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Sample records for sandwich-shaped cluster linkages

  1. Efficient Record Linkage Algorithms Using Complete Linkage Clustering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamun, Abdullah-Al; Aseltine, Robert; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar

    2016-01-01

    Data from different agencies share data of the same individuals. Linking these datasets to identify all the records belonging to the same individuals is a crucial and challenging problem, especially given the large volumes of data. A large number of available algorithms for record linkage are prone to either time inefficiency or low-accuracy in finding matches and non-matches among the records. In this paper we propose efficient as well as reliable sequential and parallel algorithms for the record linkage problem employing hierarchical clustering methods. We employ complete linkage hierarchical clustering algorithms to address this problem. In addition to hierarchical clustering, we also use two other techniques: elimination of duplicate records and blocking. Our algorithms use sorting as a sub-routine to identify identical copies of records. We have tested our algorithms on datasets with millions of synthetic records. Experimental results show that our algorithms achieve nearly 100% accuracy. Parallel implementations achieve almost linear speedups. Time complexities of these algorithms do not exceed those of previous best-known algorithms. Our proposed algorithms outperform previous best-known algorithms in terms of accuracy consuming reasonable run times.

  2. Model reduction of detailed-balanced reaction networks by clustering linkage classes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rao, Shodhan; Jayawardhana, Bayu; van der Schaft, Abraham; Findeisen, Rolf; Bullinger, Eric; Balsa-Canto, Eva; Bernaerts, Kristel

    2016-01-01

    We propose a model reduction method that involves sequential application of clustering of linkage classes and Kron reduction. This approach is specifically useful for chemical reaction networks with each linkage class having less number of reactions. In case of detailed balanced chemical reaction

  3. Magnetic MoS2 pizzas and sandwiches with Mnn (n = 1-4) cluster toppings and fillings: A first-principles investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Meng; Huang, Zhongjia; Wang, Xiao; Zhang, Hongyu; Li, Taohai; Wu, Zhaolong; Luo, Youhua; Cao, Wei

    2016-01-01

    The inorganic layered crystal (ILC) MoS2 in low dimensions is considered as one of the most promising and efficient semiconductors. To enable the magnetism and keep intrinsic crystal structures, we carried out a first-principles study of the magnetic and semiconductive monolayer MoS2 adsorbed with the Mnn (n = 1-4) clusters, and bilayer MoS2 intercalated with the same clusters. Geometric optimizations of the Mnn@MoS2 systems show the complexes prefer to have Mnn@MoS2(M) pizza and Mnn@MoS2(B) sandwich forms in the mono- and bi-layered cases, respectively. Introductions of the clusters will enhance complex stabilities, while bonds and charge transfers are found between external Mn clusters and the S atoms in the hosts. The pizzas have medium magnetic moments of 3, 6, 9, 4 μB and sandwiches of 3, 2, 3, 2 μB following the manganese numbers. The pizzas and sandwiches are semiconductors, but with narrower bandgaps compared to their corresponding pristine hosts. Direct bandgaps were found in the Mnn@MoS2(M) (n = 1,4) pizzas, and excitingly in the Mn1@MoS2(B) sandwich. Combining functional clusters to the layered hosts, the present work shows a novel material manipulation strategy to boost semiconductive ILCs applications in magnetics.

  4. Quantum mechanical design and structures of hexanuclear sandwich complex and its multidecker sandwich clusters (Li6)n([18]annulene)n+1 (n = 1-3).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shu-Jian; Li, Ying; Wu, Di; Wang, Yin-Feng; Li, Zhi-Ru

    2012-09-13

    By means of density functional theory, a hexanuclear sandwich complex [18]annulene-Li6-[18]annulene which consists of a central Li6 hexagon ring and large face-capping ligands, [18]annulene, is designed and investigated. The large interaction energy and HOMO-LUMO gap suggest that this novel charge-separated complex is highly stable and may be experimentally synthesized. In addition, the stability found in the [18]annulene-Li6-[18]annulene complex extends to multidecker sandwich clusters (Li6)n([18]annulene)n+1 (n = 2-3). The energy gain upon addition of a [18]annulene-Li6 unit to (Li6)n-1([18]annulene)n is pretty large (96.97-98.22 kcal/mol), indicating that even larger multideckers will also be very stable. Similar to ferrocene, such a hexanuclear sandwich complex could be considered as a versatile building block to find potential applications in different areas of chemistry, such as nanoscience and material science.

  5. Conservation of gene linkage in dispersed vertebrate NK homeobox clusters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wotton, Karl R; Weierud, Frida K; Juárez-Morales, José L; Alvares, Lúcia E; Dietrich, Susanne; Lewis, Katharine E

    2009-10-01

    Nk homeobox genes are important regulators of many different developmental processes including muscle, heart, central nervous system and sensory organ development. They are thought to have arisen as part of the ANTP megacluster, which also gave rise to Hox and ParaHox genes, and at least some NK genes remain tightly linked in all animals examined so far. The protostome-deuterostome ancestor probably contained a cluster of nine Nk genes: (Msx)-(Nk4/tinman)-(Nk3/bagpipe)-(Lbx/ladybird)-(Tlx/c15)-(Nk7)-(Nk6/hgtx)-(Nk1/slouch)-(Nk5/Hmx). Of these genes, only NKX2.6-NKX3.1, LBX1-TLX1 and LBX2-TLX2 remain tightly linked in humans. However, it is currently unclear whether this is unique to the human genome as we do not know which of these Nk genes are clustered in other vertebrates. This makes it difficult to assess whether the remaining linkages are due to selective pressures or because chance rearrangements have "missed" certain genes. In this paper, we identify all of the paralogs of these ancestrally clustered NK genes in several distinct vertebrates. We demonstrate that tight linkages of Lbx1-Tlx1, Lbx2-Tlx2 and Nkx3.1-Nkx2.6 have been widely maintained in both the ray-finned and lobe-finned fish lineages. Moreover, the recently duplicated Hmx2-Hmx3 genes are also tightly linked. Finally, we show that Lbx1-Tlx1 and Hmx2-Hmx3 are flanked by highly conserved noncoding elements, suggesting that shared regulatory regions may have resulted in evolutionary pressure to maintain these linkages. Consistent with this, these pairs of genes have overlapping expression domains. In contrast, Lbx2-Tlx2 and Nkx3.1-Nkx2.6, which do not seem to be coexpressed, are also not associated with conserved noncoding sequences, suggesting that an alternative mechanism may be responsible for the continued clustering of these genes.

  6. Locating irregularly shaped clusters of infection intensity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niko Yiannakoulias

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Patterns of disease may take on irregular geographic shapes, especially when features of the physical environment influence risk. Identifying these patterns can be important for planning, and also identifying new environmental or social factors associated with high or low risk of illness. Until recently, cluster detection methods were limited in their ability to detect irregular spatial patterns, and limited to finding clusters that were roughly circular in shape. This approach has less power to detect irregularly-shaped, yet important spatial anomalies, particularly at high spatial resolutions. We employ a new method of finding irregularly-shaped spatial clusters at micro-geographical scales using both simulated and real data on Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm infection intensities. This method, which we refer to as the “greedy growth scan”, is a modification of the spatial scan method for cluster detection. Real data are based on samples of hookworm and S. mansoni from Kitengei, Makueni district, Kenya. Our analysis of simulated data shows how methods able to find irregular shapes are more likely to identify clusters along rivers than methods constrained to fixed geometries. Our analysis of infection intensity identifies two small areas within the study region in which infection intensity is elevated, possibly due to local features of the physical or social environment. Collectively, our results show that the “greedy growth scan” is a suitable method for exploratory geographical analysis of infection intensity data when irregular shapes are suspected, especially at micro-geographical scales.

  7. Role of shape of hole in transmission and negative refractive index of sandwiched metamaterials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong Min; Ye Yong-Hong

    2014-01-01

    Transmission and negative refractive index (NRI) of metal—dielectric—metal (MDM) sandwiched metamaterial perforated with four kinds of shapes of holes are numerically studied. Results indicate that positions of all transmission peaks of these kinds of holes are sensitive to the shape of the hole. Under the same conditions, the circular hole can obtain the maximum NRI and the rectangular hole can obtain the maximum frequency bandwidth of NRI. Moreover, the figure of merit (FOM) of the circular hole is the maximum too. As a result, we can obtain a higher NRI and FOM metamaterial by drilling circular hole arrays on MDM metamaterial. (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics, heat transfer, classical mechanics, and fluid dynamics)

  8. Polymorphic Ring-Shaped Molecular Clusters Made of Shape-Variable Building Blocks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keitel Cervantes-Salguero

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Self-assembling molecular building blocks able to dynamically change their shapes, is a concept that would offer a route to reconfigurable systems. Although simulation studies predict novel properties useful for applications in diverse fields, such kinds of building blocks, have not been implemented thus far with molecules. Here, we report shape-variable building blocks fabricated by DNA self-assembly. Blocks are movable enough to undergo shape transitions along geometrical ranges. Blocks connect to each other and assemble into polymorphic ring-shaped clusters via the stacking of DNA blunt-ends. Reconfiguration of the polymorphic clusters is achieved by the surface diffusion on mica substrate in response to a monovalent salt concentration. This work could inspire novel reconfigurable self-assembling systems for applications in molecular robotics.

  9. Effect of varying geometrical parameters of trapezoidal corrugated-core sandwich structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zaid N.Z.M.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Sandwich structure is an attractive alternative that increasingly used in the transportation and aerospace industry. Corrugated-core with trapezoidal shape allows enhancing the damage resistance to the sandwich structure, but on the other hand, it changes the structural response of the sandwich structure. The aim of this paper is to study the effect of varying geometrical parameters of trapezoidal corrugated-core sandwich structure under compression loading. The corrugated-core specimen was fabricated using press technique, following the shape of trapezoidal shape. Two different materials were used in the study, glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP. The result shows that the mechanical properties of the core in compression loading are sensitive to the variation of a number of unit cells and the core thickness.

  10. Understanding 3D human torso shape via manifold clustering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Sheng; Li, Peng; Fu, Yun

    2013-05-01

    Discovering the variations in human torso shape plays a key role in many design-oriented applications, such as suit designing. With recent advances in 3D surface imaging technologies, people can obtain 3D human torso data that provide more information than traditional measurements. However, how to find different human shapes from 3D torso data is still an open problem. In this paper, we propose to use spectral clustering approach on torso manifold to address this problem. We first represent high-dimensional torso data in a low-dimensional space using manifold learning algorithm. Then the spectral clustering method is performed to get several disjoint clusters. Experimental results show that the clusters discovered by our approach can describe the discrepancies in both genders and human shapes, and our approach achieves better performance than the compared clustering method.

  11. Elliptical shape of the coma cluster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schipper, L.; King, I.R.

    1978-01-01

    The elliptical shape of the Coma cluster is examined quantitatively. The degree of ellipticity is high and depends to some extent on the radial distance of the sample from the Coma center as well as on the brightness of the sample. The elliptical shape does not appear to be caused by rotation; other possible causes are briefly discussed

  12. CLUMP-3D: Testing ΛCDM with Galaxy Cluster Shapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sereno, Mauro; Umetsu, Keiichi; Ettori, Stefano; Sayers, Jack; Chiu, I.-Non; Meneghetti, Massimo; Vega-Ferrero, Jesús; Zitrin, Adi

    2018-06-01

    The ΛCDM model of structure formation makes strong predictions on the concentration and shape of dark matter (DM) halos, which are determined by mass accretion processes. Comparison between predicted shapes and observations provides a geometric test of the ΛCDM model. Accurate and precise measurements needs a full three-dimensional (3D) analysis of the cluster mass distribution. We accomplish this with a multi-probe 3D analysis of the X-ray regular Cluster Lensing and Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) clusters combining strong and weak lensing, X-ray photometry and spectroscopy, and the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect (SZe). The cluster shapes and concentrations are consistent with ΛCDM predictions. The CLASH clusters are randomly oriented, as expected given the sample selection criteria. Shapes agree with numerical results for DM-only halos, which hints at baryonic physics being less effective in making halos rounder.

  13. CONSTRAINING CLUSTER PHYSICS WITH THE SHAPE OF X-RAY CLUSTERS: COMPARISON OF LOCAL X-RAY CLUSTERS VERSUS ΛCDM CLUSTERS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lau, Erwin T.; Nagai, Daisuke; Kravtsov, Andrey V.; Vikhlinin, Alexey; Zentner, Andrew R.

    2012-01-01

    Recent simulations of cluster formation have demonstrated that condensation of baryons into central galaxies during cluster formation can drive the shape of the gas distribution in galaxy clusters significantly rounder out to their virial radius. These simulations generally predict stellar fractions within cluster virial radii that are ∼2-3 times larger than the stellar masses deduced from observations. In this paper, we compare ellipticity profiles of simulated clusters performed with varying input physics (radiative cooling, star formation, and supernova feedback) to the cluster ellipticity profiles derived from Chandra and ROSAT observations, in an effort to constrain the fraction of gas that cools and condenses into the central galaxies within clusters. We find that local relaxed clusters have an average ellipticity of ε = 0.18 ± 0.05 in the radial range of 0.04 ≤ r/r 500 ≤ 1. At larger radii r > 0.1r 500 , the observed ellipticity profiles agree well with the predictions of non-radiative simulations. In contrast, the ellipticity profiles of simulated clusters that include dissipative gas physics deviate significantly from the observed ellipticity profiles at all radii. The dissipative simulations overpredict (underpredict) ellipticity in the inner (outer) regions of galaxy clusters. By comparing simulations with and without dissipative gas physics, we show that gas cooling causes the gas distribution to be more oblate in the central regions, but makes the outer gas distribution more spherical. We find that late-time gas cooling and star formation are responsible for the significantly oblate gas distributions in cluster cores, but the gas shapes outside of cluster cores are set primarily by baryon dissipation at high redshift (z ≥ 2). Our results indicate that the shapes of X-ray emitting gas in galaxy clusters, especially at large radii, can be used to place constraints on cluster gas physics, making it potential probes of the history of baryonic

  14. Even-Odd Differences and Shape Deformation of Metal Clusters

    OpenAIRE

    Hidetoshi, Nishioka; Yoshio, Takahashi; Department of Physics, Konan University; Faculty of General Education, Yamagata University

    1994-01-01

    The relation between even-odd difference of metal cluster and the deformation of equilibrium shape is studied in terms of two different models; (i) tri-axially deformed harmonic oscillator model, (ii) rectangular box model. Having assumed the matter density ρ kept constant for different shapes of a cluster, we can determine the equilibrium shape both for the two models. The enhancement of HOMO-LUMO gap is obtained and it is ascribed to Jahn-Teller effect. Good agreement of the calculated resu...

  15. Detecting space-time disease clusters with arbitrary shapes and sizes using a co-clustering approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sami Ullah

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Ability to detect potential space-time clusters in spatio-temporal data on disease occurrences is necessary for conducting surveillance and implementing disease prevention policies. Most existing techniques use geometrically shaped (circular, elliptical or square scanning windows to discover disease clusters. In certain situations, where the disease occurrences tend to cluster in very irregularly shaped areas, these algorithms are not feasible in practise for the detection of space-time clusters. To address this problem, a new algorithm is proposed, which uses a co-clustering strategy to detect prospective and retrospective space-time disease clusters with no restriction on shape and size. The proposed method detects space-time disease clusters by tracking the changes in space–time occurrence structure instead of an in-depth search over space. This method was utilised to detect potential clusters in the annual and monthly malaria data in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan from 2012 to 2016 visualising the results on a heat map. The results of the annual data analysis showed that the most likely hotspot emerged in three sub-regions in the years 2013-2014. The most likely hotspots in monthly data appeared in the month of July to October in each year and showed a strong periodic trend.

  16. Merging K-means with hierarchical clustering for identifying general-shaped groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Anna D; Ghosh, Arka P; Maitra, Ranjan

    2018-01-01

    Clustering partitions a dataset such that observations placed together in a group are similar but different from those in other groups. Hierarchical and K -means clustering are two approaches but have different strengths and weaknesses. For instance, hierarchical clustering identifies groups in a tree-like structure but suffers from computational complexity in large datasets while K -means clustering is efficient but designed to identify homogeneous spherically-shaped clusters. We present a hybrid non-parametric clustering approach that amalgamates the two methods to identify general-shaped clusters and that can be applied to larger datasets. Specifically, we first partition the dataset into spherical groups using K -means. We next merge these groups using hierarchical methods with a data-driven distance measure as a stopping criterion. Our proposal has the potential to reveal groups with general shapes and structure in a dataset. We demonstrate good performance on several simulated and real datasets.

  17. Shape-dependent surface-enhanced Raman scattering in gold–Raman-probe–silica sandwiched nanoparticles for biocompatible applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ming; Cushing, Scott K; Lankford, Jessica; Wu, Nianqiang; Zhang Jianming; Ma Dongling; Aguilar, Zoraida P

    2012-01-01

    To meet the requirement of Raman probes (labels) for biocompatible applications, a synthetic approach has been developed to sandwich the Raman-probe (malachite green isothiocyanate, MGITC) molecules between the gold core and the silica shell in gold–SiO 2 composite nanoparticles. The gold–MGITC–SiO 2 sandwiched structure not only prevents the Raman probe from leaking out but also improves the solubility of the nanoparticles in organic solvents and in aqueous solutions even with high ionic strength. To amplify the Raman signal, three types of core, gold nanospheres, nanorods and nanostars, have been chosen as the substrates of the Raman probe. The effect of the core shape on the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been investigated. The colloidal nanostars showed the highest SERS enhancement factor while the nanospheres possessed the lowest SERS activity under excitation with 532 and 785 nm lasers. Three-dimensional finite-difference time domain (FDTD) simulation showed significant differences in the local electromagnetic field distributions surrounding the nanospheres, nanorods, and nanostars, which were induced by the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The electromagnetic field was enhanced remarkably around the two ends of the nanorods and around the sharp tips of the nanostars. This local electromagnetic enhancement made the dominant contribution to the SERS enhancement. Both the experiments and the simulation revealed the order nanostars > nanorods > nanospheres in terms of the enhancement factor. Finally, the biological application of the nanostar–MGITC–SiO 2 nanoparticles has been demonstrated in the monitoring of DNA hybridization. In short, the gold–MGITC–SiO 2 sandwiched nanoparticles can be used as a Raman probe that features high sensitivity, good water solubility and stability, low-background fluorescence, and the absence of photobleaching for future biological applications. (paper)

  18. Morphology and surface-plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles sandwiched between Si3N4 and BN layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toudert, J.; Camelio, S.; Babonneau, D.; Denanot, M.-F.; Girardeau, T.; Espinos, J.P.; Yubero, F.; Gonzalez-Elipe, A.R.

    2005-01-01

    Nanocermet trilayered thin films consisting of silver nanoclusters sandwiched between two dielectric layers (the buffer and the cap) have been synthesized by ion-beam sputtering with an alternate deposition of the metal and the dielectric species. The influence of the amount of silver, the nature of the buffer and the cap (BN or Si 3 N 4 ), and a time delay before the cap deposition on clusters morphology and repartition have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. It has been observed that the clusters display truncated ellipsoidal shapes in which the height to diameter ratio H/D decreases as the amount of deposited silver increases. For a given amount of silver, this ratio is lower in the case of a Si 3 N 4 cap, whatever the nature of the buffer. Two explanations are proposed to account for this 'cap effect' on clusters morphology: the first one is based on a calculation of the H/D minimizing the surface free energy of the clusters embedded between the buffer and the cap; the second one holds on the shape relaxation of the coalesced nonequilibrium clusters towards their equilibrium shape with the buffer, this process occurring until clusters are fully covered with the cap. Because of the higher deposition rate of Si 3 N 4 compared to BN, a Si 3 N 4 cap would allow a less efficient reshaping and consequently lead to flatter clusters. This explanation is supported by the temporal evolution of clusters morphology and repartition observed during the time delay before deposition of the cap. The evolution of the spectral position of the surface-plasmon resonance (SPR) of the trilayers as a function of their structure has also been investigated by optical transmittance measurements. The influence of cluster morphology, as well as the nature of the buffer and the cap on the SPR spectral position are discussed

  19. Design of Pd/PANI/Pd sandwich-structured nanotube array catalysts with special shape effects and synergistic effects for ethanol electrooxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, An-Liang; Xu, Han; Feng, Jin-Xian; Ding, Liang-Xin; Tong, Ye-Xiang; Li, Gao-Ren

    2013-07-24

    Low cost, high activity, and long-term durability are the main requirements for commercializing fuel cell electrocatalysts. Despite tremendous efforts, developing non-Pt anode electrocatalysts with high activity and long-term durability at low cost remains a significant technical challenge. Here we report a new type of hybrid Pd/PANI/Pd sandwich-structured nanotube array (SNTA) to exploit shape effects and synergistic effects of Pd-PANI composites for the oxidation of small organic molecules for direct alcohol fuel cells. These synthesized Pd/PANI/Pd SNTAs exhibit significantly improved electrocatalytic activity and durability compared with Pd NTAs and commercial Pd/C catalysts. The unique SNTAs provide fast transport and short diffusion paths for electroactive species and high utilization rate of catalysts. Besides the merits of nanotube arrays, the improved electrocatalytic activity and durability are especially attributed to the special Pd/PANI/Pd sandwich-like nanostructures, which results in electron delocalization between Pd d orbitals and PANI π-conjugated ligands and in electron transfer from Pd to PANI.

  20. Linkage of molecular units in the chemistry of niobium and tantalum cluster halides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perrin, C.; Sergent, M.

    1991-01-01

    In low valency niobium and tantalum halides, interunit linkages are observed between the (Me 6 X 12 )X 6 units. They are insulators and interesting magnetic properties are observed, due to the intrinsic potential magnetism of the Me 6 cluster and depending on the inserted cations, for instance rare earths in MM'Nb 6 Cl 18 (M = monovalent cation, M' = rare earth). Of special interest are the niobium iodides which exhibit (Me 6 X 8 )X 6 units, an exception in the niobium chemistry; interesting properties have been reported for some of these iodides

  1. Locating irregularly shaped clusters of infection intensity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yiannakoulias, Niko; Wilson, Shona; Kariuki, H. Curtis

    2010-01-01

    of infection intensity identifies two small areas within the study region in which infection intensity is elevated, possibly due to local features of the physical or social environment. Collectively, our results show that the "greedy growth scan" is a suitable method for exploratory geographical analysis...... for cluster detection. Real data are based on samples of hookworm and S. mansoni from Kitengei, Makueni district, Kenya. Our analysis of simulated data shows how methods able to find irregular shapes are more likely to identify clusters along rivers than methods constrained to fixed geometries. Our analysis...

  2. α clustering with a hollow structure: Geometrical structure of α clusters from platonic solids to fullerene shape

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tohsaki, Akihiro; Itagaki, Naoyuki

    2018-01-01

    We study α -cluster structure based on the geometric configurations with a microscopic framework, which takes full account of the Pauli principle, and which also employs an effective internucleon force including finite-range three-body terms suitable for microscopic α -cluster models. Here, special attention is focused upon the α clustering with a hollow structure; all the α clusters are put on the surface of a sphere. All the platonic solids (five regular polyhedra) and the fullerene-shaped polyhedron coming from icosahedral structure are considered. Furthermore, two configurations with dual polyhedra, hexahedron-octahedron and dodecahedron-icosahedron, are also scrutinized. When approaching each other from large distances with these symmetries, α clusters create certain local energy pockets. As a consequence, we insist on the possible existence of α clustering with a geometric shape and hollow structure, which is favored from Coulomb energy point of view. Especially, two configurations, that is, dual polyhedra of dodecahedron-icosahedron and fullerene, have a prominent hollow structure compared with the other six configurations.

  3. Clustering analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romli

    1997-01-01

    Cluster analysis is the name of group of multivariate techniques whose principal purpose is to distinguish similar entities from the characteristics they process.To study this analysis, there are several algorithms that can be used. Therefore, this topic focuses to discuss the algorithms, such as, similarity measures, and hierarchical clustering which includes single linkage, complete linkage and average linkage method. also, non-hierarchical clustering method, which is popular name K -mean method ' will be discussed. Finally, this paper will be described the advantages and disadvantages of every methods

  4. Linkage of the Nit1C gene cluster to bacterial cyanide assimilation as a nitrogen source.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Lauren B; Ghosh, Pallab; Lee, Jung-Hyun; Chou, Chia-Ni; Kunz, Daniel A

    2018-05-21

    A genetic linkage between a conserved gene cluster (Nit1C) and the ability of bacteria to utilize cyanide as the sole nitrogen source was demonstrated for nine different bacterial species. These included three strains whose cyanide nutritional ability has formerly been documented (Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf11764, Pseudomonas putida BCN3 and Klebsiella pneumoniae BCN33), and six not previously known to have this ability [Burkholderia (Paraburkholderia) xenovorans LB400, Paraburkholderia phymatum STM815, Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJN, Cupriavidus (Ralstonia) eutropha H16, Gluconoacetobacter diazotrophicus PA1 5 and Methylobacterium extorquens AM1]. For all bacteria, growth on or exposure to cyanide led to the induction of the canonical nitrilase (NitC) linked to the gene cluster, and in the case of Pf11764 in particular, transcript levels of cluster genes (nitBCDEFGH) were raised, and a nitC knock-out mutant failed to grow. Further studies demonstrated that the highly conserved nitB gene product was also significantly elevated. Collectively, these findings provide strong evidence for a genetic linkage between Nit1C and bacterial growth on cyanide, supporting use of the term cyanotrophy in describing what may represent a new nutritional paradigm in microbiology. A broader search of Nit1C genes in presently available genomes revealed its presence in 270 different bacteria, all contained within the domain Bacteria, including Gram-positive Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and Gram-negative Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria. Absence of the cluster in the Archaea is congruent with events that may have led to the inception of Nit1C occurring coincidentally with the first appearance of cyanogenic species on Earth, dating back 400-500 million years.

  5. Shape Analysis of HII Regions - I. Statistical Clustering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell-White, Justyn; Froebrich, Dirk; Kume, Alfred

    2018-04-01

    We present here our shape analysis method for a sample of 76 Galactic HII regions from MAGPIS 1.4 GHz data. The main goal is to determine whether physical properties and initial conditions of massive star cluster formation is linked to the shape of the regions. We outline a systematic procedure for extracting region shapes and perform hierarchical clustering on the shape data. We identified six groups that categorise HII regions by common morphologies. We confirmed the validity of these groupings by bootstrap re-sampling and the ordinance technique multidimensional scaling. We then investigated associations between physical parameters and the assigned groups. Location is mostly independent of group, with a small preference for regions of similar longitudes to share common morphologies. The shapes are homogeneously distributed across Galactocentric distance and latitude. One group contains regions that are all younger than 0.5 Myr and ionised by low- to intermediate-mass sources. Those in another group are all driven by intermediate- to high-mass sources. One group was distinctly separated from the other five and contained regions at the surface brightness detection limit for the survey. We find that our hierarchical procedure is most sensitive to the spatial sampling resolution used, which is determined for each region from its distance. We discuss how these errors can be further quantified and reduced in future work by utilising synthetic observations from numerical simulations of HII regions. We also outline how this shape analysis has further applications to other diffuse astronomical objects.

  6. Intrinsic alignment of redMaPPer clusters: cluster shape-matter density correlation

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Uitert, Edo; Joachimi, Benjamin

    2017-07-01

    We measure the alignment of the shapes of galaxy clusters, as traced by their satellite distributions, with the matter density field using the public redMaPPer catalogue based on Sloan Digital Sky Survey-Data Release 8 (SDSS-DR8), which contains 26 111 clusters up to z ˜ 0.6. The clusters are split into nine redshift and richness samples; in each of them, we detect a positive alignment, showing that clusters point towards density peaks. We interpret the measurements within the tidal alignment paradigm, allowing for a richness and redshift dependence. The intrinsic alignment (IA) amplitude at the pivot redshift z = 0.3 and pivot richness λ = 30 is A_IA^gen=12.6_{-1.2}^{+1.5}. We obtain tentative evidence that the signal increases towards higher richness and lower redshift. Our measurements agree well with results of maxBCG clusters and with dark-matter-only simulations. Comparing our results to the IA measurements of luminous red galaxies, we find that the IA amplitude of galaxy clusters forms a smooth extension towards higher mass. This suggests that these systems share a common alignment mechanism, which can be exploited to improve our physical understanding of IA.

  7. Nanocrystalline Aluminum Truss Cores for Lightweight Sandwich Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaedler, Tobias A.; Chan, Lisa J.; Clough, Eric C.; Stilke, Morgan A.; Hundley, Jacob M.; Masur, Lawrence J.

    2017-12-01

    Substitution of conventional honeycomb composite sandwich structures with lighter alternatives has the potential to reduce the mass of future vehicles. Here we demonstrate nanocrystalline aluminum-manganese truss cores that achieve 2-4 times higher strength than aluminum alloy 5056 honeycombs of the same density. The scalable fabrication approach starts with additive manufacturing of polymer templates, followed by electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy, removal of the polymer, and facesheet integration. This facilitates curved and net-shaped sandwich structures, as well as co-curing of the facesheets, which eliminates the need for extra adhesive. The nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy thin-film material exhibits high strength and ductility and can be converted into a three-dimensional hollow truss structure with this approach. Ultra-lightweight sandwich structures are of interest for a range of applications in aerospace, such as fairings, wings, and flaps, as well as for the automotive and sports industries.

  8. RLT-S: A Web System for Record Linkage.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah-Al Mamun

    Full Text Available Record linkage integrates records across multiple related data sources identifying duplicates and accounting for possible errors. Real life applications require efficient algorithms to merge these voluminous data sources to find out all records belonging to same individuals. Our recently devised highly efficient record linkage algorithms provide best-known solutions to this challenging problem.We have developed RLT-S, a freely available web tool, which implements our single linkage clustering algorithm for record linkage. This tool requires input data sets and a small set of configuration settings about these files to work efficiently. RLT-S employs exact match clustering, blocking on a specified attribute and single linkage based hierarchical clustering among these blocks.RLT-S is an implementation package of our sequential record linkage algorithm. It outperforms previous best-known implementations by a large margin. The tool is at least two times faster for any dataset than the previous best-known tools.RLT-S tool implements our record linkage algorithm that outperforms previous best-known algorithms in this area. This website also contains necessary information such as instructions, submission history, feedback, publications and some other sections to facilitate the usage of the tool.RLT-S is integrated into http://www.rlatools.com, which is currently serving this tool only. The tool is freely available and can be used without login. All data files used in this paper have been stored in https://github.com/abdullah009/DataRLATools. For copies of the relevant programs please see https://github.com/abdullah009/RLATools.

  9. Self-healing of sandwich structures with a grid stiffened shape memory polymer syntactic foam core

    Science.gov (United States)

    John, Manu; Li, Guoqiang

    2010-07-01

    In this paper, a new sandwich with an orthogrid stiffened shape memory polymer (SMP) based syntactic foam core was proposed, fabricated, programmed, impacted, healed (sealed), and compression tested, for the purposes of healing impact damage repeatedly and almost autonomously. Two prestrain levels (3% and 20%), two impact energy levels (30.0 and 53.3 J), and two recovery (healing) conditions (2D confined and 3D confined) were employed in this paper. Up to seven impact-healing cycles were conducted. Macroscopic and microscopic damage-healing observation and analysis were implemented. Residual strength was evaluated using an anti-buckling compression test fixture. It was found that the healing efficiency was over 100% for almost all the impact-healing cycles; programming using 20% prestrain led to higher residual strength than that with 3% prestrain; 3D confined recovery resulted in higher residual strength than 2D confined recovery; and as the impact energy increased, the healing efficiency slightly decreased.

  10. Calculation of dynamic stresses in viscoelastic sandwich beams using oma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pelayo, F.; Aenlle, M. L.; Ismael, G.

    2017-01-01

    The mechanical response of sandwich elements with viscoelastic core is time and temperature dependent. Laminated glass is a sandwich element where the mechanical behavior of the glass layers is usually considered linear-elastic material whereas the core is made of an amorphous thermoplastic which...... data. In simple structures, analytical mode shapes can be used alternatively to the numerical ones. In this paper, the dynamic stresses on the glass layers of a laminated glass beam have estimated using the experimental acceleration responses measured at 7 points of the beam, and the experimental mode...

  11. A novel linkage map of sugarcane with evidence for clustering of retrotransposon-based markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Palhares Alessandra C

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The development of sugarcane as a sustainable crop has unlimited applications. The crop is one of the most economically viable for renewable energy production, and CO2 balance. Linkage maps are valuable tools for understanding genetic and genomic organization, particularly in sugarcane due to its complex polyploid genome of multispecific origins. The overall objective of our study was to construct a novel sugarcane linkage map, compiling AFLP and EST-SSR markers, and to generate data on the distribution of markers anchored to sequences of scIvana_1, a complete sugarcane transposable element, and member of the Copia superfamily. Results The mapping population parents (‘IAC66-6’ and ‘TUC71-7’ contributed equally to polymorphisms, independent of marker type, and generated markers that were distributed into nearly the same number of co-segregation groups (or CGs. Bi-parentally inherited alleles provided the integration of 19 CGs. The marker number per CG ranged from two to 39. The total map length was 4,843.19 cM, with a marker density of 8.87 cM. Markers were assembled into 92 CGs that ranged in length from 1.14 to 404.72 cM, with an estimated average length of 52.64 cM. The greatest distance between two adjacent markers was 48.25 cM. The scIvana_1-based markers (56 were positioned on 21 CGs, but were not regularly distributed. Interestingly, the distance between adjacent scIvana_1-based markers was less than 5 cM, and was observed on five CGs, suggesting a clustered organization. Conclusions Results indicated the use of a NBS-profiling technique was efficient to develop retrotransposon-based markers in sugarcane. The simultaneous maximum-likelihood estimates of linkage and linkage phase based strategies confirmed the suitability of its approach to estimate linkage, and construct the linkage map. Interestingly, using our genetic data it was possible to calculate the number of retrotransposon scIvana_1 (~60

  12. Optical to ultraviolet spectra of sandwiches of benzene and transition metal atoms: Time dependent density functional theory and many-body calculations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martinez, Jose Ignacio; García Lastra, Juan Maria; Lopez, M. J.

    2010-01-01

    The optical spectra of sandwich clusters formed by transition metal atoms (titanium, vanadium, and chromium) intercalated between parallel benzene molecules have been studied by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) and many-body perturbation theory. Sandwiches with different number...

  13. Dark Matter in Galaxy Clusters: Shape, Projection, and Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groener, Austen M.

    We explore the intrinsic distribution of dark matter within galaxy clusters, by combining insights from the largest N-body simulations as well as the largest observational dataset of its kind. Firstly, we study the intrinsic shape and alignment of isodensities of galaxy cluster halos extracted from the MultiDark MDR1 cosmological simulation. We find that the simulated halos are extremely prolate on small scales and increasingly spherical on larger ones. Due to this trend, analytical projection along the line of sight produces an overestimate of the concentration index as a decreasing function of radius, which we quantify by using both the intrinsic distribution of 3D concentrations (c200) and isodensity shape on weak and strong lensing scales. We find this difference to be ˜ 18% (˜ 9%) for low (medium) mass cluster halos with intrinsically low concentrations (c200=1- 3), while we find virtually no difference for halos with intrinsically high concentrations. Isodensities are found to be fairly well-aligned throughout the entirety of the radial scale of each halo population. However, major axes of individual halos have been found to deviate by as much as ˜ 30°. We also present a value-added catalog of our analysis results, which we have made publicly available to download. Following that, we then turn to observational measurements galaxy clusters. Scaling relations of clusters have made them particularly important cosmological probes of structure formation. In this work, we present a comprehensive study of the relation between two profile observables, concentration (cvir ) and mass (Mvir). We have collected the largest known sample of measurements from the literature which make use of one or more of the following reconstruction techniques: Weak gravitational lensing (WL), strong gravitational lensing (SL), Weak+Strong Lensing (WL+SL), the Caustic Method (CM), Line-of-sight Velocity Dispersion (LOSVD), and X-ray. We find that the concentration-mass (c-M) relation

  14. Shaping Globular Clusters with Black Holes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2018-03-01

    How many black holes lurk within the dense environments of globular clusters, and how do these powerful objects shape the properties of the cluster around them? One such cluster, NGC 3201, is now helping us to answer these questions.Hunting Stellar-Mass Black HolesSince the detection of merging black-hole binaries by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), the dense environments of globular clusters have received increasing attention as potential birthplaces of these compact binary systems.The central region of the globular star cluster NGC 3201, as viewed by Hubble. The black hole is in orbit with the star marked by the blue circle. [NASA/ESA]In addition, more and more stellar-mass black-hole candidates have been observed within globular clusters, lurking in binary pairs with luminous, non-compact companions. The most recent of these detections, found in the globular cluster NGC 3201, stands alone as the first stellar-mass black hole candidate discovered via radial velocity observations: the black holes main-sequence companion gave away its presence via a telltale wobble.Now a team of scientists led by Kyle Kremer (CIERA and Northwestern University) is using models of this system to better understand the impact that black holes might have on their host clusters.A Model ClusterThe relationship between black holes and their host clusters is complicated. Though the cluster environment can determine the dynamical evolution of the black holes, the retention rate of black holes in a globular cluster (i.e., how many remain in the cluster when they are born as supernovae, rather than being kicked out during the explosion) influences how the host cluster evolves.Kremer and collaborators track this complex relationship by modeling the evolution of a cluster similar to NGC 3201 with a Monte Carlo code. The code incorporates physics relevant to the evolution of black holes and black-hole binaries in globular clusters, such as two-body relaxation

  15. Evidence for cluster shape effects on the kinetic energy spectrum in thermionic emission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvo, F; Lépine, F; Baguenard, B; Pagliarulo, F; Concina, B; Bordas, C; Parneix, P

    2007-11-28

    Experimental kinetic energy release distributions obtained for the thermionic emission from C(n) (-) clusters, 10theory, these different features are analyzed and interpreted as the consequence of contrasting shapes in the daughter clusters; linear and nonlinear isomers have clearly distinct signatures. These results provide a novel indirect structural probe for atomic clusters associated with their thermionic emission spectra.

  16. The efficiency of average linkage hierarchical clustering algorithm associated multi-scale bootstrap resampling in identifying homogeneous precipitation catchments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuan, Zun Liang; Ismail, Noriszura; Shinyie, Wendy Ling; Lit Ken, Tan; Fam, Soo-Fen; Senawi, Azlyna; Yusoff, Wan Nur Syahidah Wan

    2018-04-01

    Due to the limited of historical precipitation records, agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithms widely used to extrapolate information from gauged to ungauged precipitation catchments in yielding a more reliable projection of extreme hydro-meteorological events such as extreme precipitation events. However, identifying the optimum number of homogeneous precipitation catchments accurately based on the dendrogram resulted using agglomerative hierarchical algorithms are very subjective. The main objective of this study is to propose an efficient regionalized algorithm to identify the homogeneous precipitation catchments for non-stationary precipitation time series. The homogeneous precipitation catchments are identified using average linkage hierarchical clustering algorithm associated multi-scale bootstrap resampling, while uncentered correlation coefficient as the similarity measure. The regionalized homogeneous precipitation is consolidated using K-sample Anderson Darling non-parametric test. The analysis result shows the proposed regionalized algorithm performed more better compared to the proposed agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm in previous studies.

  17. Analysis of a ceramic filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Habib Ullah, M.; Islam, M. T.

    2013-01-01

    Design and analysis of a ceramic-filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure is presented. This proposed high-dielectric structure is used as a substrate for patch antennas. A meandered-strip line-fed fractal-shape patch antenna is designed and fabricated on a copper-laminated sandwich-structured substrate. Measurement results of this antenna show 44% and 20% of bandwidths with maximum gains of 3.45 dBi and 5.87 dBi for the lower and upper bands, respectively. The half-power beam widths of 104° and 78° have been observed from the measured radiation pattern at the two resonance frequencies 0.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz

  18. Analysis of a ceramic filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Habib Ullah, M. [Institute of Space Science (ANGKASA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi Selangor 43600 (Malaysia); Department of Electrical, Electronic and System Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600 (Malaysia); Islam, M. T. [Institute of Space Science (ANGKASA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi Selangor 43600 (Malaysia)

    2013-11-25

    Design and analysis of a ceramic-filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure is presented. This proposed high-dielectric structure is used as a substrate for patch antennas. A meandered-strip line-fed fractal-shape patch antenna is designed and fabricated on a copper-laminated sandwich-structured substrate. Measurement results of this antenna show 44% and 20% of bandwidths with maximum gains of 3.45 dBi and 5.87 dBi for the lower and upper bands, respectively. The half-power beam widths of 104° and 78° have been observed from the measured radiation pattern at the two resonance frequencies 0.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

  19. X-ray constraints on the shape of the dark matter in five Abell clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buote, David A.; Canizares, Claude R.

    1992-01-01

    X-ray observations obtained with the Einstein Observatory are used to constrain the shape of the dark matter in the inner regions of Abell clusters A401, A426, A1656, A2029, and A2199, each of which exhibits highly flattened optical isopleths. The dark matter is modeled as an ellipsoid with a mass density of about r exp -2. The possible shapes of the dark matter is constrained by comparing these model isophotes to the image isophotes. The X-ray isophotes, and therefore the gravitational potentials, have ellipticities of about 0.1-0.2. The dark matter within the central 1 Mpc is found to be substantially rounder for all the clusters. It is concluded that the shape of the galaxy distributions in these clusters traces neither the gravitational potential nor the gravitating matter.

  20. SIGNS The sandwich sign

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The sandwich sign is demonstrated on cross-sectional imaging, commonly on CT or ultrasound. It refers to homogeneous soft- tissue masses representing mesenteric lymphadenopathy as the two halves of a sandwich bun, encasing the mesenteric fat and tubular mesenteric vessels that constitute the 'sandwich filling' (Figs ...

  1. Solvable single-species aggregation-annihilation model for chain-shaped cluster growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ke Jianhong; Lin Zhenquan; Zheng Yizhuang; Chen Xiaoshuang; Lu Wei

    2007-01-01

    We propose a single-species aggregation-annihilation model, in which an aggregation reaction between two clusters produces an active cluster and an annihilation reaction produces an inert one. By means of the mean-field rate equation, we respectively investigate the kinetic scaling behaviours of three distinct systems. The results exhibit that: (i) for the general aggregation-annihilation system, the size distribution of active clusters consistently approaches the conventional scaling form; (ii) for the system with the self-degeneration of the cluster's activities, it takes the modified scaling form; and (iii) for the system with the self-closing of active clusters, it does not scale. Moreover, the size distribution of inert clusters with small size takes a power-law form, while that of large inert clusters obeys the scaling law. The results also show that all active clusters will eventually transform into inert ones and the inert clusters of any size can be produced by such an aggregation-annihilation process. This model can be used to mimic the chain-shaped cluster growth and can provide some useful predictions for the kinetic behaviour of the system

  2. Equal intensity double plasmon resonance of bimetallic quasi-nanocomposites based on sandwich geometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chakravadhanula, V S K; Elbahri, M; Schuermann, U; Takele, H; Greve, H; Zaporojtchenko, V; Faupel, F [Chair for Multicomponent Materials, Technical Faculty of the CAU Kiel, Kaiserstrasse 2, D-24143 Kiel (Germany)], E-mail: ff@tf.uni-kiel.de

    2008-06-04

    We report a strategy to achieve a material showing equal intensity double plasmon resonance (EIDPR) based on sandwich geometry. We studied the interaction between localized plasmon resonances associated with different metal clusters (Au/Ag) on Teflon AF (TAF) in sandwich geometry. Engineering the EIDPR was done by tailoring the amount of Au/Ag and changing the TAF thickness. The samples were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy. Interestingly, and in agreement with the dipole-surface interaction, the critical barrier thickness for an optimum EIDPR was observed at 3.3 nm. The results clearly show a plasmon sequence effect and visualize the role of plasmon decay.

  3. Tuning the magnetic properties of GaAs:Mn/MnAs hybrids via the MnAs cluster shape

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nidda, H-A Krug von; Kurz, T; Loidl, A; Hartmann, Th; Klar, P J; Heimbrodt, W; Lampalzer, M; Volz, K; Stolz, W

    2006-01-01

    We report a systematic study of ferromagnetic resonance in granular GaAs:Mn/MnAs hybrids grown on GaAs(001) substrates by metal-organic vapour-phase epitaxy. The ferromagnetic resonance of the MnAs clusters can be resolved at all temperatures below T c . An additional broad absorption is observed below 60 K and is ascribed to localized charge carriers of the GaAs:Mn matrix. The anisotropy of the MnAs ferromagnetic resonance field originates from the magneto-crystalline field and demagnetization effects of the ferromagnetic MnAs clusters embedded in the GaAs:Mn matrix. Its temperature dependence basically scales with magnetization. Comparison of the observed angular dependence of the resonance field with model calculations yields the preferential orientation and shape of the clusters formed in hybrid layers of different thickness (150-1000 nm) grown otherwise at the same growth conditions. The hexagonal axes of the MnAs clusters are oriented along the four cubic GaAs space diagonals. Thin layers contain lens-shaped MnAs clusters close to the surface, whereas thick layers also contain spherical clusters in the bulk of the layer. The magnetic properties of the hexagonal MnAs clusters can be tuned by a controlled variation of the cluster shape

  4. The Fluid-Solid Interaction Dynamics between Underwater Explosion Bubble and Corrugated Sandwich Plate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Wang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Lightweight sandwich structures with highly porous 2D cores or 3D (three-dimensional periodic cores can effectively withstand underwater explosion load. In most of the previous studies of sandwich structure antiblast dynamics, the underwater explosion (UNDEX bubble phase was neglected. As the UNDEX bubble load is one of the severest damage sources that may lead to structure large plastic deformation and crevasses failure, the failure mechanisms of sandwich structures might not be accurate if only shock wave is considered. In this paper, detailed 3D finite element (FE numerical models of UNDEX bubble-LCSP (lightweight corrugated sandwich plates interaction are developed by using MSC.Dytran. Upon the validated FE model, the bubble shape, impact pressure, and fluid field velocities for different stand-off distances are studied. Based on numerical results, the failure modes of LCSP and the whole damage process are obtained. It is demonstrated that the UNDEX bubble collapse jet local load plays a more significant role than the UNDEX shock wave load especially in near-field underwater explosion.

  5. Robust Inference with Multi-way Clustering

    OpenAIRE

    A. Colin Cameron; Jonah B. Gelbach; Douglas L. Miller; Doug Miller

    2009-01-01

    In this paper we propose a variance estimator for the OLS estimator as well as for nonlinear estimators such as logit, probit and GMM. This variance estimator enables cluster-robust inference when there is two-way or multi-way clustering that is non-nested. The variance estimator extends the standard cluster-robust variance estimator or sandwich estimator for one-way clustering (e.g. Liang and Zeger (1986), Arellano (1987)) and relies on similar relatively weak distributional assumptions. Our...

  6. Buckling analysis of SMA bonded sandwich structure – using FEM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katariya, Pankaj V.; Das, Arijit; Panda, Subrata K.

    2018-03-01

    Thermal buckling strength of smart sandwich composite structure (bonded with shape memory alloy; SMA) examined numerically via a higher-order finite element model in association with marching technique. The excess geometrical distortion of the structure under the elevated environment modeled through Green’s strain function whereas the material nonlinearity counted with the help of marching method. The system responses are computed numerically by solving the generalized eigenvalue equations via a customized MATLAB code. The comprehensive behaviour of the current finite element solutions (minimum buckling load parameter) is established by solving the adequate number of numerical examples including the given input parameter. The current numerical model is extended further to check the influence of various structural parameter of the sandwich panel on the buckling temperature including the SMA effect and reported in details.

  7. Compressive and bending behavior of sandwich panels with Octet truss core fabricated from wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Ji Hyun; Nah, Seong Jun; Kang, Ki Ju; Koo, Man Hoe

    2005-01-01

    Ultra light metal structures have been studied for several years because of their superior specific stiffness, strength and potential of multi functions. Many studies have been focused on how to manufacture ultra light metal structures and optimize them. In this study, we introduced a new idea to make sandwich panels having Octet truss cores. Wires bent in a shape of triangular wave were assembled to construct an Octet truss core and it was bonded with two face sheets to be a sandwich panel. The bending and compressive strength and stiffness were estimated through elementary mechanics for the sandwich specimens with two kinds of face sheets and the results were compared with the ones measured by experiments. Some aspects of assembling and mechanical behavior were discussed compared with Kagome core fabricated from wire, which had been introduced in the authors' previous work

  8. Dimensional threshold for fracture linkage and hooking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamarche, Juliette; Chabani, Arezki; Gauthier, Bertrand D. M.

    2018-03-01

    Fracture connectivity in rocks depends on spatial properties of the pattern including length, abundance and orientation. When fractures form a single-strike set, they hardly cross-cut each other and the connectivity is limited. Linkage probability increases with increasing fracture abundance and length as small fractures connect to each other to form longer ones. A process for parallel fracture linkage is the "hooking", where two converging fracture tips mutually deviate and then converge to connect due to the interaction of their crack-tip stresses. Quantifying the processes and conditions for fracture linkage in single-strike fracture sets is crucial to better predicting fluid flow in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs. For 1734 fractures in Permian shales of the Lodève Basin, SE France, we measured geometrical parameters in 2D, characterizing three stages of the hooking process: underlapping, overlapping and linkage. We deciphered the threshold values, shape ratios and limiting conditions to switch from one stage to another one. The hook set up depends on the spacing (S) and fracture length (Lh) with the relation S ≈ 0.15 Lh. Once the hooking is initiated, with the fracture deviation length (L) L ≈ 0.4 Lh, the fractures reaches the linkage stage only when the spacing is reduced to S ≈ 0.02 Lh and the convergence (C) is < 0.1 L. These conditions apply to multi-scale fractures with a shape ratio L/S = 10 and for fracture curvature of 10°-20°.

  9. Bootstrap-Based Improvements for Inference with Clustered Errors

    OpenAIRE

    Doug Miller; A. Colin Cameron; Jonah B. Gelbach

    2006-01-01

    Microeconometrics researchers have increasingly realized the essential need to account for any within-group dependence in estimating standard errors of regression parameter estimates. The typical preferred solution is to calculate cluster-robust or sandwich standard errors that permit quite general heteroskedasticity and within-cluster error correlation, but presume that the number of clusters is large. In applications with few (5-30) clusters, standard asymptotic tests can over-reject consid...

  10. Shape characteristics of equilibrium and non-equilibrium fractal clusters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansfield, Marc L; Douglas, Jack F

    2013-07-28

    between the viscosity and hydrodynamic radii, as potential measures of shape anisotropy. We also find a strong correlation between anisotropy and effective fractal dimension. These observations should provide new practical methods for quantifying the nature of particle clustering in diverse contexts.

  11. Flexural Behavior of Aluminum Honeycomb Core Sandwich Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matta, Vidyasagar; Kumar, J. Suresh; Venkataraviteja, Duddu; Reddy, Guggulla Bharath Kumar

    2017-05-01

    This project is concerned with the fabrication and flexural testing of aluminium honey comb sandwich structure which is a special case of composite materials that is fabricated by attaching two thin but stiff skins to a light weight but thick core. The core material is normally low density material but its high thickness provide the sandwich composite with high bonding stiffness. Honeycomb core are classified into two types based on the materials and structures. Hexagonal shape has a unique properties i.e has more bonding strength and less formation time based on the cell size and sheet thickness. Sandwich structure exhibit different properties such as high load bearing capacity at low weight and has excellent thermal insulation. By considering the above properties it has tendency to minimize the structural problem. So honey comb sandwich structure is choosed. The core structure has a different applications such as aircraft, ship interiors, construction industries. As there is no proper research on strength characteristics of sandwich structure. So, we use light weight material to desire the strength. There are different parameters involved in this structure i.e cell size, sheet thickness and core height. In this project we considered 3 level of comparison among the 3 different parameters cell size of 4, 6 and 8 mm, sheet thickness of 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mm, and core height of 20,25 and 30 mm. In order to reduce the number of experiment we use taguchi design of experiment, and we select the L8 orthogonal array is the best array for this type of situation, which clearly identifies the parameters by independent of material weight to support this we add the minitab software, to identify the main effective plots and regression equation which involves the individual response and corresponding parameters. Aluminium material is used for the fabrication of Honeycomb sandwich structure among the various grades of aluminium we consider the AL6061 which is light weight material

  12. Using a silver-enhanced microarray sandwich structure to improve SERS sensitivity for protein detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Xuefang; Yan, Yuerong; Jiang, Guoqing; Adkins, Jason; Shi, Jian; Jiang, Guomin; Tian, Shu

    2014-03-01

    A simple and sensitive method, based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), for immunoassay and label-free protein detection is reported. A series of bowl-shaped silver cavity arrays were fabricated by electrodeposition using a self-assembled polystyrene spheres template. The reflection spectra of these cavity arrays were recorded as a function of film thickness, and then correlated with SERS enhancement using sodium thiophenolate as the probe molecule. The results reveal that SERS enhancement can be maximized when the frequency of both the incident laser and the Raman scattering approach the frequency of the localized surface plasmon resonance. The optimized array was then used as the bottom layer of a silver nanoparticle-protein-bowl-shaped silver cavity array sandwich. The second layer of silver was introduced by the interactions between the proteins in the middle layer of the sandwich architecture and silver nanoparticles. Human IgG bound to the surface of this microcavity array can retain its recognition function. With the Raman reporter molecules labeled on the antibody, a detection limit down to 0.1 ng mL(-1) for human IgG is easily achieved. Furthermore, the SERS spectra of label-free proteins (catalase, cytochrome C, avidin and lysozyme) from the assembled sandwich have excellent reproducibility and high quality. The results reveal that the proposed approach has potential for use in qualitative and quantitative detection of biomolecules.

  13. Energy Dissipation in Sandwich Structures During Axial Compression

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Urban, Jesper

    2002-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to investigate the energy dissipation in sandwich structures during axial crushing. Axial crushing tests on six sandwich elements are described. The sandwich elements consist of a polyurethane core and E-glass/Polyester skin. The elements compare to full-scale structu......The purpose of this paper is to investigate the energy dissipation in sandwich structures during axial crushing. Axial crushing tests on six sandwich elements are described. The sandwich elements consist of a polyurethane core and E-glass/Polyester skin. The elements compare to full...

  14. Effectiveness of a combination strategy for linkage and retention in adult HIV care in Swaziland: The Link4Health cluster randomized trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margaret L McNairy

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Gaps in the HIV care continuum contribute to poor health outcomes and increase HIV transmission. A combination of interventions targeting multiple steps in the continuum is needed to achieve the full beneficial impact of HIV treatment.Link4Health, a cluster-randomized controlled trial, evaluated the effectiveness of a combination intervention strategy (CIS versus the standard of care (SOC on the primary outcome of linkage to care within 1 month plus retention in care at 12 months after HIV-positive testing. Ten clusters of HIV clinics in Swaziland were randomized 1:1 to CIS versus SOC. The CIS included point-of-care CD4+ testing at the time of an HIV-positive test, accelerated antiretroviral therapy (ART initiation for treatment-eligible participants, mobile phone appointment reminders, health educational packages, and noncash financial incentives. Secondary outcomes included each component of the primary outcome, mean time to linkage, assessment for ART eligibility, ART initiation and time to ART initiation, viral suppression defined as HIV-1 RNA < 1,000 copies/mL at 12 months after HIV testing among patients on ART ≥6 months, and loss to follow-up and death at 12 months after HIV testing. A total of 2,197 adults aged ≥18 years, newly tested HIV positive, were enrolled from 19 August 2013 to 21 November 2014 (1,096 CIS arm; 1,101 SOC arm and followed for 12 months. The median participant age was 31 years (IQR 26-39, and 59% were women. In an intention-to-treat analysis, 64% (705/1,096 of participants at the CIS sites achieved the primary outcome versus 43% (477/1,101 at the SOC sites (adjusted relative risk [RR] 1.52, 95% CI 1.19-1.96, p = 0.002. Participants in the CIS arm versus the SOC arm had the following secondary outcomes: linkage to care regardless of retention at 12 months (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.97-1.21, p = 0.13, mean time to linkage (2.5 days versus 7.5 days, p = 0.189, retention in care at 12 months regardless of time to linkage (RR

  15. Digital pulse shape discrimination of detector data using fuzzy clustering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Abhinav; Chatterjee, A.; Ramachandran, K.; Shrivastava, A.; Mahata, K.

    2011-01-01

    In accelerator based experiments, data acquisition is done by CAMAC, VME and other systems. The current trend is to digitize the pulse shapes and not just the peak heights of all the input channels, by means of Flash ADCs. In view of the large number of channels involved, this leads to unprecedented data volumes. Therefore, attempts to perform a first level of analysis in real time using algorithms implemented in FPGA have become important. In the present work, digital pulse shape discrimination using fuzzy clustering has been investigated. The attempt has been to devise general purpose PSD Techniques, loosely coupled with the characteristics of detector or particle type, for particle identification. The method is applicable to neutron-gamma discrimination for liquid scintillators and charged particles detected by Si detectors

  16. New "sandwich" structures conformed from three dimensional

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alba, Juan J.

    1996-03-01

    Full Text Available Poor interlaminar properties as well as poor-skin-to-core adhesion properties are very often the common existing problems we find when designing with "sandwich" structures. A new type of 3D-fabric "sandwich" structure is being developed in order to avoid these problems. Although the manufacturing process is very simple, a very complex "sandwich" structure is obtained as a result of the complexity of the 3D-fabric used. This 3D-fabric is a 3D woven glass fabric produced on velvet weaving machines with glass yarns. It is an integrally woven "sandwich" laminate for all kinds of composite products. The strength of the vertical fibers makes, that also after impregnation with a resin matrix, the "sandwich" structure is maintained. The result is a laminate with high strength and stiffness and low weight. On each side of this "sandwich" laminate additional reinforcement materials can be laminated and a synthetic foam can be injected in the hollow structure. This will allow to establish the mechanical properties of a finished product.

    Las pobres propiedades, tanto interlaminares como de adhesión entre piel y núcleo, constituyen uno de los grandes problemas cuando se diseñan estructuras utilizando paneles tipo "sandwich". Un nuevo tipo de panel "sandwich", configurado a partir de tejidos tridimensionales, está siendo desarrollado en la actualidad con el objetivo de eliminar esos problemas. Aunque el proceso de fabricación es muy simple, el panel "sandwich" obtenido es de estructura compleja, como resultado de la complejidad del tejido tridimensional utilizado. Este tejido tridimensional (3D es un tejido de fibra de vidrio producido en máquinas de tejer especializadas. La resistencia de las fibras verticales hace que, después de la impregnación con una resina, se mantenga la configuración tipo "sandwich". El resultado es un laminado de alta resistencia, gran rigidez y bajo peso. Sobre cada uno de los lados del panel "sandwich" se pueden

  17. A hybrid clustering approach to recognition of protein families in 114 microbial genomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gogarten J Peter

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Grouping proteins into sequence-based clusters is a fundamental step in many bioinformatic analyses (e.g., homology-based prediction of structure or function. Standard clustering methods such as single-linkage clustering capture a history of cluster topologies as a function of threshold, but in practice their usefulness is limited because unrelated sequences join clusters before biologically meaningful families are fully constituted, e.g. as the result of matches to so-called promiscuous domains. Use of the Markov Cluster algorithm avoids this non-specificity, but does not preserve topological or threshold information about protein families. Results We describe a hybrid approach to sequence-based clustering of proteins that combines the advantages of standard and Markov clustering. We have implemented this hybrid approach over a relational database environment, and describe its application to clustering a large subset of PDB, and to 328577 proteins from 114 fully sequenced microbial genomes. To demonstrate utility with difficult problems, we show that hybrid clustering allows us to constitute the paralogous family of ATP synthase F1 rotary motor subunits into a single, biologically interpretable hierarchical grouping that was not accessible using either single-linkage or Markov clustering alone. We describe validation of this method by hybrid clustering of PDB and mapping SCOP families and domains onto the resulting clusters. Conclusion Hybrid (Markov followed by single-linkage clustering combines the advantages of the Markov Cluster algorithm (avoidance of non-specific clusters resulting from matches to promiscuous domains and single-linkage clustering (preservation of topological information as a function of threshold. Within the individual Markov clusters, single-linkage clustering is a more-precise instrument, discerning sub-clusters of biological relevance. Our hybrid approach thus provides a computationally efficient

  18. Sound transmission loss of composite sandwich panels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ran

    Light composite sandwich panels are increasingly used in automobiles, ships and aircraft, because of the advantages they offer of high strength-to-weight ratios. However, the acoustical properties of these light and stiff structures can be less desirable than those of equivalent metal panels. These undesirable properties can lead to high interior noise levels. A number of researchers have studied the acoustical properties of honeycomb and foam sandwich panels. Not much work, however, has been carried out on foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels. In this dissertation, governing equations for the forced vibration of asymmetric sandwich panels are developed. An analytical expression for modal densities of symmetric sandwich panels is derived from a sixth-order governing equation. A boundary element analysis model for the sound transmission loss of symmetric sandwich panels is proposed. Measurements of the modal density, total loss factor, radiation loss factor, and sound transmission loss of foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels with different configurations and thicknesses are presented. Comparisons between the predicted sound transmission loss values obtained from wave impedance analysis, statistical energy analysis, boundary element analysis, and experimental values are presented. The wave impedance analysis model provides accurate predictions of sound transmission loss for the thin foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels at frequencies above their first resonance frequencies. The predictions from the statistical energy analysis model are in better agreement with the experimental transmission loss values of the sandwich panels when the measured radiation loss factor values near coincidence are used instead of the theoretical values for single-layer panels. The proposed boundary element analysis model provides more accurate predictions of sound transmission loss for the thick foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels than either the wave impedance analysis model or the

  19. Analytically continued Fock space multi-reference coupled-cluster theory: Application to the shape resonance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pal, Sourav; Sajeev, Y.; Vaval, Nayana

    2006-01-01

    The Fock space multi-reference coupled-cluster (FSMRCC) method is used for the study of the shape resonance energy and width in an electron-atom/molecule collision. The procedure is based upon combining a complex absorbing potential (CAP) with FSMRCC theory. Accurate resonance parameters are obtained by solving a small non-Hermitian eigen-value problem. We study the shape resonances in e - -C 2 H 4 and e - -Mg

  20. Interplay between experiments and calculations for organometallic clusters and caged clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakajima, Atsushi

    2015-01-01

    Clusters consisting of 10-1000 atoms exhibit size-dependent electronic and geometric properties. In particular, composite clusters consisting of several elements and/or components provide a promising way for a bottom-up approach for designing functional advanced materials, because the functionality of the composite clusters can be optimized not only by the cluster size but also by their compositions. In the formation of composite clusters, their geometric symmetry and dimensionality are emphasized to control the physical and chemical properties, because selective and anisotropic enhancements for optical, chemical, and magnetic properties can be expected. Organometallic clusters and caged clusters are demonstrated as a representative example of designing the functionality of the composite clusters. Organometallic vanadium-benzene forms a one dimensional sandwich structure showing ferromagnetic behaviors and anomalously large HOMO-LUMO gap differences of two spin orbitals, which can be regarded as spin-filter components for cluster-based spintronic devices. Caged clusters of aluminum (Al) are well stabilized both geometrically and electronically at Al 12 X, behaving as a “superatom”

  1. Cooperation and Competition among Clustered MSEs in East Java

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arif Hoetoro

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available There has been a common picture in economic development that micro and small enterprises (MSEs tend to conglomerate in various clusters for the sake of gaining location advantages. These MSEs then create inter-firm linkages and business strategies as the two play an important role in their performance. By taking selected manufacturing MSEs that operate in various small industrial clusters in East Java, Indonesia, this research examined the relationships between the inter-firm linkages and business strategies applied simultaneously by MSEs and their impacts on the firm’s performance. Viewed from the perspective of a co-opetition strategy, the results of this study revealed that some types of inter-firm linkages and business strategies matter for the MSEs’ performance. However, within small industrial clusters, inter-firm linkages seem to be less effective compared to business strategies in affecting a firm’s performance.

