therefore, from a closer and purer league between these two faculties, the experimental and the rational (such as has never been made), much may be hoped. (Francis Bacon 1561-1626) But are we sure of our observational facts? Scientific men are rather fond of saying pontifically that one ought to be quite sure of one's observational facts before embarking on theory. Fortunately those who give this advice do not practice what they preach. Observation and theory get

Mechanical integration of the detector components for the CBM silicon tracking system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasylyev, Oleg; Niebur, Wolfgang [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Collaboration: CBM-Collaboration

2016-07-01

The Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment (CBM) at FAIR is designed to explore the QCD phase diagram in the region of high net-baryon densities. The central detector component, the Silicon Tracking System (STS) is based on double-sided micro-strip sensors. In order to achieve the physics performance, the detector mechanical structures should be developed taking into account the requirements of the CBM experiments: low material budget, high radiation environment, interaction rates, aperture for the silicon tracking, detector segmentation and mounting precision. A functional plan of the STS and its surrounding structural components is being worked out from which the STS system shape is derived and the power and cooling needs, the connector space requirements, life span of components and installation/repair aspects are determined. The mechanical integration is at the point of finalizing the design stage and moving towards production readiness. This contribution shows the current processing state of the following engineering tasks: construction space definition, carbon ladder shape and manufacturability, beam-pipe feedthrough structure, prototype construction, cable routing and modeling of the electronic components.

Reduced connectivity in the self-processing network of schizophrenia patients with poor insight.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edith J Liemburg

Full Text Available Lack of insight (unawareness of illness is a common and clinically relevant feature of schizophrenia. Reduced levels of self-referential processing have been proposed as a mechanism underlying poor insight. The default mode network (DMN has been implicated as a key node in the circuit for self-referential processing. We hypothesized that during resting state the DMN network would show decreased connectivity in schizophrenia patients with poor insight compared to patients with good insight. Patients with schizophrenia were recruited from mental health care centers in the north of the Netherlands and categorized in groups having good insight (n= 25 or poor insight (n = 19. All subjects underwent a resting state fMRI scan. A healthy control group (n = 30 was used as a reference. Functional connectivity of the anterior and posterior part of the DMN, identified using Independent Component Analysis, was compared between groups. Patients with poor insight showed lower connectivity of the ACC within the anterior DMN component and precuneus within the posterior DMN component compared to patients with good insight. Connectivity between the anterior and posterior part of the DMN was lower in patients than controls, and qualitatively different between the good and poor insight patient groups. As predicted, subjects with poor insight in psychosis showed decreased connectivity in DMN regions implicated in self-referential processing, although this concerned only part of the network. This finding is compatible with theories implying a role of reduced self-referential processing as a mechanism contributing to poor insight.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 integration targeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Engelman, Alan N; Singh, Parmit K

2018-07-01

Integration is central to HIV-1 replication and helps mold the reservoir of cells that persists in AIDS patients. HIV-1 interacts with specific cellular factors to target integration to interior regions of transcriptionally active genes within gene-dense regions of chromatin. The viral capsid interacts with several proteins that are additionally implicated in virus nuclear import, including cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 6, to suppress integration into heterochromatin. The viral integrase protein interacts with transcriptional co-activator lens epithelium-derived growth factor p75 to principally position integration within gene bodies. The integrase additionally senses target DNA distortion and nucleotide sequence to help fine-tune the specific phosphodiester bonds that are cleaved at integration sites. Research into virus-host interactions that underlie HIV-1 integration targeting has aided the development of a novel class of integrase inhibitors and may help to improve the safety of viral-based gene therapy vectors.

Pattern of online communication in teaching a blended oral surgery course.

Science.gov (United States)

Marei, H F; Al-Khalifa, K S

2016-11-01

To explore the factors that might affect the patterns of interaction amongst dental students that can be found in asynchronous online discussion fora. It is a qualitative study that involved the participation of 71 dental students (42 male and 29 female) who belong to one academic year. Students were participated in asynchronous online discussion fora as a part of a blended oral surgery course that involved both face-to-face lecture and an online learning environment using the Blackboard learning management system. Qualitative analysis of students' pattern of discussion was performed using Transcript Analysis Tool. The total number of postings was 410. Sixty-seven of 71 students participated in the discussion by writing posts, whereas all of the students had accessed all of the postings. A positive correlation between imposing vertical questions and the number of non-referential and referential statements was observed. Regarding horizontal questions, a positive correlation was observed with the number of referential statements, whilst there was a negative correlation with the number of non-referential statements. Asynchronous online discussion fora that are integrated as a part of a whole pedagogical practice may provide an opportunity for promoting learning, especially when consideration is given to the structure of problems, timely feedback by tutors and supportive strategies within the discussion threads. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A fracture mechanics method of evaluating structural integrity of a reactor vessel due to thermal shock effects following LOCA condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramani, D.T.

1977-01-01

The importance of knowledge of structural integrity of a reactor vessel due to thermal shock effects, is related to safety and operational requirements in assessing the adequacy and flawless functioing of the nuclear power systems. Followig a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) condition the integrity of the reactor vessel due to a sudden thermal shock induced by actuation of emergency core cooling system (ECCS), must be maintained to ensure safe and orderly shutdown of the reactor and its components. The paper encompasses criteria underlaying a fracture mechanics method of analysis to evaluate structural integrity of a typical 950 MWe PWR vessel as a result of very drastic changes in thermal and mechanical stress levels in the reactor vessel wall. The main object of this investigation therefore consists in assessing the capability of a PWR vessel to withstand the most critical thermal shock without inpairing its ability to conserve vital coolant owing to probable crack propagation. (Auth.)

Mechanical integrity of thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, R.W.

1979-01-01

Mechanical considerations starting with the initial film deposition including questions of adhesion and grading the interface are reviewed. Growth stresses, limiting thickness, stress relief, control aging, and creep are described

A study of long-term static load on degradation and mechanical integrity of Mg alloys-based biodegradable metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Youngmi; Jang, Yongseok; Yun, Yeoheung

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Long-term stress corrosion cracking (SCC) test of Mg alloys was performed. • AZ31B-H24 shows transgranular stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC) and ZE41A-T5 intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). • Long-term static loading accelerated crack propagation, leading to the loss of mechanical strength. - Abstract: Predicting degradation behavior of biodegradable metals in vivo is crucial for the clinical success of medical devices. This paper reports on the effect of long-term static stress on degradation of magnesium alloys and further changes in mechanical integrity. AZ31B (H24) and ZE41A (T5) alloys were tested to evaluate stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in a physiological solution for 30 days and 90 days (ASTM G39 testing standard). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) were used to characterize surface morphology and micro-structure of degraded alloys. The results show the different mechanisms of stress corrosion cracking for AZ31B (transgranular stress corrosion cracking, TGSCC) and ZE41A (intergranular stress corrosion cracking, IGSCC). AZ31B was more susceptible to stress corrosion cracking under a long term static load than ZE41A. In conclusion, we observed that long-term static loading accelerated crack propagation, leading to the loss of mechanical integrity.

A study of long-term static load on degradation and mechanical integrity of Mg alloys-based biodegradable metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koo, Youngmi; Jang, Yongseok; Yun, Yeoheung, E-mail: yyun@ncat.edu

2017-05-15

Highlights: • Long-term stress corrosion cracking (SCC) test of Mg alloys was performed. • AZ31B-H24 shows transgranular stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC) and ZE41A-T5 intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). • Long-term static loading accelerated crack propagation, leading to the loss of mechanical strength. - Abstract: Predicting degradation behavior of biodegradable metals in vivo is crucial for the clinical success of medical devices. This paper reports on the effect of long-term static stress on degradation of magnesium alloys and further changes in mechanical integrity. AZ31B (H24) and ZE41A (T5) alloys were tested to evaluate stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in a physiological solution for 30 days and 90 days (ASTM G39 testing standard). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) were used to characterize surface morphology and micro-structure of degraded alloys. The results show the different mechanisms of stress corrosion cracking for AZ31B (transgranular stress corrosion cracking, TGSCC) and ZE41A (intergranular stress corrosion cracking, IGSCC). AZ31B was more susceptible to stress corrosion cracking under a long term static load than ZE41A. In conclusion, we observed that long-term static loading accelerated crack propagation, leading to the loss of mechanical integrity.

The construction of the referent The place where I live in opinion articles: a dialogue between referential theory and objectivity in brackets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipe Fontenele Oliveira

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to propose a discussion about the construction of the referent The place where I live in the V edition of the Portuguese Language Olympiad Writing the Future, while trying to hold a dialogue between the theory of referentiation and the concept of objectivity in brackets proposed by biologist Humberto Maturana. Part of this discussion includes the partial results of our master's research in the Postgraduate in Applied Linguistics Program, State University of Ceará. In this research, we analyze nine texts of opinion written by students of a state school in Fortaleza, produced and intended for this educational event. However, for the current work, we analyze just one text. We seek to achieve the approximation of the theories under discussion in the production of the texts, including the reference articulation that cover The place where I live in the analyzed text. From what we see, the construction of this reference exceeds relations between the words marked by direct expressions or predications attached to it. In fact, it occurs in relation to other related available in text and occurs before the mention by linguistic expressions, as already part of individual and collective buildings, marked by sociohistoric aspects and the intertextual relations with other sources.

Brain activation associated with pride and shame

OpenAIRE

Roth, Lilian; Kaffenberger, Tina; Herwig, Uwe; Brühl, Annette Beatrix

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Self-referential emotions such as shame/guilt and pride provide evaluative information about persons themselves. In addition to emotional aspects, social and self-referential processes play a role in self-referential emotions. Prior studies have rather focused on comparing self-referential and other-referential processes of one valence, triggered mostly by external stimuli. In the current study, we aimed at investigating the valence-specific neural correlates of shame/guilt and pr...

Development Mechanism of an Integrated Model for Training of a Specialist and Conceptual-Theoretical Activity of a Teacher

Science.gov (United States)

Marasulov, Akhmat; Saipov, Amangeldi; ?rymbayeva, Kulimkhan; Zhiyentayeva, Begaim; Demeuov, Akhan; Konakbaeva, Ulzhamal; Bekbolatova, Akbota

2016-01-01

The aim of the study is to examine the methodological-theoretical construction bases for development mechanism of an integrated model for a specialist's training and teacher's conceptual-theoretical activity. Using the methods of generalization of teaching experience, pedagogical modeling and forecasting, the authors determine the urgent problems…

Integrated network analysis reveals potentially novel molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets of refractory epilepsies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongwei Chu

Full Text Available Epilepsy is a complex neurological disorder and a significant health problem. The pathogenesis of epilepsy remains obscure in a significant number of patients and the current treatment options are not adequate in about a third of individuals which were known as refractory epilepsies (RE. Network medicine provides an effective approach for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying complex diseases. Here we integrated 1876 disease-gene associations of RE and located those genes to human protein-protein interaction (PPI network to obtain 42 significant RE-associated disease modules. The functional analysis of these disease modules showed novel molecular pathological mechanisms of RE, such as the novel enriched pathways (e.g., "presynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors", "signaling by insulin receptor". Further analysis on the relationships between current drug targets and the RE-related disease genes showed the rational mechanisms of most antiepileptic drugs. In addition, we detected ten potential novel drug targets (e.g., KCNA1, KCNA4-6, KCNC3, KCND2, KCNMA1, CAMK2G, CACNB4 and GRM1 located in three RE related disease modules, which might provide novel insights into the new drug discovery for RE therapy.

Conference on support mechanisms evolution and renewable energies integration in France and in Germany markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Praetorius, Barbara; Cruciani, Michel; Schwarz, Virginie; Nabe, Christian; Mayer, Joerg; Vogel, Wolfram; Abegg, Janosch; Lioret, Sonia; Avedissian, Franck; Cosse, Julien; Woodhouse, Stephen; Bradbury, Simon; Mollard, Matthieu; Solal, Lucie; Nodari, Antonio

2015-01-01

The French-German office for Renewable energies (OFAEnR) organised a conference on the support mechanisms evolution and the renewable energies integration in France and in Germany markets. In the framework of this French-German exchange of experience, participants exchanged views on the current support mechanisms in both countries and on their forthcoming legal modifications. The legal framework of direct renewable energy selling in the German market and the impacts and challenges of this model were addressed as well. Technical aspects of auction sales of electricity were approached too and illustrated with experience feedbacks from direct selling operators. This document brings together the available presentations (slides) made during this event: 1 - Tenders for Renewable energy and the German Energiewende - Perspectives, challenges, debates (Barbara Praetorius); 2 - Promotion of energy from renewable sources - A short analysis of the French public policy 2000 -2014 (Michel Cruciani); 3 - Support schemes for renewables in France and their evolution as foreseen in the energy transition law (Virginie Schwarz); 4 - Direct electricity selling on the wholesale market: legal framework and perspective - a French-German comparison (Christian Nabe); 5 - Self-consumption and power purchase Business framework in Germany (Joerg Mayer); 6 - Successful Integration of Renewable energies in the Market: the Role of the Power exchange (Wolfram Vogel); 7 - Earn money and do good by marketing renewables (Janosch Abegg); 8 - Proposals for a new electricity market design (Sonia Lioret)

An Integrated Signaling-Encryption Mechanism to Reduce Error Propagation in Wireless Communications: Performance Analyses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olama, Mohammed M [ORNL; Matalgah, Mustafa M [ORNL; Bobrek, Miljko [ORNL

2015-01-01

Traditional encryption techniques require packet overhead, produce processing time delay, and suffer from severe quality of service deterioration due to fades and interference in wireless channels. These issues reduce the effective transmission data rate (throughput) considerably in wireless communications, where data rate with limited bandwidth is the main constraint. In this paper, performance evaluation analyses are conducted for an integrated signaling-encryption mechanism that is secure and enables improved throughput and probability of bit-error in wireless channels. This mechanism eliminates the drawbacks stated herein by encrypting only a small portion of an entire transmitted frame, while the rest is not subject to traditional encryption but goes through a signaling process (designed transformation) with the plaintext of the portion selected for encryption. We also propose to incorporate error correction coding solely on the small encrypted portion of the data to drastically improve the overall bit-error rate performance while not noticeably increasing the required bit-rate. We focus on validating the signaling-encryption mechanism utilizing Hamming and convolutional error correction coding by conducting an end-to-end system-level simulation-based study. The average probability of bit-error and throughput of the encryption mechanism are evaluated over standard Gaussian and Rayleigh fading-type channels and compared to the ones of the conventional advanced encryption standard (AES).

The neural architecture of music-evoked autobiographical memories

OpenAIRE

Janata, P

2009-01-01

The medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) is regarded as a region of the brain that supports self-referential processes, including the integration of sensory information with self-knowledge and the retrieval of autobiographical information. I used functional magnetic resonance imaging and a novel procedure for eliciting autobiographical memories with excerpts of popular music dating to one's extended childhood to test the hypothesis that music and autobiographical memories are integrated in the MPF...

Microcontroller Based Proportional Derivative Plus Conditional Integral Controller for Electro-Mechanical Dual Acting Pulley Continuously Variable Transmission Ratio Control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budianto, A; Tawi, K B; Hussein, M; Supriyo, B; Kob, M S Che; Zulkifli, Mohd Ezlamy; Khairuldean A K; Daraoh, Aishah; Ariyono, S

2012-01-01

Electro-Mechanical Dual Acting Pulley (EMDAP) Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is a transmission utilized by electro-mechanical actuated system. It has a potential to reduce energy consumption because it only needs power during changing CVT ratio and no power is needed to maintain CVT ratio due to self lock mechanism design. This paper proposed simple proportional derivative plus conditional integral (PDCI) controller to control EMDAP CVT ratio which can be simply implemented on a microcontroller. This proposed controller used Astrom-Hagglund method and Ziegler-Nichols formula to tune PDCI gain. The Proportional Derivative controller is directly activated from the start but Integral controller is only activated when the error value reaches error value setting point. Simulation using Matlab/Simulink software was conducted to evaluate PDCI system performance. The simulation results showed PDCI controller has ability to perform maximum overshoot 0.1%, 0.001 steady state error and 0.5s settling time. For clamping condition, settling time is about 11.46s during changing ratio from 2.0 to 0.7, while for release condition, settling time is about 8.33s during changing ratio from 0.7 to 2.0.

Mechanical Integrity of Flexible In-Zn-Sn-O Film for Flexible Transparent Electrode

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young Sung; Oh, Se-In; Choa, Sung-Hoon

2013-05-01

The mechanical integrity of transparent In-Zn-Sn-O (IZTO) films is investigated using outer/inner bending, stretching, and twisting tests. Amorphous IZTO films are grown using a pulsed DC magnetron sputtering system with an IZTO target on a polyimide substrate at room temperature. Changes in the optical and electrical properties of IZTO films depend on the oxygen partial pressure applied during the film deposition process. In the case of 3% oxygen partial pressure, the IZTO films exhibit s resistivity of 8.3×10-4 Ω cm and an optical transmittance of 86%. The outer bending test shows that the critical bending radius decreases from 10 to 7.5 mm when the oxygen partial pressure is increased from 1 to 3%. The inner bending test reveals that the critical bending radius of all IZTO films is 3.5 mm regardless of oxygen partial pressure. The IZTO films also show excellent mechanical reliability in the bending fatigue tests of more than 10,000 cycles. In the uniaxial stretching tests, the electrical resistance of the IZTO film does not change until a strain of 2.4% is reached. The twisting tests demonstrate that the electrical resistance of IZTO films remains unchanged up to 25°. These results suggest that IZTO films have excellent mechanical durability and flexibility in comparison with already reported crystallized indium tin oxide (ITO) films.

In vitro degradation and mechanical integrity of calcium-containing magnesium alloys in modified-simulated body fluid.

Science.gov (United States)

Kannan, M Bobby; Raman, R K Singh

2008-05-01

The successful applications of magnesium-based alloys as degradable orthopaedic implants are mainly inhibited due to their high degradation rates in physiological environment and consequent loss in the mechanical integrity. This study examines the degradation behaviour and the mechanical integrity of calcium-containing magnesium alloys using electrochemical techniques and slow strain rate test (SSRT) method, respectively, in modified-simulated body fluid (m-SBF). Potentiodynamic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results showed that calcium addition enhances the general and pitting corrosion resistances of magnesium alloys significantly. The corrosion current was significantly lower in AZ91Ca alloy than that in AZ91 alloy. Furthermore, AZ91Ca alloy exhibited a five-fold increase in the surface film resistance than AZ91 alloy. The SSRT results showed that the ultimate tensile strength and elongation to fracture of AZ91Ca alloy in m-SBF decreased only marginally (approximately 15% and 20%, respectively) in comparison with these properties in air. The fracture morphologies of the failed samples are discussed in the paper. The in vitro study suggests that calcium-containing magnesium alloys to be a promising candidate for their applications in degradable orthopaedic implants, and it is worthwhile to further investigate the in vivo corrosion behaviour of these alloys.

Supersymmetric quantum mechanics on n-dimensional manifolds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Connor, M.

1990-01-01

In this thesis the author investigates the properties of the supersymmetric path integral on Riemannian manifolds. Chapter 1 is a brief introduction to supersymmetric path integral can be defined as the continuum limit of a discrete supersymmetric path integral. In Chapter 3 he shows that point canonical transformations in the path integral for ordinary quantum mechanics can be performed naively provided one uses the supersymmetric path integral. Chapter 4 generalizes the results of chapter 3 to include the propagation of all the fermion sectors in supersymmetric quantum mechanics. In Chapter 5 he shows how the properties of supersymmetric quantum mechanics can be used to investigate topological quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics on the half-line using path integrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, T.E.; Menikoff, R.; Sharp, D.H.

1980-01-01

We study the Feynman path-integral formalism for the constrained problem of a free particle moving on the half-line. It is shown that the effect of the boundary condition at the origin can be incorporated into the path integral by a simple modification of the action. The small-time behavior of the Green's function can be obtained from the stationary-phase evaluation of our expression for the path integral, which in this case includes contributions from both the direct and reflected classical paths

Mechanical design in embryos: mechanical signalling, robustness and developmental defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, Lance A

2017-05-19

Embryos are shaped by the precise application of force against the resistant structures of multicellular tissues. Forces may be generated, guided and resisted by cells, extracellular matrix, interstitial fluids, and how they are organized and bound within the tissue's architecture. In this review, we summarize our current thoughts on the multiple roles of mechanics in direct shaping, mechanical signalling and robustness of development. Genetic programmes of development interact with environmental cues to direct the composition of the early embryo and endow cells with active force production. Biophysical advances now provide experimental tools to measure mechanical resistance and collective forces during morphogenesis and are allowing integration of this field with studies of signalling and patterning during development. We focus this review on concepts that highlight this integration, and how the unique contributions of mechanical cues and gradients might be tested side by side with conventional signalling systems. We conclude with speculation on the integration of large-scale programmes of development, and how mechanical responses may ensure robust development and serve as constraints on programmes of tissue self-assembly.This article is part of the themed issue 'Systems morphodynamics: understanding the development of tissue hardware'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Towards an integrated management of health physics and medical physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mommaert, Chantal; Rogge, Frank; Cortenbosch, Geert; Schmitz, Frederic

2007-01-01

AVN is a licensed body that performs health physics control in different types of installations, from large nuclear facilities to small dentist cabinets. AVN can also provide medical physics services for the quality control of, for instance, medical devices used in a radiology or nuclear medicine department. Radiation protection for personnel and environment (health physics) and radiation protection for the patient (medical physics) are usually treated separately, using different referential documents, such as the European Directives 96/29/Euratom for health physics and 97/43/Euratom for medical physics. This difference is also clearly reflected in the Belgium legislation (two types of accreditation/licence for inspectors, different chapters in the law,..) From a practical point of view it is sometimes rather difficult to split the task 'on site' during an inspection. An RX system not complying with radiation protection criteria can definitively affect the patient as well as the workers. On the other hand, the hospitals, cannot easily differentiate these two tasks because they are not fully aware of the legislation and they are mixing both. Taking into account the health physics guidelines as well as medical physics guidelines, we have decided to move to an integrated approach of these two concepts. (orig.)

Maximally-localized position, Euclidean path-integral, and thermodynamics in GUP quantum mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardo, Reginald Christian S.; Esguerra, Jose Perico H.

2018-04-01

In dealing with quantum mechanics at very high energies, it is essential to adapt to a quasiposition representation using the maximally-localized states because of the generalized uncertainty principle. In this paper, we look at maximally-localized states as eigenstates of the operator ξ = X + iβP that we refer to as the maximally-localized position. We calculate the overlap between maximally-localized states and show that the identity operator can be expressed in terms of the maximally-localized states. Furthermore, we show that the maximally-localized position is diagonal in momentum-space and that the maximally-localized position and its adjoint satisfy commutation and anti-commutation relations reminiscent of the harmonic oscillator commutation and anti-commutation relations. As application, we use the maximally-localized position in developing the Euclidean path-integral and introduce the compact form of the propagator for maximal localization. The free particle momentum-space propagator and the propagator for maximal localization are analytically evaluated up to quadratic-order in β. Finally, we obtain a path-integral expression for the partition function of a thermodynamic system using the maximally-localized states. The partition function of a gas of noninteracting particles is evaluated. At temperatures exceeding the Planck energy, we obtain the gas' maximum internal energy N / 2 β and recover the zero heat capacity of an ideal gas.

An integrative view of mechanisms underlying generalized spike-and-wave epileptic seizures and its implication on optimal therapeutic treatments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boyuan Yan

Full Text Available Many types of epileptic seizures are characterized by generalized spike-and-wave discharges. In the past, notable effort has been devoted to understanding seizure dynamics and various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the underlying mechanisms. In this paper, by taking an integrative view of the underlying mechanisms, we demonstrate that epileptic seizures can be generated by many different combinations of synaptic strengths and intrinsic membrane properties. This integrative view has important medical implications: the specific state of a patient characterized by a set of biophysical characteristics ultimately determines the optimal therapeutic treatment. Through the same view, we further demonstrate the potentiation effect of rational polypharmacy in the treatment of epilepsy and provide a new angle to resolve the debate on polypharmacy. Our results underscore the need for personalized medicine and demonstrate that computer modeling and simulation may play an important role in assisting the clinicians in selecting the optimal treatment on an individual basis.

Brain activation associated with pride and shame.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Lilian; Kaffenberger, Tina; Herwig, Uwe; Brühl, Annette B

2014-01-01

Self-referential emotions such as shame/guilt and pride provide evaluative information about persons themselves. In addition to emotional aspects, social and self-referential processes play a role in self-referential emotions. Prior studies have rather focused on comparing self-referential and other-referential processes of one valence, triggered mostly by external stimuli. In the current study, we aimed at investigating the valence-specific neural correlates of shame/guilt and pride, evoked by the remembrance of a corresponding autobiographical event during functional magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 25 healthy volunteers were studied. The task comprised a negative (shame/guilt), a positive (pride) and a neutral condition (expecting the distractor). Each condition was initiated by a simple cue, followed by the remembrance and finished by a distracting picture. Pride and shame/guilt conditions both activated typical emotion-processing circuits including the amygdala, insula and ventral striatum, as well as self-referential brain regions such as the bilateral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Comparing the two emotional conditions, emotion-processing circuits were more activated by pride than by shame, possibly due to either hedonic experiences or stronger involvement of the participants in positive self-referential emotions due to a self-positivity bias. However, the ventral striatum was similarly activated by pride and shame/guilt. In the whole-brain analysis, both self-referential emotion conditions activated medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate regions, corresponding to the self-referential aspect and the autobiographical evocation of the respective emotions. Autobiographically evoked self-referential emotions activated basic emotional as well as self-referential circuits. Except for the ventral striatum, emotional circuits were more active with pride than with shame.

