Strongly correlated perovskite fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, You; Guan, Xiaofei; Zhou, Hua; Ramadoss, Koushik; Adam, Suhare; Liu, Huajun; Lee, Sungsik; Shi, Jian; Tsuchiya, Masaru; Fong, Dillon D.; Ramanathan, Shriram

2016-06-01

Fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy with high efficiencies and environmental benefits, as compared with traditional heat engines. Yttria-stabilized zirconia is perhaps the material with the most potential as an electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), owing to its stability and near-unity ionic transference number. Although there exist materials with superior ionic conductivity, they are often limited by their ability to suppress electronic leakage when exposed to the reducing environment at the fuel interface. Such electronic leakage reduces fuel cell power output and the associated chemo-mechanical stresses can also lead to catastrophic fracture of electrolyte membranes. Here we depart from traditional electrolyte design that relies on cation substitution to sustain ionic conduction. Instead, we use a perovskite nickelate as an electrolyte with high initial ionic and electronic conductivity. Since many such oxides are also correlated electron systems, we can suppress the electronic conduction through a filling-controlled Mott transition induced by spontaneous hydrogen incorporation. Using such a nickelate as the electrolyte in free-standing membrane geometry, we demonstrate a low-temperature micro-fabricated SOFC with high performance. The ionic conductivity of the nickelate perovskite is comparable to the best-performing solid electrolytes in the same temperature range, with a very low activation energy. The results present a design strategy for high-performance materials exhibiting emergent properties arising from strong electron correlations.

Strongly nonlinear free vibration of four edges simply supported stiffened plates with geometric imperfections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Zhaoting; Wang, Rong Hui; Chen, Li; Dong, Chung Uang [School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China)

2016-08-15

This article investigated the strongly nonlinear free vibration of four edges simply supported stiffened plates with geometric imperfections. The von Karman nonlinear strain-displacement relationships are applied. The nonlinear vibration of stiffened plate is reduced to a one-degree-of-freedom nonlinear system by assuming mode shapes. The Multiple scales Lindstedt-Poincare method (MSLP) and Modified Lindstedt-Poincare method (MLP) are used to solve the governing equations of vibration. Numerical examples for stiffened plates with different initial geometric imperfections are presented in order to discuss the influences to the strongly nonlinear free vibration of the stiffened plate. The results showed that: the frequency ratio reduced as the initial geometric imperfections of plate increased, which showed that the increase of the initial geometric imperfections of plate can lead to the decrease of nonlinear effect; by comparing the results calculated by MSLP method, using MS method to study strongly nonlinear vibration can lead to serious mistakes.

A comparative study of surface waves inversion techniques at strong motion recording sites in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Panagiotis C. Pelekis,; Savvaidis, Alexandros; Kayen, Robert E.; Vlachakis, Vasileios S.; Athanasopoulos, George A.

2015-01-01

Surface wave method was used for the estimation of Vs vs depth profile at 10 strong motion stations in Greece. The dispersion data were obtained by SASW method, utilizing a pair of electromechanical harmonic-wave source (shakers) or a random source (drop weight). In this study, three inversion techniques were used a) a recently proposed Simplified Inversion Method (SIM), b) an inversion technique based on a neighborhood algorithm (NA) which allows the incorporation of a priori information regarding the subsurface structure parameters, and c) Occam's inversion algorithm. For each site constant value of Poisson's ratio was assumed (ν=0.4) since the objective of the current study is the comparison of the three inversion schemes regardless the uncertainties resulting due to the lack of geotechnical data. A penalty function was introduced to quantify the deviations of the derived Vs profiles. The Vs models are compared as of Vs(z), Vs30 and EC8 soil category, in order to show the insignificance of the existing variations. The comparison results showed that the average variation of SIM profiles is 9% and 4.9% comparing with NA and Occam's profiles respectively whilst the average difference of Vs30 values obtained from SIM is 7.4% and 5.0% compared with NA and Occam's.

Strong selective sweeps associated with ampliconic regions in great ape X chromosomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nam, Kiwoong; Munch, Kasper; Hobolth, Asger

2014-01-01

The unique inheritance pattern of X chromosomes makes them preferential targets of adaptive evolution. We here investigate natural selection on the X chromosome in all species of great apes. We find that diversity is more strongly reduced around genes on the X compared with autosomes...... with ampliconic sequences we propose that intra-genomic conflict between the X and the Y chromosomes is a major driver of X chromosome evolution....

Photoprotection, photosynthesis and growth of tropical tree seedlings under near-ambient and strongly reduced solar ultraviolet-B radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, G Heinrich; Jahns, Peter; Virgo, Aurelio; García, Milton; Aranda, Jorge; Wellmann, Eckard; Winter, Klaus

2007-10-01

Seedlings of two late-successional tropical rainforest tree species, Tetragastris panamensis (Engler) O. Kuntze and Calophyllum longifolium (Willd.), were field grown for 3-4 months at an open site near Panama City (9 degrees N), Panama, under plastic films that either transmitted or excluded most solar UV-B radiation. Experiments were designed to test whether leaves developing under bright sunlight with strongly reduced UV-B are capable of acclimating to near-ambient UV-B conditions. Leaves of T. panamensis that developed under near-ambient UV-B contained higher amounts of UV-absorbing substances than leaves of seedlings grown under reduced UV-B. Photosynthetic pigment composition, content of alpha-tocopherol, CO(2) assimilation, potential photosystem II (PSII) efficiency (evaluated by F(v)/F(m) ratios) and growth of T. panamensis and C. longifolium did not differ between seedlings developed under near-ambient and reduced solar UV-B. When seedlings were transferred from the reduced UV-B treatment to the near-ambient UV-B treatment, a pronounced inhibition of photosynthetic capacity was observed initially in both species. UV-B-mediated inhibition of photosynthetic capacity nearly fully recovered within 1 week of the transfer in C. longifolium, whereas in T. panamensis an about 35% reduced capacity of CO(2) uptake was maintained. A marked increase in UV-absorbing substances was observed in foliage of transferred T. panamensis seedlings. Both species exhibited enhanced mid-day photoinhibition of PSII immediately after being transferred from the reduced UV-B to the near-ambient UV-B treatment. This effect was fully reversible within 1d in T. panamensis and within a few days in C. longifolium. The data show that leaves of these tropical tree seedlings, when developing in full-spectrum sunlight, are effectively protected against high solar UV-B radiation. In contrast, leaves developing under conditions of low UV-B lacked sufficient UV protection. They experienced a

Expression of DIAPH1 is up-regulated in colorectal cancer and its down-regulation strongly reduces the metastatic capacity of colon carcinoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yuan-Na; Izbicki, Jakob R; König, Alexandra; Habermann, Jens K; Blechner, Christine; Lange, Tobias; Schumacher, Udo; Windhorst, Sabine

2014-04-01

In most cases, metastatic colorectal cancer is not curable, thus new approaches are necessary to identify novel targets for colorectal cancer therapy. Actin-binding-proteins (ABPs) directly regulate motility of metastasising tumor cells, and for cortactin an association with colon cancer metastasis has been already shown. However, as its depletion only incompletely inhibits metastasis, additional, more suitable cellular targets have to be identified. Here we analyzed expression of the ABPs, DIAPH1, VASP, N-WASP, and fascin in comparison with cortactin and found that, besides cortactin, DIAPH1 was expressed with the highest frequency (63%) in colorectal cancer. As well as cortactin, DIAPH1 was not detectable in normal colon tissue and expression of both proteins was positively correlated with metastasis of colorectal cancer. To analyse the mechanistic role of DIAPH1 for metastasis of colon carcinoma cells in comparison with cortactin, expression of the proteins was stably down-regulated in the human colon carcinoma cell lines HT-29, HROC-24 and HCT-116. Analysis of metastasis of colon carcinoma cells in SCID mice revealed that depletion of DIAPH1 reduced metastasis 60-fold and depletion of cortactin 16-fold as compared with control cells. Most likely the stronger effect of DIAPH1 depletion on colon cancer metastasis is due to the fact that in vitro knock down of DIAPH1 impaired all steps of metastasis; adhesion, invasion and migration while down-regulation of cortactin only reduced adhesion and invasion. This very strong reducing effect of DIAPH1 depletion on colon carcinoma cell metastasis makes the protein a promising therapeutic target for individualized colorectal cancer therapy. © 2013 UICC.

Reducing biases on H0 measurements using strong lensing and galaxy dynamics: results from the EAGLE simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Tagore, Amitpal S.; Barnes, David J.; Jackson, Neal; Kay, Scott T.; Schaller, Matthieu; Schaye, Joop; Theuns, Tom

2018-03-01

Cosmological parameter constraints from observations of time-delay lenses are becoming increasingly precise. However, there may be significant bias and scatter in these measurements due to, among other things, the so-called mass-sheet degeneracy. To estimate these uncertainties, we analyse strong lenses from the largest EAGLE hydrodynamical simulation. We apply a mass-sheet transformation to the radial density profiles of lenses, and by selecting lenses near isothermality, we find that the bias on H0 can be reduced to 5 per cent with an intrinsic scatter of 10 per cent, confirming previous results performed on a different simulation data set. We further investigate whether combining lensing observables with kinematic constraints helps to minimize this bias. We do not detect any significant dependence of the bias on lens model parameters or observational properties of the galaxy, but depending on the source-lens configuration, a bias may still exist. Cross lenses provide an accurate estimate of the Hubble constant, while fold (double) lenses tend to be biased low (high). With kinematic constraints, double lenses show bias and intrinsic scatter of 6 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, while quad lenses show bias and intrinsic scatter of 0.5 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. For lenses with a reduced χ2 > 1, a power-law dependence of the χ2 on the lens environment (number of nearby galaxies) is seen. Lastly, we model, in greater detail, the cases of two double lenses that are significantly biased. We are able to remove the bias, suggesting that the remaining biases could also be reduced by carefully taking into account additional sources of systematic uncertainty.

Growing Platinum-Ruthenium-Tin ternary alloy nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide for strong ligand effect toward enhanced ethanol oxidation reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Qing Qing; Zhang, Lian Ying; Zhao, Zhi Liang; Li, Chang Ming

2017-11-15

Uniform Pt 1 Ru 0.5 Sn 0.5 ternary alloy nanoparticles are in situ deposited on reduced graphene oxide (Pt 1 Ru 0.5 Sn 0.5 -RGO) through its functional groups and defects as nucleation sites to greatly electrocatalyze ethanol oxidation reaction for much higher mass current densities, larger apparent specific current densities and better stability than commercial Pt-C catalyst (Pt-C(commer)). Mechanistic studies indicate that the excellent electrocatalytic activity and anti-poisoning are resulted from a strong ligand effect of the ternary alloy components, in which the charge transfer is boosted while decreasing the density of states close to the Fermi level of Pt to reduce bond energy between Pt and CO-like adsorbates for greatly improved anti-poisoning ability. This work holds a great promise to fabricate a high performance anode catalyst with a low Pt loading for direct ethanol fuel cells. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Strong Coupling Corrections in Quantum Thermodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Perarnau-Llobet, M.; Wilming, H.; Riera, A.; Gallego, R.; Eisert, J.

2018-03-01

Quantum systems strongly coupled to many-body systems equilibrate to the reduced state of a global thermal state, deviating from the local thermal state of the system as it occurs in the weak-coupling limit. Taking this insight as a starting point, we study the thermodynamics of systems strongly coupled to thermal baths. First, we provide strong-coupling corrections to the second law applicable to general systems in three of its different readings: As a statement of maximal extractable work, on heat dissipation, and bound to the Carnot efficiency. These corrections become relevant for small quantum systems and vanish in first order in the interaction strength. We then move to the question of power of heat engines, obtaining a bound on the power enhancement due to strong coupling. Our results are exemplified on the paradigmatic non-Markovian quantum Brownian motion.

Strong imploding shock, the representative curve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishkin, E.A.; Alejaldre, C.

1981-01-01

The representative curve of the ideal gas behind the front of a spherically, or cylindrically, symmetric strong imploding shock is shown to pass through the point where the reduced pressure is maximum, P(xisub(m)) = Psub(m)sub(a)sub(x). (orig.)

Strong enhancement of transport by interaction on contact links

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bohr, Dan; Schmitteckert, P.

2007-01-01

Strong repulsive interactions within a one-dimensional Fermi system in a two-probe configuration normally lead to a reduced off-resonance conductance. We show that if the repulsive interaction extends to the contact regions, a strong increase of the conductance may occur, even for systems where o...

Comparing surgical trays with redundant instruments with trays with reduced instruments: a cost analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

John-Baptiste, A; Sowerby, L J; Chin, C J; Martin, J; Rotenberg, B W

2016-01-01

When prearranged standard surgical trays contain instruments that are repeatedly unused, the redundancy can result in unnecessary health care costs. Our objective was to estimate potential savings by performing an economic evaluation comparing the cost of surgical trays with redundant instruments with surgical trays with reduced instruments ("reduced trays"). We performed a cost-analysis from the hospital perspective over a 1-year period. Using a mathematical model, we compared the direct costs of trays containing redundant instruments to reduced trays for 5 otolaryngology procedures. We incorporated data from several sources including local hospital data on surgical volume, the number of instruments on redundant and reduced trays, wages of personnel and time required to pack instruments. From the literature, we incorporated instrument depreciation costs and the time required to decontaminate an instrument. We performed 1-way sensitivity analyses on all variables, including surgical volume. Costs were estimated in 2013 Canadian dollars. The cost of redundant trays was $21 806 and the cost of reduced trays was $8803, for a 1-year cost saving of $13 003. In sensitivity analyses, cost savings ranged from $3262 to $21 395, based on the surgical volume at the institution. Variation in surgical volume resulted in a wider range of estimates, with a minimum of $3253 for low-volume to a maximum of $52 012 for high-volume institutions. Our study suggests moderate savings may be achieved by reducing surgical tray redundancy and, if applied to other surgical specialties, may result in savings to Canadian health care systems.

A class of solutions for the strong gravity equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salam, A.; Strathdee, J.

1976-12-01

We solve the Einstein equation for strong gravity in the limit that weak gravity is neglected. The class of solutions we find reduces to the Schwarzschild solution (with the weak gravity Newtonian constant replaced by a strong coupling parameter) in the limit M 2 →0 where M is the mass of the strong gravity spin-2 meson. These solutions may be of relevance for the problem of defining temperature in hadronic physics

Comparing the use of Memantine with Dextromethorphan and Placebo to Reduce Pain before Orthopedic Surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrdad Taheri

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: To compare the use of Memantine with Dextromethorphan and placebo to reduce pain after orthopedic surgery.Materials and Methods: The present study was a double-blind clinical trial including180 patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery of the lower limbs. Patients were divided randomly into three groups of 60 patients each. The first group (Group M received 30 mg Memantine orally, the second group (Group D received 45 mg of Dextromethorphan and the third group (Group P received only placebo, two and a half hours before the operation. The intensity of pain (VAS score, sedation score, and nausea and vomiting were recorded postoperatively.Results: In this study, 60 patients were enrolled in each group. The total VAS (Visual Analogue Scale score was significantly lower among patients receiving Memantine and the satisfaction was significantly higher compared to the Dextromethorphan and placebo groups (P-value <0.001.Conclusion: The present study results indicate that Memantine has a relatively better outcome compared to Dextromethorphan or placebo in reducing the post surgical pain among patients undergoing orthopedic surgeries. It also reduced the need for post surgical opioid use and improved the patients’ satisfaction.  

Men without a sense of smell exhibit a strongly reduced number of sexual relationships, women exhibit reduced partnership security - a reanalysis of previously published data.

Science.gov (United States)

Croy, Ilona; Bojanowski, Viola; Hummel, Thomas

2013-02-01

Olfactory function influences social behavior. For instance, olfaction seems to play a key role in mate choice and helps detecting emotions in other people. In a previous study, we showed that people who were born without a sense of smell exhibit enhanced social insecurity. Based on the comments to this article we decided to have a closer look to whether the absence of the sense of smell affects men and women differently. Under this focus questionnaire data of 32 patients, diagnosed with isolated congenital anosmia (10 men, 22 women) and 36 age-matched healthy controls (15 men, 21 women) was reanalyzed. In result, men and women without a sense of smell reported enhanced social insecurity, but with different consequences: Men who were born without a sense of smell exhibit a strongly reduced number of sexual relationships and women are affected such that they feel less secure about their partner. This emphasizes the importance of the sense of smell for intimate relationships. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strong-field dissociation dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DiMauro, L.F.; Yang, Baorui.

1993-01-01

The strong-field dissociation behavior of diatomic molecules is examined under two distinctive physical scenarios. In the first scenario, the dissociation of the isolated hydrogen and deuterium molecular ions is discussed. The dynamics of above-threshold dissociation (ATD) are investigated over a wide range of green and infrared intensities and compared to a dressed-state model. The second situation arises when strong-field neutral dissociation is followed by ionization of the atomic fragments. The study results in a direct measure of the atomic fragment's ac-Stark shift by observing the intensity-dependent shifts in the electron or nuclear fragment kinetic energy. 8 figs., 14 refs

Charge transfer of He2+ with H in a strong magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Chun-Lei; Zou Shi-Yang; He Bin; Wang Jian-Guo

2015-01-01

By solving a time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE), we studied the electron capture process in the He 2+ +H collision system under a strong magnetic field in a wide projectile energy range. The strong enhancement of the total charge transfer cross section is observed for the projectile energy below 2.0 keV/u. With the projectile energy increasing, the cross sections will reduce a little and then increase again, compared with those in the field-free case. The cross sections to the states with different magnetic quantum numbers are presented and analyzed where the influence due to Zeeman splitting is obviously found, especially in the low projectile energy region. The comparison with other models is made and the tendency of the cross section varying with the projectile energy is found closer to that from other close coupling models. (paper)

A New Sugarcane Cystatin Strongly Binds to Dental Enamel and Reduces Erosion.

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago, A C; Khan, Z N; Miguel, M C; Gironda, C C; Soares-Costa, A; Pelá, V T; Leite, A L; Edwardson, J M; Buzalaf, M A R; Henrique-Silva, F

2017-08-01

Cystatin B was recently identified as an acid-resistant protein in acquired enamel pellicle; it could therefore be included in oral products to protect against caries and erosion. However, human recombinant cystatin is very expensive, and alternatives to its use are necessary. Phytocystatins are reversible inhibitors of cysteine peptidases that are found naturally in plants. In plants, they have several biological and physiological functions, such as the regulation of endogenous processes, defense against pathogens, and response to abiotic stress. Previous studies performed by our research group have reported high inhibitory activity and potential agricultural and medical applications of several sugarcane cystatins, including CaneCPI-1, CaneCPI-2, CaneCPI-3, and CaneCPI-4. In the present study, we report the characterization of a novel sugarcane cystatin, named CaneCPI-5. This cystatin was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli, and inhibitory assays demonstrated that it was a potent inhibitor of human cathepsins B, K, and L ( K i = 6.87, 0.49, and 0.34 nM, respectively). The ability of CaneCPI-5 to bind to dental enamel was evaluated using atomic force microscopy. Its capacity to protect against initial enamel erosion was also tested in vitro via changes in surface hardness. CaneCPI-5 showed a very large force of interaction with enamel (e.g., compared with mucin and casein) and significantly reduced initial enamel erosion. These results suggest that the inclusion of CaneCPIs in dental products might confer protection against enamel erosion.

Conduction properties of strongly interacting Fermions

Science.gov (United States)

Brantut, Jean-Philippe; Stadler, David; Krinner, Sebastian; Meineke, Jakob; Esslinger, Tilman

2013-05-01

We experimentally study the transport process of ultracold fermionic atoms through a mesoscopic, quasi two-dimensional channel connecting macroscopic reservoirs. By observing the current response to a bias applied between the reservoirs, we directly access the resistance of the channel in a manner analogous to a solid state conduction measurement. The resistance is further controlled by a gate potential reducing the atomic density in the channel, like in a field effect transistor. In this setup, we study the flow of a strongly interacting Fermi gas, and observe a striking drop of resistance with increasing density in the channel, as expected at the onset of superfluidity. We relate the transport properties to the in-situ evolution of the thermodynamic potential, providing a model independant thermodynamic scale. The resistance is compared to that of an ideal Fermi gas in the same geometry, which shows an order of magnitude larger resistance, originating from the contact resistance between the channel and the reservoirs. The extension of this study to a channel containing a tunable disorder is briefly outlined.

Strong correlation in acene sheets from the active-space variational two-electron reduced density matrix method: effects of symmetry and size.

Science.gov (United States)

Pelzer, Kenley; Greenman, Loren; Gidofalvi, Gergely; Mazziotti, David A

2011-06-09

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of organic molecules with importance in several branches of science, including medicine, combustion chemistry, and materials science. The delocalized π-orbital systems in PAHs require highly accurate electronic structure methods to capture strong electron correlation. Treating correlation in PAHs has been challenging because (i) traditional wave function methods for strong correlation have not been applicable since they scale exponentially in the number of strongly correlated orbitals, and (ii) alternative methods such as the density-matrix renormalization group and variational two-electron reduced density matrix (2-RDM) methods have not been applied beyond linear acene chains. In this paper we extend the earlier results from active-space variational 2-RDM theory [Gidofalvi, G.; Mazziotti, D. A. J. Chem. Phys. 2008, 129, 134108] to the more general two-dimensional arrangement of rings--acene sheets--to study the relationship between geometry and electron correlation in PAHs. The acene-sheet calculations, if performed with conventional wave function methods, would require wave function expansions with as many as 1.5 × 10(17) configuration state functions. To measure electron correlation, we employ several RDM-based metrics: (i) natural-orbital occupation numbers, (ii) the 1-RDM von Neumann entropy, (iii) the correlation energy per carbon atom, and (iv) the squared Frobenius norm of the cumulant 2-RDM. The results confirm a trend of increasing polyradical character with increasing molecular size previously observed in linear PAHs and reveal a corresponding trend in two-dimensional (arch-shaped) PAHs. Furthermore, in PAHs of similar size they show significant variations in correlation with geometry. PAHs with the strictly linear geometry (chains) exhibit more electron correlation than PAHs with nonlinear geometries (sheets).

Geomagnetic and strong static magnetic field effects on growth and chlorophyll a fluorescence in Lemna minor.

Science.gov (United States)

Jan, Luka; Fefer, Dušan; Košmelj, Katarina; Gaberščik, Alenka; Jerman, Igor

2015-04-01

The geomagnetic field (GMF) varies over Earth's surface and changes over time, but it is generally not considered as a factor that could influence plant growth. The effects of reduced and enhanced GMFs and a strong static magnetic field on growth and chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence of Lemna minor plants were investigated under controlled conditions. A standard 7 day test was conducted in extreme geomagnetic environments of 4 µT and 100 µT as well as in a strong static magnetic field environment of 150 mT. Specific growth rates as well as slow and fast Chl a fluorescence kinetics were measured after 7 days incubation. The results, compared to those of controls, showed that the reduced GMF significantly stimulated growth rate of the total frond area in the magnetically treated plants. However, the enhanced GMF pointed towards inhibition of growth rate in exposed plants in comparison to control, but the difference was not statistically significant. This trend was not observed in the case of treatments with strong static magnetic fields. Our measurements suggest that the efficiency of photosystem II is not affected by variations in GMF. In contrast, the strong static magnetic field seems to have the potential to increase initial Chl a fluorescence and energy dissipation in Lemna minor plants. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

arXiv Strong reduction of the effective radiation length in an oriented PWO scintillator crystal

CERN Document Server

Bandiera, L.; Romagnoni, M.; Argiolas, N.; Bagli, E.; Ballerini, G.; Berra, A.; Brizzolani, C.; Camattari, R.; De Salvador, D.; Haurylavets, V.; Mascagna, V.; Mazzolari, A.; Prest, M.; Soldani, M.; Sytov, A.; Vallazza, E.

We measured a considerable increase of the emitted radiation by 120 GeV/c electrons in an axially oriented lead tungstate scintillator crystal, if compared to the case in which the sample was not aligned with the beam direction. This enhancement resulted from the interaction of particles with the strong crystalline electromagnetic field. The data collected at the external lines of CERN SPS were critically compared to Monte Carlo simulations based on the Baier Katkov quasiclassical method, highlighting a reduction of the scintillator radiation length by a factor of five in case of beam alignment with the [001] crystal axes. The observed effect opens the way to the realization of compact electromagnetic calorimeters/detectors based on oriented scintillator crystals in which the amount of material can be strongly reduced with respect to the state of the art. These devices could have relevant applications in fixed-target experiments as well as in satellite-borne gamma-telescopes.

HALF-DOSE DEPOT TRIPTORELIN COMPARABLE TO REDUCED DAILY BUSERELIN: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Safdarian

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Pituitary suppression by depot GnRH agonist may be excessive for ovarian stimulation. This study compares the efficacy of a single half-dose depot triptorelin and reduced-dose daily buserelin in a long protocol ICSI/ET. METHODS: A total of 182 patients were randomized into two groups using sealed envelopes. Pituitary desensitization was obtained in group 1 (91 patients with half-dose (1.87 mg depot triptorelin in the mid-luteal phase of their menstrual cycle, and in group 2 (91 patients with standard daily dose (0.5 mg buserelin, which was then reduced to 0.25 mg at the start of human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG stimulation. RESULTS: No significant differences were found among those who received HCG in terms of clinical pregnancy rate (34.4% in both groups, implantation rate (14.8% in group 1 versus 11.1% in group 2, fertilization rate (93.3 versus 95.6%, poor response rate (11.1 versus 6.7%, and miscarriage rate (11.1 versus 7.8%. No significant differences were seen in number of HMG ampoules used, follicles at HCG administration, and oocytes retrieved. The number of days of stimulation was significantly reduced in group 2 (11.2 +/- 1.8 in group 1 versus 10.6 +/- 1.9, p = 0.030. CONCLUSION: A half-dose of depot triptorelin can be successfully used in ovarian stimulation instead of reduced-dose daily buserelin, with more patient comfort and reduced stress and cost of injections.

Morphological and physiological responses of two varieties of a highland species (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) growing under near-ambient and strongly reduced solar UV-B in a lowland location.

Science.gov (United States)

González, Juan A; Rosa, Mariana; Parrado, María F; Hilal, Mirna; Prado, Fernando E

2009-08-03

Morphological and physiological responses of seedlings to different solar UV-B irradiances were evaluated in two varieties of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), a crop species from Andean region of South America. Cristalina and Chucapaca varieties were grown at 1965m a.s.l in a glasshouse under natural light conditions for 18 days, and then transferred to outdoors under near-ambient (+UV-B) and strongly reduced (-UV-B) solar UV-B radiation. Exposition to -UV-B increased cotyledon area and seedling height in Cristalina variety whereas leaf number decreased compared to +UV-B. By contrast Chucapaca variety was not affected by UV-B treatments. Seedling fresh weight (FW), root length and leaf thickness did not show significant differences between +UV-B and -UV-B treatments. Mesophyll tissue was slightly affected by solar UV-B reduction. Chlorophyll content was differentially affected by UV-B treatments. Under +UV-B the highest value was observed in Cristalina variety, while in Chucapaca it was observed under -UV-B treatment. Chlorophyll content was slightly higher in leaves than in cotyledons, but there was no difference in the distribution pattern. Chlorophyll a/b ratio and carotenoid content did not show significant differences between UV-B treatments. Leaf UVB-absorbing compounds showed significant differences between UV-B treatments in Chucapaca only, while there were no significant differences in Cristalina variety. UVB-absorbing compounds of cotyledons did not show significant differences between +UV-B and -UV-B treatments. Sucrose, glucose and fructose showed different distribution patterns in cotyledons and leaves of the two varieties under near-ambient and strongly reduced UV-B. Results demonstrated that varieties of quinoa exhibit different morphological and physiological responses to changes in solar UV-B irradiance, but these responses cannot be used to predict the sensitivity to solar UV-B during a short-term exposition. Also, this study can be useful to

Strong reflector-based beamforming in ultrasound medical imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Szasz, Teodora; Basarab, Adrian; Kouamé, Denis

2016-03-01

This paper investigates the use of sparse priors in creating original two-dimensional beamforming methods for ultrasound imaging. The proposed approaches detect the strong reflectors from the scanned medium based on the well known Bayesian Information Criteria used in statistical modeling. Moreover, they allow a parametric selection of the level of speckle in the final beamformed image. These methods are applied on simulated data and on recorded experimental data. Their performance is evaluated considering the standard image quality metrics: contrast ratio (CR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A comparison is made with the classical delay-and-sum and minimum variance beamforming methods to confirm the ability of the proposed methods to precisely detect the number and the position of the strong reflectors in a sparse medium and to accurately reduce the speckle and highly enhance the contrast in a non-sparse medium. We confirm that our methods improve the contrast of the final image for both simulated and experimental data. In all experiments, the proposed approaches tend to preserve the speckle, which can be of major interest in clinical examinations, as it can contain useful information. In sparse mediums we achieve a highly improvement in contrast compared with the classical methods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum field model of strong-coupling binucleon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amirkhanov, I.V.; Puzynin, I.V.; Puzynina, T.P.; Strizh, T.A.; Zemlyanaya, E.V.; Lakhno, V.D.

1996-01-01

The quantum field binucleon model for the case of the nucleon spot interaction with the scalar and pseudoscalar meson fields is considered. It is shown that the nonrelativistic problem of the two nucleon interaction reduces to the one-particle problem. For the strong coupling limit the nonlinear equations describing two nucleons in the meson field are developed [ru

Coherent Vortices in Strongly Coupled Liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashwin, J.; Ganesh, R.

2011-01-01

Strongly coupled liquids are ubiquitous in both nature and laboratory plasma experiments. They are unique in the sense that their average potential energy per particle dominates over the average kinetic energy. Using ''first principles'' molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we report for the first time the emergence of isolated coherent tripolar vortices from the evolution of axisymmetric flows in a prototype two-dimensional (2D) strongly coupled liquid, namely, the Yukawa liquid. Linear growth rates directly obtained from MD simulations are compared with a generalized hydrodynamic model. Our MD simulations reveal that the tripolar vortices persist over several turn over times and hence may be observed in strongly coupled liquids such as complex plasma, liquid metals and astrophysical systems such as white dwarfs and giant planetary interiors, thereby making the phenomenon universal.

Coherent Vortices in Strongly Coupled Liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Ashwin, J.; Ganesh, R.

2011-04-01

Strongly coupled liquids are ubiquitous in both nature and laboratory plasma experiments. They are unique in the sense that their average potential energy per particle dominates over the average kinetic energy. Using “first principles” molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we report for the first time the emergence of isolated coherent tripolar vortices from the evolution of axisymmetric flows in a prototype two-dimensional (2D) strongly coupled liquid, namely, the Yukawa liquid. Linear growth rates directly obtained from MD simulations are compared with a generalized hydrodynamic model. Our MD simulations reveal that the tripolar vortices persist over several turn over times and hence may be observed in strongly coupled liquids such as complex plasma, liquid metals and astrophysical systems such as white dwarfs and giant planetary interiors, thereby making the phenomenon universal.

Theory of Spin Waves in Strongly Anisotropic Magnets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgård, Per-Anker; Cooke, J. F.

1976-01-01

A new infinite-order perturbation approach to the theory of spin waves in strongly anisotropic magnets is introduced. The system is transformed into one with effective two-ion anisotropy and considerably reduced ground-state corrections. A general expression for the spin-wave energy, valid to any...

Firm insoles effectively reduce hemolysis in runners during long distance running - a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Janakiraman, Kamal; Shenoy, Shweta; Sandhu, Jaspal Singh

2011-06-09

Shock absorbing insoles are effective in reducing the magnitude and rate of loading of peak impact forces generated at foot strike during running, whereas the foot impact force during running has been considered to be an important cause of intravascular hemolysis in long distance runners. Objective of this study was to evaluate the intravascular hemolysis during running and compare the effect of two different types of insoles (Soft and Firm) on hemolysis. Twenty male long and middle distance runners volunteered to participate in this study. We selected two insoles (Soft and Firm) according to their hardness level (SHORE 'A' scale). Participants were randomly assigned to the soft insole (group 1) and firm insole (group 2) group with ten athletes in each group. Each athlete completed one hour of running at the calculated target heart rate (60-70%). Venous blood samples were collected before and immediately after running. We measured unconjucated bilirubin (mg/dl), lactate dehydrogenase (μ/ml), hemoglobin (g/l) and serum ferritin (ng/ml) as indicators of hemolysis. Our study revealed a significant increase in the mean values of unconjucated bilirubin (P firm insoles effectively reduces the amount of hemolysis in runners compared to soft insoles.

A comparative study of the tail ion distribution with reduced Fokker-Planck models

Science.gov (United States)

McDevitt, C. J.; Tang, Xian-Zhu; Guo, Zehua; Berk, H. L.

2014-03-01

A series of reduced models are used to study the fast ion tail in the vicinity of a transition layer between plasmas at disparate temperatures and densities, which is typical of the gas and pusher interface in inertial confinement fusion targets. Emphasis is placed on utilizing progressively more comprehensive models in order to identify the essential physics for computing the fast ion tail at energies comparable to the Gamow peak. The resulting fast ion tail distribution is subsequently used to compute the fusion reactivity as a function of collisionality and temperature. While a significant reduction of the fusion reactivity in the hot spot compared to the nominal Maxwellian case is present, this reduction is found to be partially recovered by an increase of the fusion reactivity in the neighboring cold region.

Measurement of strong interaction effects in antiprotonic helium atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, J.D.; Gorringe, T.P.; Lowe, J.; Nelson, J.M.; Playfer, S.M.; Pyle, G.J.; Squier, G.T.A.

1984-01-01

The strong interaction shift and width for the 2 p level and the width for the 3d level have been measured for antiprotonic helium atoms. The results are compared with optical model calculations. The possible existence of strongly bound antiproton states in nuclei is discussed. (orig.)

Quantum strongly secure ramp secret sharing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Paul; Matsumoto, Rytaro Yamashita

2015-01-01

Quantum secret sharing is a scheme for encoding a quantum state (the secret) into multiple shares and distributing them among several participants. If a sufficient number of shares are put together, then the secret can be fully reconstructed. If an insufficient number of shares are put together...... however, no information about the secret can be revealed. In quantum ramp secret sharing, partial information about the secret is allowed to leak to a set of participants, called an unqualified set, that cannot fully reconstruct the secret. By allowing this, the size of a share can be drastically reduced....... This paper introduces a quantum analog of classical strong security in ramp secret sharing schemes. While the ramp secret sharing scheme still leaks partial information about the secret to unqualified sets of participants, the strong security condition ensures that qudits with critical information can...

Quantum Transport in Strongly Correlated Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bohr, Dan

2007-01-01

the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method. We present two DMRG setups for calculating the linear conductance of strongly correlated nanostructures in the infinitesimal source-drain voltage regime. The first setup describes the leads by modified real-space tight-binding chains, whereas the second....... Thus both coherence and correlation effects are important in this model, and the methods applied should be able to handle both these effects rigorously. We present the DMRG setup for this model and benchmark against existing Greens function results for the model. Then we present initial DMRG results...... screening plays a much less significant role than in bulk systems due to the reduced size of the objects, therefore making it necessary to consider the importance of correlations between electrons. The work presented in this thesis deals with quantum transport through strongly correlated systems using...

<strong>Low dose transdermal estradiol induces breast density and heterogeneity changes comparable to those of raloxifenestrong>

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Mads; Raundahl, Jakob; Pettersen, Paola

2009-01-01

Objective: To investigate whether transdermal low dose estradiol treatment induces changes in mammographic density or heterogeneity compared to raloxifene. Secondarily, if these changes relate to changes in bone formation/resorption markers, and if these findings indicate elevation of breast canc...

On the strong solution of a class of partial differential equations that arise in the pricing of mortgage backed securities

KAUST Repository

Parshad, Rana; Bayazit, Derviş; Barlow, Nathaniel S.; Prasad, V. Ramchandra

2011-01-01

We consider a reduced form pricing model for mortgage backed securities, formulated as a non-linear partial differential equation. We prove that the model possesses a weak solution. We then show that under additional regularity assumptions on the initial data, we also have a mild solution. This mild solution is shown to be a strong solution via further regularity arguments. We also numerically solve the reduced model via a Fourier spectral method. Lastly, we compare our numerical solution to real market data. We observe interestingly that the reduced model captures a number of recent market trends in this data, that have escaped previous models.

Fourier transform infrared imaging of femoral neck bone: reduced heterogeneity of mineral-to-matrix and carbonate-to-phosphate and more variable crystallinity in treatment-naive fracture cases compared with fracture-free controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Gourion-Arsiquaud, Samuel; Lukashova, Lyudmilla; Power, Jon; Loveridge, Nigel; Reeve, Jonathan; Boskey, Adele L

2013-01-01

After the age of 60 years, hip fracture risk strongly increases, but only a fifth of this increase is attributable to reduced bone mineral density (BMD, measured clinically). Changes in bone quality, specifically bone composition as measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging (FTIRI), also contribute to fracture risk. Here, FTIRI was applied to study the femoral neck and provide spatially derived information on its mineral and matrix properties in age-matched fractured and nonfractured bones. Whole femoral neck cross sections, divided into quadrants along the neck's axis, from 10 women with hip fracture and 10 cadaveric controls were studied using FTIRI and micro-computed tomography. Although 3-dimensional micro-CT bone mineral densities were similar, the mineral-to-matrix ratio was reduced in the cases of hip fracture, confirming previous reports. New findings were that the FTIRI microscopic variation (heterogeneity) of the mineral-to-matrix ratio was substantially reduced in the fracture group as was the heterogeneity of the carbonate-to-phosphate ratio. Conversely, the heterogeneity of crystallinity was increased. Increased variation of crystallinity was statistically associated with reduced variation of the carbonate-to-phosphate ratio. Anatomical variation in these properties between the different femoral neck quadrants was reduced in the fracture group compared with controls. Although our treatment-naive patients had reduced rather than increased bending resistance, these changes in heterogeneity associated with hip fracture are in another way comparable to the effects of experimental bisphosphonate therapy, which decreases heterogeneity and other indicators of bone's toughness as a material. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Comparative Survey of Holding Positions for Reducing Vaccination Pain in Young Infants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui-Chu Yin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Infant holding position may reduce vaccination pain. However, the optimal position for young infants remains controversial. Objectives. To compare the effectiveness of holding infants in the supine position and the effectiveness of holding infants in upright position for relieving acute pain from vaccine injection. Methods. This prospective cohort study enrolled 6–12-week-old healthy infants. We examined infant pain responses by evaluating the following three categories: (1 crying, (2 irritability, and (3 facial expression. Results. In total, 282 infants were enrolled, with 103 and 179 held in the supine and upright positions, respectively. At 30 s after vaccination, the infants in the supine position showed a larger decrease in crying (p<0.001, irritability (p=0.002, and pained facial expression (p=0.001 than did those in the upright position. However, there was no significant difference in pain response between two groups at 180 s after intervention. Conclusion. In 2-month-old infants, the supine position may reduce acute pain more effectively than does the upright position. Our findings provide a clinical strategy for relieving vaccination pain in young infants.

Strongly nonlinear dynamics of electrolytes in large ac voltages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Laurits Højgaard; Bazant, Martin Z.; Bruus, Henrik

2010-01-01

to suppress the strongly nonlinear regime in the limit of concentrated electrolytes, ionic liquids, and molten salts. Beyond the model problem, our reduced equations for thin double layers, based on uniformly valid matched asymptotic expansions, provide a useful mathematical framework to describe additional...

Analytical solution of strongly nonlinear Duffing oscillators

OpenAIRE

El-Naggar, A.M.; Ismail, G.M.

2016-01-01

In this paper, a new perturbation technique is employed to solve strongly nonlinear Duffing oscillators, in which a new parameter α=α(ε)α=α(ε) is defined such that the value of α is always small regardless of the magnitude of the original parameter εε. Therefore, the strongly nonlinear Duffing oscillators with large parameter ε are transformed into a small parameter system with respect to αα. Approximate solution obtained by the present method is compared with the solution of energy balance m...

<strong>Mini-project>

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Katajainen, Jyrki

2008-01-01

In this project the goal is to develop the safe * family of containers for the CPH STL. The containers to be developed should be safer and more reliable than any of the existing implementations. A special focus should be put on strong exception safety since none of the existing prototypes available...

Plasmons in strong superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldo, M.; Ducoin, C.

2011-01-01

We present a study of the possible plasmon excitations that can occur in systems where strong superconductivity is present. In these systems the plasmon energy is comparable to or smaller than the pairing gap. As a prototype of these systems we consider the proton component of Neutron Star matter just below the crust when electron screening is not taken into account. For the realistic case we consider in detail the different aspects of the elementary excitations when the proton, electron components are considered within the Random-Phase Approximation generalized to the superfluid case, while the influence of the neutron component is considered only at qualitative level. Electron screening plays a major role in modifying the proton spectrum and spectral function. At the same time the electron plasmon is strongly modified and damped by the indirect coupling with the superfluid proton component, even at moderately low values of the gap. The excitation spectrum shows the interplay of the different components and their relevance for each excitation modes. The results are relevant for neutrino physics and thermodynamical processes in neutron stars. If electron screening is neglected, the spectral properties of the proton component show some resemblance with the physical situation in high-T c superconductors, and we briefly discuss similarities and differences in this connection. In a general prospect, the results of the study emphasize the role of Coulomb interaction in strong superconductors.

Comparing MapReduce and Pipeline Implementations for Counting Triangles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edelmira Pasarella

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A common method to define a parallel solution for a computational problem consists in finding a way to use the Divide and Conquer paradigm in order to have processors acting on its own data and scheduled in a parallel fashion. MapReduce is a programming model that follows this paradigm, and allows for the definition of efficient solutions by both decomposing a problem into steps on subsets of the input data and combining the results of each step to produce final results. Albeit used for the implementation of a wide variety of computational problems, MapReduce performance can be negatively affected whenever the replication factor grows or the size of the input is larger than the resources available at each processor. In this paper we show an alternative approach to implement the Divide and Conquer paradigm, named dynamic pipeline. The main features of dynamic pipelines are illustrated on a parallel implementation of the well-known problem of counting triangles in a graph. This problem is especially interesting either when the input graph does not fit in memory or is dynamically generated. To evaluate the properties of pipeline, a dynamic pipeline of processes and an ad-hoc version of MapReduce are implemented in the language Go, exploiting its ability to deal with channels and spawned processes. An empirical evaluation is conducted on graphs of different topologies, sizes, and densities. Observed results suggest that dynamic pipelines allows for an efficient implementation of the problem of counting triangles in a graph, particularly, in dense and large graphs, drastically reducing the execution time with respect to the MapReduce implementation.

Effectiveness of Advanced Stay Strong, Stay Healthy in Community Settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily M. Crowe MS

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The goal of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of the 10-week, University of Missouri (MU Extension strength training program Advanced Stay Strong, Stay Healthy (ASSSH. It was hypothesized that the program can improve strength, balance, agility, and flexibility—all physical measures of falling among seniors. Matched pair t tests were used to compare differences in five physical measures of health, body composition, and percent body fat (%BF. Two-way ANOVA was conducted to examine the age effects on changes in physical health from the start and finish of the exercise program. Following programming, participants significantly improved strength, flexibility, and balance, and significantly reduced %BF ( p < .05. Our data indicate that ASSSH can improve the physical health of senior citizens and can successfully be translated into community practice by MU Extension professionals.

Analog quantum simulation of the Rabi model in the ultra-strong coupling regime.

Science.gov (United States)

Braumüller, Jochen; Marthaler, Michael; Schneider, Andre; Stehli, Alexander; Rotzinger, Hannes; Weides, Martin; Ustinov, Alexey V

2017-10-03

The quantum Rabi model describes the fundamental mechanism of light-matter interaction. It consists of a two-level atom or qubit coupled to a quantized harmonic mode via a transversal interaction. In the weak coupling regime, it reduces to the well-known Jaynes-Cummings model by applying a rotating wave approximation. The rotating wave approximation breaks down in the ultra-strong coupling regime, where the effective coupling strength g is comparable to the energy ω of the bosonic mode, and remarkable features in the system dynamics are revealed. Here we demonstrate an analog quantum simulation of an effective quantum Rabi model in the ultra-strong coupling regime, achieving a relative coupling ratio of g/ω ~ 0.6. The quantum hardware of the simulator is a superconducting circuit embedded in a cQED setup. We observe fast and periodic quantum state collapses and revivals of the initial qubit state, being the most distinct signature of the synthesized model.An analog quantum simulation scheme has been explored with a quantum hardware based on a superconducting circuit. Here the authors investigate the time evolution of the quantum Rabi model at ultra-strong coupling conditions, which is synthesized by slowing down the system dynamics in an effective frame.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex reduces cocaine use: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Terraneo, Alberto; Leggio, Lorenzo; Saladini, Marina; Ermani, Mario; Bonci, Antonello; Gallimberti, Luigi

2016-01-01

Recent animal studies demonstrate that compulsive cocaine seeking strongly reduces prelimbic frontal cortex activity, while optogenetic stimulation of this brain area significantly inhibits compulsive cocaine seeking, providing a strong rationale for applying brain stimulation to reduce cocaine consumption. Thus, we employed repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), to test if dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) stimulation might prevent cocaine use in humans. Thirty-two cocaine-addicted patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (rTMS) on the left DLPFC, or to a control group (pharmacological agents) during a 29-day study (Stage 1). This was followed by a 63-day follow-up (Stage 2), during which all participants were offered rTMS treatment. Amongst the patients who completed Stage 1, 16 were in the rTMS group (100%) and 13 in the control group (81%). No significant adverse events were noted. During Stage 1, there were a significantly higher number of cocaine-free urine drug tests in the rTMS group compared to control (p=0.004). Craving for cocaine was also significantly lower in the rTMS group compared to the controls (p=0.038). Out of 13 patients who completed Stage 1 in the control group, 10 patients received rTMS treatment during Stage 2 and showed significant improvement with favorable outcomes becoming comparable to those of the rTMS group. The present preliminary findings support the safety of rTMS in cocaine-addicted patients, and suggest its potential therapeutic role for rTMS-driven PFC stimulation in reducing cocaine use, providing a strong rationale for developing larger placebo-controlled studies. Trial name: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in cocaine abusers, URL:〈http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN15823943?q=&filters=&sort=&offset=8&totalResults=13530&page=1&pageSize=10&searchType=basic-search〉, ISRCTN15823943. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Comparing climate and cost impacts of reference levels for reducing emissions from deforestation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busch, Jonah [Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, VA (United States); Strassburg, Bernardo [Center for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ (United Kingdom); Cattaneo, Andrea [Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA 02540-1644 (United States); Lubowski, Ruben [Environmental Defense Fund, 1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC (United States); Bruner, Aaron; Rice, Richard; Boltz, Frederick [Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, VA (United States); Creed, Anna; Ashton, Ralph, E-mail: jbusch@conservation.or [Terrestrial Carbon Group, 900 17th Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC (United States)

2009-10-15

The climate benefit and economic cost of an international mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) will depend on the design of reference levels for crediting emission reductions. We compare the impacts of six proposed reference level designs on emission reduction levels and on cost per emission reduction using a stylized partial equilibrium model (the open source impacts of REDD incentives spreadsheet; OSIRIS). The model explicitly incorporates national incentives to participate in an international REDD mechanism as well as international leakage of deforestation emissions. Our results show that a REDD mechanism can provide cost-efficient climate change mitigation benefits under a broad range of reference level designs. We find that the most effective reference level designs balance incentives to reduce historically high deforestation emissions with incentives to maintain historically low deforestation emissions. Estimates of emission reductions under REDD depend critically on the degree to which demand for tropical frontier agriculture generates leakage. This underscores the potential importance to REDD of complementary strategies to supply agricultural needs outside of the forest frontier.