  2. Weak and or non-existent farmer-research-extension linkage ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    extension-farmer linkages in Nyanga district of Zimbabwe. The target sample population was comprised of 150 communal farmers (N=150) from three clusters in Nyanga districts, as well as 12 extension officers (N=12) and six research officers ...

  3. Effects of shape and dopant on structural, optical absorption, Raman, and vibrational properties of silver and copper quantum clusters: A density functional theory study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Wei-Yin; Chen Fu-Yi

    2014-01-01

    We investigate the effects of shape and single-atom doping on the structural, optical absorption, Raman, and vibrational properties of Ag 13 , Ag 12 Cu 1 , Cu 13 , and Cu 12 Ag 1 clusters by using the (time-dependent) density functional theory. The results show that the most stable structures are cuboctahedron (COh) for Ag 13 and icosahedron (Ih) for Cu 13 , Ag 12 Cu 1core , and Cu 12 Ag 1sur . In the visible—near infrared optical absorption, the transitions consist of the interband and the intraband transitions. Moreover, red shifts are observed as follows: 1) clusters change from Ag 12 Cu 1core to Ag 13 to Ag 12 Cu 1sur with the same motifs, 2) the shapes of pure Ag 13 and Ag 12 Cu 1core clusters change from COh to Ih to decahedron (Dh), 3) the shape of Ag 12 Cu 1sur clusters changes from Ih to COh to Dh, and 4) the shapes of pure Cu 13 and Cu 12 Ag 1 clusters change from Ih to Dh to COh. All of the Raman and vibrational spectra exhibit many significant vibrational modes related to the shapes and the compositions of the clusters. The ranges of vibrational spectra of Ag 13 , Ag 12 Cu 1 or Cu 13 , and Cu 12 Ag 1 clusters become narrower and the vibrational intensities increase as the shape of the clusters changes from Ih to Dh to COh. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

  4. Clusters, Connectivity and Catch-up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lorenzen, Mark; Mudambi, Ram

    2013-01-01

    In this article, we make two important contributions to the literature on clusters. First, we provide a broader theory of cluster connectivity that has hitherto focused on organization-based pipelines and MNE subsidiaries, by including linkages in the form of personal relationships. Second, we us...... by contrasting two emerging economy case studies: Bollywood, the Indian filmed entertainment cluster in Mumbai and the Indian software cluster in Bangalore....

  5. The use of different clustering methods in the evaluation of genetic diversity in upland cotton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laíse Ferreira de Araújo

    Full Text Available The continuous development and evaluation of new genotypes through crop breeding is essential in order to obtain new cultivars. The objective of this work was to evaluate the genetic divergences between cultivars of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. using the agronomic and technological characteristics of the fibre, in order to select superior parent plants. The experiment was set up during 2010 at the Federal University of Ceará in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Eleven cultivars of upland cotton were used in an experimental design of randomised blocks with three replications. In order to evaluate the genetic diversity among cultivars, the generalised Mahalanobis distance matrix was calculated, with cluster analysis then being applied, employing various methods: single linkage, Ward, complete linkage, median, average linkage within a cluster and average linkage between clusters. Genetic variability exists among the evaluated genotypes. The most consistant clustering method was that employing average linkage between clusters. Among the characteristics assessed, mean boll weight presented the highest contribution to genetic diversity, followed by elongation at rupture. Employing the method of mean linkage between clusters, the cultivars with greater genetic divergence were BRS Acacia and LD Frego; those of greater similarity were BRS Itaúba and BRS Araripe.

  6. Sound-proof Sandwich Panel Design via Metamaterial Concept

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sui, Ni

    Sandwich panels consisting of hollow core cells and two face-sheets bonded on both sides have been widely used as lightweight and strong structures in practical engineering applications, but with poor acoustic performance especially at low frequency regime. Basic sound-proof methods for the sandwich panel design are spontaneously categorized as sound insulation and sound absorption. Motivated by metamaterial concept, this dissertation presents two sandwich panel designs without sacrificing weight or size penalty: A lightweight yet sound-proof honeycomb acoustic metamateiral can be used as core material for honeycomb sandwich panels to block sound and break the mass law to realize minimum sound transmission; the other sandwich panel design is based on coupled Helmholtz resonators and can achieve perfect sound absorption without sound reflection. Based on the honeycomb sandwich panel, the mechanical properties of the honeycomb core structure were studied first. By incorporating a thin membrane on top of each honeycomb core, the traditional honeycomb core turns into honeycomb acoustic metamaterial. The basic theory for such kind of membrane-type acoustic metamaterial is demonstrated by a lumped model with infinite periodic oscillator system, and the negative dynamic effective mass density for clamped membrane is analyzed under the membrane resonance condition. Evanescent wave mode caused by negative dynamic effective mass density and impedance methods are utilized to interpret the physical phenomenon of honeycomb acoustic metamaterials at resonance. The honeycomb metamaterials can extraordinarily improve low-frequency sound transmission loss below the first resonant frequency of the membrane. The property of the membrane, the tension of the membrane and the numbers of attached membranes can impact the sound transmission loss, which are observed by numerical simulations and validated by experiments. The sandwich panel which incorporates the honeycomb metamateiral as

  7. Role of shape and quadrupole deformation of parents in the cluster emission of rare earth nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Girija, K.K.; Joseph, Antony

    2014-01-01

    The nuclear structure effects on α decay and cluster emission are investigated in the case of even–even rare earth nuclei 150–160 Dy, 150–160 Er, 150–160 Yb, 158,162,166–176 Hf, 160,164–178 W and 162,166,170–180 Os. The role of shape and deformation of parent nuclei in the decay rate is studied by taking the Coulomb and proximity potentials as the interacting barrier for the post scission configuration. The quadrupole deformation of parent nuclei causes a slight change in the half-life of α emissions, but it affects the rate of heavy cluster emissions significantly. Prolate deformation of parents enhances cluster emission, while an oblate deformation slows down the decay. Shape and deformation of parent nuclei causes change in the branching ratio also. A prolate deformation increases the branching ratio, whereas an oblate deformation reduces it. Highest branching ratio is predicted at N ∼ 90. (author)

  8. High temperature structural sandwich panels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papakonstantinou, Christos G.

    High strength composites are being used for making lightweight structural panels that are being employed in aerospace, naval and automotive structures. Recently, there is renewed interest in use of these panels. The major problem of most commercial available sandwich panels is the fire resistance. A recently developed inorganic matrix is investigated for use in cases where fire and high temperature resistance are necessary. The focus of this dissertation is the development of a fireproof composite structural system. Sandwich panels made with polysialate matrices have an excellent potential for use in applications where exposure to high temperatures or fire is a concern. Commercial available sandwich panels will soften and lose nearly all of their compressive strength temperatures lower than 400°C. This dissertation consists of the state of the art, the experimental investigation and the analytical modeling. The state of the art covers the performance of existing high temperature composites, sandwich panels and reinforced concrete beams strengthened with Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP). The experimental part consists of four major components: (i) Development of a fireproof syntactic foam with maximum specific strength, (ii) Development of a lightweight syntactic foam based on polystyrene spheres, (iii) Development of the composite system for the skins. The variables are the skin thickness, modulus of elasticity of skin and high temperature resistance, and (iv) Experimental evaluation of the flexural behavior of sandwich panels. Analytical modeling consists of a model for the flexural behavior of lightweight sandwich panels, and a model for deflection calculations of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with FRP subjected to fatigue loading. The experimental and analytical results show that sandwich panels made with polysialate matrices and ceramic spheres do not lose their load bearing capability during severe fire exposure, where temperatures reach several

  9. The shape of velocity dispersion profiles and the dynamical state of galaxy clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, A. P.; Ribeiro, A. L. B.; de Carvalho, R. R.

    2018-01-01

    Motivated by the existence of the relationship between the dynamical state of clusters and the shape of the velocity dispersion profiles (VDPs), we study the VDPs for Gaussian (G) and non-Gaussian (NG) systems for a subsample of clusters from the Yang catalogue. The groups cover a redshift interval of 0.03 ≤ z ≤ 0.1 with halo mass ≥1014 M⊙. We use a robust statistical method, Hellinger Distance, to classify the dynamical state of the systems according to their velocity distribution. The stacked VDP of each class, G and NG, is then determined using either Bright or Faint galaxies. The stacked VDP for G groups displays a central peak followed by a monotonically decreasing trend which indicates a predominance of radial orbits, with the Bright stacked VDP showing lower velocity dispersions in all radii. The distinct features we find in NG systems are manifested not only by the characteristic shape of VDP, with a depression in the central region, but also by a possible higher infall rate associated with galaxies in the Faint stacked VDP.

  10. Creep of sandwich beams with metallic foam cores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kesler, O.; Crews, L.K.; Gibson, L.J.

    2003-01-01

    The steady state creep deflection rates of sandwich beams with metallic foam cores were measured and compared with analytical and numerical predictions of the creep behavior. The deflection rate depends on the geometry of the sandwich beam, the creep behavior of the foam core and the loading conditions (stress state, temperature). Although there was a considerable scatter in the creep data (both of the foams and of the sandwich beams made using them), the data for the sandwich beams were fairly well described by the analysis

  11. Creep of sandwich beams with metallic foam cores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kesler, O.; Crews, L.K.; Gibson, L.J

    2003-01-20

    The steady state creep deflection rates of sandwich beams with metallic foam cores were measured and compared with analytical and numerical predictions of the creep behavior. The deflection rate depends on the geometry of the sandwich beam, the creep behavior of the foam core and the loading conditions (stress state, temperature). Although there was a considerable scatter in the creep data (both of the foams and of the sandwich beams made using them), the data for the sandwich beams were fairly well described by the analysis.

  12. Automated three-dimensional morphology-based clustering of human erythrocytes with regular shapes: stomatocytes, discocytes, and echinocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmadzadeh, Ezat; Jaferzadeh, Keyvan; Lee, Jieun; Moon, Inkyu

    2017-07-01

    We present unsupervised clustering methods for automatic grouping of human red blood cells (RBCs) extracted from RBC quantitative phase images obtained by digital holographic microscopy into three RBC clusters with regular shapes, including biconcave, stomatocyte, and sphero-echinocyte. We select some good features related to the RBC profile and morphology, such as RBC average thickness, sphericity coefficient, and mean corpuscular volume, and clustering methods, including density-based spatial clustering applications with noise, k-medoids, and k-means, are applied to the set of morphological features. The clustering results of RBCs using a set of three-dimensional features are compared against a set of two-dimensional features. Our experimental results indicate that by utilizing the introduced set of features, two groups of biconcave RBCs and old RBCs (suffering from the sphero-echinocyte process) can be perfectly clustered. In addition, by increasing the number of clusters, the three RBC types can be effectively clustered in an automated unsupervised manner with high accuracy. The performance evaluation of the clustering techniques reveals that they can assist hematologists in further diagnosis.

  13. Heuristics for minimizing the maximum within-clusters distance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Augusto Fioruci

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The clustering problem consists in finding patterns in a data set in order to divide it into clusters with high within-cluster similarity. This paper presents the study of a problem, here called MMD problem, which aims at finding a clustering with a predefined number of clusters that minimizes the largest within-cluster distance (diameter among all clusters. There are two main objectives in this paper: to propose heuristics for the MMD and to evaluate the suitability of the best proposed heuristic results according to the real classification of some data sets. Regarding the first objective, the results obtained in the experiments indicate a good performance of the best proposed heuristic that outperformed the Complete Linkage algorithm (the most used method from the literature for this problem. Nevertheless, regarding the suitability of the results according to the real classification of the data sets, the proposed heuristic achieved better quality results than C-Means algorithm, but worse than Complete Linkage.

  14. Advanced Mechanical Testing of Sandwich Materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hayman, Brian; Berggreen, Christian; Jenstrup, Claus

    2008-01-01

    An advanced digital optical system has been used to measure surface strains on sandwich face and core specimens tested in a project concerned with improved criteria for designing sandwich X-joints. The face sheet specimens were of glass reinforced polyester and were tested in tension. The core sp...

  15. application of single-linkage clustering method in the analysis of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Admin

    ANALYSIS OF GROWTH RATE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT. (GDP) AT ... The end result of the algorithm is a tree of clusters called a dendrogram, which shows how the clusters are ..... Number of cluster sum from from observations of ...

  16. Low Velocity Impact Properties of Aluminum Foam Sandwich Structural Composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ZHAO Jin-hua

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Sandwich structural composites were prepared by aluminum foam as core materials with basalt fiber(BF and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE fiber composite as faceplate. The effect of factors of different fiber type faceplates, fabric layer design and the thickness of the corematerials on the impact properties and damage mode of aluminum foam sandwich structure was studied. The impact properties were also analyzed to compare with aluminum honeycomb sandwich structure. The results show that BF/aluminum foam sandwich structural composites has bigger impact damage load than UHMWPE/aluminum foam sandwich structure, but less impact displacement and energy absorption. The inter-layer hybrid fabric design of BF and UHMWPE has higher impact load and energy absorption than the overlay hybrid fabric design faceplate sandwich structure. With the increase of the thickness of aluminum foam,the impact load of the sandwich structure decreases, but the energy absorption increases. Aluminum foam sandwich structure has higher impact load than the aluminum honeycomb sandwich structure, but smaller damage energy absorption; the damage mode of aluminum foam core material is mainly the fracture at the impact area, while aluminum honeycomb core has obvious overall compression failure.

  17. Hydrothermal synthesis and structural characterization of an organic–inorganic hybrid sandwich-type tungstoantimonate [Cu(en)2(H2O)]4[Cu(en)2(H2O)2][Cu2Na4(α-SbW9O33)2]·6H2O

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Yingjie; Cao, Jing; Wang, Yujie; Li, Yanzhou; Zhao, Junwei; Chen, Lijuan; Ma, Pengtao; Niu, Jingyang

    2014-01-01

    An organic–inorganic hybrid sandwich-type tungstoantimonate [Cu(en) 2 (H 2 O)] 4 [Cu(en) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ][Cu 2 Na 4 (α-SbW 9 O 33 ) 2 ]·6H 2 O (1) has been synthesized by reaction of Sb 2 O 3 , Na 2 WO 4 ·2H 2 O, CuCl 2 ·2H 2 O with en (en=ethanediamine) under hydrothermal conditions and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, IR spectrum and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. 1 displays a centric dimeric structure formed by two equivalent trivacant Keggin [α-SbW 9 O 33 ] 9− subunits sandwiching a hexagonal (Cu 2 Na 4 ) cluster. Moreover, those related hexagonal hexa-metal cluster sandwiched tungstoantimonates have been also summarized and compared. The variable-temperature magnetic measurements of 1 exhibit the weak ferromagnetic exchange interactions within the hexagonal (Cu 2 Na 4 ) cluster mediated by the oxygen bridges. - Graphical abstract: An organic–inorganic hybrid (Cu 2 Na 4 ) sandwiched tungstoantimonate [Cu(en) 2 (H 2 O)] 4 [Cu (en) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ][Cu 2 Na 4 (α-SbW 9 O 33 ) 2 ]·6H 2 O was synthesized and magnetic properties was investigated. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Organic–inorganic hybrid sandwich-type tungstoantimonate. • (Cu 2 Na 4 sandwiched) tungstoantimonate [Cu 2 Na 4 (α-SbW 9 O 33 ) 2 ] 10− . • Ferromagnetic tungstoantimonate

  18. 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.

  19. Thermal conductivity of newspaper sandwiched aerated lightweight concrete panel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ng, Soon-Ching; Low, Kaw-Sai [Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Genting Kelang, Setapak, 53300 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan (Malaysia)

    2010-12-15

    Investigation on the thermal conductivity of newspaper sandwiched aerated lightweight concrete (ALC) panels is the main purpose of this study. Various densities of ALC panels ranging from 1700, 1400 and 1100 kg/m{sup 3} with three different aerial intensities of newspaper sandwiched were produced. Investigation was limited to the effect of aerial intensity of newspaper sandwiched and the effect of density of ALC on thermal conductivity. It is found that the thermal conductivity of newspaper sandwiched ALC panels reduced remarkably compared to control ALC panels. The reduction was recorded at 18.0%, 21.8% and 20.7% correspond to densities of 1700, 1400 and 1100 kg/m{sup 3} with just a mere 0.05 g/cm{sup 2} aerial intensity of newspaper sandwiched. Newspaper sandwiched has a significant impact on the performance of thermal conductivity of ALC panels based on regression analysis. (author)

  20. Predicting safe sandwich production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birk, Tina; Duan, Zhi; Møller, Cleide Oliveira de Almeida

    2014-01-01

    Time and temperature control is crucial to avoid growth of pathogens during production and serving of cold ready-to-eat meals. The Danish guidelines state that chilled foods, such as sandwiches, should not be outside the cold chain for more than 3 hours including the time for preparation...... and serving. However, Danish sandwich producing companies find it challenging to comply with this and have expressed a need for more flexibility. The Danish guidelines do allow for a prolongation of the acceptable time outside the cold chain, if the safety of the specific production can be documented...

  1. Development of Aircraft Sandwich Parts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Křena

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available The presented paper shows the design and development process of sandwich parts. A spoiler plate and a main landing gear door are developed. Sandwich parts are made of C/E composite facings and a foam core. FE models have been used for optimization of structures. Emphasis has been placed on deformations of parts under a few load cases. Experimental tests have been used for a verification of structure parts loaded by concentrated forces.

  2. ITO-TiN-ITO Sandwiches for Near-Infrared Plasmonic Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chaonan; Wang, Zhewei; Wu, Ke; Chong, Haining; Xu, Zemin; Ye, Hui

    2018-05-02

    Indium tin oxide (ITO)-based sandwich structures with the insertion of ultrathin (ITO layers show TiN-thickness-dependent properties, which lead to moderate and tunable effective permittivities for the sandwiches. The surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) of the ITO-TiN-ITO sandwich at the telecommunication window (1480-1570 nm) are activated by prism coupling using Kretschmann configuration. Compared with pure ITO films or sandwiches with metal insertion, the reflectivity dip for sandwiches with TiN is relatively deeper and wider, indicating the enhanced coupling ability in plasmonic materials for telecommunications. The SPP spatial profile, penetration depth, and degree of confinement, as well as the quality factors, demonstrate the applicability of such sandwiches for NIR plasmonic materials in various devices.

  3. When to conduct probabilistic linkage vs. deterministic linkage? A simulation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Ying; Matsuyama, Yutaka; Ohashi, Yasuo; Setoguchi, Soko

    2015-08-01

    When unique identifiers are unavailable, successful record linkage depends greatly on data quality and types of variables available. While probabilistic linkage theoretically captures more true matches than deterministic linkage by allowing imperfection in identifiers, studies have shown inconclusive results likely due to variations in data quality, implementation of linkage methodology and validation method. The simulation study aimed to understand data characteristics that affect the performance of probabilistic vs. deterministic linkage. We created ninety-six scenarios that represent real-life situations using non-unique identifiers. We systematically introduced a range of discriminative power, rate of missing and error, and file size to increase linkage patterns and difficulties. We assessed the performance difference of linkage methods using standard validity measures and computation time. Across scenarios, deterministic linkage showed advantage in PPV while probabilistic linkage showed advantage in sensitivity. Probabilistic linkage uniformly outperformed deterministic linkage as the former generated linkages with better trade-off between sensitivity and PPV regardless of data quality. However, with low rate of missing and error in data, deterministic linkage performed not significantly worse. The implementation of deterministic linkage in SAS took less than 1min, and probabilistic linkage took 2min to 2h depending on file size. Our simulation study demonstrated that the intrinsic rate of missing and error of linkage variables was key to choosing between linkage methods. In general, probabilistic linkage was a better choice, but for exceptionally good quality data (<5% error), deterministic linkage was a more resource efficient choice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Experimental formability analysis of bondal sandwich sheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kami, Abdolvahed; Banabic, Dorel

    2018-05-01

    Metal/polymer/metal sandwich sheets have recently attracted the interests of industries like automotive industry. These sandwich sheets have superior properties over single-layer metallic sheets including good sound and vibration damping and light weight. However, the formability of these sandwich sheets should be enhanced which requires more research. In this paper, the formability of Bondal sheet (DC06/viscoelastic polymer/DC06 sandwich sheet) was studied through different types of experiments. The mechanical properties of Bondal were determined by uniaxial tensile tests. Hemispherical punch stretching and hydraulic bulge tests were carried out to determine the forming limit diagram (FLD) of Bondal. Furthermore, cylindrical and square cup drawing tests were performed in dry and oil lubricated conditions. These tests were conducted at different blank holding forces (BHFs). An interesting observation about Bondal sheet deep drawing was obtaining of higher drawing depths at dry condition in comparison with oil-lubricated condition.

  5. Vibro-acoustics of lightweight sandwich structures

    CERN Document Server

    Lu, Tianjian

    2014-01-01

    Vibro-Acoustics of Lightweight Sandwich Structures introduces the study of the coupled vibration and acoustic behavior of lightweight sandwich structures in response to harmonic force and sound pressure. This book focuses on the theoretical modeling and experimental investigation of lightweight sandwich structures in order to provide a predictive framework for vibro-acoustic characteristics of typical engineering structures. Furthermore, by developing solution tools, it concentrates on the influence of key systematic parameters leading to effective guidance for optimal structure design toward lightweight, high-stiffness and superior sound insulation capability. This book is intended for researchers, scientists, engineers and graduate students in mechanical engineering especially in structural mechanics, mechanics and acoustics. Fengxian Xin and Tianjian Lu both work at the School of Aerospace, Xi’an Jiaotong University.

  6. CLUSTER DYNAMICS LARGELY SHAPES PROTOPLANETARY DISK SIZES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vincke, Kirsten; Pfalzner, Susanne, E-mail: kvincke@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany)

    2016-09-01

    To what degree the cluster environment influences the sizes of protoplanetary disks surrounding young stars is still an open question. This is particularly true for the short-lived clusters typical for the solar neighborhood, in which the stellar density and therefore the influence of the cluster environment change considerably over the first 10 Myr. In previous studies, the effect of the gas on the cluster dynamics has often been neglected; this is remedied here. Using the code NBody6++, we study the stellar dynamics in different developmental phases—embedded, expulsion, and expansion—including the gas, and quantify the effect of fly-bys on the disk size. We concentrate on massive clusters (M {sub cl} ≥ 10{sup 3}–6 ∗ 10{sup 4} M {sub Sun}), which are representative for clusters like the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) or NGC 6611. We find that not only the stellar density but also the duration of the embedded phase matters. The densest clusters react fastest to the gas expulsion and drop quickly in density, here 98% of relevant encounters happen before gas expulsion. By contrast, disks in sparser clusters are initially less affected, but because these clusters expand more slowly, 13% of disks are truncated after gas expulsion. For ONC-like clusters, we find that disks larger than 500 au are usually affected by the environment, which corresponds to the observation that 200 au-sized disks are common. For NGC 6611-like clusters, disk sizes are cut-down on average to roughly 100 au. A testable hypothesis would be that the disks in the center of NGC 6611 should be on average ≈20 au and therefore considerably smaller than those in the ONC.

  7. Non-linear Behavior of Curved Sandwich Panels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berggreen, Carl Christian; Jolma, P.; Karjalainen, J. P.

    2003-01-01

    In this paper the non-linear behavior of curved sandwich panels is investigated both numerically and experimentally. Focus is on various aspects of finite element modeling and calculation procedures. A simply supported, singly curved, CFRP/PVC sandwich panel is analyzed under uniform pressure loa...

  8. Correction for dispersion and Coulombic interactions in molecular clusters with density functional derived methods: Application to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rapacioli, Mathias; Spiegelman, Fernand; Talbi, Dahbia; Mineva, Tzonka; Goursot, Annick; Heine, Thomas; Seifert, Gotthard

    2009-06-01

    The density functional based tight binding (DFTB) is a semiempirical method derived from the density functional theory (DFT). It inherits therefore its problems in treating van der Waals clusters. A major error comes from dispersion forces, which are poorly described by commonly used DFT functionals, but which can be accounted for by an a posteriori treatment DFT-D. This correction is used for DFTB. The self-consistent charge (SCC) DFTB is built on Mulliken charges which are known to give a poor representation of Coulombic intermolecular potential. We propose to calculate this potential using the class IV/charge model 3 definition of atomic charges. The self-consistent calculation of these charges is introduced in the SCC procedure and corresponding nuclear forces are derived. Benzene dimer is then studied as a benchmark system with this corrected DFTB (c-DFTB-D) method, but also, for comparison, with the DFT-D. Both methods give similar results and are in agreement with references calculations (CCSD(T) and symmetry adapted perturbation theory) calculations. As a first application, pyrene dimer is studied with the c-DFTB-D and DFT-D methods. For coronene clusters, only the c-DFTB-D approach is used, which finds the sandwich configurations to be more stable than the T-shaped ones.

  9. An efficient coupled polynomial interpolation scheme for shear mode sandwich beam finite element

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Litesh N. Sulbhewar

    Full Text Available An efficient piezoelectric sandwich beam finite element is presented here. It employs the coupled polynomial field interpolation scheme for field variables which incorporates electromechanical coupling at interpolation level itself; unlike conventional sandwich beam theory (SBT based formulations available in the literature. A variational formulation is used to derive the governing equations, which are used to establish the relationships between field variables. These relations lead to the coupled polynomial field descriptions of variables, unlike conventional SBT formulations which use assumed independent polynomials. The relative axial displacement is expressed only by coupled terms containing contributions from other mechanical and electrical variables, thus eliminating use of the transverse displacement derivative as a degree of freedom. A set of coupled shape function based on these polynomials has shown the improvement in the convergence characteristics of the SBT based formulation. This improvement in the performance is achieved with one nodal degree of freedom lesser than the conventional SBT formulations.

  10. Nonglobal proof of the thin--sandwich conjecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereira, C.M.

    1981-01-01

    A gravitational thin--sandwich conjecture was first proposed by Wheeler and coworkers during the period 1962--4. The present paper contains a proof of the nonglobal form of this gravitational thin--sandwich conjecture. The proof (a) applies for arbitrary choices of the spatial metric and its time derivative; and (b) demonstrates the existence on a spacelike three-surface of solutions which satisfy conditions of continuity known to be sufficient to obtain existence and uniqueness of solutions to Einstein's equations off the three-surface and existence and uniqueness of geodesics. Riquier's existence theorem plays an important role in the proof. The relationship of the present results to previous work is discussed. Some global questions associated with the thin--sandwich conjecture are clarified. Some aspects of the relationship of the thin--sandwich conjecture to the problem of the quantization of the gravitational field are noted. Both the vacuum case and the case of a nonviscous fluid are included. The discussion allows for an arbitrary equation of state p = p

  11. Characterization of sandwich panels for indentation and impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shazly, M; Salem, S; Bahei-El-Din, Y

    2013-01-01

    The integrity of sandwich structures which are susceptible to impact may deteriorate significantly due to collapse of the core material and delamination of the face sheets. The integration of a thin polyurethane interlayer between the composite face sheet and foam core is known to protect the core material and substantially improve the resistance to impact. The objective of the present work is to characterize the response of sandwich panels, as well as that of the constituents to impact. In particular, the response of polyurethane and foam samples under a range of quasi-static and dynamic loading rates is determined experimentally. Furthermore, the response of sandwich panels to quasi-static indentation and low velocity impact is examined to quantify the extent of damage and how it is affected by the integration of polyurethane interlayers in their construction. This information is useful in the modelling of high velocity impact of sandwich panels; an effort which is currently underway. The results illustrate the benefit of using polyurethane interlayers within the construction of sandwich panels in enhancing their performance under quasi-static indentation and impact loads

  12. Visualization of pairwise and multilocus linkage disequilibrium structure using latent forests.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raphaël Mourad

    Full Text Available Linkage disequilibrium study represents a major issue in statistical genetics as it plays a fundamental role in gene mapping and helps us to learn more about human history. The linkage disequilibrium complex structure makes its exploratory data analysis essential yet challenging. Visualization methods, such as the triangular heat map implemented in Haploview, provide simple and useful tools to help understand complex genetic patterns, but remain insufficient to fully describe them. Probabilistic graphical models have been widely recognized as a powerful formalism allowing a concise and accurate modeling of dependences between variables. In this paper, we propose a method for short-range, long-range and chromosome-wide linkage disequilibrium visualization using forests of hierarchical latent class models. Thanks to its hierarchical nature, our method is shown to provide a compact view of both pairwise and multilocus linkage disequilibrium spatial structures for the geneticist. Besides, a multilocus linkage disequilibrium measure has been designed to evaluate linkage disequilibrium in hierarchy clusters. To learn the proposed model, a new scalable algorithm is presented. It constrains the dependence scope, relying on physical positions, and is able to deal with more than one hundred thousand single nucleotide polymorphisms. The proposed algorithm is fast and does not require phase genotypic data.

  13. Galaxy Cluster Shapes and Systematic Errors in the Hubble Constant as Determined by the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulkanen, Martin E.; Joy, M. K.; Patel, S. K.

    1998-01-01

    Imaging of the Sunyaev-Zei'dovich (S-Z) effect in galaxy clusters combined with the cluster plasma x-ray diagnostics can measure the cosmic distance scale to high accuracy. However, projecting the inverse-Compton scattering and x-ray emission along the cluster line-of-sight will introduce systematic errors in the Hubble constant, H$-O$, because the true shape of the cluster is not known. This effect remains present for clusters that are otherwise chosen to avoid complications for the S-Z and x-ray analysis, such as plasma temperature variations, cluster substructure, or cluster dynamical evolution. In this paper we present a study of the systematic errors in the value of H$-0$, as determined by the x-ray and S-Z properties of a theoretical sample of triaxial isothermal 'beta-model' clusters, caused by projection effects and observer orientation relative to the model clusters' principal axes. The model clusters are not generated as ellipsoids of rotation, but have three independent 'core radii', as well as a random orientation to the plane of the sky.

  14. Sandwich Structured Composites for Aeronautics: Methods of Manufacturing Affecting Some Mechanical Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aneta Krzyżak

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Sandwich panels are composites which consist of two thin laminate outer skins and lightweight (e.g., honeycomb thick core structure. Owing to the core structure, such composites are distinguished by stiffness. Despite the thickness of the core, sandwich composites are light and have a relatively high flexural strength. These composites have a spatial structure, which affects good thermal insulator properties. Sandwich panels are used in aeronautics, road vehicles, ships, and civil engineering. The mechanical properties of these composites are directly dependent on the properties of sandwich components and method of manufacturing. The paper presents some aspects of technology and its influence on mechanical properties of sandwich structure polymer composites. The sandwiches described in the paper were made by three different methods: hand lay-up, press method, and autoclave use. The samples of sandwiches were tested for failure caused by impact load. Sandwiches prepared in the same way were used for structural analysis of adhesive layer between panels and core. The results of research showed that the method of manufacturing, more precisely the pressure while forming sandwich panels, influences some mechanical properties of sandwich structured polymer composites such as flexural strength, impact strength, and compressive strength.

  15. AIDEN: A Density Conscious Artificial Immune System for Automatic Discovery of Arbitrary Shape Clusters in Spatial Patterns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vishwambhar Pathak

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Recent efforts in modeling of dynamics of the natural immune cells leading to artificial immune systems (AIS have ignited contemporary research interest in finding out its analogies to real world problems. The AIS models have been vastly exploited to develop dependable robust
    solutions to clustering. Most of the traditional clustering methods bear limitations in their capability to detect clusters of arbitrary shapes in a fully unsupervised manner. In this paper the recognition and communication dynamics of T Cell Receptors, the recognizing elements in innate immune
    system, has been modeled with a kernel density estimation method. The model has been shown to successfully discover non spherical clusters in spatial patterns. Modeling the cohesion of the antibodies and pathogens with ‘local influence’ measure inducts comprehensive extension of the
    antibody representation ball (ARB, which in turn corresponds to controlled expansion of clusters and prevents overfitting.

  16. Galaxy Cluster Shapes and Systematic Errors in H_0 as Determined by the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulkanen, Martin E.; Patel, Sandeep K.

    1998-01-01

    Imaging of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect in galaxy clusters combined with cluster plasma x-ray diagnostics promises to measure the cosmic distance scale to high accuracy. However, projecting the inverse-Compton scattering and x-ray emission along the cluster line-of-sight will introduce systematic error's in the Hubble constant, H_0, because the true shape of the cluster is not known. In this paper we present a study of the systematic errors in the value of H_0, as determined by the x-ray and SZ properties of theoretical samples of triaxial isothermal "beta-model" clusters, caused by projection effects and observer orientation relative to the model clusters' principal axes. We calculate three estimates for H_0 for each cluster, based on their large and small apparent angular core radii, and their arithmetic mean. We average the estimates for H_0 for a sample of 25 clusters and find that the estimates have limited systematic error: the 99.7% confidence intervals for the mean estimated H_0 analyzing the clusters using either their large or mean angular core r;dius are within 14% of the "true" (assumed) value of H_0 (and enclose it), for a triaxial beta model cluster sample possessing a distribution of apparent x-ray cluster ellipticities consistent with that of observed x-ray clusters.

  17. Mechanic properties analysis of quasi-square honeycomb sandwich structure′s core

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guan TONG

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In order to illustrate the relationship between the quasi-square-honeycomb structure and the hexagonal honeycomb structure, after decomposing the quasi-square honeycomb sandwich structure into unique T-shaped cell, the equivalent elastic constants equations of T-shaped cell model are derived respectively by applying Euler beam theory and energy method. At the same time, the quasi-square honeycomb's characteristic structure parameters are substituted into the equivalent elastic constants equations which are derived by the classical method of a hexagonal honeycomb core, and the same results are obtained as that of the preceding both methods. It is proved that the quasi-square-honeycomb structure is an evolution of hexagonal honeycomb. The limitations and application scope of the two classical honeycomb formulas are pointed out. The research of the structural characteristics of the square-shaped honeycomb shows that the classical cellular theoretical formula are singular and inaccurate when the feature angle values equal to zero or near zero. This study has important reference value for the subsequent research and improvement of the theories about cellular structure mechanical properties.

  18. The Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey. VII. The Intrinsic Shapes of Low-luminosity Galaxies in the Core of the Virgo Cluster, and a Comparison with the Local Group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Janssen, Rubén; Ferrarese, Laura; MacArthur, Lauren A.; Côté, Patrick; Blakeslee, John P.; Cuillandre, Jean-Charles; Duc, Pierre-Alain; Durrell, Patrick; Gwyn, Stephen; McConnacchie, Alan W.; Boselli, Alessandro; Courteau, Stéphane; Emsellem, Eric; Mei, Simona; Peng, Eric; Puzia, Thomas H.; Roediger, Joel; Simard, Luc; Boyer, Fred; Santos, Matthew

    2016-03-01

    We investigate the intrinsic shapes of low-luminosity galaxies in the central 300 kpc of the Virgo Cluster using deep imaging obtained as part of the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey (NGVS). We build a sample of nearly 300 red-sequence cluster members in the yet-unexplored -14 families of triaxial models with normally distributed intrinsic ellipticities, E = 1 - C/A, and triaxialities, T = (A2 - B2)/(A2 - C2). We develop a Bayesian framework to explore the posterior distribution of the model parameters, which allows us to work directly on discrete data, and to account for individual, surface-brightness-dependent axis ratio uncertainties. For this population we infer a mean intrinsic ellipticity \\bar{E} = {0.43}-0.02+0.02 and a mean triaxiality \\bar{T} = {0.16}-0.06+0.07. This implies that faint Virgo galaxies are best described as a family of thick, nearly oblate spheroids with mean intrinsic axis ratios 1:0.94:0.57. The core of Virgo lacks highly elongated low-luminosity galaxies, with 95% of the population having q > 0.45. We additionally attempt a study of the intrinsic shapes of Local Group (LG) satellites of similar luminosities. For the LG population we infer a slightly larger mean intrinsic ellipticity \\bar{E} = {0.51}-0.06+0.07, and the paucity of objects with round apparent shapes translates into more triaxial mean shapes, 1:0.76:0.49. Numerical studies that follow the tidal evolution of satellites within LG-sized halos are in good agreement with the inferred shape distributions, but the mismatch for faint galaxies in Virgo highlights the need for more adequate simulations of this population in the cluster environment. We finally compare the intrinsic shapes of NGVS low-mass galaxies with samples of more massive quiescent systems, and with field, star-forming galaxies of similar luminosities. We find that the intrinsic flattening in this low-luminosity regime is almost independent of the environment in which the galaxy resides, but there is a hint

  19. Design and manufacturing of bio-based sandwich structures

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    John, Maya J

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this chapter is to discuss the design and manufacturing of bio-based sandwich structures. As the economic advantages of weight reduction have become mandatory for many advanced industries, bio-based sandwich panels have emerged...

  20. The sandwich sign | Mahomed | SA Journal of Radiology

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The sandwich sign refers to the sandwiching of mesenteric vessels and fat by enlarged mesenteric nodes on cross-sectional imaging, commonly occurring in lymphoma, but not specific to lymphoma. The sign is radiologically indistinguishable from post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders. The radiological significance ...

  1. 2D water layer enclathrated between Mn(II)-Ni(CN)4 coordination frameworks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ray, Ambarish; Bhowmick, Indrani; Sheldrick, William S.; Jana, Atish Dipankar; Ali, Mahammed

    2009-01-01

    A [Ni(CN) 4 ] 2- based two-dimensional Mn(II) coordination polymer {Mn(H 2 O) 2 [NiCN] 4 .4H 2 O}, in which the coordination layers are stacked on top of each other sandwiching 2D water layer of boat-shaped hexagonal water clusters has been synthesized. The complex exhibits high thermal decomposition temperature and reversible water absorption, which were clearly demonstrated by thermal and PXRD studies on the parent and rehydrated complex after dehydration. - Abstract: A coordination polymer, {Mn(H 2 O) 2 [NiCN] 4 .4H 2 O} n , showed that the coordination layers are stacked on top of each other sandwiching 2D ice layer of boat-shaped hexagonal water clusters . Display Omitted

  2. [Sb{sub 4}Au{sub 4}Sb{sub 4}]{sup 2−}: A designer all-metal aromatic sandwich

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tian, Wen-Juan; You, Xue-Rui [Nanocluster Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); Guo, Jin-Chang [Department of Chemistry, Xinzhou Teachers University, Xinzhou 034000 (China); Li, Da-Zhi, E-mail: hj.zhai@sxu.edu.cn, E-mail: ldz005@126.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, Binzhou University, Binzhou 256603 (China); Wang, Ying-Jin [Nanocluster Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); Department of Chemistry, Xinzhou Teachers University, Xinzhou 034000 (China); Sun, Zhong-Ming [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Zhai, Hua-Jin, E-mail: hj.zhai@sxu.edu.cn, E-mail: ldz005@126.com [Nanocluster Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China)

    2016-07-28

    We report on the computational design of an all-metal aromatic sandwich, [Sb{sub 4}Au{sub 4}Sb{sub 4}]{sup 2−}. The triple-layered, square-prismatic sandwich complex is the global minimum of the system from Coalescence Kick and Minima Hopping structural searches. Following a standard, qualitative chemical bonding analysis via canonical molecular orbitals, the sandwich complex can be formally described as [Sb{sub 4}]{sup +}[Au{sub 4}]{sup 4−}[Sb{sub 4}]{sup +}, showing ionic bonding characters with electron transfers in between the Sb{sub 4}/Au{sub 4}/Sb{sub 4} layers. For an in-depth understanding of the system, one needs to go beyond the above picture. Significant Sb → Au donation and Sb ← Au back-donation occur, redistributing electrons from the Sb{sub 4}/Au{sub 4}/Sb{sub 4} layers to the interlayer Sb–Au–Sb edges, which effectively lead to four Sb–Au–Sb three-center two-electron bonds. The complex is a system with 30 valence electrons, excluding the Sb 5s and Au 5d lone-pairs. The two [Sb{sub 4}]{sup +} ligands constitute an unusual three-fold (π and σ) aromatic system with all 22 electrons being delocalized. An energy gap of ∼1.6 eV is predicted for this all-metal sandwich. The complex is a rare example for rational design of cluster compounds and invites forth-coming synthetic efforts.

  3. Peringkasan Tweet Berdasarkan Trending Topic Twitter Dengan Pembobotan TF-IDF dan Single Linkage AngglomerativeHierarchical Clustering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annisa Annisa

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Trending topic is a feature provided by twitter that informs something widely discussed by users in a particular time. The form of a trending topic is a hashtag and can be selected by clicking. However, the number of tweets for each trending topics can be very large, so it will be difficult if we want to know all the contents. So, in order to make easy when reading the topic, a small number of tweets can be selected as the main idea of the topic. In this study, we applied the Agglomerative Single Linkage Hierarchical Clustering by calculating the TF-IDF value for each word in advance. We used 100 trending topics, where each topic consists of 50 tweets in Indonesian. For testing, we provided 30 trending topics which consist of 2 until 9 sub-topics. The result is that each trending topics can be summarized into shorter text contains 2 until 9 tweets. We were able to summarize 1 trending topics exactly same as the topic summarized by human expert. However, the rest of topics corresponded partially with human expert.

  4. Feasibility study of a SiC sandwich neutron spectrometer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Jian, E-mail: caepwujian@163.com [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan Province (China); Lei, Jiarong, E-mail: jiarong_lei@163.com [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan Province (China); Jiang, Yong; Chen, Yu; Rong, Ru; Zou, Dehui; Fan, Xiaoqiang [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan Province (China); Chen, Gang; Li, Li; Bai, Song [Nanjing Electronic Devices Institute, Nanjing 210016 (China)

    2013-04-21

    Semiconductor sandwich neutron spectrometers are suitable for in-pile measurements of fast reactor spectra thanks to their compact and relatively simple design. We have assembled and tested a sandwich neutron spectrometer based on 4H-silicon carbide (4H-SiC) Schottky diodes. The SiC diodes detect neutrons via neutron-induced charged particles (tritons and alpha particles) produced by {sup 6}Li(n,α){sup 3}H reaction. {sup 6}LiF neutron converter layers are deposited on the front surface of Schottky diodes by magnetron sputtering. The responses of SiC diodes to charged particles were investigated with an {sup 241}Am alpha source. A sandwich neutron spectrometer was assembled with two SiC Schottky diodes selected based on the charged-particle-response experimental results. The low-energy neutron response of the sandwich spectrometer was measured in the neutron field of the Chinese Fast Burst Reactor-II (CFBR-II). Spectra of alpha particles and tritons from {sup 6}Li(n,α){sup 3}H reaction were obtained with two well-resolved peaks. The energy resolution of the sum spectrum was 8.8%. The primary experimental results confirmed the 4H-SiC sandwich neutron spectrometer's feasibility. -- Highlights: ► Sandwich neutron spectrometer employing 4H-SiC as a detecting material has been developed for the first time. ► {sup 6}LiF neutron converter has been deposited on the surface of 4H-SiC Schottky diode. ► Preliminary testing results obtained with the 4H-SiC sandwich neutron spectrometer are presented.

  5. Optimization of composite sandwich cover panels subjected to compressive loadings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Juan R.

    1991-01-01

    An analysis and design method is presented for the design of composite sandwich cover panels that include the transverse shear effects and damage tolerance considerations. This method is incorporated into a sandwich optimization computer program entitled SANDOP. As a demonstration of its capabilities, SANDOP is used in the present study to design optimized composite sandwich cover panels for for transport aircraft wing applications. The results of this design study indicate that optimized composite sandwich cover panels have approximately the same structural efficiency as stiffened composite cover panels designed to satisfy individual constraints. The results also indicate that inplane stiffness requirements have a large effect on the weight of these composite sandwich cover panels at higher load levels. Increasing the maximum allowable strain and the upper percentage limit of the 0 degree and +/- 45 degree plies can yield significant weight savings. The results show that the structural efficiency of these optimized composite sandwich cover panels is relatively insensitive to changes in core density. Thus, core density should be chosen by criteria other than minimum weight (e.g., damage tolerance, ease of manufacture, etc.).

  6. Probabilistic record linkage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayers, Adrian; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Blom, Ashley W; Steele, Fiona

    2016-06-01

    Studies involving the use of probabilistic record linkage are becoming increasingly common. However, the methods underpinning probabilistic record linkage are not widely taught or understood, and therefore these studies can appear to be a 'black box' research tool. In this article, we aim to describe the process of probabilistic record linkage through a simple exemplar. We first introduce the concept of deterministic linkage and contrast this with probabilistic linkage. We illustrate each step of the process using a simple exemplar and describe the data structure required to perform a probabilistic linkage. We describe the process of calculating and interpreting matched weights and how to convert matched weights into posterior probabilities of a match using Bayes theorem. We conclude this article with a brief discussion of some of the computational demands of record linkage, how you might assess the quality of your linkage algorithm, and how epidemiologists can maximize the value of their record-linked research using robust record linkage methods. © The Author 2015; Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

  7. Dynamic Response of Functionally Graded Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Sandwich Plate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehar, Kulmani; Panda, Subrata Kumar

    2018-03-01

    In this article, the dynamic response of the carbon nanotube-reinforced functionally graded sandwich composite plate has been studied numerically with the help of finite element method. The face sheets of the sandwich composite plate are made of carbon nanotube- reinforced composite for two different grading patterns whereas the core phase is taken as isotropic material. The final properties of the structure are calculated using the rule of mixture. The geometrical model of the sandwich plate is developed and discretized suitably with the help of available shell element in ANSYS library. Subsequently, the corresponding numerical dynamic responses computed via batch input technique (parametric design language code in ANSYS) of ANSYS including Newmark’s integration scheme. The stability of the sandwich structural numerical model is established through the proper convergence study. Further, the reliability of the sandwich model is checked by comparison study between present and available results from references. As a final point, some numerical problems have been solved to examine the effect of different design constraints (carbon nanotube distribution pattern, core to face thickness ratio, volume fractions of the nanotube, length to thickness ratio, aspect ratio and constraints at edges) on the time-responses of sandwich plate.

  8. Fracture Analysis of Debonded Sandwich Columns Under Axial Compression

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    May, A.; Avilés, F.; Berggreen, Christian

    A sandwich structure consists of two strong and stiff face sheets bonded to a weak low density core. The large separation between the face sheets provides increased bending rigidity and strength at low weight cost. Thus, sandwich structures frequently present better mechanical properties than...... monolithic structures of the same weight. The vast range of applications of such materials includes wind turbines, marine, and aerospace industries. In this work, geometrically nonlinear finite element analysis is conducted to investigate the fracture parameters and debond propagation of sandwich columns...

  9. Porous Sandwiched Graphene/Silicon Anodes for Lithium Storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Liangming; Hou, Zhongyu; Wei, Hao

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • In situ hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane within the confined galleries region of graphite oxide. • New porous sandwiched graphene/Si nanocomposites were prepared by magnesium thermal reduction. • The Si nanostructure was compactly sandwiched between two neighboring graphenes. • The Si/graphene anodes deliver large reversible capacity with excellent cycling stability. - Abstract: Porous sandwiched graphene/Si nanocomposites (PG-Si) are prepared by in situ hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane within the confined gallery region of graphite oxide, and then magnesium thermal reduction of the intra-gallery SiO 2 to Si nanocrystals. The Si nanostructures are in situ formed within the confined gallery region of graphite, and they are compactly sandwiched between two neighboring graphene sheets. This compactly sandwiched structure affords enhanced electron conductivity, and prevents Si nanoparticles from aggregation. Meanwhile, the free voids between neighboring Si nanocrystals alleviate the volume change of Si during cycling. As a consequence, the resulting PG-Si nanocomposites are high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries which show long cycle life (>500 cycles) and high specific charge capacity (1464 mAh g −1 at a current density of 200 mA/g, 920 mAh g −1 at a current density of 1.68A/g after 500 cycles). The Li + diffusion kinetics in PG-Si is also discussed.

  10. AA, sandwich line with magnetic horn

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN PhotoLab

    1980-01-01

    The magnetic horn, focusing the antiprotons emanating from the target, was affixed to a sandwich line through which the 150 kA pulses were supplied. Expecting to have to change from time to time the fragile horn (inner conductor only 0.7 mm thick), the assembly was designed for quick exchange. At the lower end of the sandwich line we see the connectors for the high-current cables, at the upper end the magnet horn. It has just been lifted from the V-supports which held it aligned downstream of the target. Continue with 8010293.

  11. Buckling driven debonding in sandwich columns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Rasmus Christian

    2008-01-01

    results from two mechanisms: (a) interaction of local debond buckling and global buckling and (b) the development of a damaged zone at the debond crack tip. Based on the pronounced imperfection sensitivity, the author predicts that an experimental measurement of the strength of sandwich structures may......A compression loaded sandwich column that contains a debond is analyzed using a geometrically non-linear finite element model. The model includes a cohesive zone along one face sheet/core interface whereby the debond can extend by interface crack growth. Two geometrical imperfections are introduced...

  12. Measuring Cohesive Laws for Interfaces in Sandwich Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian; Sørensen, Bent F.; Berggreen, Carl Christian

    2006-01-01

    mixities. The sandwich specimens consists of glass fiber faces and Divinycell H200 foam core with a pre-crack between face and core made with teflon film. Arbitrary stiffening of the sandwich faces with steel bars adhered to the faces reduces rotations and ensures that the method is useable for a wide...

  13. Effect of nanomodified polyester resin on hybrid sandwich laminates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anbusagar, NRR.; Giridharan, P.K.; Palanikumar, K.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Effect of nanomodified polyester resin on hybrid sandwich laminates is evaluated. • The hybrid sandwich laminates are fabricated with varying wt% of nanoclay. • Flexural, impact and moisture absorbtion properties are evaluated for hybrid composites. • Scanning electron microscopy is utilized to analyze the dispersion of clay and fractured surfaces of the nanocomposites. - Abstract: Effect of nanoclay modified polyester resin on flexural, impact, hardness and water absorption properties of untreated woven jute and glass fabric hybrid sandwich laminates have been investigated experimentally. The hybrid sandwich laminates are prepared by hand lay-up manufacturing technique (HL) for investigation. All hybrid sandwich laminates are fabricated with a total of 10 layers, by varying the extreme layers and wt% of nanoclay in polyester resin so as to obtain four different combinations of hybrid sandwich laminates. For comparison of the composite with hybrid composite, jute fiber reinforced composite laminate also fabricated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results obtained from samples with nanoclay indicated that intergallery spacing of the layered clay increases with matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) gave a morphological picture of the cross-sections and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) allowed investigating the elemental composition of matrix in composites. The testing results indicated that the flexural properties are greatly increased at 4% of nanoclay loading while impact, hardness and water absorption properties are increased at 6% of nanoclay loading. A plausible explanation for high increase of properties has also been discussed

  14. Identification of Clusters that Condition Resistance to Anthracnose in the Common Bean Differential Cultivars AB136 and MDRK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campa, Ana; Trabanco, Noemí; Ferreira, Juan José

    2017-12-01

    The correct identification of the anthracnose resistance systems present in the common bean cultivars AB136 and MDRK is important because both are included in the set of 12 differential cultivars proposed for use in classifying the races of the anthracnose causal agent, Colletrotrichum lindemuthianum. In this work, the responses against seven C. lindemuthianum races were analyzed in a recombinant inbred line population derived from the cross AB136 × MDRK. A genetic linkage map of 100 molecular markers distributed across the 11 bean chromosomes was developed in this population to locate the gene or genes conferring resistance against each race, based on linkage analyses and χ 2 tests of independence. The identified anthracnose resistance genes were organized in clusters. Two clusters were found in AB136: one located on linkage group Pv07, which corresponds to the anthracnose resistance cluster Co-5, and the other located at the end of linkage group Pv11, which corresponds to the Co-2 cluster. The presence of resistance genes at the Co-5 cluster in AB136 was validated through an allelism test conducted in the F 2 population TU × AB136. The presence of resistance genes at the Co-2 cluster in AB136 was validated through genetic dissection using the F 2:3 population ABM3 × MDRK, in which it was directly mapped to a genomic position between 46.01 and 47.77 Mb of chromosome Pv11. In MDRK, two independent clusters were identified: one located on linkage group Pv01, corresponding to the Co-1 cluster, and the second located on LG Pv04, corresponding to the Co-3 cluster. This report enhances the understanding of the race-specific Phaseolus vulgaris-C. lindemuthianum interactions and will be useful in breeding programs.

  15. Segmentation of clustered cells in negative phase contrast images with integrated light intensity and cell shape information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Y; Wang, C; Zhang, Z

    2018-05-01

    Automated cell segmentation plays a key role in characterisations of cell behaviours for both biology research and clinical practices. Currently, the segmentation of clustered cells still remains as a challenge and is the main reason for false segmentation. In this study, the emphasis was put on the segmentation of clustered cells in negative phase contrast images. A new method was proposed to combine both light intensity and cell shape information through the construction of grey-weighted distance transform (GWDT) within preliminarily segmented areas. With the constructed GWDT, the clustered cells can be detected and then separated with a modified region skeleton-based method. Moreover, a contour expansion operation was applied to get optimised detection of cell boundaries. In this paper, the working principle and detailed procedure of the proposed method are described, followed by the evaluation of the method on clustered cell segmentation. Results show that the proposed method achieves an improved performance in clustered cell segmentation compared with other methods, with 85.8% and 97.16% accuracy rate for clustered cells and all cells, respectively. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

  16. Analysis of precipitation data in Bangladesh through hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Md. Habibur; Matin, M. A.; Salma, Umma

    2017-12-01

    The precipitation patterns of seventeen locations in Bangladesh from 1961 to 2014 were studied using a cluster analysis and metric multidimensional scaling. In doing so, the current research applies four major hierarchical clustering methods to precipitation in conjunction with different dissimilarity measures and metric multidimensional scaling. A variety of clustering algorithms were used to provide multiple clustering dendrograms for a mixture of distance measures. The dendrogram of pre-monsoon rainfall for the seventeen locations formed five clusters. The pre-monsoon precipitation data for the areas of Srimangal and Sylhet were located in two clusters across the combination of five dissimilarity measures and four hierarchical clustering algorithms. The single linkage algorithm with Euclidian and Manhattan distances, the average linkage algorithm with the Minkowski distance, and Ward's linkage algorithm provided similar results with regard to monsoon precipitation. The results of the post-monsoon and winter precipitation data are shown in different types of dendrograms with disparate combinations of sub-clusters. The schematic geometrical representations of the precipitation data using metric multidimensional scaling showed that the post-monsoon rainfall of Cox's Bazar was located far from those of the other locations. The results of a box-and-whisker plot, different clustering techniques, and metric multidimensional scaling indicated that the precipitation behaviour of Srimangal and Sylhet during the pre-monsoon season, Cox's Bazar and Sylhet during the monsoon season, Maijdi Court and Cox's Bazar during the post-monsoon season, and Cox's Bazar and Khulna during the winter differed from those at other locations in Bangladesh.

  17. Isolation of a star-shaped uranium(V/VI) cluster from the anaerobic photochemical reduction of uranyl(VI)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chatelain, Lucile; White, Sarah; Scopelliti, Rosario; Mazzanti, Marinella

    2016-01-01

    Actinide oxo clusters are an important class of compounds due to their impact on actinide migration in the environment. The photolytic reduction of uranyl(VI) has potential application in catalysis and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, but the intermediate species involved in this reduction have not yet been elucidated. Here we show that the photolysis of partially hydrated uranyl(VI) in anaerobic conditions leads to the reduction of uranyl(VI), and to the incorporation of the resulting U V species into the stable mixed-valent star-shaped U VI /U V oxo cluster [U(UO 2 ) 5 (μ 3 -O) 5 (PhCOO) 5 (Py) 7 ]. This cluster is only the second example of a U VI /U V cluster and the first one associating uranyl groups to a non-uranyl(V) center. The U V center in 1 is stable, while the reaction of uranyl(V) iodide with potassium benzoate leads to immediate disproportionation and formation of the U 12 IV U 4 V O 24 cluster {[K(Py) 2 ] 2 [K(Py)] 2 [U 16 O 24 (PhCOO) 24 (Py) 2 ]}.

  18. A Debonded Sandwich Specimen Under Mixed Mode Bending (MMB)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

    2008-01-01

    Face/core interface crack propagation in sandwich specimens is analyzed. A thorough analysis of the typical failure modes in sandwich composites was performed in order to design the MMB specimen to promote face/core debond fracture. Displacement, compliance and energy release rate expressions...... for the MMB specimen were derived from a superposition analysis. An experimental verification of the methodology proposed was performed using MMB sandwich specimens with H100 PVC foam core and E-glass/polyester non-crimp quadro-axial [0/45/90/-45]s DBLT-850 faces. Different mixed mode loadings were applied...

  19. Construction of 2 intraspecific linkage maps and identification of resistance QTLs for Phytophthora capsici root-rot and foliar-blight diseases of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogundiwin, Ebenezer A; Berke, Terry F; Massoudi, Mark; Black, Lowell L; Huestis, Gordon; Choi, Doil; Lee, Sanghyeob; Prince, James P

    2005-08-01

    Two linkage maps of pepper were constructed and used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring resistance to Phytophthora capsici. Inoculations were done with 7 isolates: 3 from Taiwan, 3 from California, and 1 from New Mexico. The first map was constructed from a set of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of the PSP-11 (susceptible) x PI201234 (resistant) cross; and the second map was from a set of F(2) lines of the Joe E. Parker' (susceptible) x 'Criollo de Morelos 334' (resistant) cross. The RIL map covered 1466.1 cM of the pepper genome, and it consisted of 144 markers -- 91 amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), 34 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs), 15 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), 1 sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR), and 3 morphological markers -- distributed over 17 linkage groups. The morphological markers mapped on this population were erect fruit habit (up), elongated fruit shape (fs(e)), and fasciculate fruit clusters (fa). The F(2) map consisted of 113 markers (51 AFLPs, 45 RAPDs, 14 SSRs, and 3 SCARs) distributed in 16 linkage groups, covering a total of 1089.2 cM of the pepper genome. Resistance to both root rot and foliar blight were evaluated in the RIL population using the 3 Taiwan isolates; the remaining isolates were used for the root-rot test only. Sixteen chromosomal regions of the RIL map contained single QTLs or clusters of resistance QTLs that had an effect on root rot and (or) foliar blight, revealing a complex set of genetics involved in resistance to P. capsici. Five QTLs were detected in the F(2) map that had an effect on resistance to root rot.

  20. A combination intervention strategy to improve linkage to and retention in HIV care following diagnosis in Mozambique: A cluster-randomized study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Batya Elul

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Concerning gaps in the HIV care continuum compromise individual and population health. We evaluated a combination intervention strategy (CIS targeting prevalent barriers to timely linkage and sustained retention in HIV care in Mozambique.In this cluster-randomized trial, 10 primary health facilities in the city of Maputo and Inhambane Province were randomly assigned to provide the CIS or the standard of care (SOC. The CIS included point-of-care CD4 testing at the time of diagnosis, accelerated ART initiation, and short message service (SMS health messages and appointment reminders. A pre-post intervention 2-sample design was nested within the CIS arm to assess the effectiveness of CIS+, an enhanced version of the CIS that additionally included conditional non-cash financial incentives for linkage and retention. The primary outcome was a combined outcome of linkage to care within 1 month and retention at 12 months after diagnosis. From April 22, 2013, to June 30, 2015, we enrolled 2,004 out of 5,327 adults ≥18 years of age diagnosed with HIV in the voluntary counseling and testing clinics of participating health facilities: 744 (37% in the CIS group, 493 (25% in the CIS+ group, and 767 (38% in the SOC group. Fifty-seven percent of the CIS group achieved the primary outcome versus 35% in the SOC group (relative risk [RR]CIS vs SOC = 1.58, 95% CI 1.05-2.39. Eighty-nine percent of the CIS group linked to care on the day of diagnosis versus 16% of the SOC group (RRCIS vs SOC = 9.13, 95% CI 1.65-50.40. There was no significant benefit of adding financial incentives to the CIS in terms of the combined outcome (55% of the CIS+ group achieved the primary outcome, RRCIS+ vs CIS = 0.96, 95% CI 0.81-1.16. Key limitations include the use of existing medical records to assess outcomes, the inability to isolate the effect of each component of the CIS, non-concurrent enrollment of the CIS+ group, and exclusion of many patients newly diagnosed with HIV.The CIS

  1. Mechanical evaluation with fe analysis of sandwich panels for wind turbine blade

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yasaswi, M.; Naveen, P.N.E.; Prasad, R.V. [GIET. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Rajahmundry (India)

    2012-07-01

    Sandwich panels are notable for their structural efficiency and are used as load bearing components in various branches of engineering, especially in aerospace and marine industries. The objective of the present work is to perform computer-aided analysis on sandwich panels. The analysis of sandwich panel with truss core are compared with other four types of sandwich panel with continuous corrugated core, top hat core, zed core and channel core. The basic reason to use sandwich structure is to save weight, however smooth skins and excellent fatigue resistance are also attributes of a sandwich structure. A sandwich is comprised of two layered composite materials formed by bonding two or more thin facings or face sheets to relatively thick core materials. In this type of construction the facings resist nearly all of the in-plane loads and out-of-plane bending moments. The thin facings provide nearly all of the bending stiffness because they are generally of a much higher modulus material is located at a greatest distance from the neutral axis of the component. The basic concept of sandwich panel is that the facings carry the bending loads and the core carries the shear loads. The main function of the core material is to distribute local loads and stresses over large areas. From all this analysis it is concluded that the truss core Sandwich panels can be used in wind turbine blade design. (Author)

  2. Analysis of Linkage Effects among Currency Networks Using REER Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haishu Qiao

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We modeled the currency networks through the use of REER (real effective exchange rate instead of a bilateral exchange rate in order to overcome the confusion in selecting base currencies. Based on the MST (minimum spanning tree approach and the rolling-window method, we constructed time-varying and correlation-based networks with which we investigate the linkage effects among different currencies. In particular, and as the source of empirical data, we chose the monthly REER data for a set of 61 major currencies during the period from 1994 to 2014. The study demonstrated that obvious linkage effects existed among currency networks and the euro (EUR was confirmed as the predominant world currency. Additionally, we used the rolling-window method to investigate the stability of linkage effects, doing so by calculating the mean correlations and mean distances as well as the normalized tree length and degrees of those currencies. The results showed that financial crises during the study period had a great effect on the currency network’s topology structure and led to more clustered currency networks. Our results suggested that it is more appropriate to estimate the linkage effects among currency networks through the use of REER data.

  3. Adhesion aspects of polyurethane foam sandwich panels.

    OpenAIRE

    Ng, Simon L.

    2016-01-01

    Sandwich panels, polyurethane foam sandwiched between two sheets of steel, form the walls and roofs in the construction of buildings. ArcelorMittal is a manufacturer of the steel as well as these finished panels. For this project they combined with a supplier of the polyurethane foams, Huntsman Polyurethanes, to joint-fund a research project investigating the fundamental mechanisms of adhesion, as well as the causes of failures in the product which manifests primarily in two different ways...

  4. Subsidiary Linkage Patterns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersson, Ulf; Perri, Alessandra; Nell, Phillip C.

    2012-01-01

    channels for spillovers to competitors. We find a curvilinear relationship between the extent of competitive pressure and the quality of a subsidiary's set of local linkages. Furthermore, the extent to which a subsidiary possesses capabilities moderates this relationship: Very capable subsidiaries...... in strongly competitive environments tend to shy away from high quality linkages. We discuss our findings in light of the literature on spillovers and inter-organizational linkages.......This paper investigates the pattern of subsidiaries' local vertical linkages under varying levels of competition and subsidiary capabilities. Contrary to most previous literature, we explicitly account for the double role of such linkages as conduits of learning prospects as well as potential...