Materials and noncoplanar mesh designs for integrated circuits with linear elastic responses to extreme mechanical deformations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dae-Hyeong; Song, Jizhou; Choi, Won Mook; Kim, Hoon-Sik; Kim, Rak-Hwan; Liu, Zhuangjian; Huang, Yonggang Y; Hwang, Keh-Chih; Zhang, Yong-wei; Rogers, John A

2008-12-02

Electronic systems that offer elastic mechanical responses to high-strain deformations are of growing interest because of their ability to enable new biomedical devices and other applications whose requirements are impossible to satisfy with conventional wafer-based technologies or even with those that offer simple bendability. This article introduces materials and mechanical design strategies for classes of electronic circuits that offer extremely high stretchability, enabling them to accommodate even demanding configurations such as corkscrew twists with tight pitch (e.g., 90 degrees in approximately 1 cm) and linear stretching to "rubber-band" levels of strain (e.g., up to approximately 140%). The use of single crystalline silicon nanomaterials for the semiconductor provides performance in stretchable complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits approaching that of conventional devices with comparable feature sizes formed on silicon wafers. Comprehensive theoretical studies of the mechanics reveal the way in which the structural designs enable these extreme mechanical properties without fracturing the intrinsically brittle active materials or even inducing significant changes in their electrical properties. The results, as demonstrated through electrical measurements of arrays of transistors, CMOS inverters, ring oscillators, and differential amplifiers, suggest a valuable route to high-performance stretchable electronics.

Development and integration of high straightness flexure guiding mechanisms dedicated to the METAS watt balance Mark II

Science.gov (United States)

Cosandier, F.; Eichenberger, A.; Baumann, H.; Jeckelmann, B.; Bonny, M.; Chatagny, V.; Clavel, R.

2014-04-01

There is a firm will in the metrology community to redefine the kilogram in the International System of units by linking it to a fundamental physical constant. The watt balance is a promising way to link the mass unit to the Planck constant h. At the Federal Institute of Metrology METAS a second watt balance experiment is under development. A decisive part of the METAS Mark II watt balance is the mechanical linear guiding system. The present paper discusses the development and the metrological characteristics of two guiding systems that were conceived by the Laboratoire de Systèmes Robotiques of EPFL and built using flexure mechanical elements. Integration in the new setup is also described.

Integration of large chemical kinetic mechanisms via exponential methods with Krylov approximations to Jacobian matrix functions

KAUST Repository

Bisetti, Fabrizio

2012-06-01

Recent trends in hydrocarbon fuel research indicate that the number of species and reactions in chemical kinetic mechanisms is rapidly increasing in an effort to provide predictive capabilities for fuels of practical interest. In order to cope with the computational cost associated with the time integration of stiff, large chemical systems, a novel approach is proposed. The approach combines an exponential integrator and Krylov subspace approximations to the exponential function of the Jacobian matrix. The components of the approach are described in detail and applied to the ignition of stoichiometric methane-air and iso-octane-air mixtures, here described by two widely adopted chemical kinetic mechanisms. The approach is found to be robust even at relatively large time steps and the global error displays a nominal third-order convergence. The performance of the approach is improved by utilising an adaptive algorithm for the selection of the Krylov subspace size, which guarantees an approximation to the matrix exponential within user-defined error tolerance. The Krylov projection of the Jacobian matrix onto a low-dimensional space is interpreted as a local model reduction with a well-defined error control strategy. Finally, the performance of the approach is discussed with regard to the optimal selection of the parameters governing the accuracy of its individual components. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Integrated Modules Analysis to Explore the Molecular Mechanisms of Phlegm-Stasis Cementation Syndrome with Ischemic Heart Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Ming Xu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD has been the leading cause of death for several decades globally, IHD patients usually hold the symptoms of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome (PSCS as significant complications. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of PSCS complicated with IHD have not yet been fully elucidated.Materials and Methods: Network medicine methods were utilized to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of IHD phenotypes. Firstly, high-quality IHD-associated genes from both human curated disease-gene association database and biomedical literatures were integrated. Secondly, the IHD disease modules were obtained by dissecting the protein-protein interaction (PPI topological modules in the String V9.1 database and the mapping of IHD-associated genes to the PPI topological modules. After that, molecular functional analyses (e.g., Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment analyses for these IHD disease modules were conducted. Finally, the PSCS syndrome modules were identified by mapping the PSCS related symptom-genes to the IHD disease modules, which were further validated by both pharmacological and physiological evidences derived from published literatures.Results: The total of 1,056 high-quality IHD-associated genes were integrated and evaluated. In addition, eight IHD disease modules (the PPI sub-networks significantly relevant to IHD were identified, in which two disease modules were relevant to PSCS syndrome (i.e., two PSCS syndrome modules. These two modules had enriched pathways on Toll-like receptor signaling pathway (hsa04620 and Renin-angiotensin system (hsa04614, with the molecular functions of angiotensin maturation (GO:0002003 and response to bacterium (GO:0009617, which had been validated by classical Chinese herbal formulas-related targets, IHD-related drug targets, and the phenotype features derived from human phenotype ontology (HPO and published biomedical literatures.Conclusion: A network medicine

Integrated Modules Analysis to Explore the Molecular Mechanisms of Phlegm-Stasis Cementation Syndrome with Ischemic Heart Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wei-Ming; Yang, Kuo; Jiang, Li-Jie; Hu, Jing-Qing; Zhou, Xue-Zhong

2018-01-01

Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been the leading cause of death for several decades globally, IHD patients usually hold the symptoms of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome (PSCS) as significant complications. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of PSCS complicated with IHD have not yet been fully elucidated. Materials and Methods: Network medicine methods were utilized to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of IHD phenotypes. Firstly, high-quality IHD-associated genes from both human curated disease-gene association database and biomedical literatures were integrated. Secondly, the IHD disease modules were obtained by dissecting the protein-protein interaction (PPI) topological modules in the String V9.1 database and the mapping of IHD-associated genes to the PPI topological modules. After that, molecular functional analyses (e.g., Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment analyses) for these IHD disease modules were conducted. Finally, the PSCS syndrome modules were identified by mapping the PSCS related symptom-genes to the IHD disease modules, which were further validated by both pharmacological and physiological evidences derived from published literatures. Results: The total of 1,056 high-quality IHD-associated genes were integrated and evaluated. In addition, eight IHD disease modules (the PPI sub-networks significantly relevant to IHD) were identified, in which two disease modules were relevant to PSCS syndrome (i.e., two PSCS syndrome modules). These two modules had enriched pathways on Toll-like receptor signaling pathway (hsa04620) and Renin-angiotensin system (hsa04614), with the molecular functions of angiotensin maturation (GO:0002003) and response to bacterium (GO:0009617), which had been validated by classical Chinese herbal formulas-related targets, IHD-related drug targets, and the phenotype features derived from human phenotype ontology (HPO) and published biomedical literatures. Conclusion: A network medicine

Integrated Modules Analysis to Explore the Molecular Mechanisms of Phlegm-Stasis Cementation Syndrome with Ischemic Heart Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wei-Ming; Yang, Kuo; Jiang, Li-Jie; Hu, Jing-Qing; Zhou, Xue-Zhong

2018-01-01

Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been the leading cause of death for several decades globally, IHD patients usually hold the symptoms of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome (PSCS) as significant complications. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of PSCS complicated with IHD have not yet been fully elucidated. Materials and Methods: Network medicine methods were utilized to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of IHD phenotypes. Firstly, high-quality IHD-associated genes from both human curated disease-gene association database and biomedical literatures were integrated. Secondly, the IHD disease modules were obtained by dissecting the protein-protein interaction (PPI) topological modules in the String V9.1 database and the mapping of IHD-associated genes to the PPI topological modules. After that, molecular functional analyses (e.g., Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment analyses) for these IHD disease modules were conducted. Finally, the PSCS syndrome modules were identified by mapping the PSCS related symptom-genes to the IHD disease modules, which were further validated by both pharmacological and physiological evidences derived from published literatures. Results: The total of 1,056 high-quality IHD-associated genes were integrated and evaluated. In addition, eight IHD disease modules (the PPI sub-networks significantly relevant to IHD) were identified, in which two disease modules were relevant to PSCS syndrome (i.e., two PSCS syndrome modules). These two modules had enriched pathways on Toll-like receptor signaling pathway (hsa04620) and Renin-angiotensin system (hsa04614), with the molecular functions of angiotensin maturation (GO:0002003) and response to bacterium (GO:0009617), which had been validated by classical Chinese herbal formulas-related targets, IHD-related drug targets, and the phenotype features derived from human phenotype ontology (HPO) and published biomedical literatures. Conclusion: A network medicine

Sourcing teams and interdepartmental integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lidegaard, Nina; Ellegaard, Chris; Møller, Morten Munkgaard

2015-01-01

Internal integration is often mentioned as a prerequisite for conducting strategic sourcing, as multiple functional departments must collaborate on creating value-creating activities amongst them. Though it is one of many possibilities, the use of cross-functional teams is often the most commonly...... proposed solution to ensure internal integration. This paper presents an exploratory case study evaluating the use of internal integration mechanisms in a cross-functional sourcing process. Two commodity categories are examined. One is organised in a cross-functional team, while the other is not. Findings...... indicate that informal integration mechanisms not promoted by management or the organizational structure may contribute to the overall level of integration....

Integrating mechanisms of visual guidance in naturalistic language production.

Science.gov (United States)

Coco, Moreno I; Keller, Frank

2015-05-01

Situated language production requires the integration of visual attention and linguistic processing. Previous work has not conclusively disentangled the role of perceptual scene information and structural sentence information in guiding visual attention. In this paper, we present an eye-tracking study that demonstrates that three types of guidance, perceptual, conceptual, and structural, interact to control visual attention. In a cued language production experiment, we manipulate perceptual (scene clutter) and conceptual guidance (cue animacy) and measure structural guidance (syntactic complexity of the utterance). Analysis of the time course of language production, before and during speech, reveals that all three forms of guidance affect the complexity of visual responses, quantified in terms of the entropy of attentional landscapes and the turbulence of scan patterns, especially during speech. We find that perceptual and conceptual guidance mediate the distribution of attention in the scene, whereas structural guidance closely relates to scan pattern complexity. Furthermore, the eye-voice span of the cued object and its perceptual competitor are similar; its latency mediated by both perceptual and structural guidance. These results rule out a strict interpretation of structural guidance as the single dominant form of visual guidance in situated language production. Rather, the phase of the task and the associated demands of cross-modal cognitive processing determine the mechanisms that guide attention.

Supersymmetric quantum mechanics: Engineered hierarchies of integrable potentials and related orthogonal polynomials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balondo Iyela, Daddy; Govaerts, Jan; Hounkonnou, M. Norbert

2013-01-01

Within the context of supersymmetric quantum mechanics and its related hierarchies of integrable quantum Hamiltonians and potentials, a general programme is outlined and applied to its first two simplest illustrations. Going beyond the usual restriction of shape invariance for intertwined potentials, it is suggested to require a similar relation for Hamiltonians in the hierarchy separated by an arbitrary number of levels, N. By requiring further that these two Hamiltonians be in fact identical up to an overall shift in energy, a periodic structure is installed in the hierarchy which should allow for its resolution. Specific classes of orthogonal polynomials characteristic of such periodic hierarchies are thereby generated, while the methods of supersymmetric quantum mechanics then lead to generalised Rodrigues formulae and recursion relations for such polynomials. The approach also offers the practical prospect of quantum modelling through the engineering of quantum potentials from experimental energy spectra. In this paper, these ideas are presented and solved explicitly for the cases N= 1 and N= 2. The latter case is related to the generalised Laguerre polynomials, for which indeed new results are thereby obtained. In the context of dressing chains and deformed polynomial Heisenberg algebras, some partial results for N⩾ 3 also exist in the literature, which should be relevant to a complete study of the N⩾ 3 general periodic hierarchies

Supersymmetric quantum mechanics: Engineered hierarchies of integrable potentials and related orthogonal polynomials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balondo Iyela, Daddy [International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications (ICMPA–UNESCO Chair), University of Abomey–Calavi, 072 B. P. 50 Cotonou, Republic of Benin (Benin); Centre for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology (CP3), Institut de Recherche en Mathématique et Physique (IRMP), Université catholique de Louvain U.C.L., 2, Chemin du Cyclotron, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Département de Physique, Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), B.P. 190 Kinshasa XI, Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo, The Democratic Republic of the); Govaerts, Jan [International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications (ICMPA–UNESCO Chair), University of Abomey–Calavi, 072 B. P. 50 Cotonou, Republic of Benin (Benin); Centre for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology (CP3), Institut de Recherche en Mathématique et Physique (IRMP), Université catholique de Louvain U.C.L., 2, Chemin du Cyclotron, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Hounkonnou, M. Norbert [International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications (ICMPA–UNESCO Chair), University of Abomey–Calavi, 072 B. P. 50 Cotonou, Republic of Benin (Benin)

2013-09-15

Within the context of supersymmetric quantum mechanics and its related hierarchies of integrable quantum Hamiltonians and potentials, a general programme is outlined and applied to its first two simplest illustrations. Going beyond the usual restriction of shape invariance for intertwined potentials, it is suggested to require a similar relation for Hamiltonians in the hierarchy separated by an arbitrary number of levels, N. By requiring further that these two Hamiltonians be in fact identical up to an overall shift in energy, a periodic structure is installed in the hierarchy which should allow for its resolution. Specific classes of orthogonal polynomials characteristic of such periodic hierarchies are thereby generated, while the methods of supersymmetric quantum mechanics then lead to generalised Rodrigues formulae and recursion relations for such polynomials. The approach also offers the practical prospect of quantum modelling through the engineering of quantum potentials from experimental energy spectra. In this paper, these ideas are presented and solved explicitly for the cases N= 1 and N= 2. The latter case is related to the generalised Laguerre polynomials, for which indeed new results are thereby obtained. In the context of dressing chains and deformed polynomial Heisenberg algebras, some partial results for N⩾ 3 also exist in the literature, which should be relevant to a complete study of the N⩾ 3 general periodic hierarchies.

A self-referential HOWTO on release engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galassi, Mark C. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2018-01-31

Release engineering is a fundamental part of the software development cycle: it is the point at which quality control is exercised and bug fixes are integrated. The way in which software is released also gives the end user her first experience of a software package, while in scientific computing release engineering can guarantee reproducibility. For these reasons and others, the release process is a good indicator of the maturity and organization of a development team. Software teams often do not put in place a release process at the beginning. This is unfortunate because the team does not have early and continuous execution of test suites, and it does not exercise the software in the same conditions as the end users. I describe an approach to release engineering based on the software tools developed and used by the GNU project, together with several specific proposals related to packaging and distribution. I do this in a step-by-step manner, demonstrating how this very paper is written and built using proper release engineering methods. Because many aspects of release engineering are not exercised in the building of the paper, the accompanying software repository also contains examples of software libraries.

Engineered Barrier System - Mechanical Integrity of KBS-3 Spent Fuel Canisters. Report from a Workshop. Synthesis and extended abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2007-09-15

SKI is preparing to review the license applications being developed by the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) for a final repository for the geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel in the year 2009. As part of its preparation, SKI is conducting a series of technical workshops on key aspects of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS). The workshop reported here mainly dealt with the mechanical integrity of KBS-3 spent fuel canisters. This included assessment and review of various loading conditions, structural integrity models and mechanical properties of the copper shell and the cast iron insert. Degradation mechanisms such as stress corrosion cracking and brittle creep fracture were also briefly addressed. Previous workshops have addressed the overall concept for long-term integrity of the EBS, the manufacturing, testing and QA of the EBS, the performance confirmation for the EBS, long-term stability of the buffer and the backfill, corrosion properties of copper canisters and the spent fuel dissolution and source term modelling. The goal of ongoing review work in connection of the workshop series is to achieve a comprehensive overview of all aspects of SKB's EBS and spent fuel work prior to the handling of the forthcoming license application. This report aims to summarise the issues discussed at the workshop and to extract the essential viewpoints that have been expressed. The report is not a comprehensive record of all the discussions at the workshop, and individual statements made by workshop participants should be regarded as personal opinions rather than SKI viewpoints. Results from the EBS workshops series will be used as one important basis in future review work. This reports includes in addition to the workshop synthesis, questions to SKB identified prior to the workshop, and extended abstracts for introductory presentations

Path integral representations in noncommutative quantum mechanics and noncommutative version of Berezin-Marinov action

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gitman, D.M. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Fisica, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Kupriyanov, V.G. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Fisica, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Tomsk State University, Physics Department, Tomsk (Russian Federation)

2008-03-15

It is known that the actions of field theories on a noncommutative space-time can be written as some modified (we call them {theta}-modified) classical actions already on the commutative space-time (introducing a star product). Then the quantization of such modified actions reproduces both space-time noncommutativity and the usual quantum mechanical features of the corresponding field theory. In the present article, we discuss the problem of constructing {theta}-modified actions for relativistic QM. We construct such actions for relativistic spinless and spinning particles. The key idea is to extract {theta}-modified actions of the relativistic particles from path-integral representations of the corresponding noncommutative field theory propagators. We consider the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations for the causal propagators in such theories. Then we construct for the propagators path-integral representations. Effective actions in such representations we treat as {theta}-modified actions of the relativistic particles. To confirm the interpretation, we canonically quantize these actions. Thus, we obtain the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations in the noncommutative field theories. The {theta}-modified action of the relativistic spinning particle is just a generalization of the Berezin-Marinov pseudoclassical action for the noncommutative case. (orig.)

The Project Based Mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. Credible Instruments or Challenges to the Integrity of the Kyoto Protocol?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takeuchi Waldegren, Linn

2006-03-15

The project based mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol are innovative instruments which allow projects to earn credits for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The credits can in turn be used by countries to reach their emissions targets according to the Kyoto Protocol. The Project based mechanisms are known as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the Joint Implementation (JI). If the project based mechanisms are to be effective policy instruments they must ensure the integrity of the Kyoto Protocol, and their ability to promote and prove real emission reductions is critical. The environmental credibility of the project based mechanisms will also ensure their ability to promote cost effectiveness. Key concepts in this context are environmental and project additionality, and their role and value for the project based mechanisms are analyzed. Environmental additionality is established by comparing a project's emissions to a baseline. The baseline's credibility is thus vital. The concept of project additionality is somewhat controversial, but is nonetheless of equal importance. The case studies of CDM approved methodologies (AMs) and proposed projects suggest that there are credibility issues that need to be addressed if the project based mechanisms are to promote real emissions reductions.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Integration of a LITEE Case Study for a Freshman Level Mechanical Engineering Course at The University of Toledo

Science.gov (United States)

Franchetti, Matthew

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of the integration of a manufacturing case study to a freshman level mechanical engineering course at The University of Toledo. The approach to integrate this case study into the class was completed via weekly assignments analyzing the case, small group discussion, and weekly group discussion.…

The mechanical and microbiological integrity of surgical gloves.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamal, Ala; Wilkinson, Stephen

2003-03-01

Several manufacturers supply surgical gloves that have been individually tested (IT) for leaks. Other manufacturers supply gloves in which sample gloves from each batch are tested for leaks (batch tested: BT). The latter brands may be rejected by surgeons because of presumed increased risk of wound infection and staff exposure to patient pathogens. The influence of differences between glove brands on performance in surgery has not been extensively studied. The aims of the present study were to test the mechanical and microbiological integrity of IT compared to BT gloves. A total of 110 unused gloves from each of an IT and a BT brand were tested for leaks, first, by observation of water-jets from water-filled gloves and second, by measuring electrical resistance between inside and outside the glove surfaces, to give a baseline measure. A total of 304 IT and 280 BT gloves were then similarly leak-tested after 98 clean surgical procedures. The hands and gloves of scrub team members were cultured postsurgery. A total of 1/110 BT and 0/110 IT unused gloves contained leaks (NS, Fisher's exact test). Operative perforation rates were lower for BT compared with IT (8/280 cf. 22/304; P leak rates for unused gloves. Paradoxically, although IT gloves were more likely to show macro-perforations after surgery, the incidence of contamination on the surface of BT gloves was greater, possibly reflecting a qualitative difference in glove material. This study suggests that both types of gloves develop microporosity during use, which may allow transfer of bacteria from the surgeon's skin to the surface of the glove.

DNA double-strand break response in stem cells: mechanisms to maintain genomic integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagaria, Pratik; Robert, Carine; Rassool, Feyruz V

2013-02-01

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) represent the point of origin of all cells in a given organism and must protect their genomes from both endogenous and exogenous genotoxic stress. DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are one of the most lethal forms of damage, and failure to adequately repair DSBs would not only compromise the ability of SCs to self-renew and differentiate, but will also lead to genomic instability and disease. Herein, we describe the mechanisms by which ESCs respond to DSB-inducing agents such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ionizing radiation, compared to somatic cells. We will also discuss whether the DSB response is fully reprogrammed in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and the role of the DNA damage response (DDR) in the reprogramming of these cells. ESCs have distinct mechanisms to protect themselves against DSBs and oxidative stress compared to somatic cells. The response to damage and stress is crucial for the maintenance of self-renewal and differentiation capacity in SCs. iPSCs appear to reprogram some of the responses to genotoxic stress. However, it remains to be determined if iPSCs also retain some DDR characteristics of the somatic cells of origin. The mechanisms regulating the genomic integrity in ESCs and iPSCs are critical for its safe use in regenerative medicine and may shed light on the pathways and factors that maintain genomic stability, preventing diseases such as cancer. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Biochemistry of Stem Cells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time travel paradoxes, path integrals, and the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Everett, Allen

2004-01-01

We consider two approaches to evading paradoxes in quantum mechanics with closed timelike curves. In a model similar to Politzer's, assuming pure states and using path integrals, we show that the problems of paradoxes and of unitarity violation are related; preserving unitarity avoids paradoxes by modifying the time evolution so that improbable events become certain. Deutsch has argued, using the density matrix, that paradoxes do not occur in the 'many worlds interpretation'. We find that in this approach account must be taken of the resolution time of the device that detects objects emerging from a wormhole or other time machine. When this is done one finds that this approach is viable only if macroscopic objects traversing a wormhole interact with it so strongly that they are broken into microscopic fragments

Creation of Cardiac Tissue Exhibiting Mechanical Integration of Spheroids Using 3D Bioprinting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ong, Chin Siang; Fukunishi, Takuma; Nashed, Andrew; Blazeski, Adriana; Zhang, Huaitao; Hardy, Samantha; DiSilvestre, Deborah; Vricella, Luca; Conte, John; Tung, Leslie; Tomaselli, Gordon; Hibino, Narutoshi

2017-07-02

This protocol describes 3D bioprinting of cardiac tissue without the use of biomaterials, using only cells. Cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and fibroblasts are first isolated, counted and mixed at desired cell ratios. They are co-cultured in individual wells in ultra-low attachment 96-well plates. Within 3 days, beating spheroids form. These spheroids are then picked up by a nozzle using vacuum suction and assembled on a needle array using a 3D bioprinter. The spheroids are then allowed to fuse on the needle array. Three days after 3D bioprinting, the spheroids are removed as an intact patch, which is already spontaneously beating. 3D bioprinted cardiac patches exhibit mechanical integration of component spheroids and are highly promising in cardiac tissue regeneration and as 3D models of heart disease.

Insulated Concrete Form Walls Integrated With Mechanical Systems in a Cold Climate Test House

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mallay, D. [Home Innovation Research Labs, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Wiehagen, J. [Home Innovation Research Labs, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States)

2014-09-01

Transitioning from standard light frame to a thermal mass wall system in a high performance home will require a higher level of design integration with the mechanical systems. The much higher mass in the ICF wall influences heat transfer through the wall and affects how the heating and cooling system responds to changing outdoor conditions. This is even more important for efficient, low-load homes with efficient heat pump systems in colder climates where the heating and cooling peak loads are significantly different from standard construction. This report analyzes a range of design features and component performance estimates in an effort to select practical, cost-effective solutions for high performance homes in a cold climate.

Semantic embodiment, disembodiment or misembodiment? In search of meaning in modules and neuron circuits.