Comparing climate and cost impacts of reference levels for reducing emissions from deforestation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busch, Jonah; Strassburg, Bernardo; Cattaneo, Andrea; Lubowski, Ruben; Bruner, Aaron; Rice, Richard; Boltz, Frederick; Creed, Anna; Ashton, Ralph

2009-01-01

The climate benefit and economic cost of an international mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) will depend on the design of reference levels for crediting emission reductions. We compare the impacts of six proposed reference level designs on emission reduction levels and on cost per emission reduction using a stylized partial equilibrium model (the open source impacts of REDD incentives spreadsheet; OSIRIS). The model explicitly incorporates national incentives to participate in an international REDD mechanism as well as international leakage of deforestation emissions. Our results show that a REDD mechanism can provide cost-efficient climate change mitigation benefits under a broad range of reference level designs. We find that the most effective reference level designs balance incentives to reduce historically high deforestation emissions with incentives to maintain historically low deforestation emissions. Estimates of emission reductions under REDD depend critically on the degree to which demand for tropical frontier agriculture generates leakage. This underscores the potential importance to REDD of complementary strategies to supply agricultural needs outside of the forest frontier.

Some Spinel Oxide Compounds as Reducing Gas Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolae Rezlescu

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Four spinel ferrites, MFe2O4 (M = Cu, Cd, Zn and Ni, having various grain sizes (100 – 700 nm were prepared by sol-gel-selfcombustion and their sensing properties to reducing gases were investigated. The gas sensing characteristics were obtained by measuring the sensitivity as a function of various controlling factors, like operating temperature, composition and concentration of the gas, and finally the response time. The sensitivity of four ferrites to reducing gases like acetone, ethanol and LPG was been compared. It was revealed that CuFe2O4 is the most sensitive to LPG and ZnFe2O4 can be used as a sensor to selectively detect ethanol vapors in air. The strong interaction between ethanol and porous ZnFe2O4 can explain the selective sensitivity to ethanol and negligible sensitivity to the other reducing gases.

New reduced-dimensionality models for efficient quantum-mechanical description of ultrafast strong-field phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silaev, A.A.; Ryabikin, M.Yu.; Vvedenskii, N.V.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The development of theoretical approaches to the description of strong-field phenomena caused by ultrashort laser pulses is optical for studying the interaction of atoms and molecules with intense laser fields. In this work, we address two phenomena which attract much attention and can be observed under similar experimental conditions, namely, when a gas is ionized by ultrashort laser pulse. The first phenomenon is the excitation of high-order harmonics of the driving field frequency in the electron current, which leads to the generation of vacuum ultraviolet and soft X-ray radiation, as well as the attosecond pulse production. The second phenomenon is the excitation of a quasi-dc residual current in the laser-produced plasma, which results in the generation of radiation having a frequency below the laser one, e.g., terahertz waves. We present new one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) quantum-mechanical models for the description of such phenomena for the case a hydrogen (H) atom, and the generalization of these models to the case of various noble-gas atoms. The shape of the electrostatic potential produced by an atomic ion is shown to influence significantly the rates of the processes in the dynamics of atomic electron, and even more, the rates of the tunneling and above-barrier ionization, which is of utmost importance for the considered phenomena. The results of solving the time-dependent Schroedinger equation with the 1D and 2D potentials, which we propose, are compared with the results of the ab initio three-dimensional calculations for the H atom. We find the regions of laser pulse parameters, where the results obtained with proposed models have much better accuracy than the results provided by the models used earlier. Acknowledgements. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the Presidential Council on Grants of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of the

Comparing the Performance of Popular MEG/EEG Artifact Correction Methods in an Evoked-Response Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haumann, Niels Trusbak; Parkkonen, Lauri; Kliuchko, Marina

2016-01-01

We here compared results achieved by applying popular methods for reducing artifacts in magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) recordings of the auditory evoked Mismatch Negativity (MMN) responses in healthy adult subjects. We compared the Signal Space Separation (SSS......) and temporal SSS (tSSS) methods for reducing noise from external and nearby sources. Our results showed that tSSS reduces the interference level more reliably than plain SSS, particularly for MEG gradiometers, also for healthy subjects not wearing strongly interfering magnetic material. Therefore, tSSS...... is recommended over SSS. Furthermore, we found that better artifact correction is achieved by applying Independent Component Analysis (ICA) in comparison to Signal Space Projection (SSP). Although SSP reduces the baseline noise level more than ICA, SSP also significantly reduces the signal—slightly more than...

Plant genotypic diversity reduces the rate of consumer resource utilization.

Science.gov (United States)

McArt, Scott H; Thaler, Jennifer S

2013-07-07

While plant species diversity can reduce herbivore densities and herbivory, little is known regarding how plant genotypic diversity alters resource utilization by herbivores. Here, we show that an invasive folivore--the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica)--increases 28 per cent in abundance, but consumes 24 per cent less foliage in genotypic polycultures compared with monocultures of the common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis). We found strong complementarity for reduced herbivore damage among plant genotypes growing in polycultures and a weak dominance effect of particularly resistant genotypes. Sequential feeding by P. japonica on different genotypes from polycultures resulted in reduced consumption compared with feeding on different plants of the same genotype from monocultures. Thus, diet mixing among plant genotypes reduced herbivore consumption efficiency. Despite positive complementarity driving an increase in fruit production in polycultures, we observed a trade-off between complementarity for increased plant productivity and resistance to herbivory, suggesting costs in the complementary use of resources by plant genotypes may manifest across trophic levels. These results elucidate mechanisms for how plant genotypic diversity simultaneously alters resource utilization by both producers and consumers, and show that population genotypic diversity can increase the resistance of a native plant to an invasive herbivore.

Fourier Transformed Infra-Red Imaging of Femoral Neck Bone: Reduced Heterogeneity of Mineral-to-Matrix and Carbonate-to-Phosphate and more Variable Crystallinity in Treatment-Naïve Fracture Cases compared to Fracture-Free Controls

Science.gov (United States)

Gourion-Arsiquaud, Samuel; Lukashova, Lyudmilla; Power, Jon; Loveridge, Nigel; Reeve, Jonathan; Boskey, Adele L.

2012-01-01

After age 60 hip fracture risk strongly increases, but only a fifth of this increase is attributable to reduced mineral density (BMD, measured clinically). Changes in bone quality, specifically bone composition as measured by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopic imaging (FTIRI), also contribute to fracture risk. Here, FTIRI was applied to study the femoral neck and provide spatially derived information on its mineral and matrix properties in age-matched fractured and non-fractured bones. Whole femoral neck cross sections, divided into quadrants along the neck’s axis, from 10 women with hip fracture and 10 cadaveric controls were studied using FTIRI and micro-computed Tomography. Although 3-dimensional micro-CT bone mineral densities were similar, the mineral-to-matrix ratio was reduced in the cases of hip fracture, confirming previous reports. New findings were that the FTIRI microscopic variation (heterogeneity) of the mineral-to-matrix ratio was substantially reduced in the fracture group as was the heterogeneity of the carbonate-to-phosphate ratio. Conversely, the heterogeneity of crystallinity was increased. Increased variation of crystallinity was statistically associated with reduced variation of the carbonate-to-phosphate ratio. Anatomical variation in these properties between the different femoral neck quadrants was reduced in the fracture group compared to controls. While our treatment-naïve patients had reduced rather than increased bending resistance, these changes in heterogeneity associated with hip fracture are in another way comparable to the effects of experimental bisphosphonate therapy, which decreases heterogeneity and other indicators of bone’s toughness as a material. PMID:22865771

Colloquium: Strong-field phenomena in periodic systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kruchinin, Stanislav Yu.; Krausz, Ferenc; Yakovlev, Vladislav S.

2018-04-01

The advent of visible-infrared laser pulses carrying a substantial fraction of their energy in a single field oscillation cycle has opened a new era in the experimental investigation of ultrafast processes in semiconductors and dielectrics (bulk as well as nanostructured), motivated by the quest for the ultimate frontiers of electron-based signal metrology and processing. Exploring ways to approach those frontiers requires insight into the physics underlying the interaction of strong high-frequency (optical) fields with electrons moving in periodic potentials. This Colloquium aims at providing this insight. Introduction to the foundations of strong-field phenomena defines and compares regimes of field-matter interaction in periodic systems, including (perfect) crystals as well as optical and semiconductor superlattices, followed by a review of recent experimental advances in the study of strong-field dynamics in crystals and nanostructures. Avenues toward measuring and controlling electronic processes up to petahertz frequencies are discussed.

Comparing two psychological interventions in reducing impulsive processes of eating behaviour : Effects on self-selected portion size

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Koningsbruggen, G.M.; Veling, H.P.; Stroebe, Wolfgang; Aarts, Henk

2014-01-01

ObjectivePalatable food, such as sweets, contains properties that automatically trigger the impulse to consume it even when people have goals or intentions to refrain from consuming such food. We compared the effectiveness of two interventions in reducing the portion size of palatable food that

Non-LTE profiles of strong solar lines

Science.gov (United States)

Schneeberger, T. J.; Beebe, H. A.

1976-01-01

The complete linearization method is applied to the formation of strong lines in the solar atmosphere. Transitions in Na(I), Mg(I), Ca(I), Mg(II), and Ca(II) are computed with a standard atmosphere and microturbulent velocity model. The computed profiles are compared to observations at disk center.

Comparing abrupt and gradual smoking cessation: a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Etter, Jean-François

2011-11-01

To compare abrupt and gradual smoking cessation. Randomized trial and observational study, Internet, 2007-2010. Smokers with no strong preference for abrupt or gradual quitting were randomly assigned to quitting immediately (n=472), or to gradually reducing their cigarette consumption over 2 weeks and then quit (n=502). Smokers who strongly preferred to quit abruptly were instructed to do so immediately (n=2456), those who strongly preferred gradual were instructed to reduce their cigarette consumption over 2 weeks, then quit (n=1801). Follow-up was conducted 4 weeks after target quit dates. Those who preferred abrupt quitting were the most motivated to quit and the most confident in their ability to quit. At follow-up, quit rates were 16% in those who preferred abrupt cessation, 7% in those who preferred gradual cessation and 9% in those who had no preference (pmotivation to quit and confidence in ability to quit: those who had low levels of motivation or low levels of confidence were more likely to quit at follow-up if they preferred and used abrupt rather than gradual. In those who had no strong preference for either method, abrupt and gradual produced similar results. Those who preferred and used the abrupt method were more likely to quit than those who preferred and used the gradual method, in particular when they had low motivation and confidence. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Strong Gravitational Lensing to Identify Fossil Group Progenitors

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Lucas E.; Irwin, Jimmy A.; White, Raymond E., III; Wong, Ka-Wah; Maksym, W. Peter; Dupke, Renato A.; Miller, Eric D.; Carrasco, Eleazar R.

2018-04-01

Fossil galaxy systems are classically thought to be the end result of galaxy group/cluster evolution, as galaxies experiencing dynamical friction sink to the center of the group potential and merge into a single, giant elliptical that dominates the rest of the members in both mass and luminosity. Most fossil systems discovered lie within z fossil criteria within the look forward time. Since strong gravitational lensing preferentially selects groups merging along the line of sight, or systems with a high mass concentration like fossil systems, we searched the CASSOWARY survey of strong-lensing events with the goal of determining whether lensing systems have any predisposition to being fossil systems or progenitors. We find that ∼13% of lensing groups are identified as traditional fossils while only ∼3% of nonlensing control groups are. We also find that ∼23% of lensing systems are traditional fossil progenitors compared to ∼17% for the control sample. Our findings show that strong-lensing systems are more likely to be fossil/pre-fossil systems than comparable nonlensing systems. Cumulative galaxy luminosity functions of the lensing and nonlensing groups also indicate a possible, fundamental difference between strong-lensing and nonlensing systems’ galaxy populations, with lensing systems housing a greater number of bright galaxies even in the outskirts of groups.

Dopamine D(1) receptor deletion strongly reduces neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine.

Science.gov (United States)

Ares-Santos, S; Granado, N; Oliva, I; O'Shea, E; Martin, E D; Colado, M I; Moratalla, R

2012-02-01

Methamphetamine (METH) is a potent, highly addictive psychostimulant consumed worldwide. In humans and experimental animals, repeated exposure to this drug induces persistent neurodegenerative changes. Damage occurs primarily to dopaminergic neurons, accompanied by gliosis. The toxic effects of METH involve excessive dopamine (DA) release, thus DA receptors are highly likely to play a role in this process. To define the role of D(1) receptors in the neurotoxic effects of METH we used D(1) receptor knock-out mice (D(1)R(-/-)) and their WT littermates. Inactivation of D(1)R prevented METH-induced dopamine fibre loss and hyperthermia, and increases in gliosis and pro-inflammatory molecules such as iNOS in the striatum. In addition, D(1)R inactivation prevented METH-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. To explore the relationship between hyperthermia and neurotoxicity, METH was given at high ambient temperature (29 °C). In this condition, D(1)R(-/-) mice developed hyperthermia following drug delivery and the neuroprotection provided by D(1)R inactivation at 23 °C was no longer observed. However, reserpine, which empties vesicular dopamine stores, blocked hyperthermia and strongly potentiated dopamine toxicity in D(1)R(-/-) mice, suggesting that the protection afforded by D(1)R inactivation is due to both hypothermia and higher stored vesicular dopamine. Moreover, electrical stimulation evoked higher DA overflow in D(1)R(-/-) mice as demonstrated by fast scan cyclic voltammetry despite their lower basal DA content, suggesting higher vesicular DA content in D(1)R(-/-) than in WT mice. Altogether, these results indicate that the D(1)R plays a significant role in METH-induced neurotoxicity by mediating drug-induced hyperthermia and increasing the releasable cytosolic DA pool. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Riboflavin enhanced fluorescence of highly reduced graphene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Iliut, Maria; Gabudean, Ana-Maria; Leordean, Cosmin; Simon, Timea; Teodorescu, Cristian-Mihail; Astilean, Simion

2013-10-01

The improvement of graphene derivates' fluorescence properties is a challenging topic and very few ways were reported up to now. In this Letter we propose an easy method to enhance the fluorescence of highly reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through non-covalent binding to a molecular fluorophore, namely the riboflavin (Rb). While the fluorescence of Rb is quenched, the Rb - decorated rGO exhibits strong blue fluorescence and significantly increased fluorescence lifetime, as compared to its pristine form. The data reported here represent a promising start towards tailoring the optical properties of rGOs, having utmost importance in optical applications.

Strong reduction of spectral heterogeneity in gold bipyramids for single-particle and single-molecule plasmon sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, S M E; Verheijen, M A; Prins, M W J; Zijlstra, P

2016-01-15

Single metal nanoparticles are attractive biomolecular sensors. Binding of analyte to a functional particle results in a plasmon shift that can be conveniently monitored in a far-field optical microscope. Heterogeneities in spectral properties of individual particles in an ensemble affect the reliability of a single-particle plasmon sensor, especially when plasmon shifts are monitored in real-time using a fixed irradiation wavelength. We compare the spectral heterogeneity of different plasmon sensor geometries (gold nanospheres, nanorods, and bipyramids) and correlate this to their size and aspect-ratio dispersion. We show that gold bipyramids exhibit a strongly reduced heterogeneity in aspect ratio and plasmon wavelength compared to commonly used gold nanorods. We show that this translates into a significantly improved homogeneity of the response to molecular binding without compromising single-molecule sensitivity.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy significantly reduces xerostomia compared with conventional radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braam, Petra M.; Terhaard, Chris H.J. M.D.; Roesink, Judith M.; Raaijmakers, Cornelis P.J.

2006-01-01

Purpose: Xerostomia is a severe complication after radiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer, as the salivary glands are in close proximity with the primary tumor. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) offers theoretical advantages for normal tissue sparing. A Phase II study was conducted to determine the value of IMRT for salivary output preservation compared with conventional radiotherapy (CRT). Methods and Materials: A total of 56 patients with oropharyngeal cancer were prospectively evaluated. Of these, 30 patients were treated with IMRT and 26 with CRT. Stimulated parotid salivary flow was measured before, 6 weeks, and 6 months after treatment. A complication was defined as a stimulated parotid flow rate <25% of the preradiotherapy flow rate. Results: The mean dose to the parotid glands was 48.1 Gy (SD 14 Gy) for CRT and 33.7 Gy (SD 10 Gy) for IMRT (p < 0.005). The mean parotid flow ratio 6 weeks and 6 months after treatment was respectively 41% and 64% for IMRT and respectively 11% and 18% for CRT. As a result, 6 weeks after treatment, the number of parotid flow complications was significantly lower after IMRT (55%) than after CRT (87%) (p = 0.002). The number of complications 6 months after treatment was 56% for IMRT and 81% for CRT (p = 0.04). Conclusions: IMRT significantly reduces the number of parotid flow complications for patients with oropharyngeal cancer

Comparing and improving proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) to reduce the complexity of groundwater models

Science.gov (United States)

Gosses, Moritz; Nowak, Wolfgang; Wöhling, Thomas

2017-04-01

Physically-based modeling is a wide-spread tool in understanding and management of natural systems. With the high complexity of many such models and the huge amount of model runs necessary for parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis, overall run times can be prohibitively long even on modern computer systems. An encouraging strategy to tackle this problem are model reduction methods. In this contribution, we compare different proper orthogonal decomposition (POD, Siade et al. (2010)) methods and their potential applications to groundwater models. The POD method performs a singular value decomposition on system states as simulated by the complex (e.g., PDE-based) groundwater model taken at several time-steps, so-called snapshots. The singular vectors with the highest information content resulting from this decomposition are then used as a basis for projection of the system of model equations onto a subspace of much lower dimensionality than the original complex model, thereby greatly reducing complexity and accelerating run times. In its original form, this method is only applicable to linear problems. Many real-world groundwater models are non-linear, tough. These non-linearities are introduced either through model structure (unconfined aquifers) or boundary conditions (certain Cauchy boundaries, like rivers with variable connection to the groundwater table). To date, applications of POD focused on groundwater models simulating pumping tests in confined aquifers with constant head boundaries. In contrast, POD model reduction either greatly looses accuracy or does not significantly reduce model run time if the above-mentioned non-linearities are introduced. We have also found that variable Dirichlet boundaries are problematic for POD model reduction. An extension to the POD method, called POD-DEIM, has been developed for non-linear groundwater models by Stanko et al. (2016). This method uses spatial interpolation points to build the equation system in the

A low-fat high-carbohydrate diet reduces plasma total adiponectin concentrations compared to a moderate-fat diet with no impact on biomarkers of systemic inflammation in a randomized controlled feeding study.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xiaoling; Kestin, Mark; Schwarz, Yvonne; Yang, Pamela; Hu, Xiaojun; Lampe, Johanna W; Kratz, Mario

2016-02-01

We compared the effects of a eucaloric moderate-fat diet (18% protein, 36% fat, and 46% carbohydrate), a eucaloric low-fat high-carbohydrate diet (18% protein, 18% fat, and 64% carbohydrate), and a low-calorie (33% reduced) low-fat high-carbohydrate diet on biomarkers of systemic inflammation. We randomly assigned 102 participants (age 21-76 years and BMI 19.2-35.5 kg/m(2)) to the three different diets for 6 weeks in a parallel design intervention trial. All foods were provided. Ninety-three participants completed all study procedures; 92 were included in the analyses. Endpoints included plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors I and II (sTNFRI and II), and adiponectin. In the unadjusted primary analyses, none of the endpoints were differentially affected by the dietary interventions despite the significantly greater reductions in body weight and fat mass in participants consuming the low-calorie low-fat diet compared to the eucaloric diets (p loss (time × weight change interaction, p = 0.051). Adjusted for weight change, adiponectin was reduced in the groups consuming the low-fat diets relative to the moderate-fat diet (p = 0.008). No effect of the intervention diets or weight loss on CRP, IL-6, or sTNFRI and II was seen in these secondary analyses. In relatively healthy adults, moderate weight loss had minimal effects on systemic inflammation, and raised plasma adiponectin only modestly. A lower dietary fat and higher carbohydrate content had little impact on measures of systemic inflammation, but reduced adiponectin concentrations compared to a moderate-fat diet. The latter may be of concern given the consistent and strong inverse association of plasma adiponectin with many chronic diseases.

Reverse time migration by Krylov subspace reduced order modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Basir, Hadi Mahdavi; Javaherian, Abdolrahim; Shomali, Zaher Hossein; Firouz-Abadi, Roohollah Dehghani; Gholamy, Shaban Ali

2018-04-01

Imaging is a key step in seismic data processing. To date, a myriad of advanced pre-stack depth migration approaches have been developed; however, reverse time migration (RTM) is still considered as the high-end imaging algorithm. The main limitations associated with the performance cost of reverse time migration are the intensive computation of the forward and backward simulations, time consumption, and memory allocation related to imaging condition. Based on the reduced order modeling, we proposed an algorithm, which can be adapted to all the aforementioned factors. Our proposed method benefit from Krylov subspaces method to compute certain mode shapes of the velocity model computed by as an orthogonal base of reduced order modeling. Reverse time migration by reduced order modeling is helpful concerning the highly parallel computation and strongly reduces the memory requirement of reverse time migration. The synthetic model results showed that suggested method can decrease the computational costs of reverse time migration by several orders of magnitudes, compared with reverse time migration by finite element method.

Biological activity of soils strongly polluted with sulfur

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krol, M; Maliszewska, W; Siuta, J

1972-01-01

Studies were carried out on soils strongly polluted with sulfur and acidified (to pH 1.4). The soils were subjected to an intensive liming. In field and pot experiments, the authors determined: the total quantity of bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, azotobacter, nitrifiers, proteolytic activity of microorganisms, activity of ammonifiers and the number of sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria. It was found that intensive liming of sulfur-affected soils restored their biological activity. 8 references, 5 figures, 1 table.

Analytical solution of strongly nonlinear Duffing oscillators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.M. El-Naggar

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a new perturbation technique is employed to solve strongly nonlinear Duffing oscillators, in which a new parameter α=α(ε is defined such that the value of α is always small regardless of the magnitude of the original parameter ε. Therefore, the strongly nonlinear Duffing oscillators with large parameter ε are transformed into a small parameter system with respect to α. Approximate solution obtained by the present method is compared with the solution of energy balance method, homotopy perturbation method, global error minimization method and lastly numerical solution. We observe from the results that this method is very simple, easy to apply, and gives a very good accuracy not only for small parameter εbut also for large values of ε.

Strong ground motion prediction using virtual earthquakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Denolle, M A; Dunham, E M; Prieto, G A; Beroza, G C

2014-01-24

Sedimentary basins increase the damaging effects of earthquakes by trapping and amplifying seismic waves. Simulations of seismic wave propagation in sedimentary basins capture this effect; however, there exists no method to validate these results for earthquakes that have not yet occurred. We present a new approach for ground motion prediction that uses the ambient seismic field. We apply our method to a suite of magnitude 7 scenario earthquakes on the southern San Andreas fault and compare our ground motion predictions with simulations. Both methods find strong amplification and coupling of source and structure effects, but they predict substantially different shaking patterns across the Los Angeles Basin. The virtual earthquake approach provides a new approach for predicting long-period strong ground motion.

Regge meets collinear in strongly-coupled N=4 super Yang-Mills

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sprenger, Martin [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich,Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, 8093 Zürich (Switzerland)

2017-01-10

We revisit the calculation of the six-gluon remainder function in planar N=4 super Yang-Mills theory from the strong coupling TBA in the multi-Regge limit and identify an infinite set of kinematically subleading terms. These new terms can be compared to the strong coupling limit of the finite-coupling expressions for the impact factor and the BFKL eigenvalue proposed by Basso et al. in https://www.doi.org/10.1007/JHEP01(2015)027, which were obtained from an analytic continuation of the Wilson loop OPE. After comparing the results order by order in those subleading terms, we show that it is possible to precisely map both formalisms onto each other. A similar calculation can be carried out for the seven-gluon amplitude, the result of which shows that the central emission vertex does not become trivial at strong coupling.

Atomic and free electrons in a strong light field

CERN Document Server

Fedorov, Mikhail V

1997-01-01

This book presents and describes a series of unusual and striking strong-field phenomena concerning atoms and free electrons. Some of these phenomena are: multiphoton stimulated bremsstrahlung, free-electron lasers, wave-packet physics, above-threshold ionization, and strong-field stabilization in Rydberg atoms. The theoretical foundations and causes of the phenomena are described in detail, with all the approximations and derivations discussed. All the known and relevant experiments are described too, and their results are compared with those of the existing theoretical models.An extensive ge

Comparative Analysis of Reduced-Rule Compressed Fuzzy Logic Control and Incremental Conductance MPPT Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Kandemir, Ekrem; Borekci, Selim; Cetin, Numan S.

2018-04-01

Photovoltaic (PV) power generation has been widely used in recent years, with techniques for increasing the power efficiency representing one of the most important issues. The available maximum power of a PV panel is dependent on environmental conditions such as solar irradiance and temperature. To extract the maximum available power from a PV panel, various maximum-power-point tracking (MPPT) methods are used. In this work, two different MPPT methods were implemented for a 150-W PV panel. The first method, known as incremental conductance (Inc. Cond.) MPPT, determines the maximum power by measuring the derivative of the PV voltage and current. The other method is based on reduced-rule compressed fuzzy logic control (RR-FLC), using which it is relatively easier to determine the maximum power because a single input variable is used to reduce computing loads. In this study, a 150-W PV panel system model was realized using these MPPT methods in MATLAB and the results compared. According to the simulation results, the proposed RR-FLC-based MPPT could increase the response rate and tracking accuracy by 4.66% under standard test conditions.

Strong-back safety latch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeSantis, G.N.

1995-01-01

The calculation decides the integrity of the safety latch that will hold the strong-back to the pump during lifting. The safety latch will be welded to the strong-back and will latch to a 1.5-in. dia cantilever rod welded to the pump baseplate. The static and dynamic analysis shows that the safety latch will hold the strong-back to the pump if the friction clamps fail and the pump become free from the strong-back. Thus, the safety latch will meet the requirements of the Lifting and Rigging Manual for under the hook lifting for static loading; it can withstand shock loads from the strong-back falling 0.25 inch

Comparing Analog and Digital Hearing Aids in Reducing Hearing Disability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghassem Mohammad Khani

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: Comparing analog and digital hearing aids reducing disability caused by hearing deficiency among moderate to severe sensorineural hearing-impaired persons. Method and Material: This descriptive-analytic study was carried out on two groups of subjects participated in this study in some audiology clinics of hearing aid since May 2002 to October 2003. Twenty subjects wore analog hearing aids and twenty one subjects wore digital hearing aids. In this study , no subject had previous middle ear or psychological problems. APHAB questionnaire was completed before using hearing aid and 2 months after to determine benefit of hearing aid use. Results: Total score mean of APHAB inventory before and after use of analoge hearing aids were 52.215+6.420 and 32.300+3.443 respectively. Also total score mean of APHAB inventory before and after use of digital hearing aids were 54.9252+9.028 and 26.321+10.916 respectively. There was no significant difference between total mean score of APHAB inventory before and after using analog and digital hearing aids (P=0.058.While there was significant difference between total mean score of APHAB questionnaire before and after use of analog hearing aids (P<0.001 and also before and after use of digital hearing aids (P<0.001. Moreover age, gender , litracy level , occupation , degree of hearing loss and manner of hearing aid usage did not have significant effect on APHAB results. Configuration of loss had siginficant effect on aversiveness subscale before and after use of analog hearing aids (P=0.008. Previous experience and duration of hearing aid usage had significant effect on aversiveness subscale before and after use of digital hearing aids (P=0.043 and (P=0.024, respectively , while all of these three items did not have significant effect on total mean score of APHAB inventory and also total mean scores of three subscales of ease of communication , reverberation and background noise. Conclusion: Comparing to

Living network meta-analysis compared with pairwise meta-analysis in comparative effectiveness research: empirical study

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolakopoulou, Adriani; Mavridis, Dimitris; Furukawa, Toshi A; Cipriani, Andrea; Tricco, Andrea C; Straus, Sharon E; Siontis, George C M; Egger, Matthias

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine whether the continuous updating of networks of prospectively planned randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (“living” network meta-analysis) provides strong evidence against the null hypothesis in comparative effectiveness of medical interventions earlier than the updating of conventional, pairwise meta-analysis. Design Empirical study of the accumulating evidence about the comparative effectiveness of clinical interventions. Data sources Database of network meta-analyses of RCTs identified through searches of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews until 14 April 2015. Eligibility criteria for study selection Network meta-analyses published after January 2012 that compared at least five treatments and included at least 20 RCTs. Clinical experts were asked to identify in each network the treatment comparison of greatest clinical interest. Comparisons were excluded for which direct and indirect evidence disagreed, based on side, or node, splitting test (Pmeta-analysis. The frequency and time to strong evidence was compared against the null hypothesis between pairwise and network meta-analyses. Results 49 comparisons of interest from 44 networks were included; most (n=39, 80%) were between active drugs, mainly from the specialties of cardiology, endocrinology, psychiatry, and rheumatology. 29 comparisons were informed by both direct and indirect evidence (59%), 13 by indirect evidence (27%), and 7 by direct evidence (14%). Both network and pairwise meta-analysis provided strong evidence against the null hypothesis for seven comparisons, but for an additional 10 comparisons only network meta-analysis provided strong evidence against the null hypothesis (P=0.002). The median time to strong evidence against the null hypothesis was 19 years with living network meta-analysis and 23 years with living pairwise meta-analysis (hazard ratio 2.78, 95% confidence interval 1.00 to 7.72, P=0.05). Studies directly comparing

Age and the experience of strong self-conscious emotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Julie D; von Hippel, William; Nangle, Matthew R; Waters, Michele

2018-04-01

It remains unclear whether there are age-related changes in the experience of strong self-conscious emotion, such as shame, guilt, pride and embarrassment. Because shame and guilt figure prominently in the aetiology of depressive symptoms and other mental health problems, a better understanding of how age affects the strong experience of these two negative self-conscious emotions is of particular importance. Thirty younger, 30 middle-aged and 30 older adults were compared on standardised cognitive assessments, in addition to an interview-based measure that assessed whether there are age differences in the likelihood of strongly experiencing four different types of self-conscious emotion within the past five years (shame, guilt, embarrassment and pride). The three groups did not differ in their likelihood of reporting an event that strongly elicited the positive self-conscious emotion of pride. However, older adults were more likely to report sources of pride that were other (as opposed to self) focused. Older adults were also less likely to report experiencing events that elicited all three negative self-conscious emotions, in particular, shame. Strong negative self-conscious emotion, and in particular shame, appears to be experienced less by older than younger adults.

A Comparative Study of Group Behavioral Activation and Cognitive Therapy in Reducing Subsyndromal Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Soleimani

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study compared the effectiveness of two group treatments, behavioral activation (BA and cognitive therapy (CT, in reducing subsyndromal anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of Iranian university students.Method: Twenty-seven Iranian university students who scored 18 or higher on the depression subscale and 16 or higher on the anxiety subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42 were randomly assigned into treatment groups. One group received 8 sessions of BA (n = 14, and the other received 8 sessions of group CT (n = 13.Result: Analysis of covariance revealed that the BA group had a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms than the CT group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the levels of anxiety, stress symptoms or functional impairment after treatment.Conclusion: This study found evidence for the effectiveness of BA in reducing anxiety, depressive and stress symptoms and functional impairment compared to CT. BA was more effective than CT in improving depressive symptoms and was as effective as CT in decreasing anxiety, stress and functional impairment. BA is also a cost-effective intervention, particularly in group formats.

Atomic and Free Electrons in a Strong Light Field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fedorov, Mikhail V.

1998-02-01

This book presents and describes a series of unusual and striking strong-field phenomena concerning atoms and free electrons. Some of these phenomena are: multiphoton stimulated Bremsstrahlung, free-electron lasers, ave-packet physics, above-threshold ionization, and strong-field stabilization in Rydberg atoms. The theoretical foundations and causes of the phenomena are described in detail, with all the approximations and derivations discussed. All the known and relevant experiments are described oo, and their results are compared with those of the existing theoretical models. An extensive general theoretical introduction gives a good basis for subsequent parts of the book and is an independent and self-sufficient description of the most efficient theoretical methods of the strong-field and multiphoton physics. This book can serve as a textbook for graduate students

Wave function of free electron in a strong laser plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Shitong; Shen Wenda; Guo Qizhi

1993-01-01

The wave function of free electron in a strong laser plasma is obtained by solving exactly the Dirac equation in a curved space-time with optical metric for the laser plasma. When the laser field is diminished to zero, the wave function is naturally reduced to relativistic wave function of free electron. The possible application of the wave function is discussed

The bean rhizosphere Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain RZ9 strongly reduces Fusarium culmorum growth and infectiveness of plant roots

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haddoudi, I.; Sendi, Y.; Batnini, M.; Romdhane, S.B.; Mhadhbi, H.; Mrabet, M.

2017-07-01

A faba bean rhizospheric Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate RZ9 was used for studying its antifungal activity and protecting effects of faba bean and common bean against the root pathogen Fusarium culmorum strain MZB47. The dual culture tests showed that RZ9 inhibits MZB47 in vitro growth by 56%. When mixing RZ9 cell suspension with MZB47 macroconidia at equal proportion, the macroconidia viability was reduced with 70%. Pathogenicity tests conducted in sterile conditions showed that MZB47 caused an intense root rotting in faba bean ‘Aquadulce’ plantlets and a slight level in common bean ‘Coco blanc’. This was associated to significant decreases in plant growth only in ‘Aquadulce’, reducing shoot dry weight (DW) by 82% and root DW by 70%. In soil samples, MZB47 caused severe root rotting and induced significant decreases in shoot DW (up to 51%) and root DW (up to 60%) for both beans. It was associated to a decrease in nodule number by 73% and 52% for faba bean and common bean, respectively. Biocontrol assays revealed that the inoculation of RZ9 to MZB47-treated plantlets enhanced shoot DWs (25% and 110%) and root DWs (29% and 67%), in faba bean and common bean, respectively. Moreover, root rotting levels decreased and nodule number increased in treated compared to untreated plantlets. Collected data highlighted the disease severity of F. culmorum and demonstrated the potential of using RZ9 in controlling Fusaria root diseases in beans. Thereby, the current study represents the first report on the biocontrol effectiveness of P. aeruginosa against F. culmorum in beans.

The bean rhizosphere Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain RZ9 strongly reduces Fusarium culmorum growth and infectiveness of plant roots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imen Haddoudi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A faba bean rhizospheric Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate RZ9 was used for studying its antifungal activity and protecting effects of faba bean and common bean against the root pathogen Fusarium culmorum strain MZB47. The dual culture tests showed that RZ9 inhibits MZB47 in vitro growth by 56%. When mixing RZ9 cell suspension with MZB47 macroconidia at equal proportion, the macroconidia viability was reduced with 70%. Pathogenicity tests conducted in sterile conditions showed that MZB47 caused an intense root rotting in faba bean ‘Aquadulce’ plantlets and a slight level in common bean ‘Coco blanc’. This was associated to significant decreases in plant growth only in ‘Aquadulce’, reducing shoot dry weight (DW by 82% and root DW by 70%. In soil samples, MZB47 caused severe root rotting and induced significant decreases in shoot DW (up to 51% and root DW (up to 60% for both beans. It was associated to a decrease in nodule number by 73% and 52% for faba bean and common bean, respectively. Biocontrol assays revealed that the inoculation of RZ9 to MZB47-treated plantlets enhanced shoot DWs (25% and 110% and root DWs (29% and 67%, in faba bean and common bean, respectively. Moreover, root rotting levels decreased and nodule number increased in treated compared to untreated plantlets. Collected data highlighted the disease severity of F. culmorum and demonstrated the potential of using RZ9 in controlling Fusaria root diseases in beans. Thereby, the current study represents the first report on the biocontrol effectiveness of P. aeruginosa against F. culmorum in beans.

Interplay between strong correlation and adsorption distances: Co on Cu(001)

Science.gov (United States)

Bahlke, Marc Philipp; Karolak, Michael; Herrmann, Carmen

2018-01-01

Adsorbed transition metal atoms can have partially filled d or f shells due to strong on-site Coulomb interaction. Capturing all effects originating from electron correlation in such strongly correlated systems is a challenge for electronic structure methods. It requires a sufficiently accurate description of the atomistic structure (in particular bond distances and angles), which is usually obtained from first-principles Kohn-Sham density functional theory (DFT), which due to the approximate nature of the exchange-correlation functional may provide an unreliable description of strongly correlated systems. To elucidate the consequences of this popular procedure, we apply a combination of DFT with the Anderson impurity model (AIM), as well as DFT + U for a calculation of the potential energy surface along the Co/Cu(001) adsorption coordinate, and compare the results with those obtained from DFT. The adsorption minimum is shifted towards larger distances by applying DFT+AIM, or the much cheaper DFT +U method, compared to the corresponding spin-polarized DFT results, by a magnitude comparable to variations between different approximate exchange-correlation functionals (0.08 to 0.12 Å). This shift originates from an increasing correlation energy at larger adsorption distances, which can be traced back to the Co 3 dx y and 3 dz2 orbitals being more correlated as the adsorption distance is increased. We can show that such considerations are important, as they may strongly affect electronic properties such as the Kondo temperature.

Intermittency in Hall-magnetohydrodynamics with a strong guide field

OpenAIRE

Imazio, P. Rodriguez; Martin, L. N.; Dmitruk, P.; Mininni, P. D.

2013-01-01

We present a detailed study of intermittency in the velocity and magnetic field fluctuations of compressible Hall-magnetohydrodynamic turbulence with an external guide field. To solve the equations numerically, a reduced model valid when a strong guide field is present is used. Different values for the ion skin depth are considered in the simulations. The resulting data are analyzed computing field increments in several directions perpendicular to the guide field, and building structure funct...

Strong negative self regulation of Prokaryotic transcription factors increases the intrinsic noise of protein expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenkins Dafyd J

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many prokaryotic transcription factors repress their own transcription. It is often asserted that such regulation enables a cell to homeostatically maintain protein abundance. We explore the role of negative self regulation of transcription in regulating the variability of protein abundance using a variety of stochastic modeling techniques. Results We undertake a novel analysis of a classic model for negative self regulation. We demonstrate that, with standard approximations, protein variance relative to its mean should be independent of repressor strength in a physiological range. Consequently, in that range, the coefficient of variation would increase with repressor strength. However, stochastic computer simulations demonstrate that there is a greater increase in noise associated with strong repressors than predicted by theory. The discrepancies between the mathematical analysis and computer simulations arise because with strong repressors the approximation that leads to Michaelis-Menten-like hyperbolic repression terms ceases to be valid. Because we observe that strong negative feedback increases variability and so is unlikely to be a mechanism for noise control, we suggest instead that negative feedback is evolutionarily favoured because it allows the cell to minimize mRNA usage. To test this, we used in silico evolution to demonstrate that while negative feedback can achieve only a modest improvement in protein noise reduction compared with the unregulated system, it can achieve good improvement in protein response times and very substantial improvement in reducing mRNA levels. Conclusion Strong negative self regulation of transcription may not always be a mechanism for homeostatic control of protein abundance, but instead might be evolutionarily favoured as a mechanism to limit the use of mRNA. The use of hyperbolic terms derived from quasi-steady-state approximation should also be avoided in the analysis of stochastic

Strong Langmuir turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldman, M.V.

1984-01-01

After a brief discussion of beam-excited Langmuir turbulence in the solar wind, we explain the criteria for wave-particle, three-wave and strong turbulence interactions. We then present the results of a numerical integration of the Zakharov equations, which describe the strong turbulence saturation of a weak (low-density) high energy, bump-on-tail beam instability. (author)

Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms, 1933-1994

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms is a database of over 15,000 digitized and processed accelerograph records from...

Reduced probability of ice-free summers for 1.5 °C compared to 2 °C warming

Science.gov (United States)

Jahn, Alexandra

2018-05-01

Arctic sea ice has declined rapidly with increasing global temperatures. However, it is largely unknown how Arctic summer sea-ice impacts would vary under the 1.5 °C Paris target compared to scenarios with greater warming. Using the Community Earth System Model, I show that constraining warming to 1.5 °C rather than 2.0 °C reduces the probability of any summer ice-free conditions by 2100 from 100% to 30%. It also reduces the late-century probability of an ice cover below the 2012 record minimum from 98% to 55%. For warming above 2 °C, frequent ice-free conditions can be expected, potentially for several months per year. Although sea-ice loss is generally reversible for decreasing temperatures, sea ice will only recover to current conditions if atmospheric CO2 is reduced below present-day concentrations. Due to model biases, these results provide a lower bound on summer sea-ice impacts, but clearly demonstrate the benefits of constraining warming to 1.5 °C.

Rapid Moment Magnitude Estimation Using Strong Motion Derived Static Displacements

OpenAIRE

Muzli, Muzli; Asch, Guenter; Saul, Joachim; Murjaya, Jaya

2015-01-01

The static surface deformation can be recovered from strong motion records. Compared to satellite-based measurements such as GPS or InSAR, the advantage of strong motion records is that they have the potential to provide real-time coseismic static displacements. The use of these valuable data was optimized for the moment magnitude estimation. A centroid grid search method was introduced to calculate the moment magnitude by using1 model. The method to data sets was applied of the 2011...

Radial Distribution Functions of Strongly Coupled Two-Temperature Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Shaffer, Nathaniel R.; Tiwari, Sanat Kumar; Baalrud, Scott D.

2017-10-01

We present tests of three theoretical models for the radial distribution functions (RDFs) in two-temperature strongly coupled plasmas. RDFs are useful in extending plasma thermodynamics and kinetic theory to strong coupling, but they are usually known only for thermal equilibrium or for approximate one-component model plasmas. Accurate two-component modeling is necessary to understand the impact of strong coupling on inter-species transport, e.g., ambipolar diffusion and electron-ion temperature relaxation. We demonstrate that the Seuferling-Vogel-Toeppfer (SVT) extension of the hypernetted chain equations not only gives accurate RDFs (as compared with classical molecular dynamics simulations), but also has a simple connection with the Yukawa OCP model. This connection gives a practical means to recover the structure of the electron background from knowledge of the ion-ion RDF alone. Using the model RDFs in Effective Potential Theory, we report the first predictions of inter-species transport coefficients of strongly coupled plasmas far from equilibrium. This work is supported by NSF Grant No. PHY-1453736, AFSOR Award No. FA9550-16-1-0221, and used XSEDE computational resources.

Large methane releases lead to strong aerosol forcing and reduced cloudiness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kurten, T.; Zhou, L.; Makkonen, R.

2011-01-01

The release of vast quantities of methane into the atmosphere as a result of clathrate destabilization is a potential mechanism for rapid amplification of global warming. Previous studies have calculated the enhanced warming based mainly on the radiative effect of the methane itself, with smaller...... is predicted to significantly decrease hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations, while moderately increasing ozone (O-3). These changes lead to a 70% increase in the atmospheric lifetime of methane, and an 18% decrease in global mean cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNC). The CDNC change causes a radiative...... forcing that is comparable in magnitude to the long-wave radiative forcing ("enhanced greenhouse effect") of the added methane. Together, the indirect CH4-O-3 and CH4-OHaerosol forcings could more than double the warming effect of large methane increases. Our findings may help explain the anomalously...

Introduction of a methoxymethyl side chain into p-phenylenediamine attenuates its sensitizing potency and reduces the risk of allergy induction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goebel, Carsten, E-mail: goebel.c.1@pg.com [The Procter and Gamble Co., Central Product Safety and Communications, Darmstadt (Germany); Troutman, John [The Procter and Gamble Co., Central Product Safety, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Hennen, Jenny [Dept. of Environmental Toxicology, Trier University, Trier (Germany); Rothe, Helga; Schlatter, Harald [The Procter and Gamble Co., Central Product Safety and Communications, Darmstadt (Germany); Gerberick, G. Frank [The Procter and Gamble Co., Central Product Safety, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Blömeke, Brunhilde [Dept. of Environmental Toxicology, Trier University, Trier (Germany)

2014-02-01

The strong sensitizing potencies of the most important primary intermediates of oxidative hair dyes, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) and p-toluylenediamine (PTD, i.e. 2-methyl-PPD) are well established. They are considered as the key sensitizers in hair dye allergic contact dermatitis. While modification of their molecular structure is expected to alter their sensitizing properties, it may also impair their color performance. With introduction of a methoxymethyl side chain we found the primary intermediate 2-methoxymethyl-p-phenylenediamine (ME-PPD) with excellent hair coloring performance but significantly reduced sensitizing properties compared to PPD and PTD: In vitro, ME-PPD showed an attenuated innate immune response when analyzed for its protein reactivity and dendritic cell activation potential. In vivo, the effective concentration of ME-PPD necessary to induce an immune response 3-fold above vehicle control (EC3 value) in the local lymph node assay (LLNA) was 4.3%, indicating a moderate skin sensitizing potency compared to values of 0.1 and 0.17% for PPD and PTD, respectively. Finally, assessing the skin sensitizing potency of ME-PPD under consumer hair dye usage conditions through a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) indicated an allergy induction risk negligible compared to PPD or PTD. - Highlights: • Methoxymethyl side chain in p-phenylenediamine reduces its strong skin sensitizing properties. • Reduced protein reactivity and dendritic cell activation. • Reduced skin sensitizing potency in local lymph node assay (LLNA). • Negligible allergy induction risk under hair dye usage conditions.

Introduction of a methoxymethyl side chain into p-phenylenediamine attenuates its sensitizing potency and reduces the risk of allergy induction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goebel, Carsten; Troutman, John; Hennen, Jenny; Rothe, Helga; Schlatter, Harald; Gerberick, G. Frank; Blömeke, Brunhilde

2014-01-01

The strong sensitizing potencies of the most important primary intermediates of oxidative hair dyes, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) and p-toluylenediamine (PTD, i.e. 2-methyl-PPD) are well established. They are considered as the key sensitizers in hair dye allergic contact dermatitis. While modification of their molecular structure is expected to alter their sensitizing properties, it may also impair their color performance. With introduction of a methoxymethyl side chain we found the primary intermediate 2-methoxymethyl-p-phenylenediamine (ME-PPD) with excellent hair coloring performance but significantly reduced sensitizing properties compared to PPD and PTD: In vitro, ME-PPD showed an attenuated innate immune response when analyzed for its protein reactivity and dendritic cell activation potential. In vivo, the effective concentration of ME-PPD necessary to induce an immune response 3-fold above vehicle control (EC3 value) in the local lymph node assay (LLNA) was 4.3%, indicating a moderate skin sensitizing potency compared to values of 0.1 and 0.17% for PPD and PTD, respectively. Finally, assessing the skin sensitizing potency of ME-PPD under consumer hair dye usage conditions through a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) indicated an allergy induction risk negligible compared to PPD or PTD. - Highlights: • Methoxymethyl side chain in p-phenylenediamine reduces its strong skin sensitizing properties. • Reduced protein reactivity and dendritic cell activation. • Reduced skin sensitizing potency in local lymph node assay (LLNA). • Negligible allergy induction risk under hair dye usage conditions

Hydrogen atoms in a strong magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, R.R. dos.