  5. Behavior of sandwich panels in a fire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chelekova, Eugenia

    2018-03-01

    For the last decades there emerged a vast number of buildings and structures erected with the use of sandwich panels. The field of application for this construction material is manifold, especially in the construction of fire and explosion hazardous buildings. In advanced evacu-ation time calculation methods the coefficient of heat losses is defined with dire regard to fire load features, but without account to thermal and physical characteristics of building envelopes, or, to be exact, it is defined for brick and concrete walls with gross heat capacity. That is why the application of the heat loss coefficient expression obtained for buildings of sandwich panels is impossible because of different heat capacity of these panels from the heat capacities of brick and concrete building envelopes. The article conducts an analysis and calculation of the heal loss coefficient for buildings and structures of three layer sandwich panels as building envelopes.

  6. Sandwich mapping of schistosomiasis risk in Anhui Province, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yi; Bergquist, Robert; Lynn, Henry; Gao, Fenghua; Wang, Qizhi; Zhang, Shiqing; Li, Rui; Sun, Liqian; Xia, Congcong; Xiong, Chenglong; Zhang, Zhijie; Jiang, Qingwu

    2015-06-03

    Schistosomiasis mapping using data obtained from parasitological surveys is frequently used in planning and evaluation of disease control strategies. The available geostatistical approaches are, however, subject to the assumption of stationarity, a stochastic process whose joint probability distribution does not change when shifted in time. As this is impractical for large areas, we introduce here the sandwich method, the basic idea of which is to divide the study area (with its attributes) into homogeneous subareas and estimate the values for the reporting units using spatial stratified sampling. The sandwich method was applied to map the county-level prevalence of schistosomiasis japonica in Anhui Province, China based on parasitological data collected from sample villages and land use data. We first mapped the county-level prevalence using the sandwich method, then compared our findings with block Kriging. The sandwich estimates ranged from 0.17 to 0.21% with a lower level of uncertainty, while the Kriging estimates varied from 0 to 0.97% with a higher level of uncertainty, indicating that the former is more smoothed and stable compared to latter. Aside from various forms of reporting units, the sandwich method has the particular merit of simple model assumption coupled with full utilization of sample data. It performs well when a disease presents stratified heterogeneity over space.

  7. Cluster-based Reduced-order Modelling of Flow in the Wake of a Seal-vibrissa-shaped Cylinder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Zheng; Li, Qiliang; Yang, Zhigang; Xia, Chao; Shanghai Automotive Wind Tunnel Center Team

    2017-11-01

    The flow around a seal-vibrissa-shaped cylinder is numerically calculated using large eddy simulation (LES) at the Reynolds number of 20000, along with a smooth and a twisted cylinder for comparison. The mean drag coefficient of the seal-vibrissa-shaped cylinder is lower than that of the smooth and twisted cylinders, respectively. The fluctuating lift coefficient of the seal-vibrissa-shaped cylinder shows a substantial decrease compared with the smooth cylinder. The seal-vibrissa-shaped surface leads to more stable wake, longer vortex formation length, higher base pressure and three-dimensional separation. In addition, cluster-based reduced-order modelling (CROM) is performed to analyze phase-dependent variations of the wake flow, which discloses the complex unsteady behavior in different cross sections. Meanwhile, two flow regimes, anti-phased and in-phase-dominated vortex shedding, generated by the twisted cylinder and the seal-vibrissa-shaped cylinder are distinguished and extracted, their interrelationship are evaluated, and the question how forces are affected is answered. Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFB1200503-04) and the Shanghai Automotive Wind Tunnel Technical Service Platform (16DZ2290400).

  8. Analysis of syntactic foam – GFRP sandwich composites for flexural loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Daniel; Velmurugan, R.; Jayaganthan, R.; Gupta, N. K.; Manzhirov, A. V.

    2018-04-01

    The use of glass microballoon (GMB) — epoxy syntactic foams as a sandwich core material is studied. The skins and foam core are fabricated and joined instantaneously unlike the procedures followed in the previous studies. Each successive layer of the sandwich is fabricated when the previous layer is in a semi-gelled state. These sandwich samples are characterized for their properties under flexural loading. The failure modes and mechanical properties are carefully investigated. The change in fabrication technique results in a significant increase in the load bearing pattern of the sandwich. In earlier studies, debonding was found to occur prematurely since the bonding between the skins and core is the weakest plane. Using the current technique, core cracking occurs first, followed by skin fiber breaking and debonding happens at the end. This ensures that the load carrying phase of the structure is extended considerably. The sandwich is also analytically studied using Reddy’s higher order shear deformation theory. A higher order theory is selected as the sandwich can no longer be considered as a thin beam and thus shear effects also need to be considered in addition to bending effects.

  9. Cluster Analysis of Maize Inbred Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiban Shrestha

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The determination of diversity among inbred lines is important for heterosis breeding. Sixty maize inbred lines were evaluated for their eight agro morphological traits during winter season of 2011 to analyze their genetic diversity. Clustering was done by average linkage method. The inbred lines were grouped into six clusters. Inbred lines grouped into Clusters II had taller plants with maximum number of leaves. The cluster III was characterized with shorter plants with minimum number of leaves. The inbred lines categorized into cluster V had early flowering whereas the group into cluster VI had late flowering time. The inbred lines grouped into the cluster III were characterized by higher value of anthesis silking interval (ASI and those of cluster VI had lower value of ASI. These results showed that the inbred lines having widely divergent clusters can be utilized in hybrid breeding programme.

  10. Sandwich mapping of schistosomiasis risk in Anhui Province, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Hu

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Schistosomiasis mapping using data obtained from parasitological surveys is frequently used in planning and evaluation of disease control strategies. The available geostatistical approaches are, however, subject to the assumption of stationarity, a stochastic process whose joint probability distribution does not change when shifted in time. As this is impractical for large areas, we introduce here the sandwich method, the basic idea of which is to divide the study area (with its attributes into homogeneous subareas and estimate the values for the reporting units using spatial stratified sampling. The sandwich method was applied to map the county-level prevalence of schistosomiasis japonica in Anhui Province, China based on parasitological data collected from sample villages and land use data. We first mapped the county-level prevalence using the sandwich method, then compared our findings with block Kriging. The sandwich estimates ranged from 0.17 to 0.21% with a lower level of uncertainty, while the Kriging estimates varied from 0 to 0.97% with a higher level of uncertainty, indicating that the former is more smoothed and stable compared to latter. Aside from various forms of reporting units, the sandwich method has the particular merit of simple model assumption coupled with full utilization of sample data. It performs well when a disease presents stratified heterogeneity over space.

  11. Salads, Sandwiches and Desserts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marine Corps Inst., Washington, DC.

    Developed as part of the Marine Corps Institute (MCI) correspondence training program, this course on salads, sandwiches, and desserts is designed to provide Marine food service personnel with a general background in the proper techniques for the preparation of these items. Introductory materials include specific information for MCI students and a…

  12. Worldwide clustering of the corruption perception

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulus, Michal; Kristoufek, Ladislav

    2015-06-01

    We inspect a possible clustering structure of the corruption perception among 134 countries. Using the average linkage clustering, we uncover a well-defined hierarchy in the relationships among countries. Four main clusters are identified and they suggest that countries worldwide can be quite well separated according to their perception of corruption. Moreover, we find a strong connection between corruption levels and a stage of development inside the clusters. The ranking of countries according to their corruption perfectly copies the ranking according to the economic performance measured by the gross domestic product per capita of the member states. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first one to present an application of hierarchical and clustering methods to the specific case of corruption.

  13. 3D Energy Absorption Diagram Construction of Paper Honeycomb Sandwich Panel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongmei Wang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Paper honeycomb sandwich panel is an environment-sensitive material. Its cushioning property is closely related to its structural factors, the temperature and humidity, random shocks, and vibration events in the logistics environment. In order to visually characterize the cushioning property of paper honeycomb sandwich panel in different logistics conditions, the energy absorption equation of per unit volume of paper honeycomb sandwich panel was constructed by piecewise function. The three-dimensional (3D energy absorption diagram of paper honeycomb sandwich panel was constructed by connecting the inflexion of energy absorption curve. It takes into account the temperature, humidity, strain rate, and characteristics of the honeycomb structure. On the one hand, this diagram breaks through the limitation of the static compression curve of paper honeycomb sandwich panel, which depends on the test specimen and is applicable only to the standard condition. On the other hand, it breaks through the limitation of the conventional 2D energy absorption diagram which has less information. Elastic modulus was used to normalize the plateau stress and energy absorption per unit volume. This makes the 3D energy absorption diagram universal for different material sandwich panels. It provides a new theoretical basis for packaging optimized design.

  14. Finite element simulation of low velocity impact loading on a sandwich composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vishwas M.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Sandwich structure offer more advantage in bringing flexural stiffness and energy absorption capabilities in the application of automobile and aerospace components. This paper presents comparison study and analysis of two types of composite sandwich structures, one having Jute Epoxy skins with rubber core and the other having Glass Epoxy skins with rubber core subjected to low velocity normal impact loading. The behaviour of sandwich structure with various parameters such as energy absorption, peak load developed, deformation and von Mises stress and strain, are analyzed using commercially available analysis software. The results confirm that sandwich composite with jute epoxy skin absorbs approximately 20% more energy than glass epoxy skin. The contact force developed in jute epoxy skin is approximately 2.3 times less when compared to glass epoxy skin. von Mises stress developed is less in case of jute epoxy. The sandwich with jute epoxy skin deforms approximately 1.6 times more than that of same geometry of sandwich with glass epoxy skin. Thus exhibiting its elastic nature and making it potential candidate for low velocity impact application.

  15. Can Network Linkage Effects Determine Return? Evidence from Chinese Stock Market.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Haishu; Xia, Yue; Li, Ying

    2016-01-01

    This study used the dynamic conditional correlations (DCC) method to identify the linkage effects of Chinese stock market, and further detected the influence of network linkage effects on magnitude of security returns across different industries. Applying two physics-derived techniques, the minimum spanning tree and the hierarchical tree, we analyzed the stock interdependence within the network of the China Securities Index (CSI) industry index basket. We observed that that obvious linkage effects existed among stock networks. CII and CCE, CAG and ITH as well as COU, CHA and REI were confirmed as the core nodes in the three different networks respectively. We also investigated the stability of linkage effects by estimating the mean correlations and mean distances, as well as the normalized tree length of these indices. In addition, using the GMM model approach, we found inter-node influence within the stock network had a pronounced effect on stock returns. Our results generally suggested that there appeared to be greater clustering effect among the indexes belonging to related industrial sectors than those of diverse sectors, and network comovement was significantly affected by impactive financial events in the reality. Besides, stocks that were more central within the network of stock market usually had higher returns for compensation because they endured greater exposure to correlation risk.

  16. The ties that bind: interorganizational linkages and physician-system alignment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, J A; Waters, T M; Burns, L R; Shortell, S M; Gillies, R R; Budetti, P P; Zuckerman, H S

    2001-07-01

    To examine the association between the degree of alignment between physicians and health care systems, and interorganizational linkages between physician groups and health care systems. The study used a cross sectional, comparative analysis using a sample of 1,279 physicians practicing in loosely affiliated arrangements and 1,781 physicians in 61 groups closely affiliated with 14 vertically integrated health systems. Measures of physician alignment were based on multiitem scales validated in previous studies and derived from surveys sent to individual physicians. Measures of interorganizational linkages were specified at the institutional, administrative, and technical core levels of the physician group and were developed from surveys sent to the administrator of each of the 61 physician groups in the sample. Two stage Heckman models with fixed effects adjustments in the second stage were used to correct for sample selection and clustering respectively. After accounting for sample selection, fixed effects, and group and individual controls, physicians in groups with more valued practice service linkages display consistently higher alignment with systems than physicians in groups that have fewer such linkages. Results also suggest that centralized administrative control lowers physician-system alignment for selected measures of alignment. Governance interlocks exhibited only weak associations with alignment. Our findings suggest that alignment generally follows resource exchanges that promote value-added contributions to physicians and physician groups while preserving control and authority within the group.

  17. Investigation on Wall Panel Sandwiched With Lightweight Concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakshmikandhan, K. N.; Harshavardhan, B. S.; Prabakar, J.; Saibabu, S.

    2017-08-01

    The rapid population growth and urbanization have made a massive demand for the shelter and construction materials. Masonry walls are the major component in the housing sector and it has brittle characteristics and exhibit poor performance against the uncertain loads. Further, the structure requires heavier sections for carrying the dead weight of masonry walls. The present investigations are carried out to develop a simple, lightweight and cost effective technology for replacing the existing wall systems. The lightweight concrete is developed for the construction of sandwich wall panel. The EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) beads of 3 mm diameter size are mixed with concrete and developed a lightweight concrete with a density 9 kN/m3. The lightweight sandwich panel is cast with a lightweight concrete inner core and ferrocement outer skins. This lightweight wall panel is tested for in-plane compression loading. A nonlinear finite element analysis with damaged plasticity model is carried out with both material and geometrical nonlinearities. The experimental and analytical results were compared. The finite element study predicted the ultimate load carrying capacity of the sandwich panel with reasonable accuracy. The present study showed that the lightweight concrete is well suitable for the lightweight sandwich wall panels.

  18. Acoustic wave spread in superconducting-normal-superconducting sandwich

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Urushadze, G.I.

    2004-01-01

    The acoustic wave spread, perpendicular to the boundaries between superconducting and normal metals in superconducting-normal-superconducting (SNS) sandwich has been considered. The alternate current flow sound induced by the Green function method has been found and the coefficient of the acoustic wave transmission through the junction γ=(S 1 -S 2 )/S 1 , (where S 1 and S 2 are average energy flows formed on the first and second boundaries) as a function of the phase difference between superconductors has been investigated. It is shown that while the SNS sandwich is almost transparent for acoustic waves (γ 0 /τ), n=0,1,2, ... (where τ 0 /τ is the ratio of the broadening of the quasiparticle energy levels in impurity normal metal as a result of scattering of the carriers by impurities 1/τ to the spacing between energy levels 1/τ 0 ), γ=2, (S 2 =-S 1 ), which corresponds to the full reflection of the acoustic wave from SNS sandwich. This result is valid for the limit of a pure normal metal but in the main impurity case there are two amplification and reflection regions for acoustic waves. The result obtained shows promise for the SNS sandwich as an ideal mirror for acoustic wave reflection

  19. Design Analysis of the Mixed Mode Bending Sandwich Specimen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

    2010-01-01

    A design analysis of the mixed mode bending (MMB) sandwich specimen for face–core interface fracture characterization is presented. An analysis of the competing failure modes in the foam cored sandwich specimens is performed in order to achieve face–core debond fracture prior to other failure modes...... for the chosen geometries and mixed mode loading conditions....

  20. Two dimensional dynamic analysis of sandwich plates with gradient foam cores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mu, Lin; Xiao, Deng Bao; Zhao, Guiping [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical structure Strength and Vibration, School of AerospaceXi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Cho, Chong Du [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, Inchon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-09-15

    Present investigation is concerned about dynamic response of composite sandwich plates with the functionally gradient foam cores under time-dependent impulse. The analysis is based on a model of the gradient sandwich plate, in which the face sheets and the core adopt the Kirchhoff theory and a [2, 1]-order theory, respectively. The material properties of the gradient foam core vary continuously along the thickness direction. The gradient plate model is validated with the finite element code ABAQUS®. And the results show that the proposed model can predict well the free vibration of composite sandwich plates with gradient foam cores. The influences of gradient foam cores on the natural frequency, deflection and energy absorbing of the sandwich plates are also investigated.

  1. Magnetic properties of sandwiches based on Nd-Co and Y-Co amorphous alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ndjaka, J.M.B.; Givord, D.

    1996-01-01

    Y-Co/Nd-Co/Y-Co and Nd-Co/Y-Co/Nd-Co amorphous sandwiches have been prepared by d.c. triode sputtering. The chemical composition of the constituent layers is R 0.33 Co 0.67 (R=Y, Nd). In such systems, the Co moments are coupled parallel through the whole sandwich thickness by strong positive 3d-3d exchange interactions. But, the coercive fields of the constituent layers taken separately differ. In the sandwiches as well, the reversal of magnetization in the different layers occurs at different values of the applied magnetic field. This phenomenon has been analysed qualitatively in terms of creation and annihilation of walls at the interfaces between layers for sandwiches where the thicknesses of the constituent layers are about 1000 A. In sandwiches where the thickness of the constituent layers is 100 A, the wall width available is very weak and the value of the applied magnetic field necessary for the creation of such a wall is higher than the coercive field of the entire sandwich system. As a result, the magnetization of the sandwich system reverses as a whole like in homogeneous systems. (orig.)

  2. Sandwich design for ships and railway wagons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Olsson, K.-A. [Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden). Dept. of Aeronautics

    2000-07-01

    In Sweden we have long experience of different types of vehicles and ships in sandwich construction, especially for Navy ships, such as minesweepers, mine-counter-measure-vessels and corvettes. As face materials mostly GRP and FRP have been used, but also metallic materials of Al-alloys, coated carbon steel and stainless steel. Core materials have usually been cellular plastic foams of cross-linked PVC, but also extruded PS, PUR, PEI and PMI. A lot of different continuous and discontinuous manufacturing processes are used. Vacuum assisted infusion is used in the last years, because it is a closed process, gives high fibre content and a good quality of the laminates. Sandwich design has mainly been used in the transportation area, where lightweight design is needed to give higher performance and load bearing capacity. The use of sandwich will give high stiffness- and strength-to weight ratio. These are in most cases not enough from economic point of view, but even other integrated functions must be considered, i.e. insulation, energy consumption, damping, less components, lower manufacturing costs, low maintenance, signature effects (military) etc. (orig.)

  3. Study on the sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Shuyu; Tian Hua

    2008-01-01

    A sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration is studied. The transducer consists of front and back metal masses, and coaxially segmented, thickness polarized piezoelectric ceramic thin rings. For this kind of sandwich piezoelectric transducers in thickness vibration, it is required that the lateral dimension of the transducer is sufficiently large compared with its longitudinal dimension so that no lateral displacements in the transducer can occur (laterally clamped). In this paper, the thickness vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic stack consisting of a number of identical piezoelectric ceramic thin rings is analysed and its electro-mechanical equivalent circuit is obtained. The resonance frequency equation for the sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducer in thickness vibration is derived. Based on the frequency equation, two sandwich piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transducers are designed and manufactured, and their resonance frequencies are measured. It is shown that the measured resonance frequencies are in good agreement with the theoretical results. This kind of sandwich piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer is expected to be used in megasonic ultrasonic cleaning and sonochemistry where high power and high frequency ultrasound is needed

  4. Isolation of a star-shaped uranium(V/VI) cluster from the anaerobic photochemical reduction of uranyl(VI)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chatelain, Lucile; White, Sarah; Scopelliti, Rosario; Mazzanti, Marinella [Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) (Switzerland). Inst. de Sciences et Ingenierie Chimiques

    2016-11-07

    Actinide oxo clusters are an important class of compounds due to their impact on actinide migration in the environment. The photolytic reduction of uranyl(VI) has potential application in catalysis and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, but the intermediate species involved in this reduction have not yet been elucidated. Here we show that the photolysis of partially hydrated uranyl(VI) in anaerobic conditions leads to the reduction of uranyl(VI), and to the incorporation of the resulting U{sup V} species into the stable mixed-valent star-shaped U{sup VI}/U{sup V} oxo cluster [U(UO{sub 2}){sub 5}(μ{sub 3}-O){sub 5}(PhCOO){sub 5}(Py){sub 7}]. This cluster is only the second example of a U{sup VI}/U{sup V} cluster and the first one associating uranyl groups to a non-uranyl(V) center. The U{sup V} center in 1 is stable, while the reaction of uranyl(V) iodide with potassium benzoate leads to immediate disproportionation and formation of the U{sub 12}{sup IV}U{sub 4}{sup V}O{sub 24} cluster {[K(Py)_2]_2[K(Py)]_2[U_1_6O_2_4(PhCOO)_2_4(Py)_2]}.

  5. Insert Design and Manufacturing for Foam-Core Composite Sandwich Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lares, Alan

    Sandwich structures have been used in the aerospace industry for many years. The high strength to weight ratios that are possible with sandwich constructions makes them desirable for airframe applications. While sandwich structures are effective at handling distributed loads such as aerodynamic forces, they are prone to damage from concentrated loads at joints or due to impact. This is due to the relatively thin face-sheets and soft core materials typically found in sandwich structures. Carleton University's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Project Team has designed and manufactured a UAV (GeoSury II Prototype) which features an all composite sandwich structure fuselage structure. The purpose of the aircraft is to conduct geomagnetic surveys. The GeoSury II Prototype serves as the test bed for many areas of research in advancing UAV technologies. Those areas of research include: low cost composite materials manufacturing, geomagnetic data acquisition, obstacle detection, autonomous operations and magnetic signature control. In this thesis work a methodology for designing and manufacturing inserts for foam-core sandwich structures was developed. The results of this research work enables a designer wishing to design a foam-core sandwich airframe structure, a means of quickly manufacturing optimized inserts for the safe introduction of discrete loads into the airframe. The previous GeoSury II Prototype insert designs (v.1 & v.2) were performance tested to establish a benchmark with which to compare future insert designs. Several designs and materials were considered for the new v.3 inserts. A plug and sleeve design was selected, due to its ability to effectively transfer the required loads to the sandwich structure. The insert material was chosen to be epoxy, reinforced with chopped carbon fibre. This material was chosen for its combination of strength, low mass and also compatibility with the face-sheet material. The v.3 insert assembly is 60% lighter than the

  6. Blast-Resistant Improvement of Sandwich Armor Structure with Aluminum Foam Composite

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Shu; Qi, Chang

    2013-01-01

    Sandwich armor structures with aluminum foam can be utilized to protect a military vehicle from harmful blast load such as a landmine explosion. In this paper, a system-level dynamic finite element model is developed to simulate the blast event and to evaluate the blast-resistant performance of the sandwich armor structure. It is found that a sandwich armor structure with only aluminum foam is capable of mitigating crew injuries under a moderate blast load. However, a severe blast load causes...

  7. Lensing Constraints on the Mass Profile Shape and the Splashback Radius of Galaxy Clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umetsu, Keiichi; Diemer, Benedikt

    2017-02-01

    The lensing signal around galaxy clusters can, in principle, be used to test detailed predictions for their average mass profile from numerical simulations. However, the intrinsic shape of the profiles can be smeared out when a sample that spans a wide range of cluster masses is averaged in physical length units. This effect especially conceals rapid changes in gradient such as the steep drop associated with the splashback radius, a sharp edge corresponding to the outermost caustic in accreting halos. We optimize the extraction of such local features by scaling individual halo profiles to a number of spherical overdensity radii, and apply this method to 16 X-ray-selected, high-mass clusters targeted in the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble. By forward-modeling the weak- and strong-lensing data presented by Umetsu et al., we show that, regardless of the scaling overdensity, the projected ensemble density profile is remarkably well described by a Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) or Einasto profile out to R˜ 2.5 {h}-1 {Mpc}, beyond which the profiles flatten. We constrain the NFW concentration to {c}200{{c}}=3.66+/- 0.11 at {M}200{{c}}≃ 1.0× {10}15 {h}-1 {M}⊙ , consistent with and improved from previous work that used conventionally stacked lensing profiles, and in excellent agreement with theoretical expectations. Assuming the profile form of Diemer & Kravtsov and generic priors calibrated from numerical simulations, we place a lower limit on the splashback radius of the cluster halos, if it exists, of {R}{sp}3{{D}}/{r}200{{m}}> 0.89 ({R}{sp}3{{D}}> 1.83 {h}-1 {Mpc}) at 68% confidence. The corresponding density feature is most pronounced when the cluster profiles are scaled by {r}200{{m}}, and smeared out when scaled to higher overdensities. Based in part on data collected at the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Society of Japan.

  8. Analysis and Behaviour of Sandwich Panels with Profiled Metal Facings under Transverse Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Budescu

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Sandwich panels with thin steel facings and polyurethane core combine the load-carrying capacity of metal facings and protection functions with core properties. The core separates the two facings and keeps them in a stable condition, transmits shear between external layers, provides most of the shear rigidity and occasionally makes of useful contribution to the bending stiffness of the sandwich construction as a whole [1]. An experimental program on sandwich panels has been organized to prove that the mechanical properties of core and interface satisfy the load-carrying requirements for structural sandwich panels. The analysis of sandwich panels with deep profiles facings for cladding elements, respectively the roof constructions, has been carried out according to the European design norms [1], [5].

  9. Long sandwich modules for photon veto detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yershov, N.; Khabibullin, M.; Kudenko, Yu.; Littenberg, L.; Mayatski, V.; Mineev, O.

    2005-01-01

    Long lead-scintillator sandwich modules developed for the BNL experiment KOPIO are described. The individual 4 m long module consists of 15 layers of 7 mm thick extruded scintillator and 15 layers of 1 mm lead absorber. Readout is implemented via WLS fibers glued into grooves in a scintillator with 7 mm spacing and viewed from both ends by the phototubes. Time resolution of 300 ps for cosmic MIPs was obtained. Light output stability monitored for 2 years shows no degradation beyond the measurement errors. A 4 m long C-bent sandwich module was also manufactured and tested

  10. Application of fibre reinforced plastic sandwich structures for automotive crashworthiness applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lukaszewicz, D.; Blok, L.G.; Kratz, J.; Ward, C.; Kassapoglou, C.; Elmarakbi, A.; Araújo, A.L.

    2016-01-01

    In this work the application of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) sandwich
    structures, with particular focus on aramid fibre tufted sandwiches is being studied for
    automotive crashworthiness applications using impact testing and numerical simulation.

  11. Experimental and simulation of split semi-torus key in PVC foam core to improve the debonding resistance of composite sandwich panel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juliyana, M.; Santhana Krishnan, R.

    2018-02-01

    The sandwich composite panels consisting of facesheet and core material are used as a primary structural member for aerospace, civil and marine areas due to its high stiffness to weight ratio. But the debonding nature of facesheet from the foam core under shear loading conditions leads to failure of the composite structure. To inhibit the debonding, an innovative methodology of introducing semi-torus key is used in the present study. The polyvinyl chloride foam core(PVC) is grooved and filled with semi-torus shaped chopped strand prepregs which are sandwiched between alternate layers of woven roven(WR) and chopped strand mat(CSM) skins by vacuum infusion process. The sandwich panel manufactured with semi-torus keys is evaluated regarding experimental and numerical simulations under shear loading conditions. The present innovative concept delays the debonding between face-sheet and foam core with enhancement the shear load carrying capability as the initial stiffness is higher than the conventional model. Also, the shear behaviour of the proposed concept is in good agreement with experimental results. The split semi-torus keys sustain the shear failure resulting in resistance to debonding capability.

  12. Application of Load Carrying Sandwich Elements in Wind Turbine Blades

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jacob Fisker; Schultz, Jacob Pagh; Berggreen, Carl Christian

    2005-01-01

    The present work investigates the possibilities and drawbacks when applying sandwich as opposed to single skin composites in the flanges of the load carrying spar in a future 180 m wind turbine rotor. FEA is applied to investigate two basic designs with single skin and sandwich flanges respectively...

  13. Compressive Behaviour and Energy Absorption of Aluminium Foam Sandwich

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endut, N. A.; Hazza, M. H. F. Al; Sidek, A. A.; Adesta, E. T. Y.; Ibrahim, N. A.

    2018-01-01

    Development of materials in automotive industries plays an important role in order to retain the safety, performance and cost. Metal foams are one of the idea to evolve new material in automotive industries since it can absorb energy when it deformed and good for crash management. Recently, new technology had been introduced to replace metallic foam by using aluminium foam sandwich (AFS) due to lightweight and high energy absorption behaviour. Therefore, this paper provides reliable data that can be used to analyze the energy absorption behaviour of aluminium foam sandwich by conducting experimental work which is compression test. Six experiments of the compression test were carried out to analyze the stress-strain relationship in terms of energy absorption behavior. The effects of input variables include varying the thickness of aluminium foam core and aluminium sheets on energy absorption behavior were evaluated comprehensively. Stress-strain relationship curves was used for energy absorption of aluminium foam sandwich calculation. The result highlights that the energy absorption of aluminium foam sandwich increases from 12.74 J to 64.42 J respectively with increasing the foam and skin thickness.

  14. Sandwiched Rényi divergence satisfies data processing inequality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beigi, Salman

    2013-01-01

    Sandwiched (quantum) α-Rényi divergence has been recently defined in the independent works of Wilde et al. [“Strong converse for the classical capacity of entanglement-breaking channels,” preprint http://arxiv.org/abs/arXiv:1306.1586 (2013)] and Müller-Lennert et al. [“On quantum Rényi entropies: a new definition, some properties and several conjectures,” preprint http://arxiv.org/abs/arXiv:1306.3142v1 (2013)]. This new quantum divergence has already found applications in quantum information theory. Here we further investigate properties of this new quantum divergence. In particular, we show that sandwiched α-Rényi divergence satisfies the data processing inequality for all values of α > 1. Moreover we prove that α-Holevo information, a variant of Holevo information defined in terms of sandwiched α-Rényi divergence, is super-additive. Our results are based on Hölder's inequality, the Riesz-Thorin theorem and ideas from the theory of complex interpolation. We also employ Sion's minimax theorem

  15. Multi-objective optimal design of sandwich panels using a genetic algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xiaomei; Jiang, Yiping; Pueh Lee, Heow

    2017-10-01

    In this study, an optimization problem concerning sandwich panels is investigated by simultaneously considering the two objectives of minimizing the panel mass and maximizing the sound insulation performance. First of all, the acoustic model of sandwich panels is discussed, which provides a foundation to model the acoustic objective function. Then the optimization problem is formulated as a bi-objective programming model, and a solution algorithm based on the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) is provided to solve the proposed model. Finally, taking an example of a sandwich panel that is expected to be used as an automotive roof panel, numerical experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model and solution algorithm. Numerical results demonstrate in detail how the core material, geometric constraints and mechanical constraints impact the optimal designs of sandwich panels.

  16. Can Network Linkage Effects Determine Return? Evidence from Chinese Stock Market

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Haishu; Xia, Yue; Li, Ying

    2016-01-01

    This study used the dynamic conditional correlations (DCC) method to identify the linkage effects of Chinese stock market, and further detected the influence of network linkage effects on magnitude of security returns across different industries. Applying two physics-derived techniques, the minimum spanning tree and the hierarchical tree, we analyzed the stock interdependence within the network of the China Securities Index (CSI) industry index basket. We observed that that obvious linkage effects existed among stock networks. CII and CCE, CAG and ITH as well as COU, CHA and REI were confirmed as the core nodes in the three different networks respectively. We also investigated the stability of linkage effects by estimating the mean correlations and mean distances, as well as the normalized tree length of these indices. In addition, using the GMM model approach, we found inter-node influence within the stock network had a pronounced effect on stock returns. Our results generally suggested that there appeared to be greater clustering effect among the indexes belonging to related industrial sectors than those of diverse sectors, and network comovement was significantly affected by impactive financial events in the reality. Besides, stocks that were more central within the network of stock market usually had higher returns for compensation because they endured greater exposure to correlation risk. PMID:27257816

  17. Design Considerations for Thermally Insulating Structural Sandwich Panels for Hypersonic Vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blosser, Max L.

    2016-01-01

    Simplified thermal/structural sizing equations were derived for the in-plane loading of a thermally insulating structural sandwich panel. Equations were developed for the strain in the inner and outer face sheets of a sandwich subjected to uniaxial mechanical loads and differences in face sheet temperatures. Simple equations describing situations with no viable solution were developed. Key design parameters, material properties, and design principles are identified. A numerical example illustrates using the equations for a preliminary feasibility assessment of various material combinations and an initial sizing for minimum mass of a sandwich panel.

  18. Application of agglomerative clustering for analyzing phylogenetically on bacterium of saliva

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bustamam, A.; Fitria, I.; Umam, K.

    2017-07-01

    Analyzing population of Streptococcus bacteria is important since these species can cause dental caries, periodontal, halitosis (bad breath) and more problems. This paper will discuss the phylogenetically relation between the bacterium Streptococcus in saliva using a phylogenetic tree of agglomerative clustering methods. Starting with the bacterium Streptococcus DNA sequence obtained from the GenBank, then performed characteristic extraction of DNA sequences. The characteristic extraction result is matrix form, then performed normalization using min-max normalization and calculate genetic distance using Manhattan distance. Agglomerative clustering technique consisting of single linkage, complete linkage and average linkage. In this agglomerative algorithm number of group is started with the number of individual species. The most similar species is grouped until the similarity decreases and then formed a single group. Results of grouping is a phylogenetic tree and branches that join an established level of distance, that the smaller the distance the more the similarity of the larger species implementation is using R, an open source program.

  19. HIV-1 transmission linkage in an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leitner, Thomas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Campbell, Mary S [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Mullins, James I [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Hughes, James P [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Wong, Kim G [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Raugi, Dana N [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Scrensen, Stefanie [UNIV OF WASHINGTON

    2009-01-01

    HIV-1 sequencing has been used extensively in epidemiologic and forensic studies to investigate patterns of HIV-1 transmission. However, the criteria for establishing genetic linkage between HIV-1 strains in HIV-1 prevention trials have not been formalized. The Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study (ClinicaITrials.gov NCT00194519) enrolled 3408 HIV-1 serodiscordant heterosexual African couples to determine the efficacy of genital herpes suppression with acyclovir in reducing HIV-1 transmission. The trial analysis required laboratory confirmation of HIV-1 linkage between enrolled partners in couples in which seroconversion occurred. Here we describe the process and results from HIV-1 sequencing studies used to perform transmission linkage determination in this clinical trial. Consensus Sanger sequencing of env (C2-V3-C3) and gag (p17-p24) genes was performed on plasma HIV-1 RNA from both partners within 3 months of seroconversion; env single molecule or pyrosequencing was also performed in some cases. For linkage, we required monophyletic clustering between HIV-1 sequences in the transmitting and seroconverting partners, and developed a Bayesian algorithm using genetic distances to evaluate the posterior probability of linkage of participants sequences. Adjudicators classified transmissions as linked, unlinked, or indeterminate. Among 151 seroconversion events, we found 108 (71.5%) linked, 40 (26.5%) unlinked, and 3 (2.0%) to have indeterminate transmissions. Nine (8.3%) were linked by consensus gag sequencing only and 8 (7.4%) required deep sequencing of env. In this first use of HIV-1 sequencing to establish endpoints in a large clinical trial, more than one-fourth of transmissions were unlinked to the enrolled partner, illustrating the relevance of these methods in the design of future HIV-1 prevention trials in serodiscordant couples. A hierarchy of sequencing techniques, analysis methods, and expert adjudication contributed to the linkage

  20. The Planar Sandwich and Other 1D Planar Heat Flow Test Problems in ExactPack

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singleton, Jr., Robert [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2017-01-24

    This report documents the implementation of several related 1D heat flow problems in the verification package ExactPack [1]. In particular, the planar sandwich class defined in Ref. [2], as well as the classes PlanarSandwichHot, PlanarSandwichHalf, and other generalizations of the planar sandwich problem, are defined and documented here. A rather general treatment of 1D heat flow is presented, whose main results have been implemented in the class Rod1D. All planar sandwich classes are derived from the parent class Rod1D.

  1. Photocatalytic perfermance of sandwich-like BiVO_4 sheets by microwave assisted synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Suqin; Tang, Huiling; Zhou, Huan; Dai, Gaopeng; Wang, Wanqiang

    2017-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Sandwich-like BiVO_4 sheets were successfully synthesized via a facile microwave-assisted method. The as-prepared samples exhibit a high activity for the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. - Highlights: • Sandwich-like BiVO_4 sheets were synthesized by a facile microwave-assisted method. • The presence of PEG-10000 plays a critical role in the formation of BiVO_4 sheets. • Ostwald ripening is the primary driving force for the formation of sandwich-like BiVO_4. • The sandwich-like BiVO_4 sheets exhibit a high visible-light photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Sandwich-like BiVO_4 sheets were successfully synthesized in an aqueous solution containing bismuth nitrate, ammonium metavanadate and polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 10,000 (PEG-10000) using a facile microwave-assisted method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, N_2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results show that the presence of PEG-10000 plays a critical role in the formation of BiVO_4 sheets, and Ostwald ripening is the primary driving force for the formation of sandwich-like structures. The sandwich-like BiVO_4 sheets exhibit a high activity for the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). The enhancement of photocatalytic activity of sandwich-like BiVO_4 sheets can be attributed to its large surface area over the irregular BiVO_4 particles.

  2. Buckling Analysis of Edge Cracked Sandwich Plate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rasha Mohammed Hussein

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This work presents mainly the buckling load of sandwich plates with or without crack for different cases. The buckling loads are analyzed experimentally and numerically by using ANSYS 15. The experimental investigation was to fabricate the cracked sandwich plate from stainless steel and PVC to find mechanical properties of stainless steel and PVC such as young modulus. The buckling load for different aspect ratio, crack length, cracked location and plate without crack found. The experimental results were compared with that found from ANSYS program. Present of crack is decreased the buckling load and that depends on crack size, crack location and aspect ratio.

  3. Behavior of composite sandwich panels with several core designs at different impact velocities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiga, Gabriel; Stamin, Ştefan; Dinu, Gabriela

    2018-02-01

    A sandwich composite represents a special class of composite materials that is manufactured by bonding two thin but stiff faces to a low density and low strength but thick core. The distance between the skins given by the core increases the flexural modulus of the panel with a low mass increase, producing an efficient structure able to resist at flexural and buckling loads. The strength of sandwich panels depends on the size of the panel, skins material and number or density of the cells within it. Sandwich composites are used widely in several industries, such as aerospace, automotive, medical and leisure industries. The behavior of composite sandwich panels with different core designs under different impact velocities are analyzed in this paper by numerical simulations performed on sandwich panels. The modeling was done in ANSYS and the analysis was performed through LS-DYNA.

  4. Multivariate analysis of anxiety disorders yields further evidence of linkage to chromosomes 4q21 and 7p in panic disorder families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Logue, Mark W; Bauver, Sarah R; Knowles, James A; Gameroff, Marc J; Weissman, Myrna M; Crowe, Raymond R; Fyer, Abby J; Hamilton, Steven P

    2012-04-01

    Replication has been difficult to achieve in linkage studies of psychiatric disease. Linkage studies of panic disorder have indicated regions of interest on chromosomes 1q, 2p, 2q, 3, 7, 9, 11, 12q13, 12q23, and 15. Few regions have been implicated in more than one study. We examine two samples, the Iowa (IA) and the Columba panic disorder families. We use the fuzzy-clustering method presented by Kaabi et al. [Kaabi et al. (2006); Am J Hum Genet 78: 543-553] to summarize liability to panic disorder, agoraphobia, simple phobia, and social phobia. Kaabi et al. applied this method to the Yale panic disorder linkage families and found evidence of linkage to chromosomes 4q21, 4q32, 7p, and 8. When we apply the same method to the IA families, we obtain overlapping evidence of linkage to chromosomes 4q21 and 7p. Additionally, we find evidence of linkage on chromosomes 1, 5, 6, 16, and 22. The Columbia (CO) data does not indicate linkage to any of the Kaabi et al. peaks, instead implicating chromosomes 2 and 22q11 (2 Mb from COMT). There is some evidence of overlapping linkage between the IA and CO datasets on chromosomes 1 and 14. While use of fuzzy clustering has not produced complete concordance across datasets, it has produced more than previously seen in analyses of panic disorder proper. We conclude that chromosomes 4q21 and 7p should be considered strong candidate regions for panic and fear-associated anxiety disorder loci. More generally, this suggests that analyses including multiple aspects of psychopathology may lead to greater consistency across datasets. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Localization of Transversal Cracks in Sandwich Beams and Evaluation of Their Severity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. R. Gillich

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available An algorithm to assess transversal cracks in composite structures based on natural frequency changes due to damage is proposed. The damage assessment is performed in two steps; first the crack location is found, and afterwards an evaluation of its severity is performed. The technique is based on a mathematical relation that provides the exact solution for the frequency changes of bending vibration modes, considering two terms. The first term is related to the strain energy stored in the beam, while the second term considers the increase of flexibility due to damage. Thus, it is possible to separate the problems of localization and severity assessment, which makes the localization process independent of the beams cross-section shape and boundary conditions. In fact, the process consists of comparing vectors representing the measured frequency shifts with patterns constructed using the mode shape curvatures of the undamaged beam. Once the damage is localized, the evaluation of its severity is made taking into account the global rigidity reduction. The damage identification algorithm was validated by experiments performed on numerous sandwich panel specimens.

  6. Uptake of Home-Based HIV Testing, Linkage to Care, and Community Attitudes about ART in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Descriptive Results from the First Phase of the ANRS 12249 TasP Cluster-Randomised Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Collins C Iwuji

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The 2015 WHO recommendation of antiretroviral therapy (ART for all immediately following HIV diagnosis is partially based on the anticipated impact on HIV incidence in the surrounding population. We investigated this approach in a cluster-randomised trial in a high HIV prevalence setting in rural KwaZulu-Natal. We present findings from the first phase of the trial and report on uptake of home-based HIV testing, linkage to care, uptake of ART, and community attitudes about ART.Between 9 March 2012 and 22 May 2014, five clusters in the intervention arm (immediate ART offered to all HIV-positive adults and five clusters in the control arm (ART offered according to national guidelines, i.e., CD4 count ≤ 350 cells/μl contributed to the first phase of the trial. Households were visited every 6 mo. Following informed consent and administration of a study questionnaire, each resident adult (≥16 y was asked for a finger-prick blood sample, which was used to estimate HIV prevalence, and offered a rapid HIV test using a serial HIV testing algorithm. All HIV-positive adults were referred to the trial clinic in their cluster. Those not linked to care 3 mo after identification were contacted by a linkage-to-care team. Study procedures were not blinded. In all, 12,894 adults were registered as eligible for participation (5,790 in intervention arm; 7,104 in control arm, of whom 9,927 (77.0% were contacted at least once during household visits. HIV status was ever ascertained for a total of 8,233/9,927 (82.9%, including 2,569 ascertained as HIV-positive (942 tested HIV-positive and 1,627 reported a known HIV-positive status. Of the 1,177 HIV-positive individuals not previously in care and followed for at least 6 mo in the trial, 559 (47.5% visited their cluster trial clinic within 6 mo. In the intervention arm, 89% (194/218 initiated ART within 3 mo of their first clinic visit. In the control arm, 42.3% (83/196 had a CD4 count ≤ 350 cells/μl at first

  7. Effect of microencapsulated phase change material in sandwich panels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Castellon, Cecilia; Medrano, Marc; Roca, Joan; Cabeza, Luisa F. [GREA Innovacio Concurrent, Edifici CREA, Universitat de Lleida, Pere de Cabrera s/n, 25001 Lleida (Spain); Navarro, Maria E.; Fernandez, Ana I. [Departamento de Ciencias de los Materiales e Ingenieria Metalurgica, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Lazaro, Ana; Zalba, Belen [Instituto de Investigacion en Ingenieria de Aragon, I3A, Grupo de Ingenieria Termica y Sistemas Energeticos (GITSE), Dpto. Ingenieria Mecanica, Area de Maquinas y Motores Termicos, Universidad de Zaragoza, Campus Politecnico Rio Ebro, Edificio ' ' Agustin de Betancourt,' ' Maria de Luna s/n, 50018 Zaragoza (Spain)

    2010-10-15

    Sandwich panels are a good option as building materials, as they offer excellent characteristics in a modular system. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of using the microencapsulated PCM (Micronal BASF) in sandwich panels to increase their thermal inertia and to reduce the energy demand of the final buildings. In this paper, to manufacture the sandwich panel with microencapsulated PCM three different methods were tested. In case 1, the PCM was added mixing the microencapsulated PCM with one of the components of the polyurethane. In the other two cases, the PCM was added either a step before (case 2) or a step after (case 3) to the addition of the polyurethane to the metal sheets. The results show that in case 1 the effect of PCM was overlapped by a possible increase in thermal conductivity, but an increase of thermal inertia was found in case 3. In case 2, different results were obtained due to the poor distribution of the PCM. Some samples showed the effect of the PCM (higher thermal inertia), and other samples results were similar to the conventional sandwich panel. In both cases (2 and 3), it is required to industrialize the process to improve the results. (author)

  8. Parametric study on nonlinear vibration of composite truss core sandwich plate with internal resonance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Jia Nen; Liu, Jun [Tianjin Key Laboratory of the Design and Intelligent Control of the Advanced Mechatronical System, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin (China); Zhang, Wei; Yao, Ming Hui [College of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing (China); Sun, Min [School of Science, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin (China)

    2016-09-15

    Nonlinear vibrations of carbon fiber reinforced composite sandwich plate with pyramidal truss core are investigated. The governing equation of motion for the sandwich plate is derived by using a Zig-Zag theory under consideration of geometrically nonlinear. The natural frequencies of sandwich plates with different dimensions are calculated and compared with those obtained from the classic laminated plate theory and Reddy's third-order shear deformation plate theory. The frequency responses and waveforms of the sandwich plate when 1:3 internal resonance occurs are obtained, and the characteristics of the internal resonance are discussed. The influences of layer number of face sheet, strut radius, core height and inclination angle on the nonlinear responses of the sandwich plate are analyzed. The results demonstrate that the strut radius and inclination angle mainly affect the resonance frequency band of the sandwich plate, and the layer number and core height not only influence the resonance frequency band but also significantly affect the response amplitude.

  9. Linkage Disequilibrium between STRPs and SNPs across the Human Genome

    OpenAIRE

    Payseur, Bret A.; Place, Michael; Weber, James L.

    2008-01-01

    Patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD) reveal the action of evolutionary processes and provide crucial information for association mapping of disease genes. Although recent studies have described the landscape of LD among single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from across the human genome, associations involving other classes of molecular variation remain poorly understood. In addition to recombination and population history, mutation rate and process are expected to shape LD. To test this i...

  10. Failure Investigation of Debonded Sandwich Columns: An Experimental and Numerical Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moslemian, Ramin; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

    2009-01-01

    Failure of compression loaded sandwich columns with an implanted through-width face/core debond is examined. Compression tests were conducted on sandwich columns containing implemented face/core debonds. The strains and out-of-plane displacements of the debonded region were monitored using the di...

  11. Identifying multiple outliers in linear regression: robust fit and clustering approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robiah Adnan; Mohd Nor Mohamad; Halim Setan

    2001-01-01

    This research provides a clustering based approach for determining potential candidates for outliers. This is modification of the method proposed by Serbert et. al (1988). It is based on using the single linkage clustering algorithm to group the standardized predicted and residual values of data set fit by least trimmed of squares (LTS). (Author)

  12. Natural cork agglomerate employed as an environmentally friendly solution for quiet sandwich composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sargianis, James; Kim, Hyung-ick; Suhr, Jonghwan

    2012-01-01

    Carbon fiber-synthetic foam core sandwich composites are widely used for many structural applications due to their superior mechanical performance and low weight. Unfortunately these structures typically have very poor acoustic performance. There is increasingly growing demand in mitigating this noise issue in sandwich composite structures. This study shows that marrying carbon fiber composites with natural cork in a sandwich structure provides a synergistic effect yielding a noise-free sandwich composite structure without the sacrifice of mechanical performance or weight. Moreover the cork-core sandwich composites boast a 250% improvement in damping performance, providing increased durability and lifetime operation. Additionally as the world seeks environmentally friendly materials, the harvesting of cork is a natural, renewable process which reduces subsequent carbon footprints. Such a transition from synthetic foam cores to natural cork cores could provide unprecedented improvements in acoustic and vibrational performance in applications such as aircraft cabins or wind turbine blades.

  13. Flexural wave attenuation in a sandwich beam with viscoelastic periodic cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Zhiwei; Sheng, Meiping; Pan, Jie

    2017-07-01

    The flexural-wave attenuation performance of traditional constraint-layer damping in a sandwich beam is improved by using periodic constrained-layer damping (PCLD), where the monolithic viscoelastic core is replaced with two periodically alternating viscoelastic cores. Closed-form solutions of the wave propagation constants of the infinite periodic sandwich beam and the forced response of the corresponding finite sandwich structure are theoretically derived, providing computational support on the analysis of attenuation characteristics. In a sandwich beam with PCLD, the flexural waves can be attenuated by both Bragg scattering effect and damping effect, where the attenuation level is mainly dominated by Bragg scattering in the band-gaps and by damping in the pass-bands. Affected by these two effects, when the parameters of periodic cores are properly selected, a sandwich beam with PCLD can effectively reduce vibrations of much lower frequencies than that with traditional constrained-layer damping. The effects of the parameters of viscoelastic periodic cores on band-gap properties are also discussed, showing that the average attenuation in the desired frequency band can be maximized by tuning the length ratio and core thickness to proper values. The research in this paper could possibly provide useful information for the researches and engineers to design damping structures.

  14. Robust and Air-Stable Sandwiched Organo-Lead Halide Perovskites for Photodetector Applications

    KAUST Repository

    Mohammed, Omar F.; Banavoth, Murali; Saidaminov, Makhsud I.; Abdelhady, Ahmed L.; Pan, Jun; Liu, Jiakai; Peng, Wei; Bakr, Osman

    2016-01-01

    We report the simplest possible method to date for fabricating robust, air-stable, sandwiched perovskite photodetectors. Our proposed sandwiched structure is devoid of electron or hole transporting layers and also the expensive electrodes

  15. Technical Note: Development of a 3D printed subresolution sandwich phantom for validation of brain SPECT analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Negus, Ian S.; Holmes, Robin B.; Thorne, Gareth C.; Saunders, Margaret; Jordan, Kirsty C.; Nash, David A.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: To make an adaptable, head shaped radionuclide phantom to simulate molecular imaging of the brain using clinical acquisition and reconstruction protocols. This will allow the characterization and correction of scanner characteristics, and improve the accuracy of clinical image analysis, including the application of databases of normal subjects. Methods: A fused deposition modeling 3D printer was used to create a head shaped phantom made up of transaxial slabs, derived from a simulated MRI dataset. The attenuation of the printed polylactide (PLA), measured by means of the Hounsfield unit on CT scanning, was set to match that of the brain by adjusting the proportion of plastic filament and air (fill ratio). Transmission measurements were made to verify the attenuation of the printed slabs. The radionuclide distribution within the phantom was created by adding 99m Tc pertechnetate to the ink cartridge of a paper printer and printing images of gray and white matter anatomy, segmented from the same MRI data. The complete subresolution sandwich phantom was assembled from alternate 3D printed slabs and radioactive paper sheets, and then imaged on a dual headed gamma camera to simulate an HMPAO SPECT scan. Results: Reconstructions of phantom scans successfully used automated ellipse fitting to apply attenuation correction. This removed the variability inherent in manual application of attenuation correction and registration inherent in existing cylindrical phantom designs. The resulting images were assessed visually and by count profiles and found to be similar to those from an existing elliptical PMMA phantom. Conclusions: The authors have demonstrated the ability to create physically realistic HMPAO SPECT simulations using a novel head-shaped 3D printed subresolution sandwich method phantom. The phantom can be used to validate all neurological SPECT imaging applications. A simple modification of the phantom design to use thinner slabs would make it suitable for

  16. Technical Note: Development of a 3D printed subresolution sandwich phantom for validation of brain SPECT analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Negus, Ian S.; Holmes, Robin B.; Thorne, Gareth C.; Saunders, Margaret [Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol BS28HW (United Kingdom); Jordan, Kirsty C. [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G11XQ (United Kingdom); Nash, David A. [Department of Medical Physics, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Portsmouth PO63LY (United Kingdom)

    2016-09-15

    Purpose: To make an adaptable, head shaped radionuclide phantom to simulate molecular imaging of the brain using clinical acquisition and reconstruction protocols. This will allow the characterization and correction of scanner characteristics, and improve the accuracy of clinical image analysis, including the application of databases of normal subjects. Methods: A fused deposition modeling 3D printer was used to create a head shaped phantom made up of transaxial slabs, derived from a simulated MRI dataset. The attenuation of the printed polylactide (PLA), measured by means of the Hounsfield unit on CT scanning, was set to match that of the brain by adjusting the proportion of plastic filament and air (fill ratio). Transmission measurements were made to verify the attenuation of the printed slabs. The radionuclide distribution within the phantom was created by adding {sup 99m}Tc pertechnetate to the ink cartridge of a paper printer and printing images of gray and white matter anatomy, segmented from the same MRI data. The complete subresolution sandwich phantom was assembled from alternate 3D printed slabs and radioactive paper sheets, and then imaged on a dual headed gamma camera to simulate an HMPAO SPECT scan. Results: Reconstructions of phantom scans successfully used automated ellipse fitting to apply attenuation correction. This removed the variability inherent in manual application of attenuation correction and registration inherent in existing cylindrical phantom designs. The resulting images were assessed visually and by count profiles and found to be similar to those from an existing elliptical PMMA phantom. Conclusions: The authors have demonstrated the ability to create physically realistic HMPAO SPECT simulations using a novel head-shaped 3D printed subresolution sandwich method phantom. The phantom can be used to validate all neurological SPECT imaging applications. A simple modification of the phantom design to use thinner slabs would make it suitable

  17. Interfacial Crack Arrest in Sandwich Panels with Embedded Crack Stoppers Subjected to Fatigue Loading

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martakos, G.; Andreasen, J. H.; Berggreen, Christian

    2017-01-01

    A novel crack arresting device has been implemented in sandwich panels and tested using a special rig to apply out-of-plane loading on the sandwich panel face-sheets. Fatigue crack propagation was induced in the face-core interface of the sandwich panels which met the crack arrester. The effect o...

  18. Effect of Linkage Disequilibrium on the Identification of Functional Variants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Alun; Abel, Haley J; Di, Yanming; Faye, Laura L; Jin, Jing; Liu, Jin; Wu, Zheyan; Paterson, Andrew D

    2011-01-01

    We summarize the contributions of Group 9 of Genetic Analysis Workshop 17. This group addressed the problems of linkage disequilibrium and other longer range forms of allelic association when evaluating the effects of genotypes on phenotypes. Issues raised by long-range associations, whether a result of selection, stratification, possible technical errors, or chance, were less expected but proved to be important. Most contributors focused on regression methods of various types to illustrate problematic issues or to develop adaptations for dealing with high-density genotype assays. Study design was also considered, as was graphical modeling. Although no method emerged as uniformly successful, most succeeded in reducing false-positive results either by considering clusters of loci within genes or by applying smoothing metrics that required results from adjacent loci to be similar. Two unexpected results that questioned our assumptions of what is required to model linkage disequilibrium were observed. The first was that correlations between loci separated by large genetic distances can greatly inflate single-locus test statistics, and, whether the result of selection, stratification, possible technical errors, or chance, these correlations seem overabundant. The second unexpected result was that applying principal components analysis to genome-wide genotype data can apparently control not only for population structure but also for linkage disequilibrium. PMID:22128051

  19. Thermomechanical Analysis of Shape-Memory Composite Tape Spring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, H.; Wang, L. Y.

    2013-06-01

    Intelligent materials and structures have been extensively applied for satellite designs in order to minimize the mass and reduce the cost in the launch of the spacecraft. Elastic memory composites (EMCs) have the ability of high-strain packaging and shape-memory effect, but increase the parts and total weight due to the additional heating system. Shape-memory sandwich structures Li and Wang (J. Intell. Mater. Syst. Struct. 22(14), 1605-1612, 2011) can overcome such disadvantage by using the metal skin acting as the heating element. However, the high strain in the micro-buckled metal skin decreases the deployment efficiency. This paper aims to present an insight into the folding and deployment behaviors of shape-memory composite (SMC) tape springs. A thermomechanical process was analyzed, including the packaging deformation at an elevated temperature, shape frozen at the low temperature and shape recovery after reheating. The result shows that SMC tape springs can significantly decrease the strain concentration in the metal skin, as well as exhibiting excellent shape frozen and recovery behaviors. Additionally, possible failure modes of SMC tape springs were also analyzed.

  20. A pantograph linkage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cole, G.V.

    1982-01-01

    A pantograph linkage is actuated by two linear actuators, pivotally connected together at the linkage. The displacement of the actuators is monitored by rectilinear potentiometers to provide feedback signals to a microprocessor which also receives input signals related to a required movement of a slave end of the linkage. In response to these signals, the microprocessor provides signals to control the displacement of the linear actuators to effect the required movement of the slave end. The movement of the slave end might be straightline in a substantially horizontal or vertical direction. (author)

  1. Software refactoring at the package level using clustering techniques

    KAUST Repository

    Alkhalid, A.

    2011-01-01

    Enhancing, modifying or adapting the software to new requirements increases the internal software complexity. Software with high level of internal complexity is difficult to maintain. Software refactoring reduces software complexity and hence decreases the maintenance effort. However, software refactoring becomes quite challenging task as the software evolves. The authors use clustering as a pattern recognition technique to assist in software refactoring activities at the package level. The approach presents a computer aided support for identifying ill-structured packages and provides suggestions for software designer to balance between intra-package cohesion and inter-package coupling. A comparative study is conducted applying three different clustering techniques on different software systems. In addition, the application of refactoring at the package level using an adaptive k-nearest neighbour (A-KNN) algorithm is introduced. The authors compared A-KNN technique with the other clustering techniques (viz. single linkage algorithm, complete linkage algorithm and weighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages). The new technique shows competitive performance with lower computational complexity. © 2011 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.

  2. Tailoring Sandwich Face/Core Interfaces for Improved Damage Tolerance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

    2010-01-01

    A face/core debond in a sandwich structure may propagate in the interface or kink into either the face or core. It is found that certain modifications of the face/core interface region influence the kinking behavior, which is studied experimentally in the present paper. A sandwich double cantilever....... The transition points where the crack kinks are identified and the influence of four various interface design modifications on the propagation path and fracture resistance are investigated....

  3. Effect of Different Concentration of Sodium Hydroxide [NaOH] on Kenaf Sandwich Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aziz, M.; Halim, Z.; Othman, M.

    2018-01-01

    Sandwich panels are structures that made of three layers, low-density core inserted in between thin skin layers. This structures allow the achievement of excellent mechanical performance with low weight, thus this characteristic fulfil requirement to be use in aircraft application. In recent time, sandwich structures have been studied due to it has multifunction properties and lightweight. The aim of this study is to fabricate a composite sandwich structures with biodegradable material for face sheet [skin] where the fibre being treat with different concentration of sodium hydroxide [NaOH] with 10 and 20 hours of soaking time. Kenaf fibre [treated] reinforced epoxy will be used as skins and Nomex honeycomb is chosen to perform as core for this sandwich composite structure. The mechanical properties that are evaluated such as flexural strength and impact energy of kenaf fibre-reinforced epoxy sandwich structures. For flexural test, the optimum flexural strength is 13.4 MPa and impact strength is 18.3 J.

  4. Sandwich allografts for long-bone nonunions in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puvanesarajah, Varun; Shapiro, Jay R; Sponseller, Paul D

    2015-02-18

    Patients with osteogenesis imperfecta often develop nonunions, as internal fixation has limited applicability in this condition. We report the outcomes of a modified "sandwich technique" in the treatment of long-bone nonunions in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta; this technique brings circumferential stabilization and normal collagen to the nonunion site. From May 2003 through February 2012, twelve patients (eight females, four males; median age, 39.0 years; range, eleven to seventy-eight years) who had osteogenesis imperfecta (Sillence type I [three], type III [eight], and type IV [one]) and a combined total of thirteen nonunions (two humeral, two radial, three femoral, four tibial, and two ulnar; median duration, 15.0 months; range, six to 204 months) were treated at our institution with compressed sandwich allograft cortical struts. The struts were fashioned to be wide enough to allow for increased osteoconductive surface area and to approximate a hemicylindrical shape. Treatment history and demographics data were acquired through retrospective chart review. Follow-up radiographs were analyzed by two attending orthopaedic surgeons to determine radiographic findings. The median follow-up time was 4.6 years (range, 2.1 to 10.3 years). All thirteen nonunions, including one requiring a second graft procedure, healed with abundant, smooth allograft incorporation, resulting in an initial healing rate of 92% because of a refracture in one patient. This patient's nonunion ultimately healed with additional allograft struts and a new intramedullary rod. One patient required removal of prominent screws. The final follow-up examinations revealed no pain or refracture at the original nonunion site. All patients regained their prefracture level of function. Sandwich allograft struts constitute a durable, safe method for the stabilization and healing of persistent long-bone nonunions in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta. All patients showed incorporation of the

  5. Privacy preserving interactive record linkage (PPIRL).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kum, Hye-Chung; Krishnamurthy, Ashok; Machanavajjhala, Ashwin; Reiter, Michael K; Ahalt, Stanley

    2014-01-01

    Record linkage to integrate uncoordinated databases is critical in biomedical research using Big Data. Balancing privacy protection against the need for high quality record linkage requires a human-machine hybrid system to safely manage uncertainty in the ever changing streams of chaotic Big Data. In the computer science literature, private record linkage is the most published area. It investigates how to apply a known linkage function safely when linking two tables. However, in practice, the linkage function is rarely known. Thus, there are many data linkage centers whose main role is to be the trusted third party to determine the linkage function manually and link data for research via a master population list for a designated region. Recently, a more flexible computerized third-party linkage platform, Secure Decoupled Linkage (SDLink), has been proposed based on: (1) decoupling data via encryption, (2) obfuscation via chaffing (adding fake data) and universe manipulation; and (3) minimum information disclosure via recoding. We synthesize this literature to formalize a new framework for privacy preserving interactive record linkage (PPIRL) with tractable privacy and utility properties and then analyze the literature using this framework. Human-based third-party linkage centers for privacy preserving record linkage are the accepted norm internationally. We find that a computer-based third-party platform that can precisely control the information disclosed at the micro level and allow frequent human interaction during the linkage process, is an effective human-machine hybrid system that significantly improves on the linkage center model both in terms of privacy and utility.

  6. Studying the varied shapes of gold clusters by an elegant optimization algorithm that hybridizes the density functional tight-binding theory and the density functional theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Tsung-Wen; Lim, Thong-Leng; Yoon, Tiem-Leong; Lai, S. K.

    2017-11-01

    We combined a new parametrized density functional tight-binding (DFTB) theory (Fihey et al. 2015) with an unbiased modified basin hopping (MBH) optimization algorithm (Yen and Lai 2015) and applied it to calculate the lowest energy structures of Au clusters. From the calculated topologies and their conformational changes, we find that this DFTB/MBH method is a necessary procedure for a systematic study of the structural development of Au clusters but is somewhat insufficient for a quantitative study. As a result, we propose an extended hybridized algorithm. This improved algorithm proceeds in two steps. In the first step, the DFTB theory is employed to calculate the total energy of the cluster and this step (through running DFTB/MBH optimization for given Monte-Carlo steps) is meant to efficiently bring the Au cluster near to the region of the lowest energy minimum since the cluster as a whole has explicitly considered the interactions of valence electrons with ions, albeit semi-quantitatively. Then, in the second succeeding step, the energy-minimum searching process will continue with a skilledly replacement of the energy function calculated by the DFTB theory in the first step by one calculated in the full density functional theory (DFT). In these subsequent calculations, we couple the DFT energy also with the MBH strategy and proceed with the DFT/MBH optimization until the lowest energy value is found. We checked that this extended hybridized algorithm successfully predicts the twisted pyramidal structure for the Au40 cluster and correctly confirms also the linear shape of C8 which our previous DFTB/MBH method failed to do so. Perhaps more remarkable is the topological growth of Aun: it changes from a planar (n =3-11) → an oblate-like cage (n =12-15) → a hollow-shape cage (n =16-18) and finally a pyramidal-like cage (n =19, 20). These varied forms of the cluster's shapes are consistent with those reported in the literature.