Science.gov (United States)

Pulvermüller, Friedemann

2013-10-01

"Embodied" proposals claim that the meaning of at least some words, concepts and constructions is grounded in knowledge about actions and objects. An alternative "disembodied" position locates semantics in a symbolic system functionally detached from sensorimotor modules. This latter view is not tenable theoretically and has been empirically falsified by neuroscience research. A minimally-embodied approach now claims that action-perception systems may "color", but not represent, meaning; however, such minimal embodiment (misembodiment?) still fails to explain why action and perception systems exert causal effects on the processing of symbols from specific semantic classes. Action perception theory (APT) offers neurobiological mechanisms for "embodied" referential, affective and action semantics along with "disembodied" mechanisms of semantic abstraction, generalization and symbol combination, which draw upon multimodal brain systems. In this sense, APT suggests integrative-neuromechanistic explanations of why both sensorimotor and multimodal areas of the human brain differentially contribute to specific facets of meaning and concepts. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of machining parameters on surface integrity of silicon carbide ceramic using end electric discharge milling and mechanical grinding hybrid machining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Renjie; Liu, Yonghong; Zhang, Yanzhen; Cai, Baoping; Li, Xiaopeng; Zheng, Chao

2013-01-01

A novel hybrid process that integrates end electric discharge (ED) milling and mechanical grinding is proposed. The process is able to effectively machine a large surface area on SiC ceramic with good surface quality and fine working environmental practice. The polarity, pulse on-time, and peak current are varied to explore their effects on the surface integrity, such as surface morphology, surface roughness, micro-cracks, and composition on the machined surface. The results show that positive tool polarity, short pulse on-time, and low peak current cause a fine surface finish. During the hybrid machining of SiC ceramic, the material is mainly removed by end ED milling at rough machining mode, whereas it is mainly removed by mechanical grinding at finish machining mode. Moreover, the material from the tool can transfer to the workpiece, and a combination reaction takes place during machining.

Integrative Genomics Reveals Mechanisms of Copy Number Alterations Responsible for Transcriptional Deregulation in Colorectal Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Camps, Jordi; Nguyen, Quang Tri; Padilla-Nash, Hesed M.; Knutsen, Turid; McNeil, Nicole E.; Wangsa, Danny; Hummon, Amanda B.; Grade, Marian; Ried, Thomas; Difilippantonio, Michael J.

2016-01-01

To evaluate the mechanisms and consequences of chromosomal aberrations in colorectal cancer (CRC), we used a combination of spectral karyotyping, array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), and array-based global gene expression profiling on 31 primary carcinomas and 15 established cell lines. Importantly, aCGH showed that the genomic profiles of primary tumors are recapitulated in the cell lines. We revealed a preponderance of chromosome breakpoints at sites of copy number variants (CNVs) in the CRC cell lines, a novel mechanism of DNA breakage in cancer. The integration of gene expression and aCGH led to the identification of 157 genes localized within high-level copy number changes whose transcriptional deregulation was significantly affected across all of the samples, thereby suggesting that these genes play a functional role in CRC. Genomic amplification at 8q24 was the most recurrent event and led to the overexpression of MYC and FAM84B. Copy number dependent gene expression resulted in deregulation of known cancer genes such as APC, FGFR2, and ERBB2. The identification of only 36 genes whose localization near a breakpoint could account for their observed deregulated expression demonstrates that the major mechanism for transcriptional deregulation in CRC is genomic copy number changes resulting from chromosomal aberrations. PMID:19691111

Attention modulates trans-saccadic integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Emma E M; Schütz, Alexander C

2018-01-01

With every saccade, humans must reconcile the low resolution peripheral information available before a saccade, with the high resolution foveal information acquired after the saccade. While research has shown that we are able to integrate peripheral and foveal vision in a near-optimal manner, it is still unclear which mechanisms may underpin this important perceptual process. One potential mechanism that may moderate this integration process is visual attention. Pre-saccadic attention is a well documented phenomenon, whereby visual attention shifts to the location of an upcoming saccade before the saccade is executed. While it plays an important role in other peri-saccadic processes such as predictive remapping, the role of attention in the integration process is as yet unknown. This study aimed to determine whether the presentation of an attentional distractor during a saccade impaired trans-saccadic integration, and to measure the time-course of this impairment. Results showed that presenting an attentional distractor impaired integration performance both before saccade onset, and during the saccade, in selected subjects who showed integration in the absence of a distractor. This suggests that visual attention may be a mechanism that facilitates trans-saccadic integration. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Feynman path integral formulation of quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizrahi, M.M.

1975-01-01

The subject of this investigation is Feynman's path integral quantization scheme, which is a powerful global formalism with great intuitive appeal. It stems from the simple idea that a probability amplitude for a system to make a transition between two states is the ''sum'' of the amplitudes for all the possible ways the transition can take place

Simple example of definitions of truth, validity, consistency, and completeness in quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benioff, P.

1999-01-01

Besides their use for efficient computation, quantum computers and quantum robots form a base for studying quantum systems that create valid physical theories using mathematics and physics. If quantum mechanics is universally applicable, then quantum mechanics must describe its own validation by these quantum systems. An essential part of this process is the development of a coherent theory of mathematics and quantum-mechanics together. It is expected that such a theory will include a coherent combination of mathematical logical concepts with quantum mechanics. That this might be possible is shown here by defining truth, validity, consistency, and completeness for a quantum-mechanical version of a simple (classical) expression enumeration machine described by Smullyan. Some of the expressions are chosen as sentences denoting the presence or absence of other expressions in the enumeration. Two of the sentences are self-referential. It is seen that, for an interpretation based on a Feynman path sum over expression paths, truth, consistency, and completeness for the quantum system have different properties than for the classical system. For instance, the truth of a sentence S is defined only on those paths containing S. It is undefined elsewhere. Also S and its negation can both be true provided they appear on separate paths. This satisfies the definition of consistency. The definitions of validity and completeness connect the dynamics of the system to the truth of the sentences. It is proved that validity implies consistency. It is seen that the requirements of validity and maximal completeness strongly restrict the allowable dynamics for the quantum system. Aspects of the existence of a valid, maximally complete dynamics are discussed. An exponentially efficient quantum computer is described that is also valid and complete for the set of sentences considered here. copyright 1999 The American Physical Society

A method of integration of atomistic simulations and continuum mechanics by collecting of dynamical systems with dimensional reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaczmarek, J.

2002-01-01

Elementary processes responsible for phenomena in material are frequently related to scale close to atomic one. Therefore atomistic simulations are important for material sciences. On the other hand continuum mechanics is widely applied in mechanics of materials. It seems inevitable that both methods will gradually integrate. A multiscale method of integration of these approaches called collection of dynamical systems with dimensional reduction is introduced in this work. The dimensional reduction procedure realizes transition between various scale models from an elementary dynamical system (EDS) to a reduced dynamical system (RDS). Mappings which transform variables and forces, skeletal dynamical system (SDS) and a set of approximation and identification methods are main components of this procedure. The skeletal dynamical system is a set of dynamical systems parameterized by some constants and has variables related to the dimensionally reduced model. These constants are identified with the aid of solutions of the elementary dynamical system. As a result we obtain a dimensionally reduced dynamical system which describes phenomena in an averaged way in comparison with the EDS. Concept of integration of atomistic simulations with continuum mechanics consists in using a dynamical system describing evolution of atoms as an elementary dynamical system. Then, we introduce a continuum skeletal dynamical system within the dimensional reduction procedure. In order to construct such a system we have to modify a continuum mechanics formulation to some degree. Namely, we formalize scale of averaging for continuum theory and as a result we consider continuum with finite-dimensional fields only. Then, realization of dimensional reduction is possible. A numerical example of realization of the dimensional reduction procedure is shown. We consider a one dimensional chain of atoms interacting by Lennard-Jones potential. Evolution of this system is described by an elementary

Reduced Connectivity in the Self-Processing Network of Schizophrenia Patients with Poor Insight

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liemburg, Edith J.; van der Meer, Lisette; Swart, Marte; Curcic-Blake, Branislava; Bruggeman, Richard; Knegtering, Henderikus; Aleman, Andre

2012-01-01

Lack of insight (unawareness of illness) is a common and clinically relevant feature of schizophrenia. Reduced levels of self-referential processing have been proposed as a mechanism underlying poor insight. The default mode network (DMN) has been implicated as a key node in the circuit for

Characterization of the mechanical properties and structural integrity of T-welded connections repaired by grinding and wet welding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terán, G., E-mail: gteran@imp.mx [Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Eje central Lázaro Cárdenas 152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, México D.F. CP 07730, México (Mexico); Cuamatzi-Meléndez, R., E-mail: rcuamatzi@imp.mx [Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Eje central Lázaro Cárdenas 152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, México D.F. CP 07730, México (Mexico); Albiter, A., E-mail: aalbiter@imp.mx [Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Eje central Lázaro Cárdenas 152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, México D.F. CP 07730, México (Mexico); Maldonado, C., E-mail: cmzepeda@umich.mx [Instituto de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas, UMSNH, PO Box 52-B, 58000, México (Mexico); Bracarense, A.Q., E-mail: bracarense@ufmg.br [UFMG Departamento de Engeharia Mecánica Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2014-04-01

This paper presents an experimental methodology to characterize the structural integrity and mechanical properties of repaired T-welded connections using in fixed offshore structures. Grinding is employed to remove localized damage like cracking and corrosion and subsequent wet welding can be used to fill the grinded material. But it is important to define the grinding depth and profile in order to maintain structural integrity during the repair. Therefore, in this work different grinding depths were performed, for damage material removal, at the weld toe of the T-welded connections. The grinding was filled by wet welding in a hyperbaric chamber, simulating three different water depths: 50 m, 70 m and 100 m. The electrodes were coated with vinilic varnish, which is cheap and easy to apply. The characterization of the mechanical properties of the T-welded connections was done with standard tensile, hardness and Charpy tests; microstructure and porosity analysis were also performed. The samples were obtained from the welded connections in regions of the wet weld beads. The test results were compared with the mechanical properties of the T-welded connections welded in air conditions performed by other authors. The results showed that the wet welding technique performed in this work produced good mechanical properties of the repaired T-welded connection. The mechanical properties, measured in wet conditions, for 6 mm grinding depth, were similar for the 3 different water depths measured in air conditions. But for 10 mm grinding depth, the values of the mechanical properties measured in wet conditions were quite lower than that for air conditions for the 3 water depths. However a porosity analysis, performed with a Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), showed that the level of porosity in the resulted wet weld beads is in the range of that published in the literature and some samples revealed lower level of porosity. The main resulting microstructure was polygonal

[New theory of holistic integrative physiology and medicine. III: New insight of neurohumoral mechanism and pattern of control and regulation for core axe of respiration, circulation and metabolism].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xing-guo

2015-07-01

Systemic mechanism of neurohumoral control and regulation for human is limited. We used the new theory of holistic integrative physiology and medicine to approach the mechanism and pattern of neurohumoral control and regulation for life. As the core of human life, there are two core axes of functions. The first one is the common goal of respiration and circulation to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide for cells, and the second one is the goal of gastrointestinal tract and circulation to transport energy material and metabolic product for cells. These two core axes maintain the metabolism. The neurohumoral regulation is holistically integrated and unified for all functions in human body. We simplified explain the mechanism of neurohumoral control and regulation life (respiration and circulation) as the example pattern of sound system. Based upon integrated regulation of life, we described the neurohumoral pattern to control respiration and circulation.

Evaluation of fracture mechanics analyses used in RPV integrity assessment regarding brittle fracture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moinereau, D.; Faidy, C.; Valeta, M.P.; Bhandari, S.; Guichard, D.

1997-01-01

Electricite de France has conducted during these last years some experimental and numerical research programmes in order to evaluate fracture mechanics analyses used in nuclear reactor pressure vessels structural integrity assessment, regarding the risk of brittle fracture. These programmes included cleavage fracture tests on large scale cladded specimens containing subclad flaws with their interpretations by 2D and 3D numerical computations, and validation of finite element codes for pressurized thermal shocks analyses. Four cladded specimens made of ferritic steel A508 C13 with stainless steel cladding, and containing shallow subclad flaws, have been tested in four point bending at very low temperature in order to obtain cleavage failure. The specimen failure was obtained in each case in base metal by cleavage fracture. These tests have been interpreted by two-dimensional and three-dimensional finite element computations using different fracture mechanics approaches (elastic analysis with specific plasticity corrections, elastic-plastic analysis, local approach to cleavage fracture). The failure of specimens are conservatively predicted by different analyses. The comparison between the elastic analyses and elastic-plastic analyses shows the conservatism of specific plasticity corrections used in French RPV elastic analyses. Numerous finite element calculations have also been performed between EDF, CEA and Framatome in order to compare and validate several fracture mechanics post processors implemented in finite element programmes used in pressurized thermal shock analyses. This work includes two-dimensional numerical computations on specimens with different geometries and loadings. The comparisons show a rather good agreement on main results, allowing to validate the finite element codes and their post-processors. (author). 11 refs, 24 figs, 3 tabs

Evaluation of fracture mechanics analyses used in RPV integrity assessment regarding brittle fracture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moinereau, D [Electricite de France, Dept. MTC, Moret-sur-Loing (France); Faidy, C [Electricite de France, SEPTEN, Villeurbanne (France); Valeta, M P [Commisariat a l` Energie Atomique, Dept. DMT, Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Bhandari, S; Guichard, D [Societe Franco-Americaine de Constructions Atomiques (FRAMATOME), 92 - Paris-La-Defense (France)

1997-09-01

Electricite de France has conducted during these last years some experimental and numerical research programmes in order to evaluate fracture mechanics analyses used in nuclear reactor pressure vessels structural integrity assessment, regarding the risk of brittle fracture. These programmes included cleavage fracture tests on large scale cladded specimens containing subclad flaws with their interpretations by 2D and 3D numerical computations, and validation of finite element codes for pressurized thermal shocks analyses. Four cladded specimens made of ferritic steel A508 C13 with stainless steel cladding, and containing shallow subclad flaws, have been tested in four point bending at very low temperature in order to obtain cleavage failure. The specimen failure was obtained in each case in base metal by cleavage fracture. These tests have been interpreted by two-dimensional and three-dimensional finite element computations using different fracture mechanics approaches (elastic analysis with specific plasticity corrections, elastic-plastic analysis, local approach to cleavage fracture). The failure of specimens are conservatively predicted by different analyses. The comparison between the elastic analyses and elastic-plastic analyses shows the conservatism of specific plasticity corrections used in French RPV elastic analyses. Numerous finite element calculations have also been performed between EDF, CEA and Framatome in order to compare and validate several fracture mechanics post processors implemented in finite element programmes used in pressurized thermal shock analyses. This work includes two-dimensional numerical computations on specimens with different geometries and loadings. The comparisons show a rather good agreement on main results, allowing to validate the finite element codes and their post-processors. (author). 11 refs, 24 figs, 3 tabs.

Dynamical systems in classical mechanics

CERN Document Server

Kozlov, V V

1995-01-01

This book shows that the phenomenon of integrability is related not only to Hamiltonian systems, but also to a wider variety of systems having invariant measures that often arise in nonholonomic mechanics. Each paper presents unique ideas and original approaches to various mathematical problems related to integrability, stability, and chaos in classical dynamics. Topics include… the inverse Lyapunov theorem on stability of equilibria geometrical aspects of Hamiltonian mechanics from a hydrodynamic perspective current unsolved problems in the dynamical systems approach to classical mechanics

Crack assessment of pipe under combined thermal and mechanical load

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Tae Kwang; Kim, Yun Jae

2009-01-01

In this paper, J-integral and transient C(t)-integral, which were key parameters in low temperature and high temperature fracture mechanics, under combined thermal and mechanical load were estimated via 3-dimensional finite element analyses. Various type of thermal and mechanical load, material hardening were considered to decrease conservatism in existing solutions. As a results, V-factor and redistribution time for combined thermal and mechanical load were proposed to calculate J-integral and C(t)-integral, respectively.

Numerical simulations of enhanced gas recovery at the Zalezcze gas field in Poland confirm high CO2 storage capacity and mechanical integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klimkowski, Lukasz; Nagy, Stanislaw; Papiernik, Bartosz; Orlic, Bogdan; Kempka, Thomas

2015-01-01

Natural gas from the Zalecze gas field located in the Fore-Sudetic Monocline of the Southern Permian Basin has been produced since November 1973, and continuous gas production led to a decrease in the initial reservoir pressure from 151 bar to about 22 bar until 2010. We investigated a prospective enhanced gas recovery operation at the Zalecze gas field by coupled numerical hydro-mechanical simulations to account for the CO 2 storage capacity, trapping efficiency and mechanical integrity of the reservoir, cap-rock and regional faults. Dynamic flow simulations carried out indicate a CO 2 storage capacity of 106.6 Mt with a trapping efficiency of about 43% (45.8 Mt CO 2 ) established after 500 years of simulation. Two independent strategies on the assessment of mechanical integrity were followed by two different modeling groups resulting in the implementation of field- to regional-scale hydro-mechanical simulation models. The simulation results based on application of different constitutive laws for the lithological units show deviations of 31% to 93% for the calculated maximum vertical displacements at the reservoir top. Nevertheless, results of both simulation strategies indicate that fault reactivation generating potential leakage pathways from the reservoir to shallower units is very unlikely due to the low fault slip tendency (close to zero) in the Zechstein cap-rocks. Consequently, our simulation results also emphasise that the supra- and sub-saliferous fault systems at the Zalecze gas field are independent and very likely not hydraulically connected. Based on our simulation results derived from two independent modeling strategies with similar simulation results on fault and cap-rock integrity, we conclude that the investigated enhanced gas recovery scheme is feasible, with a negligibly low risk of relevant fault reactivation or formation fluid leakage through the Zechstein cap-rocks. (authors)

1st National Mechanics Congress

CERN Document Server

Nieuwstadt, F

1990-01-01

The Department of Applied Mechanics of the Royal Institution of Engineers in the Netherlands (Koninklijk Instituut van Ingenieurs) organised on April 2-4, 1990 the first National Applied Mechanics Congress about the theme: "Integration of Theory and Applications in Applied Mechanics" The idea behind this initiative was to bring together the Applied Mechanics communities in The Netherlands and Belgium and to create an environment in which new developments in the field could be discussed and in which connections to other disciplines could be established. Among an extensive list of possible subjects the following were selected as congress topics: - non-linear material behaviour, - chaos, - mechatronics, - liquid-solid interactions, - mathematics and applied mechanics, - integration of Applied Mechanics and other disciplines. Applied Mechanics comprises both solid mechanics and fluid mechanics. These can be subdivided further into: rheology, plasticity, theory of plates and shells, theory of elasticity, multibody...

Evaluation of different fracture-mechanical J-integral initiation values with regard to their usability in the safety assessment of components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisele, U.; Roos, E.

1991-01-01

Determining fracture-mechanical material characteristic values on the basis of the J-integral is described and stipulated in a variety of standards and guidelines. The individual specifications differ in terms of procedure when determining the characteristic values and, therefore, also in terms of the meaningfulness of the results. This paper presents the different procedures, suggested in the course of the development of test methods in the field of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics, used to characterize crack initiation behaviour with regard to their features as material characteristic values and their usability in the safety assessment of components. (orig.)

Rules for integrals over products of distributions from coordinate independence of path integrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleinert, H.; Chervyakov, A.

2001-01-01

In perturbative calculations of quantum-mechanical path integrals in curvilinear coordinates, one encounters Feynman diagrams involving multiple temporal integrals over products of distributions which are mathematically undefined. In addition, there are terms proportional to powers of Dirac δ-functions at the origin coming from the measure of path integration. We derive simple rules for dealing with such singular terms from the natural requirement of coordinate independence of the path integrals. (orig.)

Altered Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Network in Low-Empathy Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung Jun; Kim, Sung Eun; Kim, Hyo Eun; Han, Kiwan; Jeong, Bumseok; Kim, Jae Jin; Namkoong, Kee; Kim, Ji Woong

2017-09-01

Empathy is the ability to identify with or make a vicariously experience of another person's feelings or thoughts based on memory and/or self-referential mental simulation. The default mode network in particular is related to self-referential empathy. In order to elucidate the possible neural mechanisms underlying empathy, we investigated the functional connectivity of the default mode network in subjects from a general population. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 19 low-empathy subjects and 18 medium-empathy subjects. An independent component analysis was used to identify the default mode network, and differences in functional connectivity strength were compared between the two groups. The low-empathy group showed lower functional connectivity of the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann areas 9 and 32) within the default mode network, compared to the medium-empathy group. The results of the present study suggest that empathy is related to functional connectivity of the medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex within the default mode network. Functional decreases in connectivity among low-empathy subjects may reflect an impairment of self-referential mental simulation. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2017.

Analysis of stratification effects on mechanical integrity of pressurizer surge line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas-Solgadi, E.; Taupin, P.; Ensel, C.

1992-01-01

Unexpected thermal movements in pressurizer surge lines have been reported by several PWR operating utilities. Sometimes gaps between pipe and pipe whip restraints can become closed and plastic deformations could result. Moreover these movements, which have not been considered at conception, can induce additional stresses, and design limits on fatigue and stresses may be exceeded. These piping movements are caused by thermal stratification phenomenon in the horizontal part of the surge line (difference of temperature between hot leg and pressurizer varying from 30 C to above 160 C). To assess the mechanical consequences of this 3-dimensional phenomenon, FRAMATOME has developed a computer program using simplified models (1 and 2-dimensional). This method integrates past investigations on thermal-hydraulic variation of the stratification based on plant monitoring programs carried out by FRAMATOME since 1981, and based also on thermal-hydraulic tests and thermal-hydraulic computer code results. The methodology developed by FRAMATOME permits the following calculations: movements of the line in the elastic and plastic domains; stresses (Mises criterion -- calculations in compliance with ASME or RCC-M codes); usage factors in different components (elbows, welds, ...); crack propagation taking into account stratification and plastic shakedown

Simulation of biodiesel combustion in a light-duty diesel engine using integrated compact biodiesel–diesel reaction mechanism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ng, Hoon Kiat; Gan, Suyin; Ng, Jo-Han

2013-01-01

This computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study is performed to investigate the combustion characteristics and emissions formation processes of biodiesel fuels in a light-duty diesel engine. A compact reaction mechanism with 80 species and 303 reactions is used to account for the effects of chemical...... kinetics. Here, the mechanism is capable of emulating biodiesel–diesel mixture of different blending levels and biodiesel produced from different feedstock. The integrated CFD-kinetic model was validated against a test matrix which covers the entire saturated–unsaturated methyl ester range typical...... of biodiesel fuels, as well as the biodiesel–diesel blending levels. The simulated cases were then validated for in-cylinder pressure profiles and peak pressure values/timings. Errors in the peak pressure values did not exceed 1%, while the variations in peak pressure timings were kept within 1.5 crank angle...

Safeguarding genome integrity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Claus Storgaard; Syljuåsen, Randi G

2012-01-01

Mechanisms that preserve genome integrity are highly important during the normal life cycle of human cells. Loss of genome protective mechanisms can lead to the development of diseases such as cancer. Checkpoint kinases function in the cellular surveillance pathways that help cells to cope with D...

Evaluation of mechanical precision and alignment uncertainties for an integrated CT/LINAC system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Court, Laurence; Rosen, Isaac; Mohan, Radhe; Dong Lei

2003-01-01

A new integrated CT/LINAC combination, in which the CT scanner is inside the radiation therapy treatment room and the same patient couch is used for CT scanning and treatment (after a 180-degree couch rotation), should allow for accurate correction of interfractional setup errors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sources of uncertainties, and to measure the overall precision of this system. The following sources of uncertainty were identified: (1) the patient couch position on the LINAC side after a rotation, (2) the patient couch position on the CT side after a rotation, (3) the patient couch position as indicated by its digital readout, (4) the difference in couch sag between the CT and LINAC positions, (5) the precision of the CT coordinates, (6) the identification of fiducial markers from CT images, (7) the alignment of contours with structures in the CT images, and (8) the alignment with setup lasers. The largest single uncertainties (one standard deviation or 1 SD) were found in couch position on the CT side after a rotation (0.5 mm in the RL direction) and the alignment of contours with the CT images (0.4 mm in the SI direction). All other sources of uncertainty are less than 0.3 mm (1 SD). The overall precision of two setup protocols was investigated in a controlled phantom study. A protocol that relies heavily on the mechanical integrity of the system, and assumes a fixed relationship between the LINAC isocenter and the CT images, gave a predicted precision (1 SD) of 0.6, 0.7, and 0.6 mm in the SI, RL and AP directions, respectively. The second protocol reduces reliance on the mechanical precision of the total system, particularly the patient couch, by using radio-opaque fiducial markers to transfer the isocenter information from the LINAC side to the CT images. This protocol gave a slightly improved predicted precision of 0.5, 0.4, and 0.4 mm in the SI, RL and AP directions, respectively. The distribution of phantom position after CT

Integrated automated nanomanipulation and real-time cellular surface imaging for mechanical properties characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Eslami, Sohrab; Zareian, Ramin; Jalili, Nader

2012-10-01

Surface microscopy of individual biological cells is essential for determining the patterns of cell migration to study the tumor formation or metastasis. This paper presents a correlated and effective theoretical and experimental technique to automatically address the biophysical and mechanical properties and acquire live images of biological cells which are of interest in studying cancer. In the theoretical part, a distributed-parameters model as the comprehensive representation of the microcantilever is presented along with a model of the contact force as a function of the indentation depth and mechanical properties of the biological sample. Analysis of the transfer function of the whole system in the frequency domain is carried out to characterize the stiffness and damping coefficients of the sample. In the experimental section, unlike the conventional atomic force microscope techniques basically using the laser for determining the deflection of microcantilever's tip, a piezoresistive microcantilever serving as a force sensor is implemented to produce the appropriate voltage and measure the deflection of the microcantilever. A micromanipulator robotic system is integrated with the MATLAB® and programmed in such a way to automatically control the microcantilever mounted on the tip of the micromanipulator to achieve the topography of biological samples including the human corneal cells. For this purpose, the human primary corneal fibroblasts are extracted and adhered on a sterilized culture dish and prepared to attain their topographical image. The proposed methodology herein allows an approach to obtain 2D quality images of cells being comparatively cost effective and extendable to obtain 3D images of individual cells. The characterized mechanical properties of the human corneal cell are furthermore established by comparing and validating the phase shift of the theoretical and experimental results of the frequency response.