1975-07-01

The energies and wave functions of the 14 lowest states of a Hydrogen atom in a strong magnetic field are calculated, using a variational scheme. The equivalence between the atomic problem and the problems related with excitons and impurities in semiconductors in the presence of a strong magnetic field are shown. The calculations of the energies and wave functions have been divided in two regions: the first, for the magnetic field ranging between zero and 10 9 G; in the second the magnetic field ranges between 10 9 and 10 11 G. The results have been compared with those obtained by previous authors. The computation time necessary for the calculations is small. Therefore this is a convenient scheme to obtain the energies and wave functions for the problem. Transition probabilities, wavelengths and oscillator strengths for some allowed transitions are also calculated. (Author) [pt

Chemical defense in Elodea nuttallii reduces feeding and growth of aquatic herbivorous Lepidoptera.

Science.gov (United States)

Erhard, Daniela; Pohnert, Georg; Gross, Elisabeth M

2007-08-01

The submersed macrophyte Elodea nuttallii (Hydrocharitaceae) is invasive in Europe and frequently found in aquatic plant communities. Many invertebrate herbivores, such as larvae of the generalist aquatic moth, Acentria ephemerella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae), avoid feeding on E. nuttallii and preferably consume native species. First instar larvae exhibited a high mortality on E. nuttallii compared to the native macrophyte Potamogeton perfoliatus. Mortality of older larvae was also high when fed E. nuttallii exposed to high light intensities. Growth of older larvae was strongly reduced on E. nuttallii compared to pondweeds (Potamogeton lucens). Neither differences in nitrogen nor phosphorus content explained the different performance on these submerged macrophytes, but plants differed in their flavonoid content. To investigate whether plant-derived allelochemicals from E. nuttallii affect larval performance in the same way as live plants, we developed a functional bioassay, in which Acentria larvae were reared on artificial diets. We offered larvae Potamogeton leaf disks coated with crude Elodea extracts and partially purified flavonoids. Elodea extracts deterred larvae from feeding on otherwise preferred Potamogeton leaves, and yet, unknown compounds in the extracts reduced growth and survival of Acentria. The flavonoid fraction containing luteolin-7-O-diglucuronide, apigenin-7-O-diglucuronide, and chrysoeriol-7-O-diglucuronide strongly reduced feeding of larvae, but did not increase mortality. The concentrations of these compounds in our assays were 0.01-0.09% of plant dry mass, which is in the lower range of concentrations found in the field (0.02-1.2%). Chemical defense in E. nuttallii thus plays an ecologically relevant role in this aquatic plant-herbivore system.

Canonical Transform Method for Treating Strongly Anisotropy Magnets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cooke, J. F.; Lindgård, Per-Anker

1977-01-01

An infinite-order perturbation approach to the theory of magnetism in magnets with strong single-ion anisotropy is given. This approach is based on a canonical transformation of the system into one with a diagonal crystal field, an effective two-ion anisotropy, and reduced ground-state corrections....... A matrix-element matching procedure is used to obtain an explicit expression for the spin-wave energy to second order. The consequences of this theory are illustrated by an application to a simple example with planar anisotropy and an external magnetic field. A detailed comparison between the results...

Strong Sporadic E Occurrence Detected by Ground-Based GNSS

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wenjie; Ning, Baiqi; Yue, Xinan; Li, Guozhu; Hu, Lianhuan; Chang, Shoumin; Lan, Jiaping; Zhu, Zhengping; Zhao, Biqiang; Lin, Jian

2018-04-01

The ionospheric sporadic E (Es) layer has significant impact on radio wave propagation. The traditional techniques employed for Es layer observation, for example, ionosondes, are not dense enough to resolve the morphology and dynamics of Es layer in spatial distribution. The ground-based Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technique is expected to shed light on the understanding of regional strong Es occurrence, owing to the facts that the critical frequency (foEs) of strong Es structure is usually high enough to cause pulse-like disturbances in GNSS total electron content (TEC), and a large number of GNSS receivers have been deployed all over the world. Based on the Chinese ground-based GNSS networks, including the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China and the Beidou Ionospheric Observation Network, a large-scale strong Es event was observed in the middle latitude of China. The strong Es shown as a band-like structure in the southwest-northeast direction extended more than 1,000 km. By making a comparative analysis of Es occurrences identified from the simultaneous observations by ionosondes and GNSS TEC receivers over China middle latitude statistically, we found that GNSS TEC can be well employed to observe strong Es occurrence with a threshold value of foEs, 14 MHz.

Amplified photoacoustic performance and enhanced photothermal stability of reduced graphene oxide coated gold nanorods for sensitive photoacoustic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Hyungwon; Kumar, Dinesh; Kim, Haemin; Sim, Changbeom; Chang, Jin-Ho; Kim, Jung-Mu; Kim, Hyuncheol; Lim, Dong-Kwon

2015-03-24

We report a strongly amplified photoacoustic (PA) performance of the new functional hybrid material composed of reduced graphene oxide and gold nanorods. Due to the excellent NIR light absorption properties of the reduced graphene oxide coated gold nanorods (r-GO-AuNRs) and highly efficient heat transfer process through the reduced graphene oxide layer, r-GO-AuNRs exhibit excellent photothermal stability and significantly higher photoacoustic amplitudes than those of bare-AuNRs, nonreduced graphene oxide coated AuNRs (GO-AuNRs), or silica-coated AuNR, as demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo systems. The linear response of PA amplitude from reduced state controlled GO on AuNR indicates the critical role of GO for a strong photothermal effect of r-GO-AuNRs. Theoretical studies with finite-element-method lab-based simulation reveal that a 4 times higher magnitude of the enhanced electromagnetic field around r-GO-AuNRs can be generated compared with bare AuNRs or GO-AuNRs. Furthermore, the r-GO-AuNRs are expected to be a promising deep-tissue imaging probe because of extraordinarily high PA amplitudes in the 4-11 MHz operating frequency of an ultrasound transducer. Therefore, the r-GO-AuNRs can be a useful imaging probe for highly sensitive photoacoustic images and NIR sensitive therapeutics based on a strong photothermal effect.

Iterative solutions of nonlinear equations with strongly accretive or strongly pseudocontractive maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chidume, C.E.

1994-03-01

Let E be a real q-uniformly smooth Banach space. Suppose T is a strongly pseudo-contractive map with open domain D(T) in E. Suppose further that T has a fixed point in D(T). Under various continuity assumptions on T it is proved that each of the Mann iteration process or the Ishikawa iteration method converges strongly to the unique fixed point of T. Related results deal with iterative solutions of nonlinear operator equations involving strongly accretive maps. Explicit error estimates are also provided. (author). 38 refs

Strong Electro-Absorption in GeSi Epitaxy on Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John E. Cunningham

2012-04-01

Full Text Available We have investigated the selective epitaxial growth of GeSi bulk material on silicon-on-insulator substrates by reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition. We employed AFM, SIMS, and Hall measurements, to characterize the GeSi heteroepitaxy quality. Optimal growth conditions have been identified to achieve low defect density, low RMS roughness with high selectivity and precise control of silicon content. Fabricated vertical p-i-n diodes exhibit very low dark current density of 5 mA/cm² at −1 V bias. Under a 7.5 V/µm E-field, GeSi alloys with 0.6% Si content demonstrate very strong electro-absorption with an estimated effective ∆α/α around 3.5 at 1,590 nm. We compared measured ∆α/α performance to that of bulk Ge. Optical modulation up to 40 GHz is observed in waveguide devices while small signal analysis indicates bandwidth is limited by device parasitics.

An Improved Car-Following Model Accounting for Impact of Strong Wind

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dawei Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effect of strong wind on dynamic characteristic of traffic flow, an improved car-following model based on the full velocity difference model is developed in this paper. Wind force is introduced as the influence factor of car-following behavior. Among three components of wind force, lift force and side force are taken into account. The linear stability analysis is carried out and the stability condition of the newly developed model is derived. Numerical analysis is made to explore the effect of strong wind on spatial-time evolution of a small perturbation. The results show that the strong wind can significantly affect the stability of traffic flow. Driving safety in strong wind is also studied by comparing the lateral force under different wind speeds with the side friction of vehicles. Finally, the fuel consumption of vehicle in strong wind condition is explored and the results show that the fuel consumption decreased with the increase of wind speed.

TPR investigations on the reducibility of Cu supported on Al2O3, zeolite Y and SAPO-5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoang, Dang Lanh; Dang, Thi Thuy Hanh; Engeldinger, Jana; Schneider, Matthias; Radnik, Joerg; Richter, Manfred; Martin, Andreas

2011-01-01

Reducibility of Cu supported on Al 2 O 3 , zeolite Y and silicoaluminophosphate SAPO-5 has been investigated in dependence on the Cu content using a method combining conventional temperature programmed reduction (TPR) by hydrogen with reoxidation in N 2 O followed by a second the so-called surface-TPR (s-TPR). The method enables discrimination and a quantitative estimation of the Cu oxidation states +2, +1 and 0. The quantitative results show that the initial oxidation state of Cu after calcination in air at 400 deg. C, independent on the nature of the support, is predominantly +2. Cu 2+ supported on Al 2 O 3 is quantitatively reduced by hydrogen to metallic Cu 0 . Comparing the TPR of the samples calcined in air and that of samples additionally pre-treated in argon reveals that in zeolite Y and SAPO-5 Cu 2+ cations are stabilized as weakly and strongly forms. In both systems, strongly stabilized Cu 2+ ions are not auto-reduced by pre-treatment in argon at 650 deg. C, but are reduced in hydrogen to form Cu + . The weakly stabilized Cu 2+ ions, in contrast, may be auto-reduced by pre-treatment in argon at 650 deg. C forming Cu + but are reduced in hydrogen to metallic Cu 0 . - Graphical Abstract: TPR, TPR-(act), s-TPR and s-TPR-(act) profiles of (1.36)Cu/SAPO-5 (A), (4.55)Cu/SAPO-5 (B) and (9.19)Cu/SAPO-5 (C) samples. The intensities of TCD signals in (A) and (B) are multiplied by 4.5 and 2, respectively. Highlights: → Cu supported on SAPO-5, alumina and zeolite Y was investigated by TPR and s-TPR. → Cu oxidation states can be discriminated and quantitatively determined. → In zeolite Y and SAPO-5 Cu 2+ cations are stabilized at weak and strong forms. → Strongly stabilized Cu 2+ cannot be auto-reduced in argon at 650 deg. C.

Children with dyslexia show a reduced processing benefit from bimodal speech information compared to their typically developing peers.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaadt, Gesa; van der Meer, Elke; Pannekamp, Ann; Oberecker, Regine; Männel, Claudia

2018-01-17

During information processing, individuals benefit from bimodally presented input, as has been demonstrated for speech perception (i.e., printed letters and speech sounds) or the perception of emotional expressions (i.e., facial expression and voice tuning). While typically developing individuals show this bimodal benefit, school children with dyslexia do not. Currently, it is unknown whether the bimodal processing deficit in dyslexia also occurs for visual-auditory speech processing that is independent of reading and spelling acquisition (i.e., no letter-sound knowledge is required). Here, we tested school children with and without spelling problems on their bimodal perception of video-recorded mouth movements pronouncing syllables. We analyzed the event-related potential Mismatch Response (MMR) to visual-auditory speech information and compared this response to the MMR to monomodal speech information (i.e., auditory-only, visual-only). We found a reduced MMR with later onset to visual-auditory speech information in children with spelling problems compared to children without spelling problems. Moreover, when comparing bimodal and monomodal speech perception, we found that children without spelling problems showed significantly larger responses in the visual-auditory experiment compared to the visual-only response, whereas children with spelling problems did not. Our results suggest that children with dyslexia exhibit general difficulties in bimodal speech perception independently of letter-speech sound knowledge, as apparent in altered bimodal speech perception and lacking benefit from bimodal information. This general deficit in children with dyslexia may underlie the previously reported reduced bimodal benefit for letter-speech sound combinations and similar findings in emotion perception. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional electromagnetic strong turbulence. II. Wave packet collapse and structure of wave packets during strong turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graham, D. B.; Robinson, P. A.; Cairns, Iver H.; Skjaeraasen, O.

2011-01-01

Large-scale simulations of wave packet collapse are performed by numerically solving the three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic Zakharov equations, focusing on individual wave packet collapses and on wave packets that form in continuously driven strong turbulence. The collapse threshold is shown to decrease as the electron thermal speed ν e /c increases and as the temperature ratio T i /T e of ions to electrons decreases. Energy lost during wave packet collapse and dissipation is shown to depend on ν e /c. The dynamics of density perturbations after collapse are studied in 3D electromagnetic strong turbulence for a range of T i /T e . The structures of the Langmuir, transverse, and total electric field components of wave packets during strong turbulence are investigated over a range of ν e /c. For ν e /c e /c > or approx. 0.17, transverse modes become trapped in density wells and contribute significantly to the structure of the total electric field. At all ν e /c, the Langmuir energy density contours of wave packets are predominantly oblate (pancake shaped). The transverse energy density contours of wave packets are predominantly prolate (sausage shaped), with the major axis being perpendicular to the major axes of the Langmuir component. This results in the wave packet becoming more nearly spherical as ν e /c increases, and in turn generates more spherical density wells during collapse. The results obtained are compared with previous 3D electrostatic results and 2D electromagnetic results.

Testing strong interaction theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, J.

1979-01-01

The author discusses possible tests of the current theories of the strong interaction, in particular, quantum chromodynamics. High energy e + e - interactions should provide an excellent means of studying the strong force. (W.D.L.)

Thermal DBI action for the D3-brane at weak and strong coupling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grignani, Gianluca; Harmark, Troels; Marini, Andrea

2014-01-01

We study the effective action for finite-temperature D3-branes with an electromagnetic field at weak and strong coupling. We call this action the thermal DBI action. Comparing at low temperature the leading T4 correction for the thermal DBI action at weak and strong coupling we find that the 3/4 ...

Living network meta-analysis compared with pairwise meta-analysis in comparative effectiveness research: empirical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolakopoulou, Adriani; Mavridis, Dimitris; Furukawa, Toshi A; Cipriani, Andrea; Tricco, Andrea C; Straus, Sharon E; Siontis, George C M; Egger, Matthias; Salanti, Georgia

2018-02-28

To examine whether the continuous updating of networks of prospectively planned randomised controlled trials (RCTs) ("living" network meta-analysis) provides strong evidence against the null hypothesis in comparative effectiveness of medical interventions earlier than the updating of conventional, pairwise meta-analysis. Empirical study of the accumulating evidence about the comparative effectiveness of clinical interventions. Database of network meta-analyses of RCTs identified through searches of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews until 14 April 2015. Network meta-analyses published after January 2012 that compared at least five treatments and included at least 20 RCTs. Clinical experts were asked to identify in each network the treatment comparison of greatest clinical interest. Comparisons were excluded for which direct and indirect evidence disagreed, based on side, or node, splitting test (Pmeta-analyses were performed for each selected comparison. Monitoring boundaries of statistical significance were constructed and the evidence against the null hypothesis was considered to be strong when the monitoring boundaries were crossed. A significance level was defined as α=5%, power of 90% (β=10%), and an anticipated treatment effect to detect equal to the final estimate from the network meta-analysis. The frequency and time to strong evidence was compared against the null hypothesis between pairwise and network meta-analyses. 49 comparisons of interest from 44 networks were included; most (n=39, 80%) were between active drugs, mainly from the specialties of cardiology, endocrinology, psychiatry, and rheumatology. 29 comparisons were informed by both direct and indirect evidence (59%), 13 by indirect evidence (27%), and 7 by direct evidence (14%). Both network and pairwise meta-analysis provided strong evidence against the null hypothesis for seven comparisons, but for an additional 10 comparisons only network meta-analysis provided

A comparative assessment of the curative potential of reduced intensity allografts in acute myeloid leukaemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Russell, N H; Kjeldsen, L; Craddock, C

2015-01-01

was to determine which approach improved survival and within which prespecified cytogenetic groups. RIC transplants significantly reduced relapse (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.66 (0.50-0.85), P=0.002) compared to chemotherapy The 5-year overall survival from a sibling RIC (61%) was superior to a MUD RIC (37......%; adjusted HR 1.50 (1.01-2.21), P=0.04) due to lower NRM (34 vs 14%, P=0.002) In adjusted analyses, there was a survival benefit for sibling RIC over chemotherapy (59 vs 49%, HR 0.75 (0.57-0.97), P=0.03), with consistent results in intermediate and adverse-risk patients. In patients aged 35-44 years, best...

Comparative taphonomy, taphofacies, and bonebeds of the Mio-Pliocene Purisima Formation, central California: strong physical control on marine vertebrate preservation in shallow marine settings.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert W Boessenecker

Full Text Available Taphonomic study of marine vertebrate remains has traditionally focused on single skeletons, lagerstätten, or bonebed genesis with few attempts to document environmental gradients in preservation. As such, establishment of a concrete taphonomic model for shallow marine vertebrate assemblages is lacking. The Neogene Purisima Formation of Northern California, a richly fossiliferous unit recording nearshore to offshore depositional settings, offers a unique opportunity to examine preservational trends across these settings.Lithofacies analysis was conducted to place vertebrate fossils within a hydrodynamic and depositional environmental context. Taphonomic data including abrasion, fragmentation, phosphatization, articulation, polish, and biogenic bone modification were recorded for over 1000 vertebrate fossils of sharks, bony fish, birds, pinnipeds, odontocetes, mysticetes, sirenians, and land mammals. These data were used to compare both preservation of multiple taxa within a single lithofacies and preservation of individual taxa across lithofacies to document environmental gradients in preservation. Differential preservation between taxa indicates strong preservational bias within the Purisima Formation. Varying levels of abrasion, fragmentation, phosphatization, and articulation are strongly correlative with physical processes of sediment transport and sedimentation rate. Preservational characteristics were used to delineate four taphofacies corresponding to inner, middle, and outer shelf settings, and bonebeds. Application of sequence stratigraphic methods shows that bonebeds mark major stratigraphic discontinuities, while packages of rock between discontinuities consistently exhibit onshore-offshore changes in taphofacies.Changes in vertebrate preservation and bonebed character between lithofacies closely correspond to onshore-offshore changes in depositional setting, indicating that the dominant control of preservation is exerted by physical

Comparative taphonomy, taphofacies, and bonebeds of the Mio-Pliocene Purisima Formation, central California: strong physical control on marine vertebrate preservation in shallow marine settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Boessenecker, Robert W; Perry, Frank A; Schmitt, James G

2014-01-01

Taphonomic study of marine vertebrate remains has traditionally focused on single skeletons, lagerstätten, or bonebed genesis with few attempts to document environmental gradients in preservation. As such, establishment of a concrete taphonomic model for shallow marine vertebrate assemblages is lacking. The Neogene Purisima Formation of Northern California, a richly fossiliferous unit recording nearshore to offshore depositional settings, offers a unique opportunity to examine preservational trends across these settings. Lithofacies analysis was conducted to place vertebrate fossils within a hydrodynamic and depositional environmental context. Taphonomic data including abrasion, fragmentation, phosphatization, articulation, polish, and biogenic bone modification were recorded for over 1000 vertebrate fossils of sharks, bony fish, birds, pinnipeds, odontocetes, mysticetes, sirenians, and land mammals. These data were used to compare both preservation of multiple taxa within a single lithofacies and preservation of individual taxa across lithofacies to document environmental gradients in preservation. Differential preservation between taxa indicates strong preservational bias within the Purisima Formation. Varying levels of abrasion, fragmentation, phosphatization, and articulation are strongly correlative with physical processes of sediment transport and sedimentation rate. Preservational characteristics were used to delineate four taphofacies corresponding to inner, middle, and outer shelf settings, and bonebeds. Application of sequence stratigraphic methods shows that bonebeds mark major stratigraphic discontinuities, while packages of rock between discontinuities consistently exhibit onshore-offshore changes in taphofacies. Changes in vertebrate preservation and bonebed character between lithofacies closely correspond to onshore-offshore changes in depositional setting, indicating that the dominant control of preservation is exerted by physical processes. The

Strong reducing of the laser focal volume

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Godin, T

2011-08-01

Full Text Available equal to -1 or +1 modeled on the p light rings of the incident TEMp0 beam. The transformation quality of a 30TEM beam into a single-lobed pattern in the focal plane is shown in Fig. 3. It is clear that the intensity pattern of the rectified beam... DOE (blue solid line), rectified 30TEM (red solid line) -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 4 z=0 z=f DOE Fig. 2 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 TEM30 without DOE "rectified" TEM30 TEM00 In te ns...

Quantization rules for strongly chaotic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aurich, R.; Bolte, J.

1992-09-01

We discuss the quantization of strongly chaotic systems and apply several quantization rules to a model system given by the unconstrained motion of a particle on a compact surface of constant negative Gaussian curvature. We study the periodic-orbit theory for distinct symmetry classes corresponding to a parity operation which is always present when such a surface has genus two. Recently, several quantization rules based on periodic orbit theory have been introduced. We compare quantizations using the dynamical zeta function Z(s) with the quantization condition cos(π N(E)) = 0, where a periodix-orbit expression for the spectral staircase N(E) is used. A general discussion of the efficiency of periodic-orbit quantization then allows us to compare the different methods. The system dependence of the efficiency, which is determined by the topological entropy τ and the mean level density anti d(E), is emphasized. (orig.)

Strong disorder RG approach of random systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Igloi, Ferenc; Monthus, Cecile

2005-01-01

There is a large variety of quantum and classical systems in which the quenched disorder plays a dominant ro-circumflex le over quantum, thermal, or stochastic fluctuations: these systems display strong spatial heterogeneities, and many averaged observables are actually governed by rare regions. A unifying approach to treat the dynamical and/or static singularities of these systems has emerged recently, following the pioneering RG idea by Ma and Dasgupta and the detailed analysis by Fisher who showed that the Ma-Dasgupta RG rules yield asymptotic exact results if the broadness of the disorder grows indefinitely at large scales. Here we report these new developments by starting with an introduction of the main ingredients of the strong disorder RG method. We describe the basic properties of infinite disorder fixed points, which are realized at critical points, and of strong disorder fixed points, which control the singular behaviors in the Griffiths-phases. We then review in detail applications of the RG method to various disordered models, either (i) quantum models, such as random spin chains, ladders and higher dimensional spin systems, or (ii) classical models, such as diffusion in a random potential, equilibrium at low temperature and coarsening dynamics of classical random spin chains, trap models, delocalization transition of a random polymer from an interface, driven lattice gases and reaction diffusion models in the presence of quenched disorder. For several one-dimensional systems, the Ma-Dasgupta RG rules yields very detailed analytical results, whereas for other, mainly higher dimensional problems, the RG rules have to be implemented numerically. If available, the strong disorder RG results are compared with another, exact or numerical calculations

Strong plasma shock structures based on the Navier--Stokes equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, K.

1975-01-01

The structure of a plasma collisional shock wave is examined on the basis of the Navier--Stokes equations and simultaneously on the basis of the Fokker--Planck equation. The resultant structures are compared to check the validity of the Navier--Stokes equations applied to the structures of strong shock waves. The Navier--Stokes equations give quite correct structures for weak shock waves. For the strong shock waves, the detailed structures obtained from the Navier--Stokes equations differ from the results of the Fokker--Planck equation, but the shock thicknesses of the two shock waves are in relatively close agreement

Current-horn suppression for reduced coherent-synchrotron-radiation-induced emittance growth in strong bunch compression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. K. Charles

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Control of coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR-induced emittance growth is essential in linear accelerators designed to deliver very high brightness electron beams. Extreme current values at the head and tail of the electron bunch, resulting from strong bunch compression, are responsible for large CSR production leading to significant transverse projected emittance growth. The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS truncates the head and tail current spikes which greatly improves free electron laser (FEL performance. Here we consider the underlying dynamics that lead to formation of current spikes (also referred to as current horns, which has been identified as caustics forming in electron trajectories. We present a method to analytically determine conditions required to avoid the caustic formation and therefore prevent the current spikes from forming. These required conditions can be easily met, without increasing the transverse slice emittance, through inclusion of an octupole magnet in the middle of a bunch compressor.

A comparative assessment of different options to reduce CO2 emissions. Working paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messner, S.; Nakicenovic, N.

1992-03-01

The IIASA research project on Environmentally Compatible Energy Strategies includes the assessment of options and measures for mitigating global CO 2 emissions. The basis of this assessment is the comparative inventory of technological and economic measures including efficiency improvement, conservation, enhanced use of low-carbon fuels, carbon free sources of energy and measures for removing carbon from fuels, flue gases and also from the atmosphere such as afforestation, and finally also measures for enhancement of carbon sinks. To include all potential options, the comparison is based on energy end-use accounting for the fully interlinked energy conversion chain up to energy resources. The analysis is supported by a fully interactive data bank system, CO2DB, that is capable of evaluating full energy chains with respect to their economic, technical and environmental parameters. The paper reports energy requirements, cost and CO 2 emissions for different energy chains providing industrial drives, cooling and air transport services. At additional cost, emissions can be reduced drastically on all these end-use categories. (authors)

Pair correlation of particles in strongly nonideal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaulina, O. S.

2012-01-01

A new semiempirical model is proposed for describing the spatial correlation between interacting particles in nonideal systems. The developed model describes the main features in the behavior of the pair correlation function for crystalline structures and can also be used for qualitative and quantitative description of the spatial correlation of particles in strongly nonideal liquid systems. The proposed model is compared with the results of simulation of the pair correlation function.

Abortion: Strong's counterexamples fail

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Nucci, Ezio

2009-01-01

This paper shows that the counterexamples proposed by Strong in 2008 in the Journal of Medical Ethics to Marquis's argument against abortion fail. Strong's basic idea is that there are cases--for example, terminally ill patients--where killing an adult human being is prima facie seriously morally...

Strong room-temperature ferromagnetism in VSe2 monolayers on van der Waals substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Bonilla, Manuel; Kolekar, Sadhu; Ma, Yujing; Diaz, Horacio Coy; Kalappattil, Vijaysankar; Das, Raja; Eggers, Tatiana; Gutierrez, Humberto R.; Phan, Manh-Huong; Batzill, Matthias

2018-04-01

Reduced dimensionality and interlayer coupling in van der Waals materials gives rise to fundamentally different electronic1, optical2 and many-body quantum3-5 properties in monolayers compared with the bulk. This layer-dependence permits the discovery of novel material properties in the monolayer regime. Ferromagnetic order in two-dimensional materials is a coveted property that would allow fundamental studies of spin behaviour in low dimensions and enable new spintronics applications6-8. Recent studies have shown that for the bulk-ferromagnetic layered materials CrI3 (ref. 9) and Cr2Ge2Te6 (ref. 10), ferromagnetic order is maintained down to the ultrathin limit at low temperatures. Contrary to these observations, we report the emergence of strong ferromagnetic ordering for monolayer VSe2, a material that is paramagnetic in the bulk11,12. Importantly, the ferromagnetic ordering with a large magnetic moment persists to above room temperature, making VSe2 an attractive material for van der Waals spintronics applications.

Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-Receptor α Strongly Inhibits Melanoma Growth In Vitro and In Vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debora Faraone

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Cutaneous melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer; it is highly metastatic and responds poorly to current therapies. The expression of platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGF-Rs is reported to be reduced in metastatic melanoma compared with benign nevi or normal skin; we then hypothesized that PDGF-Rα may control growth of melanoma cells. We show here that melanoma cells overexpressing PDGF-Rα respond to serum with a significantly lower proliferation compared with that of controls. Apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, pRb dephosphorylation, and DNA synthesis inhibition were also observed in cells overexpressing PDGF-Rα. Proliferation was rescued by PDGF-Rα inhibitors, allowing to exclude nonspecific toxic effects and indicating that PDGF-Rα mediates autocrine antiproliferation signals in melanoma cells. Accordingly, PDGF-Rα was found to mediate staurosporine cytotoxicity. A protein array-based analysis of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway revealed that melanoma cells overexpressing PDGF-Rα show a strong reduction of c-Jun phosphorylated in serine 63 and of protein phosphatase 2A/Bα and a marked increase of p38γ, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3, and signal regulatory protein α1 protein expression. In a mouse model of primary melanoma growth, infection with the Ad-vector overexpressing PDGF-Rα reached a significant 70% inhibition of primary melanoma growth (P < .001 and a similar inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. All together, these data demonstrate that PDGF-Rα strongly impairs melanoma growth likely through autocrine mechanisms and indicate a novel endogenous mechanism involved in melanoma control.

The quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effects with strong system-environment coupling.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhry, Adam Zaman

2017-05-11

To date, studies of the quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effects focus on quantum systems that are weakly interacting with their environment. In this paper, we investigate what happens to a quantum system under the action of repeated measurements if the quantum system is strongly interacting with its environment. We consider as the quantum system a single two-level system coupled strongly to a collection of harmonic oscillators. A so-called polaron transformation is then used to make the problem in the strong system-environment coupling regime tractable. We find that the strong coupling case exhibits quantitative and qualitative differences as compared with the weak coupling case. In particular, the effective decay rate does not depend linearly on the spectral density of the environment. This then means that, in the strong coupling regime that we investigate, increasing the system-environment coupling strength can actually decrease the effective decay rate. We also consider a collection of two-level atoms coupled strongly with a common environment. In this case, we find that there are further differences between the weak and strong coupling cases since the two-level atoms can now indirectly interact with one another due to the common environment.

Comparative Advantage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Jie; Jensen, Camilla

2007-01-01

that are typically explained from the supply-side variables, the comparative advantage of the exporting countries. A simple model is proposed and tested. The results render strong support for the relevance of supply-side factors such as natural endowments, technology, and infrastructure in explaining international...

<strong>Improved indicators and monitoring of pesticide usestrong>

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Peter Borgen; Kjær, Christian; Kudsk, Per

, and directly inside, the agricultural areas so this excludes the risk for contamination of groundwater and the human risk. Elements from existing indicators are combined in a way that can make optimal use of the available data, where the level of complexity is adjusted to fit the conditions of uncertainty......  The goal for the new improved indicator, PestNaB (Pesticiders NaturBelastning), was to develop a valid indicator reflecting the potential risk for nature due to application of pesticides and based on available data set for Danish conditions. The focus is on risk in relation the nature close to...... to predict one year as more/less risky as an other year or to predict one geographically area are more risky than another area. It is also possible to compare different means of risk reduction in order to find the most effective one, or to find the cheapest way to reduce risk....

The comparative efficacy of first- versus second-generation electronic cigarettes in reducing symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lechner, William V; Meier, Ellen; Wiener, Josh L; Grant, DeMond M; Gilmore, Jenna; Judah, Matt R; Mills, Adam C; Wagener, Theodore L

2015-05-01

Currently, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are studied as though they are a homogeneous category. However, there are several noteworthy differences in the products that fall under this name, including potential differences in the efficacy of these products as smoking cessation aids. The current study examined the comparative efficacy of first- and second-generation e-cigarettes in reducing nicotine withdrawal symptoms in a sample of current smokers with little or no experience of using e-cigarettes. Twenty-two mildly to moderately nicotine-dependent individuals were randomized to a cross-over design in which they used first- and second-generation e-cigarettes on separate days with assessment of withdrawal symptoms directly prior to and after product use. A community-based sample recruited in the Midwest region of the United States reported a mean age of 28.6 [standard deviation (SD) = 12.9]. The majority were male (56.5%), Caucasian (91.3%), reported smoking an average of 15.2 (SD = 9.6) tobacco cigarettes per day, and a mean baseline carbon monoxide (CO) level of 18.7 parts per million (p.p.m.). Symptoms of withdrawal from nicotine were measured via the Mood and Physical Symptoms Scale. Analysis of changes in withdrawal symptoms revealed a significant time × product interaction F(1, 21)  = 5.057, P = 0.036, n(2) P  = 0.202. Participants experienced a larger reduction in symptoms of nicotine withdrawal after using second-generation compared with first-generation e-cigarettes. Second-generation e-cigarettes seem to be more effective in reducing symptoms of nicotine withdrawal than do first-generation e-cigarettes. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

PPARγ partial agonist GQ-16 strongly represses a subset of genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milton, Flora Aparecida [Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Universidade de Brasília (Brazil); Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX (United States); Cvoro, Aleksandra [Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX (United States); Amato, Angelica A. [Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Universidade de Brasília (Brazil); Sieglaff, Douglas H.; Filgueira, Carly S.; Arumanayagam, Anithachristy Sigamani [Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX (United States); Caro Alves de Lima, Maria do; Rocha Pitta, Ivan [Laboratório de Planejamento e Síntese de Fármacos – LPSF, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (Brazil); Assis Rocha Neves, Francisco de [Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Farmacologia Molecular, Universidade de Brasília (Brazil); Webb, Paul, E-mail: pwebb@HoustonMethodist.org [Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX (United States)

2015-08-28

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists that improve insulin resistance but trigger side effects such as weight gain, edema, congestive heart failure and bone loss. GQ-16 is a PPARγ partial agonist that improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in mouse models of obesity and diabetes without inducing weight gain or edema. It is not clear whether GQ-16 acts as a partial agonist at all PPARγ target genes, or whether it displays gene-selective actions. To determine how GQ-16 influences PPARγ activity on a gene by gene basis, we compared effects of rosiglitazone (Rosi) and GQ-16 in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes using microarray and qRT-PCR. Rosi changed expression of 1156 genes in 3T3-L1, but GQ-16 only changed 89 genes. GQ-16 generally showed weak effects upon Rosi induced genes, consistent with partial agonist actions, but a subset of modestly Rosi induced and strongly repressed genes displayed disproportionately strong GQ-16 responses. PPARγ partial agonists MLR24 and SR1664 also exhibit disproportionately strong effects on transcriptional repression. We conclude that GQ-16 displays a continuum of weak partial agonist effects but efficiently represses some negatively regulated PPARγ responsive genes. Strong repressive effects could contribute to physiologic actions of GQ-16. - Highlights: • GQ-16 is an insulin sensitizing PPARγ ligand with reduced harmful side effects. • GQ-16 displays a continuum of weak partial agonist activities at PPARγ-induced genes. • GQ-16 exerts strong repressive effects at a subset of genes. • These inhibitor actions should be evaluated in models of adipose tissue inflammation.

PPARγ partial agonist GQ-16 strongly represses a subset of genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milton, Flora Aparecida; Cvoro, Aleksandra; Amato, Angelica A.; Sieglaff, Douglas H.; Filgueira, Carly S.; Arumanayagam, Anithachristy Sigamani; Caro Alves de Lima, Maria do; Rocha Pitta, Ivan; Assis Rocha Neves, Francisco de; Webb, Paul

2015-01-01

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists that improve insulin resistance but trigger side effects such as weight gain, edema, congestive heart failure and bone loss. GQ-16 is a PPARγ partial agonist that improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in mouse models of obesity and diabetes without inducing weight gain or edema. It is not clear whether GQ-16 acts as a partial agonist at all PPARγ target genes, or whether it displays gene-selective actions. To determine how GQ-16 influences PPARγ activity on a gene by gene basis, we compared effects of rosiglitazone (Rosi) and GQ-16 in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes using microarray and qRT-PCR. Rosi changed expression of 1156 genes in 3T3-L1, but GQ-16 only changed 89 genes. GQ-16 generally showed weak effects upon Rosi induced genes, consistent with partial agonist actions, but a subset of modestly Rosi induced and strongly repressed genes displayed disproportionately strong GQ-16 responses. PPARγ partial agonists MLR24 and SR1664 also exhibit disproportionately strong effects on transcriptional repression. We conclude that GQ-16 displays a continuum of weak partial agonist effects but efficiently represses some negatively regulated PPARγ responsive genes. Strong repressive effects could contribute to physiologic actions of GQ-16. - Highlights: • GQ-16 is an insulin sensitizing PPARγ ligand with reduced harmful side effects. • GQ-16 displays a continuum of weak partial agonist activities at PPARγ-induced genes. • GQ-16 exerts strong repressive effects at a subset of genes. • These inhibitor actions should be evaluated in models of adipose tissue inflammation

A facile route to porous beta-gallium oxide nanowires-reduced graphene oxide hybrids with enhanced photocatalytic efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, X.; Lei, M.; Huang, K.; Liang, C.; Xu, J.C.; Shangguan, Z.C.; Yuan, Q.X.; Ma, L.H.; Du, Y.X.; Fan, D.Y.; Yang, H.J.; Wang, Y.G.; Tang, W.H.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A facile route was developed to fabricate porous β-Ga 2 O 3 NWs-rGO hybrids. • Supercritical water can act as an efficient reductant to situ-reduce GO into RGO. • The Ga 2 O 3 NWs attach on the surface of RGO through a strong coupling forces. • The photocatalytic performance of the hybrids can be obviously improved. - Abstract: A facile route was developed to fabricate porous beta-gallium oxide nanowires (β-Ga 2 O 3 NWs)-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrids using β-Ga 2 O 3 NWs and graphene oxide (GO) as raw materials. The characterization results indicate that supercritical water can act as an efficient reductant to situ-reduce GO into rGO, and porous β-Ga 2 O 3 NWs can further attach on the surface of as-reduced rGO through a strong coupling forces between the β-Ga 2 O 3 NWs and rGO. The photocatalytic performance of the hybrids can be obviously improved (about 74%) for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) solution after coupling with 1 wt% rGO compared with the pure β-Ga 2 O 3 NWs. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the synergistic effect of extended optical absorption band, the enrichment of MB molecular on the rGO and the valid inhibition of recombination of photo-generated electron–hole pairs induced by the strong coupling interaction between rGO nanosheets and porous β-Ga 2 O 3 NWs

The evolution of reduced antagonism--A role for host-parasite coevolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, A K; Stoy, K S; Gelarden, I A; Penley, M J; Lively, C M; Morran, L T

2015-11-01

Why do some host-parasite interactions become less antagonistic over evolutionary time? Vertical transmission can select for reduced antagonism. Vertical transmission also promotes coevolution between hosts and parasites. Therefore, we hypothesized that coevolution itself may underlie transitions to reduced antagonism. To test the coevolution hypothesis, we selected for reduced antagonism between the host Caenorhabditis elegans and its parasite Serratia marcescens. This parasite is horizontally transmitted, which allowed us to study coevolution independently of vertical transmission. After 20 generations, we observed a response to selection when coevolution was possible: reduced antagonism evolved in the copassaged treatment. Reduced antagonism, however, did not evolve when hosts or parasites were independently selected without coevolution. In addition, we found strong local adaptation for reduced antagonism between replicate host/parasite lines in the copassaged treatment. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that coevolution was critical to the rapid evolution of reduced antagonism. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Regional amplification of projected changes in extreme temperatures strongly controlled by soil moisture-temperature feedbacks

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Martha Marie; Orth, René; Cheruy, Frederique; Hagemann, Stefan; Lorenz, Ruth; van den Hurk, Bart; Seneviratne, Sonia Isabelle

2017-04-01

Regional hot extremes are projected to increase more strongly than global mean temperature, with substantially larger changes than 2°C even if global warming is limited to this level. We investigate here the role of soil moisture-temperature feedbacks for this response based on multi-model experiments for the 21st century with either interactive or fixed (late 20th century mean seasonal cycle) soil moisture. We analyze changes in the hottest days in each year in both sets of experiments, relate them to the global mean temperature increase, and investigate physical processes leading to these changes. We find that soil moisture-temperature feedbacks significantly contribute to the amplified warming of hottest days compared to that of global mean temperature. This contribution reaches more than 70% in Central Europe and Central North America and between 42%-52% in Amazonia, Northern Australia and Southern Africa. Soil moisture trends (multi-decadal soil moisture variability) are more important for this response than short-term (e.g. seasonal, interannual) soil moisture variability. These results are relevant for reducing uncertainties in regional temperature projections. Vogel, M.M. et al.,2017. Regional amplification of projected changes in extreme temperatures strongly controlled by soil moisture-temperature feedbacks. Geophysical Research Letters, accepted.

Comparative and sociological perspectives on Third World development and education

Science.gov (United States)

Simkin, Keith

1981-12-01

Insofar as there has been any coherent theoretical basis for orthodox comparative education during the 1970's, it has derived from American modernisation theories of the 1960's. The weak explanatory power of these theories and the inability of most Third World countries to solve their educational problems have led to a growing pessimism about educational planning and increasing attention to nonformal, lifelong and distance education programs concerned with literacy and rural development. New intellectual currents during the 1970's created several alternatives to orthodox comparative education. The most important of these, based on dependency theory, has partly reduced the ethnocentrism of comparative research, but national traditions are still strongly entrenched. Comparative education based on either modernisation or dependency theories is still ill-equipped to provide Third World countries with either an understanding of the international context of their educational problems or an appropriate set of guidelines for educational planning. Both orthodox and radical varieties of comparative education are forms of cultural imperialism, against which Third World countries need to develop their own, more appropriate, traditions of comparative research.

77 FR 16131 - Establishing a White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-20

... Order 13602 of March 15, 2012 Establishing a White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities By... enable them to develop and implement economic strategies to become more competitive, sustainable, and... resources to develop and implement their economic vision and strategies. Sec. 2. White House Council on...

Line-of-sight effects in strong lensing: putting theory into practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Birrer, Simon; Welschen, Cyril; Amara, Adam; Refregier, Alexandre, E-mail: simon.birrer@phys.ethz.ch, E-mail: cyril.welschen@student.ethz.ch, E-mail: adam.amara@phys.ethz.ch, E-mail: alexandre.refregier@phys.ethz.ch [Institute for Astronomy, Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, 8093, Zurich (Switzerland)

2017-04-01

We present a simple method to accurately infer line of sight (LOS) integrated lensing effects for galaxy scale strong lens systems through image reconstruction. Our approach enables us to separate weak lensing LOS effects from the main strong lens deflector. We test our method using mock data and show that strong lens systems can be accurate probes of cosmic shear with a precision on the shear terms of ± 0.003 (statistical error) for an HST-like dataset. We apply our formalism to reconstruct the lens COSMOS 0038+4133 and its LOS. In addition, we estimate the LOS properties with a halo-rendering estimate based on the COSMOS field galaxies and a galaxy-halo connection. The two approaches are independent and complementary in their information content. We find that when estimating the convergence at the strong lens system, performing a joint analysis improves the measure by a factor of two compared to a halo model only analysis. Furthermore the constraints of the strong lens reconstruction lead to tighter constraints on the halo masses of the LOS galaxies. Joint constraints of multiple strong lens systems may add valuable information to the galaxy-halo connection and may allow independent weak lensing shear measurement calibrations.

Instabilities in strongly coupled plasmas

CERN Document Server

Kalman, G J

2003-01-01

The conventional Vlasov treatment of beam-plasma instabilities is inappropriate when the plasma is strongly coupled. In the strongly coupled liquid state, the strong correlations between the dust grains fundamentally affect the conditions for instability. In the crystalline state, the inherent anisotropy couples the longitudinal and transverse polarizations, and results in unstable excitations in both polarizations. We summarize analyses of resonant and non-resonant, as well as resistive instabilities. We consider both ion-dust streaming and dust beam-plasma instabilities. Strong coupling, in general, leads to an enhancement of the growth rates. In the crystalline phase, a resonant transverse instability can be excited.

When Do Financial Incentives Reduce Intrinsic Motivation? Comparing Behaviors Studied in Psychological and Economic Literatures

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Objective: To review existing evidence on the potential of incentives to undermine or “crowd out” intrinsic motivation, in order to establish whether and when it predicts financial incentives to crowd out motivation for health-related behaviors. Method: We conducted a conceptual analysis to compare definitions and operationalizations of the effect, and reviewed existing evidence to identify potential moderators of the effect. Results: In the psychological literature, we find strong evidence for an undermining effect of tangible rewards on intrinsic motivation for simple tasks when motivation manifest in behavior is initially high. In the economic literature, evidence for undermining effects exists for a broader variety of behaviors, in settings that involve a conflict of interest between parties. By contrast, for health related behaviors, baseline levels of incentivized behaviors are usually low, and only a subset involve an interpersonal conflict of interest. Correspondingly, we find no evidence for crowding out of incentivized health behaviors. Conclusion: The existing evidence does not warrant a priori predictions that an undermining effect would be found for health-related behaviors. Health-related behaviors and incentives schemes differ greatly in moderating characteristics, which should be the focus of future research. PMID:24001245

When do financial incentives reduce intrinsic motivation? comparing behaviors studied in psychological and economic literatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Promberger, Marianne; Marteau, Theresa M

2013-09-01

To review existing evidence on the potential of incentives to undermine or "crowd out" intrinsic motivation, in order to establish whether and when it predicts financial incentives to crowd out motivation for health-related behaviors. We conducted a conceptual analysis to compare definitions and operationalizations of the effect, and reviewed existing evidence to identify potential moderators of the effect. In the psychological literature, we find strong evidence for an undermining effect of tangible rewards on intrinsic motivation for simple tasks when motivation manifest in behavior is initially high. In the economic literature, evidence for undermining effects exists for a broader variety of behaviors, in settings that involve a conflict of interest between parties. By contrast, for health related behaviors, baseline levels of incentivized behaviors are usually low, and only a subset involve an interpersonal conflict of interest. Correspondingly, we find no evidence for crowding out of incentivized health behaviors. The existing evidence does not warrant a priori predictions that an undermining effect would be found for health-related behaviors. Health-related behaviors and incentives schemes differ greatly in moderating characteristics, which should be the focus of future research. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Strongly interacting Fermi gases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bakr W.

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Strongly interacting gases of ultracold fermions have become an amazingly rich test-bed for many-body theories of fermionic matter. Here we present our recent experiments on these systems. Firstly, we discuss high-precision measurements on the thermodynamics of a strongly interacting Fermi gas across the superfluid transition. The onset of superfluidity is directly observed in the compressibility, the chemical potential, the entropy, and the heat capacity. Our measurements provide benchmarks for current many-body theories on strongly interacting fermions. Secondly, we have studied the evolution of fermion pairing from three to two dimensions in these gases, relating to the physics of layered superconductors. In the presence of p-wave interactions, Fermi gases are predicted to display toplogical superfluidity carrying Majorana edge states. Two possible avenues in this direction are discussed, our creation and direct observation of spin-orbit coupling in Fermi gases and the creation of fermionic molecules of 23Na 40K that will feature strong dipolar interactions in their absolute ground state.

On the strong crack-microcrack interaction problem

Science.gov (United States)

Gorelik, M.; Chudnovsky, A.

1992-07-01

The problem of the crack-microcrack interaction is examined with special attention given to the iterative procedure described by Chudnovsky and Kachanov (1983), Chudnovsky et al. (1984), and Horii and Nemat-Nasser (1983), which yields erroneous results as the crack tips become closer (i.e., for strong crack interaction). To understand the source of error, the traction distributions along the microcrack line on the n-th step of iteration representing the exact and asymptotic stress fields are compared. It is shown that the asymptotic solution gives a gross overestimation of the actual traction.

Quantum electrodynamics of strong fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greiner, W.