  7. Fracture Behaviours in Compression-loaded Triangular Corrugated Core Sandwich Panels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zaid N.Z.M.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The failure modes occurring in sandwich panels based on the corrugations of aluminium alloy, carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP and glass fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP are analysed in this work. The fracture behaviour of these sandwich panels under compressive stresses is determined through a series of uniform lateral compression performed on samples with different cell wall thicknesses. Compression test on the corrugated-core sandwich panels were conducted using an Instron series 4505 testing machine. The post-failure examinations of the corrugated-core in different cell wall thickness were conducted using optical microscope. Load-displacement graphs of aluminium alloy, GFRP and CFRP specimens were plotted to show progressive damage development with five unit cells. Four modes of failure were described in the results: buckling, hinges, delamination and debonding. Each of these failure modes may dominate under different cell wall thickness or loading condition, and they may act in combination. The results indicate that thicker composites corrugated-core panels tend can recover more stress and retain more stiffness. This analysis provides a valuable insight into the mechanical behaviour of corrugated-core sandwich panels for use in lightweight engineering applications.

  8. Numerical simulation of the hole-flanging process for steel-polymer sandwich sheets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griesel, Dominic; Keller, Marco C.; Groche, Peter

    2018-05-01

    In light of increasing demand for lightweight structures, hybrid materials are frequently used in load-optimized parts. Sandwich structures like metal-polymer sandwich sheets provide equal bending stiffness as their monolithic counterparts at a drastically reduced weight. In addition, sandwich sheets have noise-damping properties, thus they are well-suited for a large variety of parts, e.g. façade and car body panels, but also load-carrying components. However, due to the creep tendency and low heat resistance of the polymer cores, conventional joining technologies are only applicable to a limited degree. Through hole-flanging it is possible to create branches in sandwich sheets to be used as reinforced joints. While it is state of the art for monolithic materials, hole-flanging of sandwich sheets has not been investigated yet. In order to simulate this process for different material combinations and tool geometries, an axisymmetric model has been developed in the FE software Abaqus/CAE. In the present paper, various modeling strategies for steel-polymer sandwich sheets are examined, including volume elements, shell elements and combinations thereof. Different methods for joining the distinct layers in the FE model are discussed. By comparison with CT scans and optical 3D measurements of experimentally produced hole-flanges, the feasibility of the presented models is evaluated. Although a good agreement of the numerical and experimental results has been achieved, it becomes clear that the classical forming limit diagram (FLD) does not adequately predict failure of the steel skins.

  9. Applying Topographic Classification, Based on the Hydrological Process, to Design Habitat Linkages for Climate Change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongwon Mo

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The use of biodiversity surrogates has been discussed in the context of designing habitat linkages to support the migration of species affected by climate change. Topography has been proposed as a useful surrogate in the coarse-filter approach, as the hydrological process caused by topography such as erosion and accumulation is the basis of ecological processes. However, some studies that have designed topographic linkages as habitat linkages, so far have focused much on the shape of the topography (morphometric topographic classification with little emphasis on the hydrological processes (generic topographic classification to find such topographic linkages. We aimed to understand whether generic classification was valid for designing these linkages. First, we evaluated whether topographic classification is more appropriate for describing actual (coniferous and deciduous and potential (mammals and amphibians habitat distributions. Second, we analyzed the difference in the linkages between the morphometric and generic topographic classifications. The results showed that the generic classification represented the actual distribution of the trees, but neither the morphometric nor the generic classification could represent the potential animal distributions adequately. Our study demonstrated that the topographic classes, according to the generic classification, were arranged successively according to the flow of water, nutrients, and sediment; therefore, it would be advantageous to secure linkages with a width of 1 km or more. In addition, the edge effect would be smaller than with the morphometric classification. Accordingly, we suggest that topographic characteristics, based on the hydrological process, are required to design topographic linkages for climate change.

  10. Ultrathin percolated WO{sub 3} cluster film and its resistive response to H{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Meng [Research Center for Solid State Physics and Materials, School of Mathematics and Physics, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009 (China); Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Wong, Man Hon; Huang, Jian Xing [Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Ong, Chung Wo, E-mail: c.w.ong@polyu.edu.hk [Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

    2014-11-05

    Highlights: • Ultrathin percolated network of WO{sub 3} clusters was fabricated. • The WO{sub 3} clusters are modeled by spherical caps connected by ultrafine linkages. • The ultrathin percolated network of WO{sub 3} clusters shows fast response rate to H{sub 2}. • The fast response is attributed to the rapid electrical switching of the linkages. • Improved H{sub 2} sensing properties may be achieved if narrower linkages are used. - Abstract: Thin films composed of tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) nanoclusters were fabricated by oxidizing supersonic cluster beam deposited tungsten films at various temperatures. Oxidation at 700 °C resulted in aggregation of the deposits, forming a percolated network of WO{sub 3} spherical caps connected by fine links. The resistance response of the palladium-(Pd-) coated film sample to hydrogen (H{sub 2}) was investigated. The response rate was faster than those of other samples oxidized at lower temperatures. This is the result of the rapid electrical switching of the intercluster links between the highly resistive depleted state and conducting hydrogenated state. The possibility of improving the H{sub 2} sensing response rate with the use of the percolated WO{sub 3} film structure is illustrated.

  11. Gravity sag of sandwich panel assemblies as applied to precision cathode strip chamber structural design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horvath, J.

    1993-01-01

    The relationship between gravity sag of a precision cathode strip chamber and its sandwich panel structural design is explored parametrically. An algorithm for estimating the dominant component of gravity sag is defined. Graphs of normalized gravity sag as a function of gap frame width and material, sandwich core edge filler width and material, panel skin thickness, gap height, and support location are calculated using the gravity sag algorithm. The structural importance of the sandwich-to-sandwich ''gap frame'' connection is explained

  12. Functional grading of metal foam cores for yield-limited lightweight sandwich beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conde, Yves; Pollien, Arnaud; Mortensen, Andreas

    2006-01-01

    We show that grading the porosity in a bent metal skin/metal foam core sandwich can generate significant weight savings in yield-limited design when, and only when, there is a gradient in the applied moment along the sandwich beam

  13. Behaviour of glued fibre composite sandwich structure in flexure: Experiment and Fibre Model Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manalo, Allan; Aravinthan, Thiru

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Fibre Model Analysis is used to examine the flexural behaviour of sandwich beams. ► Theoretical prediction using FMA is in good agreement with the experiment. ► Using the constituent materials in FMA predicted accurately the beam’s behaviour. ► FMA can be used for analysing sandwich beams with high-strength core in flexure. -- Abstract: The behaviour of glued composite sandwich beams in flexure was investigated with a view of using this material for structural and civil engineering applications. The building block of this glue-laminated beam is a new generation composite sandwich structure made up of glass fibre reinforced polymer skins and a high strength phenolic core material. A simplified Fibre Model Analysis (FMA) usually used to analyse a concrete beam section is adopted to theoretically describe the flexural behaviour of the innovative sandwich beam structure. The analysis included the flexural behaviour of the glued sandwich beams in the flatwise and the edgewise positions. The FMA accounted for the non-linear behaviour of the phenolic core in compression, the cracking of the core in tension and the linear elastic behaviour of the fibre composite skin. The results of the FMA showed a good agreement with the experimental data showing the efficiency and practical applications of the simplified FMA in analysing and designing sandwich structures with high strength core material.

  14. Impact Testing and Simulation of a Sinusoid Foam Sandwich Energy Absorber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Karen E.; Fasanella, Edwin L; Littell, Justin D.

    2015-01-01

    A sinusoidal-shaped foam sandwich energy absorber was developed and evaluated at NASA Langley Research Center through multi-level testing and simulation performed under the Transport Rotorcraft Airframe Crash Testbed (TRACT) research project. The energy absorber, designated the "sinusoid," consisted of hybrid carbon- Kevlar® plain weave fabric face sheets, two layers for each face sheet oriented at +/-45deg with respect to the vertical or crush direction, and a closed-cell ELFOAM(TradeMark) P200 polyisocyanurate (2.0-lb/ft3) foam core. The design goal for the energy absorber was to achieve an average floor-level acceleration of between 25- and 40-g during the full-scale crash test of a retrofitted CH-46E helicopter airframe, designated TRACT 2. Variations in the design were assessed through quasi-static and dynamic crush testing of component specimens. Once the design was finalized, a 5-ft-long subfloor beam was fabricated and retrofitted into a barrel section of a CH-46E helicopter. A vertical drop test of the barrel section was conducted onto concrete to evaluate the performance of the energy absorber prior to retrofit into TRACT 2. Finite element models were developed of all test articles and simulations were performed using LSDYNA ®, a commercial nonlinear explicit transient dynamic finite element code. Test analysis results are presented for the sinusoid foam sandwich energy absorber as comparisons of load-displacement and acceleration-time-history responses, as well as predicted and experimental structural deformations and progressive damage for each evaluation level (component testing through barrel section drop testing).

  15. Applications of thin-film sandwich crystallization platforms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Axford, Danny, E-mail: danny.axford@diamond.ac.uk; Aller, Pierre; Sanchez-Weatherby, Juan; Sandy, James [Diamond Light Source, Harwell Oxford, Didcot OX11 0DE (United Kingdom)

    2016-03-24

    Crystallization via sandwiches of thin polymer films is presented and discussed. Examples are shown of protein crystallization in, and data collection from, solutions sandwiched between thin polymer films using vapour-diffusion and batch methods. The crystallization platform is optimal for both visualization and in situ data collection, with the need for traditional harvesting being eliminated. In wells constructed from the thinnest plastic and with a minimum of aqueous liquid, flash-cooling to 100 K is possible without significant ice formation and without any degradation in crystal quality. The approach is simple; it utilizes low-cost consumables but yields high-quality data with minimal sample intervention and, with the very low levels of background X-ray scatter that are observed, is optimal for microcrystals.

  16. Biodegradable Shape Memory Polymers in Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Gregory I; Dobrynin, Andrey V; Becker, Matthew L

    2017-11-01

    Shape memory materials have emerged as an important class of materials in medicine due to their ability to change shape in response to a specific stimulus, enabling the simplification of medical procedures, use of minimally invasive techniques, and access to new treatment modalities. Shape memory polymers, in particular, are well suited for such applications given their excellent shape memory performance, tunable materials properties, minimal toxicity, and potential for biodegradation and resorption. This review provides an overview of biodegradable shape memory polymers that have been used in medical applications. The majority of biodegradable shape memory polymers are based on thermally responsive polyesters or polymers that contain hydrolyzable ester linkages. These materials have been targeted for use in applications pertaining to embolization, drug delivery, stents, tissue engineering, and wound closure. The development of biodegradable shape memory polymers with unique properties or responsiveness to novel stimuli has the potential to facilitate the optimization and development of new medical applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. High performance sandwich structured Si thin film anodes with LiPON coating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Xinyi; Lang, Jialiang; Lv, Shasha; Li, Zhengcao

    2018-04-01

    The sandwich structured silicon thin film anodes with lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) coating are synthesized via the radio frequency magnetron sputtering method, whereas the thicknesses of both layers are in the nanometer range, i.e. between 50 and 200 nm. In this sandwich structure, the separator simultaneously functions as a flexible substrate, while the LiPON layer is regarded as a protective layer. This sandwich structure combines the advantages of flexible substrate, which can help silicon release the compressive stress, and the LiPON coating, which can provide a stable artificial solidelectrolyte interphase (SEI) film on the electrode. As a result, the silicon anodes are protected well, and the cells exhibit high reversible capacity, excellent cycling stability and good rate capability. All the results demonstrate that this sandwich structure can be a promising option for high performance Si thin film lithium ion batteries.

  18. Photocatalytic perfermance of sandwich-like BiVO{sub 4} sheets by microwave assisted synthesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Suqin, E-mail: liusuqin888@126.com [Department of Chemical engineering and Food Science, Hubei University of arts and science, Xiangyang 441053 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Xiangyang 441053 (China); Tang, Huiling; Zhou, Huan [Department of Chemical engineering and Food Science, Hubei University of arts and science, Xiangyang 441053 (China); Dai, Gaopeng, E-mail: dgp2000@126.com [Department of Chemical engineering and Food Science, Hubei University of arts and science, Xiangyang 441053 (China); Wang, Wanqiang [Department of Chemical engineering and Food Science, Hubei University of arts and science, Xiangyang 441053 (China)

    2017-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Sandwich-like BiVO{sub 4} sheets were successfully synthesized via a facile microwave-assisted method. The as-prepared samples exhibit a high activity for the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. - Highlights: • Sandwich-like BiVO{sub 4} sheets were synthesized by a facile microwave-assisted method. • The presence of PEG-10000 plays a critical role in the formation of BiVO{sub 4} sheets. • Ostwald ripening is the primary driving force for the formation of sandwich-like BiVO{sub 4}. • The sandwich-like BiVO{sub 4} sheets exhibit a high visible-light photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Sandwich-like BiVO{sub 4} sheets were successfully synthesized in an aqueous solution containing bismuth nitrate, ammonium metavanadate and polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 10,000 (PEG-10000) using a facile microwave-assisted method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results show that the presence of PEG-10000 plays a critical role in the formation of BiVO{sub 4} sheets, and Ostwald ripening is the primary driving force for the formation of sandwich-like structures. The sandwich-like BiVO{sub 4} sheets exhibit a high activity for the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). The enhancement of photocatalytic activity of sandwich-like BiVO{sub 4} sheets can be attributed to its large surface area over the irregular BiVO{sub 4} particles.

  19. High renewable content sandwich structures based on flax-basalt hybrids and biobased epoxy polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colomina, S.; Boronat, T.; Fenollar, O.; Sánchez-Nacher, L.; Balart, R.

    2014-05-01

    In the last years, a growing interest in the development of high environmental efficiency materials has been detected and this situation is more accentuated in the field of polymers and polymer composites. In this work, green composite sandwich structures with high renewable content have been developed with core cork materials. The base resin for composites was a biobased epoxy resin derived from epoxidized vegetable oils. Hybrid basalt-flax fabrics have been used as reinforcements for composites and the influence of the stacking sequence has been evaluated in order to optimize the appropriate laminate structure for the sandwich bases. Core cork materials with different thickness have been used to evaluate performance of sandwich structures thus leading to high renewable content composite sandwich structures. Results show that position of basalt fabrics plays a key role in flexural fracture of sandwich structures due to differences in stiffness between flax and basalt fibers.

  20. Combined-load buckling behavior of metal-matrix composite sandwich panels under different thermal environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, William L.; Jackson, Raymond H.

    1991-01-01

    Combined compressive and shear buckling analysis was conducted on flat rectangular sandwich panels with the consideration of transverse shear effects of the core. The sandwich panel is fabricated with titanium honeycomb core and laminated metal matrix composite face sheets. The results show that the square panel has the highest combined load buckling strength, and that the buckling strength decreases sharply with the increases of both temperature and panel aspect ratio. The effect of layup (fiber orientation) on the buckling strength of the panels was studied in detail. The metal matrix composite sandwich panel was much more efficient than the sandwich panel with nonreinforced face sheets and had the same specific weight.

  1. A Socio-spatial Dimension of Local Creative Industry Development in Semarang and Kudus Batik Clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nugroho, P.

    2018-02-01

    Creative industries existence is inseparable from the underlying social construct which provides sources for creativity and innovation. The working of social capital in a society facilitates information exchange, knowledge transfer and technology acquisition within the industry through social networks. As a result, a socio-spatial divide exists in directing the growth of the creative industries. This paper aims to examine how such a socio-spatial divide contributes to the local creative industry development in Semarang and Kudus batik clusters. Explanatory sequential mixed methods approach covering a quantitative approach followed by a qualitative approach is chosen to understand better the interplay between tangible and intangible variables in the local batik clusters. Surveys on secondary data taken from the government statistics and reports, previous studies, and media exposures are completed in the former approach to identify clustering pattern of the local batik industry and the local embeddedness factors which have shaped the existing business environment. In-depth interviews, content analysis, and field observations are engaged in the latter approach to explore reciprocal relationships between the elements of social capital and the local batik cluster development. The result demonstrates that particular social ties have determined the forms of spatial proximity manifested in forward and backward business linkages. Trust, shared norms, and inherited traditions are the key social capital attributes that lead to such a socio-spatial divide. Therefore, the intermediating roles of the bridging actors are necessary to encouraging cooperation among the participating stakeholders for a better cluster development.

  2. Bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells sandwiched by solution processed molybdenum oxide and titania nanosheet layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, Eiji; Goto, Yoshinori; Fukuda, Katsutoshi

    2014-02-01

    The contributions of ultrathin titania nanosheet (TN) crystallites were studied in both an inverted bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) cell in an indium-tin oxide (ITO)/titania nanosheet (TN)/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM) active layer/MoOx/Ag multilayered photovoltaic device and a conventional BHJ cell in ITO/MoOx/P3HT:PCBM active layer/TN/Al multilayered photovoltaic device. The insertion of only one or two layers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and TN multilayered film prepared by the layer-by-layer deposition technique effectively decreased the leakage current and increased the open circuit voltage (VOC), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η). The conventional cell sandwiched between a solution-processed, partially crystallized molybdenum oxide hole-extracting buffer layer and a TN electron extracting buffer layer showed comparable cell performance to a device sandwiched between vacuum-deposited molybdenum oxide and TN layers, whereas the inverted cell with solution-processed molybdenum oxide showed a poorer performance probably owing to the increment in the leakage current across the film. The abnormal S-shaped curves observed in the inverted BHJ cell above VOC disappeared with the use of a polyfluorene-based cationic semiconducting polymer as a substitute for an insulating PDDA film, resulting in the improved cell performance.

  3. Identification of material properties of sandwich structure with piezoelectric patches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zemčík R.

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available The work focuses on light-weight sandwich structures made of carbon-epoxy skins and foam core which have unique bending stiffness compared to conventional materials. The skins are manufactured by vacuum autoclave technology from unidirectional prepregs and the sandwich is then glued together. The resulting material properties of the structure usually differ from those provided by manufacturer or even those obtained from experimental tests on separate materials, which makes computational models unreliable. Therefore, the properties are identified using the combination of experimental analysis of the sandwich with attached piezoelectric transducer and corresponding static and modal finite element analyses. Simple mathematical optimization with repetitive finite element solution is used. The model is then verified by transient analysis when the piezoelectric patch is excited by harmonic signals covering the first two eigen-frequencies and the induced oscillations are measured by laser sensor.

  4. Genome scan for linkage to asthma using a linkage disequilibrium-lod score test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Y; Slager, S L; Huang, J

    2001-01-01

    We report a genome-wide linkage study of asthma on the German and Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Asthma (CSGA) data. Using a combined linkage and linkage disequilibrium test and the nonparametric linkage score, we identified 13 markers from the German data, 1 marker from the African American (CSGA) data, and 7 markers from the Caucasian (CSGA) data in which the p-values ranged between 0.0001 and 0.0100. From our analysis and taking into account previous published linkage studies of asthma, we suggest that three regions in chromosome 5 (around D5S418, D5S644, and D5S422), one region in chromosome 6 (around three neighboring markers D6S1281, D6S291, and D6S1019), one region in chromosome 11 (around D11S2362), and two regions in chromosome 12 (around D12S351 and D12S324) especially merit further investigation.

  5. Natural fabric sandwich laminate composites: development and ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    3Department of Production Technology, MIT Campus, Anna University, Chennai 600044, India. MS received ... In this work, eco-friendly natural fabric sandwich laminate (NFSL) composites are formulated using ... and eco-friendly quality [22].

  6. Numerical Study on the Projectile Impact Resistance of Multi-Layer Sandwich Panels with Cellular Cores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liming Chen

    Full Text Available Abstract The projectile impact resistance of sandwich panels with cellular cores with different layer numbers has been numerically investigated by perpendicular impact of rigid blunt projectile in ABAQUS/Explicit. These panels with corrugation, hexagonal honeycomb and pyramidal truss cores are impacted at velocities between 50 m/s and 202 m/s while the relative density ranges from 0.001 to 0.15 The effects of core configuration and layer number on projectile impact resistance of sandwich panels with cellular cores are studied. At low impact velocity, sandwich panels with cellular cores outperform the corresponding solid ones and non-montonicity between relative density and projectile resistance of sandwich panels is found and analyzed. Multiplying layer can reduce the maximum central deflection of back face sheet of the above three sandwich panels except pyramidal truss ones in high relative density. Hexagonal honeycomb sandwich panel is beneficial to increasing layer numbers in lowering the contact force and prolonging the interaction time. At high impact velocity, though corrugation and honeycomb sandwich panels are inferior to the equal-weighted solid panels, pyramidal truss ones with high relative density outperform the corresponding solid panels. Multiplying layer is not the desirable way to improve high-velocity projectile resistance.

  7. A materials selection procedure for sandwiched beams via parametric optimization with applications in automotive industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aly, Mohamed F.; Hamza, Karim T.; Farag, Mahmoud M.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Sandwich panels optimization model. • Sandwich panels design procedure. • Study of sandwich panels for automotive vehicle flooring. • Study of sandwich panels for truck cabin exterior. - Abstract: The future of automotive industry faces many challenges in meeting increasingly strict restrictions on emissions, energy usage and recyclability of components alongside the need to maintain cost competiveness. Weight reduction through innovative design of components and proper material selection can have profound impact towards attaining such goals since most of the lifecycle energy usage occurs during the operation phase of a vehicle. In electric and hybrid vehicles, weight reduction has another important effect of extending the electric mode driving range between stops or gasoline mode. This paper adopts parametric models for design optimization and material selection of sandwich panels with the objective of weight and cost minimization subject to structural integrity constraints such as strength, stiffness and buckling resistance. The proposed design procedure employs a pre-compiled library of candidate sandwich panel material combinations, for which optimization of the layered thicknesses is conducted and the best one is reported. Example demonstration studies from the automotive industry are presented for the replacement of Aluminum and Steel panels with polypropylene-filled sandwich panel alternatives

  8. Optimality Measures for Monotone Equivariant Cluster Techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-09-01

    complete linkage, u-clustering (u - .3, .5, .7), uv-clustering (uv = (.2,.4), (.2,.6), (.4,.6)) as well as the UPGMA algorithm. The idea will be to...Table 15. Notice that these measure-- do indeed pioduce difftxent verdicts. OPI rates UPGMA as best with uv = (.2,.4) R € second. By OP2, UPGMA is best...By OPI, UPGQA and uv = (.4,.6) are tied for first place, while by OP2, UPGMA is best with uv = (.2,.6), uv = (.2,.4) and uv = (.4,.6) close behind

  9. A quantitative exposure model simulating human norovirus transmission during preparation of deli sandwiches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stals, Ambroos; Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Baert, Leen; Van Coillie, Els; Uyttendaele, Mieke

    2015-03-02

    Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are a major cause of food borne gastroenteritis worldwide. They are often transmitted via infected and shedding food handlers manipulating foods such as deli sandwiches. The presented study aimed to simulate HuNoV transmission during the preparation of deli sandwiches in a sandwich bar. A quantitative exposure model was developed by combining the GoldSim® and @Risk® software packages. Input data were collected from scientific literature and from a two week observational study performed at two sandwich bars. The model included three food handlers working during a three hour shift on a shared working surface where deli sandwiches are prepared. The model consisted of three components. The first component simulated the preparation of the deli sandwiches and contained the HuNoV reservoirs, locations within the model allowing the accumulation of NoV and the working of intervention measures. The second component covered the contamination sources being (1) the initial HuNoV contaminated lettuce used on the sandwiches and (2) HuNoV originating from a shedding food handler. The third component included four possible intervention measures to reduce HuNoV transmission: hand and surface disinfection during preparation of the sandwiches, hand gloving and hand washing after a restroom visit. A single HuNoV shedding food handler could cause mean levels of 43±18, 81±37 and 18±7 HuNoV particles present on the deli sandwiches, hands and working surfaces, respectively. Introduction of contaminated lettuce as the only source of HuNoV resulted in the presence of 6.4±0.8 and 4.3±0.4 HuNoV on the food and hand reservoirs. The inclusion of hand and surface disinfection and hand gloving as a single intervention measure was not effective in the model as only marginal reductions of HuNoV levels were noticeable in the different reservoirs. High compliance of hand washing after a restroom visit did reduce HuNoV presence substantially on all reservoirs. The

  10. VT Wildlife Linkage Habitat

    Data.gov (United States)

    Vermont Center for Geographic Information — (Link to Metadata) The Wildlife Linkage Habitat Analysis uses landscape scale data to identify or predict the location of potentially significant wildlife linkage...

  11. Linkage Map of Lissotriton Newts Provides Insight into the Genetic Basis of Reproductive Isolation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Niedzicka

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Linkage maps are widely used to investigate structure, function, and evolution of genomes. In speciation research, maps facilitate the study of the genetic architecture of reproductive isolation by allowing identification of genomic regions underlying reduced fitness of hybrids. Here we present a linkage map for European newts of the Lissotriton vulgaris species complex, constructed using two families of F2 L. montandoni × L. vulgaris hybrids. The map consists of 1146 protein-coding genes on 12 linkage groups, equal to the haploid chromosome number, with a total length of 1484 cM (1.29 cM per marker. It is notably shorter than two other maps available for salamanders, but the differences in map length are consistent with cytogenetic estimates of the number of chiasmata per chromosomal arm. Thus, large salamander genomes do not necessarily translate into long linkage maps, as previously suggested. Consequently, salamanders are an excellent model to study evolutionary consequences of recombination rate variation in taxa with large genomes and a similar number of chromosomes. A complex pattern of transmission ratio distortion (TRD was detected: TRD occurred mostly in one family, in one breeding season, and was clustered in two genomic segments. This is consistent with environment-dependent mortality of individuals carrying L. montandoni alleles in these two segments and suggests a role of TRD blocks in reproductive isolation. The reported linkage map will empower studies on the genomic architecture of divergence and interactions between the genomes of hybridizing newts.

  12. Novel sandwich structure adsorptive membranes for removal of 4-nitrotoluene from water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Yuexin [College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063000 (China); Jia, Zhiqian, E-mail: zhqjia@bnu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

    2016-11-05

    Highlights: • Novel sandwich PES-SPES/PS-PDVB/PTFE adsorptive membranes were prepared. • The removal efficiency for 4-nitrotoluene is greater than 95% after five recycles. • The membrane showed higher adsorption capacity than that of mixed matrix membrane. - Abstract: Novel sandwich PES-SPES/PS-PDVB/PTFE adsorptive membranes were prepared by a filtration/immersion precipitation method and employed for the removal of 4-nitrotoluene from water. The static adsorption thermodynamics, kinetics, dynamic adsorption/desorption and membrane reusability were investigated. The results showed that the Freundlich model describes the adsorption isotherm satisfactorily. With increased PS-PDVB content, the maximum static adsorption capacity, partition coefficient, apparent adsorption rate constant, and dynamic adsorption capacity all significantly increased. The sandwich membranes showed much higher removal efficiency and adsorption capacity than those of mixed matrix membranes. With respect to dynamics adsorption/desorption, the sandwich membranes exhibited excellent reusability, with a removal efficiency greater than 95% even after five recycles.

  13. Structure and gene cluster of the O-antigen of Escherichia coli O54.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naumenko, Olesya I; Guo, Xi; Senchenkova, Sof'ya N; Geng, Peng; Perepelov, Andrei V; Shashkov, Alexander S; Liu, Bin; Knirel, Yuriy A

    2018-06-15

    Mild acid hydrolysis of the lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli O54 afforded an O-polysaccharide, which was studied by sugar analysis, solvolysis with anhydrous trifluoroacetic acid, and 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy. Solvolysis cleaved predominantly the linkage of β-d-Ribf and, to a lesser extent, that of β-d-GlcpNAc, whereas the other linkages, including the linkage of α-l-Rhap, were stable under selected conditions (40 °C, 5 h). The following structure of the O-polysaccharide was established: →4)-α-d-GalpA-(1 → 2)-α-l-Rhap-(1 → 2)-β-d-Ribf-(1 → 4)-β-d-Galp-(1 → 3)-β-d-GlcpNAc-(1→ The O-antigen gene cluster of E. coli O54 was analyzed and found to be consistent in general with the O-polysaccharide structure established but there were two exceptions: i) in the cluster, there were genes for phosphoserine phosphatase and serine transferase, which have no apparent role in the O-polysaccharide synthesis, and ii) no ribofuranosyltransferase gene was present in the cluster. Both uncommon features are shared by some other enteric bacteria. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Intrinsic alignment in redMaPPer clusters - II. Radial alignment of satellites towards cluster centres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Hung-Jin; Mandelbaum, Rachel; Freeman, Peter E.; Chen, Yen-Chi; Rozo, Eduardo; Rykoff, Eli

    2018-03-01

    We study the orientations of satellite galaxies in redMaPPer clusters constructed from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey at 0.1 measurement methods (re-Gaussianization, de Vaucouleurs, and isophotal shapes), which trace galaxy light profiles at different radii. The measured SA signal depends on these shape measurement methods. We detect the strongest SA signal in isophotal shapes, followed by de Vaucouleurs shapes. While no net SA signal is detected using re-Gaussianization shapes across the entire sample, the observed SA signal reaches a statistically significant level when limiting to a subsample of higher luminosity satellites. We further investigate the impact of noise, systematics, and real physical isophotal twisting effects in the comparison between the SA signal detected via different shape measurement methods. Unlike previous studies, which only consider the dependence of SA on a few parameters, here we explore a total of 17 galaxy and cluster properties, using a statistical model averaging technique to naturally account for parameter correlations and identify significant SA predictors. We find that the measured SA signal is strongest for satellites with the following characteristics: higher luminosity, smaller distance to the cluster centre, rounder in shape, higher bulge fraction, and distributed preferentially along the major axis directions of their centrals. Finally, we provide physical explanations for the identified dependences and discuss the connection to theories of SA.

  15. Failure Predictions of Out-of-Autoclave Sandwich Joints with Delaminations Under Flexure Loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nordendale, Nikolas A.; Goyal, Vinay K.; Lundgren, Eric C.; Patel, Dhruv N.; Farrokh, Babak; Jones, Justin; Fischetti, Grace; Segal, Kenneth N.

    2015-01-01

    An analysis and a test program was conducted to investigate the damage tolerance of composite sandwich joints. The joints contained a single circular delamination between the face-sheet and the doubler. The coupons were fabricated through out-of-autoclave (OOA) processes, a technology NASA is investigating for joining large composite sections. The four-point bend flexure test was used to induce compression loading into the side of the joint where the delamination was placed. The compression side was chosen since it tends to be one of the most critical loads in launch vehicles. Autoclave cure was used to manufacture the composite sandwich sections, while the doubler was co-bonded onto the sandwich face-sheet using an OOA process after sandwich panels were cured. A building block approach was adopted to characterize the mechanical properties of the joint material, including the fracture toughness between the doubler and face-sheet. Twelve four-point-bend samples were tested, six in the sandwich core ribbon orientation and six in sandwich core cross-ribbon direction. Analysis predicted failure initiation and propagation at the pre-delaminated location, consistent with experimental observations. A building block approach using fracture analyses methods predicted failure loads in close agreement with tests. This investigation demonstrated a small strength reduction due to a flaw of significant size compared to the width of the sample. Therefore, concerns of bonding an OOA material to an in-autoclave material was mitigated for the geometries, materials, and load configurations considered.

  16. Size-dependent analysis of a sandwich curved nanobeam integrated with piezomagnetic face-sheets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashraf M. Zenkour

    Full Text Available The aim of this research is to develop nonlocal transient magneto-electro-elastic formulation of a sandwich curved nanobeam including a nano-core and two piezo-magnetic face-sheets subjected to transverse mechanical loads and applied electric and magnetic potentials rest on Pasternak’s foundation. Nonlocal magneto-electro-elastic relations and Hamilton’s principle are used for derivation of the governing equations of motion. The analytical solution based on Fourier solution is presented for a simply-supported sandwich curved nanobeam. The numerical results are presented to investigate influence of significant parameters such as nonlocal parameter, radius of curvature, applied electric and magnetic potentials and two parameters of Pasternak's foundation on the dynamic responses of sandwich curved nanobeam. Keywords: Sandwich curved nanobeam, Dynamic responses, Piezo-magnetic face-sheets, Pasternak’s foundation, Radius of curvature, Nonlocal parameter

  17. Modal analysis and acoustic transmission through offset-core honeycomb sandwich panels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathias, Adam Dustin

    The work presented in this thesis is motivated by an earlier research that showed that double, offset-core honeycomb sandwich panels increased thermal resistance and, hence, decreased heat transfer through the panels. This result lead to the hypothesis that these panels could be used for acoustic insulation. Using commercial finite element modeling software, COMSOL Multiphysics, the acoustical properties, specifically the transmission loss across a variety of offset-core honeycomb sandwich panels, is studied for the case of a plane acoustic wave impacting the panel at normal incidence. The transmission loss results are compared with those of single-core honeycomb panels with the same cell sizes. The fundamental frequencies of the panels are also computed in an attempt to better understand the vibrational modes of these particular sandwich-structured panels. To ensure that the finite element analysis software is adequate for the task at hand, two relevant benchmark problems are solved and compared with theory. Results from these benchmark results compared well to those obtained from theory. Transmission loss results from the offset-core honeycomb sandwich panels show increased transmission loss, especially for large cell honeycombs when compared to single-core honeycomb panels.

  18. Robust and Air-Stable Sandwiched Organo-Lead Halide Perovskites for Photodetector Applications

    KAUST Repository

    Mohammed, Omar F.

    2016-02-25

    We report the simplest possible method to date for fabricating robust, air-stable, sandwiched perovskite photodetectors. Our proposed sandwiched structure is devoid of electron or hole transporting layers and also the expensive electrodes. These simpler architectures may have application in the perovskite-only class of solar cells scaling up towards commercialization.

  19. Design of special planar linkages

    CERN Document Server

    Zhao, Jing-Shan; Ma, Ning; Chu, Fulei

    2013-01-01

    Planar linkages play a very important role in mechanical engineering. As the simplest closed chain mechanisms, planar four-bar linkages are widely used in mechanical engineering, civil engineering and aerospace engineering.Design of Special Planar Linkages proposes a uniform design theory for planar four-bar linkages. The merit of the method proposed in this book is that it allows engineers to directly obtain accurate results when there are such solutions for the specified n precise positions; otherwise, the best approximate solutions will be found. This book discusses the kinematics and reach

  20. Small gold clusters on graphene, their mobility and clustering: a DFT study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amft, Martin; Sanyal, Biplab; Eriksson, Olle; Skorodumova, Natalia V

    2011-01-01

    Motivated by the experimentally observed high mobility of gold atoms on graphene and their tendency to form nanometer-sized clusters, we present a density functional theory study of the ground state structures of small gold clusters on graphene, their mobility and clustering. Our detailed analysis of the electronic structures identifies the opportunity to form strong gold-gold bonds and the graphene-mediated interaction of the pre-adsorbed fragments as the driving forces behind gold's tendency to aggregate on graphene. While clusters containing up to three gold atoms have one unambiguous ground state structure, both gas phase isomers of a cluster with four gold atoms can be found on graphene. In the gas phase the diamond-shaped Au 4 D cluster is the ground state structure, whereas the Y-shaped Au 4 Y becomes the actual ground state when adsorbed on graphene. As we show, both clusters can be produced on graphene by two distinct clustering processes. We also studied in detail the stepwise formation of a gold dimer out of two pre-adsorbed adatoms, as well as the formation of Au 3 . All reactions are exothermic and no further activation barriers, apart from the diffusion barriers, were found. The diffusion barriers of all studied clusters range from 4 to 36 meV only, and are substantially exceeded by the adsorption energies of - 0.1 to - 0.59 eV. This explains the high mobility of Au 1-4 on graphene along the C-C bonds.

  1. X-joints in composite sandwich panels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vredeveldt, A.W.; Janssen, G.Th.M.

    1998-01-01

    The small structural weight of fast large ships such as fast mono hulls or catamaran type of ships is of extreme importance to their success. One possible light weight structural solution is the sandwich panel with fibre reinforced laminates and a balsa, honeycomb or foam core. A severe obstacle for

  2. Tailoring Sandwich Face/Core Interfaces for Improved Damage Tolerance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

    2010-01-01

    Various modifications of the face/core interface in foam core sandwich specimens are examined in a series of two papers. This paper constitutes part I and describes the finite element analysis of a sandwich test specimen, i.e. a DCB specimen loaded by uneven bending moments (DCB-UBM). Using...... this test almost any mode-mixity between pure mode I and mode II can be obtained. A cohesive zone model of the mixed mode fracture process involving large-scale bridging is developed. Results from the analysis are used in Part II, which describes methods and results of a series of experiments....

  3. Friction stir welding (FSW of aluminium foam sandwich panels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Bušić

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The article focuses on the influence of welding speed and tool tilt angle upon the mechanical properties at the friction stir welding of aluminium foam sandwich panels. Double side welding was used for producing butt welds of aluminium sandwich panels applying insertion of extruded aluminium profile. Such insertion provided lower pressure of the tool upon the aluminium panels, providing also sufficient volume of the material required for the weldment formation. Ultimate tensile strength and flexural strength for three-point bending test have been determined for samples taken from the welded joints. Results have confirmed anticipated effects of independent variables.

  4. The Response of Clamped Shallow Sandwich Arches with Metallic Foam Cores to Projectile Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanping Fan

    Full Text Available Abstract The dynamic response and energy absorption capabilities of clamped shallow sandwich arches with aluminum foam core were numerically investigated by impacting the arches at mid-span with metallic foam projectiles. The typical deformation modes, deflection response, and core compression of sandwich arches obtained from the tests were used to validate the computation model. The resistance to impact loading was quantified by the permanent transverse deflection at mid-span of the arches as a function of projectile momentum. The sandwich arches have a higher shock resistance than the monolithic arches of equal mass, and shock resistance could be significantly enhanced by optimizing geometrical configurations. Meanwhile, decreasing the face-sheet thickness and curvature radius could enhance the energy absorption capability of the sandwich arches. Finite element calculations indicated that the ratio of loading time to structural response time ranged from 0.1 to 0.4. The projectile momentum, which was solely used to quantify the structural response of sandwich arches, was insufficient. These findings could provide guidance in conducting further theoretical studies and producing the optimal design of metallic sandwich structures subjected to impact loading.

  5. Sunlight Modulates Fruit Metabolic Profile and Shapes the Spatial Pattern of Compound Accumulation within the Grape Cluster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reshef, Noam; Walbaum, Natasha; Agam, Nurit; Fait, Aaron

    2017-01-01

    Vineyards are characterized by their large spatial variability of solar irradiance (SI) and temperature, known to effectively modulate grape metabolism. To explore the role of sunlight in shaping fruit composition and cluster uniformity, we studied the spatial pattern of incoming irradiance, fruit temperature and metabolic profile within individual grape clusters under three levels of sunlight exposure. The experiment was conducted in a vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon cv. located in the Negev Highlands, Israel, where excess SI and midday temperatures are known to degrade grape quality. Filtering SI lowered the surface temperature of exposed fruits and increased the uniformity of irradiance and temperature in the cluster zone. SI affected the overall levels and patterns of accumulation of sugars, organic acids, amino acids and phenylpropanoids, across the grape cluster. Increased exposure to sunlight was associated with lower accumulation levels of malate, aspartate, and maleate but with higher levels of valine, leucine, and serine, in addition to the stress-related proline and GABA. Flavan-3-ols metabolites showed a negative response to SI, whereas flavonols were highly induced. The overall levels of anthocyanins decreased with increased sunlight exposure; however, a hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that the members of this family were grouped into three distinct accumulation patterns, with malvidin anthocyanins and cyanidin-glucoside showing contrasting trends. The flavonol-glucosides, quercetin and kaempferol, exhibited a logarithmic response to SI, leading to improved cluster uniformity under high-light conditions. Comparing the within-cluster variability of metabolite accumulation highlighted the stability of sugars, flavan-3-ols, and cinnamic acid metabolites to SI, in contrast to the plasticity of flavonols. A correlation-based network analysis revealed that extended exposure to SI modified metabolic coordination, increasing the number of negative

  6. Generation of Elliptically Polarized Terahertz Waves from Antiferromagnetic Sandwiched Structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Sheng; Zhang, Qiang; Fu, Shu-Fang; Wang, Xuan-Zhang; Song, Yu-Ling; Wang, Xiang-Guang; Qu, Xiu-Rong

    2018-04-01

    The generation of elliptically polarized electromagnetic wave of an antiferromagnetic (AF)/dielectric sandwiched structure in the terahertz range is studied. The frequency and external magnetic field can change the AF optical response, resulting in the generation of elliptical polarization. An especially useful geometry with high levels of the generation of elliptical polarization is found in the case where an incident electromagnetic wave perpendicularly illuminates the sandwiched structure, the AF anisotropy axis is vertical to the wave-vector and the external magnetic field is pointed along the wave-vector. In numerical calculations, the AF layer is FeF2 and the dielectric layers are ZnF2. Although the effect originates from the AF layer, it can be also influenced by the sandwiched structure. We found that the ZnF2/FeF2/ZnF2 structure possesses optimal rotation of the principal axis and ellipticity, which can reach up to about thrice that of a single FeF2 layer.

  7. North-South Business Linkages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Olav Jull; Kuada, John

    2006-01-01

    Based on empirical studies of linkages between TNCs and local firms in India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Ghana and South Africa, five themes are discussed and related to present theoretical perspectives. The themes are (1) Linakge Governance; (2) Globalisation and the dynamics in developing countries (the...... TNC-driven markets in developing countries); (3) The upgrading impact of FDI; (4) Non-equity linkages as a platform for business development, and (5) The learning perspective on international business linakges. The chapter offers at the end a three-dimanional model for impacts of business linkages....

  8. Assessment of foam fracture in sandwich beams using thermoelastic stress analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dulieu-Barton, J.M.; Berggreen, Christian; Mettemberg, C.

    2009-01-01

    Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) has been well established for determining crack-tip parameters in metallic materials. This paper examines its ability to determine accurately the crack-tip parameters for PVC foam used in sandwich structures.......Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) has been well established for determining crack-tip parameters in metallic materials. This paper examines its ability to determine accurately the crack-tip parameters for PVC foam used in sandwich structures....

  9. AA, sandwich line with magnetic horn

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN PhotoLab

    1980-01-01

    Continuation from 8010293: Finally, the sandwich line with the horn is placed on the ground, for the horn to be inspected and, if needed, exchanged for a new one. The whole procedure was trained with several members of the AA team, for quick and safe handling, and to share the radiation dose amongst them.

  10. Properties of polyurethane foam/coconut coir fiber as a core material and as a sandwich composites component

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azmi, M. A.; Abdullah, H. Z.; Idris, M. I.

    2013-12-01

    This research focuses on the fabrication and characterization of sandwich composite panels using glass fiber composite skin and polyurethane foam reinforced coconut coir fiber core. The main objectives are to characterize the physical and mechanical properties and to elucidate the effect of coconut coir fibers in polyurethane foam cores and sandwich composite panels. Coconut coir fibers were used as reinforcement in polyurethane foams in which later were applied as the core in sandwich composites ranged from 5 wt% to 20 wt%. The physical and mechanical properties found to be significant at 5 wt% coconut coir fiber in polyurethane foam cores as well as in sandwich composites. It was found that composites properties serve better in sandwich composites construction.

  11. Properties of polyurethane foam/coconut coir fiber as a core material and as a sandwich composites component

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azmi, M A; Abdullah, H Z; Idris, M I

    2013-01-01

    This research focuses on the fabrication and characterization of sandwich composite panels using glass fiber composite skin and polyurethane foam reinforced coconut coir fiber core. The main objectives are to characterize the physical and mechanical properties and to elucidate the effect of coconut coir fibers in polyurethane foam cores and sandwich composite panels. Coconut coir fibers were used as reinforcement in polyurethane foams in which later were applied as the core in sandwich composites ranged from 5 wt% to 20 wt%. The physical and mechanical properties found to be significant at 5 wt% coconut coir fiber in polyurethane foam cores as well as in sandwich composites. It was found that composites properties serve better in sandwich composites construction

  12. Self-healing sandwich structures incorporating an interfacial layer with vascular network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Chunlin; Peters, Kara; Li, Yulong

    2013-01-01

    A self-healing capability specifically targeted for sandwich composite laminates based on interfacial layers with built-in vascular networks is presented. The self-healing occurs at the facesheet–core interface through an additional interfacial layer to seal facesheet cracks and rebond facesheet–core regions. The efficacy of introducing the self-healing system at the facesheet–core interface is evaluated through four-point bend and edgewise compression testing of representative foam core sandwich composite specimens with impact induced damage. The self-healing interfacial layer partially restored the specific initial stiffness, doubling the residual initial stiffness as compared to the control specimen after the impact event. The restoration of the ultimate specific skin strength was less successful. The results also highlight the critical challenge in self-healing of sandwich composites, which is to rebond facesheets which have separated from the core material. (paper)

  13. A numerical simulation of metallic cylindrical sandwich shells subjected to air blast loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Jing

    Full Text Available The dynamic response of cylindrical sandwich shells with aluminum foam cores subjected to air blast loading was investigated numerically in this paper. According to KNR theory, the nonlinear compressibility of the air and finite shock conditions were taken into account in the finite element model. Numerical simulation results show that the compression strain, which plays a key role on energy absorption, increases approximately linearly with normalized impulse, and reduces with increasing relative density or the ratio of face-sheet thickness and core thickness. An increase of the impulse will delay the equalization of top and bottom face-sheet velocities of sandwich shell, but there is a maximum value in the studied bound. A limited study of weight optimization was carried out for sandwich shells with respect to the respective geometric parameters, including face-sheet thickness, core thickness and core relative density. These numerical results are of worth to theoretical prediction and engineering application of cellular metal sandwich structures.

  14. Development and evaluation of aerogel-filled BMI sandwich panels for thermal barrier applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Dineshkumar

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This study details a fabrication methodology envisaged to manufacture Glass/BMI honeycomb core aerogel-filled sandwich panels. Silica aerogel granules are used as core fillers to provide thermal insulation properties with little weight increase. Experimental heat transfer studies are conducted on these panels to study the temperature distribution between their two surfaces. Numerical studies are also carried out to validate the results. Despite exhibiting good thermal shielding capabilities, the Glass/BMI sandwich panels are found to oxidise at 180 ºC if exposed directly to heat. In order to increase the temperature bearing capacity and the operating temperature range for these panels, a way of coating them from outside with high temperature spray paint was tried. With a silicone-based coating, the temperature sustainability of these sandwich panels is found to increase to 350 ºC. This proved the effectiveness of the formed manufacturing process, selected high temperature coating, the coating method as well as the envisaged sandwich panel concept.

  15. Shape of snack foods does not predict snack intake in a sample of preschoolers: a cross-over study

    OpenAIRE

    Boyer Lauren E; Laurentz Sara; McCabe George P; Kranz Sibylle

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Background In the past decade, the proportion snacking has increased. Snack foods consumed are predominantly not nutritious foods. One potential venue to increase children’s diet quality is to offer healthy snack foods and we explored if shaped snack foods would lead to increased consumption. Methods We investigated the consumption of high-fiber snacks (banana bread, pancakes, and sandwiches) served either in normal (round, square) or shaped (heart, hands, animals) form to preschoole...

  16. Fracture Characterization of Sandwich Face/Core Interfaces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manca, Marcello

    of load transfer between the faces and the core layer is lost, the debonds are considered as primary damage initiators. Under fatigue loading the debonds may evolve into cracks that cause a reduction in structural performance and consequent failure. At present most structural design is based on “life-time...... of sandwich structures is defects that are introduced in the manufacturing process. It is inevitable that areas of the face sheets will not fully adhere to the core resulting in defects known as “debonds”. Debonds can also be induced in-service due to e.g. localised impact loading or overloading. As the means...... such result it is important to devise new experimental and analytical techniques to establish the multi-mode fracture characteristics of sandwich plate structures and accordingly develop methods to inhibit defect propagation. This thesis deals with characterization of fracture between face and core...

  17. Sensory Evaluation and Feasibility Report of Plantain Sandwich for Nigerian Market

    OpenAIRE

    Olu Malomo; E.O. Uche; E.A. Alamu

    2015-01-01

    Protein-energy malnutrition is a common nutritional disorder in developing countries and constitutes a major public health problem in young children and elderly people. This project is aimed at evaluating the acceptability of plantain-peanut sandwich and roasted at different temperatures. A plantain-peanut sandwich consists of minced protein stuffed into a carbohydrate source made into a roll as a food product. The plantain was roasted at two different temperatures than later enriched with 5%...

  18. Numerical analysis of sandwich beam with corrugated core under three-point bending

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wittenbeck, Leszek [Poznan University of Technology, Institute of Mathematics Piotrowo Street No. 5, 60-965 Poznan (Poland); Grygorowicz, Magdalena; Paczos, Piotr [Poznan University of Technology, Institute of Applied Mechanics Jana Pawla IIStreet No. 24, 60-965 Poznan (Poland)

    2015-03-10

    The strength problem of sandwich beam with corrugated core under three-point bending is presented.The beam are made of steel and formed by three mutually orthogonal corrugated layers. The finite element analysis (FEA) of the sandwich beam is performed with the use of the FEM system - ABAQUS. The relationship between the applied load and deflection in three-point bending is considered.

  19. Density functional study of isoguanine tetrad and pentad sandwich complexes with alkali metal ions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Michael; Steinke, Thomas; Sühnel, Jürgen

    2007-02-01

    Isoguanine tetraplexes and pentaplexes contain two or more stacked polyads with intercalating metal ions. We report here the results of a density functional study of sandwiched isoguanine tetrad and pentad complexes consisting of two polyads with Na(+), K(+) and Rb(+) ions at the B3LYP level. In comparison to single polyad metal ion complexes, there is a trend towards increased non-planarity of the polyads in the sandwich complexes. In general, the pentad sandwiches have relatively planar polyad structures, whereas the tetrad complexes contain highly non-planar polyad building blocks. As in other sandwich complexes and in metal ion complexes with single polyads, the metal ion-base interaction energy plays an essential role. In iG sandwich structures, this interaction energy is slightly larger than in the corresponding guanine sandwich complexes. Because the base-base interaction energy is even more increased in passing from guanine to isoguanine, the isoguanine sandwiches are thus far the only examples where the base-base interaction energy is larger than the base-metal ion interaction energy. Stacking interactions have been studied in smaller models consisting of two bases, retaining the geometry from the complete complex structures. From the data obtained at the B3LYP and BH&H levels and with Møller-Plesset perturbation theory, one can conclude that the B3LYP method overestimates the repulsion in stacked base dimers. For the complexes studied in this work, this is only of minor importance because the direct inter-tetrad or inter-pentad interaction is supplemented by a strong metal ion-base interaction. Using a microsolvation model, the metal ion preference K(+) approximately Rb(+) > Na(+) is found for tetrad complexes. On the other hand, for pentads the ordering is Rb(+) > K(+) > Na(+). In the latter case experimental data are available that agree with this prediction.

  20. Diversity among galaxy clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Struble, M.F.; Rood, H.J.

    1988-01-01

    The classification of galaxy clusters is discussed. Consideration is given to the classification scheme of Abell (1950's), Zwicky (1950's), Morgan, Matthews, and Schmidt (1964), and Morgan-Bautz (1970). Galaxies can be classified based on morphology, chemical composition, spatial distribution, and motion. The correlation between a galaxy's environment and morphology is examined. The classification scheme of Rood-Sastry (1971), which is based on clusters's morphology and galaxy population, is described. The six types of clusters they define include: (1) a cD-cluster dominated by a single large galaxy, (2) a cluster dominated by a binary, (3) a core-halo cluster, (4) a cluster dominated by several bright galaxies, (5) a cluster appearing flattened, and (6) an irregularly shaped cluster. Attention is also given to the evolution of cluster structures, which is related to initial density and cluster motion

  1. Study of low-velocity impact response of sandwich panels with shear-thickening gel cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yunpeng; Gong, Xinglong; Xuan, Shouhu

    2018-06-01

    The low-velocity impact response of sandwich panels with shear-thickening gel cores was studied. The impact tests indicated that the sandwich panels with shear-thickening gel cores showed excellent properties of energy dissipation and stress distribution. In comparison to the similar sandwich panels with chloroprene rubber cores and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer cores, the shear-thickening gel cores led to the obviously smaller contact forces and the larger energy absorptions. Numerical modelling with finite element analysis was used to investigate the stress distribution of the sandwich panels with shear-thickening gel cores and the results agreed well with the experimental results. Because of the unique mechanical property of the shear-thickening gel, the concentrated stress on the front facesheets were distributed to larger areas on the back facesheets and the peak stresses were reduced greatly.

  2. [Construction of genetic linkage map and localization of NBS-LRR like resistance gene analogues in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Yu; Zhao, Qian-Cheng; Sun, De-Ling; Song, Wen-Qin

    2007-06-01

    Nucleotide binding site (NBS) profiling, a new method was used to map resistance gene analogues (RGAs) in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis). This method allows amplification and the mapping of genetic markers anchored in the conserved NBS encoding domain of plant disease resistance genes. AFLP was also performed to construct the cauliflower intervarietal genetic map. The aim of constructing genetic map was to identify potential molecular markers linked to important agronomic traits that would be particularly useful for development and improving the species. Using 17 AFLP primer combinations and two degeneration primer/enzyme combinations, a total of 234 AFLP markers and 21 NBS markers were mapped in the F2 population derived from self-pollinating a single F1 plant of the cross AD White Flower x C-8. The markers were mapped in 9 of major linkage groups spanning 668.4 cM, with an average distance of 2.9 cM between adjacent mapped markers. The AFLP markers were well distributed throughout the linkage groups. The linkage groups contained from 12 to 47 loci each and the distance between two consecutive loci ranged from 0 to 14.9 cM. NBS markers were mapped on 8 of the 9 linkage groups of the genetic map. Most of these markers were organized in clusters. This result demonstrates the feasibility of the NBS-profiling method for generating NBS markers for resistance loci in cauliflower. The clustering of the markers mapped in this study adds to the evidence that most of them could be real RGAs.

  3. Identification and Mapping of Readiness of Micro and Small Coffee Industry Cluster Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lya Aklimawati

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Cluster development of micro and small-scaled coffee industry is an effortto improve the economy of community by utilizing local resources. This studywas aimed to identify phase of cluster growth through determinant factors ofindustrial cluster growth; to assess a linkage between economy players in theindustrial cluster; and to identify strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat incoffee industry development. This research was carried out in Sumberwringin,Bondowoso District, East Java. Survey method through direct observation andinterviews were conducted in this study. Data collected included primary andsecondary data. Number of respondents were 25 industry players selected byjudgement sampling method. The data were analyzed by exploratory descriptivewith content analysis method. This research concluded that industrial clusterstudied was still in phase of formation and initiative (embryo and its growthpattern followed Pattern III. Interrelationship between core industries has notbeen established, while linkage between core industries and supporting industrieshad already well-established. Strength and opportunity in coffee industrydevelopment included raw materials availability, market segment growth. Smalland micro enterprises credit facility, supporting facility, and labor availability.Constraints and threat faced by coffee industry included limited market access,in adequate machineries, limited working capital, raw materials quality, inconsistentproduct quality, credit claim, and competitors.

  4. PSpice Modeling of a Sandwich Piezoelectric Ceramic Ultrasonic Transducer in Longitudinal Vibration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Xiaoyuan; Yang, Yuan; Yao, Wenqing; Zhang, Lei

    2017-09-30

    Sandwiched piezoelectric transducers are widely used, especially in high power applications. For more convenient analysis and design, a PSpice lossy model of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers in longitudinal vibration is proposed by means of the one-dimensional wave and transmission line theories. With the proposed model, the resonance and antiresonance frequencies are obtained, and it is shown that the simulations and measurements have good consistency. For the purpose of further verification the accuracy and application of the PSpice model, a pitch-catch setup and an experimental platform are built. They include two sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and two aluminum cylinders whose lengths are 20 mm and 100 mm respectively. Based on this pitch-catch setup, the impedance and transient analysis are performed. Compared with the measured results, it is shown that the simulated results have good consistency. In addition, the conclusion can be drawn that the optimal excitation frequency for the pitch-catch setup is not necessarily the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers, because the resonance frequency is obtained under no load. The proposed PSpice model of the sandwiched piezoelectric transducer is more conveniently applied to combine with other circuits such as driving circuits, filters, amplifiers, and so on.

  5. Viewpoints of working sandwich generation women and occupational therapists on role balance strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Kiah L; Girdler, Sonya J; Falkmer, Torbjorn; Richmond, Janet E; Wagman, Petra; Millsteed, Jeannine; Falkmer, Marita

    2017-09-01

    Occupational therapists need to be cognizant of evidence-based role balance advice and strategies that women with multigenerational caring responsibilities can implement independently or with minimal assistance, as role balance may not be the primary goal during many encounters with this population. Hence, this study aimed to identify the viewpoints on the most helpful role balance strategies for working sandwich generation women, both from their own perspectives and from the perspective of occupational therapists. This was achieved through a Q methodology study, where 54 statements were based on findings from interviews, sandwich generation literature and occupational therapy literature. In total, 31 working sandwich generation women and 42 occupational therapists completed the Q sort through either online or paper administration. The data were analysed using factor analysis with varimax rotation and were interpreted through collaboration with experts in the field. The findings revealed similarities between working sandwich generation women and occupational therapists, particularly in terms of advocating strategies related to sleep, rest and seeking practical assistance from support networks. Differences were also present, with working sandwich generation women viewpoints tending to emphasize strategies related to coping with a busy lifestyle attending to multiple responsibilities. In contrast, occupational therapy viewpoints prioritized strategies related to the occupational therapy process, such as goal setting, activity focused interventions, monitoring progress and facilitating sustainable outcomes.

  6. Numerical modeling of sandwich panel response to ballistic loading - energy balance for varying impactor geometries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kepler, Jørgen Asbøl; Hansen, Michael Rygaard

    2007-01-01

    thickness but significantly smaller than panel length dimensions. Experimental data for the total loss in impactor kinetic energy and momentum and estimated damage energy are described. For a selection of impactor tip shapes, the numerical model is used to evaluate different simplified force histories...... between the impactor and the panel during penetration. The force histories are selected from a primary criterion of conservation of linear momentum in the impactor-panel system, and evaluated according to agreement with the total measured energy balance.......A sandwich panel is described by an axisymmetric lumped mass- spring model. The panel compliance is simplified, considering only core shear deformation uniformly distributed across the core thickness. Transverse penetrating impact is modeled for impactors of diameters comparable to the panel...

  7. Radiant heating tests of several liquid metal heat-pipe sandwich panels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Camarda, C.J.; Basiulis, A.

    1983-08-01

    Integral heat pipe sandwich panels, which synergistically combine the thermal efficiency of heat pipes and the structural efficiency of honeycomb sandwich construction, were conceived as a means of alleviating thermal stress problems in the Langley Scramjet Engine. Test panels which utilized two different wickable honeycomb cores, facesheets with screen mesh sintered to the internal surfaces, and a liquid metal working fluid (either sodium or potassium) were tested by radiant heating at various heat load levels. The heat pipe panels reduced maximum temperature differences by 31 percent with sodium working fluid and 45 percent with potassium working fluid. Results indicate that a heat pipe sandwich panel is a potential, simple solution to the engine thermal stress problem. Other interesting applications of the concept include: cold plates for electronic component and circuit card cooling, radiators for large space platforms, low distortion large area structures (e.g., space antennas) and laser mirrors

  8. Face/core interface fracture characterization of mixed mode bending sandwich specimens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, L.A.

    2011-01-01

    and PVC H45, H100 and H250 foam core materials were evaluated. A methodology to perform precracking on fracture specimens in order to achieve a sharp and representative crack front is outlined. The mixed mode loading was controlled in the mixed mode bending (MMB) test rig by changing the loading......Debonding of the core from the face sheets is a critical failure mode in sandwich structures. This paper presents an experimental study on face/core debond fracture of foam core sandwich specimens under a wide range of mixed mode loading conditions. Sandwich beams with E‐glass fibre face sheets...... application point (lever arm distance). Finite element analysis was performed to determine the mode‐mixity at the crack tip. The results showed that the face/core interface fracture toughness increased with increased mode II loading. Post failure analysis of the fractured specimens revealed that the crack...

  9. Sound insulation of composite cylindrical shells: a comparison between a laminated and a sandwich cylinder

    OpenAIRE

    Yuan, Chongxin; Roozen, Bert; Bergsma, Otto; Beukers, Adriaan

    2012-01-01

    The fuselages of aircraft are modeled as a cylinder in this paper, and the sound insulations of a sandwich cylinder and a laminated cylinder are studied both experimentally and numerically. The cylinders are excited by an acoustic pressure and a mechanical force respectively. Results show that under acoustic excitation, the sandwich cylinder and the laminated one have a similar sound insulation below 3000 Hz, but the sandwich cylinder has a much larger sound insulation at higher frequencies. ...

  10. Damage Tolerance of Resin Transfer Molded Composite Sandwich Constructions

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Vaidya, U

    1999-01-01

    .... The sandwich composite concepts considered in this study possessed the feasibility to improve the transverse stiffness, provide enhanced damage resistance/tolerance to impact and functionality...

  11. The relative impact of baryons and cluster shape on weak lensing mass estimates of galaxy clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, B. E.; Le Brun, A. M. C.; Haq, M. E.; Deering, N. J.; King, L. J.; Applegate, D.; McCarthy, I. G.

    2018-05-01

    Weak gravitational lensing depends on the integrated mass along the line of sight. Baryons contribute to the mass distribution of galaxy clusters and the resulting mass estimates from lensing analysis. We use the cosmo-OWLS suite of hydrodynamic simulations to investigate the impact of baryonic processes on the bias and scatter of weak lensing mass estimates of clusters. These estimates are obtained by fitting NFW profiles to mock data using MCMC techniques. In particular, we examine the difference in estimates between dark matter-only runs and those including various prescriptions for baryonic physics. We find no significant difference in the mass bias when baryonic physics is included, though the overall mass estimates are suppressed when feedback from AGN is included. For lowest-mass systems for which a reliable mass can be obtained (M200 ≈ 2 × 1014M⊙), we find a bias of ≈-10 per cent. The magnitude of the bias tends to decrease for higher mass clusters, consistent with no bias for the most massive clusters which have masses comparable to those found in the CLASH and HFF samples. For the lowest mass clusters, the mass bias is particularly sensitive to the fit radii and the limits placed on the concentration prior, rendering reliable mass estimates difficult. The scatter in mass estimates between the dark matter-only and the various baryonic runs is less than between different projections of individual clusters, highlighting the importance of triaxiality.

  12. Dynamic Failure of Composite and Sandwich Structures

    CERN Document Server

    Abrate, Serge; Rajapakse, Yapa D S

    2013-01-01

    This book presents a broad view of the current state of the art regarding the dynamic response of composite and sandwich structures subjected to impacts and explosions. Each chapter combines a thorough assessment of the literature with original contributions made by the authors.  The first section deals with fluid-structure interactions in marine structures.  The first chapter focuses on hull slamming and particularly cases in which the deformation of the structure affects the motion of the fluid during the water entry of flexible hulls. Chapter 2 presents an extensive series of tests underwater and in the air to determine the effects of explosions on composite and sandwich structures.  Full-scale structures were subjected to significant explosive charges, and such results are extremely rare in the open literature.  Chapter 3 describes a simple geometrical theory of diffraction for describing the interaction of an underwater blast wave with submerged structures. The second section addresses the problem of...

  13. DENBRAN: A basic program for a significance test for multivariate normality of clusters from branching patterns in dendrograms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sneath, P. H. A.