Path integration in conical space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inomata, Akira; Junker, Georg

2012-01-01

Quantum mechanics in conical space is studied by the path integral method. It is shown that the curvature effect gives rise to an effective potential in the radial path integral. It is further shown that the radial path integral in conical space can be reduced to a form identical with that in flat space when the discrete angular momentum of each partial wave is replaced by a specific non-integral angular momentum. The effective potential is found proportional to the squared mean curvature of the conical surface embedded in Euclidean space. The path integral calculation is compatible with the Schrödinger equation modified with the Gaussian and the mean curvature. -- Highlights: ► We study quantum mechanics on a cone by the path integral approach. ► The path integral depends only on the metric and the curvature effect is built in. ► The approach is consistent with the Schrödinger equation modified by an effective potential. ► The effective potential is found to be of the “Jensen–Koppe” and “da Costa” type.

Mapping Language to the World: The Role of Iconicity in the Sign Language Input

Science.gov (United States)

Perniss, Pamela; Lu, Jenny C.; Morgan, Gary; Vigliocco, Gabriella

2018-01-01

Most research on the mechanisms underlying referential mapping has assumed that learning occurs in ostensive contexts, where label and referent co-occur, and that form and meaning are linked by arbitrary convention alone. In the present study, we focus on "iconicity" in language, that is, resemblance relationships between form and…

Mechanical characterization of poly-SiGe layers for CMOS–MEMS integrated application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modlinski, Robert; Witvrouw, Ann; Verbist, Agnes; De Wolf, Ingrid; Puers, Robert

2010-01-01

Measuring mechanical properties at the microscale is essential to understand and to fabricate reliable MEMS. In this paper a tensile testing system and matching microscale test samples are presented. The test samples have a dog-bone-like structure. They are designed to mimic standard macro-tensile test samples. The micro-tensile tests are used to characterize 0.9 µm thick polycrystalline silicon germanium (poly-SiGe) films. The poly-SiGe film, that can be considered as a close equivalent to polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si), is studied as a very promising material for use in CMOS/MEMS integration in a single chip due to its low-temperature LPCVD deposition (T < 450 °C). The fabrication process of the poly-SiGe micro-tensile test structure is explained in detail: the design, the processing and post-processing, the testing and finally the results' discussion. The poly-SiGe micro-tensile results are also compared with nanoindentation data obtained on the same poly-SiGe films as well as with results obtained by other research groups

Mechanical characterization of poly-SiGe layers for CMOS-MEMS integrated application

Science.gov (United States)

Modlinski, Robert; Witvrouw, Ann; Verbist, Agnes; Puers, Robert; De Wolf, Ingrid

2010-01-01

Measuring mechanical properties at the microscale is essential to understand and to fabricate reliable MEMS. In this paper a tensile testing system and matching microscale test samples are presented. The test samples have a dog-bone-like structure. They are designed to mimic standard macro-tensile test samples. The micro-tensile tests are used to characterize 0.9 µm thick polycrystalline silicon germanium (poly-SiGe) films. The poly-SiGe film, that can be considered as a close equivalent to polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si), is studied as a very promising material for use in CMOS/MEMS integration in a single chip due to its low-temperature LPCVD deposition (T < 450 °C). The fabrication process of the poly-SiGe micro-tensile test structure is explained in detail: the design, the processing and post-processing, the testing and finally the results' discussion. The poly-SiGe micro-tensile results are also compared with nanoindentation data obtained on the same poly-SiGe films as well as with results obtained by other research groups.

Mechanism of cisplatin proximal tubule toxicity revealed by integrating transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and biokinetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilmes, Anja; Bielow, Chris; Ranninger, Christina; Bellwon, Patricia; Aschauer, Lydia; Limonciel, Alice; Chassaigne, Hubert; Kristl, Theresa; Aiche, Stephan; Huber, Christian G; Guillou, Claude; Hewitt, Philipp; Leonard, Martin O; Dekant, Wolfgang; Bois, Frederic; Jennings, Paul

2015-12-25

Cisplatin is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of solid tumours. The major dose-limiting factor is nephrotoxicity, in particular in the proximal tubule. Here, we use an integrated omics approach, including transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics coupled to biokinetics to identify cell stress response pathways induced by cisplatin. The human renal proximal tubular cell line RPTEC/TERT1 was treated with sub-cytotoxic concentrations of cisplatin (0.5 and 2 μM) in a daily repeat dose treating regime for up to 14 days. Biokinetic analysis showed that cisplatin was taken up from the basolateral compartment, transported to the apical compartment, and accumulated in cells over time. This is in line with basolateral uptake of cisplatin via organic cation transporter 2 and bioactivation via gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase located on the apical side of proximal tubular cells. Cisplatin affected several pathways including, p53 signalling, Nrf2 mediated oxidative stress response, mitochondrial processes, mTOR and AMPK signalling. In addition, we identified novel pathways changed by cisplatin, including eIF2 signalling, actin nucleation via the ARP/WASP complex and regulation of cell polarization. In conclusion, using an integrated omic approach together with biokinetics we have identified both novel and established mechanisms of cisplatin toxicity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[On establishing comparative reference system for syndrome classification study from the thinking characteristics of syndrome differentiation dependent therapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ping; Hu, Yi-yang; Ni, Li-qiang

2006-05-01

To create a comparative referential system for syndrome classification study by viewing from the thinking characteristics of TCM on syndrome differentiation dependent therapy (SDDT), through analyzing the thinking process of SDDT, and the basic features of disease, syndrome and prescription, combining the basic principles of modern evidence-based medicine and feasibility of establishing integrative disease-syndrome animal model. The practice of creating a comparative referential system based on clinical efficacy of prescription was discussed around syndrome pathogenesis and its relationship with disease and prescription, which was one of the important scientific problems in TCM syndrome study. The authors hold that, it may be one of the available approaches for the present study on integration of disease with syndrome by way of insisting on the thinking pathway of stressing the characteristics of TCM and intermerging with modern scientific design; on taking the efficacy of prescription as the comparative reference system to accumulate and improve unceasingly according to the TCM method of syndrome diagnosis inferred from effect of prescription with reverse thought (i.e., to differentiate syndrome from the effect of prescription), and thus build up the syndrome diagnostic standard on the solid clinical and scientific base.

PWR integral tie plate and locking mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flora, B.S.; Osborne, J.L.

1980-01-01

A locking mechanism for securing an upper tie plate to the tie rods of a nuclear fuel bundle is described. The mechanism includes an upper tie plate assembly and locking sleeves fixed to the ends of the tie rods. The tie plate is part of the upper tie plate assembly and is secured to the fuel bundle by securing the entire upper tie plate assembly to the locking sleeves fixed to the tie rods. The assembly includes, in addition to the tie plate, locking nuts for engaging the locking sleeves, retaining sleeves to operably connect the locking nuts to the assembly, a spring biased reaction plate to restrain the locking nuts in the locked position and a means to facilitate the removal of the entire assembly as a unit from the fuel bundle

CIPSS [computer-integrated process and safeguards system]: The integration of computer-integrated manufacturing and robotics with safeguards, security, and process operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonard, R.S.; Evans, J.C.

1987-01-01

This poster session describes the computer-integrated process and safeguards system (CIPSS). The CIPSS combines systems developed for factory automation and automated mechanical functions (robots) with varying degrees of intelligence (expert systems) to create an integrated system that would satisfy current and emerging security and safeguards requirements. Specifically, CIPSS is an extension of the automated physical security functions concepts. The CIPSS also incorporates the concepts of computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) with integrated safeguards concepts, and draws upon the Defense Advance Research Project Agency's (DARPA's) strategic computing program

The correlation between thermal comfort in buildings and fashion products.

Science.gov (United States)

Giesel, Aline; de Mello Souza, Patrícia

2012-01-01

This article is about thermal comfort in the wearable product. The research correlates fashion and architecture, in so far as it elects the brise soleil - an architectural element capable of regulating temperature and ventilation inside buildings - as a study referential, in trying to transpose and adapt its mechanisms to the wearable apparel.

Analytical mechanics for relativity and quantum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Johns, Oliver Davis

2011-01-01

Analytical Mechanics for Relativity and Quantum Mechanics is an innovative and mathematically sound treatment of the foundations of analytical mechanics and the relation of classical mechanics to relativity and quantum theory. It is intended for use at the introductory graduate level. A distinguishing feature of the book is its integration of special relativity into teaching of classical mechanics. After a thorough review of the traditional theory, Part II of the book introduces extended Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods that treat time as a transformable coordinate rather than the fixed parameter of Newtonian physics. Advanced topics such as covariant Langrangians and Hamiltonians, canonical transformations, and Hamilton-Jacobi methods are simplified by the use of this extended theory. And the definition of canonical transformation no longer excludes the Lorenz transformation of special relativity. This is also a book for those who study analytical mechanics to prepare for a critical exploration of quantum...

In search of the Chinese self: An fMRI study

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHANG; Li; ZHOU; Tiangang; ZHANG; Jian; LIU; Zuxiang; FAN; Jin

2006-01-01

Cultural influences on the concept of self is a very important topic for social cognitive neuroscientific exploration, as yet, little if anything is known about this topic at the neural level. The present study investigates this problem by looking at the Chinese culture's influence on the concept of self, in which the self includes mother. In Western cultures, self-referential processing leads to a memory performance advantage over other forms of semantic processing including mother-referential, other-referential and general semantic processing, and an advantage that is potentially localizable to the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). In Chinese culture, however, the behavioral study showed that mother-referential processing was comparable with self-referential processing in both memory performance and autonoetic awareness. The present study attempts to address whether similar neural correlates (e.g. MPFC) are acting to facilitate both types of referencing. Participants judged trait adjectives under three reference conditions of self, other and semantic processing in Experiment I, and a mother-reference condition replaced the other-reference condition in Experiment II. The results showed that when compared to other, self-referential processing yielded activations of MPFC and cingulate areas. However, when compared to mother, the activation of MPFC disappeared in self-referential processing, which suggests that mother and self may have a common brain region in the MPFC and that the Chinese idea of self includes mother.

DEVELOPMENT OF A REFERENCE MODEL TO INTEGRATED DESIGN MANAGEMENT ON PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Roberto Andery

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The present paper aims discussing the design process carried out in public institutions. Since there are different players in the design process, including designers, coordinators, bureaucratic managers, the design development brings some problems that come from the lack of a contracting and design development model, as well as in the information flow between its stakeholders. Rework, delays in contracts deadlines and low quality of the final product are not unusual. Due to the complexity of the design process, it has been searched in the process modeling a valid option to fulfill that blank. A Referential Term was developed by creating a work flow to the institution’s design process through the systematization of solutions developed by other researchers. The mentioned Term makes possible a clear understanding of the design process, leads to the definition of each player responsibilities, defines design phases, providing a general plan and establishing a detailed and integrated vision of the job made by every agent involved. The research was conducted by the implementation of this Term of reference in two Projects of the institution. It is briefly presented an analysis of main aspects of the implementation, highlighting the improvement of contractual relations between designers and the institution, reduction of design duration, improvement in the information flow, as well as a better collaborative environment.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Damage and Repair: Capitalizing on Our Understanding of the Mechanisms of Maintaining Genomic Integrity for Therapeutic Purposes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jolene Michelle Helena

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA is the self-replicating hereditary material that provides a blueprint which, in collaboration with environmental influences, produces a structural and functional phenotype. As DNA coordinates and directs differentiation, growth, survival, and reproduction, it is responsible for life and the continuation of our species. Genome integrity requires the maintenance of DNA stability for the correct preservation of genetic information. This is facilitated by accurate DNA replication and precise DNA repair. DNA damage may arise from a wide range of both endogenous and exogenous sources but may be repaired through highly specific mechanisms. The most common mechanisms include mismatch, base excision, nucleotide excision, and double-strand DNA (dsDNA break repair. Concurrent with regulation of the cell cycle, these mechanisms are precisely executed to ensure full restoration of damaged DNA. Failure or inaccuracy in DNA repair contributes to genome instability and loss of genetic information which may lead to mutations resulting in disease or loss of life. A detailed understanding of the mechanisms of DNA damage and its repair provides insight into disease pathogeneses and may facilitate diagnosis and the development of targeted therapies.

Multimodal frontostriatal connectivity underlies individual differences in self-esteem.

Science.gov (United States)

Chavez, Robert S; Heatherton, Todd F

2015-03-01

A heightened sense of self-esteem is associated with a reduced risk for several types of affective and psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and eating disorders. However, little is known about how brain systems integrate self-referential processing and positive evaluation to give rise to these feelings. To address this, we combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test how frontostriatal connectivity reflects long-term trait and short-term state aspects of self-esteem. Using DTI, we found individual variability in white matter structural integrity between the medial prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum was related to trait measures of self-esteem, reflecting long-term stability of self-esteem maintenance. Using fMRI, we found that functional connectivity of these regions during positive self-evaluation was related to current feelings of self-esteem, reflecting short-term state self-esteem. These results provide convergent anatomical and functional evidence that self-esteem is related to the connectivity of frontostriatal circuits and suggest that feelings of self-worth may emerge from neural systems integrating information about the self with positive affect and reward. This information could potentially inform the etiology of diminished self-esteem underlying multiple psychiatric conditions and inform future studies of evaluative self-referential processing. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Insulated Concrete Form Walls Integrated With Mechanical Systems in a Cold Climate Test House

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mallay, D.; Wiehagen, J.

2014-09-01

Transitioning from standard light frame to a thermal mass wall system in a high performance home will require a higher level of design integration with the mechanical systems. The much higher mass in the ICF wall influences heat transfer through the wall and affects how the heating and cooling system responds to changing outdoor conditions. This is even more important for efficient, low-load homes with efficient heat pump systems in colder climates where the heating and cooling peak loads are significantly different from standard construction. This report analyzes a range of design features and component performance estimates in an effort to select practical, cost-effective solutions for high performance homes in a cold climate. Of primary interest is the influence of the ICF walls on developing an effective air sealing strategy and selecting an appropriate heating and cooling equipment type and capacity. The domestic water heating system is analyzed for costs and savings to investigate options for higher efficiency electric water heating. A method to ensure mechanical ventilation air flows is examined. The final solution package includes high-R mass walls, very low infiltration rates, multi-stage heat pump heating, solar thermal domestic hot water system, and energy recovery ventilation. This solution package can be used for homes to exceed 2012 International Energy Conservation Code requirements throughout all climate zones and achieves the DOE Challenge Home certification.

A joint model of word segmentation and meaning acquisition through cross-situational learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Räsänen, Okko; Rasilo, Heikki

2015-10-01

Human infants learn meanings for spoken words in complex interactions with other people, but the exact learning mechanisms are unknown. Among researchers, a widely studied learning mechanism is called cross-situational learning (XSL). In XSL, word meanings are learned when learners accumulate statistical information between spoken words and co-occurring objects or events, allowing the learner to overcome referential uncertainty after having sufficient experience with individually ambiguous scenarios. Existing models in this area have mainly assumed that the learner is capable of segmenting words from speech before grounding them to their referential meaning, while segmentation itself has been treated relatively independently of the meaning acquisition. In this article, we argue that XSL is not just a mechanism for word-to-meaning mapping, but that it provides strong cues for proto-lexical word segmentation. If a learner directly solves the correspondence problem between continuous speech input and the contextual referents being talked about, segmentation of the input into word-like units emerges as a by-product of the learning. We present a theoretical model for joint acquisition of proto-lexical segments and their meanings without assuming a priori knowledge of the language. We also investigate the behavior of the model using a computational implementation, making use of transition probability-based statistical learning. Results from simulations show that the model is not only capable of replicating behavioral data on word learning in artificial languages, but also shows effective learning of word segments and their meanings from continuous speech. Moreover, when augmented with a simple familiarity preference during learning, the model shows a good fit to human behavioral data in XSL tasks. These results support the idea of simultaneous segmentation and meaning acquisition and show that comprehensive models of early word segmentation should take referential word

Hamiltonian path integrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prokhorov, L.V.

1982-01-01

Problems related to consideration of operator nonpermutability in Hamiltonian path integral (HPI) are considered in the review. Integrals are investigated using trajectories in configuration space (nonrelativistic quantum mechanics). Problems related to trajectory integrals in HPI phase space are discussed: the problem of operator nonpermutability consideration (extra terms problem) and corresponding equivalence rules; ambiguity of HPI usual recording; transition to curvilinear coordinates. Problem of quantization of dynamical systems with couplings has been studied. As in the case of canonical transformations, quantization of the systems with couplings of the first kind requires the consideration of extra terms

Containment long-term operational integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sammataro, R.F.

1990-01-01

Periodic integrated leak rate tests are required to assure that containments continue to meet allowable leakage limits. Although overall performance has been quite good to date, several major containment aging and degradation mechanisms have been identified. Two pilot plant life extension (PLEX) studies serve as models for extending the operational integrity of present containments for light-water cooled nuclear power plants in the United States. One study is for a Boiling-Water Reactor (BWR) and the second is for a Pressurized-Water Reactor (PWR). Research and testing programs for determining the ultimate pressure capacity and failure mechanisms for containments under severe loading conditions and studies for extending the life of current plants beyond the present 40-year licensed lifetime are under way. This paper presents an overview of containment designs in the United States. Also presented are a discussion of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code) and regulatory authority requirements for the design, construction, inservice inspection, leakage testing and repair of steel and concrete containments. Findings for containments from the pilot PLEX studies and continuing containment integrity research and testing programs are discussed. The ASME Code and regulatory requirements together with recommendations from the PLEX studies and containment integrity research and testing provide a basis for continued containment long-term operational integrity. (orig./GL)

Feynman's path integrals and Bohm's particle paths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tumulka, Roderich

2005-01-01

Both Bohmian mechanics, a version of quantum mechanics with trajectories, and Feynman's path integral formalism have something to do with particle paths in space and time. The question thus arises how the two ideas relate to each other. In short, the answer is, path integrals provide a re-formulation of Schroedinger's equation, which is half of the defining equations of Bohmian mechanics. I try to give a clear and concise description of the various aspects of the situation. (letters and comments)

Functional Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Cartier, Pierre; DeWitt-Morette, Cecile

2010-06-01

Acknowledgements; List symbols, conventions, and formulary; Part I. The Physical and Mathematical Environment: 1. The physical and mathematical environment; Part II. Quantum Mechanics: 2. First lesson: gaussian integrals; 3. Selected examples; 4. Semiclassical expansion: WKB; 5. Semiclassical expansion: beyond WKB; 6. Quantum dynamics: path integrals and operator formalism; Part III. Methods from Differential Geometry: 7. Symmetries; 8. Homotopy; 9. Grassmann analysis: basics; 10. Grassmann analysis: applications; 11. Volume elements, divergences, gradients; Part IV. Non-Gaussian Applications: 12. Poisson processes in physics; 13. A mathematical theory of Poisson processes; 14. First exit time: energy problems; Part V. Problems in Quantum Field Theory: 15. Renormalization 1: an introduction; 16. Renormalization 2: scaling; 17. Renormalization 3: combinatorics; 18. Volume elements in quantum field theory Bryce DeWitt; Part VI. Projects: 19. Projects; Appendix A. Forward and backward integrals: spaces of pointed paths; Appendix B. Product integrals; Appendix C. A compendium of gaussian integrals; Appendix D. Wick calculus Alexander Wurm; Appendix E. The Jacobi operator; Appendix F. Change of variables of integration; Appendix G. Analytic properties of covariances; Appendix H. Feynman's checkerboard; Bibliography; Index.

Evaluation of mechanical integrity for helical coil hold-down spring of PLUS7TM fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Ki Sung; Kim, Yong Hwan; Kwon, Jung Tack; Kim, Kyu Tae

2004-01-01

Nuclear fuel assembly is subject to hydraulic forces generated by primary coolant flow during reactor operation. These forces may be sufficient to overcome the fuel assembly weight thereby allowing the fuel assembly to lift off of its support. To provide a positive hold-down margin against the upward coolant flow forces, helical coil springs or leaf springs are installed in the fuel assemblies. An advanced fuel for Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plants (KSNP), PLUS7 fuel has developed to get the thermal margin increase, failure free and high seismic resistance, etc. And the new designed helical coil hold-down spring was introduced into PLUS7 fuel assembly. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the mechanical integrity for the helical coil hold-down spring of PLUS7 fuel assembly

Fracture mechanics characteristics and associated safety margins for integrity assessment; Bruchmechanische Kennwerte und zugeordnete Sicherheitsfaktoren bei Integritaetsanalysen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roos, E.; Schuler, X.; Stumpfrock, L.; Silcher, H. [Stuttgart Univ. (DE). Materialpruefungsanstalt (MPA)

2008-07-01

Within the integrity assessment of components and structural members of plants safety margins have to be applied, whose magnitude depend on several factors. Important factors influencing the magnitude of the safety margins are as for instance: Material behaviour (ductile / brittle behaviour), the event to be considered (local deformation / fracture), possible consequences of failure (human health, environmental damage, economic consequences) and many others. One important factor also is the fact, how precisely and reliably the appropriate material characteristics can be determined and how precisely and reliably the components behaviour can be predicted and assessed by means of this material characteristic. In contemporary safety assessment procedures by means of fracture mechanics evaluation tools (e.g. [1]) a concept of partial safety margins is proposed for application. The basic idea with this procedure is that only those sources of uncertainty have to be considered, which are relevant or may be relevant for the structure to be considered. For this purpose each source of possible uncertainty has to be quantified individually, finally only those singular safety margins are superimposed to a total safety margin which are relevant. The more the uncertainties have to be taken into account, the total safety margin to be applied, consequently will be larger. If some sources of uncertainty can be eliminated totally or can be minimized (for instance by a more reliable calculational procedure of the component loading or by more precise material characteristics), the total safety margin can be reduced. In this contribution the different procedures for the definition of safety margins within the integrity assessment by means of fracture mechanics procedures will be discussed. (orig.)

The missing link in the embodiment of syntax: prosody.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreiner, Hamutal; Eviatar, Zohar

2014-10-01

Neurolinguistic theories are challenged by the amodal abstract representations assumed by linguists. Embodied linguistics offers a conceptualization of the relationship between linguistic representation, experience, and the brain. Findings correlating brain activation patterns with referential features of words (e.g., body parts), suggest that the mechanism underlying linguistic embodiment is an "action-perception simulation". This mechanism accounts for embodied representation of words, but is harder to adapt to syntactic abstractions. We suggest that prosody is the missing link. Prosody is a sensory-motor phenomenon that can evoke an "action-perception simulation" that underpins the syntax-experience-brain association. Our review discusses different embodiment models and then integrates psycholinguistic and neurocognitive studies into a new approach to linguistic embodiment. We propose a novel implementation of the syntax-experience-brain relationship via the mapping between the temporo-spectral aspects of speech prosody and temporo-spectral patterns of synchronized behavior of neural populations. We discuss the potential implications for psycho- and neuro-linguistic research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of a path independent integral in non-linear fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellen, T.K.

1977-01-01

A computer program for calculating the J and J* integrals has been developed as an extension to the BERSAFE finite element system. A full analysis of the cracked structure including plasticity, creep and thermal strains is conducted and the results are stored on a permanent data set. The integral values may then be calculated using the post-processor program for any number of contours and load or time steps, without recourse to further expensive computations. Numerical examples are presented comparing the J and J* integrals for a number of cracked plates under thermal, plastic and creep environments. To demonstrate the accuracy for a simple thermo-elastic case, a centre cracked plate subject to a symmetric quadratic gradient is included. Here, the J integral is shown to be path dependent whereas good independence is seen for the J* integral. The case of an elastic-plastic plate is invetigated to demonstrate path independence for both integrals in non-linear elasticity, and the effects of unloading are discussed. An alternative method for obtaining the change of potential energy over a small crack extension is briefly mentioned and compared to the J and J* results in this case. An axisymmetric bar with an internal penny-shaped crack subjected to tension is discussed under elastic-plastic materials behavior

Retroviral DNA Integration Directed by HIV Integration Protein in Vitro

Science.gov (United States)

Bushman, Frederic D.; Fujiwara, Tamio; Craigie, Robert

1990-09-01

Efficient retroviral growth requires integration of a DNA copy of the viral RNA genome into a chromosome of the host. As a first step in analyzing the mechanism of integration of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA, a cell-free system was established that models the integration reaction. The in vitro system depends on the HIV integration (IN) protein, which was partially purified from insect cells engineered to express IN protein in large quantities. Integration was detected in a biological assay that scores the insertion of a linear DNA containing HIV terminal sequences into a λ DNA target. Some integration products generated in this assay contained five-base pair duplications of the target DNA at the recombination junctions, a characteristic of HIV integration in vivo; the remaining products contained aberrant junctional sequences that may have been produced in a variation of the normal reaction. These results indicate that HIV IN protein is the only viral protein required to insert model HIV DNA sequences into a target DNA in vitro.

Perspectives of ukrainian mechanical engineering development

OpenAIRE

Dyrda, E.; Schepetkova, A.; Galushko, O.