1983-01-01

Quantum Electrodynamics of Strong Fields provides a broad survey of the theoretical and experimental work accomplished, presenting papers by a group of international researchers who have made significant contributions to this developing area. Exploring the quantum theory of strong fields, the volume focuses on the phase transition to a charged vacuum in strong electric fields. The contributors also discuss such related topics as QED at short distances, precision tests of QED, nonperturbative QCD and confinement, pion condensation, and strong gravitational fields In addition, the volume features a historical paper on the roots of quantum field theory in the history of quantum physics by noted researcher Friedrich Hund

Resonance double magnetic bremsstrahlung in a strong magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fomin, P.I.; Kholodov, R.I.

2003-01-01

The possibility of resonance double magnetic bremsstrahlung in the approximation of weakly excited electron states in a strong external magnetic field is analyzed. The differential probability of this process in the Breit-Wigner form is obtained. The probability of double magnetic bremsstrahlung (second-order process of perturbation theory) is compared with the probability of magnetic bremsstrahlung (first-order process of perturbation theory)

Comparing clinical efficacy of Symbicort versus Pulmicort in reducing asthma symptom and improving its control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Emami

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Recently, higher efficacy of the combination of long-acting beta2-adrenoceptor agonist and inhaled corticosteroids on controlling asthma symptoms has been hypothesized. This study aimed to examine the clinical effects of the combination of Budesonide with formoterol (Symbicort and Budesonide (Pulmicort alone in persistent asthma. Materials and Methods: In a randomized double-blinded clinical trial, 76 patients with definite diagnosis of moderate-to-severe asthma were randomized to receive Pulmicort 180 mcg/inhalation two puffs twice daily, or receive Symbicort 80/4.5 mg/inhalation two puffs twice daily, or receive Symbicort 160/4.5 mg/inhalation two puffs twice daily for 3 months. All participants were initially evaluated by spirometry for assessing respiratory parameters and also the level of asthma control was assessed by Asthma Control Test (ACT. Results: More significant improvement in spirometry parameters, including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1, forced vital capacity (FVC, FEV1/FVC ratio, as well as in peak expiratory flow (PEF in both groups of Symbicort with the regimens 80/4.5 mg/inhalation or 160/4.5 mg/inhalation 2 puffs twice daily compared with Pulmicort group, ACT score was significantly improved in Symbicort group with the regimens 160/4.5 mg/inhalation compared with both Symbicort groups with lower dosage and Pulmicort group . Response to treatment in PEF parameter and also in ACT level was significantly more in those who received Symbicort with the regimens 160/4.5 mg/inhalation compared with other two interventional groups adjusted for gender and age. Conclusion: Symbicort with the regimens 160/4.5 mg/inhalation has higher efficacy in reducing asthma symptom and improving its control compared with low doses of this drug and with Pulmicort.

Urbanization signatures in strong versus weak precipitation over the Pearl River Delta metropolitan regions of China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Weibiao; Chen Sheng; Wen Zhiping; Wang Baomin; Chen Guixing; Sha Weimin; Luo Cong; Feng Yerong

2011-01-01

We assess the issues of urban effects on the precipitation over the Pearl River Delta (PRD) metropolitan regions of China. The spatial and temporal variations of strong versus weak precipitation over the PRD and surrounding nonurban areas are investigated. The results show that the urbanization signatures in strong precipitation are significantly different from those in weak precipitation over the urban areas. The PRD experiences more strong precipitation but less weak precipitation compared to surrounding nonurban regions. In addition, the strong precipitation over the PRD displays a pronounced seasonal variation. The seasonality of weak precipitation, however, is much weaker over the PRD compared to the surrounding nonurban regions. Moreover, a strengthening in the precipitation intensity, a reduction in the rainfall frequency and an increase in the convective precipitation as well as the afternoon precipitation are found over the urban areas, which are probably associated with the abundance in strong precipitation and the deficit in weak precipitation over the PRD.

Molecular subtypes of osteosarcoma identified by reducing tumor heterogeneity through an interspecies comparative approach

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Milcah C.; Sarver, Aaron L.; Gavin, Katherine J.; Thayanithy, Venugopal; Getzy, David M.; Newman, Robert A.; Cutter, Gary R.; Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin; Kisseberth, William C.; Hunter, Lawrence E.; Subramanian, Subbaya; Breen, Matthew; Modiano, Jaime F.

2011-01-01

The heterogeneous and chaotic nature of osteosarcoma has confounded accurate molecular classification, prognosis, and prediction for this tumor. The occurrence of spontaneous osteosarcoma is largely confined to humans and dogs. While the clinical features are remarkably similar in both species, the organization of dogs into defined breeds provides a more homogeneous genetic background that may increase the likelihood to uncover molecular subtypes for this complex disease. We thus hypothesized that molecular profiles derived from canine osteosarcoma would aid in molecular subclassification of this disease when applied to humans. To test the hypothesis, we performed genome wide gene expression profiling in a cohort of dogs with osteosarcoma, primarily from high-risk breeds. To further reduce inter-sample heterogeneity, we assessed tumor-intrinsic properties through use of an extensive panel of osteosarcoma-derived cell lines. We observed strong differential gene expression that segregated samples into two groups with differential survival probabilities. Groupings were characterized by the inversely correlated expression of genes associated with G2/M transition and DNA damage checkpoint and microenvironment-interaction categories. This signature was preserved in data from whole tumor samples of three independent dog osteosarcoma cohorts, with stratification into the two expected groups. Significantly, this restricted signature partially overlapped a previously defined, predictive signature for soft tissue sarcomas, and it unmasked orthologous molecular subtypes and their corresponding natural histories in five independent data sets from human patients with osteosarcoma. Our results indicate that the narrower genetic diversity of dogs can be utilized to group complex human osteosarcoma into biologically and clinically relevant molecular subtypes. This in turn may enhance prognosis and prediction, and identify relevant therapeutic targets. PMID:21621658

Nuclear thyroid hormone receptors in rabbit heart: reduced triiodothyronine binding in atrium compared with ventricle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, S.K.; Ulrich, J.M.; Kaldor, G.J.

1988-01-01

Radiolabeled triiodothyronine (T3) binding to isolated nuclei was measured to compare the binding characteristics of the nuclear receptors in rabbit ventricular and atrial muscle cells. Scatchard analysis of the binding data yielded a maximum binding capacity of 170 +/- 20 fmol per mg DNA and apparent dissociation constant of 525 +/- 100 pM for ventricular nuclei. The binding capacity and the dissociation constant for the atrial muscle cell nuclei were 55 +/- 10 fmol per mg DNA and 500 +/- 75 pM, respectively. The results suggest that the binding capacity for T3 receptor in the atrium is considerably lower than that found in the ventricle. The reduced binding capacity of the T3 receptor in the atrium might reflect differences in the nuclear T3 receptors between ventricle and atrium

Functional structure of the bromeliad tank microbiome is strongly shaped by local geochemical conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Louca, Stilianos; Jacques, Saulo M S; Pires, Aliny P F; Leal, Juliana S; González, Angélica L; Doebeli, Michael; Farjalla, Vinicius F

2017-08-01

Phytotelmata in tank-forming Bromeliaceae plants are regarded as potential miniature models for aquatic ecology, but detailed investigations of their microbial communities are rare. Hence, the biogeochemistry in bromeliad tanks remains poorly understood. Here we investigate the structure of bacterial and archaeal communities inhabiting the detritus within the tanks of two bromeliad species, Aechmea nudicaulis and Neoregelia cruenta, from a Brazilian sand dune forest. We used metagenomic sequencing for functional community profiling and 16S sequencing for taxonomic profiling. We estimated the correlation between functional groups and various environmental variables, and compared communities between bromeliad species. In all bromeliads, microbial communities spanned a metabolic network adapted to oxygen-limited conditions, including all denitrification steps, ammonification, sulfate respiration, methanogenesis, reductive acetogenesis and anoxygenic phototrophy. Overall, CO2 reducers dominated in abundance over sulfate reducers, and anoxygenic phototrophs largely outnumbered oxygenic photoautotrophs. Functional community structure correlated strongly with environmental variables, between and within a single bromeliad species. Methanogens and reductive acetogens correlated with detrital volume and canopy coverage, and exhibited higher relative abundances in N. cruenta. A comparison of bromeliads to freshwater lake sediments and soil from around the world, revealed stark differences in terms of taxonomic as well as functional microbial community structure. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Solar radiation for buildings application: comparing reduced data set for mediterranean sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Gennusa, M.; Rizzo, G.; Scaccianoce, G.; Sorrentino, G.

2006-01-01

A growing diffusion of computer programs for the thermal simulation of buildings is occurring in the last year; they allow the description of the thermal behaviour of buildings during the year, in order to verify their energy efficiencies and to suggest eventual improvements, even at the design stage. These thermal simulation programs generally need a complete input data set and among these, information particularly referring to the climatic conditions of the site where the building will be built-up. As it is well known, a climatic issue, particularly important for the thermal energy balance, is the solar radiation. In this work we have updated a short reference year of the solar radiation, more precisely the Monthly Average Day (MAD) for a town of the Southern Italy (Palermo), which shows climatic features similar to other places in the Mediterranean basin. In addition, we have compared the climatic data of the MAD (for the global and diffuse solar radiations) obtained from hourly measures for seven years, with those obtained both from geo-astronomical parameters and from the monthly average of the daily global solar radiation, which is commonly adopted on purposes. The comparison does suggest a particular caution in the choice of the method used for generating reduced data sets of the solar radiation for these mediterranean.(Author)

Sulfate Transporters in Dissimilatory Sulfate Reducing Microorganisms: A Comparative Genomics Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angeliki Marietou

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The first step in the sulfate reduction pathway is the transport of sulfate across the cell membrane. This uptake has a major effect on sulfate reduction rates. Much of the information available on sulfate transport was obtained by studies on assimilatory sulfate reduction, where sulfate transporters were identified among several types of protein families. Despite our growing knowledge on the physiology of dissimilatory sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM there are no studies identifying the proteins involved in sulfate uptake in members of this ecologically important group of anaerobes. We surveyed the complete genomes of 44 sulfate-reducing bacteria and archaea across six phyla and identified putative sulfate transporter encoding genes from four out of the five surveyed protein families based on homology. We did not find evidence that ABC-type transporters (SulT are involved in the uptake of sulfate in SRM. We speculate that members of the CysP sulfate transporters could play a key role in the uptake of sulfate in thermophilic SRM. Putative CysZ-type sulfate transporters were present in all genomes examined suggesting that this overlooked group of sulfate transporters might play a role in sulfate transport in dissimilatory sulfate reducers alongside SulP. Our in silico analysis highlights several targets for further molecular studies in order to understand this key step in the metabolism of SRMs.

A high and low noise model for strong motion accelerometers

Science.gov (United States)

Clinton, J. F.; Cauzzi, C.; Olivieri, M.

2010-12-01

We present reference noise models for high-quality strong motion accelerometer installations. We use continuous accelerometer data acquired by the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) since 2006 and other international high-quality accelerometer network data to derive very broadband (50Hz-100s) high and low noise models. The proposed noise models are compared to the Peterson (1993) low and high noise models designed for broadband seismometers; the datalogger self-noise; background noise levels at existing Swiss strong motion stations; and typical earthquake signals recorded in Switzerland and worldwide. The standard strong motion station operated by the SED consists of a Kinemetrics Episensor (2g clip level; flat acceleration response from 200 Hz to DC; insulated sensor / datalogger systems placed in vault quality sites. At all frequencies, there is at least one order of magnitude between the ALNM and the AHNM; at high frequencies (> 1Hz) this extends to 2 orders of magnitude. This study provides remarkable confirmation of the capability of modern strong motion accelerometers to record low-amplitude ground motions with seismic observation quality. In particular, an accelerometric station operating at the ALNM is capable of recording the full spectrum of near source earthquakes, out to 100 km, down to M2. Of particular interest for the SED, this study provides acceptable noise limits for candidate sites for the on-going Strong Motion Network modernisation.

Strong-coupling theory of superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rainer, D.; Sauls, J.A.

1995-01-01

The electronic properties of correlated metals with a strong electron-phonon coupling may be understood in terms of a combination of Landau''s Fermi liquid theory and the strong-coupling theory of Migdal and Eliashberg. In these lecture notes we discuss the microscopic foundations of this phenomenological Fermi-liquid model of correlated, strong-coupling metals. We formulate the basic equations of the model, which are quasiclassical transport equations that describe both equilibrium and non-equilibrium phenomena for the normal and superconducting states of a metal. Our emphasis is on superconductors close to equilibrium, for which we derive the general linear response theory. As an application we calculate the dynamical conductivity of strong-coupling superconductors. (author)

The effect of music therapy compared with general recreational activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia: a randomised controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vink, A.C.; Zuidersma, M.; Boersma, F.; Jonge, P. de; Zuidema, S.U.; Slaets, J.P.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the effects of music therapy with general recreational day activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia, residing in nursing home facilities. METHODS: In a randomised controlled design, residents with dementia (n = 94) were allocated to either music

The effect of music therapy compared with general recreational activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia : a randomised controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vink, A. C.; Zuidersma, M.; Boersma, F.; de Jonge, P.; Zuidema, S. U.; Slaets, J. P. J.

2013-01-01

Objective This study aimed to compare the effects of music therapy with general recreational day activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia, residing in nursing home facilities. Methods In a randomised controlled design, residents with dementia (n=94) were allocated to either music

Strong Bisimilarity of Simple Process Algebras

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Srba, Jirí

2003-01-01

We study bisimilarity and regularity problems of simple process algebras. In particular, we show PSPACE-hardness of the following problems: (i) strong bisimilarity of Basic Parallel Processes (BPP), (ii) strong bisimilarity of Basic Process Algebra (BPA), (iii) strong regularity of BPP, and (iv......) strong regularity of BPA. We also demonstrate NL-hardness of strong regularity problems for the normed subclasses of BPP and BPA. Bisimilarity problems of simple process algebras are introduced in a general framework of process rewrite systems, and a uniform description of the new techniques used...

Microscopic theory of photon-correlation spectroscopy in strong-coupling semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneebeli, Lukas

2009-11-27

would be a great contribution in the growing field of quantum optics in semiconductors. The efforts in QD systems are again driven by the atomic systems which not only have shown the vacuum Rabi splitting, but also the second rung, e.g. via direct spectroscopy and via photon-correlation measurements. In this thesis, it is shown that spectrally resolved photon-statistics measurements of the resonance fluorescence from realistic semiconductor quantum-dot systems allow for high contrast identification of the two-photon strong-coupling states. Using a microscopic theory, the second-rung resonance of Jaynes-Cummings ladder is analyzed and optimum excitation conditions are determined. The computed photon-statistics spectrum displays gigantic, experimentally robust resonances at the energetic positions of the second-rung emission. The resonance fluorescence equations are derived and solved for strong-coupling semiconductor quantum-dot systems using a fully quantized multimode theory and a cluster-expansion approach. A reduced model is developed to explain the origin of auto- and cross-correlation resonances in the two-photon emission spectrum of the fluorescent light. These resonances are traced back to the two-photon strong-coupling states of Jaynes-Cummings ladder. The accuracy of the reduced model is verified via numerical solution of the resonance fluorescence equations. The analysis reveals the direct relation between the squeezed-light emission and the strong-coupling states in optically excited semiconductor systems. (orig.)

The role of preschool in reducing inequality

OpenAIRE

Waldfogel, Jane

2015-01-01

Children from disadvantaged families have lower levels of school readiness when they enter school than do children from more advantaged families. Many countries have tried to reduce this inequality through publicly provided preschool. Evidence on the potential of these programs to reduce inequality in child development is now quite strong. Long-term studies of large publicly funded programs in Europe and Latin America, and newer studies on state and local prekindergarten programs implemented ...

Strong cosmic censorship and the strong curvature singularities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krolak, A.

1987-01-01

Conditions are given under which any asymptotically simple and empty space-time that has a partial Cauchy surface with an asymptotically simple past is globally hyperbolic. It is shown that this result suggests that the Cauchy horizons of the type occurring in Reissner--Nordstroem and Kerr space-times are unstable. This in turn gives support for the validity of the strong cosmic censorship hypothesis

Conspicuous by Their Absence: Studies Comparing and Combining Risperidone and Applied Behavior Analysis to Reduce Challenging Behavior in Children with Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Weeden, Marc; Ehrhardt, Kristal; Poling, Alan

2009-01-01

Both risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic drug, and function-based behavior-analytic interventions are popular and empirically validated treatments for reducing challenging behavior in children with autism. The kind of research that supports their effectiveness differs, however, and no published study has directly compared their effects or…

Virtual detector theory for strong-field atomic ionization

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xu; Tian, Justin; Eberly, J. H.

2018-04-01

A virtual detector (VD) is an imaginary device located at a fixed position in space that extracts information from the wave packet passing through it. By recording the particle momentum and the corresponding probability current at each time, the VDs can accumulate and build the differential momentum distribution of the particle, in a way that resembles real experiments. A mathematical proof is given for the equivalence of the differential momentum distribution obtained by the VD method and by Fourier transforming the wave function. In addition to being a tool for reducing the computational load, VDs have also been found useful in interpreting the ultrafast strong-field ionization process, especially the controversial quantum tunneling process.

Modified Qigong Breathing Exercise for Reducing the Sense of Hunger on an Empty Stomach

Science.gov (United States)

Voroshilov, Alexander P.; Wang, Zhixin; Marchenko, Elena V.

2017-01-01

Background. The aims of this study were to determine whether a modified Qigong breathing exercise can reduce the sense of hunger and identify possible mechanisms. Methods. The results from the test group, which performed the exercise, are compared with the control group, which performed deep breathing. Intestinal pressure measurements, stomach pH monitoring, and participant surveys were used for assessment. Results. Stomach pH was increased by 3 (0.2) and intestinal pressure was reduced by 12 (0.5) mm Hg in the experimental group and did not change significantly in the control group. The study provides strong evidence that the exercise can significantly reduce, or even suppress the sense of hunger on an empty stomach. Conclusion. This breathing exercise provides comfort in different circumstances, such as lack of regular meals, limited volume or caloric diet, and even during temporary complete absence of food in therapeutic fasting. PMID:28497701

Reducing torque ripples in permanent magnet synchronous motor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rihab Abdelmoula

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs are exceptionally promising thanks to their many advantages compared with other types of electrical machines. Indeed, PMSMs are characterized by their important torque density, light weight, high air gap flux density, high acceleration, high efficiency and strong power-to-weight ratio. A surface-mounted PMSM (SPMSM is used in this work. The SPMSM is built using a 2D finite element method (FEM. Cogging torque, torque ripples and back-EMF are examined during the design process in order to obtain sinusoidal back-EMF and to minimise torque ripples which are one of the major problems with PMSMs. Two procedures are used to reduce the cogging torque of SPMSM: the effect of slot opening and the influence of skewing the stator laminations. Cogging torque factor tc and the torque ripples factor tr have been calculated to compare the two configurations (open slots and closed slots. Then, the configuration with closed slots is utilised with skewing the stator laminations for different angle 0°, 10° and 15°.

Numerical Calculation of the Phase Space Density for the Strong-Strong Beam-Beam Interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobol, A.; Ellison, J.A.

2003-01-01

We developed a parallel code to calculate the evolution of the 4D phase space density of two colliding beams, which are coupled via the collective strong-strong beam-beam interaction, in the absence of diffusion and damping, using the Perron-Frobenius (PF) operator technique

A facile route to porous beta-gallium oxide nanowires-reduced graphene oxide hybrids with enhanced photocatalytic efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, X. [State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); Lei, M., E-mail: minglei@bupt.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); Huang, K.; Liang, C.; Xu, J.C.; Shangguan, Z.C. [School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); Yuan, Q.X. [Department of Mathematics and Physics, Zhengzhou Institute of Aeronautical Industry Management, Zhengzhou 450015 (China); Ma, L.H. [School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); Du, Y.X., E-mail: duyinxiao@zzia.edu.cn [Department of Mathematics and Physics, Zhengzhou Institute of Aeronautical Industry Management, Zhengzhou 450015 (China); Fan, D.Y.; Yang, H.J.; Wang, Y.G.; Tang, W.H. [School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China)

2015-02-25

Highlights: • A facile route was developed to fabricate porous β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} NWs-rGO hybrids. • Supercritical water can act as an efficient reductant to situ-reduce GO into RGO. • The Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} NWs attach on the surface of RGO through a strong coupling forces. • The photocatalytic performance of the hybrids can be obviously improved. - Abstract: A facile route was developed to fabricate porous beta-gallium oxide nanowires (β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} NWs)-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrids using β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} NWs and graphene oxide (GO) as raw materials. The characterization results indicate that supercritical water can act as an efficient reductant to situ-reduce GO into rGO, and porous β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} NWs can further attach on the surface of as-reduced rGO through a strong coupling forces between the β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} NWs and rGO. The photocatalytic performance of the hybrids can be obviously improved (about 74%) for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) solution after coupling with 1 wt% rGO compared with the pure β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} NWs. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the synergistic effect of extended optical absorption band, the enrichment of MB molecular on the rGO and the valid inhibition of recombination of photo-generated electron–hole pairs induced by the strong coupling interaction between rGO nanosheets and porous β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} NWs.

Angle-dependent strong-field molecular ionization rates with tuned range-separated time-dependent density functional theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sissay, Adonay [Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 (United States); Abanador, Paul; Mauger, François; Gaarde, Mette; Schafer, Kenneth J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 (United States); Lopata, Kenneth, E-mail: klopata@lsu.edu [Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 (United States); Center for Computation and Technology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 (United States)

2016-09-07

Strong-field ionization and the resulting electronic dynamics are important for a range of processes such as high harmonic generation, photodamage, charge resonance enhanced ionization, and ionization-triggered charge migration. Modeling ionization dynamics in molecular systems from first-principles can be challenging due to the large spatial extent of the wavefunction which stresses the accuracy of basis sets, and the intense fields which require non-perturbative time-dependent electronic structure methods. In this paper, we develop a time-dependent density functional theory approach which uses a Gaussian-type orbital (GTO) basis set to capture strong-field ionization rates and dynamics in atoms and small molecules. This involves propagating the electronic density matrix in time with a time-dependent laser potential and a spatial non-Hermitian complex absorbing potential which is projected onto an atom-centered basis set to remove ionized charge from the simulation. For the density functional theory (DFT) functional we use a tuned range-separated functional LC-PBE*, which has the correct asymptotic 1/r form of the potential and a reduced delocalization error compared to traditional DFT functionals. Ionization rates are computed for hydrogen, molecular nitrogen, and iodoacetylene under various field frequencies, intensities, and polarizations (angle-dependent ionization), and the results are shown to quantitatively agree with time-dependent Schrödinger equation and strong-field approximation calculations. This tuned DFT with GTO method opens the door to predictive all-electron time-dependent density functional theory simulations of ionization and ionization-triggered dynamics in molecular systems using tuned range-separated hybrid functionals.

Angle-dependent strong-field molecular ionization rates with tuned range-separated time-dependent density functional theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sissay, Adonay; Abanador, Paul; Mauger, François; Gaarde, Mette; Schafer, Kenneth J.; Lopata, Kenneth

2016-01-01

Strong-field ionization and the resulting electronic dynamics are important for a range of processes such as high harmonic generation, photodamage, charge resonance enhanced ionization, and ionization-triggered charge migration. Modeling ionization dynamics in molecular systems from first-principles can be challenging due to the large spatial extent of the wavefunction which stresses the accuracy of basis sets, and the intense fields which require non-perturbative time-dependent electronic structure methods. In this paper, we develop a time-dependent density functional theory approach which uses a Gaussian-type orbital (GTO) basis set to capture strong-field ionization rates and dynamics in atoms and small molecules. This involves propagating the electronic density matrix in time with a time-dependent laser potential and a spatial non-Hermitian complex absorbing potential which is projected onto an atom-centered basis set to remove ionized charge from the simulation. For the density functional theory (DFT) functional we use a tuned range-separated functional LC-PBE*, which has the correct asymptotic 1/r form of the potential and a reduced delocalization error compared to traditional DFT functionals. Ionization rates are computed for hydrogen, molecular nitrogen, and iodoacetylene under various field frequencies, intensities, and polarizations (angle-dependent ionization), and the results are shown to quantitatively agree with time-dependent Schrödinger equation and strong-field approximation calculations. This tuned DFT with GTO method opens the door to predictive all-electron time-dependent density functional theory simulations of ionization and ionization-triggered dynamics in molecular systems using tuned range-separated hybrid functionals.

Earthquake Intensity and Strong Motion Analysis Within SEISCOMP3

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, J.; Weber, B.; Ghasemi, H.; Cummins, P. R.; Murjaya, J.; Rudyanto, A.; Rößler, D.

2017-12-01

Measuring and predicting ground motion parameters including seismic intensities for earthquakes is crucial and subject to recent research in engineering seismology.gempa has developed the new SIGMA module for Seismic Intensity and Ground Motion Analysis. The module is based on the SeisComP3 framework extending it in the field of seismic hazard assessment and engineering seismology. SIGMA may work with or independently of SeisComP3 by supporting FDSN Web services for importing earthquake or station information and waveforms. It provides a user-friendly and modern graphical interface for semi-automatic and interactive strong motion data processing. SIGMA provides intensity and (P)SA maps based on GMPE's or recorded data. It calculates the most common strong motion parameters, e.g. PGA/PGV/PGD, Arias intensity and duration, Tp, Tm, CAV, SED and Fourier-, power- and response spectra. GMPE's are configurable. Supporting C++ and Python plug-ins, standard and customized GMPE's including the OpenQuake Hazard Library can be easily integrated and compared. Originally tailored to specifications by Geoscience Australia and BMKG (Indonesia) SIGMA has become a popular tool among SeisComP3 users concerned with seismic hazard and strong motion seismology.

Strong gravity and supersymmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chamseddine, Ali H.; Salam, A.; Strathdee, J.

1977-11-01

A supersymmetric theory is constructed for a strong f plus a weak g graviton, together with their accompanying massive gravitinos, by gaugin the gradel 0Sp(2,2,1)x 0Sp(2,2,1) structure. The mixing term between f and g fields, which makes the strong graviton massive, can be introduced through a spontaneous symmetry-breaking mechanism implemented in this note by constructing a non-linear realization of the symmetry group

PREFACE: Strongly correlated electron systems Strongly correlated electron systems

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Siddharth S.; Littlewood, P. B.

2012-07-01

This special section is dedicated to the Strongly Correlated Electron Systems Conference (SCES) 2011, which was held from 29 August-3 September 2011, in Cambridge, UK. SCES'2011 is dedicated to 100 years of superconductivity and covers a range of topics in the area of strongly correlated systems. The correlated electronic and magnetic materials featured include f-electron based heavy fermion intermetallics and d-electron based transition metal compounds. The selected papers derived from invited presentations seek to deepen our understanding of the rich physical phenomena that arise from correlation effects. The focus is on quantum phase transitions, non-Fermi liquid phenomena, quantum magnetism, unconventional superconductivity and metal-insulator transitions. Both experimental and theoretical work is presented. Based on fundamental advances in the understanding of electronic materials, much of 20th century materials physics was driven by miniaturisation and integration in the electronics industry to the current generation of nanometre scale devices. The achievements of this industry have brought unprecedented advances to society and well-being, and no doubt there is much further to go—note that this progress is founded on investments and studies in the fundamentals of condensed matter physics from more than 50 years ago. Nevertheless, the defining challenges for the 21st century will lie in the discovery in science, and deployment through engineering, of technologies that can deliver the scale needed to have an impact on the sustainability agenda. Thus the big developments in nanotechnology may lie not in the pursuit of yet smaller transistors, but in the design of new structures that can revolutionise the performance of solar cells, batteries, fuel cells, light-weight structural materials, refrigeration, water purification, etc. The science presented in the papers of this special section also highlights the underlying interest in energy-dense materials, which

Strong Ideal Convergence in Probabilistic Metric Spaces

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the present paper we introduce the concepts of strongly ideal convergent sequence and strong ideal Cauchy sequence in a probabilistic metric (PM) space endowed with the strong topology, and establish some basic facts. Next, we define the strong ideal limit points and the strong ideal cluster points of a sequence in this ...

Combined Conformal Strongly-Coupled Magnetic Resonance for Efficient Wireless Power Transfer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matjaz Rozman

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a hybrid circuit between a conformal strongly-coupled magnetic resonance (CSCMR and a strongly-coupled magnetic resonance (SCMR, for better wireless power transmission (WPT. This combination promises to enhance the flexibility of the proposed four-loop WPT system. The maximum efficiency at various distances is achieved by combining coupling-matching between the source and transmitting coils along with the coupling factor between the transmitting and receiving coils. Furthermore, the distance between transmitting and receiving coils is investigated along with the distance relationship between the source loop and transmission coil, in order to achieve the maximum efficiency of the proposed hybrid WPT system. The results indicate that the proposed approach can be effectively employed at distances comparatively smaller than the maximum distance without frequency matching. The achievable efficiency can be as high as 84% for the whole working range of the transmitter. In addition, the proposed hybrid system allows more spatial freedom compared to existing chargers.

Reducing surgical site infections after hysterectomy: metronidazole plus cefazolin compared with cephalosporin alone.

Science.gov (United States)

Till, Sara R; Morgan, Daniel M; Bazzi, Ali A; Pearlman, Mark D; Abdelsattar, Zaid; Campbell, Darrell A; Uppal, Shitanshu

2017-08-01

Organisms that are isolated from vaginal cuff infections and pelvic abscesses after hysterectomy frequently include anaerobic vaginal flora. Metronidazole has outstanding coverage against nearly all anaerobic species, which is superior to both cefazolin and second-generation cephalosporins. Cefazolin plus metronidazole has been demonstrated to reduce infectious morbidity compared with either cefazolin or second-generation cephalosporins in other clean-contaminated procedures, which include both as colorectal surgery and cesarean delivery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the combination of cefazolin plus metronidazole before hysterectomy was more effective in the prevention of surgical site infection than existing recommendations of cefazolin or second-generation cephalosporin. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients in the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative from July 2012 through February 2015. The primary outcome was surgical site infection. Patients who were >18 years old and who underwent abdominal, vaginal, laparoscopic, or robotic hysterectomy for benign or malignant indications were included if they received 1 of the following prophylactic antibiotic regimens: cefazolin, second-generation cephalosporin, or cefazolin plus metronidazole. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was performed to evaluate the independent effect of an antibiotic regimen, and propensity score matching was used to validate the findings. The study included 18,255 hysterectomies. The overall rate of surgical site infection was 1.8% (n=329). The unadjusted rate of surgical site infection was 1.8% (n=267) for cefazolin, 2.1% (n=49) for second-generation cephalosporin, and 1.4% (n=13) for cefazolin plus metronidazole. After adjustment for differences in patient and operative factors among the antibiotic cohorts, compared with cefazolin plus metronidazole, we found the risk of surgical site infection was significantly higher for patients who received

Strong adhesion by regulatory T cells induces dendritic cell cytoskeletal polarization and contact-dependent lethargy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jiahuan; Ganguly, Anutosh; Mucsi, Ashley D; Meng, Junchen; Yan, Jiacong; Detampel, Pascal; Munro, Fay; Zhang, Zongde; Wu, Mei; Hari, Aswin; Stenner, Melanie D; Zheng, Wencheng; Kubes, Paul; Xia, Tie; Amrein, Matthias W; Qi, Hai; Shi, Yan

2017-02-01

Dendritic cells are targeted by regulatory T (T reg) cells, in a manner that operates as an indirect mode of T cell suppression. In this study, using a combination of single-cell force spectroscopy and structured illumination microscopy, we analyze individual T reg cell-DC interaction events and show that T reg cells exhibit strong intrinsic adhesiveness to DCs. This increased DC adhesion reduces the ability of contacted DCs to engage other antigen-specific cells. We show that this unusually strong LFA-1-dependent adhesiveness of T reg cells is caused in part by their low calpain activities, which normally release integrin-cytoskeleton linkage, and thereby reduce adhesion. Super resolution imaging reveals that such T reg cell adhesion causes sequestration of Fascin-1, an actin-bundling protein essential for immunological synapse formation, and skews Fascin-1-dependent actin polarization in DCs toward the T reg cell adhesion zone. Although it is reversible upon T reg cell disengagement, this sequestration of essential cytoskeletal components causes a lethargic state of DCs, leading to reduced T cell priming. Our results reveal a dynamic cytoskeletal component underlying T reg cell-mediated DC suppression in a contact-dependent manner. © 2017 Chen et al.

Comparing the Mass, Energy, and Cost Effects of Lightweighting in Conventional and Electric Passenger Vehicles

OpenAIRE

Hofer, Johannes; Wilhelm, Erik; Schenler, Warren

2014-01-01

In this work the effect of weight reduction using advanced lightweight materials on the mass, energy use, and cost of conventional and battery electric passenger vehicles is compared. Analytic vehicle simulation is coupled with cost assessment to find the optimal degree of weight reduction minimizing manufacturing and total costs. The results show a strong secondary weight and cost saving potential for the battery electric vehicles, but a higher sensitivity of vehicle energy use to mass reduc...

Spectator Effects during Leptogenesis in the Strong Washout Regime

CERN Document Server

Garbrecht, Bjorn

2014-01-01

By including spectator fields into the Boltzmann equations for Leptogenesis, we show that partially equilibrated spectator interactions can have a significant impact on the freeze-out value of the asymmetry in the strong washout regime. The final asymmetry is typically increased, since partially equilibrated spectators "hide" a part of the asymmetry from washout. We study examples with leptonic and non-leptonic spectator processes, assuming thermal initial conditions, and find up to 50% enhanced asymmetries compared to the limit of fully equilibrated spectators. Together with a comprehensive overview of the equilibration temperatures for various Standard Model processes, the numerical results indicate the ranges when the limiting cases of either fully equilibrated or negligible spectator fields are applicable and when they are not. Our findings also indicate an increased sensitivity to initial conditions and finite density corrections even in the strong washout regime.

Engaging Military Fathers in a Reflective Parenting Program: Lessons from Strong Families Strong Forces

Science.gov (United States)

DeVoe, Ellen R.; Paris, Ruth

2015-01-01

Through Strong Families Strong Forces, a reflective parenting program for military families with young children, we were privileged to work with contemporary military fathers who served in the post-9/11 conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Due to this work, the authors gained valuable insight into the complexity of fathering during wartime, the…

Strong crystal size effect on deformation twinning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Qian; Shan, Zhi-Wei; Li, Ju

2010-01-01

plasticity. Accompanying the transition in deformation mechanism, the maximum flow stress of the submicrometre-sized pillars was observed to saturate at a value close to titanium’s ideal strength9, 10. We develop a ‘stimulated slip’ model to explain the strong size dependence of deformation twinning......Deformation twinning1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in crystals is a highly coherent inelastic shearing process that controls the mechanical behaviour of many materials, but its origin and spatio-temporal features are shrouded in mystery. Using micro-compression and in situ nano-compression experiments, here we...... find that the stress required for deformation twinning increases drastically with decreasing sample size of a titanium alloy single crystal7, 8, until the sample size is reduced to one micrometre, below which the deformation twinning is entirely replaced by less correlated, ordinary dislocation...

Reducing attentional capture of emotion by broadening attention: increased global attention reduces early electrophysiological responses to negative stimuli.

Science.gov (United States)

Gable, Philip A; Harmon-Jones, Eddie

2012-05-01

Decades of research has shown the influence of emotion on attentional capture, and more recently, the influence of emotion on neurophysiological processes related to attentional capture. The current research tested whether some of the earliest neurophysiological underpinnings of emotive attentional processes can be influenced by attentional manipulations of broadening versus narrowing. Previous research has shown that negative affects high in motivational intensity (e.g., disgust, fear) cause a relative narrowing of attentional scope (Gable and Harmon-Jones, 2010a; Easterbrook, 1959). Because of the strong link between motivation and attention, attentional scope should also influence the attentional capture of negative stimuli. The current study manipulated a local attentional scope or global attentional scope, then measured attentional capture towards disgust and neutral pictures using the N1 event-related potential component. Results revealed that a manipulated global attentional scope reduced N1 amplitude towards disgust pictures compared to a manipulated local attentional scope. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bitcoin Meets Strong Consistency

OpenAIRE

Decker, Christian; Seidel, Jochen; Wattenhofer, Roger

2014-01-01

The Bitcoin system only provides eventual consistency. For everyday life, the time to confirm a Bitcoin transaction is prohibitively slow. In this paper we propose a new system, built on the Bitcoin blockchain, which enables strong consistency. Our system, PeerCensus, acts as a certification authority, manages peer identities in a peer-to-peer network, and ultimately enhances Bitcoin and similar systems with strong consistency. Our extensive analysis shows that PeerCensus is in a secure state...

Sodium Valproate Withdrawal Correlates with Reduced Aggression

Science.gov (United States)

Pritchard, Duncan; Hoerger, Marguerite; Dyer, Tim; Graham, Nicola; Penney, Heather; Mace, F. Charles

2014-01-01

People with learning disabilities are sometimes prescribed psychotropic medication to help manage their challenging behaviour. This case study describes how a multicomponent behavioural intervention in conjunction with the systematic withdrawal of sodium valproate was strongly correlated with reduced aggression. No symptoms of bipolar disorder or…

Strong Statistical Convergence in Probabilistic Metric Spaces

OpenAIRE

Şençimen, Celaleddin; Pehlivan, Serpil

2008-01-01

In this article, we introduce the concepts of strongly statistically convergent sequence and strong statistically Cauchy sequence in a probabilistic metric (PM) space endowed with the strong topology, and establish some basic facts. Next, we define the strong statistical limit points and the strong statistical cluster points of a sequence in this space and investigate the relations between these concepts.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare Computer-assisted Motivational Intervention with Didactic Educational Counseling to Reduce Unprotected Sex in Female Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Melanie A; Tzilos, Golfo K; Stein, L A R; Anderson, Bradley J; Stein, Michael D; Ryan, Christopher M; Zuckoff, Allan; DiClemente, Carlo

2016-02-01

To examine a computer-assisted, counselor-guided motivational intervention (CAMI) aimed at reducing the risk of unprotected sexual intercourse. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We conducted a 9-month, longitudinal randomized controlled trial with a multisite recruitment strategy including clinic, university, and social referrals, and compared the CAMI with didactic educational counseling in 572 female adolescents with a mean age of 17 years (SD = 2.2 years; range = 13-21 years; 59% African American) who were at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The primary outcome was the acceptability of the CAMI according to self-reported rating scales. The secondary outcome was the reduction of pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease risk using a 9-month, self-report timeline follow-back calendar of unprotected sex. The CAMI was rated easy to use. Compared with the didactic educational counseling, there was a significant effect of the intervention which suggested that the CAMI helped reduce unprotected sex among participants who completed the study. However, because of the high attrition rate, the intent to treat analysis did not demonstrate a significant effect of the CAMI on reducing the rate of unprotected sex. Among those who completed the intervention, the CAMI reduced unprotected sex among an at-risk, predominantly minority sample of female adolescents. Modification of the CAMI to address methodological issues that contributed to a high drop-out rate are needed to make the intervention more acceptable and feasible for use among sexually active predominantly minority, at-risk, female adolescents. Copyright © 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Corporate Governance Against Recommendations: The Cases of the Strong Executive and the Strong Ownership

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Král Pavel

2012-09-01

Full Text Available There are several basic configurations of corporate governance according to the separation of ownership and control (Jensen’s theory. Effective governance is described as a situation whenan owner (or group of owners keeps the right to ratify and monitor strategic decisions while management has the right to initiate and implement those decisions. There are two particular situations how this recommendation is partially broken and both situations are linked to CEO duality. The first case happens when an owner loses or does not exercise the right to monitor management of the organization and is termed as the strong executive. The second case is calledthe strong ownership and is distinguished by an owner taking over implementations of the decisions. The focus of the study was to explore particularly configurations of the strong executive and the strong governance. A mixed method research design was chosen to explore the differences between the basic governance configurations. The sample was chosen by purposive sampling and covered a hundred for-profit organizations of all size and from all sectors of economy.The data were collected through interviews with representatives, mainly members of top management. We revealed that both of these configurations can bear good corporate performance but also bigger risks. The strong executive is typical for organizations with dispersed ownership or a publicly owned organization and the performance of the organization is fully dependent on competencies but also personalities of managers. This configuration contains a high risk of misuse of authority. The strong ownership is effective in small organizations while in a larger organization leads to an overexertion of owners and low performance because they usually faceproblems to keep focus on the strategic issues of the organization.

A Comparative Evaluation of the Efficacy of Different Caries Excavation Techniques in reducing the Cariogenic Flora: An in vivo Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Afrah Fatima; Yadav, Gunjan; Tripathi, Abhay Mani; Mehrotra, Mridul; Saha, Sonali; Garg, Nishita

2016-01-01

Caries excavation is a noninvasive technique of caries removal with maximum preservation of healthy tooth structure. To compare the efficacy of three different caries excavation techniques in reducing the count of cariogenic flora. Sixty healthy primary molars were selected from 26 healthy children with occlusal carious lesions without pulpal involvement and divided into three groups in which caries excavation was done with the help of (1) carbide bur; (2) polymer bur using slow-speed handpiece; and (3) ultrasonic tip with ultrasonic machine. Samples were collected before and after caries excavation for microbiological analysis with the help of sterile sharp spoon excavator. Samples were inoculated on blood agar plate and incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. After bacterial cultivation, the bacterial count of Streptococcus mutans was obtained. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13 statistical software version. Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance, Wilcoxon matched pairs test, and Z test were performed to reveal the statistical significance. The decrease in bacterial count of S. mutans before and after caries excavation was significant (p flora, while ultrasonic tip showed almost comparable results, while polymer bur showed least reduction in cariogenic flora after caries excavation. Hassan AF, Yadav G, Tripathi AM, Mehrotra M, Saha S, Garg N. A Comparative Evaluation of the Efficacy of Different Caries Excavation Techniques in reducing the Cariogenic Flora: An in vivo Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2016;9(3):214-217.

Towards TDDFT for Strongly Correlated Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shree Ram Acharya

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We present some details of our recently-proposed Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory (TDDFT for strongly-correlated materials in which the exchange-correlation (XC kernel is derived from the charge susceptibility obtained using Dynamical Mean-Field Theory (the TDDFT + DMFT approach. We proceed with deriving the expression for the XC kernel for the one-band Hubbard model by solving DMFT equations via two approaches, the Hirsch–Fye Quantum Monte Carlo (HF-QMC and an approximate low-cost perturbation theory approach, and demonstrate that the latter gives results that are comparable to the exact HF-QMC solution. Furthermore, through a variety of applications, we propose a simple analytical formula for the XC kernel. Additionally, we use the exact and approximate kernels to examine the nonhomogeneous ultrafast response of two systems: a one-band Hubbard model and a Mott insulator YTiO3. We show that the frequency dependence of the kernel, i.e., memory effects, is important for dynamics at the femtosecond timescale. We also conclude that strong correlations lead to the presence of beats in the time-dependent electric conductivity in YTiO3, a feature that could be tested experimentally and that could help validate the few approximations used in our formulation. We conclude by proposing an algorithm for the generalization of the theory to non-linear response.

Strong Exciton–Photon Coupling and Lasing Behavior in All-Inorganic CsPbBr3 Micro/Nanowire Fabry-Pérot Cavity

KAUST Repository

Du, Wenna

2018-03-14

All-inorganic perovskite micro/nanowire materials hold great promises as nanoscale coherent light source due to their superior optical and electronic properties. The coupling strength between exciton and photon in this system is important for their optical application, however, is rarely studied. In this work, we demonstrated the strong coupling of exciton-photon and polariton lasing in high quality CsPbBr micro/nanowires synthesized by a CVD method. By exploring spatial resolved PL spectra of CsPbBr cavity, we observed mode volume dependent coupling strength with a vacuum Rabi splitting up to 656 meV, as well as significant increase in group index. Moreover, low threshold polariton lasing was achieved at room temperature within strong coupling regime; the polariton characteristic is confirmed by comparing lasing spectra with waveguided output spectra and the dramatically reduced lasing threshold. Our present results provide new avenues to achieve high coupling strengths potentially enabling application of exciting phenomena such as Bose-Einstein condensation of polaritons, efficient light-emitting diodes, and lasers.

Norm enforcement among the Ju/'hoansi Bushmen : A case of strong reciprocity?

Science.gov (United States)

Wiessner, Polly

2005-06-01

The concept of cooperative communities that enforce norm conformity through reward, as well as shaming, ridicule, and ostracism, has been central to anthropology since the work of Durkheim. Prevailing approaches from evolutionary theory explain the willingness to exert sanctions to enforce norms as self-interested behavior, while recent experimental studies suggest that altruistic rewarding and punishing-"strong reciprocity"-play an important role in promoting cooperation. This paper will use data from 308 conversations among the Ju/'hoansi (!Kung) Bushmen (a) to examine the dynamics of norm enforcement, (b) to evaluate the costs of punishment in a forager society and understand how they are reduced, and (c) to determine whether hypotheses that center on individual self-interest provide sufficient explanations for bearing the costs of norm enforcement, or whether there is evidence for strong reciprocity.

Open Circuit Potential Study of Stainless Steel in Environment Containing Marine Sulphate-Reducing Bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fathul Karim Sahrani; Madzlan Abd. Aziz; Zaharah Ibrahim; Adibah Yahya

2008-01-01

The corrosion potential of AISI 304 stainless steel coupons influenced by sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) has been studied. Pure colony of SRB was isolated from the Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering, Pasir Gudang, Johor. Open circuit potential measurements were carried out in variable types of culturing solutions with SRB1, SRB2, combination of SRB1 and SRB2 and without SRBs inoculated. Results showed that the corrosion potential, E oc increased in the presence of SRBs (in pure and mixed culture) compared to that of control. EDS analysis showed the strong peak of sulphur in coupon containing SRB cultures compared to the control. ESEM data showed that the high density cell of SRBs were associated with corroding sections of surface steel comparing with non-corroding sections for coupons immersed in VMNI medium containing SRBs. (author)

In Situ Synthesis of Monomer Casting Nylon-6/Graphene-Polysiloxane Nanocomposites: Intercalation Structure, Synergistic Reinforcing, and Friction-Reducing Effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chengjie; Xiang, Meng; Zhao, Xiaowen; Ye, Lin

2017-09-27

On the basis of the industrialized graphene nanosheets (GNs) product, we synthesized monomer casting nylon-6 (MC PA6)/GN-3-aminopropyl-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (APDMS) nanocomposite in situ through the anchoring effect of APDMS onto the GN surface. APDMS/PA6 molecules were confirmed to intercalate into the GN layers by the formation of strong interfacial interactions. The intercalation ratio and the average layer thickness of the grafted GN sample decreased in the presence of APDMS. Moreover, for MC PA6/GN-APDMS nanocomposite, GN-APDMS was uniformly distributed in the matrix and no phase separation was observed. The size of spherical APDMS particles was obviously reduced compared with that of MC PA6/APDMS composite, revealing a strong interaction between APDMS and GN and the enhancement of compatibility in the composite system. Compared with neat MC PA6, the addition of GN-APDMS resulted in 12% increase in the tensile strength and 37% increase in the impact strength; meanwhile, increase in both the storage modulus (E') and the glass transition temperature (T g ) indicated synergistic reinforcing and toughening effect of GN-APDMS on MC PA6. Furthermore, over 81 and 48% reduction in the friction coefficient and the specific wear rate, respectively, was achieved for the nanocomposite, and the worn surface displayed flat and smooth features with a uniform depth distribution, a low annealing effect, and a reduced friction heat, further confirming the synergistic friction-reducing effect of GN-APDMS on MC PA6.