    A BASIC program is presented for significance tests to determine whether a dendrogram is derived from clustering of points that belong to a single multivariate normal distribution. The significance tests are based on statistics of the Kolmogorov—Smirnov type, obtained by comparing the observed cumulative graph of branch levels with a graph for the hypothesis of multivariate normality. The program also permits testing whether the dendrogram could be from a cluster of lower dimensionality due to character correlations. The program makes provision for three similarity coefficients, (1) Euclidean distances, (2) squared Euclidean distances, and (3) Simple Matching Coefficients, and for five cluster methods (1) WPGMA, (2) UPGMA, (3) Single Linkage (or Minimum Spanning Trees), (4) Complete Linkage, and (5) Ward's Increase in Sums of Squares. The program is entitled DENBRAN.

  14. Experimental and Theoretical Deflections of Hybrid Composite Sandwich Panel under Four-point Bending Load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jauhar Fajrin

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a comparison of theoretical and experimental deflection of a hybrid sandwich panel under four-point bending load. The paper initially presents few basic equations developed under three-point load, followed by development of model under four-point bending load and a comparative analysis between theoretical and experimental results. It was found that the proposed model for predicting the deflection of hybrid sandwich panels provided fair agreement with the experimental values. Most of the sandwich panels showed theoretical deflection values higher than the experimental values, which is desirable in the design. It was also noticed that the introduction of intermediate layer does not contribute much to reduce the deflection of sandwich panel as the main contributor for the total deflection was the shear deformation of the core that mostly determined by the geometric of the samples and the thickness of the core.

  15. Modeling of Sensor Placement Strategy for Shape Sensing and Structural Health Monitoring of a Wing-Shaped Sandwich Panel Using Inverse Finite Element Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adnan Kefal

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigated the effect of sensor density and alignment for three-dimensional shape sensing of an airplane-wing-shaped thick panel subjected to three different loading conditions, i.e., bending, torsion, and membrane loads. For shape sensing analysis of the panel, the Inverse Finite Element Method (iFEM was used together with the Refined Zigzag Theory (RZT, in order to enable accurate predictions for transverse deflection and through-the-thickness variation of interfacial displacements. In this study, the iFEM-RZT algorithm is implemented by utilizing a novel three-node C°-continuous inverse-shell element, known as i3-RZT. The discrete strain data is generated numerically through performing a high-fidelity finite element analysis on the wing-shaped panel. This numerical strain data represents experimental strain readings obtained from surface patched strain gauges or embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG sensors. Three different sensor placement configurations with varying density and alignment of strain data were examined and their corresponding displacement contours were compared with those of reference solutions. The results indicate that a sparse distribution of FBG sensors (uniaxial strain measurements, aligned in only the longitudinal direction, is sufficient for predicting accurate full-field membrane and bending responses (deformed shapes of the panel, including a true zigzag representation of interfacial displacements. On the other hand, a sparse deployment of strain rosettes (triaxial strain measurements is essentially enough to produce torsion shapes that are as accurate as those of predicted by a dense sensor placement configuration. Hence, the potential applicability and practical aspects of i3-RZT/iFEM methodology is proven for three-dimensional shape-sensing of future aerospace structures.

  16. Therapeutic Results of Radiotherapy in Rectal Carcinoma -Comparison of Sandwich Technique Radiotherapy with Postoperative Radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huh, Gil Cha; Suh, Hyun Suk; Lee, Hyuk Sang; Kim, Re Hwe; Kim, Chul Soo; Kim, Hong Yong; Kim, Sung Rok

    1996-01-01

    Purpose : To evaluate the potential advantage for 'sandwich' technique radiotherapy compared to postoperative radiotherapy in respectable rectal cancer. Between January 1989 and May 1994, 60 patients with respectable rectal cancer were treated at Inje University Seoul and Sanggye Paik Hospital.Fifty one patients were available for analysis : 20 patients were treated with sandwich technique radiotherapy and 31 patients were treated with postoperative radiotherapy. In sandwich technique radiotherapy(RT), patients were treated with preoperative RT 1500 cGy/5fx followed by immediate curative resection. Patients staged as Astler-Coller B2, C were considered for postoperative RT with 2500-4500 cGy. In postoperative RT, total radiation dose of 4500-6120 cGy, 180 cGy daily at 4-6 weeks was delivered. Patients were followed for median period of 25 months. Results : The overall 5-year survival rates for sandwich technique RT group and postoperative RT group were 60% and 71%, respectively(p>0.05). The 5-year disease free survival rates for each group were 63%. There was no difference in local failure rate between two groups(11% versus 7%). Incidence of distant metastasis was 11%(2/20) in the sandwich technique RT group and 20%(6/31) in the postoperative RT group(p>0.05). The frequencies of acute and chronic complications were comparable in both groups. Conclusion : The sandwich technique radiotherapy group shows local recurrence and survival similar to those of postoperative RT alone group but reduced distant metastasis compared to postoperative RT group. But long term follow-up and large number of patients is needed to make an any firm conclusion regarding the value of this sandwich technique RT

  17. Sandwich panels with high performance concrete thin plates at elevated temperatures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hulin, Thomas; Hodicky, Kamil; Schmidt, Jacob Wittrup

    2015-01-01

    concerned HMT modelling and elastic stress analysis with nonlinear temperature effects of a full size loaded sandwich wall, qualitatively assessing the location of critically stressed zones. Modelling output was compared to published experimental results. The model reproduced experimental temperature...... recordings satisfactorily, except phase changes of water at low heating rates. It was suggested that the function governing moisture evolution with temperature and pressure should be updated for HPC. Pore pressure was found critical for sandwich structures due their higher temperatures. Adding polypropylene...

  18. Linkage Map Construction and QTL Analysis of Fruit Traits in Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Based on CAPS Markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baloch, A. M.; Liu, S.; Wang, X.; Luan, F.; Baloch, A. W.; Baloch, M. J.

    2016-01-01

    In the current experiment, the quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis was done by composite interval mapping method to detect QTLs in edge, central parts and fruit shape of melon. In this context, 235 F/sub 2/ populations along with their parents were evaluated for fruit size, shape and color under replicated trail at Horticulture Experimental Station of Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, during the growing year 2014. Moreover, 96 pairs of CAPS markers were used to construct a linkage map using F/sub 2/ population that was derived from the cross between two contrasting parents (MR-1 and Topmark). The total length of linkage map was found to be 4984.1cM with an average of 51.9177 cM between the markers. In a total, we detected ten QTLs, in which one was major, while others were minor. Five QTLs were detected in the edge part of melon fruit and three QTLs were detected in central parts of melon and all were considered as Brix content. Two QTLs were related with fruit shape. Our present genetic and QTLs mapping would be proved useful in plant breeding programs for the improvement of economically important horticultural traits. (author)

  19. Genetic linkage of autosomal dominant progressive supranuclear palsy to 1q31.1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ros, Raquel; Gómez Garre, Pilar; Hirano, Michio; Tai, Yen F; Ampuero, Israel; Vidal, Lídice; Rojo, Ana; Fontan, Aurora; Vazquez, Ana; Fanjul, Samira; Hernandez, Jaime; Cantarero, Susana; Hoenicka, Janet; Jones, Alison; Ahsan, R Laila; Pavese, Nicola; Piccini, Paola; Brooks, David J; Perez-Tur, Jordi; Nyggard, Torbjorn; de Yébenes, Justo G

    2005-05-01

    Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a disorder of unknown pathogenesis. Familial clusters of PSP have been reported related to mutations of protein tau. We report the linkage of a large Spanish family with typical autosomal dominant PSP to a new locus in chromosome 1. Four members of this family had typical PSP, confirmed by neuropathology in one case. At least five ancestors had similar disease. Other members of the family have incomplete phenotypes. The power of the linkage analysis was increased by detecting presymptomatic individuals with 18F-fluoro-dopa and 18F-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography. We screened the human genome with 340 polymorphic markers and we enriched the areas of interest with additional markers. The disease status was defined according to the clinical and positron emission tomography data. We excluded linkage to the tau gene in chromosome 17. PSP was linked, in this family, to one area of 3.4 cM in chromosome 1q31.1, with a maximal multipoint < OD score of +3.53. This area contains at least three genes, whose relevance in PSP is unknown. We expect to further define the gene responsible for PSP, which could help to understand the pathogenesis of this disease and to design effective treatment.

  20. Veterans' informal caregivers in the "sandwich generation": a systematic review toward a resilience model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith-Osborne, Alexa; Felderhoff, Brandi

    2014-01-01

    Social work theory advanced the formulation of the construct of the sandwich generation to apply to the emerging generational cohort of caregivers, most often middle-aged women, who were caring for maturing children and aging parents simultaneously. This systematic review extends that focus by synthesizing the literature on sandwich generation caregivers for the general aging population with dementia and for veterans with dementia and polytrauma. It develops potential protective mechanisms based on empirical literature to support an intervention resilience model for social work practitioners. This theoretical model addresses adaptive coping of sandwich- generation families facing ongoing challenges related to caregiving demands.

  1. Failure analysis of bolted joints in foam-core sandwich composites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zabihpoor, M.; Moslemian, Ramin; Afshin, M.

    2008-01-01

    This study represents an effort to predict the bearing strength, failure modes, and failure load of bolted joints in foam-core sandwich composites. The studied joints have been used in a light full composite airplane. By using solid laminates, a new design for the joint zone is developed. These s......This study represents an effort to predict the bearing strength, failure modes, and failure load of bolted joints in foam-core sandwich composites. The studied joints have been used in a light full composite airplane. By using solid laminates, a new design for the joint zone is developed...

  2. Analytical/Empirical Study on Indentation Behavior of Sandwich Plate with Foam Core and Composite Face Sheets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soheil Dariushi

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Sandwich structures are widely used in aerospace, automobile, high speed train and civil applications. Sandwich structures consist of two thin and stiff skins and a thick and light weight core. In this study, the obligatory mandate of a sandwich plate contact constitutes a flexible foam core and composite skins with a hemispherical rigid punch has been studied by an analytical/empirical method. In sandwich structures, calculation of force distribution under the punch nose is complicated, because the core is flexible and the difference between the modulus of elasticity of skin and core is large. In the present study, an exponential correlation between the contact force and indentation is proposed. The coefficient and numerical exponent were calculated using the experimental indentation results. A model based on a high-order sandwich panel theory was used to study the bending behavior of sandwich plate under hemispherical punch load. In the first method, the force distribution under the punch nose was calculated by the proposed method and multiplied to deformation of related point in the loading area to calculate the potential energy of the external loads. In the second method, the punch load was modeled as a point force and multiplied to deformation of maximum indented point. The results obtained from the two methods were compared with the experimental results. Indentation and bending tests were carried out on sandwich plates with glass/epoxy skins and a styrene/acrylonitrile foam core. In the bending test, a simply support condition was set and in the indentation test the sandwich specimens were put on a rigid support. Indeed, in this position the punch movement was equal the indentation. The comparison between the analytical and experimental results showed that the proposed method significantly improved the accuracy of analysis.

  3. Development of indirect sandwich ELISA for determination of excretory-secretory antigens of Fasciola hepatica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Libertad Alzamora-Gonzales

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Fasciolosis is a cosmopolitan parasitosis medical-veterinary importance caused by Fasciola hepatica, which affects sheep, goats and cattle; and it affects man accidentally causing an epidemic-endemic infection difficult to diagnose. The aim was to develop an indirect sandwich ELISA with 3 antibodies for detecting excretory-secretory antigens of Fasciola hepatica (ESFh. For the development of indirect sandwich ELISA were used, as capture antibody, mouse polyclonal antibodies anti ESFh and polyclonal antibodies rabbit anti-ESFh as detection antibody, at the concentrations of 10 and 5 µg/mL respectively. The conjugate used was mouse monoclonal anti- total immunoglobulins rabbit linked to peroxidase (1/1000. Were analized 31 sheep fecal samples, and the results were compared with those obtained by direct coproparasitological examination (DC and counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP. The detection limit obtained for indirect sandwich ELISA was 100 ng/mL. The test had a 100% sensitivity, 96.6% specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 50% and 96.6% respectively, in relation to DC test. Comparing with CIEP the specificity obtained for indirect sandwich ELISA was 93.5% and a negative predictive value of 100%. We concluded that indirect sandwich ELISA designed is able to detect metabolic antigens in ovine feces samples and can be used for Fasciola hepatica diagnosis.

  4. Technological agglomeration and the emergence of clusters and networks in nanotechnology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Robinson, D.K.R.; Rip, Arie; Mangematin, Vincent

    2007-01-01

    Research and development at the nanoscale requires a large degree of integration, from convergence of research disciplines in new fields of enquiry to new linkages between start-ups, regional actors and research facilities. Based on the analysis of two clusters in nanotechnologies (MESA+ (Twente)

  5. Electrical switching and memory phenomena observed in redox-gradient dendrimer sandwich devices

    OpenAIRE

    Li, JianChang; Blackstock, Silas C.; Szulczewski, Greg J.

    2005-01-01

    We report on the fabrication of dendrimer sandwich devices with electrical switching and memory properties. The storage media is consisted of a redox-gradient dendrimer layer sandwiched in organic barrier thin films. The dendrimer layer acts as potential well where redox-state changes and consequent electrical transitions of the embedded dendrimer molecules are expected to be effectively triggered and retained, respectively. Experimental results indicated that electrical switching could be re...

  6. Historical measures of social context in life course studies: retrospective linkage of addresses to decennial censuses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Whitsel Eric A

    2004-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is evidence of a contribution of early life socioeconomic exposures to the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. However, extant studies investigating the impact of the neighborhood social environment on health tend to characterize only the current social environment. This in part may be due to complexities involved in obtaining and geocoding historical addresses. The Life Course Socioeconomic Status, Social Context, and Cardiovascular Disease Study collected information on childhood (1930–1950 and early adulthood (1960–1980 place of residence from 12,681 black and white middle-aged and older men and women from four U.S. communities to link participants with census-based socioeconomic indicators over the life course. Results Most (99% participants were linked to 1930–50 county level socioeconomic census data (the smallest level of aggregation universally available during this time period corresponding to childhood place of residence. Linkage did not vary by race, gender, birth cohort, or level of educational attainment. A commercial geocoding vendor processed participants' self-reported street addresses for ages 30, 40, and 50. For 1970 and 1980 censuses, spatial coordinates were overlaid onto shape files containing census tract boundaries; for 1960 no shape files existed and comparability files were used. Several methods were tested for accuracy and to increase linkage. Successful linkage to historical census tracts varied by census (66% for 1960, 76% for 1970, 85% for 1980. This compares to linkage rates of 94% for current addresses provided by participants over the course of the ARIC examinations. Conclusion There are complexities and limitations in characterizing the past social context. However, our results suggest that it is feasible to characterize the earlier social environment with known levels of measurement error and that such an approach should be considered in future studies.

  7. [MapDraw: a microsoft excel macro for drawing genetic linkage maps based on given genetic linkage data].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ren-Hu; Meng, Jin-Ling

    2003-05-01

    MAPMAKER is one of the most widely used computer software package for constructing genetic linkage maps.However, the PC version, MAPMAKER 3.0 for PC, could not draw the genetic linkage maps that its Macintosh version, MAPMAKER 3.0 for Macintosh,was able to do. Especially in recent years, Macintosh computer is much less popular than PC. Most of the geneticists use PC to analyze their genetic linkage data. So a new computer software to draw the same genetic linkage maps on PC as the MAPMAKER for Macintosh to do on Macintosh has been crying for. Microsoft Excel,one component of Microsoft Office package, is one of the most popular software in laboratory data processing. Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is one of the most powerful functions of Microsoft Excel. Using this program language, we can take creative control of Excel, including genetic linkage map construction, automatic data processing and more. In this paper, a Microsoft Excel macro called MapDraw is constructed to draw genetic linkage maps on PC computer based on given genetic linkage data. Use this software,you can freely construct beautiful genetic linkage map in Excel and freely edit and copy it to Word or other application. This software is just an Excel format file. You can freely copy it from ftp://211.69.140.177 or ftp://brassica.hzau.edu.cn and the source code can be found in Excel's Visual Basic Editor.

  8. Testing of the scintillation sandwich prototype

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vashkevich, V.

    1995-06-01

    The 3 m 2 prototype of the surface detector using optical fiber readout was completely prepared for testing measurements in February 1995 at Fermilab. Two 25 mm thick, 3 m 2 acrylic scintillation plates (1.2 x 2.5 m 2 ) are used for light collection in the upper (above the 25 mm steel plate) and lower (below the steel) counters of the sandwich. The light is collected with the help of 1 mm diameter wavelength shifter fiber loops 3 m long inserted in the grooves on the top surface of the scintillator, 3 fibers per groove. We used Kurary Y11, 200 ppm of shifter dye, and double clad fibers. 1.5 m of clear fibers spliced to each end of the shifter fiber transport the light to the phototube. Spacing between the grooves is 5 cm. The counter's edges were painted with BICRON (BC620) white reflective paint. The scintillation plates were wrapped with Dupont Tyvek. The glued bundle of fibers is connected to an EMI-9902KB 38 mm phototube through the simple light mixer bar. Used PM has a ''green extended'' rubidium bialkali photocathode. The report contains information on the testing of the scintillation sandwich

  9. The Effect of Face Sheet Wrinkle Defects on the Strength of FRP Sandwich Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hayman, Brian; Berggreen, Christian; Pettersson, Robert

    2007-01-01

    . In the studies reported here, the influence of wrinkle defects on the in-plane compressive strength of quasi-isotropic carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates used in PVC foam-cored sandwich panels has been investigated by three approaches: testing of sandwich beam specimens in four-point bending...

  10. From Enclave to Linkage Economies?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Michael W.

    as the enclave economy par excellence, moving in with fully integrated value chains, extracting resources and exporting them as commodities having virtually no linkages to the local economy. However, new opportunities for promoting linkages are offered by changing business strategies of local African enterprises...... as well as foreign multinational corporations (MNCs). MNCs in extractives are increasingly seeking local linkages as part of their efficiency, risk, and asset-seeking strategies, and linkage programmes are becoming integral elements in many MNCs’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities....... At the same time, local African enterprises are eager to, and increasingly capable of, linking up to the foreign investors in order to expand their activities and acquire technology, skills and market access. The changing strategies of MNCs and the improving capabilities of African enterprises offer new...

  11. Micro-vibration response of a stochastically excited sandwich beam with a magnetorheological elastomer core and mass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ying, Z G; Ni, Y Q

    2009-01-01

    Magnetorheological (MR) elastomers are used to construct a smart sandwich beam for micro-vibration control. The micro-vibration response of a clamped–free sandwich beam with an MR elastomer core and a supplemental mass under stochastic support micro-motion excitation is studied. The dynamic behavior of MR elastomer as a smart viscoelastic material is described by a complex modulus which is controllable by external magnetic field. The sixth-order partial differential equation of motion of the sandwich beam is derived from the dynamic equilibrium, constitutive and geometric relations. A frequency-domain solution method for the stochastic micro-vibration response of the sandwich beam is developed by using the frequency-response function, power spectral density function and spatial eigensolution. The root-mean-square velocity response in terms of the one-third octave frequency band is calculated, and then the response reduction capacity through optimizing the complex modulus of the core is analyzed. Numerical results illustrate the influences of the MR elastomer core parameters on the root-mean-square velocity response and the high response reduction capacity of the sandwich beam. The developed analysis method is applicable to sandwich beams with arbitrary cores described by complex shear moduli under arbitrary stochastic excitations described by power spectral density functions

  12. Measurement of the epithermal neutron flux of the Argonauta reactor by the Sandwich method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nascimento, H.M.

    1973-01-01

    A common method of obtaining information about the neutron spectrum in the energy range of 1 eV to a few keV is by using resonance sandwich detectors. A sandwich detector is usually made up of three foils placed one on top of the other, each having the same thickness and being made of the same material which has a pronounced absorption resonance. To make an adequate evaluation, the sandwich method was compared with one using an isolated detector. The results obtained from approximate theoretical calculations were checked experimentally, using In, Au and Mn foils, in an isotropic 1/E flux in the Argonaut Reactor at I.E.N. As practical application of this method, the deviation from a 1/E spectrum of the epithermal neutron flux in the core and external graphite reflector of the Argonaut Reactor has been measured with the sandwich foils previously calibrated in a 1/E spectrum. (author)

  13. Changing Welfare States and the “Sandwich Generation” : Increasing Burden for the Next Generation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harald Künemund

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available The burden placed on individuals aged 40 to 59 – especially on women – by competing demands from work and both older and younger family members is often addressed using the metaphor of the „sandwich gen-eration“. Based on a systematization of the definitions used in the litera-ture, empirical evidence on the frequency of such generational constella-tions and on their impact on the well-being of sandwiched adults will be presented. Analysing the second wave of the German Aging Survey shows that being sandwiched – defined as a generational constellation – is very common, but simultaneous care activities for both older and younger family members are rare, especially in combination with labour force participation, and that life satisfaction is not systematically related to being sandwiched. Implications for further research and future devel-opments will be discussed, especially with respect to changes in family structure (e.g. the beanpole family and changes in the amount of welfare state spending for the aged.

  14. A novel sandwich Fe-Mn damping alloy with ferrite shell prepared by vacuum annealing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Bingnan; Peng, Huabei; Wen, Yuhua

    2018-04-01

    To improve the corrosion resistance of high strength Fe-Mn damping alloys, we fabricated a novel sandwich Fe-17.5Mn damping alloy with Mn-depleted ferrite shell by vacuum annealing at 1100 °C. The formation behavior of the ferrite shell obeys the parabolic law for the vacuum annealed Fe-17.5Mn alloy at 1100 °C. The sandwich Fe-17.5Mn alloy with ferrite shell exhibits not only better corrosion resistance but also higher damping capacity than the conventional annealed Fe-17.5Mn alloy under argon atmosphere. The existence of only ferrite shell on the surface accounts for the better corrosion in the sandwich Fe-17.5Mn alloy. The better damping capacity in the sandwich Fe-17.5Mn alloy is owed to more stacking faults inside both ɛ martensite and γ austenite induced by the stress from ferrite shell. Vacuum annealing is a new way to improve the corrosion resistance and damping capacity of Fe-Mn damping alloys.

  15. Hybrid scaffold bearing polymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage for bone tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nair, Bindu P., E-mail: bindumelekkuttu@gmail.com; Gangadharan, Dhanya; Mohan, Neethu; Sumathi, Babitha; Nair, Prabha D., E-mail: pdnair49@gmail.com

    2015-07-01

    Scaffolds that can provide the requisite biological cues for the fast regeneration of bone are highly relevant to the advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In the present article, we report the fabrication of a chitosan–gelatin–siloxane scaffold bearing interpolymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage, through a single-step dialdehyde cross-linking and freeze-drying method using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as the siloxane precursor. Swelling of the scaffolds in phosphate buffered saline indicates enhancement with increase in siloxane concentration, whereas compressive moduli of the wet scaffolds reveal inverse dependence, owing to the presence of siloxane, rich in silanol groups. It is suggested that through the strategy of dialdehyde cross-linking, a limiting siloxane loading of 20 wt.% into a chitosan-gelatin matrix should be considered ideal for bone tissue engineering, because the scaffold made with 30 wt.% siloxane loading degrades by 48 wt.%, in 21 days. The hybrid scaffolds bearing Schiff base linkage between the polymer and siloxane, unlike the stable linkages in earlier reports, are expected to give a faster release of siloxanes and enhancement in osteogenesis. This is verified by the in vitro evaluation of the hybrid scaffolds using rabbit adipose mesenchymal stem cells, which revealed osteogenic cell-clusters on a polymer-siloxane scaffold, enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of bone-specific genes, whereas the control scaffold without siloxane supported more of cell-proliferation than differentiation. A siloxane concentration dependent enhancement in osteogenic differentiation is also observed. - Highlights: • A hybrid scaffold bearing interpolymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage • A limiting siloxane loading of 20 wt.% into chitosan–gelatin matrix • A siloxane concentration dependent enhancement in osteogenic differentiation.

  16. Compressive properties of sandwiches with functionally graded

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The compressive behaviour of a new class of sandwich composite made up of jute fiber reinforced epoxy skins and piece-wise linear fly ash reinforced functionally graded (FG) rubber core is investigated in flat-wise mode. FG samples are prepared using conventional casting technique. Presence of gradation is quantified ...

  17. PSpice Modeling of a Sandwich Piezoelectric Ceramic Ultrasonic Transducer in Longitudinal Vibration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyuan Wei

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Sandwiched piezoelectric transducers are widely used, especially in high power applications. For more convenient analysis and design, a PSpice lossy model of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers in longitudinal vibration is proposed by means of the one-dimensional wave and transmission line theories. With the proposed model, the resonance and antiresonance frequencies are obtained, and it is shown that the simulations and measurements have good consistency. For the purpose of further verification the accuracy and application of the PSpice model, a pitch-catch setup and an experimental platform are built. They include two sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and two aluminum cylinders whose lengths are 20 mm and 100 mm respectively. Based on this pitch-catch setup, the impedance and transient analysis are performed. Compared with the measured results, it is shown that the simulated results have good consistency. In addition, the conclusion can be drawn that the optimal excitation frequency for the pitch-catch setup is not necessarily the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers, because the resonance frequency is obtained under no load. The proposed PSpice model of the sandwiched piezoelectric transducer is more conveniently applied to combine with other circuits such as driving circuits, filters, amplifiers, and so on.

  18. Highly efficient construction of oriented sandwich structures for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Hongyun; Xu Weiqing; Xu Shuping; Zhou Ji; Lombardi, John R

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to solve the problem of low achievement in fabricating sandwich surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. We demonstrated a highly efficient sandwich structure by the oriented assembly of metal nanoparticles (NPs) on a periodic hexagonal array of metal nanoprisms with 1,4-benzenedithiol (1,4-BDT) as linkers. The metal nanoprism array was prepared by vacuum deposition of metal on a close-packed polystyrene nanosphere pre-patterned substrate. The metal nanoprism array presents different surface properties from the pits left from the removal of polystyrene nanospheres, which causes linkers to selectively adsorb on the metal nanoprism array and sequentially leads to the oriented immobilization of the second-layer metal NPs, avoiding mismatched orientation. These sandwich SERS substrates were characterized by extinction spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy and their enhancement activity was evaluated under different excitation wavelengths. The sandwich structure greatly increases the achievement of ‘hot spots’ to almost 100% of all the metal nanoprisms and enables a large amplification of SERS signals by a factor of ten. This method has the advantages of simplicity, high efficiency, high throughput, controllability and high reproducibility. It has significance in both the study of SERS substrates and the development of plasmonic devices. (paper)

  19. Challenges in administrative data linkage for research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katie Harron

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Linkage of population-based administrative data is a valuable tool for combining detailed individual-level information from different sources for research. While not a substitute for classical studies based on primary data collection, analyses of linked administrative data can answer questions that require large sample sizes or detailed data on hard-to-reach populations, and generate evidence with a high level of external validity and applicability for policy making. There are unique challenges in the appropriate research use of linked administrative data, for example with respect to bias from linkage errors where records cannot be linked or are linked together incorrectly. For confidentiality and other reasons, the separation of data linkage processes and analysis of linked data is generally regarded as best practice. However, the ‘black box’ of data linkage can make it difficult for researchers to judge the reliability of the resulting linked data for their required purposes. This article aims to provide an overview of challenges in linking administrative data for research. We aim to increase understanding of the implications of (i the data linkage environment and privacy preservation; (ii the linkage process itself (including data preparation, and deterministic and probabilistic linkage methods and (iii linkage quality and potential bias in linked data. We draw on examples from a number of countries to illustrate a range of approaches for data linkage in different contexts.

  20. Experimental study of the mechanical behaviour of pin reinforced foam core sandwich materials under shear load

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dimassi, M A; Brauner, C; Herrmann, A S

    2016-01-01

    Sandwich structures with a lightweight closed cell hard foam core have the potential to be used in primary structures of commercial aircrafts. Compared to honeycomb core sandwich, the closed cell foam core sandwich overcomes the issue of moisture take up and makes the manufacturing of low priced and highly integrated structures possible. However, lightweight foam core sandwich materials are prone to failure by localised external loads like low velocity impacts. Invisible cracks could grow in the foam core and threaten the integrity of the structure. In order to enhance the out-of-plane properties of foam core sandwich structures and to improve the damage tolerance (DT) dry fibre bundles are inserted in the foam core. The pins are infused with resin and co-cured with the dry fabric face sheets in an out-of-autoclave process. This study presents the results obtained from shear tests following DIN 53294-standard, on flat sandwich panels. All panels were manufactured with pin-reinforcement manufactured with the Tied Foam Core Technology (TFC) developed by Airbus. The effects of pin material (CFRP and GFRP) and pin volume fraction on the shear properties of the sandwich structure and the crack propagation were investigated and compared to a not pinned reference. It has been concluded that the pin volume fraction has a remarkable effect on the shear properties and damage tolerance of the observed structure. Increasing the pin volume fraction makes the effect of crack redirection more obvious and conserves the integrity of the structure after crack occurrence. (paper)

  1. Damage assessment in a sandwich panel based on full-field vibration measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seguel, F.; Meruane, V.

    2018-03-01

    Different studies have demonstrated that vibration characteristics are sensitive to debonding in composite structures. Nevertheless, one of the main restrictions of vibration measurements is the number of degrees of freedom that can be acquired simultaneously, which restricts the size of the damage that can be identified. Recent studies have shown that it is possible to use high-speed three-dimensional (3-D) digital image correlation (DIC) techniques for full-field vibration measurements. With this technique, it is possible to take measurements at thousands of points on the surface of a structure with a single snapshot. The present article investigates the application of full-field vibration measurements in the debonding assessment of an aluminium honeycomb sandwich panel. Experimental data from an aluminium honeycomb panel containing different damage scenarios is acquired by a high-speed 3-D DIC system; four methodologies to compute damage indices are evaluated: mode shape curvatures, uniform load surface, modal strain energy and gapped smoothing.

  2. ELISA with double antigen sandwich for screening specific serum anti-TP antibody in blood donors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yiqing; Shi Zhixu

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To select a sensitive and specific laboratory examination suitable for screening serum anti-TP antibody in blood donors. Methods: The serum anti-TP antibody in 11271 blood donors were detected using ELISA with double antigen sandwich and the outcomes were compared with those using RPR assay. The conflicting specimen were confirmed by repeating the test with TPHA assay. Results: The positive rates of serum anti-TP antibody by ELISA with double antigen sandwich and RPR was 0.36% (41/11271) and 0.26% (29/11271), respectively. The coincidence of the detecting outcomes by ELISA with double antigen sandwich and RPR with TPHA was 97.5% (40/41) and 63.41%(26/41) respectively. Conclusion: Compared with RPR assay, ELISA with double antigen sandwich has higher sensibility and specificity for screening serum anti-TP antibody in blood donors

  3. Evaluation of the Impact Resistance of Various Composite Sandwich Beams by Vibration Tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir Shahdin

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Impact resistance of different types of composite sandwich beams is evaluated by studying vibration response changes (natural frequency and damping ratio. This experimental works will help aerospace structural engineer in assess structural integrity using classification of impact resistance of various composite sandwich beams (entangled carbon and glass fibers, honeycomb and foam cores. Low velocity impacts are done below the barely visible impact damage (BVID limit in order to detect damage by vibration testing that is hardly visible on the surface. Experimental tests are done using both burst random and sine dwell testing in order to have a better confidence level on the extracted modal parameters. Results show that the entangled sandwich beams have a better resistance against impact as compared to classical core materials.

  4. Effect of Reinforced Hybrid Palm Shells on Mechanical Properties of Polyurethane-Jute Woven/ Vinyl Ester Sandwich Board

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, T.S.; Nurul Ain Nanyan; Lan, D.N.U.; Leng, T.P.

    2014-01-01

    A natural fiber sandwich was constructed from palm shells/polyurethane core and jute woven/vinyl ester face sheets by the in-situ sandwich process (core and panel prepared simultaneously). The polyurethane sandwich core was reinforced by hybrid shell systems of dried palm shell (DPS) and palm kernel shell (PKS) (50P-50D, 25P-75D), and single shell system of PKS (100P) as well as 20 phr empty fruit bunch (EFB) based on hundred part of polyurethane. The sandwich face sheets are prepared by using two jute woven layers and impregnated by vinyl ester. Interlocking between DPS and polyurethane matrix was formed, which hence enhanced the mechanical properties. The interfacial adhesion between DPS, PKS, and EFB with the polyurethane binder played the important role to achieve high mechanical properties. It was found that hybrid shells exhibited high reinforcement for sandwich's performance resulting better compression (50P-50D) and flexural (25P-75D) properties. The single shell 100P showed only improvement on flexural modulus.The fracture surface morphology of sandwich under mechanical test was performed by using optical microscopy. (author)

  5. Photoluminescence quenching of chemically functionalized porous silicon by a ruthenium cluster

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boukherroub, R.; Wayner, D.D.M. [Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada); Lockwood, D.J. [Institute for Microstructural Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada); Zargarian, D. [Chemistry Department, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, succursale, Centre-ville, Montreal QC (Canada)

    2003-05-01

    This paper describes photoluminescence (PL) quenching of hydrogen-terminated and chemically derivatized porous silicon (PSi) nanostructures by a green ruthenium cluster (I). Chemisorption of freshly prepared PSi surfaces in a hexane solution of the Ru cluster for several days at room temperature led to a complete quenching of the PSi PL. The only visible PL was due to the original PL of the cluster. When the PSi surface functionalized with undecylenic acid was immersed in the same hexane solution of (I), the PSi PL was completely quenched and accompanied with a shift to a lower energy of the cluster PL. This shift was assigned to the formation of an ester linkage resulting from the nucleophilic attack of the PO anion of the cluster on the terminal acid functional group. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  6. Photoluminescence quenching of chemically functionalized porous silicon by a ruthenium cluster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boukherroub, R.; Wayner, D. D. M.; Lockwood, D. J.; Zargarian, D.

    2003-05-01

    This paper describes photoluminescence (PL) quenching of hydrogen-terminated and chemically derivatized porous silicon (PSi) nanostructures by a green ruthenium cluster (I). Chemisorption of freshly prepared PSi surfaces in a hexane solution of the Ru cluster for several days at room temperature led to a complete quenching of the PSi PL. The only visible PL was due to the original PL of the cluster. When the PSi surface functionalized with undecylenic acid was immersed in the same hexane solution of (I), the PSi PL was completely quenched and accompanied with a shift to a lower energy of the cluster PL. This shift was assigned to the formation of an ester linkage resulting from the nucleophilic attack of the PO anion of the cluster on the terminal acid functional group.

  7. Amorphous Red Phosphorus Embedded in Sandwiched Porous Carbon Enabling Superior Sodium Storage Performances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ying; Liu, Zheng; Zhong, Xiongwu; Cheng, Xiaolong; Fan, Zhuangjun; Yu, Yan

    2018-03-01

    The red P anode for sodium ion batteries has attracted great attention recently due to the high theoretical capacity, but the poor intrinsic electronic conductivity and large volume expansion restrain its widespread applications. Herein, the red P is successfully encapsulated into the cube shaped sandwich-like interconnected porous carbon building (denoted as P@C-GO/MOF-5) via the vaporization-condensation method. Superior cycling stability (high capacity retention of about 93% at 2 A g -1 after 100 cycles) and excellent rate performance (502 mAh g -1 at 10 A g -1 ) can be obtained for the P@C-GO/MOF-5 electrode. The superior electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the successful incorporation of red P into the unique carbon matrix with large surface area and pore volume, interconnected porous structure, excellent electronic conductivity and superior structural stability. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. ANALISA TEKNIS DAN EKONOMIS PENGGUNAAN COREMAT UNTUK KONSTRUKSI FRP (FIBERGLASS REINFORCED PLASTIC SANDWICH PADA BADAN KAPAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parlindungan Manik

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Planning of ship construction is make its having good effectivity value and efficiency. Composite as materialalternative to changes of steel feedstock and wood has many applied named FRP (fiberglass reinforcedplastics single skin. The weakness of this FRP was heavy construction and requires many production time.Therefore, will be checked comparison between single skin with sandwich constructions for shell.In this research, the way for making composite is hand lay up method with three various thickness of skinthere are : t, t/2, and t/4. To know strength comparison from the various skin of sandwich with single skin,must be test, consist of tensile test.. The result is analyzed then compared by BKI (Biro Klasifikasi Indonesiarules for the fiberglass ship.Based on the result, indicates that optimization skin thickness of sandwich construction applies Corematwhich tensile strength it is equivalent with Single Skin at 2/3t and usage of Sandwich construction causes23,12 % lighter. In economic analyze, advantage from low weight is compensation of addition 23,12 % DWT.Material cost for Sandwich about 11,35% bigger than Single Skin construction.

  9. Influence of reinforcement type on the mechanical behavior and fire response of hybrid composites and sandwich structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giancaspro, James William

    Lightweight composites and structural sandwich panels are commonly used in marine and aerospace applications. Using carbon, glass, and a host of other high strength fiber types, a broad range of laminate composites and sandwich panels can be developed. Hybrid composites can be constructed by laminating multiple layers of varying fiber types while sandwich panels are manufactured by laminating rigid fiber facings onto a lightweight core. However, the lack of fire resistance of the polymers used for the fabrication remains a very important problem. The research presented in this dissertation deals with an inorganic matrix (Geopolymer) that can be used to manufacture laminate composites and sandwich panels that are resistant up to 1000°C. This dissertation deals with the influence of fiber type on the mechanical behavior and the fire response of hybrid composites and sandwich structures manufactured using this resin. The results are categorized into the following distinct studies. (i) High strength carbon fibers were combined with low cost E-glass fibers to obtain hybrid laminate composites that are both economical and strong. The E-glass fabrics were used as a core while the carbon fibers were placed on the tension face and on both tension and compression faces. (ii) Structural sandwich beams were developed by laminating various types of reinforcement onto the tension and compression faces of balsa wood cores. The flexural behavior of the beams was then analyzed and compared to beams reinforced with organic composite. The effect of core density was evaluated using oak beams reinforced with inorganic composite. (iii) To measure the fire response, balsa wood sandwich panels were manufactured using a thin layer of a fire-resistant paste to serve for fire protection. Seventeen sandwich panels were fabricated and tested to measure the heat release rates and smoke-generating characteristics. The results indicate that Geopolymer can be effectively used to fabricate both

  10. Sandwich veto detector at COMPASS experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarkar, S.; Dasgupta, S.S.; Calcutta-COMPASS group

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents the newly build Sandwich Detector for 190 GeV hadron run of COMPASS Experiment at CERN. The technical details and the testing procedures are included to highlight the physics objective of the installation. Single electron detection techniques has been developed and used to scale the performance of the detector. This analysis can predict the number of single electrons per MIP at the scintillation detector. (author)

  11. Formation Process of Triangular Morphology of Self-Accommodation Martensite in Ti-Nb-Al Shape Memory Alloy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamioka Nozomi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The formation process of a habit plane variant (HPV cluster with triangular morphology (T-cluster in Ti- Nb-Al shape memory alloy was investigated by in-situ optical microscopy. Upon cooling the specimen, martensitic transformation occurred and two types of V-shaped clusters and the T-clusters were observed. Two types of V-shaped cluster were the cluster connected by the {111} type I twin (VI and the cluster connected by the type II twin (VII. The T-cluster is formed by the connection of three HPVs by {111} type I twin. The T-cluster is formed by the growth of the third HPV that is nucleated at the tip of a HPV in a VI-cluster and exhibits inward growth. It is suggested that the T-cluster is a derivative of the VI-cluster. This growth behaviour is discussed based on the incompatibility of the clusters.

  12. Using Cluster Analysis to Compartmentalize a Large Managed Wetland Based on Physical, Biological, and Climatic Geospatial Attributes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahus, Ian; Migliaccio, Kati; Douglas-Mankin, Kyle; Klarenberg, Geraldine; Muñoz-Carpena, Rafael

    2018-04-27

    Hierarchical and partitional cluster analyses were used to compartmentalize Water Conservation Area 1, a managed wetland within the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Florida, USA, based on physical, biological, and climatic geospatial attributes. Single, complete, average, and Ward's linkages were tested during the hierarchical cluster analyses, with average linkage providing the best results. In general, the partitional method, partitioning around medoids, found clusters that were more evenly sized and more spatially aggregated than those resulting from the hierarchical analyses. However, hierarchical analysis appeared to be better suited to identify outlier regions that were significantly different from other areas. The clusters identified by geospatial attributes were similar to clusters developed for the interior marsh in a separate study using water quality attributes, suggesting that similar factors have influenced variations in both the set of physical, biological, and climatic attributes selected in this study and water quality parameters. However, geospatial data allowed further subdivision of several interior marsh clusters identified from the water quality data, potentially indicating zones with important differences in function. Identification of these zones can be useful to managers and modelers by informing the distribution of monitoring equipment and personnel as well as delineating regions that may respond similarly to future changes in management or climate.

  13. Sandwich-structured hollow fiber membranes for osmotic power generation

    KAUST Repository

    Fu, Feng Jiang; Zhang, Sui; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

    2015-01-01

    In this work, a novel sandwich-structured hollow fiber membrane has been developed via a specially designed spinneret and optimized spinning conditions. With this specially designed spinneret, the outer layer, which is the most crucial part of the sandwich-structured membrane, is maintained the same as the traditional dual-layer membrane. The inner substrate layer is separated into two layers: (1) an ultra-thin middle layer comprising a high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) additive to enhance integration with the outer polybenzimidazole (PBI) selective layer, and (2) an inner-layer to provide strong mechanical strength for the membrane. Experimental results show that a high water permeability and good mechanical strength could be achieved without the expensive post treatment process to remove PVP which was necessary for the dual-layer pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) membranes. By optimizing the composition, the membrane shows a maximum power density of 6.23W/m2 at a hydraulic pressure of 22.0bar when 1M NaCl and 10mM NaCl are used as the draw and feed solutions, respectively. To our best knowledge, this is the best phase inversion hollow fiber membrane with an outer selective PBI layer for osmotic power generation. In addition, this is the first work that shows how to fabricate sandwich-structured hollow fiber membranes for various applications. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

  14. Sandwich-structured hollow fiber membranes for osmotic power generation

    KAUST Repository

    Fu, Feng Jiang

    2015-11-01

    In this work, a novel sandwich-structured hollow fiber membrane has been developed via a specially designed spinneret and optimized spinning conditions. With this specially designed spinneret, the outer layer, which is the most crucial part of the sandwich-structured membrane, is maintained the same as the traditional dual-layer membrane. The inner substrate layer is separated into two layers: (1) an ultra-thin middle layer comprising a high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) additive to enhance integration with the outer polybenzimidazole (PBI) selective layer, and (2) an inner-layer to provide strong mechanical strength for the membrane. Experimental results show that a high water permeability and good mechanical strength could be achieved without the expensive post treatment process to remove PVP which was necessary for the dual-layer pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) membranes. By optimizing the composition, the membrane shows a maximum power density of 6.23W/m2 at a hydraulic pressure of 22.0bar when 1M NaCl and 10mM NaCl are used as the draw and feed solutions, respectively. To our best knowledge, this is the best phase inversion hollow fiber membrane with an outer selective PBI layer for osmotic power generation. In addition, this is the first work that shows how to fabricate sandwich-structured hollow fiber membranes for various applications. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

  15. The score statistic of the LD-lod analysis: detecting linkage adaptive to linkage disequilibrium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, J; Jiang, Y

    2001-01-01

    We study the properties of a modified lod score method for testing linkage that incorporates linkage disequilibrium (LD-lod). By examination of its score statistic, we show that the LD-lod score method adaptively combines two sources of information: (a) the IBD sharing score which is informative for linkage regardless of the existence of LD and (b) the contrast between allele-specific IBD sharing scores which is informative for linkage only in the presence of LD. We also consider the connection between the LD-lod score method and the transmission-disequilibrium test (TDT) for triad data and the mean test for affected sib pair (ASP) data. We show that, for triad data, the recessive LD-lod test is asymptotically equivalent to the TDT; and for ASP data, it is an adaptive combination of the TDT and the ASP mean test. We demonstrate that the LD-lod score method has relatively good statistical efficiency in comparison with the ASP mean test and the TDT for a broad range of LD and the genetic models considered in this report. Therefore, the LD-lod score method is an interesting approach for detecting linkage when the extent of LD is unknown, such as in a genome-wide screen with a dense set of genetic markers. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

  16. Effects of Core Softness and Bimodularity of Fibreglass Layers on Flexural Stiffness of Polymer Sandwich Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šuba Oldřich

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the study of the flexural stiffness of the sandwich structures based on fibreglass and polymeric foams. The influence of geometrical and material parameters on the resulting effective flexural stiffness of the sandwich structure is being studied experimentally, analytically and by using FEM models. The effective modulus of elasticity of the sandwich-structured element is being studied and its theoretical and model dependencies on the flexibility of the foam core and bimodularity of the fibreglass layers are being investigated. The achieved results are compared with the experimentally observed values. This study shows that it is necessary to pay special attention to the issue of flexural stiffness of the walls when designing sandwich shell products in order to prevent possible failures in the practical applications of these types of structures.

  17. Optimal design of sandwich ribbed flat baffle plates of a circular cylindrical tank

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malinowski, Marek; Magnucki, Krzysztof

    2005-01-01

    The subject of this paper is a sandwich ribbed flat baffle plate of a circular cylindrical tank. The paper deals with a problem of optimal thickness of this construction with a soft core. The construction is distinguished by a local axisymmetric pre-springing. The mathematical description is based on the theory of shells with analysis of disturbance of the stress membrane state. The sandwich ribbed flat baffle plate divides the tank into two chambers. One of them is loaded by uniform pressure, while the other is empty and unloaded. Dimensions of ribs, faces and the entire baffle plate have been determined with a view to minimize the mass under strength constraints. The effect of optimal thickness of this sandwich plate has been examined by means of the finite element method

  18. Size-dependent free vibration and dynamic analyses of piezo-electro-magnetic sandwich nanoplates resting on viscoelastic foundation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arefi, Mohammad; Zenkour, Ashraf M.

    2017-09-01

    In this paper, size-dependent free vibration analysis of a sandwich nanoplate is presented. The sandwich nanoplate is including an elastic nano core and two piezo-electro-magnetic face-sheets as sensor and actuator actuated by electric and magnetic potentials. The sandwich nanoplate is resting on visco-Pasternak's foundation. Hamilton's principle is employed to derive the governing equations of motion based on Kirchhoff plate and nonlocal elasticity theory. The numerical results are presented to study the influence of important parameters of the problem such as applied electric and magnetic potentials, nonlocal parameter and visco-Pasternak's parameters. Furthermore, the influence of various boundary conditions is discussed on the vibration characteristics of the sandwich nanoplate.

  19. Enhanced detection levels in a semi-automated sandwich ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A peptide nucleic acid (PNA) signal probe was tested as a replacement for a typical DNA oligonucleotidebased signal probe in a semi-automated sandwich hybridisation assay designed to detect the harmful phytoplankton species Alexandrium tamarense. The PNA probe yielded consistently higher fluorescent signal ...

  20. Performance improvement of organic thin film transistors by using active layer with sandwich structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Yao; Zhou, Jianlin; Kuang, Peng; Lin, Hui; Gan, Ping; Hu, Shengdong; Lin, Zhi

    2017-08-01

    We report organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) with pentacene/fluorinated copper phthalo-cyanine (F16CuPc)/pentacene (PFP) sandwich configuration as active layers. The sandwich devices not only show hole mobility enhancement but also present a well control about threshold voltage and off-state current. By investigating various characteristics, including current-voltage hysteresis, organic film morphology, capacitance-voltage curve and resistance variation of active layers carefully, it has been found the performance improvement is mainly attributed to the low carrier traps and the higher conductivity of the sandwich active layer due to the additional induced carriers in F16CuPc/pentacene. Therefore, using proper multiple active layer is an effective way to gain high performance OTFTs.

  1. Smart FRP Composite Sandwich Bridge Decks in Cold Regions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-01

    In this study, new and integrated Smart honeycomb Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (S-FRP) : sandwich materials for various transportation construction applications, with particular emphasis : on highway bridge decks in cold regions, were developed and teste...

  2. Prioritizing tiger conservation through landscape genetics and habitat linkages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yumnam, Bibek; Jhala, Yadvendradev V; Qureshi, Qamar; Maldonado, Jesus E; Gopal, Rajesh; Saini, Swati; Srinivas, Y; Fleischer, Robert C

    2014-01-01

    Even with global support for tiger (Panthera tigris) conservation their survival is threatened by poaching, habitat loss and isolation. Currently about 3,000 wild tigers persist in small fragmented populations within seven percent of their historic range. Identifying and securing habitat linkages that connect source populations for maintaining landscape-level gene flow is an important long-term conservation strategy for endangered carnivores. However, habitat corridors that link regional tiger populations are often lost to development projects due to lack of objective evidence on their importance. Here, we use individual based genetic analysis in combination with landscape permeability models to identify and prioritize movement corridors across seven tiger populations within the Central Indian Landscape. By using a panel of 11 microsatellites we identified 169 individual tigers from 587 scat and 17 tissue samples. We detected four genetic clusters within Central India with limited gene flow among three of them. Bayesian and likelihood analyses identified 17 tigers as having recent immigrant ancestry. Spatially explicit tiger occupancy obtained from extensive landscape-scale surveys across 76,913 km(2) of forest habitat was found to be only 21,290 km(2). After accounting for detection bias, the covariates that best explained tiger occupancy were large, remote, dense forest patches; large ungulate abundance, and low human footprint. We used tiger occupancy probability to parameterize habitat permeability for modeling habitat linkages using least-cost and circuit theory pathway analyses. Pairwise genetic differences (FST) between populations were better explained by modeled linkage costs (r>0.5, p<0.05) compared to Euclidean distances, which was in consonance with observed habitat fragmentation. The results of our study highlight that many corridors may still be functional as there is evidence of contemporary migration. Conservation efforts should provide legal status

  3. Prioritizing tiger conservation through landscape genetics and habitat linkages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bibek Yumnam

    Full Text Available Even with global support for tiger (Panthera tigris conservation their survival is threatened by poaching, habitat loss and isolation. Currently about 3,000 wild tigers persist in small fragmented populations within seven percent of their historic range. Identifying and securing habitat linkages that connect source populations for maintaining landscape-level gene flow is an important long-term conservation strategy for endangered carnivores. However, habitat corridors that link regional tiger populations are often lost to development projects due to lack of objective evidence on their importance. Here, we use individual based genetic analysis in combination with landscape permeability models to identify and prioritize movement corridors across seven tiger populations within the Central Indian Landscape. By using a panel of 11 microsatellites we identified 169 individual tigers from 587 scat and 17 tissue samples. We detected four genetic clusters within Central India with limited gene flow among three of them. Bayesian and likelihood analyses identified 17 tigers as having recent immigrant ancestry. Spatially explicit tiger occupancy obtained from extensive landscape-scale surveys across 76,913 km(2 of forest habitat was found to be only 21,290 km(2. After accounting for detection bias, the covariates that best explained tiger occupancy were large, remote, dense forest patches; large ungulate abundance, and low human footprint. We used tiger occupancy probability to parameterize habitat permeability for modeling habitat linkages using least-cost and circuit theory pathway analyses. Pairwise genetic differences (FST between populations were better explained by modeled linkage costs (r>0.5, p<0.05 compared to Euclidean distances, which was in consonance with observed habitat fragmentation. The results of our study highlight that many corridors may still be functional as there is evidence of contemporary migration. Conservation efforts should

  4. Theoretical prediction on corrugated sandwich panels under bending loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Chengfu; Hou, Shujuan

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, an aluminum corrugated sandwich panel with triangular core under bending loads was investigated. Firstly, the equivalent material parameters of the triangular corrugated core layer, which could be considered as an orthotropic panel, were obtained by using Castigliano's theorem and equivalent homogeneous model. Secondly, contributions of the corrugated core layer and two face panels were both considered to compute the equivalent material parameters of the whole structure through the classical lamination theory, and these equivalent material parameters were compared with finite element analysis solutions. Then, based on the Mindlin orthotropic plate theory, this study obtain the closed-form solutions of the displacement for a corrugated sandwich panel under bending loads in specified boundary conditions, and parameters study and comparison by the finite element method were executed simultaneously.

  5. Probabilistic linkage to enhance deterministic algorithms and reduce data linkage errors in hospital administrative data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagger-Johnson, Gareth; Harron, Katie; Goldstein, Harvey; Aldridge, Robert; Gilbert, Ruth

    2017-06-30

     BACKGROUND: The pseudonymisation algorithm used to link together episodes of care belonging to the same patients in England (HESID) has never undergone any formal evaluation, to determine the extent of data linkage error. To quantify improvements in linkage accuracy from adding probabilistic linkage to existing deterministic HESID algorithms. Inpatient admissions to NHS hospitals in England (Hospital Episode Statistics, HES) over 17 years (1998 to 2015) for a sample of patients (born 13/28th of months in 1992/1998/2005/2012). We compared the existing deterministic algorithm with one that included an additional probabilistic step, in relation to a reference standard created using enhanced probabilistic matching with additional clinical and demographic information. Missed and false matches were quantified and the impact on estimates of hospital readmission within one year were determined. HESID produced a high missed match rate, improving over time (8.6% in 1998 to 0.4% in 2015). Missed matches were more common for ethnic minorities, those living in areas of high socio-economic deprivation, foreign patients and those with 'no fixed abode'. Estimates of the readmission rate were biased for several patient groups owing to missed matches, which was reduced for nearly all groups. CONCLUSION: Probabilistic linkage of HES reduced missed matches and bias in estimated readmission rates, with clear implications for commissioning, service evaluation and performance monitoring of hospitals. The existing algorithm should be modified to address data linkage error, and a retrospective update of the existing data would address existing linkage errors and their implications.

  6. Anomalous photoluminescence thermal quenching of sandwiched single layer MoS_2

    KAUST Repository

    Tangi, Malleswararao

    2017-09-22

    We report an unusual thermal quenching of the micro-photoluminescence (µ-PL) intensity for a sandwiched single-layer (SL) MoS2. For this study, MoS2 layers were chemical vapor deposited on molecular beam epitaxial grown In0.15Al0.85N lattice matched templates. Later, to accomplish air-stable sandwiched SL-MoS2, a thin In0.15Al0.85N cap layer was deposited on the MoS2/In0.15Al0.85N heterostructure. We confirm that the sandwiched MoS2 is a single layer from optical and structural analyses using µ-Raman spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy, respectively. By using high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, no structural phase transition of MoS2 is noticed. The recombination processes of bound and free excitons were analyzed by the power-dependent µ-PL studies at 77 K and room temperature (RT). The temperature-dependent micro photoluminescence (TDPL) measurements were carried out in the temperature range of 77 – 400 K. As temperature increases, a significant red-shift is observed for the free-exciton PL peak, revealing the delocalization of carriers. Further, we observe unconventional negative thermal quenching behavior, the enhancement of the µ-PL intensity with increasing temperatures up to 300K, which is explained by carrier hopping transitions that take place between shallow localized states to the band-edges. Thus, this study renders a fundamental insight into understanding the anomalous thermal quenching of µ-PL intensity of sandwiched SL-MoS2.

  7. Anomalous photoluminescence thermal quenching of sandwiched single layer MoS_2

    KAUST Repository

    Tangi, Malleswararao; Shakfa, Mohammad Khaled; Mishra, Pawan; Li, Ming-Yang; Chiu, Ming-Hui; Ng, Tien Khee; Li, Lain-Jong; Ooi, Boon S.

    2017-01-01

    We report an unusual thermal quenching of the micro-photoluminescence (µ-PL) intensity for a sandwiched single-layer (SL) MoS2. For this study, MoS2 layers were chemical vapor deposited on molecular beam epitaxial grown In0.15Al0.85N lattice matched templates. Later, to accomplish air-stable sandwiched SL-MoS2, a thin In0.15Al0.85N cap layer was deposited on the MoS2/In0.15Al0.85N heterostructure. We confirm that the sandwiched MoS2 is a single layer from optical and structural analyses using µ-Raman spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy, respectively. By using high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, no structural phase transition of MoS2 is noticed. The recombination processes of bound and free excitons were analyzed by the power-dependent µ-PL studies at 77 K and room temperature (RT). The temperature-dependent micro photoluminescence (TDPL) measurements were carried out in the temperature range of 77 – 400 K. As temperature increases, a significant red-shift is observed for the free-exciton PL peak, revealing the delocalization of carriers. Further, we observe unconventional negative thermal quenching behavior, the enhancement of the µ-PL intensity with increasing temperatures up to 300K, which is explained by carrier hopping transitions that take place between shallow localized states to the band-edges. Thus, this study renders a fundamental insight into understanding the anomalous thermal quenching of µ-PL intensity of sandwiched SL-MoS2.

  8. A Formalization of Linkage Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ingolfsdottir, Anna; Christensen, A.I.; Hansen, Jens A.

    In this report a formalization of genetic linkage analysis is introduced. Linkage analysis is a computationally hard biomathematical method, which purpose is to locate genes on the human genome. It is rooted in the new area of bioinformatics and no formalization of the method has previously been ...

  9. Failure of uniformly compression loaded debond damaged sandwich panels — An experimental and numerical study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moslemian, Ramin; Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian

    2012-01-01

    This paper deals with the failure of compression-loaded sandwich panels with an implanted circular face/core debond. Uniform compression tests were conducted on intact sandwich panels with three different types of core material (H130, H250 and PMI) and on similar panels with circular face...

  10. Polyisocyanurate systems for insulating and sandwich elements; Polyisocyanurat-Systeme fuer Daemm- und Sandwichelemente

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malotki, P. von [Elastogran GmbH, Lemfoerde (Germany)

    2000-07-01

    PUR rigid foam plates are laminated with flexible Al films, paper or glass non-wovens, or may be processed into sandwich elements with metallic top-layers via coil-coating. Dependence of heat insulation efficiency, dimensional stability and fire behavior of the foam on chemical composition and the blowing agents is considered and compared with polyisocyanurate foams. Recipes for the production of PIR heat insulation elements and sandwich elements are given.

  11. A Study on Flexural Properties of Sandwich Structures with Fiber/Metal Laminate Face Sheets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dariushi, S.; Sadighi, M.

    2013-10-01

    In this work, a new family of sandwich structures with fiber metal laminate (FML) faces is investigated. FMLs have benefits over both metal and fiber reinforced composites. To investigate the bending properties of sandwich beams with FML faces and compare with similar sandwich beams with fibrous composite faces, 6 groups of specimen with different layer arrangements were made and tested. Results show that FML faces have good resistance against transverse local loads and minimize stress concentration and local deformations of skin and core under the loading tip. In addition, FML faces have a good integrity even after plateau region of foam cores and prevent from catastrophic failures, which cannot be seen in fibrous composite faces. Also, FML faces are lighter than metal faces and have better connection with foam cores. Sandwich beams with FML faces have a larger elastic region because of simultaneous deformation of top and bottom faces and larger failure strain thanks to good durability of FMLs. A geometrical nonlinear classical theory is used to predict force-deflection behavior. In this model an explicit formula between symmetrical sandwich beams deflections and applied force which can be useful for designers, is derived. Good agreement is obtained between the analytical predictions and experimental results. Also, analytical results are compared with small deformation solution in a parametric study, and the effects of geometric parameters on difference between linear and nonlinear results are discussed.

  12. Failure modes of composite sandwich beams

    OpenAIRE

    Gdoutos E.; Daniel I.M.

    2008-01-01

    A thorough investigation of failure behavior of composite sandwich beams under three-and four-point bending was undertaken. The beams were made of unidirectional carbon/epoxy facings and a PVC closed-cell foam core. The constituent materials were fully characterized and in the case of the foam core, failure envelopes were developed for general two-dimensional states of stress. Various failure modes including facing wrinkling, indentation failure and core failure were observed and compared wit...

  13. Fatigue Debond Growth in Sandwich Structures Loaded in Mixed Mode Bending (MMB)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

    2008-01-01

    Static and cyclic debond growth in sandwich specimens loaded in mixed mode bending (MMB) is examined. The MMB sandwich specimens were manufactured using H100 PVC foam core and E-glass/polyester non-crimp quadro-axial [0/45/90/-45]s DBLT-850 face sheets. Static test were performed to determine...... the fracture toughness of the debonded sandwich specimens at different mixed mode loadings. The mixed mode ratio (mode I to mode II) was controlled by changing the lever arm distance of the MMB test rig. Compliance technique and visual inspection was employed to measure the crack length during fatigue. Fatigue...... tests were performed at 90% of the static fracture toughness at a loading ratio of R=0.1. Fatigue results revealed higher debond crack growth rates when the lever arm distance was increased. For some specimens, the crack propagated just below the face/core interface in the foam core and for others...

  14. Examination of Sandwich Materials Using Air-Coupled Ultrasonics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borum, K.K.; Berggreen, Carl Christian

    2004-01-01

    The air-coupled ultrasonic techniques have been improved drastically in recent years. Better equipment has made this technique much more useful. This paper focuses on the examination of sandwich materials used in naval ships. It is more convenient to be able to make the measurements directly...

  15. ANALISA TEKNIS DAN EKONOMIS PENGGUNAAN COREMAT UNTUK KONSTRUKSI FRP (FIBERGLASS REINFORCED PLASTIC SANDWICH PADA BADAN KAPAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parlindungan Manik

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Planning of ship construction is make its having good effectivity value and efficiency. Composite as material alternative to changes of steel feedstock and wood has many applied named FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastics single skin. The weakness of this FRP was heavy construction and requires many production time. Therefore, will be checked comparison between single skin with sandwich constructions for shell. In this research, the way for making composite is hand lay up method with three various thickness of skin there are : t, t/2, and t/4. To know strength comparison from the various skin of sandwich with single skin, must be test, consist of tensile test.. The result is analyzed then compared by BKI (Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia rules for the fiberglass ship. Based on the result, indicates that optimization skin thickness of sandwich construction applies Coremat which tensile strength it is equivalent with Single Skin at 2/3t and usage of Sandwich construction causes 23,12 % lighter. In economic analyze, advantage from low weight is compensation of addition 23,12 % DWT. Material cost for Sandwich about 11,35% bigger than Single Skin construction.