2013-01-01

Theses are devoted to problems and perspectives of Ukrainian mechanical engineering development. Role of mechanical engineering in national economy is described. Problems of mechanical engineering, such as losing the cometetive advantages, production decreasing, debts growing, ineffective assets structure, are investigated. Influence of European integration process on mechanical engineering enterprises is discussed.

I think therefore I am: Rest-related prefrontal cortex neural activity is involved in generating the sense of self.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruberger, M; Levkovitz, Y; Hendler, T; Harel, E V; Harari, H; Ben Simon, E; Sharon, H; Zangen, A

2015-05-01

The sense of self has always been a major focus in the psychophysical debate. It has been argued that this complex ongoing internal sense cannot be explained by any physical measure and therefore substantiates a mind-body differentiation. Recently, however, neuro-imaging studies have associated self-referential spontaneous thought, a core-element of the ongoing sense of self, with synchronous neural activations during rest in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), as well as the medial and lateral parietal cortices. By applying deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over human PFC before rest, we disrupted activity in this neural circuitry thereby inducing reports of lowered self-awareness and strong feelings of dissociation. This effect was not found with standard or sham TMS, or when stimulation was followed by a task instead of rest. These findings demonstrate for the first time a critical, causal role of intact rest-related PFC activity patterns in enabling integrated, enduring, self-referential mental processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Numerical Nuclear Reactor for High-Fidelity Integrated Simulation of Neutronic, Thermal-Hydraulic, and Thermo-Mechanical Phenomena

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, K. S.; Ju, H. G.; Jeon, T. H. and others

2005-03-15

A comprehensive high fidelity reactor core modeling capability has been developed for detailed analysis of current and advanced reactor designs as part of a US-ROK collaborative I-NERI project. High fidelity was accomplished by integrating highly refined solution modules for the coupled neutronic, thermal-hydraulic, and thermo-mechanical phenomena. Each solution module employs methods and models that are formulated faithfully to the first-principles governing the physics, real geometry, and constituents. Specifically, the critical analysis elements that are incorporated in the coupled code capability are whole-core neutron transport solution, ultra-fine-mesh computational fluid dynamics/heat transfer solution, and finite-element-based thermo-mechanics solution, all obtained with explicit (fuel pin cell level) heterogeneous representations of the components of the core. The vast computational problem resulting from such highly refined modeling is solved on massively parallel computers, and serves as the 'numerical nuclear reactor'. Relaxation of modeling parameters were also pursued to make problems run on clusters of workstations and PCs for smaller scale applications as well.

The Numerical Nuclear Reactor for High-Fidelity Integrated Simulation of Neutronic, Thermal-Hydraulic, and Thermo-Mechanical Phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, K. S.; Ju, H. G.; Jeon, T. H. and others

2005-03-01

A comprehensive high fidelity reactor core modeling capability has been developed for detailed analysis of current and advanced reactor designs as part of a US-ROK collaborative I-NERI project. High fidelity was accomplished by integrating highly refined solution modules for the coupled neutronic, thermal-hydraulic, and thermo-mechanical phenomena. Each solution module employs methods and models that are formulated faithfully to the first-principles governing the physics, real geometry, and constituents. Specifically, the critical analysis elements that are incorporated in the coupled code capability are whole-core neutron transport solution, ultra-fine-mesh computational fluid dynamics/heat transfer solution, and finite-element-based thermo-mechanics solution, all obtained with explicit (fuel pin cell level) heterogeneous representations of the components of the core. The vast computational problem resulting from such highly refined modeling is solved on massively parallel computers, and serves as the 'numerical nuclear reactor'. Relaxation of modeling parameters were also pursued to make problems run on clusters of workstations and PCs for smaller scale applications as well

The electro-mechanical integration of the NA62 GigaTracker time tagging pixel detector

CERN Document Server

Morel, M; Aglieri Rinella, G; Carassiti, V; Ceccucci, A; Daguin, J; Fiorini, M; Jarron, P; Kaplon, J; Mapelli, A; Marchetto, F; Noy, M; Nuessle, G; Perktold, L; Petagna, P; Riedler, P

2010-01-01

The NA62 GigaTracker is a low mass time tagging hybrid pixel detector operating in a beam with a particle rate of 750 MHz. It consists of three stations with a sensor size of 60 × 27mm2 containing 18000 pixels, each 300 × 300μm2. The active area is connected to a matrix of 2 × 5 pixel ASICs, which time tag the arrival of the particles with a binning of 100 ps. The detector operates in vacuum at -20 to 0°C and the material budget per station must be below 0.5% X0. Due to the high radiation environment of 2 × 1014 1 MeV neutron equivalent cm−2/yr−1 it is planned to exchange the detector modules regularly. The low material budget, cooling requirements and the request for easy module access has driven the electro-mechanical integration of the GigaTracker, which is presented in this paper

Methods of celestial mechanics

CERN Document Server

Brouwer, Dirk

2013-01-01

Methods of Celestial Mechanics provides a comprehensive background of celestial mechanics for practical applications. Celestial mechanics is the branch of astronomy that is devoted to the motions of celestial bodies. This book is composed of 17 chapters, and begins with the concept of elliptic motion and its expansion. The subsequent chapters are devoted to other aspects of celestial mechanics, including gravity, numerical integration of orbit, stellar aberration, lunar theory, and celestial coordinates. Considerable chapters explore the principles and application of various mathematical metho

Neuroimaging studies of self-reflection

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHU Ying

2004-01-01

This paper reviews some basic findings and methodological issues in neuroimaging studies of self-referential processing.As a general rule,making judgments about one's self,inclusive of personality trait adjectives or current mental states(person's prefer ences,norms,aesthetic values and feeling)uniformly generates medial prefrontal activations,regardless of stimulus materials(words or pictures)and modality(visual or auditory).Cingulate activations are also observed in association with most self-referential processing.Methodological issues include treating self-referential processing as either representing one's own personality traits or representing one's own current mental states.Finally,self-referential processing could Be considered as implement of "I think therefore I am" approach to neuroimaging the self.

Retroviral DNA Integration

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

The integration of a DNA copy of the viral RNA genome into host chromatin is the defining step of retroviral replication. This enzymatic process is catalyzed by the virus-encoded integrase protein, which is conserved among retroviruses and LTR-retrotransposons. Retroviral integration proceeds via two integrase activities: 3′-processing of the viral DNA ends, followed by the strand transfer of the processed ends into host cell chromosomal DNA. Herein we review the molecular mechanism of retroviral DNA integration, with an emphasis on reaction chemistries and architectures of the nucleoprotein complexes involved. We additionally discuss the latest advances on anti-integrase drug development for the treatment of AIDS and the utility of integrating retroviral vectors in gene therapy applications. PMID:27198982

Revealing molecular mechanisms by integrating high-dimensional functional screens with protein interaction data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Simeone

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Functional genomics screens using multi-parametric assays are powerful approaches for identifying genes involved in particular cellular processes. However, they suffer from problems like noise, and often provide little insight into molecular mechanisms. A bottleneck for addressing these issues is the lack of computational methods for the systematic integration of multi-parametric phenotypic datasets with molecular interactions. Here, we present Integrative Multi Profile Analysis of Cellular Traits (IMPACT. The main goal of IMPACT is to identify the most consistent phenotypic profile among interacting genes. This approach utilizes two types of external information: sets of related genes (IMPACT-sets and network information (IMPACT-modules. Based on the notion that interacting genes are more likely to be involved in similar functions than non-interacting genes, this data is used as a prior to inform the filtering of phenotypic profiles that are similar among interacting genes. IMPACT-sets selects the most frequent profile among a set of related genes. IMPACT-modules identifies sub-networks containing genes with similar phenotype profiles. The statistical significance of these selections is subsequently quantified via permutations of the data. IMPACT (1 handles multiple profiles per gene, (2 rescues genes with weak phenotypes and (3 accounts for multiple biases e.g. caused by the network topology. Application to a genome-wide RNAi screen on endocytosis showed that IMPACT improved the recovery of known endocytosis-related genes, decreased off-target effects, and detected consistent phenotypes. Those findings were confirmed by rescreening 468 genes. Additionally we validated an unexpected influence of the IGF-receptor on EGF-endocytosis. IMPACT facilitates the selection of high-quality phenotypic profiles using different types of independent information, thereby supporting the molecular interpretation of functional screens.

Lectures on relativistic quantum mechanics and path integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunn, J.M.F.

1989-02-01

The question posed is why bother with relativistic quantum mechanics? Three reasons are given: First that there are many experimental phenomena which cannot be explained in non-relativistic terms. Secondly it would be unsatisfactory if relativity and quantum mechanics could not be united. Thirdly, there are theoretical reasons why new effects can be expected at relativistic velocities. The objectives of the course are to set up relativistic analogues of the Schroedinger equation and to understand their consequences. In doing so there are some questions which are raised and discussed such as can a first order equation be used to describe spin 0 particles and a second order equation be used to describe spin 1/ 2 (author)

Learning mechanisms to limit medication administration errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Drach-Zahavy, Anat; Pud, Dorit

2010-04-01

This paper is a report of a study conducted to identify and test the effectiveness of learning mechanisms applied by the nursing staff of hospital wards as a means of limiting medication administration errors. Since the influential report ;To Err Is Human', research has emphasized the role of team learning in reducing medication administration errors. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanisms underlying team learning. Thirty-two hospital wards were randomly recruited. Data were collected during 2006 in Israel by a multi-method (observations, interviews and administrative data), multi-source (head nurses, bedside nurses) approach. Medication administration error was defined as any deviation from procedures, policies and/or best practices for medication administration, and was identified using semi-structured observations of nurses administering medication. Organizational learning was measured using semi-structured interviews with head nurses, and the previous year's reported medication administration errors were assessed using administrative data. The interview data revealed four learning mechanism patterns employed in an attempt to learn from medication administration errors: integrated, non-integrated, supervisory and patchy learning. Regression analysis results demonstrated that whereas the integrated pattern of learning mechanisms was associated with decreased errors, the non-integrated pattern was associated with increased errors. Supervisory and patchy learning mechanisms were not associated with errors. Superior learning mechanisms are those that represent the whole cycle of team learning, are enacted by nurses who administer medications to patients, and emphasize a system approach to data analysis instead of analysis of individual cases.

Integrability of dynamical systems algebra and analysis

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Xiang

2017-01-01

This is the first book to systematically state the fundamental theory of integrability and its development of ordinary differential equations with emphasis on the Darboux theory of integrability and local integrability together with their applications. It summarizes the classical results of Darboux integrability and its modern development together with their related Darboux polynomials and their applications in the reduction of Liouville and elementary integrabilty and in the center—focus problem, the weakened Hilbert 16th problem on algebraic limit cycles and the global dynamical analysis of some realistic models in fields such as physics, mechanics and biology. Although it can be used as a textbook for graduate students in dynamical systems, it is intended as supplementary reading for graduate students from mathematics, physics, mechanics and engineering in courses related to the qualitative theory, bifurcation theory and the theory of integrability of dynamical systems.

Possible scenarios for a safety upgrade of the ventilation system

CERN Document Server

Inigo-Golfin, J

2009-01-01

This paper/presentation describes the existing LHC ventilation (HVAC) system, the design principle followed for the LEP Project and the modifications implemented for the LHC Project. A discussion on possible referential standards to compare the existing system with is presented and possible axes for its improvement, based on these referentials, are discussed. Finally, some recommendations are given based on the system's present capabilities and the estimated investment necessary to achieve compliance to the referentials chosen.

Persistence Mechanisms of Conjugative Plasmids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bahl, Martin Iain; Hansen, Lars H.; Sørensen, Søren Johannes

2009-01-01

Are plasmids selfish parasitic DNA molecules or an integrated part of the bacterial genome? This chapter reviews the current understanding of the persistence mechanisms of conjugative plasmids harbored by bacterial cells and populations. The diversity and intricacy of mechanisms affecting the suc...

An integrated mechanism of pediatric pseudotumor cerebri syndrome: evidence of bioenergetic and hormonal regulation of cerebrospinal fluid dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheldon, Claire A; Kwon, Young Joon; Liu, Grant T; McCormack, Shana E

2015-02-01

Pseudotumor cerebri syndrome (PTCS) is defined by the presence of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) in the setting of normal brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Headache, vision changes, and papilledema are common presenting features. Up to 10% of appropriately treated patients may experience permanent visual loss. The mechanism(s) underlying PTCS is unknown. PTCS occurs in association with a variety of conditions, including kidney disease, obesity, and adrenal insufficiency, suggesting endocrine and/or metabolic derangements may occur. Recent studies suggest that fluid and electrolyte balance in renal epithelia is regulated by a complex interaction of metabolic and hormonal factors; these cells share many of the same features as the choroid plexus cells in the central nervous system (CNS) responsible for regulation of CSF dynamics. Thus, we posit that similar factors may influence CSF dynamics in both types of fluid-sensitive tissues. Specifically, we hypothesize that, in patients with PTCS, mitochondrial metabolites (glutamate, succinate) and steroid hormones (cortisol, aldosterone) regulate CSF production and/or absorption. In this integrated mechanism review, we consider the clinical and molecular evidence for each metabolite and hormone in turn. We illustrate how related intracellular signaling cascades may converge in the choroid plexus, drawing on evidence from functionally similar tissues.

Manipulating mammalian cell morphologies using chemical-mechanical polished integrated circuit chips

Science.gov (United States)

Moussa, Hassan I.; Logan, Megan; Siow, Geoffrey C.; Phann, Darron L.; Rao, Zheng; Aucoin, Marc G.; Tsui, Ting Y.

2017-12-01

Tungsten chemical-mechanical polished integrated circuits were used to study the alignment and immobilization of mammalian (Vero) cells. These devices consist of blanket silicon oxide thin films embedded with micro- and nano-meter scale tungsten metal line structures on the surface. The final surfaces are extremely flat and smooth across the entire substrate, with a roughness in the order of nanometers. Vero cells were deposited on the surface and allowed to adhere. Microscopy examinations revealed that cells have a strong preference to adhere to tungsten over silicon oxide surfaces with up to 99% of cells adhering to the tungsten portion of the surface. Cells self-aligned and elongated into long threads to maximize contact with isolated tungsten lines as thin as 180 nm. The orientation of the Vero cells showed sensitivity to the tungsten line geometric parameters, such as line width and spacing. Up to 93% of cells on 10 μm wide comb structures were aligned within ± 20° of the metal line axis. In contrast, only 22% of cells incubated on 0.18 μm comb patterned tungsten lines were oriented within the same angular interval. This phenomenon is explained using a simple model describing cellular geometry as a function of pattern width and spacing, which showed that cells will rearrange their morphology to maximize their contact to the embedded tungsten. Finally, it was discovered that the materials could be reused after cleaning the surfaces, while maintaining cell alignment capability.

Financial Mechanisms for Integrating Higher Education of Ukraine into the Quadrangle “Education — Government — Business — Society”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verbytska Anna V.

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to identify the financial mechanisms for integrating higher education of Ukraine into the quadrangle “education — government – business — society”, which are intended for increasing the international competitiveness of higher education of Ukraine. There substantiated the formation of a new national financial strategy in the field of higher education, which is based on the introduction of a mechanism for distributing financial responsibility between the state and consumers of educational services represented by employers and business structures, which can be implemented within multi-channel financing; adaptation of the experience in creation of endowment funds as a tool for additional financing of the higher education system; increase in the effectiveness of the export policy in the market for educational services. The principle of performance-based budgeting of higher education and its coordination with the concept of effective financial management is revealed.

Genome-wide profiling of HPV integration in cervical cancer identifies clustered genomic hot spots and a potential microhomology-mediated integration mechanism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Zheng; Zhu, Da; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) integration is a key genetic event in cervical carcinogenesis1. By conducting whole-genome sequencing and high-throughput viral integration detection, we identified 3,667 HPV integration breakpoints in 26 cervical intraepithelial neoplasias, 104 cervical carcinomas and ...

Load balancing in integrated optical wireless networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yan, Ying; Dittmann, Lars; Wong, S-W.

2010-01-01

In this paper, we tackle the load balancing problem in Integrated Optical Wireless Networks, where cell breathing technique is used to solve congestion by changing the coverage area of a fully loaded cell tower. Our objective is to design a load balancing mechanism which works closely...... with the integrated control scheme so as to maximize overall network throughput in the integrated network architecture. To the best of our knowledge no load balancing mechanisms, especially based on the Multi-Point Control Protocol (MPCP) defined in the IEEE 802.3ah, have been proposed so far. The major research...... issues are outlined and a cost function based optimization model is developed for power management. In particularly, two alternative feedback schemes are proposed to report wireless network status. Simulation results show that our proposed load balancing mechanism improves network performances....

Computational structural mechanics for engine structures

Science.gov (United States)

Chamis, C. C.

1989-01-01

The computational structural mechanics (CSM) program at Lewis encompasses: (1) fundamental aspects for formulating and solving structural mechanics problems, and (2) development of integrated software systems to computationally simulate the performance/durability/life of engine structures. It is structured to mainly supplement, complement, and whenever possible replace, costly experimental efforts which are unavoidable during engineering research and development programs. Specific objectives include: investigate unique advantages of parallel and multiprocesses for: reformulating/solving structural mechanics and formulating/solving multidisciplinary mechanics and develop integrated structural system computational simulators for: predicting structural performances, evaluating newly developed methods, and for identifying and prioritizing improved/missing methods needed. Herein the CSM program is summarized with emphasis on the Engine Structures Computational Simulator (ESCS). Typical results obtained using ESCS are described to illustrate its versatility.

The integration of law and integrality of the legislation as necessary conditions for the success of law enforcement in interstate integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey Baburin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available УДК 341.1+342.2Subject. The article substantiates the need for a special system of legislation for any project of international integration. Only such system, being integral, may, firstly, become the basis for the formation of an integrative law of this integration project, and secondly, have a supranational constitutionality, giving the ability to individual enforcement.Purpose. The purpose of this paper is the design of the constitutional-legal mechanisms of international integration in the scope of an integrative understanding of law and law enforcement.Methodology. The author uses methods of theoretical analysis, particularly the theory of integrative legal consciousness, as well as legal methods, including formal legal method and comparative law.Results, scope of application. The author points out that the formation of a single legal space in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU, as well as in Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Community before, is a development of constitutional law of supranational level, not of international law. The integration of law and integrality of the legislation are prerequisite for the success of the interstate Eurasian integration.Integration of law means the completeness of its internal structure, implies the indissoluble inner coherence of the law, its wholeness, unity. Coherent legal norms, embodied in legislation, can only create the phenomenon of law. The law should be understood as a metasystem, supersystem, it accumulates all socially significant systems and integrates the values of the law itself, its principles, values, other social regulators and regulated spheres of social relations. Attempts to apply the concept of "integration", but to abandon the notion of "integrality" are unreasonable, this terminological dichotomy is just a word game.If we talk about law, it is more appropriate to talk about it’s iintegrity, but if we talk about legislation, emerging to accelerate and deepen integration

Integrity Assessment of GOH Heater Tube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Bong Sang; Hong, J. H.; Oh, Y. J.; Yoon, J. H.; Oh, J. M. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1997-08-01

An assessment of structural integrity of ASTM A312-TP347 GOH heater tube was performed. The surface notches which had been produced during tube manufacturing process were analyzed microscopically. Chemical analysis, hardness tests, tensile tests, and J-Integral fracture resistance tests were carried out to compare the mechanical properties with those of the material specification and also with the other material of the same type. The test results showed the mechanical properties of the GOH tube material are within the specification range. An elastic-plastic fracture mechanics analysis based on the DPFAD method reveals the tube an appropriate safety margin for the normal operation. 13 refs., 5 tabs., 24 figs. (author)

Physical database design using Oracle

CERN Document Server

Burleson, Donald K

2004-01-01

INTRODUCTION TO ORACLE PHYSICAL DESIGNPrefaceRelational Databases and Physical DesignSystems Analysis and Physical Database DesignIntroduction to Logical Database DesignEntity/Relation ModelingBridging between Logical and Physical ModelsPhysical Design Requirements Validation PHYSICAL ENTITY DESIGN FOR ORACLEData Relationships and Physical DesignMassive De-Normalization: STAR Schema DesignDesigning Class HierarchiesMaterialized Views and De-NormalizationReferential IntegrityConclusionORACLE HARDWARE DESIGNPlanning the Server EnvironmentDesigning the Network Infrastructure for OracleOracle Netw

EXPLORING THEORETICAL FUNCTIONS OF CORPUS DATA IN TEACHING TRANSLATION

OpenAIRE

Poirier, Éric

2016-01-01

Abstract As language referential data banks, corpora are instrumental in the exploration of translation solutions in bilingual parallel texts or conventional usages of source or target language in monolingual general or specialized texts. These roles are firmly rooted in translation processes, from analysis and interpretation of source text to searching for an acceptable equivalent and integrating it into the production of the target text. Provided the creative and not the conservative way be...

CAT-1 as a novel CAM stabilizes endothelial integrity and mediates the protective actions of L-Arg via a NO-independent mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Lu; Tian, Shuang; Chen, Yuguo; Mao, Yun; Cui, Sumei; Hu, Aihua; Zhang, Jianliang; Xia, Shen-Ling; Su, Yunchao; Du, Jie; Block, Edward R; Wang, Xing Li; Cui, Zhaoqiang

2015-10-01

Interendothelial junctions play an important role in the maintenance of endothelial integrity and the regulation of vascular functions. We report here that cationic amino acid transporter-1 (CAT-1) is a novel interendothelial cell adhesion molecule (CAM). We identified that CAT-1 protein localized at cell-cell adhesive junctions, similar to the classic CAM of VE-cadherin, and knockdown of CAT-1 with siRNA led to an increase in endothelial permeability. In addition, CAT-1 formed a cis-homo-dimer and showed Ca(2+)-dependent trans-homo-interaction to cause homophilic cell-cell adhesion. Co-immunoprecipitation assays showed that CAT-1 can associate with β-catenin. Furthermore, we found that the sub-cellular localization and function of CAT-1 are associated with cell confluency, in sub-confluent ECs CAT-1 proteins distribute on the entire surface and function as L-Arg transporters, but most of the CAT-1 in the confluent ECs are localized at interendothelial junctions and serve as CAMs. Further functional characterization has disclosed that extracellular L-Arg exposure stabilizes endothelial integrity via abating the cell junction disassembly of CAT-1 and blocking the cellular membrane CAT-1 internalization, which provides the new mechanisms for L-Arg paradox and trans-stimulation of cationic amino acid transport system (CAAT). These results suggest that CAT-1 is a novel CAM that directly regulates endothelial integrity and mediates the protective actions of L-Arg to endothelium via a NO-independent mechanism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analogical reasoning and prefrontal cortex: evidence for separable retrieval and integration mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunge, Silvia A; Wendelken, Carter; Badre, David; Wagner, Anthony D

2005-03-01

The present study examined the contributions of prefrontal cortex (PFC) subregions to two component processes underlying verbal analogical reasoning: semantic retrieval and integration. Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired while subjects performed propositional analogy and semantic decision tasks. On each trial, subjects viewed a pair of words (pair 1), followed by an instructional cue and a second word pair (pair 2). On analogy trials, subjects evaluated whether pair 2 was semantically analogous to pair 1. On semantic trials, subjects indicated whether the pair 2 words were semantically related to each other. Thus, analogy--but not semantic--trials required integration across multiple retrieved relations. To identify regions involved in semantic retrieval, we manipulated the associative strength of pair 1 words in both tasks. Anterior left inferior PFC (aLIPC) was modulated by associative strength, consistent with a role in controlled semantic retrieval. Left frontopolar cortex was insensitive to associative strength, but was more sensitive to integration demands than was aLIPC, consistent with a role in integrating the products of semantic retrieval to evaluate whether distinct representations are analogous. Right dorsolateral PFC exhibited a profile consistent with a role in response selection rather than retrieval or integration. These findings indicate that verbal analogical reasoning depends on multiple, PFC-mediated computations.

The use of a path independent integral in non-linear fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellen, T.K.

1977-01-01

The use of the Rice J-intergral to assess conditions at a crack tip in an elastic or non-linear elastic body is well known. The integral equals the energy release rate and is path independent for any contour surrounding the crack tip provided no other singularities are encompassed. The path independence propertiy breaks down, however, in more general situations such as in three dimensional stress systems, plasticity unloading, thermal or creep states. Hence the required crack tip characteristics represented by the value of the integral round a contour whose radius about the tip tends to zero, is not reproduced along contours away from the tip. Consequently, an alternative integral, designated J*, has been proposed which equals J for elastic cases and in the other cases cited above remains path independent. A computer program for calculating the J and J* integrals has been developed as an extension to the BERSAFE finite element system. A full analysis of the cracked structure including plasticity, creep and thermal strains is conducted and the results are stored on a permanent data set. The integral values may then be calculated using the post-processor program for any number of contours and load or time steps, without recourse to further expensive computations. (Auth. )

IFMIF Li target back-plate design integration and thermo-mechanical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riccardi, B.; Roccella, S.; Micciche, G.