Keldysh theory of strong field ionization: history, applications, difficulties and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

V Popruzhenko, S

2014-01-01

The history and current status of the Keldysh theory of strong field ionization are reviewed. The focus is on the fundamentals of the theory, its most important applications and those aspects which still raise difficulties and remain under discussion. The Keldysh theory is compared with other nonperturbative analytic methods of strong field atomic physics and its important generalizations are discussed. Among the difficulties, the gauge invariance problem, the tunneling time concept, the conditions of applicability and the application of the theory to ionization of systems more complex than atoms, including molecules and dielectrics, are considered. Possible prospects for the future development of the theory are also discussed. (review article)

Dimers of nineteen-electron sandwich compounds: Crystal and electronic structures, and comparison of reducing strengths

KAUST Repository

Mohapatra, Swagat Kumar

2014-10-03

The dimers of some Group 8 metal cyclopentadienyl/ arene complexes and Group 9 metallocenes can be handled in air, yet are strongly reducing, making them useful n-dopants in organic electronics. In this work, the Xray molecular structures are shown to resemble those of Group 8 metal cyclopentadienyl/pentadienyl or Group 9 metal cyclopentadienyl/diene model compounds. Compared to those of the model compounds, the DFT HOMOs of the dimers are significantly destabilized by interactions between the metal and the central C-C σ-bonding orbital, accounting for the facile oxidation of the dimers. The lengths of these C-C bonds (X-ray or DFT) do not correlate with DFT dissociation energies, the latter depending strongly on the monomer stabilities. Ru and Ir monomers are more reducing than their Fe and Rh analogues, but the corresponding dimers also exhibit much higher dissociation energies, so the estimated monomer cation/neutral dimer potentials are, with the exception of that of [RhCp2]2, rather similar (-1.97 to-2.15 V vs. FeCp2 +/0 in THF). The consequences of the variations in bond strength and redox potentials for the reactivity of the dimers are discussed.

Dimers of nineteen-electron sandwich compounds: Crystal and electronic structures, and comparison of reducing strengths

KAUST Repository

Mohapatra, Swagat Kumar; Fonari, Alexandr; Risko, Chad; Yesudas, Kada; Moudgil, Karttikay; Delcamp, Jared Heath; Timofeeva, Tatiana V.; Bredas, Jean-Luc; Marder, Seth R.; Barlow, Stephen J.

2014-01-01

The dimers of some Group 8 metal cyclopentadienyl/ arene complexes and Group 9 metallocenes can be handled in air, yet are strongly reducing, making them useful n-dopants in organic electronics. In this work, the Xray molecular structures are shown to resemble those of Group 8 metal cyclopentadienyl/pentadienyl or Group 9 metal cyclopentadienyl/diene model compounds. Compared to those of the model compounds, the DFT HOMOs of the dimers are significantly destabilized by interactions between the metal and the central C-C σ-bonding orbital, accounting for the facile oxidation of the dimers. The lengths of these C-C bonds (X-ray or DFT) do not correlate with DFT dissociation energies, the latter depending strongly on the monomer stabilities. Ru and Ir monomers are more reducing than their Fe and Rh analogues, but the corresponding dimers also exhibit much higher dissociation energies, so the estimated monomer cation/neutral dimer potentials are, with the exception of that of [RhCp2]2, rather similar (-1.97 to-2.15 V vs. FeCp2 +/0 in THF). The consequences of the variations in bond strength and redox potentials for the reactivity of the dimers are discussed.

Unexpected strong polygyny in the brown-throated three-toed sloth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan N Pauli

Full Text Available Promiscuous mating strategies are much more common than previously appreciated. So much so, that several authors have proposed that promiscuity is the "rule" rather than the exception in vertebrate mating systems. Decreasing species mobility and increasing habitat fragmentation have both been suggested to reduce the "polygyny potential" of the environment and promote other mating strategies like promiscuity in females. We explored the social and genetic mating system for one of the most sedentary extant mammals, the brown-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus, within a highly fragmented Neotropical habitat. Surprisingly, we found that three-toed sloths were strongly polygynous, with males excluding male competitors from their core ranges, and exhibiting strong reproductive skew. Indeed, only 25% of all resident adult males sired offspring and one individual sired half of all sampled juveniles. Paradoxically, a sedentary life-history strategy seems to facilitate polygyny in fragmented landscapes because multiple females can persist within small patches of habitat, and be monopolized by a single male. Our work demonstrates that strong polygyny can arise in systems in which the polygyny potential should be extremely low, and other strategies, including promiscuity, would be favoured. Mating systems can be influenced by a multitude of factor and are dynamic, varying among taxa, over time, and across habitats; consequently, mating systems remain difficult to predict based on general ecological principles.

Reduction of trace quantities of chromium(VI by strong acids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pezzin Sérgio H

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The chemical behavior of Cr(VI at low concentrations (10-4 to 10-7 mol L-1 in several strong acids was studied using high specific activity 51Cr(VI as a tracer. The speciation of the products from these systems was carried out by ion exchange chromatography with stepwise elution. The results show that trace quantities of Cr(VI, monitored by means of radiochromium (51Cr, are reduced in the presence of mineral acids such as perchloric, hydrochloric, hydrofluoric, sulfuric, nitric and trifluoromethanesulfonic acids, even in the absence of conventional reducing agents, producing different measureable Cr(III species, depending on the acid anion. Detailed studies of the reduction of low concentrations of Cr(VI with nitric acid have shown that the relative rate of reduction increases as the concentration of the acid increases or as the concentration of the Cr(VI decreases.

OBSERVATION OF STRONG - STRONG AND OTHER BEAM - BEAM EFFECTS IN RHIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

FISCHER, W.; BLASKIEWICZ, M.; BRENNAN, J.M.; CAMERON, P.; CONNOLLY, R.; MONTAG, C.; PEGGS, S.; PILAT, F.; PTITSYN, V.; TEPIKIAN, S.; TRBOJEVIC, D.; VAN ZEIJTS, J.

2003-01-01

RHIC is currently the only hadron collider in which strong-strong beam-beam effects can be seen. For the first time, coherent beam-beam modes were observed in a bunched beam hadron collider. Other beam-beam effects in RHIC were observed in operation and in dedicated experiments with gold ions, deuterons and protons. Observations include measurements of beam-beam induced tune shifts, lifetime and emittance growth measurements with and without beam-beam interaction, and background rates as a function of tunes. During ramps unequal radio frequencies in the two rings cause the crossing points to move longitudinally. Thus bunches experience beam-beam interactions only in intervals and the tunes are modulated. In this article we summarize the most important beam-beam observations made so far

Seismic switch for strong motion measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Harben, P.E.; Rodgers, P.W.; Ewert, D.W.

1995-05-30

A seismic switching device is described that has an input signal from an existing microseismic station seismometer and a signal from a strong motion measuring instrument. The seismic switch monitors the signal level of the strong motion instrument and passes the seismometer signal to the station data telemetry and recording systems. When the strong motion instrument signal level exceeds a user set threshold level, the seismometer signal is switched out and the strong motion signal is passed to the telemetry system. The amount of time the strong motion signal is passed before switching back to the seismometer signal is user controlled between 1 and 15 seconds. If the threshold level is exceeded during a switch time period, the length of time is extended from that instant by one user set time period. 11 figs.

Intraperitoneal injection of Bupivacaine and Lidocaine in reducing postoperative pain in gynecologic laparoscopic surgeries: a comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alleyassin A

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Background: As less invasive surgical procedures, such as laparoscopy, become more common, patients can go home soon after the surgery. However, some pain is accompanied by such procedures due to peritoneal stretching, diaphragmatic irritation, or, to a lesser extent, abdominal puncture. It is important to reduce the level of pain to the point that narcotics are not necessary. The administration of opioids for pain after abdominal surgeries is common. The receptors involved seem to be susceptible to blockade with low-dose local anesthesia, although this is subject to some controversy. In this study, we assess and compare the effectiveness of intraperitoneal Bupivacaine and Lidocaine in pain reduction after diagnostic gynecologic laparoscopy in infertility patients. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 150 patients admitted to Dr. Shariati Hospital for diagnostic gynecologic laparoscopy were entered into three randomized groups. Group B received Bupivacaine after the diagnostic laparoscopic procedure, group L received Lidocaine and group C, the control group, received a placebo after the surgery, all administered intraperi- toneally. Postsurgerical pain was assessed using the numeric visual analogue scale at 6 and 24 hours after surgery. Results: In group B, the pain scores at 6 and 24 hours after surgery were significantly less than those of group L. Conclusions: Administration of Bupivacaine after diagnostic gynecologic laparoscopic procedures is more effective in pain control than Lidocaine. The effect of this drug is temporary, yet it significantly decreases early postoperative pain, reducing the need for additional postoperative analgesics. Furthermore, the time at which patients can be discharged from the hospital is significantly reduced.

Are markers of inflammation more strongly associated with risk for fatal than for nonfatal vascular events?

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Sattar, Naveed

2009-06-23

Circulating inflammatory markers may more strongly relate to risk of fatal versus nonfatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, but robust prospective evidence is lacking. We tested whether interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and fibrinogen more strongly associate with fatal compared to nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke.

Population genetics inference for longitudinally-sampled mutants under strong selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacerda, Miguel; Seoighe, Cathal

2014-11-01

Longitudinal allele frequency data are becoming increasingly prevalent. Such samples permit statistical inference of the population genetics parameters that influence the fate of mutant variants. To infer these parameters by maximum likelihood, the mutant frequency is often assumed to evolve according to the Wright-Fisher model. For computational reasons, this discrete model is commonly approximated by a diffusion process that requires the assumption that the forces of natural selection and mutation are weak. This assumption is not always appropriate. For example, mutations that impart drug resistance in pathogens may evolve under strong selective pressure. Here, we present an alternative approximation to the mutant-frequency distribution that does not make any assumptions about the magnitude of selection or mutation and is much more computationally efficient than the standard diffusion approximation. Simulation studies are used to compare the performance of our method to that of the Wright-Fisher and Gaussian diffusion approximations. For large populations, our method is found to provide a much better approximation to the mutant-frequency distribution when selection is strong, while all three methods perform comparably when selection is weak. Importantly, maximum-likelihood estimates of the selection coefficient are severely attenuated when selection is strong under the two diffusion models, but not when our method is used. This is further demonstrated with an application to mutant-frequency data from an experimental study of bacteriophage evolution. We therefore recommend our method for estimating the selection coefficient when the effective population size is too large to utilize the discrete Wright-Fisher model. Copyright © 2014 by the Genetics Society of America.

Strong backlog growth of 22.3% compared to September 30, 2008. Strong third quarter revenue growth of 7.8%, bringing sales for the first nine months of 2009 to 9.7 billion, or +6.4%

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

AREVA generated consolidated revenue of 9.686 billion euros over the first nine months of 2009 for growth of 6.4% (+4.0% like-for-like) compared with the same period in 2008. Revenue outside France was up 8.4% to 6.999 billion euros, representing 72% of total revenue. The main revenue growth engines were the Front End division and the Transmission and Distribution division, with growth of 7.6% and 12.4% respectively. Foreign exchange had a positive impact of 91 million euros. Changes in the consolidation scope had an impact of 117 million euros, corresponding to the consolidation of acquisitions made by AREVA TA and the Transmission and Distribution division in 2008 and 2009. Third quarter 2009 revenue rose 7.8% to 3.164 billion euros (+6.7% like-for-like) compared with the third quarter of 2008. Changes in the consolidation scope had a positive impact of 31 million euros. The foreign exchange impact was minimal for the period. Quarterly growth was fueled mostly by the Front End division (+13.7%), the Back End division (+7.1%) and the Transmission and Distribution division (+8.4%). The group's backlog stood at 47.5 billion euros as of September 30, 2009 for 22.3% growth year-on-year. The backlog is up 27.4% in Nuclear and down 5.6% in Transmission and Distribution. For 2009 as a whole, the group confirms its outlook, based on the consolidation scope as of June 30, 2009, for a strong growth in backlog and in revenue and operating income close to that of the financial year 2008

Deep convolutional neural networks as strong gravitational lens detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, C.; Geiger, M.; Kuntzer, T.; Kneib, J.-P.

2018-03-01

Context. Future large-scale surveys with high-resolution imaging will provide us with approximately 105 new strong galaxy-scale lenses. These strong-lensing systems will be contained in large data amounts, however, which are beyond the capacity of human experts to visually classify in an unbiased way. Aim. We present a new strong gravitational lens finder based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The method was applied to the strong-lensing challenge organized by the Bologna Lens Factory. It achieved first and third place, respectively, on the space-based data set and the ground-based data set. The goal was to find a fully automated lens finder for ground-based and space-based surveys that minimizes human inspection. Methods: We compared the results of our CNN architecture and three new variations ("invariant" "views" and "residual") on the simulated data of the challenge. Each method was trained separately five times on 17 000 simulated images, cross-validated using 3000 images, and then applied to a test set with 100 000 images. We used two different metrics for evaluation, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) score, and the recall with no false positive (Recall0FP). Results: For ground-based data, our best method achieved an AUC score of 0.977 and a Recall0FP of 0.50. For space-based data, our best method achieved an AUC score of 0.940 and a Recall0FP of 0.32. Adding dihedral invariance to the CNN architecture diminished the overall score on space-based data, but achieved a higher no-contamination recall. We found that using committees of five CNNs produced the best recall at zero contamination and consistently scored better AUC than a single CNN. Conclusions: We found that for every variation of our CNN lensfinder, we achieved AUC scores close to 1 within 6%. A deeper network did not outperform simpler CNN models either. This indicates that more complex networks are not needed to model the simulated lenses. To verify this, more

Electrophoresis in strong electric fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Barany, Sandor

2009-01-01

Two kinds of non-linear electrophoresis (ef) that can be detected in strong electric fields (several hundred V/cm) are considered. The first ("classical" non-linear ef) is due to the interaction of the outer field with field-induced ionic charges in the electric double layer (EDL) under conditions, when field-induced variations of electrolyte concentration remain to be small comparatively to its equilibrium value. According to the Shilov theory, the non-linear component of the electrophoretic velocity for dielectric particles is proportional to the cubic power of the applied field strength (cubic electrophoresis) and to the second power of the particles radius; it is independent of the zeta-potential but is determined by the surface conductivity of particles. The second one, the so-called "superfast electrophoresis" is connected with the interaction of a strong outer field with a secondary diffuse layer of counterions (space charge) that is induced outside the primary (classical) diffuse EDL by the external field itself because of concentration polarization. The Dukhin-Mishchuk theory of "superfast electrophoresis" predicts quadratic dependence of the electrophoretic velocity of unipolar (ionically or electronically) conducting particles on the external field gradient and linear dependence on the particle's size in strong electric fields. These are in sharp contrast to the laws of classical electrophoresis (no dependence of V(ef) on the particle's size and linear dependence on the electric field gradient). A new method to measure the ef velocity of particles in strong electric fields is developed that is based on separation of the effects of sedimentation and electrophoresis using videoimaging and a new flowcell and use of short electric pulses. To test the "classical" non-linear electrophoresis, we have measured the ef velocity of non-conducting polystyrene, aluminium-oxide and (semiconductor) graphite particles as well as Saccharomice cerevisiae yeast cells as a

Interaction of a strong vortex with decaying turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terry, P.W.

1988-01-01

The evolution of a localized, axially symmetric vortex under the action of shear stresses associated with decaying two-dimensional turbulent vorticity which is inhomogeneous in the presence of the vortex is studied analytically. For a vortex which is sufficiently strong relative to the coefficient of turbulent eddy viscosity, it is shown that turbulent fluctuations in the vortex interior and diffusion of coherent vorticity by the turbulence localize to the vortex periphery. It is also found that the coefficient of diffusion is small compared to the coefficient of eddy viscosity. 8 refs

Regional amplification of projected changes in extreme temperatures strongly controlled by soil moisture-temperature feedbacks

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, M. M.; Orth, R.; Cheruy, F.; Hagemann, S.; Lorenz, R.; Hurk, B. J. J. M.; Seneviratne, S. I.

2017-02-01

Regional hot extremes are projected to increase more strongly than global mean temperature, with substantially larger changes than 2°C even if global warming is limited to this level. We investigate the role of soil moisture-temperature feedbacks for this response based on multimodel experiments for the 21st century with either interactive or fixed (late 20th century mean seasonal cycle) soil moisture. We analyze changes in the hottest days in each year in both sets of experiments, relate them to the global mean temperature increase, and investigate processes leading to these changes. We find that soil moisture-temperature feedbacks significantly contribute to the amplified warming of the hottest days compared to that of global mean temperature. This contribution reaches more than 70% in Central Europe and Central North America. Soil moisture trends are more important for this response than short-term soil moisture variability. These results are relevant for reducing uncertainties in regional temperature projections.

Characteristics and long-term prognosis of patients with heart failure and mid-range ejection fraction compared with reduced and preserved ejection fraction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauritsen, Josephine; Gustafsson, Finn; Abdulla, Jawdat

2018-01-01

AIMS: This study aimed to assess by a meta-analysis the clinical characteristics, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and hospitalization of patients with heart failure (HF) with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) compared with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HF with preserved...

Short proofs of strong normalization

OpenAIRE

Wojdyga, Aleksander

2008-01-01

This paper presents simple, syntactic strong normalization proofs for the simply-typed lambda-calculus and the polymorphic lambda-calculus (system F) with the full set of logical connectives, and all the permutative reductions. The normalization proofs use translations of terms and types to systems, for which strong normalization property is known.

An optimized absorbing potential for ultrafast, strong-field problems

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Youliang; Esry, B. D.

2018-05-01

Theoretical treatments of strong-field physics have long relied on the numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The most effective such treatments utilize a discrete spatial representation—a grid. Since most strong-field observables relate to the continuum portion of the wave function, the boundaries of the grid—which act as hard walls and thus cause reflection—can substantially impact the observables. Special care thus needs to be taken. While there exist a number of attempts to solve this problem—e.g., complex absorbing potentials and masking functions, exterior complex scaling, and coordinate scaling—none of them are completely satisfactory. The first of these is arguably the most popular, but it consumes a substantial fraction of the computing resources in any given calculation. Worse, this fraction grows with the dimensionality of the problem. In addition, no systematic way to design such a potential has been used in the strong-field community. In this work, we address these issues and find a much better solution. By comparing with previous widely used absorbing potentials, we find a factor of 3–4 reduction in the absorption range, given the same level of absorption over a specified energy interval.

Evolutionary dynamics of fluctuating populations with strong mutualism

Science.gov (United States)

Chotibut, Thiparat; Nelson, David

2013-03-01

Evolutionary game theory with finite interacting populations is receiving increased attention, including subtle phenomena associated with number fluctuations, i.e., ``genetic drift.'' Models of cooperation and competition often utilize a simplified Moran model, with a strictly fixed total population size. We explore a more general evolutionary model with independent fluctuations in the numbers of two distinct species, in a regime characterized by ``strong mutualism.'' The model has two absorbing states, each corresponding to fixation of one of the two species, and allows exploration of the interplay between growth, competition, and mutualism. When mutualism is favored, number fluctuations eventually drive the system away from a stable fixed point, characterized by cooperation, to one of the absorbing states. Well-mixed populations will thus be taken over by a single species in a finite time, despite the bias towards cooperation. We calculate both the fixation probability and the mean fixation time as a function of the initial conditions and carrying capacities in the strong mutualism regime, using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Our results are compared to computer simulations.

Comparative efficacies of oral ketoconazole and terbinafine for reducing Malassezia population sizes on the skin of Basset Hounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Guillot, Jacques; Bensignor, Emmanuel; Jankowski, François; Seewald, Wolfgang; Chermette, René; Steffan, Jean

2003-06-01

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of oral ketoconazole and terbinafine for reducing population sizes of Malassezia yeasts on canine skin. Twenty-one Basset Hounds were randomised in three groups of seven according to Malassezia populations. Dogs in the first group were treated by oral administration of ketoconazole (Ketofungol) 200 mg, Janssen-Cilag) at 10 mg x kg-1, every 24 h with food, for 3 weeks. Dogs in the second group were treated by oral administration of terbinafine (Lamisil) 250 mg, Novartis) at 30 mg x kg-1, every 24 h with food, for 3 weeks. The seven remaining dogs were used as controls. Malassezia population sizes were assessed by use of contact plates on four cutaneous sites at days 7, 14 and 21. Both ketoconazole and terbinafine were effective in reducing the baseline levels of Malassezia organisms with no significant difference between the two drugs. In further studies, oral terbinafine should be evaluated for the management of canine cases of Malassezia dermatitis.

Reduced social preferences in autism: evidence from charitable donations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Alice; Tsai, Karin; Rangel, Antonio; Adolphs, Ralph

2012-05-17

People with autism have abnormal preferences, ranging from an apparent lack of preference for social stimuli to unusually strong preferences for restricted sets of highly idiosyncratic stimuli. Yet the profile of preferences across social and nonsocial domains has not been mapped out in detail, and the processes responsible remain poorly understood. To assess preferences across a range of stimuli, we measured real monetary donations to 50 charities spanning categories pertaining to people, mental health, animals, or the environment. We compared the donations made by 16 high-functioning adults with autism to those made by neurotypical controls matched on age, gender and education. We additionally collected ratings of how people evaluated the different charities. Compared with controls, high-functioning adults with autism donated less overall and also showed a significantly disproportionate reduction in donations to people charities compared with donations to the other charities. Furthermore, whereas controls discriminated strongly between different people charities, choosing to donate a lot of money to some and very little to others, much less discrimination was seen in the autism group. Ratings that probed how participants constructed their preferences did not differ between groups, except for a difference in the perceived impact of pictures and text information about people charities. Strikingly, there were some charities related to mental health, and autism in particular, to which the autism group donated considerably more than did the controls. People with autism were found to have reduced preference and sensitivity towards charities benefiting other people. The findings provide evidence for a domain-specific impairment in social cognition in autism spectrum disorder, and in particular in linking otherwise intact social knowledge to the construction of value signals on which preferences regarding other people are based.

Reduced social preferences in autism: evidence from charitable donations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Alice

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background People with autism have abnormal preferences, ranging from an apparent lack of preference for social stimuli to unusually strong preferences for restricted sets of highly idiosyncratic stimuli. Yet the profile of preferences across social and nonsocial domains has not been mapped out in detail, and the processes responsible remain poorly understood. Methods To assess preferences across a range of stimuli, we measured real monetary donations to 50 charities spanning categories pertaining to people, mental health, animals, or the environment. We compared the donations made by 16 high-functioning adults with autism to those made by neurotypical controls matched on age, gender and education. We additionally collected ratings of how people evaluated the different charities. Results Compared with controls, high-functioning adults with autism donated less overall and also showed a significantly disproportionate reduction in donations to people charities compared with donations to the other charities. Furthermore, whereas controls discriminated strongly between different people charities, choosing to donate a lot of money to some and very little to others, much less discrimination was seen in the autism group. Ratings that probed how participants constructed their preferences did not differ between groups, except for a difference in the perceived impact of pictures and text information about people charities. Strikingly, there were some charities related to mental health, and autism in particular, to which the autism group donated considerably more than did the controls. Conclusions People with autism were found to have reduced preference and sensitivity towards charities benefiting other people. The findings provide evidence for a domain-specific impairment in social cognition in autism spectrum disorder, and in particular in linking otherwise intact social knowledge to the construction of value signals on which preferences

Generalized Lorentz-Dirac Equation for a Strongly Coupled Gauge Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Chernicoff, Mariano; García, J. Antonio; Güijosa, Alberto

2009-06-01

We derive a semiclassical equation of motion for a “composite” quark in strongly coupled large-Nc N=4 super Yang-Mills theory, making use of the anti-de Sitter space/conformal field theory correspondence. The resulting nonlinear equation incorporates radiation damping, and reduces to the standard Lorentz-Dirac equation for external forces that are small on the scale of the quark Compton wavelength, but has no self-accelerating or preaccelerating solutions. From this equation one can read off a nonstandard dispersion relation for the quark, as well as a Lorentz-covariant formula for its radiation rate.

Generalized Lorentz-Dirac Equation for a Strongly Coupled Gauge Theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernicoff, Mariano; Garcia, J. Antonio; Gueijosa, Alberto

2009-01-01

We derive a semiclassical equation of motion for a 'composite' quark in strongly coupled large-N c N=4 super Yang-Mills theory, making use of the anti-de Sitter space/conformal field theory correspondence. The resulting nonlinear equation incorporates radiation damping, and reduces to the standard Lorentz-Dirac equation for external forces that are small on the scale of the quark Compton wavelength, but has no self-accelerating or preaccelerating solutions. From this equation one can read off a nonstandard dispersion relation for the quark, as well as a Lorentz-covariant formula for its radiation rate.

<strong>Neuroeconomics and Health Economicsstrong>/>

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Torben

2009-01-01

  Objective: Neuroeconomics integrates economics, psychology and neuroscience. Recently, this line of research is summarized in a neuroeconomic model (NeM) which addresses the rehabilitation of important chronic conditions from a new angle as surveyed in this study. Data and Method: Firstly, Ne......://www.integratedhomecare.eu/ . III. In-depth-relaxation is evidenced as the result of regular practice of medical meditation comprising various practical meditation settings by NGOs whereof some are rooted in the religious tradition while other aim to be post-religious. Medical meditation combines savings on health care costs...... with de-stressing benefits as reduced anxiety, less use of stimulants and a reduction of blood pressure which in all increase life-expectancy. Conclusion: Neuroeconomics helps economists to identify dominant health economic interventions that may be overlooked by traditional discipålines   [i] This part...

Nucleon quark structure and strong meson-nucleon form factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efimov, G.V.; Ivanov, M.A.

1987-01-01

The nucleon is considered as a three-quark system in virton-quark model. The main statistic properties of proton and neutron are calculated: magnetic moments, electromagnetic radii, G A /G V ratio in weak neutron decay. Strong meson-nucleon form factors which determine nucleon-nucleon potential are obtained as a function of squared transfer momentum of mesons. The results are compared with phenomenological form factors used for description of phases of NN-scattering in the one-boson-, exchange model

Electromagnetic radiation from strong Langmuir turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimoto, K.; Rowland, H.L.; Papadopoulos, K.

1988-01-01

A series of computer simulations is reported showing the generation of electromagnetic radiation by strong Langmuir turbulence. The simulations were carried out with a fully electromagnetic 2 1/2 -dimensional fluid code. The radiation process takes place in two stages that reflect the evolution of the electrostatic turbulence. During the first stage while the electrostatic turbulence is evolving from an initial linear wave packet into a planar soliton, the radiation is primarily at ω/sub e/. During the second stage when transverse instabilities lead to the collapse and dissipation of the solitons, 2ω/sub e/ and ω/sub e/ radiation are comparable, and 3ω/sub e/ is also present. The radiation power at ω = 2ω/sub e/ is in good agreement with theoretical predictions for electromagnetic emissions by collapsing solitons

Quasi-particle description of strongly interacting matter: Towards a foundation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bluhm, M.; Kaempfer, B.; Schulze, R.; Seipt, D.

2007-01-01

We confront our quasi-particle model for the equation of state of strongly interacting matter with recent first-principle QCD calculations. In particular, we test its applicability at finite baryon densities by comparing with Taylor expansion coefficients of the pressure for two quark flavours. We outline a chain of approximations starting from the Φ-functional approach to QCD which motivates the quasi-particle picture. (orig.)

Reducing financial avalanches by random investments

Science.gov (United States)

Biondo, Alessio Emanuele; Pluchino, Alessandro; Rapisarda, Andrea; Helbing, Dirk

2013-12-01

Building on similarities between earthquakes and extreme financial events, we use a self-organized criticality-generating model to study herding and avalanche dynamics in financial markets. We consider a community of interacting investors, distributed in a small-world network, who bet on the bullish (increasing) or bearish (decreasing) behavior of the market which has been specified according to the S&P 500 historical time series. Remarkably, we find that the size of herding-related avalanches in the community can be strongly reduced by the presence of a relatively small percentage of traders, randomly distributed inside the network, who adopt a random investment strategy. Our findings suggest a promising strategy to limit the size of financial bubbles and crashes. We also obtain that the resulting wealth distribution of all traders corresponds to the well-known Pareto power law, while that of random traders is exponential. In other words, for technical traders, the risk of losses is much greater than the probability of gains compared to those of random traders.

Comparable amounts of sex steroids are made outside the gonads in men and women: strong lesson for hormone therapy of prostate and breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Labrie, Fernand; Cusan, Leonello; Gomez, José Luis; Martel, Céline; Bérubé, René; Bélanger, Patrick; Bélanger, Alain; Vandenput, Liesbeth; Mellström, Dan; Ohlsson, Claes

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was comparison of circulating androgens and their metabolites as well as estrogens measured for the first time by a validated mass spectrometry technology in 60-80-year-old men and women of comparable age. Castration in men (n=34) reduces the total androgen pool by only about 60% as indicated by the decrease in the serum levels of the glucuronide metabolites of androgens compared to intact men (n=1302). Such data are in agreement with the 50 to 75% decrease in intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentration after castration. Most interestingly, the same amounts of androgens and estrogens are found in postmenopausal women (n=369) and castrated men of comparable age. The most significant therapeutic implication of these findings is the absolute need to add a pure (nonsteroidal) antiandrogen to castration in men with prostate cancer in order to block the action of the 25 to 50% DHT left in the prostate after castration. Not adding an antiandrogen to castration in men treated for prostate cancer is equivalent to not prescribing a blocker of estrogens in women suffering from breast cancer because they are postmenopausal and have low circulating estradiol.

Fundamental parameters of He-weak and He-strong stars

Science.gov (United States)

Cidale, L. S.; Arias, M. L.; Torres, A. F.; Zorec, J.; Frémat, Y.; Cruzado, A.

2007-06-01

Context: He-weak and He-strong stars are chemically peculiar AB objects whose He lines are anomalously weak or strong for their MK spectral type. The determination of fundamental parameters for these stars is often more complex than for normal stars due to their abundance anomalies. Aims: We discuss the determination of fundamental parameters: effective temperature, surface gravity, and visual and bolometric absolute magnitudes of He-weak and He-strong stars. We compare our values with those derived independently from methods based on photometry and model fitting. Methods: We carried out low resolution spectroscopic observations in the wavelength range 3400-4700 Å of 20 He-weak and 8 He-strong stars to determine their fundamental parameters by means of the Divan-Chalonge-Barbier (BCD) spectrophotometric system. This system is based on the measurement of the continuum energy distribution around the Balmer discontinuity (BD). For a few He-weak stars we also estimate the effective temperatures and the angular diameters by integrating absolute fluxes observed over a wide spectral range. Non-LTE model calculations are carried out to study the influence of the He/H abundance ratio on the emergent radiation of He-strong stars and on their T_eff determination. Results: We find that the effective temperatures, surface gravities and bolometric absolute magnitudes of He-weak stars estimated with the BCD system and the integrated flux method are in good agreement between each other, and they also agree with previous determinations based on several different methods. The mean discrepancy between the visual absolute magnitudes derived using the hipparcos parallaxes and the BCD values is on average ±0.3 mag for He-weak stars, while it is ±0.5 mag for He-strong stars. For He-strong stars, we note that the BCD calibration, based on stars in the solar environment, leads to overestimated values of T_eff. By means of model atmosphere calculations with enhanced He/H abundance ratios

A comparison of two methods for earthquake source inversion using strong motion seismograms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. C. Beroza

1994-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we compare two time-domain inversion methods that have been widely applied to the problem of modeling earthquake rupture using strong-motion seismograms. In the multi-window method, each point on the fault is allowed to rupture multiple times. This allows flexibility in the rupture time and hence the rupture velocity. Variations in the slip-velocity function are accommodated by variations in the slip amplitude in each time-window. The single-window method assumes that each point on the fault ruptures only once, when the rupture front passes. Variations in slip amplitude are allowed and variations in rupture velocity are accommodated by allowing the rupture time to vary. Because the multi-window method allows greater flexibility, it has the potential to describe a wider range of faulting behavior; however, with this increased flexibility comes an increase in the degrees of freedom and the solutions are comparatively less stable. We demonstrate this effect using synthetic data for a test model of the Mw 7.3 1992 Landers, California earthquake, and then apply both inversion methods to the actual recordings. The two approaches yield similar fits to the strong-motion data with different seismic moments indicating that the moment is not well constrained by strong-motion data alone. The slip amplitude distribution is similar using either approach, but important differences exist in the rupture propagation models. The single-window method does a better job of recovering the true seismic moment and the average rupture velocity. The multi-window method is preferable when rise time is strongly variable, but tends to overestimate the seismic moment. Both methods work well when the rise time is constant or short compared to the periods modeled. Neither approach can recover the temporal details of rupture propagation unless the distribution of slip amplitude is constrained by independent data.

Application of strong phosphoric acid to radiochemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terada, Kikuo

1977-01-01

Not only inorganic and organic compounds but also natural substrances, such as accumulations in soil, are completely decomposed and distilled by heating with strong phosphoric acid for 30 to 50 minutes. As applications of strong phosphoric acid to radiochemistry, determination of uranium and boron by use of solubilization effect of this substance, titration of uranyl ion by use of sulfuric iron (II) contained in this substance, application to tracer experiment, and determination of radioactive ruthenium in environmental samples are reviewed. Strong phosphoric acid is also applied to activation analysis, for example, determination of N in pyrographite with iodate potassium-strong phosphoric acid method, separation of Os and Ru with sulfuric cerium (IV) - strong phosphoric acid method or potassium dechromate-strong phosphoric acid method, analysis of Se, As and Sb rocks and accumulations with ammonium bromide, sodium chloride and sodium bromide-strong phosphoric acid method. (Kanao, N.)

The Role of screening in the strongly correlated 2D systems

CERN Document Server

Hwang, E H

2003-01-01

We investigate recently observed experiments in the strongly correlated 2D systems (r sub s >> 1) (low-density 2D plasmons, metallic behaviour of 2D systems and frictional drag resistivity between two 2D hole layers). We compare them with our theoretical results calculated within a conventional Fermi liquid theory with RPA screening.

Strong coupling phase in QED

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Ken-ichi

1988-01-01

Existence of a strong coupling phase in QED has been suggested in solutions of the Schwinger-Dyson equation and in Monte Carlo simulation of lattice QED. In this article we recapitulate the previous arguments, and formulate the problem in the modern framework of the renormalization theory, Wilsonian renormalization. This scheme of renormalization gives the best understanding of the basic structure of a field theory especially when it has a multi-phase structure. We resolve some misleading arguments in the previous literature. Then we set up a strategy to attack the strong phase, if any. We describe a trial; a coupled Schwinger-Dyson equation. Possible picture of the strong coupling phase QED is presented. (author)

Strong seismic wave scattering beneath Kanto region derived from dense K-NET/KiK-net strong motion network and numerical simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Takemura, S.; Yoshimoto, K.

2013-12-01

Observed seismograms, which consist of the high-frequency body waves through the low-velocity (LV) region at depth of 20-40 km beneath northwestern Chiba in Kanto, show strong peak delay and spindle shape of S waves. By analyzing dense seismic records from K-NET/KiK-net, such spindle-shape S waves are clearly observed in the frequency range of 1-8 Hz. In order to investigate a specific heterogeneous structure to generate such observations, we conduct 3-D finite-difference method (FDM) simulation using realistic heterogeneous models and compare the simulation results with dense strong motion array observations. Our 3-D simulation model is covering the zone 150 km by 64 km in horizontal directions and 75 km in vertical direction, which has been discretized with uniform grid size 0.05 km. We assume a layered background velocity structure, which includes basin structure, crust, mantle and subducting oceanic plate, base on the model proposed by Koketsu et al. (2008). In order to introduce the effect of seismic wave scattering, we assume a stochastic random velocity fluctuation in each layer. Random velocity fluctuations are characterized by exponential-type auto-correlation function (ACF) with correlation distance a = 3 km and rms value of fluctuation e = 0.05 in the upper crust, a = 3 km and e = 0.07 in the lower crust, a = 10 km and e = 0.02 in the mantle. In the subducting oceanic plate, we assume an anisotropic random velocity fluctuation characterized by exponential-type ACF with aH = 10 km in horizontal direction, aZ = 0.5 km in vertical direction and e = 0.02 (e.g., Furumura and Kennett, 2005). In addition, we assume a LV zone at northeastern part of Chiba with depth of 20-40 km (e.g., Matsubara et al., 2004). In the LV zone, random velocity fluctuation characterized by Gaussian-type ACF with a = 1 km and e = 0.07 is superposed on exponential-type ACF with a = 3 km and e = 0.07, in order to modulate the S-wave propagation in the dominant frequency range of

Aging and depression vulnerability interaction results in decreased serotonin innervation associated with reduced BDNF levels in hippocampus of rats bred for learned helplessness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aznar, Susana; Klein, Anders B; Santini, Martin A

2010-01-01

Epidemiological studies have revealed a strong genetic contribution to the risk for depression. Both reduced hippocampal serotonin neurotransmission and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels have been associated with increased depression vulnerability and are also regulated during aging...... density. Hippocampal BDNF protein levels were measured by ELISA. An exacerbated age-related loss of serotonin fiber density specific for the CA1 area was observed in the cLH animals, whereas reduced hippocampal BDNF levels were seen in young and old cLH when compared with age-matched cNLH controls...

Insertion of Self-Expandable Nitinol Stents Without Previous Balloon Angioplasty Reduces Restenosis Compared with PTA Prior to Stenting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harnek, Jan; Zoucas, Evita; Stenram, Unne; Cwikiel, Wojciech

2002-01-01

Purpose: To compare the development of intimal hyperplasia after deployment of a self-expanding nitinol stent with and without previous percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTA), with the results after PTA alone. Methods: In nine healthy pigs, the iliac arteries were divided into three groups: group 1 (n = 6 arteries) was treated with PTA; group 2 n 6)with insertion of self-expanding stents after PTA; and group 3 (n = 6) with stent insertion without previous PTA. After 8 weeks the vessels were examined with intravascular ultrasonography,histologic examination and morphometric analysis. Results: Although the injury index in group 1 (0.17± 0.57) was lower (p <0.05) than in group 2 (0.26 ± 0.06) and group 3 (0.26 ± 0.08), PTA-treated arteries showed significantly (p <0.05) reduced mean luminal gain (0.53 ± 2.84) compared with arteries treated with PTA prior to stenting (2.58 ± 1.38) and compared with stenting alone (4.65 ±5.34). Stenting after PTA resulted in a higher (p<0.05) restenosis index (2.63 ± 1.06) compared with stenting without PTA (1.35 ± 0.59). Group 2 also had a significantly thicker intimap <0.05) and 83% and 74% higher intima/mediaratio (p <0.05) compared with groups 1 and 3, respectively. Conclusion: Insertion of a self-expandable nitinol stent without previous PTA results in less intimalhyperplasia than if PTA is performed prior to stenting, suggesting that direct stenting can be used in angioplasty sessions with a favorable outcome

Strongly correlating liquids and their isomorphs

OpenAIRE

Pedersen, Ulf R.; Gnan, Nicoletta; Bailey, Nicholas P.; Schröder, Thomas B.; Dyre, Jeppe C.

2010-01-01

This paper summarizes the properties of strongly correlating liquids, i.e., liquids with strong correlations between virial and potential energy equilibrium fluctuations at constant volume. We proceed to focus on the experimental predictions for strongly correlating glass-forming liquids. These predictions include i) density scaling, ii) isochronal superposition, iii) that there is a single function from which all frequency-dependent viscoelastic response functions may be calculated, iv) that...

Reducing cytoplasmic polyamine oxidase activity in Arabidopsis increases salt and drought tolerance by reducing reactive oxygen species production and increasing defense gene expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G.H.M. eSagor

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The link between polyamine oxidases (PAOs, which function in polyamine catabolism, and stress responses remains elusive. Here, we address this issue using Arabidopsis pao mutants in which the expression of the five PAO genes is knocked-out or knocked-down. As the five single pao mutants and wild type (WT showed similar response to salt stress, we tried to generate the mutants that have either the cytoplasmic PAO pathway (pao1 pao5 or the peroxisomal PAO pathway (pao2 pao3 pao4 silenced. However, the latter triple mutant was not obtained. Thus, in this study, we used two double mutants, pao1 pao5 and pao2 pao4. Of interest, pao1 pao5 mutant was NaCl- and drought-tolerant, whereas pao2 pao4 showed similar sensitivity to those stresses as WT. To reveal the underlying mechanism of salt tolerance, further analyses were performed. Na uptake of the mutant (pao1 pao5 decreased to 75% of WT. PAO activity of the mutant was reduced to 62% of WT. The content of reactive oxygen species (ROS such as hydrogen peroxide, a reaction product of PAO action, and superoxide anion in the mutant became 81% and 72% of the levels in WT upon salt treatment. The mutant contained 2.8-fold higher thermospermine compared to WT. Moreover, the mutant induced the genes of salt overly sensitive-, abscisic acid (ABA-dependent- and ABA-independent- pathways more strongly than WT upon salt treatment. The results suggest that the Arabidopsis plant silencing cytoplasmic PAOs shows salinity tolerance by reducing ROS production and strongly inducing subsets of stress-responsive genes under stress conditions.

Unconventional geometric logic gate in a strong-driving-assisted multi-mode cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang-Ning, Pan; Di-Wu, Yang; Xue-Hui, Zhao; Mao-Fa, Fang

2010-01-01

We propose a scheme to implement an unconventional geometric logic gate separately in a two-mode cavity and a multi-mode cavity assisted by a strong classical driving field. The effect of the cavity decay is included in the investigation. The numerical calculation is carried out, and the result shows that our scheme is more tolerant to cavity decay than the previous one because the time consumed for finishing the logic gate is doubly reduced. (general)

Impact of a nickel-reduced stainless steel implant on striated muscle microcirculation: a comparative in vivo study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, C N; Burian, B; Perlick, L; Wimmer, M A; Wallny, T; Schmitt, O; Diedrich, O

2001-12-05

The impairment of skeletal muscle microcirculation by a biomaterial may have profound consequences. With moderately good physical and corrosion characteristics, implant-quality stainless steel is particularly popular in orthopedic surgery. However, due to the presence of a considerable amount of nickel in the alloy, concern has been voiced in respect to local tissue responses. More recently a stainless steel alloy with a significant reduction of nickel has become commercially available. We, therefore, studied in vivo nutritive perfusion and leukocytic response of striated muscle to this nickel-reduced alloy, and compared these results with those of the materials conventional stainless steel and titanium. Using the hamster dorsal skinfold chamber preparation and intravital microscopy, we could demonstrate that reduction of the nickel quantity in a stainless steel implant has a positive effect on local microvascular parameters. Although the implantation of a conventional stainless steel sample led to a distinct and persistent activation of leukocytes combined with disruption of the microvascular endothelial integrity, marked leukocyte extravasation, and considerable venular dilation, animals with a nickel-reduced stainless steel implant showed only a moderate increase of these parameters, with a clear tendency of recuperation. Titanium implants merely caused a transient increase of leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction within the first 120 min, and no significant change in macromolecular leakage, leukocyte extravasation, or venular diameter. Pending biomechanical and corrosion testing, nickel-reduced stainless steel may be a viable alternative to conventional implant-quality stainless steel for biomedical applications. Concerning tolerance by the local vascular system, titanium currently remains unsurpassed. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 57: 404-412, 2001

Critical point in the QCD phase diagram for extremely strong background magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endrödi, Gergely

2015-01-01

Lattice simulations have demonstrated that a background (electro)magnetic field reduces the chiral/deconfinement transition temperature of quantum chromodynamics for eB<1 GeV 2 . On the level of observables, this reduction manifests itself in an enhancement of the Polyakov loop and in a suppression of the light quark condensates (inverse magnetic catalysis) in the transition region. In this paper, we report on lattice simulations of 1+1+1-flavor QCD at an unprecedentedly high value of the magnetic field eB=3.25 GeV 2 . Based on the behavior of various observables, it is shown that even at this extremely strong field, inverse magnetic catalysis prevails and the transition, albeit becoming sharper, remains an analytic crossover. In addition, we develop an algorithm to directly simulate the asymptotically strong magnetic field limit of QCD. We find strong evidence for a first-order deconfinement phase transition in this limiting theory, implying the presence of a critical point in the QCD phase diagram. Based on the available lattice data, we estimate the location of the critical point.

Nonlinear wave collapse and strong turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, P.A.

1997-01-01

The theory and applications of wave self-focusing, collapse, and strongly nonlinear wave turbulence are reviewed. In the last decade, the theory of these phenomena and experimental realizations have progressed rapidly. Various nonlinear wave systems are discussed, but the simplest case of collapse and strong turbulence of Langmuir waves in an unmagnetized plasma is primarily used in explaining the theory and illustrating the main ideas. First, an overview of the basic physics of linear waves and nonlinear wave-wave interactions is given from an introductory perspective. Wave-wave processes are then considered in more detail. Next, an introductory overview of the physics of wave collapse and strong turbulence is provided, followed by a more detailed theoretical treatment. Later sections cover numerical simulations of Langmuir collapse and strong turbulence and experimental applications to space, ionospheric, and laboratory plasmas, including laser-plasma and beam-plasma interactions. Generalizations to self-focusing, collapse, and strong turbulence of waves in other systems are also discussed, including nonlinear optics, solid-state systems, magnetized auroral and astrophysical plasmas, and deep-water waves. The review ends with a summary of the main ideas of wave collapse and strong-turbulence theory, a collection of open questions in the field, and a brief discussion of possible future research directions. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

Increasing induction motors efficiency by reducing electromagnetic loads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivian Chiver

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The efficiency of any device is a major problem today. The design and construction of high efficiency motors is strongly required from the viewpoint of reducing energy consumption and protecting the environment. This paper deal with the problem of improving efficiency by reducing electrical and magnetic loads of these motors. Using the finite elements method (FEM, the authors will study the influence of these changes on the parameters and characteristics of the initial motor.

Universal contact of strongly interacting fermions at finite temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu Hui; Liu Xiaji; Drummond, Peter D, E-mail: hhu@swin.edu.au, E-mail: xiajiliu@swin.edu.au, E-mail: pdrummond@swin.edu.au [ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum-Atom Optics, Centre for Atom Optics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne 3122 (Australia)

2011-03-15

The recently discovered universal thermodynamic behavior of dilute, strongly interacting Fermi gases also implies a universal structure in the many-body pair-correlation function at short distances, as quantified by the contact I. Here, we theoretically calculate the temperature dependence of this universal contact for a Fermi gas in free space and in a harmonic trap. At high temperatures above the Fermi degeneracy temperature, T{approx}>T{sub F}, we obtain a reliable non-perturbative quantum virial expansion up to third order. At low temperatures, we compare different approximate strong-coupling theories. These make different predictions, which need to be tested either by future experiments or by advanced quantum Monte Carlo simulations. We conjecture that in the universal unitarity limit, the contact or correlation decreases monotonically with increasing temperature, unless the temperature is significantly lower than the critical temperature, T<

Rydberg excitation of neutral nitric oxide molecules in strong UV and near-IR laser fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv Hang; Zhang Jun-Feng; Zuo Wan-Long; Xu Hai-Feng; Jin Ming-Xing; Ding Da-Jun

2015-01-01

Rydberg state excitations of neutral nitric oxide molecules are studied in strong ultraviolet (UV) and near-infra-red (IR) laser fields using a linear time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer with the pulsed electronic field ionization method. The yield of Rydberg molecules is measured as a function of laser intensity and ellipticity, and the results in UV laser fields are compared with those in near-IR laser fields. The present study provides the first experimental evidence of neutral Rydberg molecules surviving in a strong laser field. The results indicate that a rescattering-after-tunneling process is the main contribution to the formation of Rydberg molecules in strong near-IR laser fields, while multi-photon excitation may play an important role in the strong UV laser fields. (paper)

Experiments on plasma turbulence induced by strong, steady electric fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamberger, S.M.