  16. Pengaruh perlakuan serat tapis kelapa terhadap kekuatan lentur skin komposit sandwich

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Made Astika

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstrak Penggunaan serat alam sebagai penguat komposit semakin berkembang. Indonesia sebagai negara beriklim tropis menghasilkan berbagai jenis serat alami seperti rami, abaca, agave, serat sabut kelapa dan serat tapis kelapa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki pengaruh perlakuan alkali serat (NaOH 5% terhadap kekuatan lentur komposit sandwich serat tapis kelapa bermatrik polyester dengan core kayu albasia Bahan penelitian adalah serat tapis kelapa dengan panjang 15 mm, resin unsaturated polyester 157 BQTN, kayu albasia dan NaOH. Hardener yang digunakan adalah MEKPO dengan konsentrasi 1%. Serat tapis kelapa yang digunakan terdiri dari serat tanpa perlakuan dan dengan perlakuan alkali 2 jam. Komposit sandwich tersusun atas dua skin dengan core ditengahnya dan dibuat dengan metode cetak tekan hidrolis. Lamina komposit sebagai skin terbuat dari serat tapis kelapa-polyester dengan fraksi volume serat 30%. Spesimen dan prosedur pengujian lentur mengacu pada standar ASTM C 393. Penampang patahan dilakukan foto makro untuk mengidentifikasi pola kegagalannya.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan serat yang mendapatkan perlakuan alkali 2 jam NaOH menghasilkan kekuatan lentur yang lebih tinggi. Hal ini disebabkan karena perlakuan alkali pada serat tapis kelapa dapat membersihkan lapisan lilin (lignin dan kotoran pada permukaan serat sehingga menghasilkan mechanical interlocking yang lebih baik antara serat dengan matrik poliester. Dengan ikatan yang lebih baik maka komposit tersebut akan mampu menahan beban lentur yang lebih tinggi. Kata kunci: komposit sandwich, serat tapis kelapa, perlakuan NaOH, kekuatan lentur Abstract The use of natural fibers as reinforcement composites is growing. Indonesia as a tropical country produces various types of natural fibers like coconut filter fiber. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of alkali treatment of the fiber (5% NaOH. The research material is coconut filter fiber, 157 BQTN unsaturated

  17. Thermally actuated linkage arrangement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, P.M.

    1981-01-01

    A reusable thermally actuated linkage arrangement includes a first link member having a longitudinal bore therein adapted to receive at least a portion of a second link member therein, the first and second members being sized to effect an interference fit preventing relative movement there-between at a temperature below a predetermined temperature. The link members have different coefficients of thermal expansion so that when the linkage is selectively heated by heating element to a temperature above the predetermined temperature, relative longitudinal and/or rotational movement between the first and second link members is enabled. Two embodiments of a thermally activated linkage are disclosed which find particular application in actuators for a grapple head positioning arm in a nuclear reactor fuel handling mechanism to facilitate back-up safety retraction of the grapple head independently from the primary fuel handling mechanism drive system. (author)

  18. A novel electrochemical aptamer-antibody sandwich assay for lysozyme detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ocaña, Cristina; Hayat, Akhtar; Mishra, Rupesh; Vasilescu, Alina; del Valle, Manel; Marty, Jean-Louis

    2015-06-21

    In this paper, we have reported a novel electrochemical aptamer-antibody based sandwich biosensor for the detection of lysozyme. In the sensing strategy, an anti-lysozyme aptamer was immobilized onto the carbon electrode surface by covalent binding via diazonium salt chemistry. After incubating with a target protein (lysozyme), a biotinylated antibody was used to complete the sandwich format. The subsequent additions of avidin-alkaline phosphatase as an enzyme label, and a 1-naphthyl phosphate substrate (1-NPP) allowed us to determine the concentration of lysozyme (Lys) via Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) of the generated enzyme reaction product, 1-naphthol. Using this strategy, a wide detection range from 5 fM to 5 nM was obtained for a target lysozyme, with a detection limit of 4.3 fM. The control experiments were carried out by using bovine serum albumin (BSA), cytochrome c and casein. The results showed that the proposed biosensor had good specificity, stability and reproducibility for lysozyme analysis. In addition, the biosensor was applied for detecting lysozyme in spiked wine samples, and very good recovery rates were obtained in the range from 95.2 to 102.0% for lysozyme detection. This implies that the proposed sandwich biosensor is a promising analytical tool for the analysis of lysozyme in real samples.

  19. Impact properties of aluminium - glass fiber reinforced plastics sandwich panels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathivanan Periasamy

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Aluminium - glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP sandwich panels are hybrid laminates consisting of GFRP bonded with thin aluminum sheets on either side. Such sandwich materials are increasingly used in airplane and automobile structures. Laminates with varying aluminium thickness fractions, fiber volume fractions and orientation in the layers of GFRP were fabricated by hand lay up method and evaluated for their impact performance by conducting drop weight tests under low velocity impacts. The impact energy required for initiating a crack in the outer aluminium layer as well as the energy required for perforation was recorded. The impact load-time history was also recorded to understand the failure behavior. The damage depth and the damage area were measured to evaluate the impact resistance. Optical photography and scanning electron micrographs were taken to visualize the crack and the damage zone. The bidirectional cross-ply hybrid laminate (CPHL has been found to exhibit better impact performance and damage resistance than the unidirectional hybrid laminate (UDHL. Increase in aluminium thickness fraction (Al tf and fiber volume fraction (Vf resulted in an increase in the impact energy required for cracking and perforation. On an overall basis, the sandwich panels exhibited better impact performance than the monolithic aluminium.

  20. Effect of a magnetic field on the excess resistance of SNS sandwiches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Logvenov, G.Y.; Ryazanov, V.V.

    1983-01-01

    The contribution of superconducting plates to the resistance of Ta--Cu--Ta sandwiches in the presence of a magnetic field of up to 170 Ge is investigated. Near the superconducting transition temperature T/sub c/H, the Ta used was in a mixed (vortical) state. It is shown that the presence of gradients of the order parameter near the Abrikosov vortices appreciably changes the penetration depth of a longitudinal electric field into the superconductor and leads to a corresponding change in the excess resistance of SNS sandwiches

  1. Laser welded steel sandwich panel bridge deck development : finite element analysis and stake weld strength tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-09-01

    This report summarizes the analysis of laser welded steel sandwich panels for use in bridge structures and : static testing of laser stake welded lap shear coupons. Steel sandwich panels consist of two face sheets : connected by a relatively low-dens...

  2. Cluster radioactivity and very asymmetric fission through quasi-molecular shapes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Royer, G.

    1997-01-01

    The decay of radioactive nuclei which emit heavy clusters like C, O, Ne, Mg and Si has been studied in the fission valley which leads one spherical nucleus towards two spherical touching nuclei before crossing the barrier. Assuming volume conservation, the deformation energy has been calculated within a generalized liquid drop model taking into account the proximity effects between the cluster and the daughter nucleus. The theoretical partial half-lives obtained within the WKB barrier penetration probability are in good agreement with the experimental data for the heaviest clusters. The Ne, Mg and Si emission looks like a very-asymmetric spontaneous fission. The 14 C radioactivity is not correctly described within the fission hypothesis. The 14 C and apparently also the 20 O are probably pre-born in the parent nucleus, the emission being similar to the α decay process. (author)

  3. Corrected Integral Shape Averaging Applied to Obstructive Sleep Apnea Detection from the Electrocardiogram

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. O'Brien

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a technique called corrected integral shape averaging (CISA for quantifying shape and shape differences in a set of signals. CISA can be used to account for signal differences which are purely due to affine time warping (jitter and dilation/compression, and hence provide access to intrinsic shape fluctuations. CISA can also be used to define a distance between shapes which has useful mathematical properties; a mean shape signal for a set of signals can be defined, which minimizes the sum of squared shape distances of the set from the mean. The CISA procedure also allows joint estimation of the affine time parameters. Numerical simulations are presented to support the algorithm for obtaining the CISA mean and parameters. Since CISA provides a well-defined shape distance, it can be used in shape clustering applications based on distance measures such as k-means. We present an application in which CISA shape clustering is applied to P-waves extracted from the electrocardiogram of subjects suffering from sleep apnea. The resulting shape clustering distinguishes ECG segments recorded during apnea from those recorded during normal breathing with a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 84%.

  4. Family-based clusters of cognitive test performance in familial schizophrenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Partonen Timo

    2004-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cognitive traits derived from neuropsychological test data are considered to be potential endophenotypes of schizophrenia. Previously, these traits have been found to form a valid basis for clustering samples of schizophrenia patients into homogeneous subgroups. We set out to identify such clusters, but apart from previous studies, we included both schizophrenia patients and family members into the cluster analysis. The aim of the study was to detect family clusters with similar cognitive test performance. Methods Test scores from 54 randomly selected families comprising at least two siblings with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and at least two unaffected family members were included in a complete-linkage cluster analysis with interactive data visualization. Results A well-performing, an impaired, and an intermediate family cluster emerged from the analysis. While the neuropsychological test scores differed significantly between the clusters, only minor differences were observed in the clinical variables. Conclusions The visually aided clustering algorithm was successful in identifying family clusters comprising both schizophrenia patients and their relatives. The present classification method may serve as a basis for selecting phenotypically more homogeneous groups of families in subsequent genetic analyses.

  5. The semantic basis of taste-shape associations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Velasco

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Previous research shows that people systematically match tastes with shapes. Here, we assess the extent to which matched taste and shape stimuli share a common semantic space and whether semantically congruent versus incongruent taste/shape associations can influence the speed with which people respond to both shapes and taste words. In Experiment 1, semantic differentiation was used to assess the semantic space of both taste words and shapes. The results suggest a common semantic space containing two principal components (seemingly, intensity and hedonics and two principal clusters, one including round shapes and the taste word “sweet,” and the other including angular shapes and the taste words “salty,” “sour,” and “bitter.” The former cluster appears more positively-valenced whilst less potent than the latter. In Experiment 2, two speeded classification tasks assessed whether congruent versus incongruent mappings of stimuli and responses (e.g., sweet with round versus sweet with angular would influence the speed of participants’ responding, to both shapes and taste words. The results revealed an overall effect of congruence with congruent trials yielding faster responses than their incongruent counterparts. These results are consistent with previous evidence suggesting a close relation (or crossmodal correspondence between tastes and shape curvature that may derive from common semantic coding, perhaps along the intensity and hedonic dimensions.

  6. Enhanced Performance of Sandwich Structures by Improved Damage Tolerance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martakos, Georgios

    are embedded in both sandwich beam and panel specimens. The experimental observations form the basis for evaluating the efficiency of the proposed crack stopping inserts. For the experiments, Digital Image Correlation (DIC) was used to characterize the measure the local strain fields and overall deformation...... behaviour around the new crack stopper elements. In support for the experimental investigations, a Finite Element (FE) analysis based methodology, including fracture mechanics analysis and the so-called ‘cycle jump’ technique, was developed to predict the progression of damage in sandwich specimens...... concentrations in the foam core material on the back side of the peel stopper. By use of the developed numerical fracture mechanics based modelling tools, both fatigue crack growth and crack arrest in the specimens were simulated. It was shown that the strains responsible for crack re-initiation can...

  7. Reevaluating Musculoskeletal Linkages in Suction-Feeding Fishes with X-Ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camp, Ariel L; Brainerd, Elizabeth L

    2015-07-01

    Suction-feeding fishes encompass a vast diversity of morphologies and ecologies, but during feeding they all rely on musculoskeletal linkages and levers to transform the shortening of muscle into 3D expansion of the mouth cavity. To relate the shape of these skeletal elements to their function in expansion of the mouth, four-bar linkage models have been developed and widely used in studies of ecology, evolution, and development. However, we have lacked the ability to test the predictions of these 2D linkage models against the actual 3D motions of fishes' skulls. A new imaging method, X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM), now makes it possible to measure 3D skeletal motions relative to other bones within the head and relative to the fish's body, and thereby to examine directly the proposed linkages. We used XROMM to examine the opercular linkage, in which shortening of the levator operculi muscle is hypothesized to retract the operculum, and thereby the interoperculum and interoperculomandibular ligament to generate depression of the lower jaw about the quadratomandibular joint. XROMM animations of suction strikes in largemouth bass revealed that the operculum is indeed retracted relative to the suspensorium as the levator operculi muscle shortens and the jaw depresses. However, the four-bar model of this linkage overestimates the depression of the jaw by nearly a factor of two. Therefore, caution should be used in interpreting and applying the predictions of this linkage model. When we measured kinematics relative to the fish's body, we found that the operculum was relatively stable, whereas the suspensorium was elevated along with the neurocranium, pushing the quadratomandibular joint forward to produce depression of the jaw. Thus, it is the epaxial muscles elevating the neurocranium that powers depression of the jaw through the opercular linkage. However, the levator operculi muscle plays a crucial role in stabilizing the operculum to allow elevation

  8. Energy absorption capabilities of composite sandwich panels under blast loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sankar Ray, Tirtha

    As blast threats on military and civilian structures continue to be a significant concern, there remains a need for improved design strategies to increase blast resistance capabilities. The approach to blast resistance proposed here is focused on dissipating the high levels of pressure induced during a blast through maximizing the potential for energy absorption of composite sandwich panels, which are a competitive structural member type due to the inherent energy absorption capabilities of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Furthermore, the middle core in the sandwich panels can be designed as a sacrificial layer allowing for a significant amount of deformation or progressive failure to maximize the potential for energy absorption. The research here is aimed at the optimization of composite sandwich panels for blast mitigation via energy absorption mechanisms. The energy absorption mechanisms considered include absorbed strain energy due to inelastic deformation as well as energy dissipation through progressive failure of the core of the sandwich panels. The methods employed in the research consist of a combination of experimentally-validated finite element analysis (FEA) and the derivation and use of a simplified analytical model. The key components of the scope of work then includes: establishment of quantified energy absorption criteria, validation of the selected FE modeling techniques, development of the simplified analytical model, investigation of influential core architectures and geometric parameters, and investigation of influential material properties. For the parameters that are identified as being most-influential, recommended values for these parameters are suggested in conceptual terms that are conducive to designing composite sandwich panels for various blast threats. Based on reviewing the energy response characteristic of the panel under blast loading, a non-dimensional parameter AET/ ET (absorbed energy, AET, normalized by total energy

  9. Enhanced electrochemical performance from 3DG/LiFePO4/G sandwich cathode material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Yahui; Tang, Yufeng; Chang, Chengkang

    2017-08-01

    In this paper, we have successfully synthesized a three dimensional graphene/LiFePO4/graphene (3DG/LFP/G) sandwich composite by an in-situ hydrothermal method, in which chemical vapor deposited 3D graphene acts as the high conductivity supporting framework, while the LiFePO4 nanoparticles are anchored onto the 3D graphene framework covered by graphene sheets. XRD and SEM results confirmed the formation of the 3DG/LFP/G sandwich composite. Cyclic Voltammetry curve of the sandwich composite shows sharper redox peaks and reduced voltage separation when compared to the reference electrodes, suggesting high specific capacity and good rate performance. Further charge/discharge measurements presented high capacity of 164 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C and 124 mAh g-1 at 10 C (75.7% of its initial capacity) for the sandwich composite, with capacity retention of 95.7% after 100 cycles, implying potential application in lithium ion battery at high rates. The EIS investigation suggests that both the electronic conductivity and the Li ion diffusion are promoted by the underlined 3D graphene framework, which is regarded as the reason for the enhanced electrochemical performance.

  10. Vibration Characteristics of Axially Moving Titanium- Polymer Nanocomposite Faced Sandwich Plate Under Initial Tension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Ghorbanpour Arani

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In the present research, vibration and instability of axially moving sandwich plate made of soft core and composite face sheets under initial tension is investigated. Single-walled carbon nano-tubes (SWCNTs are selected as a reinforcement of composite face sheets inside Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA matrix. Higher order shear deformation theory (HSDT is utilized due to its accuracy of polynomial functions than other plate theories. Based on extended rule of mixture, the structural properties of composite face sheets are taken into consideration. Motion equations are obtained by means of Hamilton’s principle and solved analytically. Influences of various parameters such as axially moving speed, volume fraction of CNTs, pre-tension, thickness and aspect ratio of sandwich plate on the vibration characteristics of moving system are discussed in details. The results indicated that the critical speed of moving sandwich plate is strongly dependent on the volume fraction of CNTs. Therefore, the critical speed of moving sandwich plate can be improved by adding appropriate values of CNTs. The results of this investigation can be used in design and manufacturing of marine vessels and aircrafts.

  11. Genetic variation, population structure and linkage disequilibrium in Switchgrass with ISSR, SCoT and EST-SSR markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yu; Yan, Haidong; Jiang, Xiaomei; Wang, Xiaoli; Huang, Linkai; Xu, Bin; Zhang, Xinquan; Zhang, Lexin

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate genetic variation, population structure, and the extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD), 134 switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) samples were analyzed with 51 markers, including 16 ISSRs, 20 SCoTs, and 15 EST-SSRs. In this study, a high level of genetic variation was observed in the switchgrass samples and they had an average Nei's gene diversity index (H) of 0.311. A total of 793 bands were obtained, of which 708 (89.28 %) were polymorphic. Using a parameter marker index (MI), the efficiency of the three types of markers (ISSR, SCoT, and EST-SSR) in the study were compared and we found that SCoT had a higher marker efficiency than the other two markers. The 134 switchgrass samples could be divided into two sub-populations based on STRUCTURE, UPGMA clustering, and principal coordinate analyses (PCA), and upland and lowland ecotypes could be separated by UPGMA clustering and PCA analyses. Linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed an average r 2 of 0.035 across all 51 markers, indicating a trend of higher LD in sub-population 2 than that in sub-population 1 ( P  < 0.01). The population structure revealed in this study will guide the design of future association studies using these switchgrass samples.

  12. Mechanical and vibro-acoustic aspects of composite sandwich cylinders

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yuan, C.

    2013-01-01

    Designing a fuselage involves many considerations such as strength and stability, fatigue, damage tolerance, fire and lightning resistance, thermal and acoustic insulation, production, inspection, maintenance and repair. In the background of the application of composite sandwich structures on the

  13. Hypervelocity Impact Performance of Open Cell Foam Core Sandwich Panel Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, S.; Ordonez, E.; Christiansen, E. L.; Lear, D. M.

    2010-01-01

    Open cell metallic foam core sandwich panel structures are of interest for application in spacecraft micrometeoroid and orbital debris shields due to their novel form and advantageous structural and thermal performance. Repeated shocking as a result of secondary impacts upon individual foam ligaments during the penetration process acts to raise the thermal state of impacting projectiles ; resulting in fragmentation, melting, and vaporization at lower velocities than with traditional shielding configurations (e.g. Whipple shield). In order to characterize the protective capability of these structures, an extensive experimental campaign was performed by the Johnson Space Center Hypervelocity Impact Technology Facility, the results of which are reported in this paper. Although not capable of competing against the protection levels achievable with leading heavy shields in use on modern high-risk vehicles (i.e. International Space Station modules), metallic foam core sandwich panels are shown to provide a substantial improvement over comparable structural panels and traditional low weight shielding alternatives such as honeycomb sandwich panels and metallic Whipple shields. A ballistic limit equation, generalized in terms of panel geometry, is derived and presented in a form suitable for application in risk assessment codes.

  14. Finite element formulation of viscoelastic sandwich beams using fractional derivative operators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galucio, A. C.; Deü, J.-F.; Ohayon, R.

    This paper presents a finite element formulation for transient dynamic analysis of sandwich beams with embedded viscoelastic material using fractional derivative constitutive equations. The sandwich configuration is composed of a viscoelastic core (based on Timoshenko theory) sandwiched between elastic faces (based on Euler-Bernoulli assumptions). The viscoelastic model used to describe the behavior of the core is a four-parameter fractional derivative model. Concerning the parameter identification, a strategy to estimate the fractional order of the time derivative and the relaxation time is outlined. Curve-fitting aspects are focused, showing a good agreement with experimental data. In order to implement the viscoelastic model into the finite element formulation, the Grünwald definition of the fractional operator is employed. To solve the equation of motion, a direct time integration method based on the implicit Newmark scheme is used. One of the particularities of the proposed algorithm lies in the storage of displacement history only, reducing considerably the numerical efforts related to the non-locality of fractional operators. After validations, numerical applications are presented in order to analyze truncation effects (fading memory phenomena) and solution convergence aspects.

  15. How Do Social Capital and HIV/AIDS Outcomes Geographically Cluster and Which Sociocontextual Mechanisms Predict Differences Across Clusters?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ransome, Yusuf; Dean, Lorraine T; Crawford, Natalie D; Metzger, David S; Blank, Michael B; Nunn, Amy S

    2017-09-01

    Place of residence has been associated with HIV transmission risks. Social capital, defined as features of social organization that improve efficiency of society by facilitating coordinated actions, often varies by neighborhood, and hypothesized to have protective effects on HIV care continuum outcomes. We examined whether the association between social capital and 2 HIV care continuum outcomes clustered geographically and whether sociocontextual mechanisms predict differences across clusters. Bivariate Local Moran's I evaluated geographical clustering in the association between social capital (participation in civic and social organizations, 2006, 2008, 2010) and [5-year (2007-2011) prevalence of late HIV diagnosis and linkage to HIV care] across Philadelphia, PA, census tracts (N = 378). Maps documented the clusters and multinomial regression assessed which sociocontextual mechanisms (eg, racial composition) predict differences across clusters. We identified 4 significant clusters (high social capital-high HIV/AIDS, low social capital-low HIV/AIDS, low social capital-high HIV/AIDS, and high social capital-low HIV/AIDS). Moran's I between social capital and late HIV diagnosis was (I = 0.19, z = 9.54, P social capital was lowest and HIV burden the highest, compared with clusters with high social capital and lowest HIV burden. The association between social participation and HIV care continuum outcomes cluster geographically in Philadelphia, PA. HIV prevention interventions should account for this phenomenon. Reducing geographic disparities will require interventions tailored to each continuum step and that address socioeconomic factors such as neighborhood median income.

  16. Swarm v2: highly-scalable and high-resolution amplicon clustering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahé, Frédéric; Rognes, Torbjørn; Quince, Christopher; de Vargas, Colomban; Dunthorn, Micah

    2015-01-01

    Previously we presented Swarm v1, a novel and open source amplicon clustering program that produced fine-scale molecular operational taxonomic units (OTUs), free of arbitrary global clustering thresholds and input-order dependency. Swarm v1 worked with an initial phase that used iterative single-linkage with a local clustering threshold (d), followed by a phase that used the internal abundance structures of clusters to break chained OTUs. Here we present Swarm v2, which has two important novel features: (1) a new algorithm for d = 1 that allows the computation time of the program to scale linearly with increasing amounts of data; and (2) the new fastidious option that reduces under-grouping by grafting low abundant OTUs (e.g., singletons and doubletons) onto larger ones. Swarm v2 also directly integrates the clustering and breaking phases, dereplicates sequencing reads with d = 0, outputs OTU representatives in fasta format, and plots individual OTUs as two-dimensional networks.

  17. Swarm v2: highly-scalable and high-resolution amplicon clustering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frédéric Mahé

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Previously we presented Swarm v1, a novel and open source amplicon clustering program that produced fine-scale molecular operational taxonomic units (OTUs, free of arbitrary global clustering thresholds and input-order dependency. Swarm v1 worked with an initial phase that used iterative single-linkage with a local clustering threshold (d, followed by a phase that used the internal abundance structures of clusters to break chained OTUs. Here we present Swarm v2, which has two important novel features: (1 a new algorithm for d = 1 that allows the computation time of the program to scale linearly with increasing amounts of data; and (2 the new fastidious option that reduces under-grouping by grafting low abundant OTUs (e.g., singletons and doubletons onto larger ones. Swarm v2 also directly integrates the clustering and breaking phases, dereplicates sequencing reads with d = 0, outputs OTU representatives in fasta format, and plots individual OTUs as two-dimensional networks.

  18. Equivalent parameter model of 1-3 piezocomposite with a sandwich polymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yanjun; Wang, Likun; Qin, Lei

    2018-06-01

    A theoretical model was developed to investigate the performance of 1-3 piezoelectric composites with a sandwich polymer. Effective parameters, such as the electromechanical coupling factor, longitudinal velocity, and characteristic acoustic impedance of the piezocomposite, were predicted using the developed model. The influences of volume fractions and components of the polymer phase on the effective parameters of the piezoelectric composite were studied. The theoretical model was verified experimentally. The proposed model can reproduce the effective parameters of 1-3 piezoelectric composites with a sandwich polymer in the thickness mode. The measured electromechanical coupling factor was improved by more than 9.8% over the PZT/resin 1-3 piezoelectric composite.

  19. Microseismic Event Grouping Based on PageRank Linkage at the Newberry Volcano Geothermal Site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguiar, A. C.; Myers, S. C.

    2016-12-01

    The Newberry Volcano DOE FORGE site in Central Oregon has been stimulated two times using high-pressure fluid injection to study the Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) technology. Several hundred microseismic events were generated during the first stimulation in the fall of 2012. Initial locations of this microseismicity do not show well defined subsurface structure in part because event location uncertainties are large (Foulger and Julian, 2013). We focus on this stimulation to explore the spatial and temporal development of microseismicity, which is key to understanding how subsurface stimulation modifies stress, fractures rock, and increases permeability. We use PageRank, Google's initial search algorithm, to determine connectivity within the events (Aguiar and Beroza, 2014) and assess signal-correlation topology for the micro-earthquakes. We then use this information to create signal families and compare these to the spatial and temporal proximity of associated earthquakes. We relocate events within families (identified by PageRank linkage) using the Bayesloc approach (Myers et al., 2007). Preliminary relocations show tight spatial clustering of event families as well as evidence of events relocating to a different cluster than originally reported. We also find that signal similarity (linkage) at several stations, not just one or two, is needed in order to determine that events are in close proximity to one another. We show that indirect linkage of signals using PageRank is a reliable way to increase the number of events that are confidently determined to be similar to one another, which may lead to efficient and effective grouping of earthquakes with similar physical characteristics, such as focal mechanisms and stress drop. Our ultimate goal is to determine whether changes in the state of stress and/or changes in the generation of subsurface fracture networks can be detected using PageRank topology as well as aid in the event relocation to obtain more accurate

  20. Plasmon resonances in large noble-metal clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soennichsen, C; Franzl, T; Wilk, T; Plessen, G von; Feldmann, J

    2002-01-01

    We investigate the optical properties of spherical gold and silver clusters with diameters of 20 nm and larger. The light scattering spectra of individual clusters are measured using dark-field microscopy, thus avoiding inhomogeneous broadening effects. The dipolar plasmon resonances of the clusters are found to have nearly Lorentzian line shapes. With increasing size we observe polaritonic red-shifts of the plasmon line and increased radiation damping for both gold and silver clusters. Apart from some cluster-to-cluster variations of the plasmon lines, agreement with Mie theory is reasonably good for the gold clusters. However, it is less satisfactory for the silver clusters, possibly due to cluster faceting or chemical effects

  1. Multiobjective optimization of a steering linkage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sleesonsom, S.; Bureerat, S. [Sustainable and Infrastructure Research and Development Center, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen (Thailand)

    2016-08-15

    In this paper, multi-objective optimization of a rack-and-pinion steering linkage is proposed. This steering linkage is a common mechanism used in small cars with three advantages as it is simple to construct, economical to manufacture, and compact and easy to operate. In the previous works, many researchers tried to minimize a steering error but minimization of a turning radius is somewhat ignored. As a result, a multi-objective optimization problem is assigned to simultaneously minimize a steering error and a turning radius. The design variables are linkage dimensions. The design problem is solved by the hybrid of multi-objective population-based incremental learning and differential evolution with various constraint handling schemes. The new design strategy leads to effective design of rack-and-pinion steering linkages satisfying both steering error and turning radius criteria.

  2. Multiobjective optimization of a steering linkage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sleesonsom, S.; Bureerat, S.

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, multi-objective optimization of a rack-and-pinion steering linkage is proposed. This steering linkage is a common mechanism used in small cars with three advantages as it is simple to construct, economical to manufacture, and compact and easy to operate. In the previous works, many researchers tried to minimize a steering error but minimization of a turning radius is somewhat ignored. As a result, a multi-objective optimization problem is assigned to simultaneously minimize a steering error and a turning radius. The design variables are linkage dimensions. The design problem is solved by the hybrid of multi-objective population-based incremental learning and differential evolution with various constraint handling schemes. The new design strategy leads to effective design of rack-and-pinion steering linkages satisfying both steering error and turning radius criteria

  3. Technological features of installation of transformable low-rise buildings from sandwich panels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pleshivtsev Aleksandr Aleksandrovich

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Subject of research: organizational and technological solutions are considered in the construction of transformable low-rise residential buildings using sandwich panels. Aims: rational choice of organizational and technological solutions for the rhythmic construction of the underground and above-ground part of the transformable low-rise buildings in order to reduce labor costs and construction time. Materials and methods: methods of computer modeling of the technological processes are used to determine the duration of the construction of the low-rise buildings. Results: rational methods for erecting a complex of transformable low-rise buildings are defined, parameters of technological processes are established, an analysis of technological operations is provided for the construction of transformable low-rise residential buildings using sandwich panels. Conclusions: now organizational and technological solutions for the construction of transformable low-rise residential buildings with the use of sandwich panels reduce labour costs, increase the construction pace and as well as the using of improved technological processes in the construction of such buildings leads to a reduction in construction time.

  4. Alkaline phosphatase labeled SERS active sandwich immunoassay for detection of Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozkurt, Akif Goktug; Buyukgoz, Guluzar Gorkem; Soforoglu, Mehmet; Tamer, Ugur; Suludere, Zekiye; Boyaci, Ismail Hakki

    2018-04-01

    In this study, a sandwich immunoassay method utilizing enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) on 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate (BCIP) for Escherichia coli (E. coli) detection was developed using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). For this purpose, spherical magnetic gold coated core-shell nanoparticles (MNPs-Au) and rod shape gold nanoparticles (Au-NRs) were synthesized and modified for immunomagnetic separation (IMS) of E. coli from the solution. In order to specify the developed method to ALP activity, Au-NRs were labeled with this enzyme. After successful construction of the immunoassay, BCIP substrate was added to produce the SERS-active product; 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indole (BCI). A good linearity (R2 = 0.992) was established between the specific SERS intensity of BCI at 600 cm- 1 and logarithmic E. coli concentration in the range of 1.7 × 101-1.7 × 106 cfu mL- 1. LOD and LOQ values were also calculated and found to be 10 cfu mL- 1 and 30 cfu mL- 1, respectively.

  5. Modeling the formation of globular cluster systems in the Virgo cluster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Hui; Gnedin, Oleg Y.

    2014-01-01

    The mass distribution and chemical composition of globular cluster (GC) systems preserve fossil record of the early stages of galaxy formation. The observed distribution of GC colors within massive early-type galaxies in the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey (ACSVCS) reveals a multi-modal shape, which likely corresponds to a multi-modal metallicity distribution. We present a simple model for the formation and disruption of GCs that aims to match the ACSVCS data. This model tests the hypothesis that GCs are formed during major mergers of gas-rich galaxies and inherit the metallicity of their hosts. To trace merger events, we use halo merger trees extracted from a large cosmological N-body simulation. We select 20 halos in the mass range of 2 × 10 12 to 7 × 10 13 M ☉ and match them to 19 Virgo galaxies with K-band luminosity between 3 × 10 10 and 3 × 10 11 L ☉ . To set the [Fe/H] abundances, we use an empirical galaxy mass-metallicity relation. We find that a minimal merger ratio of 1:3 best matches the observed cluster metallicity distribution. A characteristic bimodal shape appears because metal-rich GCs are produced by late mergers between massive halos, while metal-poor GCs are produced by collective merger activities of less massive hosts at early times. The model outcome is robust to alternative prescriptions for cluster formation rate throughout cosmic time, but a gradual evolution of the mass-metallicity relation with redshift appears to be necessary to match the observed cluster metallicities. We also affirm the age-metallicity relation, predicted by an earlier model, in which metal-rich clusters are systematically several billion younger than their metal-poor counterparts.

  6. Pattern recognition in menstrual bleeding diaries by statistical cluster analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wessel Jens

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this paper is to empirically identify a treatment-independent statistical method to describe clinically relevant bleeding patterns by using bleeding diaries of clinical studies on various sex hormone containing drugs. Methods We used the four cluster analysis methods single, average and complete linkage as well as the method of Ward for the pattern recognition in menstrual bleeding diaries. The optimal number of clusters was determined using the semi-partial R2, the cubic cluster criterion, the pseudo-F- and the pseudo-t2-statistic. Finally, the interpretability of the results from a gynecological point of view was assessed. Results The method of Ward yielded distinct clusters of the bleeding diaries. The other methods successively chained the observations into one cluster. The optimal number of distinctive bleeding patterns was six. We found two desirable and four undesirable bleeding patterns. Cyclic and non cyclic bleeding patterns were well separated. Conclusion Using this cluster analysis with the method of Ward medications and devices having an impact on bleeding can be easily compared and categorized.

  7. Clustering Methods Application for Customer Segmentation to Manage Advertisement Campaign

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maciej Kutera

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Clustering methods are recently so advanced elaborated algorithms for large collection data analysis that they have been already included today to data mining methods. Clustering methods are nowadays larger and larger group of methods, very quickly evolving and having more and more various applications. In the article, our research concerning usefulness of clustering methods in customer segmentation to manage advertisement campaign is presented. We introduce results obtained by using four selected methods which have been chosen because their peculiarities suggested their applicability to our purposes. One of the analyzed method k-means clustering with random selected initial cluster seeds gave very good results in customer segmentation to manage advertisement campaign and these results were presented in details in the article. In contrast one of the methods (hierarchical average linkage was found useless in customer segmentation. Further investigations concerning benefits of clustering methods in customer segmentation to manage advertisement campaign is worth continuing, particularly that finding solutions in this field can give measurable profits for marketing activity.

  8. MaRaCluster: A Fragment Rarity Metric for Clustering Fragment Spectra in Shotgun Proteomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    The, Matthew; Käll, Lukas

    2016-03-04

    Shotgun proteomics experiments generate large amounts of fragment spectra as primary data, normally with high redundancy between and within experiments. Here, we have devised a clustering technique to identify fragment spectra stemming from the same species of peptide. This is a powerful alternative method to traditional search engines for analyzing spectra, specifically useful for larger scale mass spectrometry studies. As an aid in this process, we propose a distance calculation relying on the rarity of experimental fragment peaks, following the intuition that peaks shared by only a few spectra offer more evidence than peaks shared by a large number of spectra. We used this distance calculation and a complete-linkage scheme to cluster data from a recent large-scale mass spectrometry-based study. The clusterings produced by our method have up to 40% more identified peptides for their consensus spectra compared to those produced by the previous state-of-the-art method. We see that our method would advance the construction of spectral libraries as well as serve as a tool for mining large sets of fragment spectra. The source code and Ubuntu binary packages are available at https://github.com/statisticalbiotechnology/maracluster (under an Apache 2.0 license).

  9. Cluster fusion-fission dynamics in the Singapore stock exchange

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teh, Boon Kin; Cheong, Siew Ann

    2015-10-01

    In this paper, we investigate how the cross-correlations between stocks in the Singapore stock exchange (SGX) evolve over 2008 and 2009 within overlapping one-month time windows. In particular, we examine how these cross-correlations change before, during, and after the Sep-Oct 2008 Lehman Brothers Crisis. To do this, we extend the complete-linkage hierarchical clustering algorithm, to obtain robust clusters of stocks with stronger intracluster correlations, and weaker intercluster correlations. After we identify the robust clusters in all time windows, we visualize how these change in the form of a fusion-fission diagram. Such a diagram depicts graphically how the cluster sizes evolve, the exchange of stocks between clusters, as well as how strongly the clusters mix. From the fusion-fission diagram, we see a giant cluster growing and disintegrating in the SGX, up till the Lehman Brothers Crisis in September 2008 and the market crashes of October 2008. After the Lehman Brothers Crisis, clusters in the SGX remain small for few months before giant clusters emerge once again. In the aftermath of the crisis, we also find strong mixing of component stocks between clusters. As a result, the correlation between initially strongly-correlated pairs of stocks decay exponentially with average life time of about a month. These observations impact strongly how portfolios and trading strategies should be formulated.

  10. 3D FDM production and mechanical behavior of polymeric sandwich specimens embedding classical and honeycomb cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brischetto, Salvatore; Ferro, Carlo Giovanni; Torre, Roberto; Maggiore, Paolo

    2018-04-01

    Desktop 3D FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) printers are usually employed for the production of nonstructural objects. In recent years, the present authors tried to use this technology also to produce structural elements employed in the construction of small UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). Mechanical stresses are not excessive for small multirotor UAVs. Therefore, the FDM technique combined with polymers, such as the ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and the PLA(Poly Lactic Acid), can be successfully employed to produce structural components. The present new work is devoted to the production and preliminary structural analysis of sandwich configurations. These new lamination schemes could lead to an important weight reduction without significant decreases of mechanical properties. Therefore, it could be possible, for the designed application (e.g., a multifunctional small UAV produced via FDM), to have stiffener and lighter structures easy to be manufactured with a low-cost 3D printer. The new sandwich specimens here proposed are PLA sandwich specimens embedding a PLA honeycomb core produced by means of the same extruder, multilayered specimens with ABS external layers and an internal homogeneous PLA core using different extruders for the two materials, sandwich specimens with external ABS skins and an internal PLA honeycomb core using different extruders for the two materials, and sandwich specimens where two different extruders have been employed for PLA material used for skins and for the internal honeycomb core. For all the proposed configurations, a detailed description of the production activity is given.Moreover, several preliminary results about three-point bending tests, different mechanical behaviors and relative delamination problems for each sandwich configuration will be discussed in depth.

  11. Some methods for blindfolded record linkage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christen Peter

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The linkage of records which refer to the same entity in separate data collections is a common requirement in public health and biomedical research. Traditionally, record linkage techniques have required that all the identifying data in which links are sought be revealed to at least one party, often a third party. This necessarily invades personal privacy and requires complete trust in the intentions of that party and their ability to maintain security and confidentiality. Dusserre, Quantin, Bouzelat and colleagues have demonstrated that it is possible to use secure one-way hash transformations to carry out follow-up epidemiological studies without any party having to reveal identifying information about any of the subjects – a technique which we refer to as "blindfolded record linkage". A limitation of their method is that only exact comparisons of values are possible, although phonetic encoding of names and other strings can be used to allow for some types of typographical variation and data errors. Methods A method is described which permits the calculation of a general similarity measure, the n-gram score, without having to reveal the data being compared, albeit at some cost in computation and data communication. This method can be combined with public key cryptography and automatic estimation of linkage model parameters to create an overall system for blindfolded record linkage. Results The system described offers good protection against misdeeds or security failures by any one party, but remains vulnerable to collusion between or simultaneous compromise of two or more parties involved in the linkage operation. In order to reduce the likelihood of this, the use of last-minute allocation of tasks to substitutable servers is proposed. Proof-of-concept computer programmes written in the Python programming language are provided to illustrate the similarity comparison protocol. Conclusion Although the protocols described in

  12. Viral linkage in HIV-1 seroconverters and their partners in an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary S Campbell

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Characterization of viruses in HIV-1 transmission pairs will help identify biological determinants of infectiousness and evaluate candidate interventions to reduce transmission. Although HIV-1 sequencing is frequently used to substantiate linkage between newly HIV-1 infected individuals and their sexual partners in epidemiologic and forensic studies, viral sequencing is seldom applied in HIV-1 prevention trials. The Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT00194519 was a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial that enrolled serodiscordant heterosexual couples to determine the efficacy of genital herpes suppression in reducing HIV-1 transmission; as part of the study analysis, HIV-1 sequences were examined for genetic linkage between seroconverters and their enrolled partners.We obtained partial consensus HIV-1 env and gag sequences from blood plasma for 151 transmission pairs and performed deep sequencing of env in some cases. We analyzed sequences with phylogenetic techniques and developed a Bayesian algorithm to evaluate the probability of linkage. For linkage, we required monophyletic clustering between enrolled partners' sequences and a Bayesian posterior probability of ≥ 50%. Adjudicators classified each seroconversion, finding 108 (71.5% linked, 40 (26.5% unlinked, and 3 (2.0% indeterminate transmissions, with linkage determined by consensus env sequencing in 91 (84%. Male seroconverters had a higher frequency of unlinked transmissions than female seroconverters. The likelihood of transmission from the enrolled partner was related to time on study, with increasing numbers of unlinked transmissions occurring after longer observation periods. Finally, baseline viral load was found to be significantly higher among linked transmitters.In this first use of HIV-1 sequencing to establish endpoints in a large clinical trial, more than one-fourth of transmissions were unlinked to the enrolled partner

  13. Peak clustering in two-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection based on theoretical calculation of two-dimensional peak shapes: the 2DAid approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Stee, Leo L P; Brinkman, Udo A Th

    2011-10-28

    A method is presented to facilitate the non-target analysis of data obtained in temperature-programmed comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-ToF-MS). One main difficulty of GC×GC data analysis is that each peak is usually modulated several times and therefore appears as a series of peaks (or peaklets) in the one-dimensionally recorded data. The proposed method, 2DAid, uses basic chromatographic laws to calculate the theoretical shape of a 2D peak (a cluster of peaklets originating from the same analyte) in order to define the area in which the peaklets of each individual compound can be expected to show up. Based on analyte-identity information obtained by means of mass spectral library searching, the individual peaklets are then combined into a single 2D peak. The method is applied, amongst others, to a complex mixture containing 362 analytes. It is demonstrated that the 2D peak shapes can be accurately predicted and that clustering and further processing can reduce the final peak list to a manageable size. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Analysis of Grid-Scored Sandwich Structures of Different Curvatures and Grid Sizes For Wind Turbine Blades

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laustsen, Steffen; Thomsen, Ole Thybo; Lund, Erik

    2012-01-01

    The stress and strain field developed locally in-situ the core of grid-scored sandwich structures in wind turbine blades is investigated. Due to the many singularities occurring from the “tri-material corners”, a full 3D analysis of the sandwich structure in terms of the Finite Element Method is ...

  15. Interfacial crack arrest in sandwich beams subjected to fatigue loading using a novel crack arresting device – Numerical modelling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martakos, G.; Andreasen, J.H.; Berggreen, Christian

    2017-01-01

    A novel crack arresting device is implemented in foam-cored composite sandwich beams and tested using the Sandwich Tear Test (STT) configuration. A finite element model of the setup is developed, and the predictions are correlated with observations and results from a recently conducted experiment...... concept, as well as a design tool that can be used for the implementation of crack arresting devises in engineering applications of sandwich components and structures....

  16. Stiff, Strong Splice For A Composite Sandwich Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmaling, D.

    1991-01-01

    New type of splice for composite sandwich structure reduces peak shear stress in structure. Layers of alternating fiber orientation interposed between thin ears in adhesive joint. Developed for structural joint in spar of helicopter rotor blade, increases precision of control over thickness of adhesive at joint. Joint easy to make, requires no additional pieces, and adds little weight.

  17. Analysis of Stainless Steel Sandwich Panels with a Metal Foam Care for Lightweight Fan Blade Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min, James B.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Lerch, Bradley A.; Raj, Sai V.; Holland, Frederic A., Jr.; Hebsur, Mohan G.

    2004-01-01

    The quest for cheap, low density and high performance materials in the design of aircraft and rotorcraft engine fan and propeller blades poses immense challenges to the materials and structural design engineers. Traditionally, these components have been fabricated using expensive materials such as light weight titanium alloys, polymeric composite materials and carbon-carbon composites. The present study investigates the use of P sandwich foam fan blade made up of solid face sheets and a metal foam core. The face sheets and the metal foam core material were an aerospace grade precipitation hardened 17-4 PH stainless steel with high strength and high toughness. The stiffness of the sandwich structure is increased by separating the two face sheets by a foam core. The resulting structure possesses a high stiffness while being lighter than a similar solid construction. Since the face sheets carry the applied bending loads, the sandwich architecture is a viable engineering concept. The material properties of 17-4 PH metal foam are reviewed briefly to describe the characteristics of the sandwich structure for a fan blade application. A vibration analysis for natural frequencies and P detailed stress analysis on the 17-4 PH sandwich foam blade design for different combinations of skin thickness and core volume %re presented with a comparison to a solid titanium blade.

  18. Development and evaluation of a sandwich ELISA for quantification of the 20S proteasome in human plasma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dutaud, Dominique; Aubry, Laurent; Henry, Laurent

    2002-01-01

    Because quantification of the 20S proteasome by functional activity measurements is difficult and inaccurate, we have developed an indirect sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for quantification of the 20S proteasome in human plasma. This sandwich ELISA uses a combination...

  19. Experimental study on the seismic performance of new sandwich masonry walls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Jianzhuang; Pu, Jie; Hu, Yongzhong

    2013-03-01

    Sandwich masonry walls are widely used as energy-saving panels since the interlayer between the outer leaves can act as an insulation layer. New types of sandwich walls are continually being introduced in research and applications, and due to their unique bond patterns, experimental studies have been performed to investigate their mechanical properties, especially with regard to their seismic performance. In this study, three new types of sandwich masonry wall have been designed, and cyclic lateral loading tests were carried out on five specimens. The results showed that the specimens failed mainly due to slippage along the bottom cracks or the development of diagonal cracks, and the failure patterns were considerably influenced by the aspect ratio. Analysis was undertaken on the seismic response of the new walls, which included ductility, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation capacity, and no obvious difference was observed between the seismic performance of the new walls and traditional walls. Comparisons were made between the experimental results and the calculated results of the shear capacity. It is concluded that the formulas in the two Chinese codes (GB 50011 and GB 50003) are suitable for the calculation of the shear capacity for the new types of walls, and the formula in GB 50011 tends to be more conservative.

  20. A genetic linkage map of sole (Solea solea: a tool for evolutionary and comparative analyses of exploited (flatfishes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eveline Diopere

    Full Text Available Linkage maps based on markers derived from genes are essential evolutionary tools for commercial marine fish to help identify genomic regions associated with complex traits and subject to selective forces at play during exploitation or selective breeding. Additionally, they allow the use of genomic information from other related species for which more detailed information is available. Sole (solea solea L. is a commercially important flatfish species in the North Sea, subject to overexploitation and showing evidence of fisheries-induced evolutionary changes in growth- and maturation-related traits. Sole would definitely benefit from a linkage map to better understand how evolution has shaped its genome structure. This study presents a linkage map of sole based on 423 single nucleotide polymorphisms derived from expressed sequence tags and 8 neutral microsatellite markers. The total map length is 1233.8 cM and consists of 38 linkage groups with a size varying between 0 to 92.1 cM. Being derived from expressed sequence tags allowed us to align the map with the genome of four model fish species, namely medaka (Oryzias latipes, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus and green spotted pufferfish (Tetraodon nigroviridis. This comparison revealed multiple conserved syntenic regions with all four species, and suggested that the linkage groups represent 21 putative sole chromosomes. The map was also compared to the linkage map of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus, another commercially important flatfish species and closely related to sole. For all putative sole chromosomes (except one a turbot homolog was detected, confirming the even higher degree of synteny between these two flatfish species.

  1. Efficient sequential and parallel algorithms for record linkage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamun, Abdullah-Al; Mi, Tian; Aseltine, Robert; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar

    2014-01-01

    Integrating data from multiple sources is a crucial and challenging problem. Even though there exist numerous algorithms for record linkage or deduplication, they suffer from either large time needs or restrictions on the number of datasets that they can integrate. In this paper we report efficient sequential and parallel algorithms for record linkage which handle any number of datasets and outperform previous algorithms. Our algorithms employ hierarchical clustering algorithms as the basis. A key idea that we use is radix sorting on certain attributes to eliminate identical records before any further processing. Another novel idea is to form a graph that links similar records and find the connected components. Our sequential and parallel algorithms have been tested on a real dataset of 1,083,878 records and synthetic datasets ranging in size from 50,000 to 9,000,000 records. Our sequential algorithm runs at least two times faster, for any dataset, than the previous best-known algorithm, the two-phase algorithm using faster computation of the edit distance (TPA (FCED)). The speedups obtained by our parallel algorithm are almost linear. For example, we get a speedup of 7.5 with 8 cores (residing in a single node), 14.1 with 16 cores (residing in two nodes), and 26.4 with 32 cores (residing in four nodes). We have compared the performance of our sequential algorithm with TPA (FCED) and found that our algorithm outperforms the previous one. The accuracy is the same as that of this previous best-known algorithm.

  2. Archetypal sandwich-structured CuO for high performance non-enzymatic sensing of glucose

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meher, Sumanta Kumar; Rao, G. Ranga

    2013-02-01

    In the quest to enhance the selectivity and sensitivity of novel structured metal oxides for electrochemical non-enzymatic sensing of glucose, we report here a green synthesis of unique sandwich-structured CuO on a large scale under microwave mediated homogeneous precipitation conditions. The physicochemical studies carried out by XRD and BET methods show that the monoclinic CuO formed via thermal decomposition of Cu2(OH)2CO3 possesses monomodal channel-type pores with largely improved surface area (~43 m2 g-1) and pore volume (0.163 cm3 g-1). The fascinating surface morphology and pore structure of CuO is formulated due to homogeneous crystallization and microwave induced self assembly during synthesis. The cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry studies show diffusion controlled glucose oxidation at ~0.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) with extremely high sensitivity of 5342.8 μA mM-1 cm-2 and respective detection limit and response time of ~1 μM and ~0.7 s, under a wide dynamic concentration range of glucose. The chronoamperometry measurements demonstrate that the sensitivity of CuO to glucose is unaffected by the absence of dissolved oxygen and presence of poisoning chloride ions in the reaction medium, which essentially implies high poison resistance activity of the sandwich-structured CuO. The sandwich-structured CuO also shows insignificant interference/significant selectivity to glucose, even in the presence of high concentrations of other sugars as well as reducing species. In addition, the sandwich-structured CuO shows excellent reproducibility (relative standard deviation of ~2.4% over ten identically fabricated electrodes) and outstanding long term stability (only ~1.3% loss in sensitivity over a period of one month) during non-enzymatic electrochemical sensing of glucose. The unique microstructure and suitable channel-type pore architecture provide structural stability and maximum accessible electroactive surface for unimpeded mobility of glucose as well as the

  3. Residual Strength of In-plane Loaded Debonded Sandwich Panels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berggreen, Carl Christian; Simonsen, Bo Cerup

    2005-01-01

    This paper presents a FEM based numerical model for prediction of residual strength of damaged sandwich panels. As demonstrated, the model can predict the maximum load carrying capacity of real-life panels with debond damages, where the failure is governed by face-sheet buckling followed by debond...

  4. Precast concrete sandwich panels subjected to impact loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Runge, Matthew W.

    Precast concrete sandwich panels are a relatively new product in the construction industry. The design of these panels incorporates properties that allow for great resilience against temperature fluctuation as well as the very rapid and precise construction of facilities. The concrete sandwich panels investigated in this study represent the second generation of an ongoing research and development project. This second generation of panels have been engineered to construct midsized commercial buildings up to three stories in height as well as residential dwellings. The panels consist of a double-tee structural wythe, a foam core and a fascia wythe, joined by shear connectors. Structures constructed from these panels may be subjected to extreme loading including the effects of seismic and blast loading in addition to wind. The aim of this work was to investigate the behaviour of this particular sandwich panel when subjected to structural impact events. The experimental program consisted of fourteen concrete sandwich panels, five of which were considered full-sized specimens (2700 mm X 1200mm X 270 mm) and nine half-sized specimens (2700mm X 600mm X 270 mm) The panels were subjected to impact loads from a pendulum impact hammer where the total energy applied to the panels was varied by changing the mass of the hammer. The applied loads, displacements, accelerations, and strains at the mid-span of the panel as well as the reaction point forces were monitored during the impact. The behaviour of the panels was determined primarily from the experimental results. The applied loads at low energy levels that caused little to no residual deflection as well as the applied loads at high energy levels that represent catastrophic events and thus caused immediate failure were determined from an impact on the structural and the fascia wythes. Applied loads at intermediate energy levels representing extreme events were also used to determine whether or not the panels could withstand

  5. Occurrence of Foodborne Pathogens in Chickens Sandwiches Distributed in Different Supermarkets of Tehran Province, Iran

    OpenAIRE

    Zohreh Mashak; Hamidreza Sodagari; Behrooz Moraadi; Ashkan Ilkhanipour

    2014-01-01

    Background: Increasing urbanization, immigration and tourism has changed the human lifestyle. This modern lifestyle has demanded safety, quality, and fast availability of ready to eat (RTE) foods like chicken sandwiches. Objectives: For presentation of proper solutions regarding food safety, identification of pathogens in different foods is necessary. Therefore, the present study was carried out to assess the microbiological quality of chicken sandwiches distributed in Tehran provinc...

  6. Application of golay complementary coded excitation schemes for non-destructive testing of sandwich structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arora, Vanita; Mulaveesala, Ravibabu

    2017-06-01

    In recent years, InfraRed Thermography (IRT) has become a widely accepted non-destructive testing technique to evaluate the structural integrity of composite sandwich structures due to its full-field, remote, fast and in-service inspection capabilities. This paper presents a novel infrared thermographic approach named as Golay complementary coded thermal wave imaging is presented to detect disbonds in a sandwich structure having face sheets from Glass/Carbon Fibre Reinforced (GFR/CFR) laminates and core of the wooden block.

  7. A novel sandwich differential capacitive accelerometer with symmetrical double-sided serpentine beam-mass structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao, D B; Li, Q S; Hou, Z Q; Wang, X H; Chen, Z H; Xia, D W; Wu, X Z

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a novel differential capacitive silicon micro-accelerometer with symmetrical double-sided serpentine beam-mass sensing structure and glass–silicon–glass sandwich structure. The symmetrical double-sided serpentine beam-mass sensing structure is fabricated with a novel pre-buried mask fabrication technology, which is convenient for manufacturing multi-layer sensors. The glass–silicon–glass sandwich structure is realized by a double anodic bonding process. To solve the problem of the difficulty of leading out signals from the top and bottom layer simultaneously in the sandwich sensors, a silicon pillar structure is designed that is inherently simple and low-cost. The prototype is fabricated and tested. It has low noise performance (the peak to peak value is 40 μg) and μg-level Allan deviation of bias (2.2 μg in 1 h), experimentally demonstrating the effectiveness of the design and the novel fabrication technology. (paper)

  8. Non-linear Dynamic Analysis of Steel Hollow I-core Sandwich Panel under Air Blast Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asghar Vatani Oskouei

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the non-linear dynamic response of novel steel sandwich panel with hollow I-core subjected to blast loading was studied. Special emphasis is placed on the evaluation of midpoint displacements and energy dissipation of the models. Several parameters such as boundary conditions, strain rate, mesh dependency and asymmetrical loading are considered in this study. The material and geometric non-linearities are also considered in the numerical simulation. The results obtained are compared with available experimental data to verify the developed FE model. Modeling techniques are described in detail. According to the results, sandwich panels with hollow I-core allowed more plastic deformation and energy dissipation and less midpoint displacement than conventional I-core sandwich panels and also equivalent solid plate with the same weight and material.

  9. Heterojunction photodetector based on graphene oxide sandwiched between ITO and p-Si

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, H.; Tajdidzadeh, M.; Thandavan, T. M. K.

    2018-02-01

    The drop casting method is utilized on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass in order to prepare a sandwiched ITO/graphene oxide (ITO/GO) with silicon dioxide/p-type silicon (SiO2/p-Si) heterojunction photodetector. The partially sandwiched GO layer with SiO2/p-Si substrate exhibits dual characteristics as it showed good sensitivity towards the illumination of infrared (IR) laser at wavelength of 974 nm. Excellent photoconduction is also observed for current-voltage (I-V) characteristics at various laser powers. An external quantum efficiency greater than 1 for a direct current bias voltage of 0 and 3 V reveals significant photoresponsivity of the photodetector at various laser frequency modulation at 1, 5 and 9 Hz. The rise times are found to be 75, 72 and 70 μs for 1, 5 and 9 Hz while high fall times 455, 448 and 426 are measured for the respective frequency modulation. The fabricated ITO/GO-SiO2/p-Si sandwiched heterojunction photodetector can be considered as a good candidate for applications in the IR regions that do not require a high-speed response.

  10. A Sandwiched/Cracked Flexible Film for Multi-Thermal Monitoring and Switching Devices

    KAUST Repository

    Tai, Yanlong; Chen, Tao; Lubineau, Gilles

    2017-01-01

    Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based flexible films have substantiated advantages in various sensing applications. Here, we demonstrate the highly sensitive and programmable thermal-sensing capability (thermal index, B, up to 126 × 103 K) of flexible films with tunable sandwiched microstructures (PDMS/cracked single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) film/PDMS) when a thermal stimulus is applied. We found that this excellent performance results from the following features of the film's structural and material design: (1) the sandwiched structure allows the film to switch from a three-dimensional to a two-dimensional in-plane deformation and (2) the stiffness of the SWCNT film is decreased by introducing microcracks that make deformation easy and that promote the macroscopic piezoresistive behavior of SWCNT crack islands and the microscopic piezoresistive behavior of SWCNT bundles. The PDMS layer is characterized by a high coefficient of thermal expansion (α = 310 × 10-6 K-1) and low stiffness (∼2 MPa) that allow for greater flexibility and higher temperature sensitivity. We determined the efficacy of our sandwiched, cracked, flexible films in monitoring and switching flexible devices when subjected to various stimuli, including thermal conduction, thermal radiation, and light radiation.

  11. Remanent resistance changes in metal- PrCaMnO-metal sandwich structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scherff, Malte; Meyer, Bjoern-Uwe; Scholz, Julius; Hoffmann, Joerg; Jooss, Christian [Institute of Materials Physics, University of Goettingen (Germany)

    2012-07-01

    The non-volatile electric pulse induced resistance change (EPIR) seems to be a rather common feature of oxides sandwiched by electrodes. However, microscopic mechanisms are discussed controversially. We present electrical transport measurements of sputtered Pr{sub 0.7}Ca{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} films sandwiched by metallic electrodes with variation of electrode materials, device geometry and PCMO deposition parameters. Cross-plane transport measurements have been performed as function of temperature and magnetic field. Specifically, the transition from dynamic resistance changes due to non-linear transport to remanent switching is analyzed. By analyzing changes of magneto-resistance at low temperatures in different resistance states we aim for separation between interface and film contributions to switching. Comparing switching behavior in symmetric and asymmetric electrode configuration allows for identification of the active, single interface in the switching process and the origin of an observed switching polarity inversion. The influence of excitation field and power on the switching characteristics of different noble metal electrodes is discussed. Samples from macroscopic devices and in situ stimulated sandwich structures were studied in a transmission electron microscope in order to investigate the induced structural, chemical and electronic changes.

  12. The equivalent thermal conductivity of lattice core sandwich structure: A predictive model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, Xiangmeng; Wei, Kai; He, Rujie; Pei, Yongmao; Fang, Daining

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A predictive model of the equivalent thermal conductivity was established. • Both the heat conduction and radiation were considered. • The predictive results were in good agreement with experiment and FEM. • Some methods for improving the thermal protection performance were proposed. - Abstract: The equivalent thermal conductivity of lattice core sandwich structure was predicted using a novel model. The predictive results were in good agreement with experimental and Finite Element Method results. The thermal conductivity of the lattice core sandwich structure was attributed to both core conduction and radiation. The core conduction caused thermal conductivity only relied on the relative density of the structure. And the radiation caused thermal conductivity increased linearly with the thickness of the core. It was found that the equivalent thermal conductivity of the lattice core sandwich structure showed a highly dependent relationship on temperature. At low temperatures, the structure exhibited a nearly thermal insulated behavior. With the temperature increasing, the thermal conductivity of the structure increased owing to radiation. Therefore, some attempts, such as reducing the emissivity of the core or designing multilayered structure, are believe to be of benefit for improving the thermal protection performance of the structure at high temperatures.

  13. A Sandwiched/Cracked Flexible Film for Multi-Thermal Monitoring and Switching Devices

    KAUST Repository

    Tai, Yanlong

    2017-08-30

    Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based flexible films have substantiated advantages in various sensing applications. Here, we demonstrate the highly sensitive and programmable thermal-sensing capability (thermal index, B, up to 126 × 103 K) of flexible films with tunable sandwiched microstructures (PDMS/cracked single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) film/PDMS) when a thermal stimulus is applied. We found that this excellent performance results from the following features of the film\\'s structural and material design: (1) the sandwiched structure allows the film to switch from a three-dimensional to a two-dimensional in-plane deformation and (2) the stiffness of the SWCNT film is decreased by introducing microcracks that make deformation easy and that promote the macroscopic piezoresistive behavior of SWCNT crack islands and the microscopic piezoresistive behavior of SWCNT bundles. The PDMS layer is characterized by a high coefficient of thermal expansion (α = 310 × 10-6 K-1) and low stiffness (∼2 MPa) that allow for greater flexibility and higher temperature sensitivity. We determined the efficacy of our sandwiched, cracked, flexible films in monitoring and switching flexible devices when subjected to various stimuli, including thermal conduction, thermal radiation, and light radiation.

  14. Ultra-tiny ZnMn2O4 nanoparticles encapsulated in sandwich-like carbon nanosheets for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Yongxin; Feng, Yangyang; Mu, Yanping; Fang, Ling; Zhang, Huijuan; Wang, Yu

    2016-11-01

    Known as an excellent energy storage material, ZnMn2O4 has a wide range of applications in supercapacitors. In this report, a special sandwich-like structure of ZnMn2O4/C has been first designed and synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method and subsequent calcinations. The designed special sandwich-like structure can benefit ion exchange and remit the probable volume changes during a mass of electrochemical reactions. Furthermore, the porous carbon nanosheets, derived from low-cost glucose, can effectively increase ion flux. Therefore, the novel sandwich-like ZnMn2O4 nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon nanosheets can undoubtedly demonstrate an exceptional electrochemical performance for SCs. In this work, the composite material with porous sandwich-like structure exhibits excellent cyclic stability for 5000 cycles (˜5% loss) and high specific capacitance of 1786 F g-1.

  15. Construction of an ultrahigh-density genetic linkage map for Jatropha curcas L. and identification of QTL for fruit yield.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Shengkui; Wen, Mingfu; Lu, Cheng; Sun, Yufang; Zou, Meiling; Wang, Wenquan

    2018-01-01

    As an important biofuel plant, the demand for higher yield Jatropha curcas L. is rapidly increasing. However, genetic analysis of Jatropha and molecular breeding for higher yield have been hampered by the limited number of molecular markers available. An ultrahigh-density linkage map for a Jatropha mapping population of 153 individuals was constructed and covered 1380.58 cM of the Jatropha genome, with average marker density of 0.403 cM. The genetic linkage map consisted of 3422 SNP and indel markers, which clustered into 11 linkage groups. With this map, 13 repeatable QTLs (reQTLs) for fruit yield traits were identified. Ten reQTLs, qNF - 1 , qNF - 2a , qNF - 2b , qNF - 2c , qNF - 3 , qNF - 4 , qNF - 6 , qNF - 7a , qNF - 7b and qNF - 8, that control the number of fruits (NF) mapped to LGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8, whereas three reQTLs, qTWF - 1 , qTWF - 2 and qTWF - 3, that control the total weight of fruits (TWF) mapped to LGs 1, 2 and 3, respectively. It is interesting that there are two candidate critical genes, which may regulate Jatropha fruit yield. We also identified three pleiotropic reQTL pairs associated with both the NF and TWF traits. This study is the first to report an ultrahigh-density Jatropha genetic linkage map construction, and the markers used in this study showed great potential for QTL mapping. Thirteen fruit-yield reQTLs and two important candidate genes were identified based on this linkage map. This genetic linkage map will be a useful tool for the localization of other economically important QTLs and candidate genes for Jatropha .

  16. Superlattices assembled through shape-induced directional binding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Fang; Yager, Kevin G.; Zhang, Yugang; Xin, Huolin; Gang, Oleg

    2015-04-01

    Organization of spherical particles into lattices is typically driven by packing considerations. Although the addition of directional binding can significantly broaden structural diversity, nanoscale implementation remains challenging. Here we investigate the assembly of clusters and lattices in which anisotropic polyhedral blocks coordinate isotropic spherical nanoparticles via shape-induced directional interactions facilitated by DNA recognition. We show that these polyhedral blocks--cubes and octahedrons--when mixed with spheres, promote the assembly of clusters with architecture determined by polyhedron symmetry. Moreover, three-dimensional binary superlattices are formed when DNA shells accommodate the shape disparity between nanoparticle interfaces. The crystallographic symmetry of assembled lattices is determined by the spatial symmetry of the block's facets, while structural order depends on DNA-tuned interactions and particle size ratio. The presented lattice assembly strategy, exploiting shape for defining the global structure and DNA-mediation locally, opens novel possibilities for by-design fabrication of binary lattices.