2006-01-01

The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) is an accelerator-driven intense neutron source where fusion reactor candidate materials will be tested. The neutron flux is produced by means of a deuteron beam (current 250 mA, energy 40 MeV) that strikes a liquid lithium target circulating in a lithium loop. The support on which the liquid lithium flows, i.e. the back-plate, is the most heavily exposed component to neutron flux. A '' bayonet '' concept solution for the back-plate was proposed by ENEA with the objectives of improving the back-plate reliability and simplifying the remote handling procedures. On the base of this concept, a back-plate mock-up was fabricated and validated. Starting from the findings of the mock up design, a back-plate design integration exercise was carried out in order to check if the back-plate geometrical features are compatible with the target assembly and the Vertical Test Assemblies (VTA). The work carried out has demonstrated that even with the changes operated for the design integration (increase of in-plane dimensions and reduction of thickness) the bayonet concept is able to guarantee a tight connection to the target assembly. A thermo-mechanical analysis of the back-plate has been carried out by means of ABAQUS code. The thermal load used as input for the calculations, i.e. the neutron heat generation, has been estimated by means of Monte Carlo Mc-Delicious code. The two boundary constraint cases (full and minimum contact with target assembly) considered for each back-plate geometry option represent the extreme cases of the real operating condition of the plate. The influence of the contact heat exchange coefficient and the back-plate thickness has been also evaluated. For all these reasons, the results of the analysis can be considered as the domain of variability of the real working conditions. The results show that AISI 316L steel is not suitable as black-plate material: the stress induced in the plate, in

A framework for understanding outcomes of integrated care programs for the hospitalized elderly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacqueline M. Hartgerink

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Integrated care has emerged as a new strategy to enhance the quality of care for hospitalised elderly. Current models do not provide insight into the mechanisms underlying integrated care delivery. Therefore, we developed a framework to identify the underlying mechanisms of integrated care delivery. We should understand how they operate and interact, so that integrated care programmes can enhance the quality of care and eventually patient outcomes.Theory and methods: Interprofessional collaboration among professionals is considered to be critical in integrated care delivery due to many interdependent work requirements. A review of integrated care components brings to light a distinction between the cognitive and behavioural components of interprofessional collaboration.Results: Effective integrated care programmes combine the interacting components of care delivery. These components affect professionals’ cognitions and behaviour, which in turn affect quality of care. Insight is gained into how these components alter the way care is delivered through mechanisms such as combining individual knowledge and actively seeking new information.Conclusion: We expect that insight into the cognitive and behavioural mechanisms will contribute to the understanding of integrated care programmes. The framework can be used to identify the underlying mechanisms of integrated care responsible for producing favourable outcomes, allowing comparisons across programmes.

Completely integrable 2D Lagrangian systems and related integrable geodesic flows on various manifolds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yehia, Hamad M

2013-01-01

In this study we have formulated a theorem that generates deformations of the natural integrable conservative systems in the plane into integrable systems on Riemannian and other manifolds by introducing additional parameters into their structures. The relation of explicit solutions of the new and the original dynamics to the corresponding Jacobi (Maupertuis) geodesic flow is clarified. For illustration, we apply the result to three concrete examples of the many available integrable systems in the literature. Complementary integrals in those systems are polynomial in velocity with degrees 3, 4 and 6, respectively. As a special case of the first deformed system, a new several-parameter family of integrable mechanical systems (and geodesic flows) on S 2 is constructed. (paper)

Mechanical Integrity of Copper Canister Lid and Cylinder. Sensitivity study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlsson, Marianne

2002-08-01

This report is part of a study of the mechanical integrity of canisters used for disposal of nuclear fuel waste. The overall objective is to determine and ensure the static and long-term strength of the copper canister lid and cylinder casing. The canisters used for disposal nuclear fuel waste of type BWR consists of an inner part (insert) of ductile cast iron and an outer part of copper. The copper canister is to provide a sealed barrier between the contents of the canister and the surroundings. The study in this report complements the finite element analyses performed in an earlier study. The analyses aim to evaluate the sensitivity of the canister to tolerances regarding the gap between the copper cylinder and the cast iron insert. Since great uncertainties regarding the material's long term creep properties prevail, analyses are also performed to evaluate the effect of different creep data on the resulting strain and stress state. The report analyses the mechanical response of the lid and flange of the copper canister when subjected to loads caused by pressure from swelling bentonite and from groundwater at a depth of 500 meter. The loads acting on the canister are somewhat uncertain and the cases investigated in this report are possible cases. Load cases analysed are: Pressure 15 MPa uniformly distributed on lid and 5 MPa uniformly distributed on cylinder; Pressure 5 MPa uniformly distributed on lid and 15 MPa uniformly distributed on cylinder; Pressure 20 MPa uniformly distributed on lid and cylinder; and Side pressures 10 MPa and 20 MPa uniformly distributed on part of the cylinder. Creep analyses are performed for two of the load cases. For all considered designs high principal stresses appear on the outside of the copper cylinder in the region from the weld down to the level of the lid lower edge. Altering the gap between lid and cylinder and/or between cylinder and insert only marginally affects the resulting stress state. Fitting the lid in the cylinder

Simplified path integral for supersymmetric quantum mechanics and type-A trace anomalies

Science.gov (United States)

Bastianelli, Fiorenzo; Corradini, Olindo; Iacconi, Laura

2018-05-01

Particles in a curved space are classically described by a nonlinear sigma model action that can be quantized through path integrals. The latter require a precise regularization to deal with the derivative interactions arising from the nonlinear kinetic term. Recently, for maximally symmetric spaces, simplified path integrals have been developed: they allow to trade the nonlinear kinetic term with a purely quadratic kinetic term (linear sigma model). This happens at the expense of introducing a suitable effective scalar potential, which contains the information on the curvature of the space. The simplified path integral provides a sensible gain in the efficiency of perturbative calculations. Here we extend the construction to models with N = 1 supersymmetry on the worldline, which are applicable to the first quantized description of a Dirac fermion. As an application we use the simplified worldline path integral to compute the type-A trace anomaly of a Dirac fermion in d dimensions up to d = 16.

Overcoming Knowledge Gaps in Postmerger Integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alaranta, Maria Eliisa; Martela, Eero

2012-01-01

Over 50% of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) fail, mainly because of integration problems. In such integrations, much of the experiential (learning-by-doing) knowledge critical for running the business becomes redundant or is lost. However, we know virtually nothing about what type of mechanisms...

Forward Masking: Temporal Integration or Adaptation?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ewert, Stephan D.; Hau, Ole; Dau, Torsten

2007-01-01

and the physiological mechanisms of binaural processing in mammals; integration of the different stimulus features into auditory scene analysis; physiological mechanisms related to the formation of auditory objects; speech perception; and limitations of auditory perception resulting from hearing disorders....

Control mechanisms for ecological-economic systems

CERN Document Server

Burkov, Vladimir N; Shchepkin, Alexander V

2015-01-01

This monograph presents and analyzes the optimization, game-theoretic and simulation models of control mechanisms for ecological-economic systems. It is devoted to integrated assessment mechanisms for total risks and losses, penalty mechanisms, risk payment mechanisms, financing and costs compensation mechanisms for risk level reduction, sales mechanisms for risk level quotas, audit mechanisms, mechanisms for expected losses reduction, economic motivation mechanisms, optimization mechanisms for regional environmental (risk level reduction) programs, and mechanisms for authorities' interests coordination. The book is aiming at undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as at experts in mathematical modeling and control of ecological economic, socioeconomic and organizational systems.

Elaboration of the methodological referential for life cycle analysis of first generation biofuels in the French context

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

This study was made under the particular context of a strong growth of biofuels market, and the implication of French and European public authorities, and certain Member States (Germany, Netherlands, UK), for the development of certification schemes for first generation biofuels. The elaboration of such schemes requires a consensus on the methodology to apply when producing Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of biofuels. To answer this demand, the study built up the methodological referential for biofuels LCAs in order to assess the Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions, fossil fuels consumptions and local atmospheric pollutants emissions induced by the different biofuel production pathways. The work consisted in methodological engineering, and was accomplished thanks to the participation of all the members of the Technical Committee of the study. An initial bibliographic review on biofuels LCAs allowed the identification of the main methodological issues (listed below). For each point, the impact of the methodological choices on the biofuels environmental balances was assessed by several sensitivity analyses. The results of these analyses were taken into account for the elaboration of the recommendations: - Consideration of the environmental burdens associated with buildings, equipments and their maintenance - Quantification of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions from fields - Impact of the Land Use Change (LUC) - Allocation method for the distribution of the environmental impacts of biofuel production pathways between the different products and coproducts generated. Within the framework of this study, we made no distinction in terms of methodological approach between GHG emissions and local pollutants emissions. This results from the fact that the methodological issues cover all the environmental burdens and do not require specific approaches. This executive summary presents the methodological aspects related to biofuels LCAs. The complete report of the study presents in addition

Test results of Salmonella typing by the National Reference Laboratories for Salmonella in the Member States of the European Union and the EnterNet Laboratories - Collaborative study VII on typing of Salmonella

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korver H; Maas HME; Ward LR; Wannet WJB; Henken AM; MGB; LIS

2003-01-01

Het Communautair Referentie Laboratorium voor Salmonella (CRL-Salmonella, Bilthoven, Nederland) organiseerde in samenwerking met Public Health Laboratory Services (PHLS), London, Verenigd Koninkrijk een zevende ringonderzoek aangaande de typering van Salmonella. Zeventien Nationale Referentie

Effect of crystallinity and plasticizer on mechanical properties and tissue integration of starch-based materials from two botanical origins.

Science.gov (United States)

Velasquez, Diego; Pavon-Djavid, Graciela; Chaunier, Laurent; Meddahi-Pellé, Anne; Lourdin, Denis

2015-06-25

The application of starch-based materials for biomedical purposes has attracted significant interest due to their biocompatibility. The physical properties and crystal structure of materials based on potato starch (PS) and amylomaize starch (AMS) were studied under physiological conditions. PS plasticized with 20% glycerol presented the best mechanical properties with an elastic modulus of 1.6MPa and a weak swelling, remaining stable for 30 days. The in vitro cell viability of 3T3 cells after contact with extracts from PS and AMS with 20% glycerol is 72% and 80%, respectively. PS presented good tissue integration and no significant inflammation or foreign body response after 30 days intra-muscular implantation in a rat model, contrary to AMS. It was shown that glycerol plasticization favors a fast B-type crystallization of PS materials, enhancing their mechanical strength and durability, and making them a good candidate for bioresorbable and biocompatible materials for implantable medical devices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Penalized differential pathway analysis of integrative oncogenomics studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Wieringen, W.N.; van de Wiel, M.A.

2014-01-01

Through integration of genomic data from multiple sources, we may obtain a more accurate and complete picture of the molecular mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis. We discuss the integration of DNA copy number and mRNA gene expression data from an observational integrative genomics study involving

New integrable problems in a rigid body dynamics with cubic integral in velocities

Science.gov (United States)

Elmandouh, A. A.

2018-03-01

We introduce a new family of the 2D integrable mechanical system possessing an additional integral of the third degree in velocities. This system contains 20 arbitrary parameters. We also clarify that the majority of the previous systems with a cubic integral can be reconstructed from it as a special version for certain values of those parameters. The applications of this system are extended to include the problem of motion of a particle and rigid body about its fixed point. We announce new integrable problems describing the motion of a particle in the plane, pseudosphere, and surfaces of variable curvature. We also present a new integrable problem in a rigid body dynamics and this problem generalizes some of the previous results for Sokolov-Tsiganov, Yehia, Stretensky, and Goriachev.

Process Improvement Through Tool Integration in Aero-Mechanical Design

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, Clark

2010-01-01

Emerging capabilities in commercial design tools promise to significantly improve the multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary design and analysis coverage for aerospace mechanical engineers. This paper explores the analysis process for two example problems of a wing and flap mechanical drive system and an aircraft landing gear door panel. The examples begin with the design solid models and include various analysis disciplines such as structural stress and aerodynamic loads. Analytical methods include CFD, multi-body dynamics with flexible bodies and structural analysis. Elements of analysis data management, data visualization and collaboration are also included.

Test results of Salmonella sero- and phage typing by the National Reference Laboratories in the Member States of the European Union

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raes M; Ward LR; Maas HME; Wannet WJB; Henken AM; MGB; PHLS/LEP; LIS

2001-01-01

Het vijfde Salmonella typerings ringonderzoek is georganiseerd door het Communautair Referentie Laboratorium voor Salmonella (CRL-Salmonella, Bilthoven) in samenwerking met de Public Health Laboratory Services (PHLS, Londen). Alle 17 Nationale Referentie Laboratoria voor Salmonella

Shock and vibration effects on performance reliability and mechanical integrity of proton exchange membrane fuel cells: A critical review and discussion

Science.gov (United States)

Haji Hosseinloo, Ashkan; Ehteshami, Mohsen Mousavi

2017-10-01

Performance reliability and mechanical integrity are the main bottlenecks in mass commercialization of PEMFCs for applications with inherent harsh environment such as automotive and aerospace applications. Imparted shock and vibration to the fuel cell in such applications could bring about numerous issues including clamping torque loosening, gas leakage, increased electrical resistance, and structural damage and breakage. Here, we provide a comprehensive review and critique of the literature focusing on the effects of mechanically harsh environment on PEMFCs, and at the end, we suggest two main future directions in FC technology research that need immediate attention: (i) developing a generic and adequately accurate dynamic model of PEMFCs to assess the dynamic response of FC devices, and (ii) designing effective and robust shock and vibration protection systems based on the developed models in (i).

Developmental Emergence of Self-Referential and Inhibition Mechanisms of Body Movements Underling Felicitous Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Hama; Homae, Fumitaka; Taga, Gentaro

2011-01-01

In young infants, activation or inhibition of body movements on perception of environmental events is important to enable them to act on the world or understand the world. To reveal the development of this ability, we observed movement patterns in all four limbs under the two experimental conditions. Infants assigned to the interaction condition…

Analytical mechanics

CERN Document Server

Lemos, Nivaldo A

2018-01-01

Analytical mechanics is the foundation of many areas of theoretical physics including quantum theory and statistical mechanics, and has wide-ranging applications in engineering and celestial mechanics. This introduction to the basic principles and methods of analytical mechanics covers Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics, rigid bodies, small oscillations, canonical transformations and Hamilton–Jacobi theory. This fully up-to-date textbook includes detailed mathematical appendices and addresses a number of advanced topics, some of them of a geometric or topological character. These include Bertrand's theorem, proof that action is least, spontaneous symmetry breakdown, constrained Hamiltonian systems, non-integrability criteria, KAM theory, classical field theory, Lyapunov functions, geometric phases and Poisson manifolds. Providing worked examples, end-of-chapter problems, and discussion of ongoing research in the field, it is suitable for advanced undergraduate students and graduate students studying analyt...

Classical fracture mechanics methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwalbe, K.H.; Heerens, J.; Landes, J.D.

2007-01-01

Comprehensive Structural Integrity is a reference work which covers all activities involved in the assurance of structural integrity. It provides engineers and scientists with an unparalleled depth of knowledge in the disciplines involved. The new online Volume 11 is dedicated to the mechanical characteristics of materials. This paper contains the chapter 11.02 of this volume and is structured as follows: Test techniques; Analysis; Fracture behavior; Fracture toughness tests for nonmetals

Techniques and applications of path integration

CERN Document Server

Schulman, L S

2005-01-01

A book of techniques and applications, this text defines the path integral and illustrates its uses by example. It is suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in physics; its sole prerequisite is a first course in quantum mechanics. For applications requiring specialized knowledge, the author supplies background material.The first part of the book develops the techniques of path integration. Topics include probability amplitudes for paths and the correspondence limit for the path integral; vector potentials; the Ito integral and gauge transformations; free particle and quadra

Integrating new practices: a qualitative study of how hospital innovations become routine.

Science.gov (United States)

Brewster, Amanda L; Curry, Leslie A; Cherlin, Emily J; Talbert-Slagle, Kristina; Horwitz, Leora I; Bradley, Elizabeth H

2015-12-05

Hospital quality improvement efforts absorb substantial time and resources, but many innovations fail to integrate into organizational routines, undermining the potential to sustain the new practices. Despite a well-developed literature on the initial implementation of new practices, we have limited knowledge about the mechanisms by which integration occurs. We conducted a qualitative study using a purposive sample of hospitals that participated in the State Action on Avoidable Rehospitalizations (STAAR) initiative, a collaborative to reduce hospital readmissions that encouraged members to adopt new practices. We selected hospitals where risk-standardized readmission rates (RSRR) had improved (n = 7) or deteriorated (n = 3) over the course of the first 2 years of the STAAR initiative (2010-2011 to 2011-2012) and interviewed a range of staff at each site (90 total). We recruited hospitals until reaching theoretical saturation. The constant comparative method was used to conduct coding and identification of key themes. When innovations were successfully integrated, participants consistently reported that a small number of key staff held the innovation in place for as long as a year while more permanent integrating mechanisms began to work. Depending on characteristics of the innovation, one of three categories of integrating mechanisms eventually took over the role of holding new practices in place. Innovations that proved intrinsically rewarding to the staff, by making their jobs easier or more gratifying, became integrated through shifts in attitudes and norms over time. Innovations for which the staff did not perceive benefits to themselves were integrated through revised performance standards if the innovation involved complex tasks and through automation if the innovation involved simple tasks. Hospitals have an opportunity to promote the integration of new practices by planning for the extended effort required to hold a new practice in place while

Systematic Understanding of Mechanisms of a Chinese Herbal Formula in Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome by an Integrated Pharmacology Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Meimei; Yang, Fafu; Yang, Xuemei; Lai, Xinmei; Gao, Yuxing

2016-12-16

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is becoming a worldwide health problem. Wendan decoction (WDD)-a famous traditional Chinese medicine formula-has been extensively employed to relieve syndromes related to MS in clinical practice in China. However, its pharmacological mechanisms still remain vague. In this study, a comprehensive approach that integrated chemomics, principal component analysis, molecular docking simulation, and network analysis was established to elucidate the multi-component and multi-target mechanism of action of WDD in treatment of MS. The compounds in WDD were found to possess chemical diversity, complexity and drug-likeness compared to MS drugs. Six nuclear receptors were obtained to have strong binding affinity with 217 compounds of five herbs in WDD. The importance roles of targets and herbs were also identified due to network parameters. Five compounds from Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata can hit all six targets, which can assist in screening new MS drugs. The pathway network analysis demonstrated that the main pharmacological effects of WDD might lie in maintaining lipid and glucose metabolisms and anticancer activities as well as immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective effects. This study provided a comprehensive system approach for understanding the multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway mechanisms of WDD during the treatment of MS.

Systematic Understanding of Mechanisms of a Chinese Herbal Formula in Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome by an Integrated Pharmacology Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meimei Chen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Metabolic syndrome (MS is becoming a worldwide health problem. Wendan decoction (WDD—a famous traditional Chinese medicine formula—has been extensively employed to relieve syndromes related to MS in clinical practice in China. However, its pharmacological mechanisms still remain vague. In this study, a comprehensive approach that integrated chemomics, principal component analysis, molecular docking simulation, and network analysis was established to elucidate the multi-component and multi-target mechanism of action of WDD in treatment of MS. The compounds in WDD were found to possess chemical diversity, complexity and drug-likeness compared to MS drugs. Six nuclear receptors were obtained to have strong binding affinity with 217 compounds of five herbs in WDD. The importance roles of targets and herbs were also identified due to network parameters. Five compounds from Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata can hit all six targets, which can assist in screening new MS drugs. The pathway network analysis demonstrated that the main pharmacological effects of WDD might lie in maintaining lipid and glucose metabolisms and anticancer activities as well as immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective effects. This study provided a comprehensive system approach for understanding the multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway mechanisms of WDD during the treatment of MS.

Thermo-mechanical properties and integrity of metallic interconnects in microelectronics

Science.gov (United States)

Ege, Efe Sinan

In this dissertation, combined numerical (Finite Element Method) and experimental efforts were undertaken to study thermo-mechanical behavior in microelectronic devices. Interconnects, including chip-level metallization and package-level solder joints, are used to join many of the circuit parts in modern equipment. The dissertation is structured into six independent studies after the introductory chapter. The first two studies focus on thermo-mechanical fatigue of solder joints. Thermo-mechanical fatigue, in the form of damage along a microstructurally coarsened region in tin-lead solder, is analyzed along with the effects of intermetallic morphology. Also, lap-shear testing is modeled to characterize the joint and to investigate the validity of experimental data from different solder and substrate geometries. In the third study, the effects of pre-machined holes on strain localization and overall ductility in bulk eutectic tin-lead alloy is examined. Finite element analyses, taking into account the viscoplastic response, were carried out to provide a mechanistic rationale to corroborate the experimental findings. The fourth study concerns chip-level copper interconnects. Various combinations of oxide and polymer-based low-k dielectric schemes, with and without the thin barrier layers surrounding the Cu line, are considered. Attention is devoted to the thermal stress and strain fields and their dependency on material properties, geometry, and modeling details. This study is followed by a chapter on atomistics of interface-mediated plasticity in thin metallic films. The objective is to gain fundamental insight into the underlying mechanisms affecting the mechanical response of nanoscale thin films. The final study investigates the effect of microstructural heterogeneity on indentation response, for the purpose of raising awareness of the uncertainties involved in applying indentation techniques in probing mechanical properties of miniaturized devices.

Mechanical design engineering handbook

CERN Document Server

Childs, Peter R N

2013-01-01

Mechanical Design Engineering Handbook is a straight-talking and forward-thinking reference covering the design, specification, selection, use and integration of machine elements fundamental to a wide range of engineering applications. Develop or refresh your mechanical design skills in the areas of bearings, shafts, gears, seals, belts and chains, clutches and brakes, springs, fasteners, pneumatics and hydraulics, amongst other core mechanical elements, and dip in for principles, data and calculations as needed to inform and evaluate your on-the-job decisions. Covering the full spectrum

Vokiečių kalbos naujažodžių perteikimas laikraštyje "Naujasis Tilžės keleivis" (1924–1940)

OpenAIRE

Brokartaitė-Pladienė, Indrė

2009-01-01

The present article deals with the tendencies rendering German coinages in the newspaper for Lithuanian ethnical minority of East Prussia the "Naujasis Tilžės keleivis"; its publishers and article authors were concerned about retention of the Lithuanian language in this land. On the base of theoretical considerations by Pažūsis, Girčienė, Drotvinas, integration of approximately 50 German coinages (basically, referential political, civilisation-related notions) in newspaper texts is under inve...

Exploring theoretical functions of corpus data in teaching translation

OpenAIRE

Éric Poirier

2016-01-01

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7968.2016v36nesp1p177 As language referential data banks, corpora are instrumental in the exploration of translation solutions in bilingual parallel texts or conventional usages of source or target language in monolingual general or specialized texts. These roles are firmly rooted in translation processes, from analysis and interpretation of source text to searching for an acceptable equivalent and integrating it into the production of the target text. Provi...

Integration of specialties: An institutional and organizational view.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerson, Elihu M

2013-12-01

By what mechanisms of organizational and institutional change do different specialties succeed in accommodating and working with one another? How do these mechanisms function over time to support and retard the emergence and stability of new knowledge? This paper considers two such mechanisms, metawork (work that determines the organization of work) and common knowledge (knowledge that participants know is known by all participants). These mechanisms integrate specialties by making the activities of multiple specialties dependent upon one another, and by segmenting the common effort from the parent specialties. Integration of specialties can lead to the development of new specialties. Integration is facilitated and impeded by the anchoring of specialties in the system of institutions that participate in research. Host organizations, degree programs, sponsors, associations, regulators, and other organizations provide resources and impose demands that shape research. Some of these impacts are obvious and direct; others are indirect and more subtle. The research specialties form a network (not a hierarchy) in which connections constantly form and reform, and in which the influence of different anchoring institutions are constantly waxing and waning. The complexity of connections and their pattern of change are especially obvious in the life sciences, which are an especially good place to study problems of integration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics an integrated approach

CERN Document Server

Hardy, Robert J

2014-01-01

This textbook brings together the fundamentals of the macroscopic and microscopic aspects of thermal physics by presenting thermodynamics and statistical mechanics as complementary theories based on small numbers of postulates. The book is designed to give the instructor flexibility in structuring courses for advanced undergraduates and/or beginning graduate students and is written on the principle that a good text should also be a good reference. The presentation of thermodynamics follows the logic of Clausius and Kelvin while relating the concepts involved to familiar phenomena and the mod

Proposal of a referential Enterprise Architecture management framework for companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

César Esquetini Cáceres

2014-12-01

Full Text Available (Received: 2014/11/26 - Accepted: 2014/12/17Enterprise Architecture (EA is conceived nowadays as an essential management activity to visualize and evaluate the future direction of a company. The objective of this paper is to make a literature review on EA to evaluate its role as management tool. It is also explained how EA can fulfill two fundamental purposes, first as a tool for assessing the current situation (self-assessment of an organization; second as a tool to model and simulate future scenarios that allow better decision making for the restructuration and development of improvement plans. Furthermore an analysis is made of the integration possibilities of EA with other business management methodologies, as balanced score card (BSC and the model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM. As the result a management framework is presented, which includes the required elements to achieve excellence and quality standards in organizations.