1975-01-01

The author discusses the effect of applying a strong electric field to collisionless plasma. In particular are compared what some ideas and prejudices lead one to expect to happen, what computer simulation experiments tell one ought to happen, and what actually does happen in two laboratory experiments which have been designed to allow the relevant instability and turbulent processes to occur unobstructed and which have been studied in sufficient detail. (Auth.)

Reduced modeling of signal transduction – a modular approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ederer Michael

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Combinatorial complexity is a challenging problem in detailed and mechanistic mathematical modeling of signal transduction. This subject has been discussed intensively and a lot of progress has been made within the last few years. A software tool (BioNetGen was developed which allows an automatic rule-based set-up of mechanistic model equations. In many cases these models can be reduced by an exact domain-oriented lumping technique. However, the resulting models can still consist of a very large number of differential equations. Results We introduce a new reduction technique, which allows building modularized and highly reduced models. Compared to existing approaches further reduction of signal transduction networks is possible. The method also provides a new modularization criterion, which allows to dissect the model into smaller modules that are called layers and can be modeled independently. Hallmarks of the approach are conservation relations within each layer and connection of layers by signal flows instead of mass flows. The reduced model can be formulated directly without previous generation of detailed model equations. It can be understood and interpreted intuitively, as model variables are macroscopic quantities that are converted by rates following simple kinetics. The proposed technique is applicable without using complex mathematical tools and even without detailed knowledge of the mathematical background. However, we provide a detailed mathematical analysis to show performance and limitations of the method. For physiologically relevant parameter domains the transient as well as the stationary errors caused by the reduction are negligible. Conclusion The new layer based reduced modeling method allows building modularized and strongly reduced models of signal transduction networks. Reduced model equations can be directly formulated and are intuitively interpretable. Additionally, the method provides very good

Prevention of strong earthquakes: Goal or utopia?

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhamediev, Sh. A.

2010-11-01

In the present paper, we consider ideas suggesting various kinds of industrial impact on the close-to-failure block of the Earth’s crust in order to break a pending strong earthquake (PSE) into a number of smaller quakes or aseismic slips. Among the published proposals on the prevention of a forthcoming strong earthquake, methods based on water injection and vibro influence merit greater attention as they are based on field observations and the results of laboratory tests. In spite of this, the cited proofs are, for various reasons, insufficient to acknowledge the proposed techniques as highly substantiated; in addition, the physical essence of these methods has still not been fully understood. First, the key concept of the methods, namely, the release of the accumulated stresses (or excessive elastic energy) in the source region of a forthcoming strong earthquake, is open to objection. If we treat an earthquake as a phenomenon of a loss in stability, then, the heterogeneities of the physicomechanical properties and stresses along the existing fault or its future trajectory, rather than the absolute values of stresses, play the most important role. In the present paper, this statement is illustrated by the classical examples of stable and unstable fractures and by the examples of the calculated stress fields, which were realized in the source regions of the tsunamigenic earthquakes of December 26, 2004 near the Sumatra Island and of September 29, 2009 near the Samoa Island. Here, just before the earthquakes, there were no excessive stresses in the source regions. Quite the opposite, the maximum shear stresses τmax were close to their minimum value, compared to τmax in the adjacent territory. In the present paper, we provide quantitative examples that falsify the theory of the prevention of PSE in its current form. It is shown that the measures for the prevention of PSE, even when successful for an already existing fault, can trigger or accelerate a catastrophic

Impact of elevated nitrate on sulfate-reducing bacteria: A comparative study of Desulfovibrio vulgaris

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Q.; He, Z.; Joyner, D.C.; Joachimiak, M.; Price, M.N.; Yang, Z.K.; Yen, H.-C. B.; Hemme, C. L.; Chen, W.; Fields, M.; Stahl, D. A.; Keasling, J. D.; Keller, M.; Arkin, A. P.; Hazen, T. C.; Wall, J. D.; Zhou, J.

2010-07-15

Sulfate-reducing bacteria have been extensively studied for their potential in heavy-metal bioremediation. However, the occurrence of elevated nitrate in contaminated environments has been shown to inhibit sulfate reduction activity. Although the inhibition has been suggested to result from the competition with nitrate-reducing bacteria, the possibility of direct inhibition of sulfate reducers by elevated nitrate needs to be explored. Using Desulfovibrio vulgaris as a model sulfate-reducing bacterium, functional genomics analysis reveals that osmotic stress contributed to growth inhibition by nitrate as shown by the upregulation of the glycine/betaine transporter genes and the relief of nitrate inhibition by osmoprotectants. The observation that significant growth inhibition was effected by 70 mM NaNO{sub 3} but not by 70 mM NaCl suggests the presence of inhibitory mechanisms in addition to osmotic stress. The differential expression of genes characteristic of nitrite stress responses, such as the hybrid cluster protein gene, under nitrate stress condition further indicates that nitrate stress response by D. vulgaris was linked to components of both osmotic and nitrite stress responses. The involvement of the oxidative stress response pathway, however, might be the result of a more general stress response. Given the low similarities between the response profiles to nitrate and other stresses, less-defined stress response pathways could also be important in nitrate stress, which might involve the shift in energy metabolism. The involvement of nitrite stress response upon exposure to nitrate may provide detoxification mechanisms for nitrite, which is inhibitory to sulfate-reducing bacteria, produced by microbial nitrate reduction as a metabolic intermediate and may enhance the survival of sulfate-reducing bacteria in environments with elevated nitrate level.

Correlated Electrons in Reduced Dimensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonesteel, Nicholas E [Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States)

2015-01-31

This report summarizes the work accomplished under the support of US DOE grant # DE-FG02-97ER45639, "Correlated Electrons in Reduced Dimensions." The underlying hypothesis of the research supported by this grant has been that studying the unique behavior of correlated electrons in reduced dimensions can lead to new ways of understanding how matter can order and how it can potentially be used. The systems under study have included i) fractional quantum Hall matter, which is realized when electrons are confined to two-dimensions and placed in a strong magnetic field at low temperature, ii) one-dimensional chains of spins and exotic quasiparticle excitations of topologically ordered matter, and iii) electrons confined in effectively ``zero-dimensional" semiconductor quantum dots.

Diameter-dependent photoluminescence properties of strong phase-separated dual-wavelength InGaN/GaN nanopillar LEDs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Qiang, E-mail: qwang365@163.com [School of Science, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, 250353 (China); School of Microelectronics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100 (China); Ji, Ziwu, E-mail: jiziwu@sdu.edu.cn [School of Microelectronics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100 (China); Zhou, Yufan; Wang, Xuelin [School of Physics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100 (China); Liu, Baoli [Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 (China); Xu, Xiangang [Key Laboratory of Functional Crystal Materials and Device (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan, 250100 (China); Gao, Xingguo; Leng, Jiancai [School of Science, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, 250353 (China)

2017-07-15

Highlights: • Nanopillar LED with smaller diameter shows a larger strain relaxation in the MQWs. • Nanopillar induced blue shift of green peak is smaller than that of blue peak. • Nanopillar induced blue shift of green/blue peak at 300 K is smaller than at 4 K. • PL intensity decreases with reducing nanopillar diameter with same pillar density. - Abstract: In this paper, strong phase-separated blue/green dual-wavelength InGaN/GaN nanopillar (NP) light emitting diodes (LEDs) with the same NP density and various NP diameters were fabricated using focused ion beam etching. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to show the effect of NP diameter on the strain relaxation in the multi-quantum-wells (MQWs). The effect of NP diameter on optical behaviors of the strong phase-separated dual-wavelength InGaN/GaN NP LEDs was investigated for the first time by using micro-photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The blue shifts of PL peak energies of the NP LEDs showed that the NP LED with a smaller diameter exhibited a larger strain relaxation in the MQWs, as confirmed by micro-Raman results. And the blue shift of green emission was smaller than that of blue emission. The total integrated PL intensities from the NP arrays were enhanced compared to the as-grown sample due to the increased recombination rate and light extraction efficiency. The enhancement factor decreased with decreasing the NP diameter in our experiments, which indicated that the loss of active volume was gradually dominant for the luminous efficiency of NP LEDs compared to the increased recombination rate and light extraction efficiency.

Isolation of a strong Arabidopsis guard cell promoter and its potential as a research tool

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yingzhen; Costa, Alex; Leonhardt, Nathalie; Siegel, Robert S; Schroeder, Julian I

2008-01-01

Background A common limitation in guard cell signaling research is that it is difficult to obtain consistent high expression of transgenes of interest in Arabidopsis guard cells using known guard cell promoters or the constitutive 35S cauliflower mosaic virus promoter. An additional drawback of the 35S promoter is that ectopically expressing a gene throughout the organism could cause pleiotropic effects. To improve available methods for targeted gene expression in guard cells, we isolated strong guard cell promoter candidates based on new guard cell-specific microarray analyses of 23,000 genes that are made available together with this report. Results A promoter, pGC1(At1g22690), drove strong and relatively specific reporter gene expression in guard cells including GUS (beta-glucuronidase) and yellow cameleon YC3.60 (GFP-based calcium FRET reporter). Reporter gene expression was weaker in immature guard cells. The expression of YC3.60 was sufficiently strong to image intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in guard cells of intact plants and resolved spontaneous calcium transients in guard cells. The GC1 promoter also mediated strong reporter expression in clustered stomata in the stomatal development mutant too-many-mouths (tmm). Furthermore, the same promoter::reporter constructs also drove guard cell specific reporter expression in tobacco, illustrating the potential of this promoter as a method for high level expression in guard cells. A serial deletion of the promoter defined a guard cell expression promoter region. In addition, anti-sense repression using pGC1 was powerful for reducing specific GFP gene expression in guard cells while expression in leaf epidermal cells was not repressed, demonstrating strong cell-type preferential gene repression. Conclusion The pGC1 promoter described here drives strong reporter expression in guard cells of Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. It provides a potent research tool for targeted guard cell expression or gene silencing. It is also

arXiv Recent results from the strong interactions program of NA61/SHINE

CERN Document Server

Pulawski, Szymon

2017-01-01

The NA61/SHINE experiment studies hadron production in hadron+hadron, hadron+nucleus and nucleus+nucleus collisions. The strong interactions program has two main purposes: study the properties of the onset of deconfinement and search for the signatures of the critical point of strongly interacting matter. This aim is pursued by performing a two-dimensional scan of the phase diagram by varying the energy/momentum (13A-158A GeV/c) and the system size (p+p, Be+Be, Ar+Sc, Xe+La) of the collisions. This publication reviews recent results from p+p, Be+Be and Ar+Sc interactions. Measured particle spectra are discussed and compared to NA49 results from Pb+Pb collisions. The results illustrate the progress towards scanning the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter.

Operating wind turbines in strong wind conditions by using feedforward-feedback control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Ju; Sheng, Wen Zhong

2014-01-01

Due to the increasing penetration of wind energy into power systems, it becomes critical to reduce the impact of wind energy on the stability and reliability of the overall power system. In precedent works, Shen and his co-workers developed a re-designed operation schema to run wind turbines in strong wind conditions based on optimization method and standard PI feedback control, which can prevent the typical shutdowns of wind turbines when reaching the cut-out wind speed. In this paper, a new control strategy combing the standard PI feedback control with feedforward controls using the optimization results is investigated for the operation of variable-speed pitch-regulated wind turbines in strong wind conditions. It is shown that the developed control strategy is capable of smoothening the power output of wind turbine and avoiding its sudden showdown at high wind speeds without worsening the loads on rotor and blades

Comparison of fully internally and strongly contracted multireference configuration interaction procedures

Science.gov (United States)

Sivalingam, Kantharuban; Krupicka, Martin; Auer, Alexander A.; Neese, Frank

2016-08-01

Multireference (MR) methods occupy an important class of approaches in quantum chemistry. In many instances, for example, in studying complex magnetic properties of transition metal complexes, they are actually the only physically satisfactory choice. In traditional MR approaches, single and double excitations are performed with respect to all reference configurations (or configuration state functions, CSFs), which leads to an explosive increase of computational cost for larger reference spaces. This can be avoided by the internal contraction scheme proposed by Meyer and Siegbahn, which effectively reduces the number of wavefunction parameters to their single-reference counterpart. The "fully internally contracted" scheme (FIC) is well known from the popular CASPT2 approach. An even shorter expansion of the wavefunction is possible with the "strong contraction" (SC) scheme proposed by Angeli and Malrieu in their NEVPT2 approach. Promising multireference configuration interaction formulations (MRCI) employing internal contraction and strong contraction have been reported by several authors. In this work, we report on the implementation of the FIC-MRCI and SC-MRCI methodologies, using a computer assisted implementation strategy. The methods are benchmarked against the traditional uncontracted MRCI approach for ground and excited states of small molecules (N2, O2, CO, CO+, OH, CH, and CN). For ground states, the comparison includes the "partially internally contracted" MRCI based on the Celani-Werner ansatz (PC-MRCI). For the three contraction schemes, the average errors range from 2% to 6% of the uncontracted MRCI correlation energies. Excitation energies are reproduced with ˜0.2 eV accuracy. In most cases, the agreement is better than 0.2 eV, even in cases with very large differential correlation contributions as exemplified for the d-d and ligand-to-metal charge transfer transitions of a Cu [NH 3 ] 4 2 + model complex. The benchmark is supplemented with the

An Integrated Tool for Calculating and Reducing Institution Carbon and Nitrogen Footprints

Science.gov (United States)

Galloway, James N.; Castner, Elizabeth A.; Andrews, Jennifer; Leary, Neil; Aber, John D.

2017-01-01

Abstract The development of nitrogen footprint tools has allowed a range of entities to calculate and reduce their contribution to nitrogen pollution, but these tools represent just one aspect of environmental pollution. For example, institutions have been calculating their carbon footprints to track and manage their greenhouse gas emissions for over a decade. This article introduces an integrated tool that institutions can use to calculate, track, and manage their nitrogen and carbon footprints together. It presents the methodology for the combined tool, describes several metrics for comparing institution nitrogen and carbon footprint results, and discusses management strategies that reduce both the nitrogen and carbon footprints. The data requirements for the two tools overlap substantially, although integrating the two tools does necessitate the calculation of the carbon footprint of food. Comparison results for five institutions suggest that the institution nitrogen and carbon footprints correlate strongly, especially in the utilities and food sectors. Scenario analyses indicate benefits to both footprints from a range of utilities and food footprint reduction strategies. Integrating these two footprints into a single tool will account for a broader range of environmental impacts, reduce data entry and analysis, and promote integrated management of institutional sustainability. PMID:29350217

Strong Stationary Duality for Diffusion Processes

OpenAIRE

Fill, James Allen; Lyzinski, Vince

2014-01-01

We develop the theory of strong stationary duality for diffusion processes on compact intervals. We analytically derive the generator and boundary behavior of the dual process and recover a central tenet of the classical Markov chain theory in the diffusion setting by linking the separation distance in the primal diffusion to the absorption time in the dual diffusion. We also exhibit our strong stationary dual as the natural limiting process of the strong stationary dual sequence of a well ch...

Strongly reduced band gap in NiMn2O4 due to cation exchange

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Jhih-Rong; Hsu, Han; Cheng, Ching

2014-01-01

NiMn 2 O 4 is extensively used as a basis material for temperature sensors due to its negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR), which is commonly attributed to the hopping mechanism involving coexisting octahedral-site Mn 4+ and Mn 3+ . Using density-functional theory + Hubbard U calculations, we identify a ferrimagnetic inverse spinel phase as the collinear ground state of NiMn 2 O 4 . By a 12.5% cation exchange, a mixed phase with slightly higher energy can be constructed, accompanied by the formation of an impurity-like band in the original 1 eV band gap. This impurity-like band reduces the gap to 0.35 eV, suggesting a possible source of NTCR. - Highlights: • Density functional based calculations were used to study collinear phase of NiMn 2 O 4 . • The ground-state structure is a ferrimagnetic inverse spinel phase. • The tetrahedral and octahedral Mn cations have ferromagnetic interactions. • A 12.5% cation exchange introduces an impurity-like band in the original 1 eV gap. • The 0.35 eV gap suggests a source of negative temperature coefficient of resistance

Calculating hadronic properties in strong QCD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennington, M.R.

1996-01-01

This talk gives a brief review of the progress that has been made in calculating the properties of hadrons in strong QCD. In keeping with this meeting I will concentrate on those properties that can be studied with electromagnetic probes. Though perturbative QCD is highly successful, it only applies in a limited kinematic regime, where hard scattering occur, and the quarks move in the interaction region as if they are free, pointlike objects. However, the bulk of strong interactions are governed by the long distance regime, where the strong interaction is strong. It is this regime of length scales of the order of a Fermi, that determines the spectrum of light hadrons and their properties. The calculation of these properties requires an understanding of non-perturbative QCD, of confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. (author)

Some dynamical properties of very strong double layers in a triple plasma device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carpenter, T.; Torven, S.

1987-01-01

Experimental results on three dynamic properties of very strong double layers observed in a triple plasma device are presented. First, it is observed that when an inductance of sufficient size is inserted in series with the external bias supply used to produce the double layer, disruptions in the plasma current occur accompanied by disruptions in the double layer potential. Second, it is observed that with all external reactances reduced as much as possible, a sort of jitter-motion occurs in the position of the double layer around its equilibrium position. Third, when the external bias supply is pulsed, the initial potential distribution is observed to have an essentially uniform slope, as in the case of a vacuum capacitor. The disruption phenomenon may be explained in terms of the behavior of the potential structure as a function of the bias voltage and this explanation is discussed along with the experimental evidence for its validity. A comparable understanding of the other two phenomena has not been achieved, but in both cases there are qualitative difference between the behavior reported here and what has been observed in Q-machines and these difference are discussed. (author)

Band Gap Distortion in Semiconductors Strongly Driven by Intense Mid-Infrared Laser Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Kono, J.; Chin, A. H.

2000-03-01

Crystalline solids non-resonantly driven by intense time-periodic electric fields are predicted to exhibit unusual band-gap distortion.(e.g., Y. Yacoby, Phys. Rev. 169, 610 (1968); L.C.M. Miranda, Solid State Commun. 45, 783 (1983); J.Z. Kaminski, Acta Physica Polonica A 83, 495(1993).) Such non-perturbative effects have not been observed to date because of the unavoidable sample damage due to the very high intensity required using conventional lasers ( 1 eV photon energy). Here, we report the first clear evidence of laser-induced bandgap shrinkage in semiconductors under intense mid-infrared (MIR) laser fields. The use of long-wavelength light reduces the required intensity and prohibits strong interband absorption, thereby avoiding the damage problem. The significant sub-bandgap absorption persists only during the existence of the MIR laser pulse, indicating the virtual nature of the effect. We show that this particular example of non-perturbative behavior, known as the dynamical Franz-Keldysh effect, occurs when the effective ponderomotive potential energy is comparable to the photon energy of the applied field. This work was supported by ONR, NSF, JST and NEDO.

Policy options to reduce consumer waste to zero: comparing product stewardship and extended producer responsibility for refrigerator waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicol, Scott; Thompson, Shirley

2007-06-01

Today, over-consumption, pollution and resource depletion threaten sustainability. Waste management policies frequently fail to reduce consumption, prevent pollution, conserve resources and foster sustainable products. However, waste policies are changing to focus on lifecycle impacts of products from the cradle to the grave by extending the responsibilities of stakeholders to post-consumer management. Product stewardship and extended producer responsibility are two policies in use, with radically different results when compared for one consumer product, refrigerators. North America has enacted product stewardship policies that fail to require producers to take physical or financial responsibility for recycling or for environmentally sound disposal, so that releases of ozone depleting substances routinely occur, which contribute to the expanding the ozone hole. Conversely, Europe's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive requires extended producer responsibility, whereby producers collect and manage their own post-consumer waste products. WEEE has resulted in high recycling rates of greater than 85%, reduced emissions of ozone-depleting substances and other toxins, greener production methods, such as replacing greenhouse gas refrigerants with environmentally friendly hydrocarbons and more reuse of refrigerators in the EU in comparison with North America.

Identification of strong promoters based on the transcriptome of Bacillus licheniformis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xin; Yang, Haiyan; Zheng, Junwei; Ye, Yanrui; Pan, Li

2017-06-01

To expand the repertoire of strong promoters for high level expression of proteins based on the transcriptome of Bacillus licheniformis. The transcriptome of B. licheniformis ATCC14580 grown to the early stationary phase was analyzed and the top 10 highly expressed genes/operons out of the 3959 genes and 1249 operons identified were chosen for study promoter activity. Using beta-galactosidase gene as a reporter, the candidate promoter pBL9 exhibited the strongest activity which was comparable to that of the widely used strong promoter p43. Furthermore, the pro-transglutaminase from Streptomyces mobaraensis (pro-MTG) was expressed under the control of promoter pBL9 and the activity of pro-MTG reached 82 U/ml after 36 h, which is 23% higher than that of promoter p43 (66.8 U/ml). In our analyses of the transcriptome of B. licheniformis, we have identified a strong promoter pBL9, which could be adapted for high level expression of proteins in the host Bacillus subtilis.

Dimers of nineteen-electron sandwich compounds: crystal and electronic structures, and comparison of reducing strengths.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohapatra, Swagat K; Fonari, Alexandr; Risko, Chad; Yesudas, Kada; Moudgil, Karttikay; Delcamp, Jared H; Timofeeva, Tatiana V; Brédas, Jean-Luc; Marder, Seth R; Barlow, Stephen

2014-11-17

The dimers of some Group 8 metal cyclopentadienyl/arene complexes and Group 9 metallocenes can be handled in air, yet are strongly reducing, making them useful n-dopants in organic electronics. In this work, the X-ray molecular structures are shown to resemble those of Group 8 metal cyclopentadienyl/pentadienyl or Group 9 metal cyclopentadienyl/diene model compounds. Compared to those of the model compounds, the DFT HOMOs of the dimers are significantly destabilized by interactions between the metal and the central CC σ-bonding orbital, accounting for the facile oxidation of the dimers. The lengths of these CC bonds (X-ray or DFT) do not correlate with DFT dissociation energies, the latter depending strongly on the monomer stabilities. Ru and Ir monomers are more reducing than their Fe and Rh analogues, but the corresponding dimers also exhibit much higher dissociation energies, so the estimated monomer cation/neutral dimer potentials are, with the exception of that of [RhCp2 ]2 , rather similar (-1.97 to -2.15 V vs. FeCp2 (+/0) in THF). The consequences of the variations in bond strength and redox potentials for the reactivity of the dimers are discussed. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Integrating out resonances in strongly-coupled electroweak scenarios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosell Ignasi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Accepting that there is a mass gap above the electroweak scale, the Electroweak Effective Theory (EWET is an appropriate tool to describe this situation. Since the EWET couplings contain information on the unknown high-energy dynamics, we consider a generic strongly-coupled scenario of electroweak symmetry breaking, where the known particle fields are coupled to heavier states. Then, and by integrating out these heavy fields, we study the tracks of the lightest resonances into the couplings. The determination of the low-energy couplings (LECs in terms of resonance parameters can be made more precise by considering a proper short-distance behaviour on the Lagrangian with heavy states, since the number of resonance couplings is then reduced. Notice that we adopt a generic non-linear realization of the electroweak symmetry breaking with a singlet Higgs.

Dual field theory of strong interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akers, D.

1987-01-01

A dual field theory of strong interactions is derived from a Lagrangian of the Yang-Mills and Higgs fields. The existence of a magnetic monopole of mass 2397 MeV and Dirac charge g = (137/2)e is incorporated into the theory. Unification of the strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces is shown to converge at the mass of the intermediate vector boson W/sup +/-/. The coupling constants of the strong and weak interactions are derived in terms of the fine-structure constant α = 1/137

Semi-strong split domination in graphs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anwar Alwardi

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Given a graph $G = (V,E$, a dominating set $D subseteq V$ is called a semi-strong split dominating set of $G$ if $|V setminus D| geq 1$ and the maximum degree of the subgraph induced by $V setminus D$ is 1. The minimum cardinality of a semi-strong split dominating set (SSSDS of G is the semi-strong split domination number of G, denoted $gamma_{sss}(G$. In this work, we introduce the concept and prove several results regarding it.

Apparent competition and native consumers exacerbate the strong competitive effect of an exotic plant species.

Science.gov (United States)

Orrock, John L; Dutra, Humberto P; Marquis, Robert J; Barber, Nicholas

2015-04-01

Direct and indirect effects can play a key role in invasions, but experiments evaluating both are rare. We examined the roles of direct competition and apparent competition by exotic Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) by manipulating (1) L. maackii vegetation, (2) presence of L. maackii fruits, and (3) access to plants by small mammals and deer. Direct competition with L. maackii reduced the abundance and richness of native and exotic species, and native consumers significantly reduced the abundance and richness of native species. Although effects of direct competition and consumption were more pervasive, richness of native plants was also reduced through apparent competition, as small-mammal consumers reduced richness only when L. maackii fruits were present. Our experiment reveals the multiple, interactive pathways that affect the success and impact of an invasive exotic plant: exotic plants may directly benefit from reduced attack by native consumers, may directly exert strong competitive effects on native plants, and may also benefit from apparent competition.

Reduced CSF hypocretin-1 levels are associated with cluster headache.

Science.gov (United States)

Barloese, Mads; Jennum, Poul; Lund, Nunu; Knudsen, Stine; Gammeltoft, Steen; Jensen, Rigmor

2015-09-01

Cluster headache (CH) is a debilitating disorder characterized by unilateral, severe pain attacks with accompanying autonomic symptoms, often waking the patient from sleep. As it exhibits strong chronobiological traits and genetic studies have suggested a link with the hypocretin (HCRT) system, the objective of this study was to investigate HCRT-1 in CH patients. Cerebrospinal fluid HCRT-1 concentration was measured in 12 chronic and 14 episodic CH patients during an active bout, and in 27 healthy controls. The patients were well characterized and clinical features compared to the HCRT concentration. We found significantly lower HCRT levels both in chronic (p = 0.0221) and episodic CH (p = 0.0005) patients compared with controls. No significant relationship was found with other clinical features. This is the first report of significantly reduced HCRT concentrations in CH patients. We speculate that decreased HCRT may reflect insufficient antinociceptive activity of the hypothalamus. The mechanism of the antinociceptive effect of HCRT is not known and requires further investigation. This study supports the hypothesis of a connection between arousal regulation and CH. © International Headache Society 2014.

Which climate gases is it the most important to reduce?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godal, Odd; Fuglestvedt, Jan

2002-01-01

If the Kyoto Protocol had used another method for comparing the various climate gases, Norway might have had to implement more and more expensive measures. The selection of methods may be important for the making of new agreements after Kyoto. Calculations show the importance of the comparison methods for the various climate gases in negotiating new climate agreements. The Kyoto Protocol regulates the total emission of climate gases carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), laughing gas (N 2 O) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ), and halo fluoro carbons and perfluoro carbon. It is up to each country to choose which of these gases to concentrate on, and a tool is therefore needed to compare the effects of the various gases. In the Kyoto agreement, this is done by means of the global warming potential (GWP) of each gas over a period of 100 years. But different climate gases have different atmospheric residence times and it is not evident how the gases must be compared. Reducing the emission of methane has a strong and short-term effect while reducing the emission of carbon dioxide has a weaker but more lasting effect. Researchers have suggested other ways of comparison than the one used in the Kyoto Protocol. Among other things one may calculate the global warming potential for another time horizon than 100 years. Researchers at Cicero have investigated the consequences of two other ways of weighing climate gases: GWP(20) with time horizon of 20 years gives more weight to short-lived gases like methane, while GWP(500) with a time horizon of 500 years is more favourable to the long-lived gases. To see how much the selection of comparing method means in practice, the consequences for Norway using GWP(20) or GWP(500), have been calculated

Three-dimensional electromagnetic strong turbulence. I. Scalings, spectra, and field statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graham, D. B.; Robinson, P. A.; Cairns, Iver H.; Skjaeraasen, O.

2011-01-01

The first fully three-dimensional (3D) simulations of large-scale electromagnetic strong turbulence (EMST) are performed by numerically solving the electromagnetic Zakharov equations for electron thermal speeds ν e with ν e /c≥0.025. The results of these simulations are presented, focusing on scaling behavior, energy density spectra, and field statistics of the Langmuir (longitudinal) and transverse components of the electric fields during steady-state strong turbulence, where multiple wave packets collapse simultaneously and the system is approximately statistically steady in time. It is shown that for ν e /c > or approx. 0.17 strong turbulence is approximately electrostatic and can be explained using the electrostatic two-component model. For v e /c > or approx. 0.17 the power-law behaviors of the scalings, spectra, and field statistics differ from the electrostatic predictions and results because ν e /c is sufficiently high to allow transverse modes to become trapped in density wells. The results are compared with those of past 3D electrostatic strong turbulence (ESST) simulations and 2D EMST simulations. For number density perturbations, the scaling behavior, spectra, and field statistics are shown to be only weakly dependent on ν e /c, whereas the Langmuir and transverse scalings, spectra, and field statistics are shown to be strongly dependent on ν e /c. Three-dimensional EMST is shown to have features in common with 2D EMST, such as a two-component structure and trapping of transverse modes which are dependent on ν e /c.

A comparative genomics screen identifies a Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 sodM-like gene strongly expressed within host plant nodules

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Queiroux Clothilde

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We have used the genomic data in the Integrated Microbial Genomes system of the Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute to make predictions about rhizobial open reading frames that play a role in nodulation of host plants. The genomic data was screened by searching for ORFs conserved in α-proteobacterial rhizobia, but not conserved in closely-related non-nitrogen-fixing α-proteobacteria. Results Using this approach, we identified many genes known to be involved in nodulation or nitrogen fixation, as well as several new candidate genes. We knocked out selected new genes and assayed for the presence of nodulation phenotypes and/or nodule-specific expression. One of these genes, SMc00911, is strongly expressed by bacterial cells within host plant nodules, but is expressed minimally by free-living bacterial cells. A strain carrying an insertion mutation in SMc00911 is not defective in the symbiosis with host plants, but in contrast to expectations, this mutant strain is able to out-compete the S. meliloti 1021 wild type strain for nodule occupancy in co-inoculation experiments. The SMc00911 ORF is predicted to encode a “SodM-like” (superoxide dismutase-like protein containing a rhodanese sulfurtransferase domain at the N-terminus and a chromate-resistance superfamily domain at the C-terminus. Several other ORFs (SMb20360, SMc01562, SMc01266, SMc03964, and the SMc01424-22 operon identified in the screen are expressed at a moderate level by bacteria within nodules, but not by free-living bacteria. Conclusions Based on the analysis of ORFs identified in this study, we conclude that this comparative genomics approach can identify rhizobial genes involved in the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with host plants, although none of the newly identified genes were found to be essential for this process.

Database for earthquake strong motion studies in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Scasserra, G.; Stewart, J.P.; Kayen, R.E.; Lanzo, G.

2009-01-01

We describe an Italian database of strong ground motion recordings and databanks delineating conditions at the instrument sites and characteristics of the seismic sources. The strong motion database consists of 247 corrected recordings from 89 earthquakes and 101 recording stations. Uncorrected recordings were drawn from public web sites and processed on a record-by-record basis using a procedure utilized in the Next-Generation Attenuation (NGA) project to remove instrument resonances, minimize noise effects through low- and high-pass filtering, and baseline correction. The number of available uncorrected recordings was reduced by 52% (mostly because of s-triggers) to arrive at the 247 recordings in the database. The site databank includes for every recording site the surface geology, a measurement or estimate of average shear wave velocity in the upper 30 m (Vs30), and information on instrument housing. Of the 89 sites, 39 have on-site velocity measurements (17 of which were performed as part of this study using SASW techniques). For remaining sites, we estimate Vs30 based on measurements on similar geologic conditions where available. Where no local velocity measurements are available, correlations with surface geology are used. Source parameters are drawn from databanks maintained (and recently updated) by Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia and include hypocenter location and magnitude for small events (M< ??? 5.5) and finite source parameters for larger events. ?? 2009 A.S. Elnashai & N.N. Ambraseys.

Schematic large-dimension coupled-channel study of strong inelastic excitations to high-lying states in colliding nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamimura, M. [Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (Netherlands). Kernfysisch Versneller Inst.; Nakano, M.; Yahiro, M.; Ikegami, H.; Muraoka, M. [eds.

1980-01-01

A mechanism of the strong inelastic excitation of colliding nuclei (e.g. deep inelastic heavy-ion collision) was studied in a schematic way based on a coupled channel (CC) framework. The purpose of this work is to see the gross behavior of the inelastic excitation strength versus epsilon (i.e. energy spectrum) for the assumed specific types of CC potentials between a large number of inelastic channels. Schematic large dimension CC calculation was considered rather than small-dimension CC calculation. The coupled N + 1 equations can be reduced to uncoupled N + 1 equations through the wellknown unitary transformation. An interesting case is that there exists strong channel independent coupling between any pair of the channels, all of which are almost degenerate in internal energy as compared with incoming c.m. energy. It was found that inelastic scattering hardly occurred while the collision was almost confined to the elastic component. The numerical calculation of S-matrix was carried out. Other cases, such as zero CC potential, the coupling between inelastic channel and entrance channel, and the case that the thickness of the coupling was changed, were investigated. As the results of the present study, it can be said that this CC coupling model may be useful for discussing continuum-continuum interactions in a breakup reaction by simulating the continuum states with many channels made discrete.

Disorder-derived, strong tunneling attenuation in bis-phosphonate monolayers

Science.gov (United States)

Pathak, Anshuma; Bora, Achyut; Liao, Kung-Ching; Schmolke, Hannah; Jung, Antje; Klages, Claus-Peter; Schwartz, Jeffrey; Tornow, Marc

2016-03-01

Monolayers of alkyl bisphosphonic acids (bisPAs) of various carbon chain lengths (C4, C8, C10, C12) were grown on aluminum oxide (AlO x ) surfaces from solution. The structural and electrical properties of these self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were compared with those of alkyl monophosphonic acids (monoPAs). Through contact angle (CA) and Kelvin-probe (KP) measurements, ellipsometry, and infrared (IR) and x-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopies, it was found that bisPAs form monolayers that are relatively disordered compared to their monoPA analogs. Current-voltage (J-V) measurements made with a hanging Hg drop top contact show tunneling to be the prevailing transport mechanism. However, while the monoPAs have an observed decay constant within the typical range for dense monolayers, β mono  =  0.85  ±  0.03 per carbon atom, a surprisingly high value, β bis  =  1.40  ±  0.05 per carbon atom, was measured for the bisPAs. We attribute this to a strong contribution of ‘through-space’ tunneling, which derives from conformational disorder in the monolayer due to strong interactions of the distal phosphonic acid groups; they likely form a hydrogen-bonding network that largely determines the molecular layer structure. Since bisPA SAMs attenuate tunnel currents more effectively than do the corresponding monoPA SAMs, they may find future application as gate dielectric modification in organic thin film devices.

Scaling of chaos in strongly nonlinear lattices.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulansky, Mario

2014-06-01

Although it is now understood that chaos in complex classical systems is the foundation of thermodynamic behavior, the detailed relations between the microscopic properties of the chaotic dynamics and the macroscopic thermodynamic observations still remain mostly in the dark. In this work, we numerically analyze the probability of chaos in strongly nonlinear Hamiltonian systems and find different scaling properties depending on the nonlinear structure of the model. We argue that these different scaling laws of chaos have definite consequences for the macroscopic diffusive behavior, as chaos is the microscopic mechanism of diffusion. This is compared with previous results on chaotic diffusion [M. Mulansky and A. Pikovsky, New J. Phys. 15, 053015 (2013)], and a relation between microscopic chaos and macroscopic diffusion is established.

Remnants of strong tidal interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mcglynn, T.A.

1990-01-01

This paper examines the properties of stellar systems that have recently undergone a strong tidal shock, i.e., a shock which removes a significant fraction of the particles in the system, and where the shocked system has a much smaller mass than the producer of the tidal field. N-body calculations of King models shocked in a variety of ways are performed, and the consequences of the shocks are investigated. The results confirm the prediction of Jaffe for shocked systems. Several models are also run where the tidal forces on the system are constant, simulating a circular orbit around a primary, and the development of tidal radii under these static conditions appears to be a mild process which does not dramatically affect material that is not stripped. The tidal radii are about twice as large as classical formulas would predict. Remnant density profiles are compared with a sample of elliptical galaxies, and the implications of the results for the development of stellar populations and galaxies are considered. 38 refs

Universal linear-temperature resistivity: possible quantum diffusion transport in strongly correlated superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Tao; Liu, Yinshang; Xiao, Hong; Mu, Gang; Yang, Yi-Feng

2017-08-25

The strongly correlated electron fluids in high temperature cuprate superconductors demonstrate an anomalous linear temperature (T) dependent resistivity behavior, which persists to a wide temperature range without exhibiting saturation. As cooling down, those electron fluids lose the resistivity and condense into the superfluid. However, the origin of the linear-T resistivity behavior and its relationship to the strongly correlated superconductivity remain a mystery. Here we report a universal relation [Formula: see text], which bridges the slope of the linear-T-dependent resistivity (dρ/dT) to the London penetration depth λ L at zero temperature among cuprate superconductor Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ and heavy fermion superconductors CeCoIn 5 , where μ 0 is vacuum permeability, k B is the Boltzmann constant and ħ is the reduced Planck constant. We extend this scaling relation to different systems and found that it holds for other cuprate, pnictide and heavy fermion superconductors as well, regardless of the significant differences in the strength of electronic correlations, transport directions, and doping levels. Our analysis suggests that the scaling relation in strongly correlated superconductors could be described as a hydrodynamic diffusive transport, with the diffusion coefficient (D) approaching the quantum limit D ~ ħ/m*, where m* is the quasi-particle effective mass.

Strong links between metal contamination, habitat modification and estuarine larval fish distributions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKinley, Andrew C., E-mail: andrew.mckinley@hotmail.com [Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052 (Australia); Miskiewicz, Anthony [Environment and Recreation, Wollongong City Council, 41 Burelli Street, Wollongong, New South Wales 2500 (Australia); Taylor, Matthew D.; Johnston, Emma L. [Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052 (Australia)

2011-06-15

Changes to larval fish assemblages may have far reaching ecological impacts. Correlations between habitat modification, contamination and marine larval fish communities have rarely been assessed in situ. We investigated links between the large-scale distribution of stressors and larval fish assemblages in estuarine environments. Larval fish communities were sampled using a benthic sled within the inner and outer zones of three heavily modified and three relatively unmodified estuaries. Larval abundances were significantly greater in modified estuaries, and there were trends towards greater diversity in these systems. Differences in larval community composition were strongly related to sediment metal levels and reduced seagrass cover. The differences observed were driven by two abundant species, Paedogobius kimurai and Ambassis jacksoniensis, which occurred in large numbers almost exclusively in highly contaminated and pristine locations respectively. These findings suggest that contamination and habitat alteration manifest in substantial differences in the composition of estuarine larval fish assemblages. - Highlights: > We examine contamination/habitat modification impacts on larval fish. > Larvae communities differ between modified/unmodified estuaries. > Larvae are more abundant/diverse in modified areas. > Trends are strongly related to sediment metals/seagrass cover. > Larval impacts have wider ecological importance. - We describe strong links between sediment metals contamination, habitat modification and substantial differences in the composition of the estuarine larval fish assemblage.

Divestment prevails over the green paradox when anticipating strong future climate policies

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Nico; McGlade, Christophe; Hilaire, Jérôme; Ekins, Paul

2018-01-01

Fossil fuel market dynamics will have a significant impact on the effectiveness of climate policies1. Both fossil fuel owners and investors in fossil fuel infrastructure are sensitive to climate policies that threaten their natural resource endowments and production capacities2-4, which will consequently affect their near-term behaviour. Although weak in near-term policy commitments5,6, the Paris Agreement on climate7 signalled strong ambitions in climate change stabilization. Many studies emphasize that the 2 °C target can still be achieved even if strong climate policies are delayed until 20308-10. However, sudden implementation will have severe consequences for fossil fuel markets and beyond and these studies ignore the anticipation effects of owners and investors. Here we use two energy-economy models to study the collective influence of the two central but opposing anticipation arguments, the green paradox11 and the divestment effect12, which have, to date, been discussed only separately. For a wide range of future climate policies, we find that anticipation effects, on balance, reduce CO2 emissions during the implementation lag. This is because of strong divestment in coal power plants starting ten years ahead of policy implementation. The green paradox effect is identified, but is small under reasonable assumptions.

orco mutant mosquitoes lose strong preference for humans and are not repelled by volatile DEET.

Science.gov (United States)

DeGennaro, Matthew; McBride, Carolyn S; Seeholzer, Laura; Nakagawa, Takao; Dennis, Emily J; Goldman, Chloe; Jasinskiene, Nijole; James, Anthony A; Vosshall, Leslie B

2013-06-27

Female mosquitoes of some species are generalists and will blood-feed on a variety of vertebrate hosts, whereas others display marked host preference. Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti have evolved a strong preference for humans, making them dangerously efficient vectors of malaria and Dengue haemorrhagic fever. Specific host odours probably drive this strong preference because other attractive cues, including body heat and exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2), are common to all warm-blooded hosts. Insects sense odours via several chemosensory receptor families, including the odorant receptors (ORs), membrane proteins that form heteromeric odour-gated ion channels comprising a variable ligand-selective subunit and an obligate co-receptor called Orco (ref. 6). Here we use zinc-finger nucleases to generate targeted mutations in the orco gene of A. aegypti to examine the contribution of Orco and the odorant receptor pathway to mosquito host selection and sensitivity to the insect repellent DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide). orco mutant olfactory sensory neurons have greatly reduced spontaneous activity and lack odour-evoked responses. Behaviourally, orco mutant mosquitoes have severely reduced attraction to honey, an odour cue related to floral nectar, and do not respond to human scent in the absence of CO2. However, in the presence of CO2, female orco mutant mosquitoes retain strong attraction to both human and animal hosts, but no longer strongly prefer humans. orco mutant females are attracted to human hosts even in the presence of DEET, but are repelled upon contact, indicating that olfactory- and contact-mediated effects of DEET are mechanistically distinct. We conclude that the odorant receptor pathway is crucial for an anthropophilic vector mosquito to discriminate human from non-human hosts and to be effectively repelled by volatile DEET.

Strong pairing approximation in comparison with the exact solutions to the pairing Hamiltonian

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lunyov A.V.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Results of the Strong Pairing Approximation (SPA as a method with the exact particle number conservation are compared with those of the quasiparticle method (QM. It is shown that SPA comes to the same equations as QM for the gap parameter, chemical potential and one- and two-quasiparticle states. Calculations are performed for 14864Gd84 as an example, and compared with the exact solutions to the pairing Hamiltonian.

Brain electric correlates of strong belief in paranormal phenomena: intracerebral EEG source and regional Omega complexity analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzagalli, D; Lehmann, D; Gianotti, L; Koenig, T; Tanaka, H; Wackermann, J; Brugger, P

2000-12-22

The neurocognitive processes underlying the formation and maintenance of paranormal beliefs are important for understanding schizotypal ideation. Behavioral studies indicated that both schizotypal and paranormal ideation are based on an overreliance on the right hemisphere, whose coarse rather than focussed semantic processing may favor the emergence of 'loose' and 'uncommon' associations. To elucidate the electrophysiological basis of these behavioral observations, 35-channel resting EEG was recorded in pre-screened female strong believers and disbelievers during resting baseline. EEG data were subjected to FFT-Dipole-Approximation analysis, a reference-free frequency-domain dipole source modeling, and Regional (hemispheric) Omega Complexity analysis, a linear approach estimating the complexity of the trajectories of momentary EEG map series in state space. Compared to disbelievers, believers showed: more right-located sources of the beta2 band (18.5-21 Hz, excitatory activity); reduced interhemispheric differences in Omega complexity values; higher scores on the Magical Ideation scale; more general negative affect; and more hypnagogic-like reveries after a 4-min eyes-closed resting period. Thus, subjects differing in their declared paranormal belief displayed different active, cerebral neural populations during resting, task-free conditions. As hypothesized, believers showed relatively higher right hemispheric activation and reduced hemispheric asymmetry of functional complexity. These markers may constitute the neurophysiological basis for paranormal and schizotypal ideation.

Strong interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Froissart, Marcel

1976-01-01

Strong interactions are introduced by their more obvious aspect: nuclear forces. In hadron family, the nucleon octet, OMEGA - decuplet, and quark triply are successively considered. Pion wave having been put at the origin of nuclear forces, low energy phenomena are described, the force being explained as an exchange of structure corresponding to a Regge trajectory in a variable rotating state instead of the exchange of a well defined particle. At high energies the concepts of pomeron, parton and stratons are introduced, pionization and fragmentation are briefly differentiated [fr

Quantum entanglement in strong-field ionization

Science.gov (United States)

Majorosi, Szilárd; Benedict, Mihály G.; Czirják, Attila

2017-10-01

We investigate the time evolution of quantum entanglement between an electron, liberated by a strong few-cycle laser pulse, and its parent ion core. Since the standard procedure is numerically prohibitive in this case, we propose a method to quantify the quantum correlation in such a system: we use the reduced density matrices of the directional subspaces along the polarization of the laser pulse and along the transverse directions as building blocks for an approximate entanglement entropy. We present our results, based on accurate numerical simulations, in terms of several of these entropies, for selected values of the peak electric-field strength and the carrier-envelope phase difference of the laser pulse. The time evolution of the mutual entropy of the electron and the ion-core motion along the direction of the laser polarization is similar to our earlier results based on a simple one-dimensional model. However, taking into account also the dynamics perpendicular to the laser polarization reveals a surprisingly different entanglement dynamics above the laser intensity range corresponding to pure tunneling: the quantum entanglement decreases with time in the over-the-barrier ionization regime.

Strong coupling of two interacting excitons confined in a nanocavity-quantum dot system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardenas, Paulo C; RodrIguez, Boris A; Quesada, Nicolas; Vinck-Posada, Herbert

2011-01-01

We present a study of the strong coupling between radiation and matter, considering a system of two quantum dots, which are in mutual interaction and interact with a single mode of light confined in a semiconductor nanocavity. We take into account dissipative mechanisms such as the escape of the cavity photons, decay of the quantum dot excitons by spontaneous emission, and independent exciton pumping. It is shown that the mutual interaction between the dots can be measured off-resonance only if the strong coupling condition is reached. Using the quantum regression theorem, a reasonable definition of the dynamical coupling regimes is introduced in terms of the complex Rabi frequency. Finally, the emission spectrum for relevant conditions is presented and compared with the above definition, demonstrating that the interaction between the excitons does not affect the strong coupling.

A strong comeback

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marier, D.