  17. Multiple-band reflective polarization converter using U-shaped metamaterial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Xiaojun; Yang, Dong; Yang, Helin

    2014-01-01

    A multiple-band metamaterial reflective polarization converter (RPC) is proposed, which is composed of the dielectric substrate sandwiched with U-shaped metallic patterns and continuous metal film. The proposed U-shaped metamaterial RPC (UMM-RPC) can convert a linearly polarized wave to its cross polarized wave at the three resonant frequencies, which also can convert the linearly polarized wave to circularly polarized wave at other three resonant frequencies. Furthermore, the proposed UMM-RPC can maintain the same conversional direction at the three resonant frequencies when incident on a circularly polarized wave. The simulated and measured results are in agreement in the entire frequency range, and the polarization conversion ratio is over 90% for both linear and circular polarizations. The surface current distributions of the UMM-RPC are discussed to look into the physical mechanism. The proposed UMM-RPC has simple geometry but more operating frequency bands compared to the previous designs and can be used in applications such as antenna radome, remote sensors, and radiometer

  18. Multiple-band reflective polarization converter using U-shaped metamaterial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Xiaojun [College of Physical Science and Technology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079 (China); Department of Physics, Kashgar Teachers College, Kashgar 844000 (China); Yang, Dong [College of Physics and Electronics Science, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435002 (China); Yang, Helin, E-mail: emyang@mail.ccnu.edu.cn [College of Physical Science and Technology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079 (China)

    2014-03-14

    A multiple-band metamaterial reflective polarization converter (RPC) is proposed, which is composed of the dielectric substrate sandwiched with U-shaped metallic patterns and continuous metal film. The proposed U-shaped metamaterial RPC (UMM-RPC) can convert a linearly polarized wave to its cross polarized wave at the three resonant frequencies, which also can convert the linearly polarized wave to circularly polarized wave at other three resonant frequencies. Furthermore, the proposed UMM-RPC can maintain the same conversional direction at the three resonant frequencies when incident on a circularly polarized wave. The simulated and measured results are in agreement in the entire frequency range, and the polarization conversion ratio is over 90% for both linear and circular polarizations. The surface current distributions of the UMM-RPC are discussed to look into the physical mechanism. The proposed UMM-RPC has simple geometry but more operating frequency bands compared to the previous designs and can be used in applications such as antenna radome, remote sensors, and radiometer.

  19. Identifying irregularly shaped crime hot-spots using a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaolan; Grubesic, Tony H.

    2010-12-01

    Spatial cluster detection techniques are widely used in criminology, geography, epidemiology, and other fields. In particular, spatial scan statistics are popular and efficient techniques for detecting areas of elevated crime or disease events. The majority of spatial scan approaches attempt to delineate geographic zones by evaluating the significance of clusters using likelihood ratio statistics tested with the Poisson distribution. While this can be effective, many scan statistics give preference to circular clusters, diminishing their ability to identify elongated and/or irregular shaped clusters. Although adjusting the shape of the scan window can mitigate some of these problems, both the significance of irregular clusters and their spatial structure must be accounted for in a meaningful way. This paper utilizes a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm to find clusters with maximum significance while quantitatively tracking their geographic structure. Crime data for the city of Cincinnati are utilized to demonstrate the advantages of the new approach and highlight its benefits versus more traditional scan statistics.

  20. Outcome of the TURP-TUVP sandwich procedure for minimally ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bladder neck stenosis occurred in 3 patients and was successfully treated with bladder neck incision. Conclusions: The sandwich combination of TURP and TUVP for the surgical treatment of BPH with volume larger than 40cc had satisfactory patient safety profile and resulted in significant improvement in IPSS, Qmax and ...

  1. Linkage and association of haplotypes at the APOA1/C3/A4/A5 genecluster to familial combined hyperlipidemia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eichenbaum-Voline, Sophie; Olivier, Michael; Jones, Emma L.; Naoumova, Rossitza P.; Jones, Bethan; Gau, Brian; Seed, Mary; Betteridge,D. John; Galton, David J.; Rubin, Edward M.; Scott, James; Shoulders,Carol C.; Pennacchio, Len A.

    2002-09-15

    Combined hyperlipidemia (CHL) is a common disorder of lipidmetabolism that leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Thelipid profile of CHL is characterised by high levels of atherogeniclipoproteins and low levels of high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol.Apolipoprotein (APO) A5 is a newly discovered gene involved in lipidmetabolism located within 30kbp of the APOA1/C3/A4 gene cluster. Previousstudies have indicated that sequence variants in this cluster areassociated with increased plasma lipid levels. To establish whethervariation at the APOA5 gene contributes to the transmission of CHL, weperformed linkage and linkage disequilibrium (LD) tests on a large cohortof families (n=128) with familial CHL (FCHL). The linkage data producedevidence for linkage of the APOA1/C3/A4/A5 genomic interval to FCHL (NPL= 1.7, P = 0.042). The LD studies substantiated these data. Twoindependent rare alleles, APOA5c.56G and APOC3c.386G of this gene clusterwere over-transmitted in FCHL (P = 0.004 and 0.007, respectively), andthis was associated with a reduced transmission of the most commonAPOA1/C3/A4/A5 haplotype (frequency 0.4425) to affected subjects (P =0.013). The APOA5c.56G allele was associated with increased plasmatriglyceride levels in FCHL probands, whereas the second, andindependent, APOC3c.386G allele was associated with increased plasmatriglyceride levels in FCHL pedigree founders. Thus, this allele (or anallele in LD) may mark a quantitative trait associated with FCHL, as wellas representing a disease susceptibility locus for the condition. Thisstudy establishes that sequence variation in the APOA1/C3/A4/A5 genecluster contributes to the transmission of FCHL in a substantialproportion of affected families, and that these sequence variants mayalso contribute to the lipid abnormalities of the metabolic syndrome,which is present in up to 40 percent of persons with cardiovasculardisease.

  2. Amniotic Membrane Transplant with a Special Technique (Motowa's Sandwich Technique) in Mooren's Ulcer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Motowa, Saeed; Al Zobidi, Mohammed

    2015-01-01

    To illustrate amniotic membrane transplant (AMT) with a novel surgical technique ("sandwich technique") for treating patients with malignant Mooren's ulcer. A case report of a patient with bilateral, malignant Mooren's ulcer who had undergone systemic steroid therapy and topical immunosuppresive therapy to stabilize his condition. However, perforation of cornea occurred in one eye. AMT with a new surgical technique ("Motowa's sandwich technique") was performed to treat this case. On the 1(st) day postoperatively, there was no pain, no photophobia, and visual acuity was same as preoperatively. At 4 weeks postoperatively, visual acuity improved in the right eye to 20/160 with pinhole, and there was no fluorescein staining. The right eye was quiet. Amniotic membrane transplant with "Motowa's sandwich technique" resulted in the preservation of the anatomical integrity and progression of disease was halted along with an improved vision. This technique is a novel surgical modality in treating Mooren's ulcer. Further study on a large cohort of patients is required for evidence-based data to verify the outcome of this initial case report.

  3. Low-Velocity Impact Behavior of Sandwich Structures with Additively Manufactured Polymer Lattice Cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Andrew J.; Al Rifaie, Mohammed; Mian, Ahsan; Srinivasan, Raghavan

    2018-05-01

    Sandwich panel structures are widely used in aerospace, marine, and automotive applications because of their high flexural stiffness, strength-to-weight ratio, good vibration damping, and low through-thickness thermal conductivity. These structures consist of solid face sheets and low-density cellular core structures, which are traditionally based upon honeycomb folded-sheet topologies. The recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing process allow lattice core configurations to be designed with improved mechanical properties. In this work, the sandwich core is comprised of lattice truss structures (LTS). Two different LTS designs are 3D-printed using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and are tested under low-velocity impact loads. The absorption energy and the failure mechanisms of lattice cells under such loads are investigated. The differences in energy-absorption capabilities are captured by integrating the load-displacement curve found from the impact response. It is observed that selective placement of vertical support struts in the unit-cell results in an increase in the absorption energy of the sandwich panels.

  4. Low-Velocity Impact Behavior of Sandwich Structures with Additively Manufactured Polymer Lattice Cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Andrew J.; Al Rifaie, Mohammed; Mian, Ahsan; Srinivasan, Raghavan

    2018-04-01

    Sandwich panel structures are widely used in aerospace, marine, and automotive applications because of their high flexural stiffness, strength-to-weight ratio, good vibration damping, and low through-thickness thermal conductivity. These structures consist of solid face sheets and low-density cellular core structures, which are traditionally based upon honeycomb folded-sheet topologies. The recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing process allow lattice core configurations to be designed with improved mechanical properties. In this work, the sandwich core is comprised of lattice truss structures (LTS). Two different LTS designs are 3D-printed using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and are tested under low-velocity impact loads. The absorption energy and the failure mechanisms of lattice cells under such loads are investigated. The differences in energy-absorption capabilities are captured by integrating the load-displacement curve found from the impact response. It is observed that selective placement of vertical support struts in the unit-cell results in an increase in the absorption energy of the sandwich panels.

  5. Trajectory Shape Analysis and Anomaly Detection Utilizing Information Theory Tools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuejun Guo

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we propose to improve trajectory shape analysis by explicitly considering the speed attribute of trajectory data, and to successfully achieve anomaly detection. The shape of object motion trajectory is modeled using Kernel Density Estimation (KDE, making use of both the angle attribute of the trajectory and the speed of the moving object. An unsupervised clustering algorithm, based on the Information Bottleneck (IB method, is employed for trajectory learning to obtain an adaptive number of trajectory clusters through maximizing the Mutual Information (MI between the clustering result and a feature set of the trajectory data. Furthermore, we propose to effectively enhance the performance of IB by taking into account the clustering quality in each iteration of the clustering procedure. The trajectories are determined as either abnormal (infrequently observed or normal by a measure based on Shannon entropy. Extensive tests on real-world and synthetic data show that the proposed technique behaves very well and outperforms the state-of-the-art methods.

  6. Linkage Behavior and Practices of Agencies in the Agricultural ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study examined the linkage behaviour and practices of agencies in the ... institutes; while (61.5%,65.5%and 50.0%) indicated that linkages with universities of ... Existing institutional framework for linkages between research and extension ...

  7. Impact damage in aircraft composite sandwich panels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mordasky, Matthew D.

    An experimental study was conducted to develop an improved understanding of the damage caused by runway debris and environmental threats on aircraft structures. The velocities of impacts for stationary aircraft and aircraft under landing and takeoff speeds was investigated. The impact damage by concrete, asphalt, aluminum, hail and rubber sphere projectiles was explored in detail. Additionally, a kinetic energy and momentum experimental study was performed to look at the nature of the impacts in more detail. A method for recording the contact force history of the impact by an instrumented projectile was developed and tested. The sandwich composite investigated was an IM7-8552 unidirectional prepreg adhered to a NOMEXRTM core with an FM300K film adhesive. Impact experiments were conducted with a gas gun built in-house specifically for delivering projectiles to a sandwich composite target in this specic velocity regime (10--140 m/s). The effect on the impact damage by the projectile was investigated by ultrasonic C-scan, high speed camera and scanning electron and optical microscopy. Ultrasonic C-scans revealed the full extent of damage caused by each projectile, while the high speed camera enabled precise projectile velocity measurements that were used for striking velocity, kinetic energy and momentum analyses. Scanning electron and optical images revealed specific features of the panel failure and manufacturing artifacts within the lamina and honeycomb core. The damage of the panels by different projectiles was found to have a similar damage area for equivalent energy levels, except for rubber which had a damage area that increased greatly with striking velocity. Further investigation was taken by kinetic energy and momentum based comparisons of 19 mm diameter stainless steel sphere projectiles in order to examine the dominating damage mechanisms. The sandwich targets were struck by acrylic, aluminum, alumina, stainless steel and tungsten carbide spheres of the

  8. Exploitation of linkage learning in evolutionary algorithms

    CERN Document Server

    Chen, Ying-ping

    2010-01-01

    The exploitation of linkage learning is enhancing the performance of evolutionary algorithms. This monograph examines recent progress in linkage learning, with a series of focused technical chapters that cover developments and trends in the field.

  9. ANALYSIS OF INTER SECTORAL LINKAGES IN SEMARANG REGENCY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fafurida

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to analyze inter economic sectoral linkages and to arrange the Klassen typology of economic sectors in Semarang Regency. The Klassen typology is composed from the result of the linkage analysis. To construct the analysis, this paper also utulizes the input-output analysis. It finds that service sector has the highest backward linkage while farming sector has the highest forward linkage. Based on the Klassen typology analysis, sectors with the highest backward and forward linkages and potential to be the leading sector are farming sector, dan trade, hotel and restaurant sector.Keywords: Backward linkage,forward linkage, Klassen typologyJEL classification number: R15, O21AbstrakPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji seberapa besar keterkaitan antar sektor ekonomi di Kabupaten Semarang dan memetakan tipologi Klassennya. Tipologi Klasen disusun berdasarkan hasil perhitungan analisis keterkaitannya. Untuk menyusun analisis tersebut, paper ini juga menggunakan analisis input-output. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sektor jasa memiliki keterkaitan ke belakang tertinggi dibandingkan dengan sektor lainnya. Sementara itu, sektor pertanian merupakan sektor yang memiliki keterkaitan ke depan tertinggi. Berdasarkan hasil analisis tipologi Klassen, sektor yang memiliki keterkaitan ke depan dan ke belakang yang tinggi dan dapat menjadi sektor unggulan adalah sektor perdagangan, hotel dan sektor restoran.Kata kunci: Keterkaitan ke belakang, keterkaitan ke depan, tipologi KlassenJEL classification numbers: R15, O21

  10. Posterior probability of linkage and maximal lod score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Génin, E; Martinez, M; Clerget-Darpoux, F

    1995-01-01

    To detect linkage between a trait and a marker, Morton (1955) proposed to calculate the lod score z(theta 1) at a given value theta 1 of the recombination fraction. If z(theta 1) reaches +3 then linkage is concluded. However, in practice, lod scores are calculated for different values of the recombination fraction between 0 and 0.5 and the test is based on the maximum value of the lod score Zmax. The impact of this deviation of the test on the probability that in fact linkage does not exist, when linkage was concluded, is documented here. This posterior probability of no linkage can be derived by using Bayes' theorem. It is less than 5% when the lod score at a predetermined theta 1 is used for the test. But, for a Zmax of +3, we showed that it can reach 16.4%. Thus, considering a composite alternative hypothesis instead of a single one decreases the reliability of the test. The reliability decreases rapidly when Zmax is less than +3. Given a Zmax of +2.5, there is a 33% chance that linkage does not exist. Moreover, the posterior probability depends not only on the value of Zmax but also jointly on the family structures and on the genetic model. For a given Zmax, the chance that linkage exists may then vary.

  11. Pulse shape discrimination with silicon detectors using charge and current-sensitive preamplifiers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamrita, H.; Rauly, E.; Blumenfeld, Y.; Borderie, B.; Chabot, M.; Edelbruck, P.; Lavergne, L.; Le Bris, J.; Le Neindre, N.; Richard, A.; Rivet, M.F.; Scarpaci, J.A.; Barbey, S.; Becheva, E.; Bzyl, F.R.; D' Esesquelles, P.; Galichet, E.; Lalu, G.; Martinet, G.; Pierre, S. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, IN2P3-CNRS, 91 - Orsay (France); Legou, Th.; Tillier, J.; Bocage, F.; Bougault, R.; Carniol, B.; Cussol, D.; Etasse, D.; Grevy, S.; Lopez, O.; Tamain, B.; Vient, E. [Caen Univ., LPC, IN2P3-CNRS, ENSI, 14 - Caen (France); Galichet, E. [Conservatoire National des Arts et Metier, 75 - Paris (France); Guinet, D.; Lautesse, Ph. [Villeurbanne Univ., Institut de Physique Nucleaire, IN2P3-CNRS, 69 (France); Lanzalone, G. [Catania Univ., INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud and Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, (Italy); Politi, G. [Catania Univ., INFN, Sezione di Catania and Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia (Italy); Rosato, E. [Napoli, Univ., Dipt. di Scienze Fisiche e Sezione INFN (Italy)

    2003-07-01

    For the first time shapes of current pulses from light charged particles and carbon ions are presented. Capabilities for pulse shape discrimination techniques are demonstrated. In this work, charge and current-sensitive preamplifier prototypes for nuclear structure and dynamics experiments have been developed and tested with the aim of improving PSD (pulse shape discrimination) method by studying in detail current signal shapes from particles and ions over a large energy range. Note that current signal shapes have been recently used in atomic cluster studies to identify partitions of carbon cluster fragmentation. The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 is devoted to characterization of preamplifiers. In section 3, results of on beam tests will be presented, discussed and compared to a simple simulation.

  12. Edge energies and shapes of nanoprecipitates.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamilton, John C.

    2006-01-01

    In this report we present a model to explain the size-dependent shapes of lead nano-precipitates in aluminum. Size-dependent shape transitions, frequently observed at nanolength scales, are commonly attributed to edge energy effects. This report resolves an ambiguity in the definition and calculation of edge energies and presents an atomistic calculation of edge energies for free clusters. We also present a theory for size-dependent shapes of Pb nanoprecipitates in Al, introducing the concept of ''magic-shapes'' defined as precipitate shapes having near zero elastic strains when inserted into similarly shaped voids in the Al matrix. An algorithm for constructing a complete set of magic-shapes is presented. The experimental observations are explained by elastic strain energies and interfacial energies; edge energies play a negligible role. We replicate the experimental observations by selecting precipitates having magic-shapes and interfacial energies less than a cutoff value.

  13. Penalized likelihood and multi-objective spatial scans for the detection and inference of irregular clusters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fonseca Carlos M

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Irregularly shaped spatial clusters are difficult to delineate. A cluster found by an algorithm often spreads through large portions of the map, impacting its geographical meaning. Penalized likelihood methods for Kulldorff's spatial scan statistics have been used to control the excessive freedom of the shape of clusters. Penalty functions based on cluster geometry and non-connectivity have been proposed recently. Another approach involves the use of a multi-objective algorithm to maximize two objectives: the spatial scan statistics and the geometric penalty function. Results & Discussion We present a novel scan statistic algorithm employing a function based on the graph topology to penalize the presence of under-populated disconnection nodes in candidate clusters, the disconnection nodes cohesion function. A disconnection node is defined as a region within a cluster, such that its removal disconnects the cluster. By applying this function, the most geographically meaningful clusters are sifted through the immense set of possible irregularly shaped candidate cluster solutions. To evaluate the statistical significance of solutions for multi-objective scans, a statistical approach based on the concept of attainment function is used. In this paper we compared different penalized likelihoods employing the geometric and non-connectivity regularity functions and the novel disconnection nodes cohesion function. We also build multi-objective scans using those three functions and compare them with the previous penalized likelihood scans. An application is presented using comprehensive state-wide data for Chagas' disease in puerperal women in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Conclusions We show that, compared to the other single-objective algorithms, multi-objective scans present better performance, regarding power, sensitivity and positive predicted value. The multi-objective non-connectivity scan is faster and better suited for the

  14. The degree of π electron delocalization and the formation of 3D-extensible sandwich structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiang; Wang, Qiang; Yuan, Caixia; Zhao, Xue-Feng; Li, Jia-Jia; Li, Debao; Wu, Yan-Bo; Wang, Xiaotai

    2016-04-28

    DFT B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations were performed to examine the feasibility of graphene-like C42H18 and starbenzene C6(BeH)6 (SBz) polymers as ligands of 3D-extensible sandwich compounds (3D-ESCs) with uninterrupted sandwich arrays. The results revealed that sandwich compounds with three or more C42H18 ligands were not feasible. The possible reason may be the localization of π electrons on certain C6 hexagons due to π-metal interactions, which makes the whole ligand lose its electronic structure basis (higher degree of π electron delocalization) to maintain the planar structure. For comparison, with the aid of benzene (Bz) molecules, the SBz polymers can be feasible ligands for designing 3D-ESCs because the C-Be interactions in individual SBz are largely ionic, which will deter the π electrons on one C6 ring from connecting to those on neighbouring C6 rings. This means that high degree of π electron delocalization is not necessary for maintaining the planarity of SBz polymers. Such a locally delocalized π electron structure is desirable for the ligands of 3D-ESCs. Remarkably, the formation of a sandwich compound with SBz is thermodynamically more favourable than that found for bis(Bz)chromium. The assembly of 3D-ESCs is largely exothermic, which will facilitate future experimental synthesis. The different variation trends on the HOMO-LUMO gaps in different directions (relative to the sandwich axes) suggest that they can be developed to form directional conductors or semiconductors, which may be useful in the production of electronic devices.

  15. Thermo-Electro-Mechanical Analysis of a Curved Functionally Graded Piezoelectric Actuator with Sandwich Structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liying Jiang

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available In this work, the problem of a curved functionally graded piezoelectric (FGP actuator with sandwich structure under electrical and thermal loads is investigated. The middle layer in the sandwich structure is functionally graded with the piezoelectric coefficient g31 varying continuously along the radial direction of the curved actuator. Based on the theory of linear piezoelectricity, analytical solutions are obtained by using Airy stress function to examine the effects of material gradient and heat conduction on the performance of the curved actuator. It is found that the material gradient and thermal load have significant influence on the electroelastic fields and the mechanical response of the curved FGP actuator. Without the sacrifice of actuation deflection, smaller internal stresses are generated by using the sandwich actuator with functionally graded piezoelectric layer instead of the conventional bimorph actuator. This work is very helpful for the design and application of curved piezoelectric actuators under thermal environment.

  16. Thermo-Electro-Mechanical Analysis of a Curved Functionally Graded Piezoelectric Actuator with Sandwich Structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Zhi; Zaman, Mostafa; Jiang, Liying

    2011-12-12

    In this work, the problem of a curved functionally graded piezoelectric (FGP) actuator with sandwich structure under electrical and thermal loads is investigated. The middle layer in the sandwich structure is functionally graded with the piezoelectric coefficient g 31 varying continuously along the radial direction of the curved actuator. Based on the theory of linear piezoelectricity, analytical solutions are obtained by using Airy stress function to examine the effects of material gradient and heat conduction on the performance of the curved actuator. It is found that the material gradient and thermal load have significant influence on the electroelastic fields and the mechanical response of the curved FGP actuator. Without the sacrifice of actuation deflection, smaller internal stresses are generated by using the sandwich actuator with functionally graded piezoelectric layer instead of the conventional bimorph actuator. This work is very helpful for the design and application of curved piezoelectric actuators under thermal environment.

  17. A new type of sandwich panel with periodic cellular metal cores and its mechanical performances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Chae-Hong; Jeon, Insu; Kang, Ki-Ju

    2009-01-01

    Many studies have been performed on the mechanical properties and optimization of truss PCMs (periodic cellular metals), but those on the fabrication process, which is one of key factors determining the survivability of PCMs in the market, have been relatively limited. This study introduces a new idea on the fabrication of quasi Kagome truss cored sandwich panels, which is based on the expanded-metal process. And the mechanical behavior of the sandwich panels is to be evaluated. The mechanical strengths and failure mechanisms under compression and bending load are estimated based on elementary mechanics of materials, and the optimal design is derived. Its validity is proved by comparison with the results of experiments. The results showed that the new idea is promising with respect to all three requirements, i.e., the morphology, fabrication cost, and raw materials. The simple mechanical analysis was sufficiently effective and accurate for estimating the performance and failure mode of the sandwich panels. In the experiments, sandwich panel specimens of three different designs were compared in their bending behaviors to demonstrate sensitivity of geometric parameters. Namely, although all the designs had little difference in their load capacity-per-weight, the failure mechanisms and the behaviors after a peak load were totally different.

  18. A More Sustainable Way for Producing RC Sandwich Panels On-Site and in Developing Countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorenzo Graziani

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this work is to assess if traditionally used welded connectors for joining the two skins of reinforced concrete (RC sandwich panels, used as structural walls and horizontal structural elements, can be substituted with bent ones. In this way, the scope of the effort is to reduce drastically the energy required during manufacturing, thus having a much more sustainable building product. Wire mesh on site production, in fact, requires a large amount of energy for the welding process, as stated by several Environmental Product Declaration (EPD. In addition, the production of sandwich panels with bent connectors requires a low level of automation and no qualified labor allowing the diffusion in developing countries. The procedures used to execute the work were both experimental and numerical. Structural performances were examined by testing full-scale sandwich panels under (axial and eccentric compression and flexural loads. Additionally, a Finite Element (FE study was developed to investigate and to optimize the dimension of welded mesh and the number of connectors. The major findings show that it is possible to substitute welded connectors with bent ones without compromising the structural performance of the tested RC sandwich panels, thus having a more sustainable way for producing these last ones.

  19. An experimental investigation into nonlinear dynamics of a magneto-rheological elastomer sandwich beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yildirim, Tanju; Ghayesh, Mergen H; Li, Weihua; Alici, Gursel

    2016-01-01

    An experimental investigation has been carried out on the nonlinear dynamics of a clamped–clamped Magneto-Rheological Elastomer (MRE) sandwich beam with a point mass when subjected to a point excitation. Three sets of experiments have been conducted namely for (i) an aluminium beam, (ii) a MRE sandwich beam in the absence of a magnetic field and (iii) a MRE sandwich beam in the presence of a magnetic field. An electrodynamic shaker was used to excite each system and the corresponding displacement of the point mass was measured: for the third experiment (iii), an array of magnets has been placed at various distances away from the centre of the point mass to investigate the effect of changing stiffness and damping properties on the nonlinear dynamical behaviour. An interesting feature for the third group is the beam point mass displacement was no longer symmetric as the stiffness and damping of the system are increased when moving towards the magnets. Both the first and second groups exhibited distinct nonlinear behaviour; however, for the third group this work shows that for a low magnetic field the sandwich beam exhibits two distinct resonance peaks, one occurring above and the other below the fundamental natural frequency of the transverse motion, with the right one larger. For a larger magnetic field, these peaks even out until the magnetic force was large enough that the hardening-type nonlinear behaviour changes to a softening-type; a significant qualitative change in the nonlinear dynamical behaviour of the system, due to the presence of the magnetic field, was observed. (paper)

  20. Development of monoclonal antibody-based sandwich ELISA for detection of dextran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Sheng-Yu; Li, Zhe; Wang, Xian-Jiang; Lv, Sha; Yang, Yun; Zeng, Lian-Qiang; Luo, Fang-Hong; Yan, Jiang-Hua; Liang, Da-Feng

    2014-10-01

    Dextran as anti-nutritional factor is usually a result of bacteria activity and has associated serial problems during the process stream in the sugar industry and in medical therapy. A sensitive method is expected to detect dextran quantitatively. Here we generated four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against dextran using dextran T40 conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as immunogen in our lab following hybridoma protocol. Through pairwise, an MAb named D24 was determined to be conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and was used in the establishment of a sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for determination of dextran, in which MAb D9 was chosen as a capture antibody. The detection limit and working scope of the developed sandwich ELISA method were 3.9 ng/mL and 7.8-500 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9909. In addition, the cross-reaction assay demonstrated that the method possessed high specificity with no significant cross-reaction with dextran-related substances, and the recovery rate ranged from 96.35 to 102.00%, with coefficient of variation ranging from 1.58 to 6.94%. These results indicated that we developed a detection system of MAb-based sandwich ELISA to measure dextran and this system should be a potential tool to determine dextran levels.

  1. One-pot synthesis of Ag-SiO2-Ag sandwich nanostructures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Chaorong; Mei Jie; Li Shuwen; Lu Nianpeng; Wang Lina; Chen Benyong; Dong Wenjun

    2010-01-01

    Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich nanostructures were prepared by a facile one-pot synthesis method. The Ag core, SiO 2 shell and Ag nanoparticle shell were all synthesized with polyvinylpyrrolidone, catalysed by ammonia, in the one-pot reaction. The polyvinylpyrrolidone, acting as a smart reducing agent, reduced the Ag + to Ag cores and Ag shells separately. Furthermore, the polyvinylpyrrolidone served as a protective agent to prevent the silver cores from aggregating. The SiO 2 shell and outer layer Ag nanoparticles were obtained when tetraethyl orthosilicate and ammonia were added to the silver core solution. Ammonia, acting as the catalyst, accelerated the hydrolysis of the tetraethyl orthosilicate to SiO 2 , which coated the silver cores. Furthermore, Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + ions were formed when aqueous ammonia was added to the solution, which increased the reduction capability. Then the polyvinylpyrrolidone reduced the Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + ions to small Ag nanoparticles on the surface of the Ag-SiO 2 and formed Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich structures with a standard deviation of less than 4%. This structure effectively prevented the Ag nanoparticles on the silica surface from aggregating. Furthermore, the Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich structures showed good catalysis properties due to the large surface area/volume value and activity of surface atoms of Ag particles.

  2. Computational Design of Clusters for Catalysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jimenez-Izal, Elisa; Alexandrova, Anastassia N.

    2018-04-01

    When small clusters are studied in chemical physics or physical chemistry, one perhaps thinks of the fundamental aspects of cluster electronic structure, or precision spectroscopy in ultracold molecular beams. However, small clusters are also of interest in catalysis, where the cold ground state or an isolated cluster may not even be the right starting point. Instead, the big question is: What happens to cluster-based catalysts under real conditions of catalysis, such as high temperature and coverage with reagents? Myriads of metastable cluster states become accessible, the entire system is dynamic, and catalysis may be driven by rare sites present only under those conditions. Activity, selectivity, and stability are highly dependent on size, composition, shape, support, and environment. To probe and master cluster catalysis, sophisticated tools are being developed for precision synthesis, operando measurements, and multiscale modeling. This review intends to tell the messy story of clusters in catalysis.

  3. High-Quality AZO/Au/AZO Sandwich Film with Ultralow Optical Loss and Resistivity for Transparent Flexible Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Hua; Xie, Jing; Mai, Manfang; Wang, Jing; Shen, Xiangqian; Wang, Shuying; Zhang, Lihua; Kisslinger, Kim; Wang, Hui-Qiong; Zhang, Jinxing; Li, Yu; Deng, Junhong; Ke, Shanming; Zeng, Xierong

    2018-05-09

    Transparent flexible electrodes are in ever-growing demand for modern stretchable optoelectronic devices, such as display technologies, solar cells, and smart windows. Such sandwich-film-electrodes deposited on polymer substrates are unattainable because of the low quality of the films, inducing a relatively large optical loss and resistivity as well as a difficulty in elucidating the interference behavior of light. In this article, we report a high-quality AZO/Au/AZO sandwich film with excellent optoelectronic performance, e.g., an average transmittance of about 81.7% (including the substrate contribution) over the visible range, a sheet resistance of 5 Ω/sq, and a figure-of-merit (FoM) factor of ∼55.1. These values are well ahead of those previously reported for sandwich-film-electrodes. Additionally, the interference behaviors of light modulated by the coat and metal layers have been explored with the employment of transmittance spectra and numerical simulations. In particular, a heater device based on an AZO/Au/AZO sandwich film exhibits high performance such as short response time (∼5 s) and uniform temperature field. This work provides a deep insight into the improvement of the film quality of the sandwich electrodes and the design of high-performance transparent flexible devices by the application of a flexible substrate with an atomically smooth surface.

  4. Flexural fatigue failures and lives of Eco-Core sandwich beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hossain, Mohammad Mynul; Shivakumar, Kunigal

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Eco-Core sandwich beam is flexural fatigue tested to study its fatigue response. • The core showed three failure types: damage onset, progression and final failure. • These failures were found to be represented by 1%, 5% and 7% change in compliance. • The fatigue stress-life (S–N) relationship follows a power low, σ max /σ ct = A o N α . • The fatigue failure was by multiple vertical cracks followed by 45° shear failure. - Abstract: Eco-Core is a class of syntactic foam made from small volume of high char yield binder and large volume of a class of flyash for fire resistance application. Very little or no flexural fatigue data of this class of core material is reported in the open literature. This paper presents a flexural fatigue response of Eco-Core in a glass/vinyl ester composite face sheet sandwich beam. A four-point loaded flexural test specimen was designed and tested in static and fatigue loadings to cause tension failure in the core. The fatigue test was conducted at maximum cyclic stress (σ max ) ranged from 0.7σ ct to 0.9σ ct , where σ ct is the static flexural strength of the core. The sinusoidal loading frequency of 2 Hz with the stress ratio of 0.1 was used. Flexural fatigue failure modes of Eco-Core sandwich beam were classified: damage onset (single tension crack), damage progression (multiple tension cracks) and ultimate failure (a combination of tension and shear). These failures were characterized by 1%, 5% and 7% changes in compliance that corresponds to N 1% , N 5% and N 7% lives. The fatigue stress-life (S–N) relationship was found to follow the well-known power law equation, σ max /σ ct = A o N α . The constants A o and α were established for all three types of failures. The endurance limit was established based on 1 million cycles limit and it was found to be 0.65σ ct , 0.70σ ct and 0.71σ ct , respectively for the three modes of failure. Flexural fatigue and static failure modes of Eco-Core sandwich

  5. Linkage and related analyses of Barrett's esophagus and its associated adenocarcinomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xiangqing; Elston, Robert; Falk, Gary W; Grady, William M; Faulx, Ashley; Mittal, Sumeet K; Canto, Marcia I; Shaheen, Nicholas J; Wang, Jean S; Iyer, Prasad G; Abrams, Julian A; Willis, Joseph E; Guda, Kishore; Markowitz, Sanford; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill S; Chandar, Apoorva; Brock, Wendy; Chak, Amitabh

    2016-07-01

    Familial aggregation and segregation analysis studies have provided evidence of a genetic basis for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its premalignant precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE). We aim to demonstrate the utility of linkage analysis to identify the genomic regions that might contain the genetic variants that predispose individuals to this complex trait (BE and EAC). We genotyped 144 individuals in 42 multiplex pedigrees chosen from 1000 singly ascertained BE/EAC pedigrees, and performed both model-based and model-free linkage analyses, using S.A.G.E. and other software. Segregation models were fitted, from the data on both the 42 pedigrees and the 1000 pedigrees, to determine parameters for performing model-based linkage analysis. Model-based and model-free linkage analyses were conducted in two sets of pedigrees: the 42 pedigrees and a subset of 18 pedigrees with female affected members that are expected to be more genetically homogeneous. Genome-wide associations were also tested in these families. Linkage analyses on the 42 pedigrees identified several regions consistently suggestive of linkage by different linkage analysis methods on chromosomes 2q31, 12q23, and 4p14. A linkage on 15q26 is the only consistent linkage region identified in the 18 female-affected pedigrees, in which the linkage signal is higher than in the 42 pedigrees. Other tentative linkage signals are also reported. Our linkage study of BE/EAC pedigrees identified linkage regions on chromosomes 2, 4, 12, and 15, with some reported associations located within our linkage peaks. Our linkage results can help prioritize association tests to delineate the genetic determinants underlying susceptibility to BE and EAC.

  6. Sandwiched Thin-Film Anode of Chemically Bonded Black Phosphorus/Graphene Hybrid for Lithium-Ion Battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hanwen; Zou, Yuqin; Tao, Li; Ma, Zhaoling; Liu, Dongdong; Zhou, Peng; Liu, Hongbo; Wang, Shuangyin

    2017-09-01

    A facile vacuum filtration method is applied for the first time to construct sandwich-structure anode. Two layers of graphene stacks sandwich a composite of black phosphorus (BP), which not only protect BP from quickly degenerating but also serve as current collector instead of copper foil. The BP composite, reduced graphene oxide coated on BP via chemical bonding, is simply synthesized by solvothermal reaction at 140 °C. The sandwiched film anode used for lithium-ion battery exhibits reversible capacities of 1401 mAh g -1 during the 200th cycle at current density of 100 mA g -1 indicating superior cycle performance. Besides, this facile vacuum filtration method may also be available for other anode material with well dispersion in N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP). © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. A chemically stable electrolyte with a novel sandwiched structure for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs)

    KAUST Repository

    Bi, Lei; Traversa, Enrico

    2013-01-01

    A chemically stable electrolyte structure was developed for proton-conducting SOFCs by using two layers of stable BaZr0.7Pr 0.1Y0.2O3 -δ to sandwich a highly-conductive but unstable BaCe0.8Y0.2O 3 -δ electrolyte layer. The sandwiched electrolyte

  8. Testing association and linkage using affected-sib-parent study designs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millstein, Joshua; Siegmund, Kimberly D; Conti, David V; Gauderman, W James

    2005-11-01

    We have developed a method for jointly testing linkage and association using data from affected sib pairs and their parents. We specify a conditional logistic regression model with two covariates, one that quantifies association (either direct association or indirect association via linkage disequilibrium), and a second that quantifies linkage. The latter covariate is computed based on expected identity-by-descend (ibd) sharing of marker alleles between siblings. In addition to a joint test of linkage and association, our general framework can be used to obtain a linkage test comparable to the mean test (Blackwelder and Elston [1985] Genet. Epidemiol. 2:85-97), and an association test comparable to the Family-Based Association Test (FBAT; Rabinowitz and Laird [2000] Hum. Hered. 50:211-223). We present simulation results demonstrating that our joint test can be more powerful than some standard tests of linkage or association. For example, with a relative risk of 2.7 per variant allele at a disease locus, the estimated power to detect a nearby marker with a modest level of LD was 58.1% by the mean test (linkage only), 69.8% by FBAT, and 82.5% by our joint test of linkage and association. Our model can also be used to obtain tests of linkage conditional on association and association conditional on linkage, which can be helpful in fine mapping. Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  9. A cluster merging method for time series microarray with production values.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chira, Camelia; Sedano, Javier; Camara, Monica; Prieto, Carlos; Villar, Jose R; Corchado, Emilio

    2014-09-01

    A challenging task in time-course microarray data analysis is to cluster genes meaningfully combining the information provided by multiple replicates covering the same key time points. This paper proposes a novel cluster merging method to accomplish this goal obtaining groups with highly correlated genes. The main idea behind the proposed method is to generate a clustering starting from groups created based on individual temporal series (representing different biological replicates measured in the same time points) and merging them by taking into account the frequency by which two genes are assembled together in each clustering. The gene groups at the level of individual time series are generated using several shape-based clustering methods. This study is focused on a real-world time series microarray task with the aim to find co-expressed genes related to the production and growth of a certain bacteria. The shape-based clustering methods used at the level of individual time series rely on identifying similar gene expression patterns over time which, in some models, are further matched to the pattern of production/growth. The proposed cluster merging method is able to produce meaningful gene groups which can be naturally ranked by the level of agreement on the clustering among individual time series. The list of clusters and genes is further sorted based on the information correlation coefficient and new problem-specific relevant measures. Computational experiments and results of the cluster merging method are analyzed from a biological perspective and further compared with the clustering generated based on the mean value of time series and the same shape-based algorithm.

  10. De novo clustering methods outperform reference-based methods for assigning 16S rRNA gene sequences to operational taxonomic units

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah L. Westcott

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. 16S rRNA gene sequences are routinely assigned to operational taxonomic units (OTUs that are then used to analyze complex microbial communities. A number of methods have been employed to carry out the assignment of 16S rRNA gene sequences to OTUs leading to confusion over which method is optimal. A recent study suggested that a clustering method should be selected based on its ability to generate stable OTU assignments that do not change as additional sequences are added to the dataset. In contrast, we contend that the quality of the OTU assignments, the ability of the method to properly represent the distances between the sequences, is more important.Methods. Our analysis implemented six de novo clustering algorithms including the single linkage, complete linkage, average linkage, abundance-based greedy clustering, distance-based greedy clustering, and Swarm and the open and closed-reference methods. Using two previously published datasets we used the Matthew’s Correlation Coefficient (MCC to assess the stability and quality of OTU assignments.Results. The stability of OTU assignments did not reflect the quality of the assignments. Depending on the dataset being analyzed, the average linkage and the distance and abundance-based greedy clustering methods generated OTUs that were more likely to represent the actual distances between sequences than the open and closed-reference methods. We also demonstrated that for the greedy algorithms VSEARCH produced assignments that were comparable to those produced by USEARCH making VSEARCH a viable free and open source alternative to USEARCH. Further interrogation of the reference-based methods indicated that when USEARCH or VSEARCH were used to identify the closest reference, the OTU assignments were sensitive to the order of the reference sequences because the reference sequences can be identical over the region being considered. More troubling was the observation that while both USEARCH and

  11. COCACOLA: binning metagenomic contigs using sequence COmposition, read CoverAge, CO-alignment and paired-end read LinkAge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Yang Young; Chen, Ting; Fuhrman, Jed A; Sun, Fengzhu

    2017-03-15

    The advent of next-generation sequencing technologies enables researchers to sequence complex microbial communities directly from the environment. Because assembly typically produces only genome fragments, also known as contigs, instead of an entire genome, it is crucial to group them into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) for further taxonomic profiling and down-streaming functional analysis. OTU clustering is also referred to as binning. We present COCACOLA, a general framework automatically bin contigs into OTUs based on sequence composition and coverage across multiple samples. The effectiveness of COCACOLA is demonstrated in both simulated and real datasets in comparison with state-of-art binning approaches such as CONCOCT, GroopM, MaxBin and MetaBAT. The superior performance of COCACOLA relies on two aspects. One is using L 1 distance instead of Euclidean distance for better taxonomic identification during initialization. More importantly, COCACOLA takes advantage of both hard clustering and soft clustering by sparsity regularization. In addition, the COCACOLA framework seamlessly embraces customized knowledge to facilitate binning accuracy. In our study, we have investigated two types of additional knowledge, the co-alignment to reference genomes and linkage of contigs provided by paired-end reads, as well as the ensemble of both. We find that both co-alignment and linkage information further improve binning in the majority of cases. COCACOLA is scalable and faster than CONCOCT, GroopM, MaxBin and MetaBAT. The software is available at https://github.com/younglululu/COCACOLA . fsun@usc.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  12. Integrated genome sequence and linkage map of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.), a biodiesel plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Pingzhi; Zhou, Changpin; Cheng, Shifeng; Wu, Zhenying; Lu, Wenjia; Han, Jinli; Chen, Yanbo; Chen, Yan; Ni, Peixiang; Wang, Ying; Xu, Xun; Huang, Ying; Song, Chi; Wang, Zhiwen; Shi, Nan; Zhang, Xudong; Fang, Xiaohua; Yang, Qing; Jiang, Huawu; Chen, Yaping; Li, Meiru; Wang, Ying; Chen, Fan; Wang, Jun; Wu, Guojiang

    2015-03-01

    The family Euphorbiaceae includes some of the most efficient biomass accumulators. Whole genome sequencing and the development of genetic maps of these species are important components in molecular breeding and genetic improvement. Here we report the draft genome of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.), a biodiesel plant. The assembled genome has a total length of 320.5 Mbp and contains 27,172 putative protein-coding genes. We established a linkage map containing 1208 markers and anchored the genome assembly (81.7%) to this map to produce 11 pseudochromosomes. After gene family clustering, 15,268 families were identified, of which 13,887 existed in the castor bean genome. Analysis of the genome highlighted specific expansion and contraction of a number of gene families during the evolution of this species, including the ribosome-inactivating proteins and oil biosynthesis pathway enzymes. The genomic sequence and linkage map provide a valuable resource not only for fundamental and applied research on physic nut but also for evolutionary and comparative genomics analysis, particularly in the Euphorbiaceae. © 2015 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Privacy-preserving record linkage on large real world datasets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randall, Sean M; Ferrante, Anna M; Boyd, James H; Bauer, Jacqueline K; Semmens, James B

    2014-08-01

    Record linkage typically involves the use of dedicated linkage units who are supplied with personally identifying information to determine individuals from within and across datasets. The personally identifying information supplied to linkage units is separated from clinical information prior to release by data custodians. While this substantially reduces the risk of disclosure of sensitive information, some residual risks still exist and remain a concern for some custodians. In this paper we trial a method of record linkage which reduces privacy risk still further on large real world administrative data. The method uses encrypted personal identifying information (bloom filters) in a probability-based linkage framework. The privacy preserving linkage method was tested on ten years of New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australian (WA) hospital admissions data, comprising in total over 26 million records. No difference in linkage quality was found when the results were compared to traditional probabilistic methods using full unencrypted personal identifiers. This presents as a possible means of reducing privacy risks related to record linkage in population level research studies. It is hoped that through adaptations of this method or similar privacy preserving methods, risks related to information disclosure can be reduced so that the benefits of linked research taking place can be fully realised. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Damage assessment of compression loaded debond damaged sandwich panels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moslemian, Ramin; Berggreen, Christian; Quispitupa, Amilcar

    2010-01-01

    with an implanted circular face/core debond. Compression tests were conducted on intact sandwich panels and panels with an implanted circular face/core debond with three different types of foam core materials (PVC H130, PVC H250 and PMI 51-IG). The strains and out-of-plane displacements of the debonded region were...

  15. Sequential versus "sandwich" sequencing of adjuvant chemoradiation for the treatment of stage III uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Sharon M; Chang-Halpenny, Christine; Hwang-Graziano, Julie

    2015-04-01

    To compare the efficacy and tolerance of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy delivered in sequential (chemotherapy followed by radiation) versus "sandwich" fashion (chemotherapy, interval radiation, and remaining chemotherapy) after surgery in patients with FIGO stage III uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma. From 2004 to 2011, we identified 51 patients treated at our institution fitting the above criteria. All patients received surgical staging followed by adjuvant chemoradiation (external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with or without high-dose rate (HDR) vaginal brachytherapy (VB)). Of these, 73% and 27% of patients received their adjuvant therapy in sequential and sandwich fashion, respectively. There were no significant differences in clinical or pathologic factors between patients treated with either regimen. Thirty-nine (76%) patients had stage IIIC disease. The majority of patients received 6 cycles of paclitaxel with carboplatin or cisplatin. Median EBRT dose was 45 Gy and 54% of patients received HDR VB boost (median dose 21 Gy). There were no significant differences in the estimated 5-year overall survival, local progression-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival between the sequential and sandwich groups: 87% vs. 77% (p=0.37), 89% vs. 100% (p=0.21), and 78% vs. 85% (p=0.79), respectively. No grade 3-4 genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicities were reported in either group. There was a trend towards higher incidence of grade 3-4 hematologic toxicity in the sandwich group. Adjuvant chemoradiation for FIGO stage III endometrioid uterine cancer given in either sequential or sandwich fashion appears to offer equally excellent early clinical outcomes and acceptably low toxicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Failure modes of composite sandwich beams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gdoutos E.

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available A thorough investigation of failure behavior of composite sandwich beams under three-and four-point bending was undertaken. The beams were made of unidirectional carbon/epoxy facings and a PVC closed-cell foam core. The constituent materials were fully characterized and in the case of the foam core, failure envelopes were developed for general two-dimensional states of stress. Various failure modes including facing wrinkling, indentation failure and core failure were observed and compared with analytical predictions. The initiation, propagation and interaction of failure modes depend on the type of loading, constituent material properties and geometrical dimensions.

  17. Subspace K-means clustering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timmerman, Marieke E; Ceulemans, Eva; De Roover, Kim; Van Leeuwen, Karla

    2013-12-01

    To achieve an insightful clustering of multivariate data, we propose subspace K-means. Its central idea is to model the centroids and cluster residuals in reduced spaces, which allows for dealing with a wide range of cluster types and yields rich interpretations of the clusters. We review the existing related clustering methods, including deterministic, stochastic, and unsupervised learning approaches. To evaluate subspace K-means, we performed a comparative simulation study, in which we manipulated the overlap of subspaces, the between-cluster variance, and the error variance. The study shows that the subspace K-means algorithm is sensitive to local minima but that the problem can be reasonably dealt with by using partitions of various cluster procedures as a starting point for the algorithm. Subspace K-means performs very well in recovering the true clustering across all conditions considered and appears to be superior to its competitor methods: K-means, reduced K-means, factorial K-means, mixtures of factor analyzers (MFA), and MCLUST. The best competitor method, MFA, showed a performance similar to that of subspace K-means in easy conditions but deteriorated in more difficult ones. Using data from a study on parental behavior, we show that subspace K-means analysis provides a rich insight into the cluster characteristics, in terms of both the relative positions of the clusters (via the centroids) and the shape of the clusters (via the within-cluster residuals).

  18. Thermo-mechanical interaction effects in foam cored sandwich panels-correlation between High-order models and Finite element analysis results

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Palleti, Hara Naga Krishna Teja; Santiuste, Carlos; Thomsen, Ole Thybo

    2010-01-01

    Thermo-mechanical interaction effects including thermal material degradation in polymer foam cored sandwich structures is investigated using the commercial Finite Element Analysis (FEA) package ABAQUS/Standard. Sandwich panels with different boundary conditions in the form of simply supported...

  19. Modified sandwich vacuum pack technique for temporary closure of abdominal wounds: an African perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van As, A B; Navsaria, P; Numanoglu, A; McCulloch, M

    2007-01-01

    South Africa has very high levels of accidental trauma as well as interpersonal violence. There are more admissions for trauma in South Africa than for any other disease; therefore it can be regarded as the Number 1 disease in the country. Complex abdominal injuries are common, requiring specific management techniques. The aim is to document our experience with the Modified Sandwich Vacuum Pack technique for temporary closure of abdominal wounds. After providing a short historical overview, we will demonstrate the technique which we carefully adapted over the last decade to the present Modified Sandwich Vacuum Pack technique. In the Last 5 years we utilized our Modified Sandwich Vacuum Pack technique 153 times in 69 patients. Five (5) patients were under the age of 12 years. In the patient group over 12 years the most common indication for using our technique were penetrating injuries (40), abdominal sepsis (28), visceral edema (10), abdominal compartment syndrome (9), abdominal packs (6),Abdominal wall defects (2). In the group under 12-years the 2 children had liver ruptures (posttraumatic) and 3 liver transplantations. The average cost for the materials used with our technique was ZAR 96. (10 Euro and 41 cents). In our experience the Modified Sandwich Vacuum Pack technique is an effective, cheap methodology to deal with open abdomens in the African setting.A drawback may be the technical expertise required, particular in centers dealing with low numbers of complex abdominal trauma.

  20. Half-sandwich cobalt complexes in the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Georgi, Colin [Technische Universität Chemnitz, Faculty of Natural Science, Institute of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Chemnitz 09107 (Germany); Hapke, Marko; Thiel, Indre [Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock (LIKAT), Albert-Einstein-Straße 29a, Rostock 18059 (Germany); Hildebrandt, Alexander [Technische Universität Chemnitz, Faculty of Natural Science, Institute of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Chemnitz 09107 (Germany); Waechtler, Thomas; Schulz, Stefan E. [Fraunhofer Institute of Electronic Nano Systems (ENAS), Technologie-Campus 3, Chemnitz 09126 (Germany); Technische Universität Chemnitz, Center for Microtechnologies (ZfM), Chemnitz 09107 (Germany); Lang, Heinrich, E-mail: heinrich.lang@chemie.tu-chemnitz.de [Technische Universität Chemnitz, Faculty of Natural Science, Institute of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Chemnitz 09107 (Germany)

    2015-03-02

    A series of cobalt half-sandwich complexes of type [Co(η{sup 5}-C{sub 5}H{sub 5})(L)(L′)] (1: L, L′ = 1,5-hexadiene; 2: L = P(OEt){sub 3}, L′ = H{sub 2}C=CHSiMe{sub 3}; 3: L = L′ = P(OEt){sub 3}) has been studied regarding their physical properties such as the vapor pressure, decomposition temperature and applicability within the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, with a focus of the influence of the phosphite ligands. It could be shown that an increasing number of P(OEt){sub 3} ligands increases the vapor pressure and thermal stability of the respective organometallic compound. Complex 3 appeared to be a promising MOCVD precursor with a high vapor pressure and hence was deposited onto Si/SiO{sub 2} (100 nm) substrates. The resulting reflective layer is closed, dense and homogeneous, with a slightly granulated surface morphology. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies demonstrated the formation of metallic cobalt, cobalt phosphate, cobalt oxide and cobalt carbide. - Highlights: • Thermal studies and vapor pressure measurements of cobalt half-sandwich complexes was carried out. • Chemical vapor deposition with cobalt half-sandwich complexes is reported. • The use of Co-phosphites results in significant phosphorous-doped metallic layers.

  1. Manufacture of Green-Composite Sandwich Structures with Basalt Fiber and Bioepoxy Resin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. P. Torres

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, there is a growing interest for the use and development of materials synthesized from renewable sources in the polymer composites manufacturing industry; this applies for both matrix and reinforcement components. In the present research, a novel basalt fibre reinforced (BFR bioepoxy green composite is proposed as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional petroleum-derived composites. In addition, this material system was combined with cork as core material for the fabrication of fibre composite sandwich structures. Mechanical properties of both skin and core materials were assessed through flexural and tensile tests. Finite element (FEM simulations for the mechanical stress analysis of the sandwich material were carried out, and a maximum allowable shear stress for material failure under bending loads was established. Permeability measurements of the basalt fabrics were carried out in order to perform numerical simulations of liquid composite moulding (LCM processes on the PAM-RTM software. The proposed green-composite sandwich material was used for the fabrication of a longboard as a case study for a sports equipment application. Numerical simulations of the mould filling stage allowed the determination of an optimal mould filling strategy. Finally, the load-bearing capacity of the board was studied by means of FEM simulations, and the presented design proved to be acceptable for service.

  2. Genetic variations and haplotype diversity of the UGT1 gene cluster in the Chinese population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Yang

    Full Text Available Vertebrates require tremendous molecular diversity to defend against numerous small hydrophobic chemicals. UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs are a large family of detoxification enzymes that glucuronidate xenobiotics and endobiotics, facilitating their excretion from the body. The UGT1 gene cluster contains a tandem array of variable first exons, each preceded by a specific promoter, and a common set of downstream constant exons, similar to the genomic organization of the protocadherin (Pcdh, immunoglobulin, and T-cell receptor gene clusters. To assist pharmacogenomics studies in Chinese, we sequenced nine first exons, promoter and intronic regions, and five common exons of the UGT1 gene cluster in a population sample of 253 unrelated Chinese individuals. We identified 101 polymorphisms and found 15 novel SNPs. We then computed allele frequencies for each polymorphism and reconstructed their linkage disequilibrium (LD map. The UGT1 cluster can be divided into five linkage blocks: Block 9 (UGT1A9, Block 9/7/6 (UGT1A9, UGT1A7, and UGT1A6, Block 5 (UGT1A5, Block 4/3 (UGT1A4 and UGT1A3, and Block 3' UTR. Furthermore, we inferred haplotypes and selected their tagSNPs. Finally, comparing our data with those of three other populations of the HapMap project revealed ethnic specificity of the UGT1 genetic diversity in Chinese. These findings have important implications for future molecular genetic studies of the UGT1 gene cluster as well as for personalized medical therapies in Chinese.

  3. Genome-wide linkage analysis for human longevity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beekman, Marian; Blanché, Hélène; Perola, Markus

    2013-01-01

    Clear evidence exists for heritability of human longevity, and much interest is focused on identifying genes associated with longer lives. To identify such longevity alleles, we performed the largest genome-wide linkage scan thus far reported. Linkage analyses included 2118 nonagenarian Caucasian...

  4. Disintegration of the Aged Open Cluster Berkeley 17

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhattacharya, Souradeep; Vaidya, Kaushar [Department of Physics, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani 333031, Rajasthan (India); Mishra, Ishan [Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam (India); Chen, W. P., E-mail: f2012553@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in [Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, 300 Jhongda Road, Jhongli 32001, Taiwan (China)

    2017-10-01

    We present the analysis of the morphological shape of Berkeley 17, the oldest known open cluster (∼10 Gyr), using the probabilistic star counting of Pan-STARRS point sources, and confirm its core-tail shape, plus an antitail, previously detected with the 2MASS data. The stellar population, as diagnosed by the color–magnitude diagram and theoretical isochrones, shows many massive members in the clusters core, whereas there is a paucity of such members in both of the tails. This manifests mass segregation in this aged star cluster with the low-mass members being stripped away from the system. It has been claimed that Berkeley 17 is associated with an excessive number of blue straggler candidates. A comparison of nearby reference fields indicates that about half of these may be field contamination.

  5. A J Integral Approach for Measuring Cohesive Laws Using a Modified DCB Sandwich Specimen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian; Berggreen, Christian; Sørensen, Bent F.

    2007-01-01

    mode mixities. The sandwich specimen consists of glass fiber faces and Divinycell H200 foam core. Arbitrary stiffening of the sandwich specimen with steel bars adhered to the faces reduces rotations and ensures that the method is useable for a wide range of materials. The J integral is employed...... and the opening of the pre-crack tip is recorded by a commercial digital photogrammetry measurement system. Cohesive laws are extracted by differentiating J with respect to the normal and tangential opening of the pre-crack tip. Some results are presented and discussed....

  6. Formation and stability of sputtered clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersen, H.H.

    1989-01-01

    Current theory for the formation of sputtered clusters states that either atoms are sputtered individually and aggregate after having left the surface or they are sputtered as complete clusters. There is no totally sharp boundary between the two interpretations, but experimental evidence is mainly thought to favour the latter model. Both theories demand a criterion for the stability of the clusters. In computer simulations of sputtering, the idea has been to use the same interaction potential as in the lattice computations to judge the stability. More qualitatively, simple geometrical shapes have also been looked for. It is found here, that evidence for 'magic numbers' and electron parity effects in clusters have existed in the sputtering literature for a long time, making more sophisticated stability criteria necessary. The breakdown of originally sputtered metastable clusters into stable clusters gives strong support to the 'sputtered as clusters' hypothesis. (author)

  7. Multiple linear combination (MLC) regression tests for common variants adapted to linkage disequilibrium structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Yun Joo; Sun, Lei; Poirier, Julia G; Paterson, Andrew D; Bull, Shelley B

    2017-02-01

    By jointly analyzing multiple variants within a gene, instead of one at a time, gene-based multiple regression can improve power, robustness, and interpretation in genetic association analysis. We investigate multiple linear combination (MLC) test statistics for analysis of common variants under realistic trait models with linkage disequilibrium (LD) based on HapMap Asian haplotypes. MLC is a directional test that exploits LD structure in a gene to construct clusters of closely correlated variants recoded such that the majority of pairwise correlations are positive. It combines variant effects within the same cluster linearly, and aggregates cluster-specific effects in a quadratic sum of squares and cross-products, producing a test statistic with reduced degrees of freedom (df) equal to the number of clusters. By simulation studies of 1000 genes from across the genome, we demonstrate that MLC is a well-powered and robust choice among existing methods across a broad range of gene structures. Compared to minimum P-value, variance-component, and principal-component methods, the mean power of MLC is never much lower than that of other methods, and can be higher, particularly with multiple causal variants. Moreover, the variation in gene-specific MLC test size and power across 1000 genes is less than that of other methods, suggesting it is a complementary approach for discovery in genome-wide analysis. The cluster construction of the MLC test statistics helps reveal within-gene LD structure, allowing interpretation of clustered variants as haplotypic effects, while multiple regression helps to distinguish direct and indirect associations. © 2016 The Authors Genetic Epidemiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Outcome of the TURP-TUVP sandwich procedure for minimally ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    shanker

    TURP–TUVP sandwich procedure for the surgical treatment of BPH larger than 40cc in volume. 23 used was 21.5 L (SD = 4.9).The mean post-operative hospital stay was 3.5 days (range 3- 4 days). Overall,. 11 (19%) patients had blood transfusion, there was no incidence of TUR syndrome and one mortality was recorded ...

  9. Fluid Structure Interaction Effect on Sandwich Composite Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-01

    far back as ancient Egyptian times in the use of straw and bricks, or more recently in the last century with the use of steel rebar in concrete ...construction of sandwich composites; however, this particular material was selected for its uniform pattern and translucent qualities after it is wetted out...excellent fire retardant and corrosion resistant qualities making it a natural selection for shipboard applications. The same translucent qualities

  10. Ultra-fast sequence clustering from similarity networks with SiLiX

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duret Laurent

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The number of gene sequences that are available for comparative genomics approaches is increasing extremely quickly. A current challenge is to be able to handle this huge amount of sequences in order to build families of homologous sequences in a reasonable time. Results We present the software package SiLiX that implements a novel method which reconsiders single linkage clustering with a graph theoretical approach. A parallel version of the algorithms is also presented. As a demonstration of the ability of our software, we clustered more than 3 millions sequences from about 2 billion BLAST hits in 7 minutes, with a high clustering quality, both in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions Comparing state-of-the-art software, SiLiX presents the best up-to-date capabilities to face the problem of clustering large collections of sequences. SiLiX is freely available at http://lbbe.univ-lyon1.fr/SiLiX.

  11. Fatigue failure of sandwich beams with face sheet wrinkle defects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leong, Martin Klitgaard; Hvejsel, C.F.; Thomsen, Ole Thybo

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents experimental fatigue results for GFRP face sheet/balsa core sandwich beams with face sheet wrinkle defects, subjected to fully reversed in-plane fatigue loading. An estimate of the fatigue design limit is presented, based on static test results, finite element analyses and app...

  12. The dynamic properties of sandwich structures based on metal-ceramic foams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    The present research program has studied the fracture properties of closed pore metal-ceramic foams for their potential applications as core systems in sandwich structures. The composite foams were created at Fireline, Inc. (Youngstown, OH) using the...

  13. LiFePO4 nanoparticles enveloped in freestanding sandwich-like graphitized carbon sheets as enhanced remarkable lithium-ion battery cathode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Huijuan; Li, Xiao; Xu, Haitao; Wang, Yu

    2016-04-15

    A novel nanostructure where LiFePO4 nanoparticles are enveloped in sandwich-like carbon sheets as an enhanced cathode in lithium-ion batteries has successfully been synthesized for the first time. Compared to previous carbon-based nanocomposites, the achieved sandwich-like LiFePO4 nanocomposites exhibit totally different architecture, in which LiFePO4 nanoparticles are tightly entrapped between two carbon layers, instead of being anchored on the carbon sheet surfaces. In other words, the achieved sandwich-like LiFePO4 nanocomposite carbon layers are actually freestanding and can be operated and separated from each other. This is a great breakthrough in the design and synthesis of carbon-based functional materials. The obtained sandwich-like LiFePO4 nanocomposites present excellent electrochemical performance, which is rationally ascribed to the superb and unique structure and architecture. Of particular note is that the freestanding sandwich-like LiFePO4 nanocomposites exhibit enhanced cyclability and rate capability. At a high current density of 0.1 A g(-1), a stable specific capacity of approximately 168.5 mAh g(-1) can be delivered over 1000 cycles, and when the charge-discharge rates increase to 0.6, 2, 5 and 10 A g(-1), the specific capacities still survive at 149, 129, 114 and 91 mAh g(-1), respectively. Meanwhile, the sandwiched nanocomposite demonstrates a significantly improved low-temperature electrochemical energy storage performance. With respect to the excellent Li storage performance, and facility and reliability of production, the freestanding sandwich-like LiFePO4 nanocomposites are reasonably believed to have a great potential for multiple electrochemical energy storage applications.

  14. Fine mapping quantitative trait loci under selective phenotyping strategies based on linkage and linkage disequilibrium criteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ansari-Mahyari, S; Berg, P; Lund, M S

    2009-01-01

    disequilibrium-based sampling criteria (LDC) for selecting individuals to phenotype are compared to random phenotyping in a quantitative trait loci (QTL) verification experiment using stochastic simulation. Several strategies based on LAC and LDC for selecting the most informative 30%, 40% or 50% of individuals...... for phenotyping to extract maximum power and precision in a QTL fine mapping experiment were developed and assessed. Linkage analyses for the mapping was performed for individuals sampled on LAC within families and combined linkage disequilibrium and linkage analyses was performed for individuals sampled across...... the whole population based on LDC. The results showed that selecting individuals with similar haplotypes to the paternal haplotypes (minimum recombination criterion) using LAC compared to random phenotyping gave at least the same power to detect a QTL but decreased the accuracy of the QTL position. However...

  15. Sound Transmission Loss Through a Corrugated-Core Sandwich Panel with Integrated Acoustic Resonators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schiller, Noah H.; Allen, Albert R.; Zalewski, Bart F; Beck, Benjamin S.