Mechanics lectures on theoretical physics

CERN Document Server

Sommerfeld, Arnold Johannes Wilhelm

1952-01-01

Mechanics: Lectures on Theoretical Physics, Volume I covers a general course on theoretical physics. The book discusses the mechanics of a particle; the mechanics of systems; the principle of virtual work; and d'alembert's principle. The text also describes oscillation problems; the kinematics, statics, and dynamics of a rigid body; the theory of relative motion; and the integral variational principles of mechanics. Lagrange's equations for generalized coordinates and the theory of Hamilton are also considered. Physicists, mathematicians, and students taking Physics courses will find the book

Bacteriological detection of Salmonella in the presence of competitive micro-organisms (A collaborative study amongst the National Reference Laboratories for Salmonella)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voogt N; Veld PH in ' t; Nagelkerke N; Henken AM; MGB

1997-01-01

Het Communautair Referentie Laboratorium voor Salmonella heeft een tweede bacteriologisch ringonderzoek georganiseerd met deelname van de Nationale Referentie Laboratoria voor Salmonella. Het belangrijkste doel van dit onderzoek was verschillen tussen de NRLs in de resultaten van Salmonella

Approximate motion integrals and the quantum chaos problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunakov, V.E.; Ivanov, I.B.

2001-01-01

One discusses the problem of occurrence and seek for the motion integrals in the stationary quantum mechanics and its relation to the quantum chaos. One studies decomposition of quantum numbers and derives the criterion of chaos. To seek the motion integrals one applies the convergence method. One derived the approximate integrals in the Hennone-Hales problem. One discusses the problem of compatibility of chaos and integrability [ru

Electrostatic microactuators with integrated gear linkages for mechanical power transmission

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Legtenberg, R.; Legtenberg, Rob; Berenschot, Johan W.; Elwenspoek, Michael Curt; Fluitman, J.H.J.

1996-01-01

In this paper a surface micromachining process is presented which has been used to fabricate electrostatic microactuators that are interconnected with each other and linked to other movable microstructures by integrated gear linkages. The gear linkages consist of rotational and linear gear

Product architecture development enabling integrated re-design of mechanical products

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Begelinger, R.E.; Post, E.; van Houten, F.J.A.M.; Kals, H.J.J.

1999-01-01

Global competition forces companies to increase their competitive advantage. The design process represents an interesting area to improve the overall business performance. There are two topics involved in improving the design process. The first one is the integration of constraints from the product

Self-distancing improves interpersonal perceptions and behavior by decreasing medial prefrontal cortex activity during the provision of criticism.

Science.gov (United States)

Leitner, Jordan B; Ayduk, Ozlem; Mendoza-Denton, Rodolfo; Magerman, Adam; Amey, Rachel; Kross, Ethan; Forbes, Chad E

2017-04-01

Previous research suggests that people show increased self-referential processing when they provide criticism to others, and that this self-referential processing can have negative effects on interpersonal perceptions and behavior. The current research hypothesized that adopting a self-distanced perspective (i.e. thinking about a situation from a non-first person point of view), as compared with a typical self-immersed perspective (i.e. thinking about a situation from a first-person point of view), would reduce self-referential processing during the provision of criticism, and in turn improve interpersonal perceptions and behavior. We tested this hypothesis in an interracial context since research suggests that self-referential processing plays a role in damaging interracial relations. White participants prepared for mentorship from a self-immersed or self-distanced perspective. They then conveyed negative and positive evaluations to a Black mentee while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. Source analysis revealed that priming a self-distanced (vs self-immersed) perspective predicted decreased activity in regions linked to self-referential processing (medial prefrontal cortex; MPFC) when providing negative evaluations. This decreased MPFC activity during negative evaluations, in turn, predicted verbal feedback that was perceived to be more positive, warm and helpful. Results suggest that self-distancing can improve interpersonal perceptions and behavior by decreasing self-referential processing during the provision of criticism. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Eleventh CRL-Salmonella interlaboratory comparison study on typing of Salmonella spp.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berk PA; Maas HME; de Pinna E; Mooijman KA; MGB

2006-01-01

Het elfde ringonderzoek voor de typering van Salmonella werd in maart 2006 georganiseerd door het Communautair Referentie Laboratorium voor Salmonella (CRL-Salmonella, Bilthoven, Nederland) in samenwerking met de Health Protection Agency (HPA, Londen, Verenigd Koninkrijk). 26 Nationale Referentie

The tenth CRL-Salmonella workshop; 28 and 29 April 2005, Bilthoven, the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mooijman KA; MGB

2006-01-01

De tiende workshop georganiseerd door het Communautair Referentie Laboratorium voor Salmonella (CRL-Salmonella) werd gehouden op 28 en 29 April 2005 in Bilthoven, Nederland. Deelnemers betroffen vertegenwoordigers van de Nationale Referentie Laboratoria voor Salmonella (NRLs-Salmonella) van de

Test results of Salmonella serotyping in the Member States of the European Union. (Collaborative study III amongst the National Reference Laboratories for Salmonella)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voogt N; Maas HME; Leeuwen WJ van; Henken AM; MGB

1998-01-01

Het Communautair Referentie Laboratorium (CRL) voor Salmonella heeft een derde ringonderzoek voor de serotypering van Salmonella georganiseerd. Alle Nationale Referentie Laboratoria (NRLs) voor Salmonella van de Europese Unie deden aan het onderzoek mee. Het belangrijkste doel was het

Effect of the structure and mechanical properties of the near-surface layer of lithium niobate single crystals on the manufacture of integrated optic circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Sosunov, A. V.; Ponomarev, R. S.; Yur'ev, V. A.; Volyntsev, A. B.

2017-01-01

This paper shows that the near-surface layer of a lithium niobate single layer 15 μm in depth is essentially different from the rest of the volume of the material from the standpoint of composition, structure, and mechanical properties. The pointed out differences are due to the effect of cutting, polishing, and smoothing of the lithium niobate plates, which increase the density of point defects and dislocations. The increasing density of the structural defects leads to uncontrollable changes in the conditions of the formations of waveguides and the drifting of characteristics of integrated optical circuits. The results obtained are very important for the manufacture of lithium niobate based integrated optical circuits.

Structural and failure mechanics of sandwich composites

CERN Document Server

Carlsson, LA; Carlsson, Leif A

2011-01-01

Focusing on important deformation and failure modes of sandwich structures, this volume describes the mechanics behind fracture processes. The text also reviews test methods developed for the cr, structural integrity, and failure mechanisms of sandwich structures.

Integrated 6-DOF Orbit-Attitude Dynamical Modeling and Control Using Geometric Mechanics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling Jiang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The integrated 6-DOF orbit-attitude dynamical modeling and control have shown great importance in various missions, for example, formation flying and proximity operations. The integrated approach yields better performances than the separate one in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and agility. One challenge in the integrated approach is to find a unified representation for the 6-DOF motion with configuration space SE(3. Recently, exponential coordinates of SE(3 have been used in dynamics and control of the 6-DOF motion, however, only on the kinematical level. In this paper, we will improve the current method by adopting exponential coordinates on the dynamical level, by giving the relation between the second-order derivative of exponential coordinates and spacecraft’s accelerations. In this way, the 6-DOF motion in terms of exponential coordinates can be written as a second-order system with a quite compact form, to which a broader range of control theories, such as higher-order sliding modes, can be applied. For a demonstration purpose, a simple asymptotic tracking control law with almost global convergence is designed. Finally, the integrated modeling and control are applied to the body-fixed hovering over an asteroid and verified by a simulation, in which absolute motions of the spacecraft and asteroid are simulated separately.

Mixed time slicing in path integral simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steele, Ryan P.; Zwickl, Jill; Shushkov, Philip; Tully, John C.

2011-01-01

A simple and efficient scheme is presented for using different time slices for different degrees of freedom in path integral calculations. This method bridges the gap between full quantization and the standard mixed quantum-classical (MQC) scheme and, therefore, still provides quantum mechanical effects in the less-quantized variables. Underlying the algorithm is the notion that time slices (beads) may be 'collapsed' in a manner that preserves quantization in the less quantum mechanical degrees of freedom. The method is shown to be analogous to multiple-time step integration techniques in classical molecular dynamics. The algorithm and its associated error are demonstrated on model systems containing coupled high- and low-frequency modes; results indicate that convergence of quantum mechanical observables can be achieved with disparate bead numbers in the different modes. Cost estimates indicate that this procedure, much like the MQC method, is most efficient for only a relatively few quantum mechanical degrees of freedom, such as proton transfer. In this regime, however, the cost of a fully quantum mechanical simulation is determined by the quantization of the least quantum mechanical degrees of freedom.

Models of Russia's Participation in Regional Economic Integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darya I. Ushkalova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyses models and mechanisms of Russia's participation in integration processes in Post-Soviet space in recent years. The article examines the model of integration of Customs Union Common Economic Space Eurasian Economic Union and particular mechanisms of its realization. It also examines key challenges to further development of integration in the frameworks of Eurasian Economic Union including exhausting of short-term and medium-term integration effects against a background of low level of economic cooperation and the lack of effective mechanism of interest coordination and decisionmaking similar to qualified majority. It concludes that deterioration of mutual trade dynamics in Customs Union is determined by fundamental factors, first of all, exhausting of medium-term integration effects which lead to extension of mutual trade immediately after Customs Union creation but do not change its qualitative characteristics in long-term outlook. The author shows an absence of significant long-term integration effects which were based on increase of domestic market capacity due to a modification of economic structure. It is founded that appearance of such long-term integration effects is possible only in the context of coalescence of national economies at the microlevel based on development of system of communications between enterprises including intrasectoral industrial cooperation. The article also analyses results of realization of Russia's strategy of interaction with states beyond Eurasian Economic Union based on open regionalism concept. The paper presents recommendation on perfection of tools of integration in and outside Eurasian Economic Union. In particular, creation of system of decentralized organizations is proposed, for the implementation of specific cooperation projects in selected areas, taking into account the multiplier effect of such a "point-aimed" action/

Mechanisms of Percept-Percept and Image-Percept Integration in Vision: Behavioral and Electrophysiological Evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Dalvit, Silvia; Eimer, Martin

2011-01-01

Previous research has shown that the detection of a visual target can be guided not only by the temporal integration of two percepts, but also by integrating a percept and an image held in working memory. Behavioral and event-related brain potential (ERP) measures were obtained in a target detection task that required temporal integration of 2…

A atuação do psicólogo escolar: multirreferencialidade, implicação e escuta clínica The performance of a school psychologist: multi-referentiality, implications and clinic listening

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Batista Martins

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Este artigo discute a noção de clínica no contexto da psicologia escolar. Na medida em que nós sugerimos como metodologia de pesquisa e de intervenção para o psicólogo escolar a observação participante, entendemos que tal discussão também se refere a questões epistemológicas - uma vez que a produção de conhecimento se dá na ordem da implicação, pois é construção intersubjetiva. Além disso, considerando a complexidade do cotidiano escolar, apresentamos a abordagem multirreferencial e a escuta clínica como perspectivas para a compreensão dos fenômenos que ali se desenrolam.This article discusses the notion of clinic in the school psychology context. As we suggest the participant observation as research methodology and of intervention for the school psychologist, we understand that such discussion also refers to epistemological questions - once the knowledge production occurs in the order of implication, because it is an intersubjective production. Besides, considering the complexity of the school quotidian, we present the multi-referential approach and clinic listening as perspectives for the understanding of the phenomena that are developed in the school context.

Integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for cell mechanics and mechanobiology: a materials perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Yue; Fu, Jianping

2014-03-12

The rapid development of micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials in the last two decades has empowered materials scientists and bioengineers to precisely control different aspects of the in vitro cell microenvironment. Following a philosophy of reductionism, many studies using synthetic functional biomaterials have revealed instructive roles of individual extracellular biophysical and biochemical cues in regulating cellular behaviors. Development of integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials to study complex and emergent biological phenomena has also thrived rapidly in recent years, revealing adaptive and integrated cellular behaviors closely relevant to human physiological and pathological conditions. Working at the interface between materials science and engineering, biology, and medicine, we are now at the beginning of a great exploration using micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for both fundamental biology study and clinical and biomedical applications such as regenerative medicine and drug screening. In this review, an overview of state of the art micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials that can control precisely individual aspects of cell-microenvironment interactions is presented and they are highlighted them as well-controlled platforms for mechanistic studies of mechano-sensitive and -responsive cellular behaviors and integrative biology research. The recent exciting trend where micro/nanoengineered biomaterials are integrated into miniaturized biological and biomimetic systems for dynamic multiparametric microenvironmental control of emergent and integrated cellular behaviors is also discussed. The impact of integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for future in vitro studies of regenerative medicine, cell biology, as well as human development and disease models are discussed. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The eleventh CRL-Salmonella workshop, 9 May 2006, Saint Malo, France

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mooijman KA; MGB

2006-01-01

De elfde workshop georganiseerd door het Communautair Referentie Laboratorium voor Salmonella (CRL-Salmonella) werd gehouden op 9 mei 2006 in Saint Malo, Frankrijk. Deelnemers waren vertegenwoordigers van de nationale Referentie Laboratoria voor Salmonella (NRLs-Salmonella) van de lidstaten van de

Impact of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy on Left Ventricular Mechanics: Understanding the Response through a New Quantitative Approach Based on Longitudinal Strain Integrals.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernard, Anne; Donal, Erwan; Leclercq, Christophe; Schnell, Frédéric; Fournet, Maxime; Reynaud, Amélie; Thebault, Christophe; Mabo, Philippe; Daubert, J-Claude; Hernandez, Alfredo

2015-06-01

The mechanisms of improvement of left ventricular (LV) function with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are not yet elucidated. The aim of this study was to describe a new tool based on automatic quantification of the integrals of regional longitudinal strain signals and evaluate changes in LV strain distribution after CRT. This was a retrospective observational study of 130 patients with heart failure before CRT device implantation and after 3 to 6 months of follow-up. Integrals of regional longitudinal strain signals (from the beginning of the cardiac cycle to strain peak [IL,peak] and to the instant of aortic valve closure [IL,avc]) were analyzed retrospectively with custom-made algorithms. Response to CRT was defined as a decrease in LV end-systolic volume of ≥15%. Responders (61%) and nonresponders (39%) showed similar baseline values of regional IL,peak and IL,avc. At follow-up, significant improvements of midlateral IL,peak and of midlateral IL,avc were noted only in responders. Midlateral IL,avc showed a relative increase of 151 ± 276% in responders, whereas a decrease of 33 ± 69% was observed in nonresponders. The difference between IL,avc and IL,peak (representing wasted energy of the LV myocardium) of the lateral wall showed a relative change of -59 ± 103% in responders between baseline and CRT, whereas in nonresponders, the relative change was 21 ± 113% (P = .009). Strain integrals revealed changes between baseline and CRT in the lateral wall, demonstrating the beneficial effects of CRT on LV mechanics with favorable myocardial reverse remodeling. Copyright © 2015 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Contingent Value of Organizational Integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virpi Turkulainen

2013-08-01

Full Text Available We elaborate the link between organizational design and effectiveness by examining organizational integration and performance in the context of modern manufacturing. Through careful contextualization and empirical analysis of 266 manufacturing organizations in three industries and nine countries, we uncover a joint effect of integration and complexity on organizational effectiveness. The results extend structural contingency theory, in particular the mechanisms that link organizational integration to organizational effectiveness. We conclude by discussing the continuing relevance of structural contingency theory.

Study on the Withdrawal Way of Silk Road Fund under the Belt and Road Initiative Based on Game Theory Model

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Qu Yingying

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Silk Road Fund is an important financial support of The Belt and Road Initiative, it has a strict investment operation process to realize the capital appreciation, so the withdrawal is crucial. This paper models the utility game and find the game mechanism between Silk Road Fund and target enterprise. And then we put forward some referential suggestions such as choosing suitable withdraw opportunity, perfecting talent team and information transmission mechanism,strengthening cooperation with local government, making effective use of gambling agreement and actively exploring new exit mode.

Supersymmetric quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crombrugghe, M. de; Rittenberg, V.

1982-12-01

We give a general construction for supersymmetric Hamiltonians in quantum mechanics. We find that N-extended supersymmetry imposes very strong constraints, and for N > 4 the Hamiltonian is integrable. We give a variety of examples, for one-particle and for many-particle systems, in different numbers of dimensions. (orig.)

Test results of serotyping Salmonella strains in the Member States of the European Union (A collaborative study amongst the National Reference Laboratories for Salmonella)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voogt N; Maas HME; Leeuwen WJ van; Henken AM; MGB

1997-01-01

Het Communautair Referentie Laboratorium (CRL) voor Salmonella heeft een ringonderzoek voor de serotypering van Salmonella georganiseerd. De Nationale Referentie Laboratoria (NRLs) voor Salmonella uit 14 van de 15 lidstaten van de Europese Unie deden aan het onderzoek mee. Het doel was te

Androgen modulation of social decision making mechanisms in the brain: an integrative and embodied perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui F Oliveira

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Apart from their role in reproduction androgens also respond to social challenges and this response has been seen as a way to regulate the expression of behaviour according to the perceived social environment (Challenge hypothesis, Wingfield et al. 1990. This hypothesis implies that social decision-making mechanisms localized in the central nervous system (CNS are open to the influence of peripheral hormones that ultimately are under the control of the CNS through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Therefore, two puzzling questions emerge at two different levels of biological analysis: (1 Why does the brain, which perceives the social environment and regulates androgen production in the gonad, need feedback information from the gonad to adjust its social decision-making processes? (2 How does the brain regulate gonadal androgen responses to social challenges and how do these feedback into the brain? In this paper, we will address these two questions using the integrative approach proposed by Niko Tinbergen, who proposed that a full understanding of behaviour requires its analysis at both proximate (physiology, ontogeny and ultimate (ecology, evolution levels.

Integrated failure probability estimation based on structural integrity analysis and failure data: Natural gas pipeline case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dundulis, Gintautas; Žutautaitė, Inga; Janulionis, Remigijus; Ušpuras, Eugenijus; Rimkevičius, Sigitas; Eid, Mohamed

2016-01-01

In this paper, the authors present an approach as an overall framework for the estimation of the failure probability of pipelines based on: the results of the deterministic-probabilistic structural integrity analysis (taking into account loads, material properties, geometry, boundary conditions, crack size, and defected zone thickness), the corrosion rate, the number of defects and failure data (involved into the model via application of Bayesian method). The proposed approach is applied to estimate the failure probability of a selected part of the Lithuanian natural gas transmission network. The presented approach for the estimation of integrated failure probability is a combination of several different analyses allowing us to obtain: the critical crack's length and depth, the failure probability of the defected zone thickness, dependency of the failure probability on the age of the natural gas transmission pipeline. A model's uncertainty analysis and uncertainty propagation analysis are performed, as well. - Highlights: • Degradation mechanisms of natural gas transmission pipelines. • Fracture mechanic analysis of the pipe with crack. • Stress evaluation of the pipe with critical crack. • Deterministic-probabilistic structural integrity analysis of gas pipeline. • Integrated estimation of pipeline failure probability by Bayesian method.

Constrained systems described by Nambu mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lassig, C.C.; Joshi, G.C.

1996-01-01

Using the framework of Nambu's generalised mechanics, we obtain a new description of constrained Hamiltonian dynamics, involving the introduction of another degree of freedom in phase space, and the necessity of defining the action integral on a world sheet. We also discuss the problem of quantizing Nambu mechanics. (authors). 5 refs

The influence of phonotactic probability and neighborhood density on children's production of newly learned words.

Science.gov (United States)

Heisler, Lori; Goffman, Lisa

A word learning paradigm was used to teach children novel words that varied in phonotactic probability and neighborhood density. The effects of frequency and density on speech production were examined when phonetic forms were non-referential (i.e., when no referent was attached) and when phonetic forms were referential (i.e., when a referent was attached through fast mapping). Two methods of analysis were included: (1) kinematic variability of speech movement patterning; and (2) measures of segmental accuracy. Results showed that phonotactic frequency influenced the stability of movement patterning whereas neighborhood density influenced phoneme accuracy. Motor learning was observed in both non-referential and referential novel words. Forms with low phonotactic probability and low neighborhood density showed a word learning effect when a referent was assigned during fast mapping. These results elaborate on and specify the nature of interactivity observed across lexical, phonological, and articulatory domains.

Mechanical Systems, Classical Models

CERN Document Server

Teodorescu, Petre P

2009-01-01

This third volume completes the Work Mechanical Systems, Classical Models. The first two volumes dealt with particle dynamics and with discrete and continuous mechanical systems. The present volume studies analytical mechanics. Topics like Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, the Hamilton-Jacobi method, and a study of systems with separate variables are thoroughly discussed. Also included are variational principles and canonical transformations, integral invariants and exterior differential calculus, and particular attention is given to non-holonomic mechanical systems. The author explains in detail all important aspects of the science of mechanics, regarded as a natural science, and shows how they are useful in understanding important natural phenomena and solving problems of interest in applied and engineering sciences. Professor Teodorescu has spent more than fifty years as a Professor of Mechanics at the University of Bucharest and this book relies on the extensive literature on the subject as well as th...

Phonological loop affects children's interpretations of explicit but not ambiguous questions: Research on links between working memory and referent assignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Xianwei; Murakami, Taro; Hashiya, Kazuhide

2017-01-01

Understanding the referent of other's utterance by referring the contextual information helps in smooth communication. Although this pragmatic referential process can be observed even in infants, its underlying mechanism and relative abilities remain unclear. This study aimed to comprehend the background of the referential process by investigating whether the phonological loop affected the referent assignment. A total of 76 children (43 girls) aged 3-5 years participated in a reference assignment task in which an experimenter asked them to answer explicit (e.g., "What color is this?") and ambiguous (e.g., "What about this?") questions about colorful objects. The phonological loop capacity was measured by using the forward digit span task in which children were required to repeat the numbers as an experimenter uttered them. The results showed that the scores of the forward digit span task positively predicted correct response to explicit questions and part of the ambiguous questions. That is, the phonological loop capacity did not have effects on referent assignment in response to ambiguous questions that were asked after a topic shift of the explicit questions and thus required a backward reference to the preceding explicit questions to detect the intent of the current ambiguous questions. These results suggest that although the phonological loop capacity could overtly enhance the storage of verbal information, it does not seem to directly contribute to the pragmatic referential process, which might require further social cognitive processes.

Phonological loop affects children's interpretations of explicit but not ambiguous questions: Research on links between working memory and referent assignment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianwei Meng

Full Text Available Understanding the referent of other's utterance by referring the contextual information helps in smooth communication. Although this pragmatic referential process can be observed even in infants, its underlying mechanism and relative abilities remain unclear. This study aimed to comprehend the background of the referential process by investigating whether the phonological loop affected the referent assignment. A total of 76 children (43 girls aged 3-5 years participated in a reference assignment task in which an experimenter asked them to answer explicit (e.g., "What color is this?" and ambiguous (e.g., "What about this?" questions about colorful objects. The phonological loop capacity was measured by using the forward digit span task in which children were required to repeat the numbers as an experimenter uttered them. The results showed that the scores of the forward digit span task positively predicted correct response to explicit questions and part of the ambiguous questions. That is, the phonological loop capacity did not have effects on referent assignment in response to ambiguous questions that were asked after a topic shift of the explicit questions and thus required a backward reference to the preceding explicit questions to detect the intent of the current ambiguous questions. These results suggest that although the phonological loop capacity could overtly enhance the storage of verbal information, it does not seem to directly contribute to the pragmatic referential process, which might require further social cognitive processes.

Integrative Analysis of Genetic, Genomic, and Phenotypic Data for Ethanol Behaviors: A Network-Based Pipeline for Identifying Mechanisms and Potential Drug Targets.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogenpohl, James W; Mignogna, Kristin M; Smith, Maren L; Miles, Michael F

2017-01-01

Complex behavioral traits, such as alcohol abuse, are caused by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors, producing deleterious functional adaptations in the central nervous system. The long-term behavioral consequences of such changes are of substantial cost to both the individual and society. Substantial progress has been made in the last two decades in understanding elements of brain mechanisms underlying responses to ethanol in animal models and risk factors for alcohol use disorder (AUD) in humans. However, treatments for AUD remain largely ineffective and few medications for this disease state have been licensed. Genome-wide genetic polymorphism analysis (GWAS) in humans, behavioral genetic studies in animal models and brain gene expression studies produced by microarrays or RNA-seq have the potential to produce nonbiased and novel insight into the underlying neurobiology of AUD. However, the complexity of such information, both statistical and informational, has slowed progress toward identifying new targets for intervention in AUD. This chapter describes one approach for integrating behavioral, genetic, and genomic information across animal model and human studies. The goal of this approach is to identify networks of genes functioning in the brain that are most relevant to the underlying mechanisms of a complex disease such as AUD. We illustrate an example of how genomic studies in animal models can be used to produce robust gene networks that have functional implications, and to integrate such animal model genomic data with human genetic studies such as GWAS for AUD. We describe several useful analysis tools for such studies: ComBAT, WGCNA, and EW_dmGWAS. The end result of this analysis is a ranking of gene networks and identification of their cognate hub genes, which might provide eventual targets for future therapeutic development. Furthermore, this combined approach may also improve our understanding of basic mechanisms underlying gene x

Multinational enterprises in regional innovation systems: attraction factors and integration mechanisms = Les entreprises multinationales dans les systèmes régionaux d'innovation: facteurs d'attraction et mécanismes d'intégration

OpenAIRE

Baier, Elisabeth

2011-01-01

This work explains mutual influences between MNEs and regional innovation networks during innovation processes. An analytical framework integrates different research perspectives and allows analysing the integration of MNEs in regional innovation networks through the identification of attraction factors and interaction mechanisms between regional and organisational learning.