1992-01-01

This article presents the results of a financial rankings survey which show a strong economic activity in the independent energy industry. The topics of the article include advisor turnover, overseas banks, and the increase in public offerings. The article identifies the top project finance investors for new projects and restructurings and rankings for lenders

Strong-field ionization of xenon dimers: The effect of two-equivalent-center interference and of driving ionic transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, C.; Feng, T.; Raabe, N.; Rottke, H.

2018-02-01

Strong-field ionization (SFI) of the homonuclear noble gas dimer Xe2 is investigated and compared with SFI of the Xe atom and of the ArXe heteronuclear dimer by using ultrashort Ti:sapphire laser pulses and photoelectron momentum spectroscopy. The large separation of the two nuclei of the dimer allows the study of two-equivalent-center interference effects on the photoelectron momentum distribution. Comparing the experimental results with a new model calculation, which is based on the strong-field approximation, actually reveals the influence of interference. Moreover, the comparison indicates that the presence of closely spaced gerade and ungerade electronic state pairs of the Xe2 + ion at the Xe2 ionization threshold, which are strongly dipole coupled, affects the photoelectron momentum distribution.

Bias Correction in a Stable AD (1,1) Model: Weak versus Strong Exogeneity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Giersbergen, N.P.A.

2001-01-01

This paper compares the behaviour of a bias-corrected estimator assuming strongly exogenous regressors to the behaviour of a bias-corrected estimator assuming weakly exogenous regressors, when in fact the marginal model contains a feedback mechanism. To this end, the effects of a feedback mechanism

Strongly disordered superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muttalib, K.A.

1982-01-01

We examine some universal effects of strong non-magnetic disorder on the electron-phonon and electron-electron interactions in a superconductor. In particular we explicitly take into account the effect of slow diffusion of electrons in a disordered medium by working in an exact impurity eigenstate representation. We find that the normal diffusion of electrons characterized by a constant diffusion coefficient does not lead to any significant correction to the electron-phonon or the effective electron-electron interactions in a superconductor. We then consider sufficiently strong disorder where Anderson localization of electrons becomes important and determine the effect of localization on the electron-electron interactions. We find that due to localization, the diffusion of electrons becomes anomalous in the sense that the diffusion coefficient becomes scale dependent. This results in an increase in the effective electron-electron interaction with increasing disorder. We propose that this provides a natural explanation for the unusual sensitivity of the transition temperature T/sub c/ of the high T/sub c/ superconductors (T/sub c/ > 10 0 K) to damage effects

Strong Coupling Holography

CERN Document Server

Dvali, Gia

2009-01-01

We show that whenever a 4-dimensional theory with N particle species emerges as a consistent low energy description of a 3-brane embedded in an asymptotically-flat (4+d)-dimensional space, the holographic scale of high-dimensional gravity sets the strong coupling scale of the 4D theory. This connection persists in the limit in which gravity can be consistently decoupled. We demonstrate this effect for orbifold planes, as well as for the solitonic branes and string theoretic D-branes. In all cases the emergence of a 4D strong coupling scale from bulk holography is a persistent phenomenon. The effect turns out to be insensitive even to such extreme deformations of the brane action that seemingly shield 4D theory from the bulk gravity effects. A well understood example of such deformation is given by large 4D Einstein term in the 3-brane action, which is known to suppress the strength of 5D gravity at short distances and change the 5D Newton's law into the four-dimensional one. Nevertheless, we observe that the ...

Implications of Microwave Holography Using Minimum Required Frequency Samples for Weakly- and Strongly-Scattering Indications

Science.gov (United States)

Fallahpour, M.; Case, J. T.; Kharkovsky, S.; Zoughi, R.

2010-01-01

Microwave imaging techniques, an integral component of nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDTE), have received significant attention in the past decade. These techniques have included the implementation of synthetic aperture focusing (SAF) algorithms for obtaining high spatial resolution images. The next important step in these developments is the implementation of 3-D holographic imaging algorithms. These are well-known wideband imaging technique requiring a swept-frequency (i.e., wideband), which unlike SAF that is a single frequency technique, are not easily performed on a real-time basis. This is due to the fact that a significant number of data points (in the frequency domain) must be obtained within the frequency band of interest. This not only makes for a complex imaging system design, it also significantly increases the image-production time. Consequently in an attempt to reduce the measurement time and system complexity, an investigation was conducted to determine the minimum required number of frequency samples needed to image a specific object while preserving a desired maximum measurement range and range resolution. To this end the 3-D holographic algorithm was modified to use properlyinterpolated frequency data. Measurements of the complex reflection coefficient for several samples were conducted using a swept-frequency approach. Subsequently, holographical images were generated using data containing a relatively large number of frequency samples and were compared with images generated by the reduced data set data. Quantitative metrics such as average, contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio were used to evaluate the quality of images generated using reduced data sets. Furthermore, this approach was applied to both weakly- and strongly-scattering indications. This paper presents the methods used and the results of this investigation.

<strong>Entrepreneurial Action in Shaping Education for Entrepreneurshipstrong>

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Poul Rind; Kirketerp Linstad, Anne

entrepreneurship training and education. Neutral assessments of the school have indicated that more than 50 percent of the students graduated from the school has started their own business and furthermore that the students exercise a strong entrepreneurial behaviour (Deichman-Sørensen 1997). Seemingly the school...... also started to pay attention to the apparent success of the KaosPilots. What is the secret of their recipe? In this contribution we want to explore how the KaosPilots form their pedagogical concepts of teaching entrepreneurship and enterprise behaviour....

Screening for oxidative damage by engineered nanomaterials: a comparative evaluation of FRAS and DCFH

Science.gov (United States)

Pal, Anoop K.; Hsieh, Shu-Feng; Khatri, Madhu; Isaacs, Jacqueline A.; Demokritou, Philip; Gaines, Peter; Schmidt, Daniel F.; Rogers, Eugene J.; Bello, Dhimiter

2014-02-01

Several acellular assays are routinely used to measure oxidative stress elicited by engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), yet little comparative evaluations of such methods exist. This study compares for the first time the performance of the dichlorofluorescein (DCFH) assay which measures reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, to that of the ferric-reducing ability of serum (FRAS) assay, which measures biological oxidant damage in serum. A diverse set of 28 commercially important and extensively characterized ENMs were tested on both the assays. Intracellular oxidative stress was also assessed on a representative subset of seven ENMs in THP-1 (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate matured human monocytes) cells. Associations between assay responses and ENM physicochemical properties were assessed via correlation and regression analysis. DCFH correlated strongly with FRAS after dose normalization for mass ( R 2 = 0.78) and surface area ( R 2 = 0.68). Only 10/28 ENMs were positive in DCFH versus 21/28 in FRAS. Both assays were strongly associated with specific surface area and transition metal content. Qualitatively, a similar response ranking was observed for acellular FRAS and intracellular reduced:oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH:GSSG) in cells. Quantitatively, weak correlation was found between intracellular GSSG and FRAS or DCFH ( R 2 < 0.25) even after calculating effective dose to cells. The FRAS assay was more sensitive than DCFH, especially for ENMs with low to moderate oxidative damage potential, and may serve as a more biologically relevant substitute for acellular ROS measurements of ENMs. Further in vitro and in vivo validations of FRAS against other toxicological endpoints with larger datasets are recommended.

Comparative analysis of inflamed and non-inflamed colon biopsies reveals strong proteomic inflammation profile in patients with ulcerative colitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Nina Aagaard; Andersen, Vibeke; Moller, Jens Christian

2012-01-01

colonic biopsies were characterized using 2D-gel electrophoresis, and peptide mass fingerprinting using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was applied for identification of differently expressed protein spots. Results: A total of 597 spots were...... mucosa with acute UC is strong. Totally, 43 individual protein spots were identified, including proteins involved in energy metabolism (triosephosphate isomerase, glycerol-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase, alpha enolase and L-lactate dehydrogenase B-chain) and in oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase...

Primary vaccination of adults with reduced antigen-content diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis or dTpa-inactivated poliovirus vaccines compared to diphtheria-tetanus-toxoid vaccines.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Theeten, H.; Rumke, H.C.; Hoppener, F.J.; Vilatimo, R.; Narejos, S.; Damme, P. van; Hoet, B.

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate immunogenicity and reactogenicity of primary vaccination with reduced-antigen-content diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dTpa) or dTpa-inactivated poliovirus (dTpa-IPV) vaccine compared to diphtheria-tetanus-toxoid vaccines (Td) in adults > or = 40 years of age without

A Comparative Study of Reduced Variables Based Flash and Conventional Flash

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michelsen, Michael Locht; Yan, Wei; Stenby, Erling Halfdan

with a smaller set of independent variables. Various versions of the reduced variables methods have been proposed since the mid 80’s. The methods were first proposed for cubic equations of state (EoS) with zero binary interaction parameters (BIPs) and later generalized to situations with non-zero BIP matrices......% for the extreme situation of 25 components and just one row/column with non-zero BIPs. A better performance can actually be achieved by a simpler implementation directly using the sparsity of the BIP matrix....

Segregation and Clustering Effects on Complex Boron Redistribution in Strongly Doped Polycrystalline-Silicon Layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abadli, S.; Mansour, F.

2011-01-01

This work deals with the investigation of the complex phenomenon of boron (B) transient enhanced diffusion (TED) in strongly implanted silicon (Si) layers. It concerns the instantaneous influences of the strong B concentrations, the Si layers crystallization, the clustering and the B trapping/segregation during thermal post-implantation annealing. We have used Si thin layers obtained from disilane (Si2H6) by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and then B implanted with a dose of 4 x 1015 atoms/cm2 at an energy of 15 keV. To avoid long redistributions, thermal annealing was carried out at relatively low-temperatures (700, 750 and 800 'deg'C) for various short-times ranging between 1 and 30 minutes. To investigate the experimental secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) doping profiles, a redistribution model well adapted to the particular structure of Si-LPCVD layers and to the effects of strong-concentrations has been established. The good adjustment of the simulated profiles with the experimental SIMS profiles allowed a fundamental understanding about the instantaneous physical phenomena giving and disturbing the TED process in strongly doped Si-LPCVD layers. It was found that boron TED is strongly affected by the simultaneous complex kinetics of clustering, crystallization, trapping and segregation during annealing. The fast formation of small Si-B clusters enhances the B diffusivity whereas the evolution of the clusters and segregation reduce this enhancement. (author)

Many-body Anderson localization of strongly interacting bosons in random lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katzer, Roman

2015-05-01

In the present work, we investigate the problem of many-body localization of strongly interacting bosons in random lattices within the disordered Bose-Hubbard model. This involves treating both the local Mott-Hubbard physics as well as the non-local quantum interference processes, which give rise to the phenomenon of Anderson localization, within the same theory. In order to determine the interaction induced transition to the Mott insulator phase, it is necessary to treat the local particle interaction exactly. Therefore, here we use a mean-field approach that approximates only the kinetic term of the Hamiltonian. This way, the full problem of interacting bosons on a random lattice is reduced to a local problem of a single site coupled to a particle bath, which has to be solved self-consistently. In accordance to previous works, we find that a finite disorder width leads to a reduced size of the Mott insulating regions. The transition from the superfluid phase to the Bose glass phase is driven by the non-local effect of Anderson localization. In order to describe this transition, one needs to work within a theory that is non-local as well. Therefore, here we introduce a new approach to the problem. Based on the results for the local excitation spectrum obtained within the mean-field theory, we reduce the full, interacting model to an effective, non-interacting model by applying a truncation scheme to the Hilbert space. Evaluating the long-ranged current density within this approximation, we identify the transition from the Bose glass to the superfluid phase with the Anderson transition of the effective model. Resolving this transition using the self-consistent theory of localization, we obtain the full phase diagram of the disordered Bose-Hubbard model in the regime of strong interaction and larger disorder. In accordance to the theorem of inclusions, we find that the Mott insulator and the superfluid phase are always separated by the compressible, but insulating

Strong deflection lensing by charged black holes in scalar-tensor gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eiroa, Ernesto F.; Sendra, Carlos M. [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio (IAFE, CONICET-UBA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Universidad de Buenos Aires, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2014-11-15

We examine a class of charged black holes in scalar-tensor gravity as gravitational lenses. We find the deflection angle in the strong deflection limit, from which we obtain the positions and the magnifications of the relativistic images. We compare our results with those corresponding to the Reissner-Norstroem spacetime and we analyze the observational aspects in the case of the Galactic supermassive black hole. (orig.)

Higher Order QED Contributions to the Atomic Structure at Strong Central Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mokler, P H

2007-01-01

An accurate determination of the precise structure of highly charged, very heavy ions is crucial for understanding QED at strong fields. The experimental advances in the spectroscopy of very heavy, highly charged ions-in particular H-, He- and Li-like species-are reviewed: Presently the ground state Lamb shift for H-like U ions is measured on a 1% level of accuracy; the screening terms in two-electron QED have just been touched by experiments for He-like U; and two-loop QED terms have been determined with ultimate accuracy for Li-like heavy species. The different approaches on QED measurements in strong fields will be discussed and the results compared to theory

Chemically reducing decontamination method for radioactive metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Akio; Onuma, Tsutomu; Sato, Hitoshi.

1994-01-01

The present invention concerns a decontamination method of electrolytically reducing radioactive metal wastes, then chemically dissolving the surface thereof with a strong acid decontaminating solution. This method utilizes dissolving characteristics of stainless steels in the strong acid solution. That is, in the electrolytic reduction operation, a portion of the metal wastes is brought into contact with a strong acid decontaminating solution, and voltage and current are applied to the portion and keep it for a long period of time so as to make the potential of the immersed portion of the metal wastes to an active soluble region. Then, the electrolytic reduction operation is stopped, and the metal wastes are entirely immersed in the decontaminating solution to decontaminate by chemical dissolution. As the decontaminating solution, strong acid such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid is used. Since DC current power source capacity required for causing reaction in the active soluble region can be decreased, the decontamination facility can be minimized and simplified, and necessary electric power can be saved even upon decontamination of radioactive metal wastes made of stainless steels and having a great area. Further, chemical dissolution can be conducted without adding an expensive oxidizing agent. (N.H.)

Charging dynamics and strong localization of a two-dimensional electron cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dianoux, R; Smilde, H J H; Marchi, F; Buffet, N; Mur, P; Comin, F; Chevrier, J

2007-01-01

The dynamics of charge injection in silicon nanocrystals embedded in a silicon dioxide matrix is studied using electrostatic force microscopy. We show that the presence of silicon nanocrystals with a density of 10 11 cm -2 is essential for strong localization of charges, and results in exceptional charge retention properties compared to nanocrystal-free SiO 2 samples. In both systems, a logarithmic dependence of the diameter of the charged area on the injection time is experimentally observed on a timescale between 0.1 and 10 s (voltage≤10 V). A field-emission injection, limited by Coulomb blockade and a lateral charge spreading due to a repulsive radial electric field are used to model the sample charging. Once the tip is retracted, the electron cloud is strongly confined in the nanocrystals and remains static

Optimization of strong and weak coordinates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Swart, M.; Bickelhaupt, F.M.

2006-01-01

We present a new scheme for the geometry optimization of equilibrium and transition state structures that can be used for both strong and weak coordinates. We use a screening function that depends on atom-pair distances to differentiate strong coordinates from weak coordinates. This differentiation

Simulation-based marginal likelihood for cluster strong lensing cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Killedar, M.; Borgani, S.; Fabjan, D.; Dolag, K.; Granato, G.; Meneghetti, M.; Planelles, S.; Ragone-Figueroa, C.

2018-01-01

Comparisons between observed and predicted strong lensing properties of galaxy clusters have been routinely used to claim either tension or consistency with Λ cold dark matter cosmology. However, standard approaches to such cosmological tests are unable to quantify the preference for one cosmology over another. We advocate approximating the relevant Bayes factor using a marginal likelihood that is based on the following summary statistic: the posterior probability distribution function for the parameters of the scaling relation between Einstein radii and cluster mass, α and β. We demonstrate, for the first time, a method of estimating the marginal likelihood using the X-ray selected z > 0.5 Massive Cluster Survey clusters as a case in point and employing both N-body and hydrodynamic simulations of clusters. We investigate the uncertainty in this estimate and consequential ability to compare competing cosmologies, which arises from incomplete descriptions of baryonic processes, discrepancies in cluster selection criteria, redshift distribution and dynamical state. The relation between triaxial cluster masses at various overdensities provides a promising alternative to the strong lensing test.

On Drift Effects in Velocity and Displacement of Greek Uncorrected Digital Strong Motion Data

Science.gov (United States)

Skarlatoudis, A.; Margaris, B.

2005-12-01

Fifty years after the first installation of analog accelerographs, digital instruments recording the strong-motion came in operation. Their advantages comparing to the analog ones are obvious and they have been described in detail in several works. Nevertheless it has been pointed out that velocity and displacement values derived from several accelerograms, recorded in various strong earthquakes worldwide (e.g. 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, Hector Mine, 2002 Denali) by digital instruments, are plagued by drifts when only a simple baseline correction derived from the pre-event portion of the record is removed. In Greece a significant number of accelerographic networks and arrays have been deployed covering the whole area. Digital accelerographs now constitute a significant part of the National Strong Motion network of the country. Detailed analyses of the data processing of accelerograms recorded by digital instruments exhibited that the same drifts exist in the Greek strong motion database. In this work, a methodology proposed and described in various articles (Boore, 2001; 2003; 2005) for removing the aforementioned drifts of the accelerograms is applied. It is also attempted a careful look of the nature of the drifts for understanding the noise characteristics relative to the signal. The intrinsic behaviour of signal to noise ratio is crucial for the adequacy of baseline corrections applied on digital uncorrected accelerograms. Velocities and displacements of the uncorrected and corrected accelerograms are compared and the drift effects in the Fourier and response spectra are presented.

Development of an Earthquake Early Warning System Using Real-Time Strong Motion Signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yih-Min; Kanamori, Hiroo

2008-01-09

As urbanization progresses worldwide, earthquakes pose serious threat to livesand properties for urban areas near major active faults on land or subduction zonesoffshore. Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) can be a useful tool for reducing earthquakehazards, if the spatial relation between cities and earthquake sources is favorable for suchwarning and their citizens are properly trained to respond to earthquake warning messages.An EEW system forewarns an urban area of forthcoming strong shaking, normally with afew sec to a few tens of sec of warning time, i.e., before the arrival of the destructive Swavepart of the strong ground motion. Even a few second of advanced warning time willbe useful for pre-programmed emergency measures for various critical facilities, such asrapid-transit vehicles and high-speed trains to avoid potential derailment; it will be alsouseful for orderly shutoff of gas pipelines to minimize fire hazards, controlled shutdown ofhigh-technological manufacturing operations to reduce potential losses, and safe-guardingof computer facilities to avoid loss of vital databases. We explored a practical approach toEEW with the use of a ground-motion period parameter τc and a high-pass filtered verticaldisplacement amplitude parameter Pd from the initial 3 sec of the P waveforms. At a givensite, an earthquake magnitude could be determined from τ c and the peak ground-motionvelocity (PGV) could be estimated from Pd. In this method, incoming strong motion acceleration signals are recursively converted to ground velocity and displacement. A Pwavetrigger is constantly monitored. When a trigger occurs, τ c and Pd are computed. Theearthquake magnitude and the on-site ground-motion intensity could be estimated and thewarning could be issued. In an ideal situation, such warnings would be available within 10sec of the origin time of a large earthquake whose subsequent ground motion may last fortens of seconds.

Theoretical studies of strongly correlated fermions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Logan, D [Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin (ILL), 38 - Grenoble (France)

1997-04-01

Strongly correlated fermions are investigated. An understanding of strongly correlated fermions underpins a diverse range of phenomena such as metal-insulator transitions, high-temperature superconductivity, magnetic impurity problems and the properties of heavy-fermion systems, in all of which local moments play an important role. (author).

78 FR 15710 - Strong Sensitizer Guidance

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-12

... the supplemental definition of ``strong sensitizer'' found at 16 CFR 1500.3(c)(5). The Commission is proposing to revise the supplemental definition of ``strong sensitizer'' due to advancements in the science...'' definition, assist manufacturers in understanding how CPSC staff would assess whether a substance and/or...

Nuclear physics from strong coupling QCD

CERN Document Server

Fromm, Michael

2009-01-01

The strong coupling limit (beta_gauge = 0) of QCD offers a number of remarkable research possibilities, of course at the price of large lattice artifacts. Here, we determine the complete phase diagram as a function of temperature T and baryon chemical potential mu_B, for one flavor of staggered fermions in the chiral limit, with emphasis on the determination of a tricritical point and on the T ~ 0 transition to nuclear matter. The latter is known to happen for mu_B substantially below the baryon mass, indicating strong nuclear interactions in QCD at infinite gauge coupling. This leads us to studying the properties of nuclear matter from first principles. We determine the nucleon-nucleon potential in the strong coupling limit, as well as masses m_A of nuclei as a function of their atomic number A. Finally, we clarify the origin of nuclear interactions at strong coupling, which turns out to be a steric effect.

There is not yet strong evidence that exercise regimens other than pelvic floor muscle training can reduce stress urinary incontinence in women: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bø, Kari; Herbert, Robert D

2013-09-01

What evidence is there for alternative exercises to specific pelvic floor muscle training for treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women? A systematic review was conducted with searches of PubMed and PEDro to January 2013. The quality of randomised trials was evaluated using the PEDro scale. Each type of exercise was classified as being in a Development Phase, Testing Phase, or Refinement and Dissemination Phase. Women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence with predominantly stress urinary incontinence. Exercise regimens other than pelvic floor muscle training. The primary outcome was urinary leakage. Seven randomised controlled trials were found: three on abdominal training, two on the Paula method, and two on Pilates exercise. The methodological quality score ranged between 4 and 8 with a mean of 5.7. There was no convincing evidence for the effect of these exercise regimens so they remain in the Testing Phase. Because no randomised trials were found for posture correction, breathing exercise, yoga, Tai Chi, and general fitness training, these were classified as being in the Development Phase. There is not yet strong evidence that alternative exercise regimens can reduce urinary leakage in women with stress urinary incontinence. Alternative exercise regimens should not yet be recommended for use in clinical practice for women with stress urinary incontinence. Copyright © 2013 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by .. All rights reserved.

String dynamics at strong coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hull, C.M.

1996-01-01

The dynamics of superstring, supergravity and M-theories and their compactifications are probed by studying the various perturbation theories that emerge in the strong and weak-coupling limits for various directions in coupling constant space. The results support the picture of an underlying non-perturbative theory that, when expanded perturbatively in different coupling constants, gives different perturbation theories, which can be perturbative superstring theories or superparticle theories. The p-brane spectrum is considered in detail and a criterion found to establish which p-branes govern the strong-coupling dynamics. In many cases there are competing conjectures in the literature, and this analysis decides between them. In other cases, new results are found. The chiral 6-dimensional theory resulting from compactifying the type IIB string on K 3 is studied in detail and it is found that certain strong-coupling limits appear to give new theories, some of which hint at the possibility of a 12-dimensional origin. (orig.)

Respiratory insufficiency correlated strongly with mortality of rodents infected with West Nile virus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John D Morrey

Full Text Available West Nile virus (WNV disease can be fatal for high-risk patients. Since WNV or its antigens have been identified in multiple anatomical locations of the central nervous system of persons or rodent models, one cannot know where to investigate the actual mechanism of mortality without careful studies in animal models. In this study, depressed respiratory functions measured by plethysmography correlated strongly with mortality. This respiratory distress, as well as reduced oxygen saturation, occurred beginning as early as 4 days before mortality. Affected medullary respiratory control cells may have contributed to the animals' respiratory insufficiency, because WNV antigen staining was present in neurons located in the ventrolateral medulla. Starvation or dehydration would be irrelevant in people, but could cause death in rodents due to lethargy or loss of appetite. Animal experiments were performed to exclude this possibility. Plasma ketones were increased in moribund infected hamsters, but late-stage starvation markers were not apparent. Moreover, daily subcutaneous administration of 5% dextrose in physiological saline solution did not improve survival or other disease signs. Therefore, infected hamsters did not die from starvation or dehydration. No cerebral edema was apparent in WNV- or sham-infected hamsters as determined by comparing wet-to-total weight ratios of brains, or by evaluating blood-brain-barrier permeability using Evans blue dye penetration into brains. Limited vasculitis was present in the right atrium of the heart of infected hamsters, but abnormal electrocardiograms for several days leading up to mortality did not occur. Since respiratory insufficiency was strongly correlated with mortality more than any other pathological parameter, it is the likely cause of death in rodents. These animal data and a poor prognosis for persons with respiratory insufficiency support the hypothesis that neurological lesions affecting respiratory

Kolmogorov flow in two dimensional strongly coupled dusty plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Akanksha; Ganesh, R., E-mail: ganesh@ipr.res.in; Joy, Ashwin [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 428 (India)

2014-07-15

Undriven, incompressible Kolmogorov flow in two dimensional doubly periodic strongly coupled dusty plasma is modelled using generalised hydrodynamics, both in linear and nonlinear regime. A complete stability diagram is obtained for low Reynolds numbers R and for a range of viscoelastic relaxation time τ{sub m} [0 < τ{sub m} < 10]. For the system size considered, using a linear stability analysis, similar to Navier Stokes fluid (τ{sub m} = 0), it is found that for Reynolds number beyond a critical R, say R{sub c}, the Kolmogorov flow becomes unstable. Importantly, it is found that R{sub c} is strongly reduced for increasing values of τ{sub m}. A critical τ{sub m}{sup c} is found above which Kolmogorov flow is unconditionally unstable and becomes independent of Reynolds number. For R < R{sub c}, the neutral stability regime found in Navier Stokes fluid (τ{sub m} = 0) is now found to be a damped regime in viscoelastic fluids, thus changing the fundamental nature of transition of Kolmogorov flow as function of Reynolds number R. A new parallelized nonlinear pseudo spectral code has been developed and is benchmarked against eigen values for Kolmogorov flow obtained from linear analysis. Nonlinear states obtained from the pseudo spectral code exhibit cyclicity and pattern formation in vorticity and viscoelastic oscillations in energy.

New algorithms and new results for strong coupling LQCD

CERN Document Server

Unger, Wolfgang

2012-01-01

We present and compare new types of algorithms for lattice QCD with staggered fermions in the limit of infinite gauge coupling. These algorithms are formulated on a discrete spatial lattice but with continuous Euclidean time. They make use of the exact Hamiltonian, with the inverse temperature beta as the only input parameter. This formulation turns out to be analogous to that of a quantum spin system. The sign problem is completely absent, at zero and non-zero baryon density. We compare the performance of a continuous-time worm algorithm and of a Stochastic Series Expansion algorithm (SSE), which operates on equivalence classes of time-ordered interactions. Finally, we apply the SSE algorithm to a first exploratory study of two-flavor strong coupling lattice QCD, which is manageable in the Hamiltonian formulation because the sign problem can be controlled.

High intake of regular-fat cheese compared with reduced-fat cheese does not affect LDL cholesterol or risk markers of the metabolic syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raziani, Farinaz; Tholstrup, Tine; Kristensen, Marlene Dahlwad

2016-01-01

was to compare the effects of regular-fat cheese with an equal amount of reduced-fat cheese and an isocaloric amount of carbohydrate-rich foods on LDL cholesterol and risk factors for the metabolic syndrome (MetS). DESIGN: The study was a 12-wk randomized parallel intervention preceded by a 2-wk run-in period...

Intermittency in Hall-magnetohydrodynamics with a strong guide field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez Imazio, P.; Martin, L. N.; Dmitruk, P.; Mininni, P. D.

2013-01-01

We present a detailed study of intermittency in the velocity and magnetic field fluctuations of compressible Hall-magnetohydrodynamic turbulence with an external guide field. To solve the equations numerically, a reduced model valid when a strong guide field is present is used. Different values for the ion skin depth are considered in the simulations. The resulting data are analyzed computing field increments in several directions perpendicular to the guide field, and building structure functions and probability density functions. In the magnetohydrodynamic limit, we recover the usual results with the magnetic field being more intermittent than the velocity field. In the presence of the Hall effect, field fluctuations at scales smaller than the ion skin depth show a substantial decrease in the level of intermittency, with close to monofractal scaling

Strong delayed interactive effects of metal exposure and warming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Debecker, Sara; Dinh, Khuong Van; Stoks, Robby

2017-01-01

’ ranges could lead to an important underestimation of the risks. We addressed all three mechanisms by studying effects of larval exposure to zinc and warming before, during, and after metamorphosis in Ischnura elegans damselflies from high- and lowlatitude populations. By integrating these mechanisms...... into a single study, we could identify two novel patterns. First, during exposure zinc did not affect survival, whereas it induced mild to moderate postexposure mortality in the larval stage and at metamorphosis, and very strongly reduced adult lifespan. This severe delayed effect across metamorphosis...... was especially remarkable in high-latitude animals, as they appeared almost insensitive to zinc during the larval stage. Second, the well-known synergism between metals and warming was manifested not only during the larval stage but also after metamorphosis, yet notably only in low-latitude damselflies...

Enhanced magneto-plasmonic effect in Au/Co/Au multilayers caused by exciton–plasmon strong coupling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamidi, S.M., E-mail: m_hamidi@sbu.ac.ir; Ghaebi, O.

2016-09-15

In this paper, we have investigated magneto optical Kerr rotation using the strong coupling of exciton–plasmon. For this purpose, we have demonstrated strong coupling phenomenon using reflectometry measurements. These measurements revealed the formation of two split polaritonic extrema in reflectometry as a function of wavelength. Then we have shown exciton–plasmon coupling in dispersion diagram which presented an anti-crossing between the polaritonic branches. To assure the readers of strong coupling, we have shown an enhanced magneto-optical Kerr rotation by comparing the reflectometry results of strong coupling of surface Plasmon polariton of Au/Co/Au multilayer and R6G excitons with surface Plasmon polariton magneto-optical kerr effect experimental setup. - Highlights: • The magneto optical Kerr rotation has been investigated by using the strong coupling of exciton–plasmon. • We have shown exciton–plasmon coupling in dispersion diagram which presented an anti-crossing between the polaritonic branches. • Strong coupling of surface plasmon polariton and exciton have been yielded to the enhanced magneto-optical Kerr effect. • Plasmons in Au/Co/Au multilayer and exciton in R6G have been coupled to enhance magneto-optical activity.

Comparison of methods for the determination of reduced inorganic sulphur in acid sulphate soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santomartino, S.L.

1999-01-01

Full text: The management of acid sulphate soils requires analytical methods that provide accurate data on the quantity of reduced inorganic sulphur within a soil, as it is this fraction that produces acid upon oxidation. This study uses sulphidic Coode Island Silt samples to compare common analytical methods including POCAS (Peroxide Oxidation-Combined Acidity and Sulphate) which consists of TSA (Total Sulphidic Acidity), S pos (Peroxide Oxidisable Sulphur), TOS (Total Oxidisable Sulphur) and chromium-reducible sulphur. The determination of total sulphur by Leco sulphur is strongly correlated with, but slightly less than, that analysed by XRF. Comparison of soil sulphide content by chromium-reducible sulphur, TSA and TOS methods indicates that TOS values are substantially higher than both other methods. The problem with the TOS method lies in the sulphate extraction procedure. Hot distilled water and HCI are commonly used as extractants, however hot distilled water fails to remove organic sulphur, thereby overestimating the sulphide content of the soil. Leco carbon analyses verify that a substantial proportion of organic matter exists within the samples. The HCI extraction process, which uses Ion Chromatography to analyse for sulphate, produces highly inaccurate results due to the interference of the sulphate peak by the chloride peak during analysis. An alternative method involving HCI extraction and XRF analysis of the soil residue is currently being undertaken. The use of KCI to extract sulphate generally produces values similar to the hot distilled water method. The sulphidic content measured by TSA is strongly correlated with, but slightly higher than that determined by the chromium-reducible sulphur method. This is attributed to the use of hydrogen peroxide in the TSA method, which oxidises organic matter to organic acids in addition to oxidising sulphides. These preliminary findings indicate that the chromium-reducible sulphur method is the most suitable

Strong-field ionization with twisted laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Paufler, Willi; Böning, Birger; Fritzsche, Stephan

2018-04-01

We apply quantum trajectory Monte Carlo computations in order to model strong-field ionization of atoms by twisted Bessel pulses and calculate photoelectron momentum distributions (PEMD). Since Bessel beams can be considered as an infinite superposition of circularly polarized plane waves with the same helicity, whose wave vectors lie on a cone, we compared the PEMD of such Bessel pulses to those of a circularly polarized pulse. We focus on the momentum distributions in propagation direction of the pulse and show how these momentum distributions are affected by experimental accessible parameters, such as the opening angle of the beam or the impact parameter of the atom with regard to the beam axis. In particular, we show that we can find higher momenta of the photoelectrons, if the opening angle is increased.

Bubble nucleation and growth in very strong cosmological phase transitions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mégevand, Ariel, E-mail: megevand@mdp.edu.ar; Ramírez, Santiago

2017-06-15

Strongly first-order phase transitions, i.e., those with a large order parameter, are characterized by a considerable supercooling and high velocities of phase transition fronts. A very strong phase transition may have important cosmological consequences due to the departures from equilibrium caused in the plasma. In general, there is a limit to the strength, since the metastability of the old phase may prevent the transition to complete. Near this limit, the bubble nucleation rate achieves a maximum and thus departs from the widely assumed behavior in which it grows exponentially with time. We study the dynamics of this kind of phase transitions. We show that in some cases a gaussian approximation for the nucleation rate is more suitable, and in such a case we solve analytically the evolution of the phase transition. We compare the gaussian and exponential approximations with realistic cases and we determine their ranges of validity. We also discuss the implications for cosmic remnants such as gravitational waves.

Reduced turning frequency and delayed poultry manure addition reduces N loss from sugarcane compost.

Science.gov (United States)

Bryndum, S; Muschler, R; Nigussie, A; Magid, J; de Neergaard, A

2017-07-01

Composting is an effective method to recycle biodegradable waste as soil amendment in smallholder farming systems. Although all essential plant nutrients are found in compost, a substantial amount of nitrogen is lost during composting. This study therefore investigated the potential of reducing N losses by (i) delaying the addition of nitrogen-rich substrates (i.e. poultry manure), and (ii) reducing the turning frequency during composting. Furthermore, we tested the effect of compost application method on nitrogen mineralization. Sugarcane-waste was composted for 54days with addition of poultry manure at the beginning (i.e. early addition) or after 21days of composting (delayed addition). The compost pile was then turned either every three or nine days. Composts were subsequently applied to soil as (i) homogeneously mixed, or (ii) stratified, and incubated for 28days to test the effect of compost application on nitrogen mineralization. The results showed that delayed addition of poultry manure reduced total nitrogen loss by 33% and increased mineral nitrogen content by >200% compared with early addition. Similarly, less frequent turning reduced total N loss by 12% compared with frequent turning. Stratified placement of compost did not enhance N mineralization compared to a homogeneous mixing. Our results suggested that simple modifications of the composting process (i.e. delayed addition and/or turning frequency) could significantly reduce N losses and improve the plant-nutritional value of compost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation of a nitrate-reducing bacteria strain from oil field brine and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A nitrate-reducing bacteria (NRB) strain with vigorous growth, strong nitrate reduction ability, strain B9 2-1, was isolated from Suizhong36-1 oilfield, its routine identification and analysis of 16S rRNA and also the competitive inhibition experiments with the enrichment of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were carried out.

Isolation of a strong Arabidopsis guard cell promoter and its potential as a research tool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siegel Robert S

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A common limitation in guard cell signaling research is that it is difficult to obtain consistent high expression of transgenes of interest in Arabidopsis guard cells using known guard cell promoters or the constitutive 35S cauliflower mosaic virus promoter. An additional drawback of the 35S promoter is that ectopically expressing a gene throughout the organism could cause pleiotropic effects. To improve available methods for targeted gene expression in guard cells, we isolated strong guard cell promoter candidates based on new guard cell-specific microarray analyses of 23,000 genes that are made available together with this report. Results A promoter, pGC1(At1g22690, drove strong and relatively specific reporter gene expression in guard cells including GUS (beta-glucuronidase and yellow cameleon YC3.60 (GFP-based calcium FRET reporter. Reporter gene expression was weaker in immature guard cells. The expression of YC3.60 was sufficiently strong to image intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in guard cells of intact plants and resolved spontaneous calcium transients in guard cells. The GC1 promoter also mediated strong reporter expression in clustered stomata in the stomatal development mutant too-many-mouths (tmm. Furthermore, the same promoter::reporter constructs also drove guard cell specific reporter expression in tobacco, illustrating the potential of this promoter as a method for high level expression in guard cells. A serial deletion of the promoter defined a guard cell expression promoter region. In addition, anti-sense repression using pGC1 was powerful for reducing specific GFP gene expression in guard cells while expression in leaf epidermal cells was not repressed, demonstrating strong cell-type preferential gene repression. Conclusion The pGC1 promoter described here drives strong reporter expression in guard cells of Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. It provides a potent research tool for targeted guard cell expression or

Disorder-derived, strong tunneling attenuation in bis-phosphonate monolayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pathak, Anshuma; Bora, Achyut; Tornow, Marc; Liao, Kung-Ching; Schwartz, Jeffrey; Schmolke, Hannah; Jung, Antje; Klages, Claus-Peter

2016-01-01

Monolayers of alkyl bisphosphonic acids (bisPAs) of various carbon chain lengths (C4, C8, C10, C12) were grown on aluminum oxide (AlO x ) surfaces from solution. The structural and electrical properties of these self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were compared with those of alkyl monophosphonic acids (monoPAs). Through contact angle (CA) and Kelvin-probe (KP) measurements, ellipsometry, and infrared (IR) and x-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopies, it was found that bisPAs form monolayers that are relatively disordered compared to their monoPA analogs. Current–voltage (J–V) measurements made with a hanging Hg drop top contact show tunneling to be the prevailing transport mechanism. However, while the monoPAs have an observed decay constant within the typical range for dense monolayers, β mono   =  0.85  ±  0.03 per carbon atom, a surprisingly high value, β bis   =  1.40  ±  0.05 per carbon atom, was measured for the bisPAs. We attribute this to a strong contribution of ‘through-space’ tunneling, which derives from conformational disorder in the monolayer due to strong interactions of the distal phosphonic acid groups; they likely form a hydrogen-bonding network that largely determines the molecular layer structure. Since bisPA SAMs attenuate tunnel currents more effectively than do the corresponding monoPA SAMs, they may find future application as gate dielectric modification in organic thin film devices. (paper)

Effects of strong and electromagnetic correlations on neutrino interactions in dense matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, S.; Prakash, M.; Lattimer, J.M.; Reddy, S.; Pons, J.A.

1999-01-01

An extensive study of the effects of correlations on both charged and neutral current weak interaction rates in dense matter is performed. Both strong and electromagnetic correlations are considered. The propagation of particle-hole interactions in the medium plays an important role in determining the neutrino mean free paths. The effects due to Pauli blocking and density, spin, and isospin correlations in the medium significantly reduce the neutrino cross sections. As a result of the lack of experimental information at high density, these correlations are necessarily model dependent. For example, spin correlations in nonrelativistic models are found to lead to larger suppressions of neutrino cross sections compared to those of relativistic models. This is due to the tendency of the nonrelativistic models to develop spin instabilities. Notwithstanding the above caveats, and the differences between nonrelativistic and relativistic approaches such as the spin- and isospin-dependent interactions and the nucleon effective masses, suppressions of order 2 - 3, relative to the case in which correlations are ignored, are obtained. Neutrino interactions in dense matter are especially important for supernova and early neutron star evolution calculations. The effects of correlations for protoneutron star evolution are calculated. Large effects on the internal thermodynamic properties of protoneutron stars, such as the temperature, are found. These translate into significant early enhancements in the emitted neutrino energies and fluxes, especially after a few seconds. At late times, beyond about 10 s, the emitted neutrino fluxes decrease more rapidly compared to simulations without the effects of correlations, due to the more rapid onset of neutrino transparency in the protoneutron star. copyright 1999 The American Physical Society

Turbulent structure and emissions of strongly-pulsed jet diffusion flames

Science.gov (United States)

Fregeau, Mathieu

-pulsed flames was not strongly impacted by buoyancy. This lack of sensitivity to buoyancy was consistent with offsetting changes in flame puff celerity and time to burnout for the microgravity versus normal-gravity cases. The emissions of CO and NO were examined in the vicinity of the visible flame tip and at the combustor exit for strongly-pulsed flames. The highest exhaust-point emission indices of CO for compact, isolated puffs were as much as a factor of six higher than those of elongated flames with longer injection times. The amount of CO decreased substantially with a decreased amount of flame puff interaction. The higher CO levels for pulsed flames with the shortest injection times were consistent with quenching due to the very rapid mixing and dilution with excess air for the most compact flame puffs. The injection time for which steady-flame emission levels were attained was comparable to the injection time for which the visible flame length approached the flame length of steady flames. The CO emissions, for a given fuelling rate, were strongly dependent on both the injection time and jet-off time for a jet-on fraction less than approximately 50%. The NO levels were generally proportional to the fuelling rate. This work indicates that there are specific combinations of injection time and jet-off time that considerably change the fuel/air mixing, resulting in emissions comparable to those of the steady flame while the flame length is significantly shorter. This points the potential utility of the strongly-pulsed injection technique in the development of compact, low emissions combustors involving turbulent diffusion flames. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Reduced brain resting-state network specificity in infants compared with adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Wylie, Korey P; Rojas, Donald C; Ross, Randal G; Hunter, Sharon K; Maharajh, Keeran; Cornier, Marc-Andre; Tregellas, Jason R

2014-01-01

Infant resting-state networks do not exhibit the same connectivity patterns as those of young children and adults. Current theories of brain development emphasize developmental progression in regional and network specialization. We compared infant and adult functional connectivity, predicting that infants would exhibit less regional specificity and greater internetwork communication compared with adults. Functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest was acquired in 12 healthy, term infants and 17 adults. Resting-state networks were extracted, using independent components analysis, and the resulting components were then compared between the adult and infant groups. Adults exhibited stronger connectivity in the posterior cingulate cortex node of the default mode network, but infants had higher connectivity in medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex than adults. Adult connectivity was typically higher than infant connectivity within structures previously associated with the various networks, whereas infant connectivity was frequently higher outside of these structures. Internetwork communication was significantly higher in infants than in adults. We interpret these findings as consistent with evidence suggesting that resting-state network development is associated with increasing spatial specificity, possibly reflecting the corresponding functional specialization of regions and their interconnections through experience.

Photoemission in case of a strongly asymmetric X-ray dinamic diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruglov, M.V.; Sazontov, E.A.; Solomin, I.K.

1985-01-01

Possibility has been studied of utilizing strongly asymmet-- ric reflections, in particular in case when the reflected wave slips at a small angle along the surface, for investigating the structural violations of the surface crystal layers. Angular dependence extrinsic photoeffect (ADEP) in the region of X-ray incedence angles close to the Bragg diffraction angle was studied in this paper conformably to crystals with a distorted surface layer. Measurements were conducted with ideal germanium crystals using CuKsub(α) radiation reflections (220) and silicon crystals using CrKsub(α) radiation reflections (22O). It is shown that, in investigating deformed surface layers with low thichkness and large variation of interplanar space, as compared to the basic crystal matric, application of strongly asymmetric reflections anables to increase the sensitivity and information content of the method of abnormal ADEP

Atom collisions in a strong electromagnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smirnov, V.S.; Chaplik, A.V.

1976-01-01

It is shown that the long-range part of interatomic interaction is considerably altered in a strong electromagnetic field. Instead of the van der Waals law the potential asymptote can best be described by a dipole-dipole R -3 law. Impact broadening and the line shift in a strong nonresonant field are calculated. The possibility of bound states of two atoms being formed in a strong light field is discussed

Magnetotransport properties of Cr1−δTe thin films with strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Zhou

2017-12-01

Full Text Available P-type ferromagnetic Cr1-δTe thin films with the Curie temperature of 170K were epitaxially grown on GaAs substrate. Low-temperature magnetotransport study reveals that the film has a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA and an anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR ratio up to 8.1%. Furthermore, reduced anomalous Hall effect is observed at low temperatures in Cr1-δTe, suggesting the possible crossover of the contribution to AHE from the intrinsic mechanism to extrinsic skew scattering. Distinctive from conventional transition metal ferromagnets, the AMR ratio is also greatly suppressed at low temperatures. Our work demonstrates that epitaxial Cr1-δTe films are interesting platforms for studying the physics underlying the strong PMA and large AMR.

Chaotic secure communication based on strong tracking filtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiongjie; Xu Zhengguo; Zhou Donghua

2008-01-01

A scheme for implementing secure communication based on chaotic maps and strong tracking filter (STF) is presented, and a modified STF algorithm with message estimation is developed for the special requirement of chaotic secure communication. At the emitter, the message symbol is modulated by chaotic mapping and is output through a nonlinear function. At the receiver, the driving signal is received and the message symbol is recovered dynamically by the STF with estimation of message symbol. Simulation results of Holmes map demonstrate that when message symbols are binary codes, STF can effectively recover the codes of the message from the noisy chaotic signals. Compared with the extended Kalman filter (EKF), STF has a lower bit error rate

Electronic Structure of Strongly Correlated Materials

CERN Document Server

Anisimov, Vladimir

2010-01-01

Electronic structure and physical properties of strongly correlated materials containing elements with partially filled 3d, 4d, 4f and 5f electronic shells is analyzed by Dynamical Mean-Field Theory (DMFT). DMFT is the most universal and effective tool used for the theoretical investigation of electronic states with strong correlation effects. In the present book the basics of the method are given and its application to various material classes is shown. The book is aimed at a broad readership: theoretical physicists and experimentalists studying strongly correlated systems. It also serves as a handbook for students and all those who want to be acquainted with fast developing filed of condensed matter physics.

A reduced set of gyrofluid equations for plasma flow in a diverging magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, Scott

2016-01-01

Plasmas are often generated in a small diameter source with a strong magnetic field and subsequently flow into a region with greater diameter and smaller field. The magnetic mirror force that accelerates plasma in a diverging magnetic field appears in the gyrofluid equations developed for applications to toroidal devices, but this force is often absent from fluid equations. A set of gyrofluid equations with reduced complexity is developed in which drifts are assumed negligible and the mirror force is retained. The Chew–Goldberger–Low equations of state are used for a simple closure. These reduced gyrofluid equations are applied to plasma equilibrium in a magnetic mirror, to acceleration of plasma in a magnetic nozzle, and to space charge neutralization of an ion beam by electrons in a diverging magnetic field. The results from gyrofluid theory are compared with results from drift kinetic theory to find the accuracy of the gyrofluid approximation in these applications.

Process for reducing radioactive contamination in phosphogypsum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, J.W.; Gaynor, J.C.

1983-01-01

In a process for reducing radioactive contamination of phosphogypsum, anhydrite crystals are obtained through dehydration of the phosphogypsum in strong sulfuric acid: a portion of the anhydrite crystals is converted to subtantially radiation free gypsum by crystallizing out on radiation free gypsum seed crystals. These coarse radiation free gypsum crystals are then separated from the small anhydrite crystal relics containing substantially all of the radioactive contamination

Strong links between metal contamination, habitat modification and estuarine larval fish distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKinley, Andrew C.; Miskiewicz, Anthony; Taylor, Matthew D.; Johnston, Emma L.