    2014-01-01

    The goal of this study is to better understand the effect of structurally integrated resonators on the transmission loss of a sandwich panel. The sandwich panel has facesheets over a corrugated core, which creates long aligned chambers that run parallel to the facesheets. When ports are introduced through the facesheet, the long chambers within the core can be used as low-frequency acoustic resonators. By integrating the resonators within the structure they contribute to the static load bearing capability of the panel while also attenuating noise. An analytical model of a panel with embedded resonators is derived and compared with numerical simulations. Predictions show that acoustic resonators can significantly improve the transmission loss of the sandwich panel around the natural frequency of the resonators. In one configuration with 0.813 m long internal chambers, the diffuse field transmission loss is improved by more than 22 dB around 104 Hz. The benefit is achieved with no added mass or volume relative to the baseline structure. The embedded resonators are effective because they radiate sound out-of-phase with the structure. This results in destructive interference, which leads to less transmitted sound power.

  16. Occurrence of Foodborne Pathogens in Chickens Sandwiches Distributed in Different Supermarkets of Tehran Province, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zohreh Mashak

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Increasing urbanization, immigration and tourism has changed the human lifestyle. This modern lifestyle has demanded safety, quality, and fast availability of ready to eat (RTE foods like chicken sandwiches. Objectives: For presentation of proper solutions regarding food safety, identification of pathogens in different foods is necessary. Therefore, the present study was carried out to assess the microbiological quality of chicken sandwiches distributed in Tehran province, Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 chicken sandwich samples (chicken sausage, chicken fillet, minced chicken fillet were purchased from different supermarkets in Tehran city randomly during 2013 and transported to the laboratory of food hygiene of Islamic Azad University, Karaj branch under temperature-controlled conditions for bacteriological examination by American Public Health Association (APHA method. Results: The average count ± standard error (and percent of unacceptable samples of S. aureus, B. cereus and Coliform were 1.6 ± 0.56 (28%, 2.0 ± 0.62 (10%, 4.2 ± 1.12 (50% CFU/g, respectively. Moreover, E. coli and Salmonella spp. were identified in 21% of chicken sandwich samples. Conclusions: The large number of foodborne pathogens detected in this study, represented a potential health hazard to consumers. Thus, it is necessary to employ Good Hygiene Practices (GHP and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP in order to minimize the risk caused by secondary contamination.

  17. Estimating parameters for probabilistic linkage of privacy-preserved datasets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Adrian P; Randall, Sean M; Ferrante, Anna M; Semmens, James B; Boyd, James H

    2017-07-10

    Probabilistic record linkage is a process used to bring together person-based records from within the same dataset (de-duplication) or from disparate datasets using pairwise comparisons and matching probabilities. The linkage strategy and associated match probabilities are often estimated through investigations into data quality and manual inspection. However, as privacy-preserved datasets comprise encrypted data, such methods are not possible. In this paper, we present a method for estimating the probabilities and threshold values for probabilistic privacy-preserved record linkage using Bloom filters. Our method was tested through a simulation study using synthetic data, followed by an application using real-world administrative data. Synthetic datasets were generated with error rates from zero to 20% error. Our method was used to estimate parameters (probabilities and thresholds) for de-duplication linkages. Linkage quality was determined by F-measure. Each dataset was privacy-preserved using separate Bloom filters for each field. Match probabilities were estimated using the expectation-maximisation (EM) algorithm on the privacy-preserved data. Threshold cut-off values were determined by an extension to the EM algorithm allowing linkage quality to be estimated for each possible threshold. De-duplication linkages of each privacy-preserved dataset were performed using both estimated and calculated probabilities. Linkage quality using the F-measure at the estimated threshold values was also compared to the highest F-measure. Three large administrative datasets were used to demonstrate the applicability of the probability and threshold estimation technique on real-world data. Linkage of the synthetic datasets using the estimated probabilities produced an F-measure that was comparable to the F-measure using calculated probabilities, even with up to 20% error. Linkage of the administrative datasets using estimated probabilities produced an F-measure that was higher

  18. Fabrication of Au/graphene oxide/Ag sandwich structure thin film and its tunable energetics and tailorable optical properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruijin Hong

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Au/graphene oxide/Ag sandwich structure thin film was fabricated. The effects of graphene oxide (GO and bimetal on the structure and optical properties of metal silver films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD, optical absorption, and Raman intensity measurements, respectively. Compared to silver thin film, Au/graphene oxide/Ag sandwich structure composite thin films were observed with wider optical absorption peak and enhanced absorption intensity. The Raman signal for Rhodamine B molecules based on the Au/graphene oxide/Ag sandwich nanostructure substrate were obviously enhanced due to the bimetal layer and GO layer with tunable absorption intensity and fluorescence quenching effects.

  19. FaceSheet Push-off Tests to Determine Composite Sandwich Toughness at Cryogenic Temperatures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gates, Thomas S.; Herring, Helen M.

    2001-01-01

    A new novel test method, associated analysis, and experimental procedures are developed to investigate the toughness of the facesheet-to-core interface of a sandwich material at cryogenic temperatures. The test method is designed to simulate the failure mode associated with facesheet debonding from high levels of gas pressure in the sandwich core. The effects of specimen orientation are considered, and the results of toughness measurements are presented. Comparisons are made between room and liquid nitrogen (-196 C) test temperatures. It was determined that the test method is insensitive to specimen facesheet orientation and strain energy release rate increases with a decrease in the test temperature.

  20. Linkage analysis: Inadequate for detecting susceptibility loci in complex disorders?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Field, L.L.; Nagatomi, J. [Univ. of Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

    1994-09-01

    Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) may provide valuable clues about approaches to detecting susceptibility loci in other oligogenic disorders. Numerous studies have demonstrated significant association between IDDM and a VNTR in the 5{prime} flanking region of the insulin (INS) gene. Paradoxically, all attempts to demonstrate linkage of IDDM to this VNTR have failed. Lack of linkage has been attributed to insufficient marker locus information, genetic heterogeneity, or high frequency of the IDDM-predisposing allele in the general population. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is located 2.7 kb from INS on the 5` side of the VNTR and shows linkage disequilibrium with INS region loci. We typed a highly polymorphic microsatellite within TH in 176 multiplex families, and performed parametric (lod score) linkage analysis using various intermediate reduced penetrance models for IDDM (including rare and common disease allele frequencies), as well as non-parametric (affected sib pair) linkage analysis. The scores significantly reject linkage for recombination values of .05 or less, excluding the entire 19 kb region containing TH, the 5{prime} VNTR, the INS gene, and IGF2 on the 3{prime} side of INS. Non-parametric linkage analysis also provided no significant evidence for linkage (mean TH allele sharing 52.5%, P=.12). These results have important implications for efforts to locate genes predisposing to complex disorders, strongly suggesting that regions which are significantly excluded by linkage methods may nevertheless contain predisposing genes readily detectable by association methods. We advocate that investigators routinely perform association analyses in addition to linkage analyses.

  1. Analyse des structures en sandwich de type panneaux composites renforcés en nanoparticules soumises à un impact mécanique

    OpenAIRE

    RAMAKRISHNAN , Karthik Ram

    2014-01-01

    Sandwich structures are lightweight structures composed of two thin, relatively dense, high strength facesheets that are glued on either side of a thick, low density core, such as foams or honeycombs. Sandwich panels with fibre reinforced plastic skins and core of polymer foam represent an important class of lightweight structural materials in many areas of such as aeronautics and aerospace, automotive and marine structures. However, some of these sandwich structures have very limited energy ...

  2. Design of X-joints in Sandwich Structures for Naval Vessels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hayman, Brian; Berggreen, Christian; Lundsgaard-Larsen, Christian

    2007-01-01

    In many naval ships of fibre composite sandwich construction, an X-joint exists where the end bulkhead of the superstructure is attached to the deck, with an internal bulkhead placed in the same vertical plane below the deck. This joint is subjected to alternating tensile and compressive loading...

  3. Detection of QTL for Carcass Quality on Chromosome 6 by Exploiting Linkage and Linkage Disequilibrium in Hanwoo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.-H. Lee

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to improve mapping power and resolution for the QTL influencing carcass quality in Hanwoo, which was previously detected on the bovine chromosome (BTA 6. A sample of 427 steers were chosen, which were the progeny from 45 Korean proven sires in the Hanwoo Improvement Center, Seosan, Korea. The samples were genotyped with the set of 2,535 SNPs on BTA6 that were imbedded in the Illumina bovine 50 k chip. A linkage disequilibrium variance component mapping (LDVCM method, which exploited both linkage between sires and their steers and population-wide linkage disequilibrium, was applied to detect QTL for four carcass quality traits. Fifteen QTL were detected at 0.1% comparison-wise level, for which five, three, five, and two QTL were associated with carcass weight (CWT, backfat thickness (BFT, longissimus dorsi muscle area (LMA, and marbling score (Marb, respectively. The number of QTL was greater compared with our previous results, in which twelve QTL for carcass quality were detected on the BTA6 in the same population by applying other linkage disequilibrium mapping approaches. One QTL for LMA was detected on the distal region (110,285,672 to 110,633,096 bp with the most significant evidence for linkage (p<10−5. Another QTL that was detected on the proximal region (33,596,515 to 33,897,434 bp was pleiotrophic, i.e. influencing CWT, BFT, and LMA. Our results suggest that the LDVCM is a good alternative method for QTL fine-mapping in detection and characterization of QTL.

  4. A general model for likelihood computations of genetic marker data accounting for linkage, linkage disequilibrium, and mutations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kling, Daniel; Tillmar, Andreas; Egeland, Thore; Mostad, Petter

    2015-09-01

    Several applications necessitate an unbiased determination of relatedness, be it in linkage or association studies or in a forensic setting. An appropriate model to compute the joint probability of some genetic data for a set of persons given some hypothesis about the pedigree structure is then required. The increasing number of markers available through high-density SNP microarray typing and NGS technologies intensifies the demand, where using a large number of markers may lead to biased results due to strong dependencies between closely located loci, both within pedigrees (linkage) and in the population (allelic association or linkage disequilibrium (LD)). We present a new general model, based on a Markov chain for inheritance patterns and another Markov chain for founder allele patterns, the latter allowing us to account for LD. We also demonstrate a specific implementation for X chromosomal markers that allows for computation of likelihoods based on hypotheses of alleged relationships and genetic marker data. The algorithm can simultaneously account for linkage, LD, and mutations. We demonstrate its feasibility using simulated examples. The algorithm is implemented in the software FamLinkX, providing a user-friendly GUI for Windows systems (FamLinkX, as well as further usage instructions, is freely available at www.famlink.se ). Our software provides the necessary means to solve cases where no previous implementation exists. In addition, the software has the possibility to perform simulations in order to further study the impact of linkage and LD on computed likelihoods for an arbitrary set of markers.

  5. Featured Image: New Detail in the Toothbrush Cluster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2018-01-01

    This spectacular composite (click here for the full image) reveals the galaxy cluster 1RXS J0603.3+4214, known as the Toothbrush cluster due to the shape of its most prominent radio relic. Featured in a recent publication led by Kamlesh Rajpurohit (Thuringian State Observatory, Germany), this image contains new Very Large Array (VLA) 1.5-GHz observations (red) showing the radio emission within the cluster. This is composited with a Chandra view of the X-ray emitting gas of the cluster (blue) and an optical image of the background from Subaru data. The new deep VLA data totaling 26 hours of observations provides a detailed look at the complex structure within the Toothbrush relic, revealing enigmatic filaments and twists (see below). This new data will help us to explore the possible merger history of this cluster, which is theorized to have caused the unusual shapes we see today. For more information, check out the original article linked below.High resolution VLA 12 GHz image of the Toothbrush showing the complex, often filamentary structures. [Rajpurohit et al. 2018]CitationK. Rajpurohit et al 2018 ApJ 852 65. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa9f13

  6. Mapping of yield, yield stability, yield adaptability and other traits in barley using linkage disequilibrium mapping and linkage analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kraakman, A.T.W.

    2005-01-01

    Plants is mostly done through linkage analysis. A segregating mapping population Identification and mappping of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) in is created from a bi-parental cross and linkages between trait values and mapped markers reveal the positions ofQTLs. In

  7. Two-locus linkage analysis in multiple sclerosis (MS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tienari, P.J. (National Public Health Institute, Helsinki (Finland) Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)); Terwilliger, J.D.; Ott, J. (Columbia Univ., New York (United States)); Palo, J. (Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)); Peltonen, L. (National Public Health Institute, Helsinki (Finland))

    1994-01-15

    One of the major challenges in genetic linkage analyses is the study of complex diseases. The authors demonstrate here the use of two-locus linkage analysis in multiple sclerosis (MS), a multifactorial disease with a complex mode of inheritance. In a set of Finnish multiplex families, they have previously found evidence for linkage between MS susceptibility and two independent loci, the myelin basic protein gene (MBP) on chromosome 18 and the HLA complex on chromosome 6. This set of families provides a unique opportunity to perform linkage analysis conditional on two loci contributing to the disease. In the two-trait-locus/two-marker-locus analysis, the presence of another disease locus is parametrized and the analysis more appropriately treats information from the unaffected family member than single-disease-locus analysis. As exemplified here in MS, the two-locus analysis can be a powerful method for investigating susceptibility loci in complex traits, best suited for analysis of specific candidate genes, or for situations in which preliminary evidence for linkage already exists or is suggested. 41 refs., 6 tabs.

  8. EarthShape: A Strategy for Investigating the Role of Biota on Surface Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Übernickel, Kirstin; Ehlers, Todd Alan; von Blanckenburg, Friedhelm; Paulino, Leandro

    2017-04-01

    EarthShape - "Earth surface shaping by biota" is a 6-year priority research program funded by the German science foundation (DFG-SPP 1803) that performs soil- and landscape-scale critical zone research at 4 locations along a climate gradient in Chile, South America. The program is in its first year and involves an interdisciplinary collaboration between geologists, geomorphologists, ecologists, soil scientists, microbiologists, geophysicists, geochemists, hydrogeologists and climatologists including 18 German and 8 Chilean institutions. EarthShape is composed of 4 research clusters representing the process chain from weathering of substrate to deposition of eroded material. Cluster 1 explores micro-biota as the "weathering engine". Investigations in this cluster quantify different mechanisms of biogenic weathering whereby plants, fungi, and bacteria interact with rock in the production of soil. Cluster 2 explores bio-mediated redistribution of material within the weathering zone. Studies in this cluster focus on soil catenas along hill slope profiles to investigate the modification of matter along its transport path. Cluster 3 explores biotic modulation of erosion and sediment routing at the catchment scale. Investigations in this cluster explore the effects of vegetation cover on solute and sediment transport from hill slopes to the channel network. Cluster 4 explores the depositional legacy of coupled biogenic and Earth surface systems. This cluster investigates records of vegetation-land surface interactions in different depositional settings. A final component of EarthShape lies in the integration of results from these 4 clusters using numerical models to bridging between the diverse times scales used by different disciplines. The Chilean Coastal Cordillera between 25° and 40°S was selected to carry out this research because its north-south orientation captures a large ecological and climate gradient. This gradient ranges from hyper-arid (Atacama desert) to

  9. Sandwich-panels based on penopolisocyanurate and mineral wool

    OpenAIRE

    Burtzeva M.; Mednikova E.

    2017-01-01

    Sandwich panel is a self-supporting structure consisting of two steel zinc-coated profiles with a layer of heat retainer. It is used as roofing and walling material. Widely is used in industrial construction, shopping centres, sports complexes, chilling and freezing chambers, storage buildings and quickly erectable housing. The classical basis of heat-insulating layer (core panel) products is used mineral wool insulation materials. This material is resistant to deformation, non-flammable,...

  10. Label-free super sandwich electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor for the determination of the HIV gene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruan, Sanpeng; Li, Zhejian; Qi, Honglan; Gao, Qiang; Zhang, Chengxiao

    2014-01-01

    We describe a highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) based method for the determination of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) gene. A long-range self-assembled double strand DNA (ds-DNA) is used as a carrier, and the ruthenium complex Ru(phen) 3 2+ as an ECL indicator for signal amplification. The thiolated ss-DNA serving as a capture probe is firstly self-assembled on the surface of a gold electrode. After the target HIV-1 gene is completely hybridized with the capture probe, two previously hybridized auxiliary probes are hybridized with the target HIV-1 gene to form long-range super sandwich ds-DNA polymers on the surface of the electrode. Finally, the ECL indicator is intercalated into the super sandwich ds-DNA grooves. This results in a strongly increased ECL in tripropylamine solution because a large fraction of the intercalator is intercalated into super sandwich ds-DNA. The results showed that the increased ECL intensity is directly related to the logarithm of the concentration of the HIV-1 gene in the range from 0.1 pM to 0.1 nM, with a detection limit of 0.022 pM and using only 10 μL of analyte samples. The method can effectively discriminate target HIV-1 gene (a perfectly matched ss-DNA) from a 2-base mismatched ss-DNA. This work demonstrates that the high sensitivity and selectivity of an ECL DNA biosensor can be largely improved by using super sandwich ds-DNA along with ECL indicators. (author)

  11. Aptamer-conjugated silver nanoparticles for electrochemical dual-aptamer-based sandwich detection of staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbaspour, Abdolkarim; Norouz-Sarvestani, Fatemeh; Noori, Abolhassan; Soltani, Noushin

    2015-06-15

    Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most important human pathogens and causes numerous illnesses. In this study, we report a sensitive and highly selective dual-aptamer-based sandwich immunosensor for the detection of S. aureus. In this bioassay system, a biotinylated primary anti-S.aureus aptamer was immobilized on streptavidin coated magnetic beads (MB), which serves as a capture probe. A secondary anti-S.aureus aptamer was conjugated to silver nanoparticles (Apt-AgNP) that sensitively reports the detection of the target. In the presence of target bacterium, an Apt/S.aureus/apt-AgNP sandwich complex is formed on the MB surface and the electrochemical signal of AgNPs followed through anodic stripping voltammetry. The proposed sandwich assay benefits from advantageous of a sandwich assay for increased specificity, MB as carriers of affinity ligands for solution-phase recognition and fast magnetic separation, AgNPs for signal amplification, and an electrochemical stripping voltammetry read-out as a simple and sensitive detection. The electrochemical immunosensor shows an extended dynamic range from 10 to 1×10(6) cfu/mL with a low detection limit of 1.0 cfu/mL (S/N=3). Furthermore, the possible interference of other analog bacteria was studied. To assess the general applicability of this sensor, we investigated the quantification of S. aureus in real water samples. The results were compared to the experimental results obtained from a plate counting method, which demonstrated an acceptable consistency. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Sandwich-type tetrakis(phthalocyaninato) dysprosium-cadmium quadruple-decker SMM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hailong; Qian, Kang; Wang, Kang; Bian, Yongzhong; Jiang, Jianzhuang; Gao, Song

    2011-09-14

    Homoleptic tetrakis[2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octa(butyloxy)phthalocyaninato] dysprosium-cadmium quadruple-decker complex 1 was isolated in relatively good yield of 43% from a simple one-pot reaction. This compound represents the first sandwich-type tetrakis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth-cadmium quadruple-decker SMM that has been structurally characterized. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

  13. THE INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF NEUTRAL POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CLUSTERS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ricca, Alessandra; Bauschlicher, Charles W. Jr.; Allamandola, Louis J.

    2013-01-01

    The mid-infrared spectra of neutral homogeneous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) clusters have been computed using density functional theory including an empirical correction for dispersion. The C-H out-of-plane bending modes are redshifted for all the clusters considered in this work. The magnitude of the redshift and the peak broadening are dependent on PAH size, shape, and on the PAH arrangement in the cluster

  14. THE INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF NEUTRAL POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CLUSTERS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ricca, Alessandra [Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute, 189 Bernardo Avenue, Suite 100, Mountain View, CA 94043 (United States); Bauschlicher, Charles W. Jr. [Entry Systems and Technology Division, Mail Stop 230-3, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Allamandola, Louis J., E-mail: Alessandra.Ricca-1@nasa.gov, E-mail: Charles.W.Bauschlicher@nasa.gov [Space Science Division, Mail Stop 245-6, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States)

    2013-10-10

    The mid-infrared spectra of neutral homogeneous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) clusters have been computed using density functional theory including an empirical correction for dispersion. The C-H out-of-plane bending modes are redshifted for all the clusters considered in this work. The magnitude of the redshift and the peak broadening are dependent on PAH size, shape, and on the PAH arrangement in the cluster.

  15. Linkage of microbial ecology to phenotype: correlation of rumen microbial ecology to cattle's feed efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Le Luo; Nkrumah, Joshua D; Basarab, John A; Moore, Stephen S

    2008-11-01

    Linkage of rumen microbial structure to host phenotypical traits may enhance the understanding of host-microbial interactions in livestock species. This study used culture-independent PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) to investigate the microbial profiles in the rumen of cattle differing in feed efficiency. The analysis of detectable bacterial PCR-DGGE profiles showed that the profiles generated from efficient steers clustered together and were clearly separated from those obtained from inefficient steers, indicating that specific bacterial groups may only inhabit in efficient steers. In addition, the bacterial profiles were more likely clustered within a certain breed, suggesting that host genetics may play an important role in rumen microbial structure. The correlations between the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and feed efficiency traits were also observed. Significantly higher concentrations of butyrate (P < 0.001) and valerate (P = 0.006) were detected in the efficient steers. Our results revealed potential associations between the detectable rumen microbiota and its fermentation parameters with the feed efficiency of cattle.

  16. CO2 laser photolysis of clustered ions, (1)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikezoe, Yasumasa; Soga, Takeshi; Suzuki, Kazuya; Ohno, Shin-ichi.

    1990-09-01

    Vibrational excitation and the following decomposition of cluster ions by CO 2 laser photons are studied. Characteristics of the cluster ion and the CO 2 laser photon are summarized in their relation to the photolysis of cluster ions. An apparatus was installed, which is composed of (1) corona discharge-jet expansion section (formation of cluster ions), (2) CO 2 laser section (photolysis of cluster ions), and (3) mass spectrometer section. Experimental results of ammonia cluster ions were described. Effects of repeller voltage, shape of repellers, and adiabatic cooling are examined on the formation of ammonia cluster ions by corona discharge-jet expansion method. Collisional dissociation of cluster ions was observed at high repeller voltages. Size distribution of the ammonia cluster ion is discussed in connection with the temperature of cluster ions. Intensity of CO 2 laser was related to decomposition yield of cluster ions. (author)

  17. Using Bureaucratic and Cultural Linkages to Improve Instruction: The Principal's Contribution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firestone, William A.; Wilson, Bruce L.

    1985-01-01

    Principals can influence teachers and instructional behavior by working through linkage mechanisms within the organizational structure of the school. Two types of linkages are identified: bureaucratic and cultural. Principals have access to linkages of both kinds; using linkages effectively, they can generate a common purpose in their schools. (MD)

  18. An Assessment of the Speed Reading Ability of Sandwich Students ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The paper discusses the concept and usefulness of rapid reading. It also reports a study in which the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Nigeria Sandwich students formed the subjects. Their pre-training reading speed and comprehension scores were determined through a pre-test, after which they were subjected to ...

  19. Analytical and Numerical Study of Foam-Filled Corrugated Core Sandwich Panels under Low Velocity Impact

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Nouri Damghani

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Analytical and finite element simulations are used to predict the effect of core density on the energy absorption of composite sandwich panels under low-velocity impact. The composite sandwich panel contains two facesheets and a foam-filled corrugated core. Analytical model is defined as a two degree-of-freedom system based on equivalent mass, spring, and dashpot to predict the local and global deformation response of a simply supported panel. The results signify a good agreement between analytical and numerical predictions.

  20. Thermal performance of capillary micro tubes integrated into the sandwich element made of concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikeska, Tomas; Svendsen, Svend

    2013-01-01

    integrated into the thin plate of sandwich element made of HPC can supply the energy needed for heating and cooling. The investigations were conceived as a low temperature concept, where the difference between the temperature of circulating fluid and air in the room was kept in range of 1 to 4°C. © (2013......The thermal performance of radiant heating and cooling systems (RHCS) composed of capillary micro tubes (CMT) integrated into the inner plate of sandwich elements made of High Performance Concrete (HPC) was investigated in the article. Temperature distribution in HPC elements around integrated CMT...

  1. Face/core debond fatigue crack growth characterization using the sandwich mixed mode bending specimen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manca, Marcello; Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian

    2012-01-01

    Face/core fatigue crack growth in foam-cored sandwich composites is examined using the mixed mode bending (MMB) test method. The mixed mode loading at the debond crack tip is controlled by changing the load application point in the MMB test fixture. Sandwich specimens were manufactured using H45...... and H100 PVC foam cores and E-glass/polyester face sheets. All specimens were pre-cracked in order to define a sharp crack front. The static debond fracture toughness for each material configuration was measured at different mode-mixity phase angles. Fatigue tests were performed at 80% of the static...

  2. Experimental investigation of interfacial crack arrest in sandwich beams subjected to fatigue loading using a novel crack arresting device

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martakos, G.; Andreasen, J.H.; Berggreen, Christian

    2017-01-01

    A recently proposed face-sheet–core interface crack arresting device is implemented in sandwich beams and tested using the Sandwich Tear Test configuration. Fatigue loading conditions are applied to propagate the crack and determine the effect of the crack stopper on the fatigue growth rate and a...

  3. Relation between financial market structure and the real economy: comparison between clustering methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musmeci, Nicoló; Aste, Tomaso; Di Matteo, T

    2015-01-01

    We quantify the amount of information filtered by different hierarchical clustering methods on correlations between stock returns comparing the clustering structure with the underlying industrial activity classification. We apply, for the first time to financial data, a novel hierarchical clustering approach, the Directed Bubble Hierarchical Tree and we compare it with other methods including the Linkage and k-medoids. By taking the industrial sector classification of stocks as a benchmark partition, we evaluate how the different methods retrieve this classification. The results show that the Directed Bubble Hierarchical Tree can outperform other methods, being able to retrieve more information with fewer clusters. Moreover,we show that the economic information is hidden at different levels of the hierarchical structures depending on the clustering method. The dynamical analysis on a rolling window also reveals that the different methods show different degrees of sensitivity to events affecting financial markets, like crises. These results can be of interest for all the applications of clustering methods to portfolio optimization and risk hedging [corrected].

  4. Relation between financial market structure and the real economy: comparison between clustering methods.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicoló Musmeci

    Full Text Available We quantify the amount of information filtered by different hierarchical clustering methods on correlations between stock returns comparing the clustering structure with the underlying industrial activity classification. We apply, for the first time to financial data, a novel hierarchical clustering approach, the Directed Bubble Hierarchical Tree and we compare it with other methods including the Linkage and k-medoids. By taking the industrial sector classification of stocks as a benchmark partition, we evaluate how the different methods retrieve this classification. The results show that the Directed Bubble Hierarchical Tree can outperform other methods, being able to retrieve more information with fewer clusters. Moreover,we show that the economic information is hidden at different levels of the hierarchical structures depending on the clustering method. The dynamical analysis on a rolling window also reveals that the different methods show different degrees of sensitivity to events affecting financial markets, like crises. These results can be of interest for all the applications of clustering methods to portfolio optimization and risk hedging [corrected].

  5. Using Self-Organizing Map (SOM) Clusters of Ozonesonde Profiles to Evaluate Climatologies and Create Linkages between Meteorology and Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stauffer, R. M.; Thompson, A. M.; Young, G. S.; Oltmans, S. J.; Johnson, B.

    2016-12-01

    Ozone (O3) climatologies are typically created by averaging ozonesonde profiles on a monthly or seasonal basis, either for specific regions or zonally. We demonstrate the advantages of using a statistical clustering technique, self-organizing maps (SOM), over this simple averaging, through analysis of more than 4500 sonde profiles taken from the long-term US sites at Boulder, CO; Huntsville, AL; Trinidad Head, CA; and Wallops Island, VA. First, we apply SOM to O3 mixing ratios from surface to 12 km amsl. At all four sites, profiles in SOM clusters exhibit similar tropopause height, 500 hPa height and temperature, and total and tropospheric column O3. Second, when profiles from each SOM cluster are compared to monthly O3 means, near-tropopause O3 in three of the clusters is double (over +100 ppbv) the climatological O3 mixing ratio. The three clusters include 13-16% of all profiles, mostly from winter and spring. Large mid-tropospheric deviations from monthly means are found in two highly-populated clusters that represent either distinctly polluted (summer) or clean O3 (fall-winter, high tropopause) profiles. Thus, SOM indeed appear to represent US O3 profile statistics better than conventional climatologies. In the case of Trinidad Head, SOM clusters of O3 profile data from the lower troposphere (surface-6 km amsl) can discriminate background vs polluted O3 and the meteorology associated with each. Two of nine O3 clusters exhibit thin layers ( 100s of m thick) of high O3, typically between 1 and 4 km. Comparisons between clusters and downwind, high-altitude surface O3 measurements display a marked impact of the elevated tropospheric O­­3. Days corresponding to the high O3 clusters exhibit hourly surface O3 anomalies at surface sites of +5 -10 ppbv compared to a climatology; the anomalies can last up to four days. We also explore applications of SOM to tropical ozonesonde profiles, where tropospheric O3 variability is generally smaller.

  6. Segmental sandwich osteotomy and tunnel technique for three-dimensional reconstruction of the jaw atrophy: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santagata, Mario; Sgaramella, Nicola; Ferrieri, Ivo; Corvo, Giovanni; Tartaro, Gianpaolo; D'Amato, Salvatore

    2017-12-01

    A three-dimensionally favourable mandibular bone crest is desirable to be able to successfully implant placement to meet the aesthetic and functional criteria in the implant-prosthetic rehabilitation. Several surgical procedures have been advocated for bone augmentation of the atrophic mandible, and the sandwich osteotomy is one of these techniques. The aim of the present case report was to assess the suitability of segmental mandibular sandwich osteotomy combined with a tunnel technique of soft tissue. Based on our knowledge, nobody described before the sandwich osteotomy with tunnel technique to improve the healing of the wound and meet the dimensional requirements of preimplant bone augmentation in cases of a severely atrophic mandible. A 59-year-old woman with a severely atrophied right mandible was treated with the sandwich osteotomy technique filled with autologous bone graft harvested by a cortical bone collector from the ramus. Clinical examination revealed that the mandible was edentulous bilaterally from the first molar to the second molar region. Radiographically, atrophy of the mandibular alveolar ridge in the same teeth site was observed. We began to treat the right side. A horizontal osteotomy of the edentulous mandibular bone was then made with a piezoelectric device after tunnel technique of the soft tissue. The segmental mandibular sandwich osteotomy (SMSO) was finished by two (mesial and distal) slightly divergent vertical osteotomies. The entire bone fragment was displaced cranially, and the desirable position was obtained. The gap was filled completely with autologous bone chips harvested from the mandibular ramus through a cortical bone collector. No barrier membranes were used to protect the grafts. The vertical incisions were closing with interruptive suturing of the flaps with a resorbable material. In this way, the suture will not fall on the osteotomy line of the jaw; the result will be a better predictability of soft and hard tissue

  7. Active structural health monitoring of composite plates and sandwiches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadílek P.

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of presented work is to design, assemble and test a functional system, that is able to reveal damage from impact loading. This is done by monitoring of change of spectral characteristics on a damaged structure that is caused by change of mechanical properties of material or by change of structure’s geometry. Excitation and monitoring of structures was done using piezoelectric patches. Unidirectional composite plate was tested for eigenfrequencies using chirp signal. The eigenfrequencies were compared to results from experiments with an impact hammer and consequently with results from finite element method. Same method of finding eigenfrequencies was used on a different unidirectional composite specimen. Series of impacts were performed. Spectrum of eigenfrequencies was measured on undamaged plate and then after each impact. Measurements of the plate with different level of damage were compared. Following experiments were performed on sandwich materials where more different failures may happen. Set of sandwich beams (cut out from one plate made of two outer composite layers and a foam core was investigated and subjected to several impacts. Several samples were impacted in the same manner to get comparable results. The impacts were performed with growing impact energy.

  8. Effects of manganese doping on the structure evolution of small-sized boron clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Lingquan; Qu, Xin; Wang, Yanchao; Lv, Jian; Zhang, Lijun; Hu, Ziyu; Gu, Guangrui; Ma, Yanming

    2017-07-01

    Atomic doping of clusters is known as an effective approach to stabilize or modify the structures and properties of resulting doped clusters. We herein report the effect of manganese (Mn) doping on the structure evolution of small-sized boron (B) clusters. The global minimum structures of both neutral and charged Mn doped B cluster \\text{MnB}nQ (n  =  10-20 and Q  =  0, ±1) have been proposed through extensive first-principles swarm-intelligence based structure searches. It is found that Mn doping has significantly modified the grow behaviors of B clusters, leading to two novel structural transitions from planar to tubular and then to cage-like B structures in both neutral and charged species. Half-sandwich-type structures are most favorable for small \\text{MnB}n-/0/+ (n  ⩽  13) clusters and gradually transform to Mn-centered double-ring tubular structures at \\text{MnB}16-/0/+ clusters with superior thermodynamic stabilities compared with their neighbors. Most strikingly, endohedral cages become the ground-state structures for larger \\text{MnB}n-/0/+ (n  ⩾  19) clusters, among which \\text{MnB}20+ adopts a highly symmetric structure with superior thermodynamic stability and a large HOMO-LUMO gap of 4.53 eV. The unique stability of the endohedral \\text{MnB}\\text{20}+ cage is attributed to the geometric fit and formation of 18-electron closed-shell configuration. The results significantly advance our understanding about the structure and bonding of B-based clusters and strongly suggest transition-metal doping as a viable route to synthesize intriguing B-based nanomaterials.

  9. Distribution of lod scores in oligogenic linkage analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, J T; North, K E; Martin, L J; Comuzzie, A G; Göring, H H; Blangero, J

    2001-01-01

    In variance component oligogenic linkage analysis it can happen that the residual additive genetic variance bounds to zero when estimating the effect of the ith quantitative trait locus. Using quantitative trait Q1 from the Genetic Analysis Workshop 12 simulated general population data, we compare the observed lod scores from oligogenic linkage analysis with the empirical lod score distribution under a null model of no linkage. We find that zero residual additive genetic variance in the null model alters the usual distribution of the likelihood-ratio statistic.

  10. Absolute activity measurements with the windowless 4π-CsI(Tl)-sandwich spectrometer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denecke, B.

    1994-01-01

    The windowless 4π-CsI(Tl)-sandwich spectrometer consists of two scintillation crystals sandwiching radioactive sources deposited on thin plastic foils. This configuration has a solid angle very close to 4π sr. The detectors are sensitive to charged particles with energies > 15 keV and measure photons of 15-200 keV with a probability > 98%. Disintegration rates of samples of radionuclides with complex decay modes can be determined directly from the measured count rates with uncertainties below 0.3%. Radionuclide solutions of 57 Co, 109 Cd, 125 I, 152 Eu and 192 Ir were standardised, partly in the framework of international comparisons. A detailed description of the spectrometer and the measurement procedure is given. (orig.)

  11. Absolute activity measurements with the windowless 4π-CsI(Tl)-sandwich spectrometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denecke, B.

    1994-01-01

    The windowless 4π-CsI(Tl)-sandwich spectrometer consists of two scintillation crystals sandwiching radioactive sources deposited on thin plastic foils. This configuration has a solid angle very close to 4π sr. The detectors are sensitive to charged particles with energies > 15 keV and measure photons of 15-200 keV with a probability > 98%. Disintegration rates of samples of radionuclides with complex decay modes can be determined directly from the measured count rates with uncertainties below 0.3%. Radionuclide solutions of 57Co, 109Cd, 125I, 152Eu and 192Ir were standardised, partly in the framework of international comparisons. A detailed description of the spectrometer and the measurement procedure is given.

  12. Data Linkage: A powerful research tool with potential problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott Ian

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Policy makers, clinicians and researchers are demonstrating increasing interest in using data linked from multiple sources to support measurement of clinical performance and patient health outcomes. However, the utility of data linkage may be compromised by sub-optimal or incomplete linkage, leading to systematic bias. In this study, we synthesize the evidence identifying participant or population characteristics that can influence the validity and completeness of data linkage and may be associated with systematic bias in reported outcomes. Methods A narrative review, using structured search methods was undertaken. Key words "data linkage" and Mesh term "medical record linkage" were applied to Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL databases between 1991 and 2007. Abstract inclusion criteria were; the article attempted an empirical evaluation of methodological issues relating to data linkage and reported on patient characteristics, the study design included analysis of matched versus unmatched records, and the report was in English. Included articles were grouped thematically according to patient characteristics that were compared between matched and unmatched records. Results The search identified 1810 articles of which 33 (1.8% met inclusion criteria. There was marked heterogeneity in study methods and factors investigated. Characteristics that were unevenly distributed among matched and unmatched records were; age (72% of studies, sex (50% of studies, race (64% of studies, geographical/hospital site (93% of studies, socio-economic status (82% of studies and health status (72% of studies. Conclusion A number of relevant patient or population factors may be associated with incomplete data linkage resulting in systematic bias in reported clinical outcomes. Readers should consider these factors in interpreting the reported results of data linkage studies.

  13. A chemically stable electrolyte with a novel sandwiched structure for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs)

    KAUST Repository

    Bi, Lei

    2013-11-01

    A chemically stable electrolyte structure was developed for proton-conducting SOFCs by using two layers of stable BaZr0.7Pr 0.1Y0.2O3 -δ to sandwich a highly-conductive but unstable BaCe0.8Y0.2O 3 -δ electrolyte layer. The sandwiched electrolyte structure showed good chemical stability in both CO2 and H2O atmosphere, indicating that the BZPY layers effectively protect the inner BCY electrolyte, while the BCY electrolyte alone decomposed completely under the same conditions. Fuel cell prototypes fabricated with the sandwiched electrolyte achieved a relatively high performance of 185 mW cm- 2 at 700 C, with a high electrolyte film conductivity of 4 × 10- 3 S cm- 1 at 600 C. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

  14. Design and test of lightweight sandwich T-joint for naval ships

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Toftegaard, H.; Lystrup, Aa.

    2005-01-01

    Within the EUCLID project, 'Survivability, Durability and Performance of Naval Composite Structures', one task is to develop improved fibre composite joints for naval ship super structures. One type of joint in such a super structure is a T-joint between sandwich panels. An existing design consists...... of panels joined by filler and overlaminates of the same thickness as the skin laminates. Various improved T-joints have been designed and investigated. Some with focus on improved strength (survivability), and others with focus on reduced weight. This paper describes the design and test of a sandwich T...... triangles). A method for a finite element (FE) parameter study is developed and used for selection of a promising (strong) configuration of the T-joint. Tensile (pull-out) tests are performed to load the core triangles and filler in tension and the strength and failure mode are compared both with the FE...

  15. Weld nugget formation in resistance spot welding of new lightweight sandwich material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sagüés Tanco, J.; Nielsen, Chris Valentin; Chergui, Azeddine

    2015-01-01

    Weldability of a new lightweight sandwich material, LITECOR®, by resistance spot welding is analyzed by experiments and numerical simulations. The spot welding process is accommodated by a first pulse squeezing out the non-conductive polymer core of the sandwich material locally to allow metal......–metal contact. This is facilitated by the use of a shunt tool and is followed by a second pulse for the actual spot welding and nugget formation. A weldability lobe in the time-current space of the second pulse reveals a process window of acceptable size for automotive assembly lines. Weld growth curves...... with experimental results in the range of welding parameters leading to acceptable weld nugget sizes. The validated accuracy of the commercially available software proves the tool useful for assisting the choice of welding parameters....

  16. Genome-wide linkage scan for colorectal cancer susceptibility genes supports linkage to chromosome 3q

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Velculescu Victor E

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality. The disease is clinically and genetically heterogeneous though a strong hereditary component has been identified. However, only a small proportion of the inherited susceptibility can be ascribed to dominant syndromes, such as Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC or Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP. In an attempt to identify novel colorectal cancer predisposing genes, we have performed a genome-wide linkage analysis in 30 Swedish non-FAP/non-HNPCC families with a strong family history of colorectal cancer. Methods Statistical analysis was performed using multipoint parametric and nonparametric linkage. Results Parametric analysis under the assumption of locus homogeneity excluded any common susceptibility regions harbouring a predisposing gene for colorectal cancer. However, several loci on chromosomes 2q, 3q, 6q, and 7q with suggestive linkage were detected in the parametric analysis under the assumption of locus heterogeneity as well as in the nonparametric analysis. Among these loci, the locus on chromosome 3q21.1-q26.2 was the most consistent finding providing positive results in both parametric and nonparametric analyses Heterogeneity LOD score (HLOD = 1.90, alpha = 0.45, Non-Parametric LOD score (NPL = 2.1. Conclusion The strongest evidence of linkage was seen for the region on chromosome 3. Interestingly, the same region has recently been reported as the most significant finding in a genome-wide analysis performed with SNP arrays; thus our results independently support the finding on chromosome 3q.

  17. An estimating function approach to linkage heterogeneity

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Testing linkage heterogeneity between two loci is an important issue in genetics. Currently, there are ... on linkage heterogeneity can help people to better understand complex .... χ2(F − 2) + cχ2 (1), where c is a constant (see Appendix). Here, it can be ..... gin, ancestry, gender, age, etc., for purpose of dividing sub- groups to ...

  18. Bayesian linkage and segregation analysis: factoring the problem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthysse, S

    2000-01-01

    Complex segregation analysis and linkage methods are mathematical techniques for the genetic dissection of complex diseases. They are used to delineate complex modes of familial transmission and to localize putative disease susceptibility loci to specific chromosomal locations. The computational problem of Bayesian linkage and segregation analysis is one of integration in high-dimensional spaces. In this paper, three available techniques for Bayesian linkage and segregation analysis are discussed: Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), importance sampling, and exact calculation. The contribution of each to the overall integration will be explicitly discussed.

  19. Radiation-induced microcrystal shape change as a mechanism of wasteform degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojovan, Michael I.; Burakov, Boris E.; Lee, William E.

    2018-04-01

    Experiments with actinide-containing insulating wasteforms such as devitrified glasses containing 244Cm, Ti-pyrochlore, single-phase La-monazite, Pu-monazite ceramics, Eu-monazite and zircon single crystals containing 238Pu indicate that mechanical self-irradiation-induced destruction may not reveal itself for many years (even decades). The mechanisms causing these slowly-occurring changes remain unknown therefore in addition to known mechanisms of wasteform degradation such as matrix swelling and loss of solid solution we have modelled the damaging effects of electrical fields induced by the decay of radionuclides in clusters embedded in a non-conducting matrix. Three effects were important: (i) electric breakdown; (ii) cluster shape change due to dipole interaction, and (iii) cluster shape change due to polarisation interaction. We reveal a critical size of radioactive clusters in non-conducting matrices so that the matrix material can be damaged if clusters are larger than this critical size. The most important parameters that control the matrix integrity are the radioactive cluster (inhomogeneity) size, specific radioactivity, and effective matrix electrical conductivity. We conclude that the wasteform should be as homogeneous as possible and even electrically conductive to avoid potential damage caused by electrical charges induced by radioactive decay.

  20. Mobile assemblies of Bennett linkages from four-crease origami patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiao; Chen, Yan

    2018-02-01

    This paper deals with constructing mobile assemblies of Bennett linkages inspired by four-crease origami patterns. A transition technique has been proposed by taking the thick-panel form of an origami pattern as an intermediate bridge. A zero-thickness rigid origami pattern and its thick-panel form share the same sector angles and folding behaviours, while the thick-panel origami and the mobile assembly of linkages are kinematically equivalent with differences only in link profiles. Applying this transition technique to typical four-crease origami patterns, we have found that the Miura-ori and graded Miura-ori patterns lead to assemblies of Bennett linkages with identical link lengths. The supplementary-type origami patterns with different mountain-valley crease assignments correspond to different types of Bennett linkage assemblies with negative link lengths. And the identical linkage-type origami pattern generates a new mobile assembly. Hence, the transition technique offers a novel approach to constructing mobile assemblies of spatial linkages from origami patterns.

  1. Sandwich-Architectured Poly(lactic acid)-Graphene Composite Food Packaging Films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goh, Kunli; Heising, Jenneke K; Yuan, Yang; Karahan, Huseyin E; Wei, Li; Zhai, Shengli; Koh, Jia-Xuan; Htin, Nanda M; Zhang, Feimo; Wang, Rong; Fane, Anthony G; Dekker, Matthijs; Dehghani, Fariba; Chen, Yuan

    2016-04-20

    Biodegradable food packaging promises a more sustainable future. Among the many different biopolymers used, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) possesses the good mechanical property and cost-effectiveness necessary of a biodegradable food packaging. However, PLA food packaging suffers from poor water vapor and oxygen barrier properties compared to many petroleum-derived ones. A key challenge is, therefore, to simultaneously enhance both the water vapor and oxygen barrier properties of the PLA food packaging. To address this issue, we design a sandwich-architectured PLA-graphene composite film, which utilizes an impermeable reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as the core barrier and commercial PLA films as the outer protective encapsulation. The synergy between the barrier and the protective encapsulation results in a significant 87.6% reduction in the water vapor permeability. At the same time, the oxygen permeability is reduced by two orders of magnitude when evaluated under both dry and humid conditions. The excellent barrier properties can be attributed to the compact lamellar microstructure and the hydrophobicity of the rGO core barrier. Mechanistic analysis shows that the large rGO lateral dimension and the small interlayer spacing between the rGO sheets have created an extensive and tortuous diffusion pathway, which is up to 1450-times the thickness of the rGO barrier. In addition, the sandwiched architecture has imbued the PLA-rGO composite film with good processability, which increases the manageability of the film and its competency to be tailored. Simulations using the PLA-rGO composite food packaging film for edible oil and potato chips also exhibit at least eight-fold extension in the shelf life of these oxygen and moisture sensitive food products. Overall, these qualities have demonstrated the high potential of a sandwich-architectured PLA-graphene composite film for food packaging applications.

  2. Dissection of the major late blight resistance cluster on potato linkage group IV

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lokossou, A.A.

    2010-01-01

    Potato is consumed worldwide and represents the fourth most important staple food crop after rice and wheat. Potato cultivars display a large variety of color, shape, taste, cooking properties and starch content but are all derived from the same species; Solanum tuberosum. Potato breeding is an

  3. Palate Shape and Depth: A Shape-Matching and Machine Learning Method for Estimating Ancestry from Human Skeletal Remains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maier, Christopher A; Zhang, Kang; Manhein, Mary H; Li, Xin

    2015-09-01

    In the past, assessing ancestry relied on the naked eye and observer experience; however, replicability has become an important aspect of such analysis through the application of metric techniques. This study examines palate shape and assesses ancestry quantitatively using a 3D digitizer and shape-matching and machine learning methods. Palate curves and depths were recorded, processed, and tested for 376 individuals. Palate shape was an accurate indicator of ancestry in 58% of cases. Cluster analysis revealed that the parabolic, hyperbolic, and elliptical shapes are discrete from one another. Preliminary results indicate that palate depth in Hispanic individuals is greatest. Palate shape appears to be a useful indicator of ancestry, particularly when assessed by a computer. However, these data suggest that palate shape is not useful for assessing ancestry in Hispanic individuals. Although ancestry may be determined from palate shape, the use of multiple features is recommended and more reliable. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  4. A High-Order Theory for the Analysis of Circular Cylindrical Composite Sandwich Shells with Transversely Compliant Core Subjected to External Loads

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rahmani, Omid; Khalili, S.M.R.; Thomsen, Ole Thybo

    2012-01-01

    A new model based on the high order sandwich panel theory is proposed to study the effect of external loads on the free vibration of circular cylindrical composite sandwich shells with transversely compliant core, including also the calculation of the buckling loads. In the present model......, which is based on a 3D elasticity solution for the core material, can be used as a benchmark in future studies of the free vibration and buckling of circular cylindrical composite sandwich shells with a transversely compliant core....

  5. Additive-manufactured sandwich lattice structures: A numerical and experimental investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fergani, Omar; Tronvoll, Sigmund; Brøtan, Vegard; Welo, Torgeir; Sørby, Knut

    2017-10-01

    The utilization of additive-manufactured lattice structures in engineered products is becoming more and more common as the competitiveness of AM as a production technology has increased during the past several years. Lattice structures may enable important weight reductions as well as open opportunities to build products with customized functional properties, thanks to the flexibility of AM for producing complex geometrical configurations. One of the most critical aspects related to taking AM into new application areas—such as safety critical products—is currently the limited understanding of the mechanical behavior of sandwich-based lattice structure mechanical under static and dynamic loading. In this study, we evaluate manufacturability of lattice structures and the impact of AM processing parameters on the structural behavior of this type of sandwich structures. For this purpose, we conducted static compression testing for a variety of geometry and manufacturing parameters. Further, the study discusses a numerical model capable of predicting the behavior of different lattice structure. A reasonably good correlation between the experimental and numerical results was observed.

  6. Proof-of-principle functionals for the shape function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ayers, Paul W.

    2005-01-01

    Recently, it has been shown that the density per particle, or shape function, determines all the properties of molecules and, more generally, finite Coulomb systems (e.g., clusters). Here, we provide numerical evidence for this 'existence' theorem, showing that atomic properties (specifically the kinetic energy and exchange energy) have simple approximate expressions in terms of the shape function. While the accuracy of our results is limited, this provides 'proof-of-principle' evidence that shape-functional theory represents an alternative to density-functional theory for finite Coulomb systems

  7. Mapping of yield, yield stability, yield adaptability and other traits in barley using linkage disequilibrium mapping and linkage analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Kraakman, A.T.W.

    2005-01-01

    Plants is mostly done through linkage analysis. A segregating mapping population Identification and mappping of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) in is created from a bi-parental cross and linkages between trait values and mapped markers reveal the positions ofQTLs. Inthisstudyweexploredlinkagedisequilibrium(LD)mappingof traits in a set of modernbarleycultivars. LDbetweenmolecularmarkerswasfoundup to a distance of 10 centimorgan,whichislargecomparedtootherspecies.Thelarge distancemightbeinducedb...

  8. The young star cluster population of M51 with LEGUS - I. A comprehensive study of cluster formation and evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messa, M.; Adamo, A.; Östlin, G.; Calzetti, D.; Grasha, K.; Grebel, E. K.; Shabani, F.; Chandar, R.; Dale, D. A.; Dobbs, C. L.; Elmegreen, B. G.; Fumagalli, M.; Gouliermis, D. A.; Kim, H.; Smith, L. J.; Thilker, D. A.; Tosi, M.; Ubeda, L.; Walterbos, R.; Whitmore, B. C.; Fedorenko, K.; Mahadevan, S.; Andrews, J. E.; Bright, S. N.; Cook, D. O.; Kahre, L.; Nair, P.; Pellerin, A.; Ryon, J. E.; Ahmad, S. D.; Beale, L. P.; Brown, K.; Clarkson, D. A.; Guidarelli, G. C.; Parziale, R.; Turner, J.; Weber, M.

    2018-01-01

    Recently acquired WFC3 UV (F275W and F336W) imaging mosaics under the Legacy Extragalactic UV Survey (LEGUS), combined with archival ACS data of M51, are used to study the young star cluster (YSC) population of this interacting system. Our newly extracted source catalogue contains 2834 cluster candidates, morphologically classified to be compact and uniform in colour, for which ages, masses and extinction are derived. In this first work we study the main properties of the YSC population of the whole galaxy, considering a mass-limited sample. Both luminosity and mass functions follow a power-law shape with slope -2, but at high luminosities and masses a dearth of sources is observed. The analysis of the mass function suggests that it is best fitted by a Schechter function with slope -2 and a truncation mass at 1.00 ± 0.12 × 105 M⊙. Through Monte Carlo simulations, we confirm this result and link the shape of the luminosity function to the presence of a truncation in the mass function. A mass limited age function analysis, between 10 and 200 Myr, suggests that the cluster population is undergoing only moderate disruption. We observe little variation in the shape of the mass function at masses above 1 × 104 M⊙ over this age range. The fraction of star formation happening in the form of bound clusters in M51 is ∼ 20 per cent in the age range 10-100 Myr and little variation is observed over the whole range from 1 to 200 Myr.

  9. Structure and physical properties of silicon clusters and of vacancy clusters in bulk silicon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sieck, A.

    2000-01-01

    In this thesis the growth-pattern of free silicon clusters and vacancy clusters in bulk silicon is investigated. The aim is to describe and to better understand the cluster to bulk transition. Silicon structures in between clusters and solids feature new interesting physical properties. The structure and physical properties of silicon clusters can be revealed by a combination of theory and experiment, only. Low-energy clusters are determined with different optimization techniques and a density-functional based tight-binding method. Additionally, infrared and Raman spectra, and polarizabilities calculated within self-consistent field density-functional theory are provided for the smaller clusters. For clusters with 25 to 35 atoms an analysis of the shape of the clusters and the related mobilities in a buffer gas is given. Finally, the clusters observed in low-temperature experiments are identified via the best match between calculated properties and experimental data. Silicon clusters with 10 to 15 atoms have a tricapped trigonal prism as a common subunit. Clusters with up to about 25 atoms follow a prolate growth-path. In the range from 24 to 30 atoms the geometry of the clusters undergoes a transition towards compact spherical structures. Low-energy clusters with up to 240 atoms feature a bonding pattern strikingly different from the tetrahedral bonding in the solid. It follows that structures with dimensions of several Angstroem have electrical and optical properties different from the solid. The calculated stabilities and positron-lifetimes of vacancy clusters in bulk silicon indicate the positron-lifetimes of about 435 ps detected in irradiated silicon to be related to clusters of 9 or 10 vacancies. The vacancies in these clusters form neighboring hexa-rings and, therefore, minimize the number of dangling bonds. (orig.)

  10. Stopping of hypervelocity clusters in solids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anders, Christian; Ziegenhain, Gerolf; Urbassek, Herbert M; Bringa, Eduardo M

    2011-01-01

    Using molecular-dynamics simulations, we study the processes underlying the stopping of energetic clusters upon impact in matter. We investigate self-bombardment of both a metallic (Cu) and a van-der-Waals bonded (frozen Ar) target. Clusters with sizes up to N = 10 4 atoms and with energies per atom of E/N = 0.1-1600 eV atom -1 were studied. We find that the stopping force exerted on a cluster follows an N 2/3 -dependence with cluster size N; thus large clusters experience less stopping than equi-velocity atoms. In the course of being stopped, the cluster is strongly deformed and attains a roughly pancake shape. Due to the cluster inertia, maximum deformation occurs later than the maximum stopping force. The time scale of projectile stopping is set by t 0 , the time the cluster needs to cover its own diameter before impacting the target; it thus depends on both cluster size and velocity. The time when the cluster experiences its maximum stopping force is around (0.7-0.8)t 0 . We find that the cluster is deformed with huge strain rates of around 1/2t 0 ; this amounts to 10 11 -10 13 s -1 for the cases studied here. (paper)

  11. Record linkage for pharmacoepidemiological studies in cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herk-Sukel, Myrthe P P van; Lemmens, Valery E P P; Poll-Franse, Lonneke V van de; Herings, Ron M C; Coebergh, Jan Willem W

    2012-01-01

    An increasing need has developed for the post-approval surveillance of (new) anti-cancer drugs by means of pharmacoepidemiology and outcomes research in the area of oncology. To create an overview that makes researchers aware of the available database linkages in Northern America and Europe which facilitate pharmacoepidemiology and outcomes research in cancer patients. In addition to our own database, i.e. the Eindhoven Cancer Registry (ECR) linked to the PHARMO Record Linkage System, we considered database linkages between a population-based cancer registry and an administrative healthcare database that at least contains information on drug use and offers a longitudinal perspective on healthcare utilization. Eligible database linkages were limited to those that had been used in multiple published articles in English language included in Pubmed. The HMO Cancer Research Network (CRN) in the US was excluded from this review, as an overview of the linked databases participating in the CRN is already provided elsewhere. Researchers who had worked with the data resources included in our review were contacted for additional information and verification of the data presented in the overview. The following database linkages were included: the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results-Medicare; cancer registry data linked to Medicaid; Canadian cancer registries linked to population-based drug databases; the Scottish cancer registry linked to the Tayside drug dispensing data; linked databases in the Nordic Countries of Europe: Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark; and the ECR-PHARMO linkage in the Netherlands. Descriptives of the included database linkages comprise population size, generalizability of the population, year of first data availability, contents of the cancer registry, contents of the administrative healthcare database, the possibility to select a cancer-free control cohort, and linkage to other healthcare databases. The linked databases offer a longitudinal

  12. A guide to evaluating linkage quality for the analysis of linked data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harron, Katie L; Doidge, James C; Knight, Hannah E; Gilbert, Ruth E; Goldstein, Harvey; Cromwell, David A; van der Meulen, Jan H

    2017-10-01

    Linked datasets are an important resource for epidemiological and clinical studies, but linkage error can lead to biased results. For data security reasons, linkage of personal identifiers is often performed by a third party, making it difficult for researchers to assess the quality of the linked dataset in the context of specific research questions. This is compounded by a lack of guidance on how to determine the potential impact of linkage error. We describe how linkage quality can be evaluated and provide widely applicable guidance for both data providers and researchers. Using an illustrative example of a linked dataset of maternal and baby hospital records, we demonstrate three approaches for evaluating linkage quality: applying the linkage algorithm to a subset of gold standard data to quantify linkage error; comparing characteristics of linked and unlinked data to identify potential sources of bias; and evaluating the sensitivity of results to changes in the linkage procedure. These approaches can inform our understanding of the potential impact of linkage error and provide an opportunity to select the most appropriate linkage procedure for a specific analysis. Evaluating linkage quality in this way will improve the quality and transparency of epidemiological and clinical research using linked data. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

  13. Numerical comparison of patch and sandwich piezoelectric transducers for transmitting ultrasonic waves

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Loveday, PW

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available in the waveguide. Piezoelectric patch transducers are frequently employed, by researchers, for exciting waves in beam like structures. Sonar systems frequently make use of resonant transducers, such as sandwich transducers, for acoustic wave generation...

  14. Agriculture–Tourism Linkages in Botswana: Evidence from the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tourism researchers are increasingly recognising that strengthened linkages between the sectors of tourism and agriculture are significant for maximising local multipliers and especially for pro-poor impacts. This article examines the linkages between the tourism and agriculture sectors in Botswana using evidence ...

  15. Ballistic resistance of honeycomb sandwich panels under in-plane high-velocity impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Chang; Yang, Shu; Wang, Dong; Yang, Li-Jun

    2013-01-01

    The dynamic responses of honeycomb sandwich panels (HSPs) subjected to in-plane projectile impact were studied by means of explicit nonlinear finite element simulations using LS-DYNA. The HSPs consisted of two identical aluminum alloy face-sheets and an aluminum honeycomb core featuring three types of unit cell configurations (regular, rectangular-shaped, and reentrant hexagons). The ballistic resistances of HSPs with the three core configurations were first analyzed. It was found that the HSP with the reentrant auxetic honeycomb core has the best ballistic resistance, due to the negative Poisson's ratio effect of the core. Parametric studies were then carried out to clarify the influences of both macroscopic (face-sheet and core thicknesses, core relative density) and mesoscopic (unit cell angle and size) parameters on the ballistic responses of the auxetic HSPs. Numerical results show that the perforation resistant capabilities of the auxetic HSPs increase as the values of the macroscopic parameters increase. However, the mesoscopic parameters show nonmonotonic effects on the panels' ballistic capacities. The empirical equations for projectile residual velocities were formulated in terms of impact velocity and the structural parameters. It was also found that the blunter projectiles result in higher ballistic limits of the auxetic HSPs.

  16. Immunodiagnosis of fascioliasis using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Fasciola gigantica paramyosin antigen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abou-Elhakam, Hany Mohamed Adel; Bauomy, Ibraheem Rabia; El Deeb, Somaya Osman; El Amir, Azza Mohamed

    2013-01-01

    Background: Many immunological techniques have been developed over years using the different Fasciola antigens for diagnosis of parasitic infection and to replace the parasitological techniques, which are time consuming and usually lack sensitivity and reproducibility. Materials and Methods: In this study, Fasciola gigantica paramyosin (Pmy) antigen was early detected in cattle sera using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to evaluate the Pmy antigen performance in diagnosis. This work was conducted on 135 cattle blood samples, which were classified according to parasitological investigation into, healthy control (30), fascioliasis (75), and other parasites (30) groups. Results: The sensitivity of Sandwich ELISA was 97.33%, and the specificity was 95%, in comparison with parasitological examination, which recorded 66.66% sensitivity and 100% specificity, respectively. Conclusions: It was clear that the native F. gigantica Pmy is considered as a powerful antigen in early immunodiagnosis of fascioliasis, using a highly sensitive and specific sandwich ELISA technique. PMID:23961441

  17. Clusters and Financial Resources Management in the Context of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana Trandafir

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Defined by "the co-location of producers, services providers, educational and research institutions, financial institutions and other private and government institutions related through linkages of different types", clusters can be "engines" of global economic development. Beyond the competitive advantages, clusters promote regional specialization in their field of activity, the regions thus becoming different, but interconnected. In the context of intent cluster-ization at European level and at the European Parliament’s call for the “re-industrialization of Europe”, the paper examines the critical role of clusters in the context of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (SUERD from the financial resources management perspective and it concludes the macro-region of 14 Danube riparian countries, attracting European funds, able to bring prosperity and growth passing through the Danubian innovative clusters. The analysis uses the most recent official data, official documents published by the European Commission and other institutions in the field.

  18. Atomically precise arrays of fluorescent silver clusters: a modular approach for metal cluster photonics on DNA nanostructures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Copp, Stacy M; Schultz, Danielle E; Swasey, Steven; Gwinn, Elisabeth G

    2015-03-24

    The remarkable precision that DNA scaffolds provide for arraying nanoscale optical elements enables optical phenomena that arise from interactions of metal nanoparticles, dye molecules, and quantum dots placed at nanoscale separations. However, control of ensemble optical properties has been limited by the difficulty of achieving uniform particle sizes and shapes. Ligand-stabilized metal clusters offer a route to atomically precise arrays that combine desirable attributes of both metals and molecules. Exploiting the unique advantages of the cluster regime requires techniques to realize controlled nanoscale placement of select cluster structures. Here we show that atomically monodisperse arrays of fluorescent, DNA-stabilized silver clusters can be realized on a prototypical scaffold, a DNA nanotube, with attachment sites separated by <10 nm. Cluster attachment is mediated by designed DNA linkers that enable isolation of specific clusters prior to assembly on nanotubes and preserve cluster structure and spectral purity after assembly. The modularity of this approach generalizes to silver clusters of diverse sizes and DNA scaffolds of many types. Thus, these silver cluster nano-optical elements, which themselves have colors selected by their particular DNA templating oligomer, bring unique dimensions of control and flexibility to the rapidly expanding field of nano-optics.

  19. Vibration and Acoustic Response of Rectangular Sandwich Plate under Thermal Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan Liu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we focus on the vibration and acoustic response of a rectangular sandwich plate which is subjected to a concentrated harmonic force under thermal environment. The critical buckling temperature is obtained to decide the thermal load. The natural frequencies and modes as well as dynamic responses are acquired by using the analytical formulations based on equivalent non-classical theory, in which the effects of shear deformation and rotational inertia are taken into account. The rise of thermal load decreases the natural frequencies and moves response peaks to the low-frequency range. The specific features of sandwich plates with different formations are discussed subsequently. As the thickness ratio of facing to core increases, the natural frequencies are enlarged, and the response peaks float to the high-frequency region. Raising the Young's modulus of the core can cause the similar trends. The accuracy of the theoretical method is verified by comparing its results with those computed by the FEM/BEM.

  20. Luminous arcs in clusters of galaxies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lynds, R.; Petrosian, V.

    1989-01-01

    Observations are reported of what appears to be a new class of spatially coherent extragalactic features having, in the two most compelling known examples, the following joint properties: location in clusters of galaxies, narrow arclike shape, enormous apparent length, and situation of center of curvature toward both a cD galaxy and the apparent center of gravity of the cluster. The principal available facts concerning the arcs are presented and a variety of interpretations are briefly discussed. The weight of evidence seems to favor the interpretation that these features are images of more distant objects produced by the gravitational field of the intervening clusters. 24 references