Science of Integrated Approaches to Natural Resources Management

Science.gov (United States)

Tengberg, Anna; Valencia, Sandra

2017-04-01

To meet multiple environmental objectives, integrated programming is becoming increasingly important for the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the financial mechanism of the multilateral environmental agreements, including the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Integration of multiple environmental, social and economic objectives also contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a timely and cost-effective way. However, integration is often not well defined. This paper therefore focuses on identifying key aspects of integration and assessing their implementation in natural resources management (NRM) projects. To that end, we draw on systems thinking literature, and carry out an analysis of a random sample of GEF integrated projects and in-depth case studies demonstrating lessons learned and good practices in addressing land degradation and other NRM challenges. We identify numerous challenges and opportunities of integrated approaches that need to be addressed in order to maximise the catalytic impact of the GEF during problem diagnosis, project design, implementation and governance. We highlight the need for projects to identify clearer system boundaries and main feedback mechanisms within those boundaries, in order to effectively address drivers of environmental change. We propose a theory of change for Integrated Natural Resources Management (INRM) projects, where short-term environmental and socio-economic benefits will first accrue at the local level. Implementation of improved INRM technologies and practices at the local level can be extended through spatial planning, strengthening of innovation systems, and financing and incentive mechanisms at the watershed and/or landscape/seascape level to sustain and enhance ecosystem services at larger scales and longer time spans. We conclude that the evolving scientific understanding of factors influencing social, technical and institutional innovations and

Theoretical Aspects of Cross-border Integration-based Economic Cooperation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bilchak V.

2014-09-01

Full Text Available In this article the author analyses theoretical aspects of border economy in the conditions of modern processes of integration. The author describes the existing schools and concepts of integration stressing the role of government regulation relating to the deformations in the development of the world economic mechanism. Modern studies focus on the evolution of integration processes, which has largely affected the key elements of the world economic mechanism from classical political economy, monopoly regulation. This resulted in monopolistic competition, imperfect competition, and oligopoly – largely, through all fields and poles of economic growth to certain elements of government regulation and social reproduction on the international scale. The author examines the key elements and stages of economic integration. These stages assume a number of consecutive forms: free trade zone, customs union, common market, complete economic integration, and economic union. The article shows that the transition occurs from the lowest to the highest stages — from the processes of integration involving, firstly, trade market and then capital and labour markets to the integration of social sphere. The theoretical aspects of all these transformations can be easily traced in the case of EU integration processes.

CREATING EFFECTIVE MODELS OF VERTICAL INTEGRATED STRUCTURES IN UKRAINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. V. Koliesnikov

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The results of scientific research aimed at development of methodology-theoretical mechanisms of building the effective models of vertically-integrated structures are presented. A presence of vertically-integrated structures on natural-monopolistic markets at private and governmental sectors of economy and priority directions of integration are given.

The formalisms of quantum mechanics an introduction

CERN Document Server

David, Francois

2015-01-01

These lecture notes present a concise and introductory, yet as far as possible coherent, view of the main formalizations of quantum mechanics and of quantum field theories, their interrelations and their theoretical foundations. The “standard” formulation of quantum mechanics (involving the Hilbert space of pure states, self-adjoint operators as physical observables, and the probabilistic interpretation given by the Born rule) on one hand, and the path integral and functional integral representations of probabilities amplitudes on the other, are the standard tools used in most applications of quantum theory in physics and chemistry. Yet, other mathematical representations of quantum mechanics sometimes allow better comprehension and justification of quantum theory. This text focuses on two of such representations: the algebraic formulation of quantum mechanics and the “quantum logic” approach. Last but not least, some emphasis will also be put on understanding the relation between quantum physics and ...

Quantum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Ghosh, P K

2014-01-01

Quantum mechanics, designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of physics, mathematics and chemistry, provides a concise yet self-contained introduction to the formal framework of quantum mechanics, its application to physical problems and the interpretation of the theory. Starting with a review of some of the necessary mathematics, the basic concepts are carefully developed in the text. After building a general formalism, detailed treatment of the standard material - the harmonic oscillator, the hydrogen atom, angular momentum theory, symmetry transformations, approximation methods, identical particle and many-particle systems, and scattering theory - is presented. The concluding chapter discusses the interpretation of quantum mechanics. Some of the important topics discussed in the book are the rigged Hilbert space, deformation quantization, path integrals, coherent states, geometric phases, decoherene, etc. This book is characterized by clarity and coherence of presentation.

Pipeline integrity handbook risk management and evaluation

CERN Document Server

Singh, Ramesh

2013-01-01

Based on over 40 years of experience in the field, Ramesh Singh goes beyond corrosion control, providing techniques for addressing present and future integrity issues. Pipeline Integrity Handbook provides pipeline engineers with the tools to evaluate and inspect pipelines, safeguard the life cycle of their pipeline asset and ensure that they are optimizing delivery and capability. Presented in easy-to-use, step-by-step order, Pipeline Integrity Handbook is a quick reference for day-to-day use in identifying key pipeline degradation mechanisms and threats to pipeline integrity. The book begins

A chip-scale integrated cavity-electro-optomechanics platform

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winger, M.; Blasius, T. D.; Mayer Alegre, T. P.

2011-01-01

We present an integrated optomechanical and electromechanical nanocavity, in which a common mechanical degree of freedom is coupled to an ultrahigh-Q photonic crystal defect cavity and an electrical circuit. The system allows for wide-range, fast electrical tuning of the optical nanocavity...... resonances, and for electrical control of optical radiation pressure back-action effects such as mechanical amplification (phonon lasing), cooling, and stiffening. These sort of integrated devices offer a new means to efficiently interconvert weak microwave and optical signals, and are expected to pave...

Diamond electro-optomechanical resonators integrated in nanophotonic circuits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rath, P.; Ummethala, S.; Pernice, W. H. P., E-mail: wolfram.pernice@kit.edu [Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Diewald, S. [Center for Functional Nanostructures, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Lewes-Malandrakis, G.; Brink, D.; Heidrich, N.; Nebel, C. [Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics, Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg (Germany)

2014-12-22

Diamond integrated photonic devices are promising candidates for emerging applications in nanophotonics and quantum optics. Here, we demonstrate active modulation of diamond nanophotonic circuits by exploiting mechanical degrees of freedom in free-standing diamond electro-optomechanical resonators. We obtain high quality factors up to 9600, allowing us to read out the driven nanomechanical response with integrated optical interferometers with high sensitivity. We are able to excite higher order mechanical modes up to 115 MHz and observe the nanomechanical response also under ambient conditions.

Semiconductor Devices Inspired By and Integrated With Biology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rogers, John [University of Illinois

2012-04-25

Biology is curved, soft and elastic; silicon wafers are not. Semiconductor technologies that can bridge this gap in form and mechanics will create new opportunities in devices that adopt biologically inspired designs or require intimate integration with the human body. This talk describes the development of ideas for electronics that offer the performance of state-of-the-art, wafer- based systems but with the mechanical properties of a rubber band. We explain the underlying materials science and mechanics of these approaches, and illustrate their use in (1) bio- integrated, ‘tissue-like’ electronics with unique capabilities for mapping cardiac and neural electrophysiology, and (2) bio-inspired, ‘eyeball’ cameras with exceptional imaging properties enabled by curvilinear, Petzval designs.

Assessing Corporate Sustainability integration for corporate self-reflection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Witjes, Sjors; Vermeulen, Walter J.V.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/072613335; Cramer, Jacqueline M.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/069242518

2017-01-01

This article aims to shed light on mechanisms to integrate a strategy on Corporate Sustainability in companies. The analysis is based on a holistic method derived from organisation theory, organisational behaviour theory and strategic management theory. The process of integration into the

Specification and Generation of Adapters for System Integration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mooij, A.J.; Voorhoeve, M.

2013-01-01

Large systems-of-systems are developed by integrating several smaller systems that have been developed independently. System integration often requires adaptation mechanisms for bridging any technical incompatibilities between the systems. In order to develop adapters in a faster way, we study ways

Path integral solution for some time-dependent potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storchak, S.N.

1989-12-01

The quantum-mechanical problem with a time-dependent potential is solved by the path integral method. The solution is obtained by the application of the previously derived general formula for rheonomic homogeneous point transformation and reparametrization in the path integral. (author). 4 refs

Path integrals for arbitrary canonical transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, L.A.R. de.

1980-01-01

Some aspects of the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics are studied. This formalism is generalized to arbitrary canonical transformations, by means of an association between path integral probalility amplitudes and classical generators of transformations, analogous to the usual Hamiltonian time development phase space expression. Such association turns out to be equivalent to the Weyl quantization rule, and it is also shown that this formalism furnishes a path integral representation for a Lie algebra of a given set of classical generators. Some physical considerations about the path integral quantization procedure and about the relationship between classical and quantum dynamical structures are also discussed. (Author) [pt

Integrative modeling of eQTLs and cis-regulatory elements suggests mechanisms underlying cell type specificity of eQTLs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher D Brown

Full Text Available Genetic variants in cis-regulatory elements or trans-acting regulators frequently influence the quantity and spatiotemporal distribution of gene transcription. Recent interest in expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL mapping has paralleled the adoption of genome-wide association studies (GWAS for the analysis of complex traits and disease in humans. Under the hypothesis that many GWAS associations tag non-coding SNPs with small effects, and that these SNPs exert phenotypic control by modifying gene expression, it has become common to interpret GWAS associations using eQTL data. To fully exploit the mechanistic interpretability of eQTL-GWAS comparisons, an improved understanding of the genetic architecture and causal mechanisms of cell type specificity of eQTLs is required. We address this need by performing an eQTL analysis in three parts: first we identified eQTLs from eleven studies on seven cell types; then we integrated eQTL data with cis-regulatory element (CRE data from the ENCODE project; finally we built a set of classifiers to predict the cell type specificity of eQTLs. The cell type specificity of eQTLs is associated with eQTL SNP overlap with hundreds of cell type specific CRE classes, including enhancer, promoter, and repressive chromatin marks, regions of open chromatin, and many classes of DNA binding proteins. These associations provide insight into the molecular mechanisms generating the cell type specificity of eQTLs and the mode of regulation of corresponding eQTLs. Using a random forest classifier with cell specific CRE-SNP overlap as features, we demonstrate the feasibility of predicting the cell type specificity of eQTLs. We then demonstrate that CREs from a trait-associated cell type can be used to annotate GWAS associations in the absence of eQTL data for that cell type. We anticipate that such integrative, predictive modeling of cell specificity will improve our ability to understand the mechanistic basis of human

Thermal response of integral abutment bridges with mechanically stabilized earth walls.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

The advantages of integral abutment bridges (IABs) include reduced maintenance costs and increased useful life spans. : However, improved procedures are necessary to account for the impacts of cyclic thermal displacements on IAB components, : includi...

Geometry and dynamics of integrable systems

CERN Document Server

Matveev, Vladimir

2016-01-01

Based on lectures given at an advanced course on integrable systems at the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica in Barcelona, these lecture notes address three major aspects of integrable systems: obstructions to integrability from differential Galois theory; the description of singularities of integrable systems on the basis of their relation to bi-Hamiltonian systems; and the generalization of integrable systems to the non-Hamiltonian settings. All three sections were written by top experts in their respective fields. Native to actual problem-solving challenges in mechanics, the topic of integrable systems is currently at the crossroads of several disciplines in pure and applied mathematics, and also has important interactions with physics. The study of integrable systems also actively employs methods from differential geometry. Moreover, it is extremely important in symplectic geometry and Hamiltonian dynamics, and has strong correlations with mathematical physics, Lie theory and algebraic geometry (including mir...

Programmable motion of DNA origami mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Marras, Alexander E; Zhou, Lifeng; Su, Hai-Jun; Castro, Carlos E

2015-01-20

DNA origami enables the precise fabrication of nanoscale geometries. We demonstrate an approach to engineer complex and reversible motion of nanoscale DNA origami machine elements. We first design, fabricate, and characterize the mechanical behavior of flexible DNA origami rotational and linear joints that integrate stiff double-stranded DNA components and flexible single-stranded DNA components to constrain motion along a single degree of freedom and demonstrate the ability to tune the flexibility and range of motion. Multiple joints with simple 1D motion were then integrated into higher order mechanisms. One mechanism is a crank-slider that couples rotational and linear motion, and the other is a Bennett linkage that moves between a compacted bundle and an expanded frame configuration with a constrained 3D motion path. Finally, we demonstrate distributed actuation of the linkage using DNA input strands to achieve reversible conformational changes of the entire structure on ∼ minute timescales. Our results demonstrate programmable motion of 2D and 3D DNA origami mechanisms constructed following a macroscopic machine design approach.

Programmable motion of DNA origami mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Marras, Alexander E.; Zhou, Lifeng; Su, Hai-Jun; Castro, Carlos E.

2015-01-01

DNA origami enables the precise fabrication of nanoscale geometries. We demonstrate an approach to engineer complex and reversible motion of nanoscale DNA origami machine elements. We first design, fabricate, and characterize the mechanical behavior of flexible DNA origami rotational and linear joints that integrate stiff double-stranded DNA components and flexible single-stranded DNA components to constrain motion along a single degree of freedom and demonstrate the ability to tune the flexibility and range of motion. Multiple joints with simple 1D motion were then integrated into higher order mechanisms. One mechanism is a crank–slider that couples rotational and linear motion, and the other is a Bennett linkage that moves between a compacted bundle and an expanded frame configuration with a constrained 3D motion path. Finally, we demonstrate distributed actuation of the linkage using DNA input strands to achieve reversible conformational changes of the entire structure on ∼minute timescales. Our results demonstrate programmable motion of 2D and 3D DNA origami mechanisms constructed following a macroscopic machine design approach. PMID:25561550

Model-based identification and use of task complexity factors of human integrated systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ham, Dong-Han; Park, Jinkyun; Jung, Wondea

2012-01-01

Task complexity is one of the conceptual constructs that are critical to explain and predict human performance in human integrated systems. A basic approach to evaluating the complexity of tasks is to identify task complexity factors and measure them. Although a great deal of task complexity factors have been studied, there is still a lack of conceptual frameworks for identifying and organizing them analytically, which can be generally used irrespective of the types of domains and tasks. This study proposes a model-based approach to identifying and using task complexity factors, which has two facets—the design aspects of a task and complexity dimensions. Three levels of design abstraction, which are functional, behavioral, and structural aspects of a task, characterize the design aspect of a task. The behavioral aspect is further classified into five cognitive processing activity types. The complexity dimensions explain a task complexity from different perspectives, which are size, variety, and order/organization. Twenty-one task complexity factors are identified by the combination of the attributes of each facet. Identification and evaluation of task complexity factors based on this model is believed to give insights for improving the design quality of tasks. This model for complexity factors can also be used as a referential framework for allocating tasks and designing information aids. The proposed approach is applied to procedure-based tasks of nuclear power plants (NPPs) as a case study to demonstrate its use. Last, we compare the proposed approach with other studies and then suggest some future research directions.

Lectures on integral transforms

CERN Document Server

Akhiezer, N I

1988-01-01

This book, which grew out of lectures given over the course of several years at Kharkov University for students in the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, is devoted to classical integral transforms, principally the Fourier transform, and their applications. The author develops the general theory of the Fourier transform for the space L^1(E_n) of integrable functions of n variables. His proof of the inversion theorem is based on the general Bochner theorem on integral transforms, a theorem having other applications within the subject area of the book. The author also covers Fourier-Plancherel theory in L^2(E_n). In addition to the general theory of integral transforms, connections are established with other areas of mathematical analysis--such as the theory of harmonic and analytic functions, the theory of orthogonal polynomials, and the moment problem--as well as to mathematical physics.

Matching Three Classifications of Secondary Students to Differential Levels of Study Guides.

Science.gov (United States)

Horton, Steven V.; And Others

1991-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of matching 82 secondary students (learning disabled, remedial, and nondisabled) to differential levels of study guides. The study evaluated two treatment conditions (multilevel study guides containing different levels of referential cues, and single-level study guides without referential cues), used in…

Nonlinear dynamics non-integrable systems and chaotic dynamics

CERN Document Server

Borisov, Alexander

2017-01-01

This monograph reviews advanced topics in the area of nonlinear dynamics. Starting with theory of integrable systems – including methods to find and verify integrability – the remainder of the book is devoted to non-integrable systems with an emphasis on dynamical chaos. Topics include structural stability, mechanisms of emergence of irreversible behaviour in deterministic systems as well as chaotisation occurring in dissipative systems.

Quantum mechanical path integrals in curved spaces and the type-A trace anomaly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bastianelli, Fiorenzo [Dipartimento di Fisica ed Astronomia, Università di Bologna,via Irnerio 46, I-40126 Bologna (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Bologna,via Irnerio 46, I-40126 Bologna (Italy); Corradini, Olindo [Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Informatiche e Matematiche,Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia,Via Campi 213/A, I-41125 Modena (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Bologna,via Irnerio 46, I-40126 Bologna (Italy); Vassura, Edoardo [Dipartimento di Fisica ed Astronomia, Università di Bologna,via Irnerio 46, I-40126 Bologna (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Bologna,via Irnerio 46, I-40126 Bologna (Italy)

2017-04-10

Path integrals for particles in curved spaces can be used to compute trace anomalies in quantum field theories, and more generally to study properties of quantum fields coupled to gravity in first quantization. While their construction in arbitrary coordinates is well understood, and known to require the use of a regularization scheme, in this article we take up an old proposal of constructing the path integral by using Riemann normal coordinates. The method assumes that curvature effects are taken care of by a scalar effective potential, so that the particle lagrangian is reduced to that of a linear sigma model interacting with the effective potential. After fixing the correct effective potential, we test the construction on spaces of maximal symmetry and use it to compute heat kernel coefficients and type-A trace anomalies for a scalar field in arbitrary dimensions up to d=12. The results agree with expected ones, which are reproduced with great efficiency and extended to higher orders. We prove explicitly the validity of the simplified path integral on maximally symmetric spaces. This simplified path integral might be of further use in worldline applications, though its application on spaces of arbitrary geometry remains unclear.

Tools of integration of innovation-oriented machine-building enterprises in industrial park environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

К.О. Boiarynova

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The research is devoted to the development of the tools for the integration of innovation-oriented mechanical engineering enterprises into the environment of industrial park as functional economic systems, which are capable on the own development basis to provide the development of resident enterprises. The article analyzes the opportunities for the development of mechanical engineering enterprises. The formed structure of the mechanism of integration of mechanical engineering enterprises as functional economic systems into the industrial park environment is based on: 1 the development of participation programs in the industrial park of the mechanical engineering enterprises as an innovation-oriented partner, which foresees the development of the enterprise immediately and the development of other residents; 2 the provision of high-tech equipment of resident enterprises of industrial parks; 3 the creation of subsidiary-spin-out enterprises of large mechanical engineering enterprises for high-tech production in the industrial park. The author proposes the road map that reveals the procedures for the integration and functioning the investigated enterprises through interaction as well as in the ecosystem of the industrial park and in the general ecosystem of functioning, and the tools for providing economic functionality through economic and organizational proceedings at preventive, partner and resident phases of integration. The tools allow the innovation-oriented mechanical engineering enterprises to integrate into such territorial structures as industrial parks, this in complex will allow carrying out their purposes in the development of the real sector of the economy.

Bacterial Cell Mechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Auer, George K; Weibel, Douglas B

2017-07-25

Cellular mechanical properties play an integral role in bacterial survival and adaptation. Historically, the bacterial cell wall and, in particular, the layer of polymeric material called the peptidoglycan were the elements to which cell mechanics could be primarily attributed. Disrupting the biochemical machinery that assembles the peptidoglycan (e.g., using the β-lactam family of antibiotics) alters the structure of this material, leads to mechanical defects, and results in cell lysis. Decades after the discovery of peptidoglycan-synthesizing enzymes, the mechanisms that underlie their positioning and regulation are still not entirely understood. In addition, recent evidence suggests a diverse group of other biochemical elements influence bacterial cell mechanics, may be regulated by new cellular mechanisms, and may be triggered in different environmental contexts to enable cell adaptation and survival. This review summarizes the contributions that different biomolecular components of the cell wall (e.g., lipopolysaccharides, wall and lipoteichoic acids, lipid bilayers, peptidoglycan, and proteins) make to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial cell mechanics. We discuss the contribution of individual proteins and macromolecular complexes in cell mechanics and the tools that make it possible to quantitatively decipher the biochemical machinery that contributes to bacterial cell mechanics. Advances in this area may provide insight into new biology and influence the development of antibacterial chemotherapies.

Integrated information theory of consciousness: an updated account.

Science.gov (United States)

Tononi, G

2012-12-01

This article presents an updated account of integrated information theory of consciousness (liT) and some of its implications. /IT stems from thought experiments that lead to phenomenological axioms (existence, compositionality, information, integration, exclusion) and corresponding ontological postulates. The information axiom asserts that every experience is spec~fic - it is what it is by differing in its particular way from a large repertoire of alternatives. The integration axiom asserts that each experience is unified- it cannot be reduced to independent components. The exclusion axiom asserts that every experience is definite - it is limited to particular things and not others and flows at a particular speed and resolution. /IT formalizes these intuitions with postulates. The information postulate states that only "differences that make a difference" from the intrinsic perpective of a system matter: a mechanism generates cause-effect information if its present state has selective past causes and selective future effects within a system. The integration postulate states that only information that is irreducible matters: mechanisms generate integrated information only to the extent that the information they generate cannot be partitioned into that generated within independent components. The exclusion postulate states that only maxima of integrated information matter: a mechanism specifies only one maximally irreducible set of past causes and future effects - a concept. A complex is a set of elements specifying a maximally irreducible constellation of concepts, where the maximum is evaluated over elements and at the optimal spatiatemporal scale. Its concepts specify a maximally integrated conceptual information structure or quale, which is identical with an experience. Finally, changes in information integration upon exposure to the environment reflect a system's ability to match the causal structure of the world. After introducing an updated definition of

Integrated smart structures wingbox

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Solomon H.

1993-09-01

One objective of smart structures development is to demonstrate the ability of a mechanical component to monitor its own structural integrity and health. Achievement of this objective requires the integration of different technologies, i.e.: (1) structures, (2) sensors, and (3) artificial intelligence. We coordinated a team of experts from these three fields. These experts used reliable knowledge towards the forefront of their technologies and combined the appropriate features into an integrated hardware/software smart structures wingbox (SSW) test article. A 1/4 in. hole was drilled into the SSW test article. Although the smart structure had never seen damage of this type, it correctly recognized and located the damage. Based on a knowledge-based simulation, quantification and assessment were also carried out. We have demonstrated that the SSW integrated hardware & software test article can perform six related functions: (1) identification of a defect; (2) location of the defect; (3) quantification of the amount of damage; (4) assessment of performance degradation; (5) continued monitoring in spite of damage; and (6) continuous recording of integrity data. We present the successful results of the integrated test article in this paper, along with plans for future development and deployment of the technology.

A middleware-based platform for the integration of bioinformatic services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guzmán Llambías

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Performing Bioinformatic´s experiments involve an intensive access to distributed services and information resources through Internet. Although existing tools facilitate the implementation of workflow-oriented applications, they lack of capabilities to integrate services beyond low-scale applications, particularly integrating services with heterogeneous interaction patterns and in a larger scale. This is particularly required to enable a large-scale distributed processing of biological data generated by massive sequencing technologies. On the other hand, such integration mechanisms are provided by middleware products like Enterprise Service Buses (ESB, which enable to integrate distributed systems following a Service Oriented Architecture. This paper proposes an integration platform, based on enterprise middleware, to integrate Bioinformatics services. It presents a multi-level reference architecture and focuses on ESB-based mechanisms to provide asynchronous communications, event-based interactions and data transformation capabilities. The paper presents a formal specification of the platform using the Event-B model.

Abstractions for Mechanical Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sloth, Christoffer; Wisniewski, Rafael

2012-01-01

mechanical system. The tangential manifolds are generated using constants of motion, which can be derived from Noether's theorem. The transversal manifolds are subsequently generated on a reduced space, given by the Routhian, via action-angle coordinates. The method fully applies for integrable systems. We...

Outside-in control -Does plant cell wall integrity regulate cell cycle progression?

Science.gov (United States)

Gigli-Bisceglia, Nora; Hamann, Thorsten

2018-04-13

During recent years it has become accepted that plant cell walls are not inert objects surrounding all plant cells but are instead highly dynamic, plastic structures. They are involved in a large number of cell biological processes and contribute actively to plant growth, development and interaction with environment. Therefore, it is not surprising that cellular processes can control plant cell wall integrity while, simultaneously, cell wall integrity can influence cellular processes. In yeast and animal cells such a bi-directional relationship also exists between the yeast/animal extra-cellular matrices and the cell cycle. In yeast, the cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism and a dedicated plasmamembrane integrity checkpoint are mediating this relationship. Recent research has yielded insights into the mechanism controlling plant cell wall metabolism during cytokinesis. However, knowledge regarding putative regulatory pathways controlling adaptive modifications in plant cell cycle activity in response to changes in the state of the plant cell wall are not yet identified. In this review, we summarize similarities and differences in regulatory mechanisms coordinating extra cellular matrices and cell cycle activity in animal and yeast cells, discuss the available evidence supporting the existence of such a mechanism in plants and suggest that the plant cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism might also control cell cycle activity in plant cells. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Integrity Analysis of Damaged Steam Generator Tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)