2011-01-01

Changes to larval fish assemblages may have far reaching ecological impacts. Correlations between habitat modification, contamination and marine larval fish communities have rarely been assessed in situ. We investigated links between the large-scale distribution of stressors and larval fish assemblages in estuarine environments. Larval fish communities were sampled using a benthic sled within the inner and outer zones of three heavily modified and three relatively unmodified estuaries. Larval abundances were significantly greater in modified estuaries, and there were trends towards greater diversity in these systems. Differences in larval community composition were strongly related to sediment metal levels and reduced seagrass cover. The differences observed were driven by two abundant species, Paedogobius kimurai and Ambassis jacksoniensis, which occurred in large numbers almost exclusively in highly contaminated and pristine locations respectively. These findings suggest that contamination and habitat alteration manifest in substantial differences in the composition of estuarine larval fish assemblages. - Highlights: → We examine contamination/habitat modification impacts on larval fish. → Larvae communities differ between modified/unmodified estuaries. → Larvae are more abundant/diverse in modified areas. → Trends are strongly related to sediment metals/seagrass cover. → Larval impacts have wider ecological importance. - We describe strong links between sediment metals contamination, habitat modification and substantial differences in the composition of the estuarine larval fish assemblage.

First-order discrete Faddeev gravity at strongly varying fields

Science.gov (United States)

Khatsymovsky, V. M.

2017-11-01

We consider the Faddeev formulation of general relativity (GR), which can be characterized by a kind of d-dimensional tetrad (typically d = 10) and a non-Riemannian connection. This theory is invariant w.r.t. the global, but not local, rotations in the d-dimensional space. There can be configurations with a smooth or flat metric, but with the tetrad that changes abruptly at small distances, a kind of “antiferromagnetic” structure. Previously, we discussed a first-order representation for the Faddeev gravity, which uses the orthogonal connection in the d-dimensional space as an independent variable. Using the discrete form of this formulation, we considered the spectrum of (elementary) area. This spectrum turns out to be physically reasonable just on a classical background with large connection like rotations by π, that is, with such an “antiferromagnetic” structure. In the discrete first-order Faddeev gravity, we consider such a structure with periodic cells and large connection and strongly changing tetrad field inside the cell. We show that this system in the continuum limit reduces to a generalization of the Faddeev system. The action is a sum of related actions of the Faddeev type and is still reduced to the GR action.

On the Strong Direct Summand Conjecture

Science.gov (United States)

McCullough, Jason

2009-01-01

In this thesis, our aim is the study the Vanishing of Maps of Tor Conjecture of Hochster and Huneke. We mainly focus on an equivalent characterization called the Strong Direct Summand Conjecture, due to N. Ranganathan. Our results are separated into three chapters. In Chapter 3, we prove special cases of the Strong Direct Summand Conjecture in…

Study on IR Properties of Reduced Graphene Oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Deyue; Li, Xiaoxia; Guo, Yuxiang; Zeng, Yurun

2018-01-01

Firstly, the reduced graphene oxide was prepared by modified hummer method and characterized. Then, the complex refractive index of reduced graphene oxide in IR band was tested and its IR absorption and radiation properties were researched by correlated calculation. The results show that reduced graphene oxide prepared by hummer method are multilayered graphene with defects and functional groups on its surface. Its absorption in near and far IR bands is strong, but it’s weaker in middle IR band. At the IR atmosphere Window, its normal spectral emissivity decreases with wavelength increasing, and its total normal spectral emissivity in 3 ∼ 5μm and 8 ∼ 14μm are 0.75 and 0.625, respectively. Therefore, reduced graphene oxide can be used as IR absorption and coating materials and have a great potential in microwave and infrared compatible materials.

Strongly enhanced flow effect from Landau-Vlasov versus Vlasov-Uehling-Uhlenbeck approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregoire, C.; Remaud, B.; Sebille, F.; Schuck, P.

1988-01-01

The simulation of the collision integral in the Landau-Vlasov approach for heavy ion collisions is examined. It turns out that quantities like the nucleon mean free path can be compared with parallel ensemble models. Convergency of results with time step and sampling is clearly established. Quadratic quantities, like the internal pressure, are found to be strongly underestimated in parallel ensemble models

EDITORIAL: Strongly correlated electron systems Strongly correlated electron systems

Science.gov (United States)

Ronning, Filip; Batista, Cristian

2011-03-01

Strongly correlated electrons is an exciting and diverse field in condensed matter physics. This special issue aims to capture some of that excitement and recent developments in the field. Given that this issue was inspired by the 2010 International Conference on Strongly Correlated Electron Systems (SCES 2010), we briefly give some history in order to place this issue in context. The 2010 International Conference on Strongly Correlated Electron Systems was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a reunion of sorts from the 1989 International Conference on the Physics of Highly Correlated Electron Systems that also convened in Santa Fe. SCES 2010—co-chaired by John Sarrao and Joe Thompson—followed the tradition of earlier conferences, in this century, hosted by Buzios (2008), Houston (2007), Vienna (2005), Karlsruhe (2004), Krakow (2002) and Ann Arbor (2001). Every three years since 1997, SCES has joined the International Conference on Magnetism (ICM), held in Recife (2000), Rome (2003), Kyoto (2006) and Karlsruhe (2009). Like its predecessors, SCES 2010 topics included strongly correlated f- and d-electron systems, heavy-fermion behaviors, quantum-phase transitions, non-Fermi liquid phenomena, unconventional superconductivity, and emergent states that arise from electronic correlations. Recent developments from studies of quantum magnetism and cold atoms complemented the traditional subjects and were included in SCES 2010. 2010 celebrated the 400th anniversary of Santa Fe as well as the birth of astronomy. So what's the connection to SCES? The Dutch invention of the first practical telescope and its use by Galileo in 1610 and subsequent years overturned dogma that the sun revolved about the earth. This revolutionary, and at the time heretical, conclusion required innovative combinations of new instrumentation, observation and mathematics. These same combinations are just as important 400 years later and are the foundation of scientific discoveries that were discussed

Strong Neutron Pairing in core+4n Nuclei.

Science.gov (United States)

Revel, A; Marqués, F M; Sorlin, O; Aumann, T; Caesar, C; Holl, M; Panin, V; Vandebrouck, M; Wamers, F; Alvarez-Pol, H; Atar, L; Avdeichikov, V; Beceiro-Novo, S; Bemmerer, D; Benlliure, J; Bertulani, C A; Boillos, J M; Boretzky, K; Borge, M J G; Caamaño, M; Casarejos, E; Catford, W N; Cederkäll, J; Chartier, M; Chulkov, L; Cortina-Gil, D; Cravo, E; Crespo, R; Datta Pramanik, U; Díaz Fernández, P; Dillmann, I; Elekes, Z; Enders, J; Ershova, O; Estradé, A; Farinon, F; Fraile, L M; Freer, M; Galaviz, D; Geissel, H; Gernhäuser, R; Golubev, P; Göbel, K; Hagdahl, J; Heftrich, T; Heil, M; Heine, M; Heinz, A; Henriques, A; Ignatov, A; Johansson, H T; Jonson, B; Kahlbow, J; Kalantar-Nayestanaki, N; Kanungo, R; Kelic-Heil, A; Knyazev, A; Kröll, T; Kurz, N; Labiche, M; Langer, C; Le Bleis, T; Lemmon, R; Lindberg, S; Machado, J; Marganiec, J; Movsesyan, A; Nacher, E; Najafi, M; Nilsson, T; Nociforo, C; Paschalis, S; Perea, A; Petri, M; Pietri, S; Plag, R; Reifarth, R; Ribeiro, G; Rigollet, C; Röder, M; Rossi, D; Savran, D; Scheit, H; Simon, H; Syndikus, I; Taylor, J T; Tengblad, O; Thies, R; Togano, Y; Velho, P; Volkov, V; Wagner, A; Weick, H; Wheldon, C; Wilson, G; Winfield, J S; Woods, P; Yakorev, D; Zhukov, M; Zilges, A; Zuber, K

2018-04-13

The emission of neutron pairs from the neutron-rich N=12 isotones ^{18}C and ^{20}O has been studied by high-energy nucleon knockout from ^{19}N and ^{21}O secondary beams, populating unbound states of the two isotones up to 15 MeV above their two-neutron emission thresholds. The analysis of triple fragment-n-n correlations shows that the decay ^{19}N(-1p)^{18}C^{*}→^{16}C+n+n is clearly dominated by direct pair emission. The two-neutron correlation strength, the largest ever observed, suggests the predominance of a ^{14}C core surrounded by four valence neutrons arranged in strongly correlated pairs. On the other hand, a significant competition of a sequential branch is found in the decay ^{21}O(-1n)^{20}O^{*}→^{18}O+n+n, attributed to its formation through the knockout of a deeply bound neutron that breaks the ^{16}O core and reduces the number of pairs.

Explosion source strong ground motions in the Mississippi embayment

Science.gov (United States)

Langston, C.A.; Bodin, P.; Powell, C.; Withers, M.; Horton, S.; Mooney, W.

2006-01-01

Two strong-motion arrays were deployed for the October 2002 Embayment Seismic Excitation Experiment to study the spatial variation of strong ground motions in the deep, unconsolidated sediments of the Mississippi embayment because there are no comparable strong-motion data from natural earthquakes in the area. Each linear array consisted of eight three-component K2 accelerographs spaced 15 m apart situated 1.2 and 2.5 kin from 2268-kg and 1134-kg borehole explosion sources, respectively. The array data show distinct body-wave and surface-wave arrivals that propagate within the thick, unconsolidated sedimentary column, the high-velocity basement rocks, and small-scale structure near the surface. Time-domain coherence of body-wave and surface-wave arrivals is computed for acceleration, velocity, and displacement time windows. Coherence is high for relatively low-frequency verticalcomponent Rayleigh waves and high-frequency P waves propagating across the array. Prominent high-frequency PS conversions seen on radial components, a proxy for the direct S wave from earthquake sources, lose coherence quickly over the 105-m length of the array. Transverse component signals are least coherent for any ground motion and appear to be highly scattered. Horizontal phase velocity is computed by using the ratio of particle velocity to estimates of the strain based on a plane-wave-propagation model. The resulting time-dependent phase-velocity map is a useful way to infer the propagation mechanisms of individual seismic phases and time windows of three-component waveforms. Displacement gradient analysis is a complementary technique for processing general spatial-array data to obtain horizontal slowness information.

A Comparative Study of Reduced-Variables-Based Flash and Conventional Flash

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yan, Wei; Stenby, Erling Halfdan; Michelsen, Michael Locht

2013-01-01

) with zero binary-interaction parameters (BIPs) and later generalized to situations with nonzero-BIP matrices. Most of the studies in the last decade suggest that the reduced-variables methods are much more efficient than the conventional flash method. However, Haugen and Beckner (2011) questioned...... with the conventional minimization-based flash. A test with the use of the SPE 3 example (Kenyon and Behie 1987) showed that the best reduction in time was less than 20% for the extreme situation of 25 components and just one row/column with nonzero BIPs. A better performance can be achieved by a simpler implementation...... directly using the sparsity of the BIP matrix....

High-energy scattering in strongly coupled N=4 super Yang-Mills theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sprenger, Martin

2014-11-01

This thesis concerns itself with the analytic structure of scattering amplitudes in strongly coupled N=4 super Yang-Mills theory (abbreviated N = 4 SYM) in the multi-Regge limit. Through the AdS/CFT-correspondence observables in strongly coupled N = 4 SYM are accessible via dual calculations in a weakly coupled string theory on an AdS 5 x S 5 -geometry, in which observables can be calculated using standard perturbation theory. In particular, the calculation of the leading order of the n-gluon amplitude in N = 4 SYM at strong coupling corresponds to the calculation of a minimal surface embedded into AdS 5 . This surface ends on the concatenation of the gluon momenta, which is a light-like curve. The calculation of the minimal surface area can be reduced to finding the solution of a set of non-linear, coupled integral equations, which have no analytic solution in arbitrary kinematics. In this thesis, we therefore specialise to the multi-Regge limit, the n-particle generalisation of the Regge limit. This limit is especially interesting as even in the description of scattering amplitudes in weakly coupled N = 4 SYM in this limit a certain set of Feynman diagrams has to be resummed. This description organises itself into orders of logarithms of the energy involved in the scattering process. In this expansion each order in logarithms includes terms from every order in the coupling constant and therefore contains information about the strong coupling sector of the theory, albeit in a very specific way. This raises the central question of this thesis, which is how much of the analytic structure of the scattering amplitudes in the multi-Regge limit is preserved as we go to the strong coupling regime. We show that the equations governing the area of the minimal surface simplify drastically in the multi-Regge limit, which allows us to obtain analytic results for the scattering amplitudes. We develop an algorithm for the calculation of scattering amplitudes in the multi

The dynamics of diverse segmental amplifications in populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae adapting to strong selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Payen, Celia; Di Rienzi, Sara C; Ong, Giang T; Pogachar, Jamie L; Sanchez, Joseph C; Sunshine, Anna B; Raghuraman, M K; Brewer, Bonita J; Dunham, Maitreya J

2014-03-20

Population adaptation to strong selection can occur through the sequential or parallel accumulation of competing beneficial mutations. The dynamics, diversity, and rate of fixation of beneficial mutations within and between populations are still poorly understood. To study how the mutational landscape varies across populations during adaptation, we performed experimental evolution on seven parallel populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae continuously cultured in limiting sulfate medium. By combining quantitative polymerase chain reaction, array comparative genomic hybridization, restriction digestion and contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis, and whole-genome sequencing, we followed the trajectory of evolution to determine the identity and fate of beneficial mutations. During a period of 200 generations, the yeast populations displayed parallel evolutionary dynamics that were driven by the coexistence of independent beneficial mutations. Selective amplifications rapidly evolved under this selection pressure, in particular common inverted amplifications containing the sulfate transporter gene SUL1. Compared with single clones, detailed analysis of the populations uncovers a greater complexity whereby multiple subpopulations arise and compete despite a strong selection. The most common evolutionary adaptation to strong selection in these populations grown in sulfate limitation is determined by clonal interference, with adaptive variants both persisting and replacing one another.

OBSERVED SCALING RELATIONS FOR STRONG LENSING CLUSTERS: CONSEQUENCES FOR COSMOLOGY AND CLUSTER ASSEMBLY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Comerford, Julia M.; Moustakas, Leonidas A.; Natarajan, Priyamvada

2010-01-01

Scaling relations of observed galaxy cluster properties are useful tools for constraining cosmological parameters as well as cluster formation histories. One of the key cosmological parameters, σ 8 , is constrained using observed clusters of galaxies, although current estimates of σ 8 from the scaling relations of dynamically relaxed galaxy clusters are limited by the large scatter in the observed cluster mass-temperature (M-T) relation. With a sample of eight strong lensing clusters at 0.3 8 , but combining the cluster concentration-mass relation with the M-T relation enables the inclusion of unrelaxed clusters as well. Thus, the resultant gains in the accuracy of σ 8 measurements from clusters are twofold: the errors on σ 8 are reduced and the cluster sample size is increased. Therefore, the statistics on σ 8 determination from clusters are greatly improved by the inclusion of unrelaxed clusters. Exploring cluster scaling relations further, we find that the correlation between brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) luminosity and cluster mass offers insight into the assembly histories of clusters. We find preliminary evidence for a steeper BCG luminosity-cluster mass relation for strong lensing clusters than the general cluster population, hinting that strong lensing clusters may have had more active merging histories.

Can mobile phones used in strong motion seismology?

Science.gov (United States)

D'Alessandro, Antonino; D'Anna, Giuseppe

2013-04-01

of 2 g0. Our tests show as, in the frequency and amplitude range analyzed (0.2-20 Hz, 10-2000 mg0), the LIS331DLH MEMS accelerometer have excellent frequency and phase response, comparable with that of some standard FBA accelerometer used in strong motion seismology. However, we found that the signal recorded by the LIS331DLH MEMS accelerometer slightly underestimates the real acceleration (of about 2.5%). This suggests that may be important to calibrate a MEMS sensor before using it in scientific applications. A drawback of the LIS331DLH MEMS accelerometer is its low sensitivity. This is an important limitation of all the low cost MEMS accelerometers; therefore nowadays they are desirable to use only in strong motion seismology. However, the rapid development of this technology will lead in the coming years to the development of high sensitivity and low noise digital MEMS sensors that may be replace the current seismic accelerometer used in seismology. Actually, the real main advantage of these sensors is their common use in the mobile phones.

Physics challenges in the strong interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, S.D.

1992-01-01

The study of strong interactions is now a mature field for which scientist now know that the correct underlying theory is QCD. Here, an overview of the challenges to be faced in the area of the strong interactions during the 1990's is presented. As an illustrative example special attention is given to the analysis of jets as studied at hadron colliders

Physics challenges in the strong interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellis, S.D. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle (United States)

1992-12-31

The study of strong interactions is now a mature field for which scientist now know that the correct underlying theory is QCD. Here, an overview of the challenges to be faced in the area of the strong interactions during the 1990`s is presented. As an illustrative example special attention is given to the analysis of jets as studied at hadron colliders.

Electromagnetic processes in strong crystalline fields

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

We propose a number of new investigations on aspects of radiation from high energy electron and positron beams (10-300 GeV) in single crystals and amorphous targets. The common heading is radiation emission by electrons and positrons in strong electromagnetic fields, but as the setup is quite versatile, other related phenomena in radiation emission can be studied as well. The intent is to clarify the role of a number of important aspects of radiation in strong fields as e.g. observed in crystals. We propose to measure trident 'Klein-like' production in strong crystalline fields, 'crystalline undulator' radiation, 'sandwich' target phenomena, LPM suppression of pair production as well as axial and planar effects in contributions of spin to the radiation.

Optimal explicit strong stability preserving Runge–Kutta methods with high linear order and optimal nonlinear order

KAUST Repository

Gottlieb, Sigal

2015-04-10

High order spatial discretizations with monotonicity properties are often desirable for the solution of hyperbolic PDEs. These methods can advantageously be coupled with high order strong stability preserving time discretizations. The search for high order strong stability time-stepping methods with large allowable strong stability coefficient has been an active area of research over the last two decades. This research has shown that explicit SSP Runge-Kutta methods exist only up to fourth order. However, if we restrict ourselves to solving only linear autonomous problems, the order conditions simplify and this order barrier is lifted: explicit SSP Runge-Kutta methods of any linear order exist. These methods reduce to second order when applied to nonlinear problems. In the current work we aim to find explicit SSP Runge-Kutta methods with large allowable time-step, that feature high linear order and simultaneously have the optimal fourth order nonlinear order. These methods have strong stability coefficients that approach those of the linear methods as the number of stages and the linear order is increased. This work shows that when a high linear order method is desired, it may still be worthwhile to use methods with higher nonlinear order.

Determination of nuclear friction in strongly damped reactions from prescission neutron multiplicities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilczynski, J.; Siwek-Wilczynska, K.; Wilschut, H.W.

1996-01-01

Nonfusion, fissionlike reactions in collisions of four heavy systems (well below the fusion extra-push energy threshold), for which Hinde and co-workers had measured the prescission neutron multiplicities, have been analyzed in terms of the deterministic dynamic model of Feldmeier coupled to a time-dependent statistical cascade calculation. In order to reproduce the measured prescission multiplicities and the observed (nearly symmetric) mass divisions, the energy dissipation must be dramatically changed with regard to the standard one-body dissipation: In the entrance channel, in the process of forming a composite system, the energy dissipation has to be reduced to at least half of the one-body dissipation strength (k s in ≤0.5), and in the exit channel (from a mononucleus shape to scission) it must be increased by a factor ranging for the studied reactions from k s out =4 to k s out =12. These results are compared with the temperature dependence of the friction coefficient, recently deduced by Hofman, Back, and Paul from data on the prescission giant dipole resonance emission in fusion-fission reactions. The combined picture of the temperature dependence of the friction coefficient, for both fusion-fission and nonfusion reactions, may indicate the onset of strong two-body dissipation already at a nuclear temperature of about 2 MeV. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Strongly Correlated Electron Systems: An Operatorial Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Di Ciolo, Andrea; Avella, Adolfo

2018-05-01

We discuss the operatorial approach to the study of strongly correlated electron systems and show how the exact solution of target models on small clusters chosen ad-hoc (minimal models) can suggest very efficient bulk approximations. We use the Hubbard model as case study (target model) and we analyze and discuss the crucial role of spin fluctuations in its 2-site realization (minimal model). Accordingly, we devise a novel three-pole approximation for the 2D case, including in the basic field an operator describing the dressing of the electronic one by the nearest-neighbor spin-fluctuations. Such a solution is in very good agreement with the exact one in the minimal model (2-site case) and performs very well once compared to advanced (semi-)numerical methods in the 2D case, being by far less computational-resource demanding.

Manipulating light with strongly modulated photonic crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Notomi, Masaya

2010-01-01

Recently, strongly modulated photonic crystals, fabricated by the state-of-the-art semiconductor nanofabrication process, have realized various novel optical properties. This paper describes the way in which they differ from other optical media, and clarifies what they can do. In particular, three important issues are considered: light confinement, frequency dispersion and spatial dispersion. First, I describe the latest status and impact of ultra-strong light confinement in a wavelength-cubic volume achieved in photonic crystals. Second, the extreme reduction in the speed of light is reported, which was achieved as a result of frequency dispersion management. Third, strange negative refraction in photonic crystals is introduced, which results from their unique spatial dispersion, and it is clarified how this leads to perfect imaging. The last two sections are devoted to applications of these novel properties. First, I report the fact that strong light confinement and huge light-matter interaction enhancement make strongly modulated photonic crystals promising for on-chip all-optical processing, and present several examples including all-optical switches/memories and optical logics. As a second application, it is shown that the strong light confinement and slow light in strongly modulated photonic crystals enable the adiabatic tuning of light, which leads to various novel ways of controlling light, such as adiabatic frequency conversion, efficient optomechanics systems, photon memories and photons pinning.

Piper sarmentosum is comparable to glycyrrhizic acid in reducing visceral fat deposition in adrenalectomised rats given dexamethasone.

Science.gov (United States)

Fairus, A; Ima Nirwana, S; Elvy Suhana, M R; Tan, M H; Santhana, R; Farihah, H S

2013-01-01

Visceral obesity may be due to the dysregulation of cortisol production or metabolism that lead to metabolic disease. In adipose tissue, the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 regulates cortisol metabolism (11beta-HSD1). A previous study showed an increase in the visceral fat deposition in adrenalectomised rats given intramuscular dexamethasone. Glycyrrhizic acid (GCA) has been shown to reduce fat deposition because it is a known potent inhibitor of the 11beta-HSD1 enzyme. Piper sarmentosum (PS) is an edible medicinal plant commonly used in Asia as traditional medicine for treating diabetes, hypertension and joint pains. In this study, we determined the effects of PS extract on the disposition and morphology of perirenal adipocytes of adrenalectomised rats given intramuscular dexamethasone. A total of 21 male Spraque Dawley rats were adrenalectomised and given intramuscular dexamethasone, 120 μg/kg/day. These rats were further divided into three groups: adrenalectomised control (ADR+Dexa; n=7), GCA-treated (ADR+Dexa+GCA; dose=240 mg/kg/day; n=7) and PS-treated (ADR+Dexa+PS; dose=125 mg/kg/day; n=7) groups. The various treatments were given via gastric gavage following 2 weeks of adrenalectomy. Treatment with PS extract for 8 weeks showed decreased deposition of perirenal adipocytes which was similar to the GCA-treated group. However, PS-treated rats had thinner adipocyte membrane compared with that of the GCA-treated group. In conclusion, PS extract decreased perirenal fat deposition and reduced the diameter of the adipocyte membrane. However, the mechanisms of action needed further study.

Strong monotonicity in mixed-state entanglement manipulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizaka, Satoshi

2006-01-01

A strong entanglement monotone, which never increases under local operations and classical communications (LOCC), restricts quantum entanglement manipulation more strongly than the usual monotone since the usual one does not increase on average under LOCC. We propose strong monotones in mixed-state entanglement manipulation under LOCC. These are related to the decomposability and one-positivity of an operator constructed from a quantum state, and reveal geometrical characteristics of entangled states. These are lower bounded by the negativity or generalized robustness of entanglement

Towards strong light-matter coupling at the single-resonator level with sub-wavelength mid-infrared nano-antennas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malerba, M.; De Angelis, F., E-mail: francesco.deangelis@iit.it [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, I-16163 Genova (Italy); Ongarello, T.; Paulillo, B.; Manceau, J.-M.; Beaudoin, G.; Sagnes, I.; Colombelli, R., E-mail: raffaele.colombelli@u-psud.fr [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (C2N Orsay), CNRS UMR9001, Univ. Paris Sud, Univ. Paris Saclay, 91405 Orsay (France)

2016-07-11

We report a crucial step towards single-object cavity electrodynamics in the mid-infrared spectral range using resonators that borrow functionalities from antennas. Room-temperature strong light-matter coupling is demonstrated in the mid-infrared between an intersubband transition and an extremely reduced number of sub-wavelength resonators. By exploiting 3D plasmonic nano-antennas featuring an out-of-plane geometry, we observed strong light-matter coupling in a very low number of resonators: only 16, more than 100 times better than what reported to date in this spectral range. The modal volume addressed by each nano-antenna is sub-wavelength-sized and it encompasses only ≈4400 electrons.

Ultrathin Tungsten Oxide Nanowires/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites for Toluene Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Hassan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Graphene-based composites have gained great attention in the field of gas sensor fabrication due to their higher surface area with additional functional groups. Decorating one-dimensional (1D semiconductor nanomaterials on graphene also show potential benefits in gas sensing applications. Here we demonstrate the one-pot and low cost synthesis of W18O49 NWs/rGO composites with different amount of reduced graphene oxide (rGO which show excellent gas-sensing properties towards toluene and strong dependence on their chemical composition. As compared to pure W18O49 NWs, an improved gas sensing response (2.8 times higher was achieved in case of W18O49 NWs composite with 0.5 wt. % rGO. Promisingly, this strategy can be extended to prepare other nanowire based composites with excellent gas-sensing performance.

French invasive Asian tiger mosquito populations harbor reduced bacterial microbiota and genetic diversity compared to Vietnamese autochthonous relatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillaume eMinard

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is one of the most significant pathogen vectors of the 21st century. Originating from Asia, it has invaded a wide range of eco-climatic regions worldwide. The insect-associated microbiota is now recognized to play a significant role in host biology. While genetic diversity bottlenecks are known to result from biological invasions, the resulting shifts in host-associated microbiota diversity has not been thoroughly investigated. To address this subject, we compared four autochthonous Ae. albopictus populations in Vietnam, the native area of Ae. albopictus, and three populations recently introduced to Metropolitan France, with the aim of documenting whether these populations display differences in host genotype and bacterial microbiota. Population-level genetic diversity (microsatellite markers and COI haplotype and bacterial diversity (16S rDNA metabarcoding were compared between field-caught mosquitoes. Bacterial microbiota from the whole insect bodies were largely dominated by Wolbachia pipientis. Targeted analysis of the gut microbiota revealed a greater bacterial diversity in which a fraction was common between French and Vietnamese populations. The genus Dysgonomonas was the most prevalent and abundant across all studied populations. Overall genetic diversities of both hosts and bacterial microbiota were significantly reduced in recently established populations of France compared to the autochthonous populations of Vietnam. These results open up many important avenues of investigation in order to link the process of geographical invasion to shifts in commensal and symbiotic microbiome communities, as such shifts may have dramatic impacts on the biology and/or vector competence of invading hematophagous insects.

Strong and superstrong pulsed magnetic fields generation

CERN Document Server

Shneerson, German A; Krivosheev, Sergey I

2014-01-01

Strong pulsed magnetic fields are important for several fields in physics and engineering, such as power generation and accelerator facilities. Basic aspects of the generation of strong and superstrong pulsed magnetic fields technique are given, including the physics and hydrodynamics of the conductors interacting with the field as well as an account of the significant progress in generation of strong magnetic fields using the magnetic accumulation technique. Results of computer simulations as well as a survey of available field technology are completing the volume.

Quasi-equilibria in reduced Liouville spaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Halse, Meghan E; Dumez, Jean-Nicolas; Emsley, Lyndon

2012-06-14

The quasi-equilibrium behaviour of isolated nuclear spin systems in full and reduced Liouville spaces is discussed. We focus in particular on the reduced Liouville spaces used in the low-order correlations in Liouville space (LCL) simulation method, a restricted-spin-space approach to efficiently modelling the dynamics of large networks of strongly coupled spins. General numerical methods for the calculation of quasi-equilibrium expectation values of observables in Liouville space are presented. In particular, we treat the cases of a time-independent Hamiltonian, a time-periodic Hamiltonian (with and without stroboscopic sampling) and powder averaging. These quasi-equilibrium calculation methods are applied to the example case of spin diffusion in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. We show that there are marked differences between the quasi-equilibrium behaviour of spin systems in the full and reduced spaces. These differences are particularly interesting in the time-periodic-Hamiltonian case, where simulations carried out in the reduced space demonstrate ergodic behaviour even for small spins systems (as few as five homonuclei). The implications of this ergodic property on the success of the LCL method in modelling the dynamics of spin diffusion in magic-angle spinning experiments of powders is discussed.

Biodiversity mediates top-down control in eelgrass ecosystems: a global comparative-experimental approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Duffy, J Emmett; Reynolds, Pamela L; Boström, Christoffer; Coyer, James A; Cusson, Mathieu; Donadi, Serena; Douglass, James G; Eklöf, Johan S; Engelen, Aschwin H; Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Fredriksen, Stein; Gamfeldt, Lars; Gustafsson, Camilla; Hoarau, Galice; Hori, Masakazu; Hovel, Kevin; Iken, Katrin; Lefcheck, Jonathan S; Moksnes, Per-Olav; Nakaoka, Masahiro; O'Connor, Mary I; Olsen, Jeanine L; Richardson, J Paul; Ruesink, Jennifer L; Sotka, Erik E; Thormar, Jonas; Whalen, Matthew A; Stachowicz, John J

2015-07-01

Nutrient pollution and reduced grazing each can stimulate algal blooms as shown by numerous experiments. But because experiments rarely incorporate natural variation in environmental factors and biodiversity, conditions determining the relative strength of bottom-up and top-down forcing remain unresolved. We factorially added nutrients and reduced grazing at 15 sites across the range of the marine foundation species eelgrass (Zostera marina) to quantify how top-down and bottom-up control interact with natural gradients in biodiversity and environmental forcing. Experiments confirmed modest top-down control of algae, whereas fertilisation had no general effect. Unexpectedly, grazer and algal biomass were better predicted by cross-site variation in grazer and eelgrass diversity than by global environmental gradients. Moreover, these large-scale patterns corresponded strikingly with prior small-scale experiments. Our results link global and local evidence that biodiversity and top-down control strongly influence functioning of threatened seagrass ecosystems, and suggest that biodiversity is comparably important to global change stressors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Blood-derived small Dot cells reduce scar in wound healing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, Wuyi; Li Shaowei; Longaker, Michael T.; Lorenz, H. Peter

2008-01-01

Wounds in fetal skin heal without scar, however the mechanism is unknown. We identified a novel group of E-cadherin positive cells in the blood of fetal and adult mice and named them 'Dot cells'. The percentage of Dot cells in E16.5 fetal mice blood is more than twenty times higher compared to adult blood. Dot cells also express integrin β1, CD184, CD34, CD13 low and Sca1 low , but not CD45, CD44, and CD117. Dot cells have a tiny dot shape between 1 and 7 μm diameters with fast proliferation in vitro. Most of the Dot cells remain positive for E-cadherin and integrin β1 after one month in culture. Transplantation of Dot cells to adult mice heals skin wounds with less scar due to reduced smooth muscle actin and collagen expression in the repair tissue. Tracking GFP-positive Dot cells demonstrates that Dot cells migrate to wounds and differentiate into dermal cells, which also express strongly to FGF-2, and later lose their GFP expression. Our results indicate that Dot cells are a group of previously unidentified cells that have strong wound healing effect. The mechanism of scarless wound healing in fetal skin is due to the presence of a large number of Dot cells

Ensemble-based Kalman Filters in Strongly Nonlinear Dynamics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhaoxia PU; Joshua HACKER

2009-01-01

This study examines the effectiveness of ensemble Kalman filters in data assimilation with the strongly nonlinear dynamics of the Lorenz-63 model, and in particular their use in predicting the regime transition that occurs when the model jumps from one basin of attraction to the other. Four configurations of the ensemble-based Kalman filtering data assimilation techniques, including the ensemble Kalman filter, ensemble adjustment Kalman filter, ensemble square root filter and ensemble transform Kalman filter, are evaluated with their ability in predicting the regime transition (also called phase transition) and also are compared in terms of their sensitivity to both observational and sampling errors. The sensitivity of each ensemble-based filter to the size of the ensemble is also examined.

Jet quenching in a strongly coupled anisotropic plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Chernicoff, Mariano; Fernández, Daniel; Mateos, David; Trancanelli, Diego

2012-08-01

The jet quenching parameter of an anisotropic plasma depends on the relative orientation between the anisotropic direction, the direction of motion of the parton, and the direction along which the momentum broadening is measured. We calculate the jet quenching parameter of an anisotropic, strongly coupled {N} = 4 plasma by means of its gravity dual. We present the results for arbitrary orientations and arbitrary values of the anisotropy. The anisotropic value can be larger or smaller than the isotropic one, and this depends on whether the comparison is made at equal temperatures or at equal entropy densities. We compare our results to analogous calculations for the real-world quark-gluon plasma and find agreement in some cases and disagreement in others.

Strong interactions at high energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anselmino, M.

1995-01-01

Spin effects in strong interaction high energy processes are subtle phenomena which involve both short and long distance physics and test perturbative and non perturbative aspects of QCD. Moreover, depending on quantities like interferences between different amplitudes and relative phases, spin observables always test a theory at a fundamental quantum mechanical level; it is then no surprise that spin data are often difficult to accommodate within the existing models. A report is made on the main issues and contributions discussed in the parallel Session on the open-quote open-quote Strong interactions at high energy close-quote close-quote in this Conference. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

The extended reciprocity: Strong belief outperforms persistence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurokawa, Shun

2017-05-21

The existence of cooperation is a mysterious phenomenon and demands explanation, and direct reciprocity is one key potential explanation for the evolution of cooperation. Direct reciprocity allows cooperation to evolve for cooperators who switch their behavior on the basis of information about the opponent's behavior. Here, relevant to direct reciprocity is information deficiency. When the opponent's last move is unknown, how should players behave? One possibility is to choose cooperation with some default probability without using any further information. In fact, our previous paper (Kurokawa, 2016a) examined this strategy. However, there might be beneficial information other than the opponent's last move. A subsequent study of ours (Kurokawa, 2017) examined the strategy which uses the own last move when the opponent's last move is unknown, and revealed that referring to the own move and trying to imitate it when information is absent is beneficial. Is there any other beneficial information else? How about strong belief (i.e., have infinite memory and believe that the opponent's behavior is unchanged)? Here, we examine the evolution of strategies with strong belief. Analyzing the repeated prisoner's dilemma game and using evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) analysis against an invasion by unconditional defectors, we find the strategy with strong belief is more likely to evolve than the strategy which does not use information other than the opponent player's last move and more likely to evolve than the strategy which uses not only the opponent player's last move but also the own last move. Strong belief produces the extended reciprocity and facilitates the evolution of cooperation. Additionally, we consider the two strategies game between strategies with strong belief and any strategy, and we consider the four strategies game in which unconditional cooperators, unconditional defectors, pessimistic reciprocators with strong belief, and optimistic reciprocators with

Strong converse theorems using Rényi entropies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leditzky, Felix; Datta, Nilanjana [Statistical Laboratory, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0WB (United Kingdom); Wilde, Mark M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Center for Computation and Technology, Hearne Institute for Theoretical Physics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 (United States)

2016-08-15

We use a Rényi entropy method to prove strong converse theorems for certain information-theoretic tasks which involve local operations and quantum (or classical) communication between two parties. These include state redistribution, coherent state merging, quantum state splitting, measurement compression with quantum side information, randomness extraction against quantum side information, and data compression with quantum side information. The method we employ in proving these results extends ideas developed by Sharma [preprint http://arxiv.org/abs/1404.5940 [quant-ph] (2014)], which he used to give a new proof of the strong converse theorem for state merging. For state redistribution, we prove the strong converse property for the boundary of the entire achievable rate region in the (e, q)-plane, where e and q denote the entanglement cost and quantum communication cost, respectively. In the case of measurement compression with quantum side information, we prove a strong converse theorem for the classical communication cost, which is a new result extending the previously known weak converse. For the remaining tasks, we provide new proofs for strong converse theorems previously established using smooth entropies. For each task, we obtain the strong converse theorem from explicit bounds on the figure of merit of the task in terms of a Rényi generalization of the optimal rate. Hence, we identify candidates for the strong converse exponents for each task discussed in this paper. To prove our results, we establish various new entropic inequalities, which might be of independent interest. These involve conditional entropies and mutual information derived from the sandwiched Rényi divergence. In particular, we obtain novel bounds relating these quantities, as well as the Rényi conditional mutual information, to the fidelity of two quantum states.

Prediction of the occurrence of related strong earthquakes in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vorobieva, I.A.; Panza, G.F.

1993-06-01

In the seismic flow it is often observed that a Strong Earthquake (SE), is followed by Related Strong Earthquakes (RSEs), which occur near the epicentre of the SE with origin time rather close to the origin time of the SE. The algorithm for the prediction of the occurrence of a RSE has been developed and applied for the first time to the seismicity data of the California-Nevada region and has been successfully tested in several regions of the World, the statistical significance of the result being 97%. So far, it has been possible to make five successful forward predictions, with no false alarms or failures to predict. The algorithm is applied here to the Italian territory, where the occurrence of RSEs is a particularly rare phenomenon. Our results show that the standard algorithm is successfully directly applicable without any adjustment of the parameters. Eleven SEs are considered. Of them, three are followed by a RSE, as predicted by the algorithm, eight SEs are not followed by a RSE, and the algorithm predicts this behaviour for seven of them, giving rise to only one false alarm. Since, in Italy, quite often the series of strong earthquakes are relatively short, the algorithm has been extended to handle such situation. The result of this experiment indicates that it is possible to attempt to test a SE, for the occurrence of a RSE, soon after the occurrence of the SE itself, performing timely ''preliminary'' recognition on reduced data sets. This fact, the high confidence level of the retrospective analysis, and the first successful forward predictions, made in different parts of the World, indicates that, even if additional tests are desirable, the algorithm can already be considered for routine application to Civil Defence. (author). Refs, 3 figs, 7 tabs

Reducing the losses of optical metamaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Anan

2010-01-01

The field of metamaterials is driven by fascinating and far-reaching theoretical visions, such as perfect lenses, invisibility cloaking, and enhanced optical nonlinearities. However, losses have become the major obstacle towards real world applications in the optical regime. Reducing the losses of optical metamaterials becomes necessary and extremely important. In this thesis, two approaches are taken to reduce the losses. One is to construct an indefinite medium. Indefinite media are materials where not all the principal components of the permittivity and permeability tensors have the same sign. They do not need the resonances to achieve negative permittivity, (var e psilon). So, the losses can be comparatively small. To obtain indefinite media, three-dimensional (3D) optical metallic nanowire media with different structures are designed. They are numerically demonstrated that they are homogeneous effective indefinite anisotropic media by showing that their dispersion relations are hyperbolic. Negative group refraction and pseudo focusing are observed. Another approach is to incorporate gain into metamaterial nanostructures. The nonlinearity of gain is included by a generic four-level atomic model. A computational scheme is presented, which allows for a self-consistent treatment of a dispersive metallic photonic metamaterial coupled to a gain material incorporated into the nanostructure using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The loss compensations with gain are done for various structures, from 2D simplified models to 3D realistic structures. Results show the losses of optical metamaterials can be effectively compensated by gain. The effective gain coefficient of the combined system can be much larger than the bulk gain counterpart, due to the strong local-field enhancement.

Reducing the losses of optical metamaterials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, Anan [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2010-01-01

The field of metamaterials is driven by fascinating and far-reaching theoretical visions, such as perfect lenses, invisibility cloaking, and enhanced optical nonlinearities. However, losses have become the major obstacle towards real world applications in the optical regime. Reducing the losses of optical metamaterials becomes necessary and extremely important. In this thesis, two approaches are taken to reduce the losses. One is to construct an indefinite medium. Indefinite media are materials where not all the principal components of the permittivity and permeability tensors have the same sign. They do not need the resonances to achieve negative permittivity, ε. So, the losses can be comparatively small. To obtain indefinite media, three-dimensional (3D) optical metallic nanowire media with different structures are designed. They are numerically demonstrated that they are homogeneous effective indefinite anisotropic media by showing that their dispersion relations are hyperbolic. Negative group refraction and pseudo focusing are observed. Another approach is to incorporate gain into metamaterial nanostructures. The nonlinearity of gain is included by a generic four-level atomic model. A computational scheme is presented, which allows for a self-consistent treatment of a dispersive metallic photonic metamaterial coupled to a gain material incorporated into the nanostructure using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The loss compensations with gain are done for various structures, from 2D simplified models to 3D realistic structures. Results show the losses of optical metamaterials can be effectively compensated by gain. The effective gain coefficient of the combined system can be much larger than the bulk gain counterpart, due to the strong local-field enhancement.

Reduced ratings of physical and relational aggression for youths with a strong cultural identity: evidence from the Naskapi people.

Science.gov (United States)

Flanagan, Tara; Iarocci, Grace; D'Arrisso, Alexandra; Mandour, Tarek; Tootoosis, Curtis; Robinson, Sandy; Burack, Jacob A

2011-08-01

Minority youth in general, and Aboriginal youth in particular, are at increased statistical risk for being perpetrators or victims of aggression. We examined the potential protective aspect of cultural identity in relation to peer ratings of physical and relational aggression and factors typically associated with each among almost the entire cohort of Naskapi youths from Kawawachikamach, Québec. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that a strong identity with their own Native culture predicted less perceived physical and social aggression by their peers. These findings are discussed in the context of the role of a positive affiliation with ancestral culture for the diminishment of adolescent aggression and for general adaptive development and well-being. Copyright © 2011 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bose condensation in an attractive fermion gas: From weak to strong coupling superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nozieres, P.; Schmitt-Rink, S.

1985-01-01

We consider a gas of fermions interacting via an attractive potential. We study the ground state of that system and calculate the critical temperature for the onset of superconductivity as a function of the coupling strength. We compare the behavior of continuum and lattice models and show that the evolution from weak to strong coupling superconductivity is smooth

Uniform risk spectra of strong earthquake ground motion: NEQRISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, V.W.; Trifunac, M.D.

1987-01-01

The concept of uniform risk spectra of Anderson and Trifunac (1977) has been generalized to include (1) more refined description of earthquake source zones, (2) the uncertainties in estimating seismicity parameters a and b in log 10 N = a - bM, (3) to consider uncertainties in estimation of maximum earthquake size in each source zone, and to (4) include the most recent results on empirical scaling of strong motion amplitudes at a site. Examples of using to new NEQRISK program are presented and compared with the corresponding case studies of Anderson and Trifunac (1977). The organization of the computer program NEQRISK is also briefly described

Strong Electroweak Symmetry Breaking

CERN Document Server

Grinstein, Benjamin

2011-01-01

Models of spontaneous breaking of electroweak symmetry by a strong interaction do not have fine tuning/hierarchy problem. They are conceptually elegant and use the only mechanism of spontaneous breaking of a gauge symmetry that is known to occur in nature. The simplest model, minimal technicolor with extended technicolor interactions, is appealing because one can calculate by scaling up from QCD. But it is ruled out on many counts: inappropriately low quark and lepton masses (or excessive FCNC), bad electroweak data fits, light scalar and vector states, etc. However, nature may not choose the minimal model and then we are stuck: except possibly through lattice simulations, we are unable to compute and test the models. In the LHC era it therefore makes sense to abandon specific models (of strong EW breaking) and concentrate on generic features that may indicate discovery. The Technicolor Straw Man is not a model but a parametrized search strategy inspired by a remarkable generic feature of walking technicolor,...

The strong reflecting property and Harrington's Principle

OpenAIRE

Cheng, Yong

2015-01-01

In this paper we characterize the strong reflecting property for $L$-cardinals for all $\\omega_n$, characterize Harrington's Principle $HP(L)$ and its generalization and discuss the relationship between the strong reflecting property for $L$-cardinals and Harrington's Principle $HP(L)$.

Development of an Earthquake Early Warning System Using Real-Time Strong Motion Signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroo Kanamori

2008-01-01

Full Text Available As urbanization progresses worldwide, earthquakes pose serious threat to livesand properties for urban areas near major active faults on land or subduction zonesoffshore. Earthquake Early Warning (EEW can be a useful tool for reducing earthquakehazards, if the spatial relation between cities and earthquake sources is favorable for suchwarning and their citizens are properly trained to respond to earthquake warning messages.An EEW system forewarns an urban area of forthcoming strong shaking, normally with afew sec to a few tens of sec of warning time, i.e., before the arrival of the destructive Swavepart of the strong ground motion. Even a few second of advanced warning time willbe useful for pre-programmed emergency measures for various critical facilities, such asrapid-transit vehicles and high-speed trains to avoid potential derailment; it will be alsouseful for orderly shutoff of gas pipelines to minimize fire hazards, controlled shutdown ofhigh-technological manufacturing operations to reduce potential losses, and safe-guardingof computer facilities to avoid loss of vital databases. We explored a practical approach toEEW with the use of a ground-motion period parameter τc and a high-pass filtered verticaldisplacement amplitude parameter Pd from the initial 3 sec of the P waveforms. At a givensite, an earthquake magnitude could be determined from τc and the peak ground-motionvelocity (PGV could be estimated from Pd. In this method, incoming strong motion acceleration signals are recursively converted to ground velocity and displacement. A Pwavetrigger is constantly monitored. When a trigger occurs, τc and Pd are computed. Theearthquake magnitude and the on-site ground-motion intensity could be estimated and thewarning could be issued. In an ideal situation, such warnings would be available within 10sec of the origin time of a large earthquake whose subsequent ground motion may last fortens of seconds.

Aperture averaging in strong oceanic turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Gökçe, Muhsin Caner; Baykal, Yahya

2018-04-01

Receiver aperture averaging technique is employed in underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) systems to mitigate the effects of oceanic turbulence, thus to improve the system performance. The irradiance flux variance is a measure of the intensity fluctuations on a lens of the receiver aperture. Using the modified Rytov theory which uses the small-scale and large-scale spatial filters, and our previously presented expression that shows the atmospheric structure constant in terms of oceanic turbulence parameters, we evaluate the irradiance flux variance and the aperture averaging factor of a spherical wave in strong oceanic turbulence. Irradiance flux variance variations are examined versus the oceanic turbulence parameters and the receiver aperture diameter are examined in strong oceanic turbulence. Also, the effect of the receiver aperture diameter on the aperture averaging factor is presented in strong oceanic turbulence.

Gemfibrozil is a strong inactivator of CYP2C8 in very small multiple doses.

Science.gov (United States)

Honkalammi, J; Niemi, M; Neuvonen, P J; Backman, J T

2012-05-01

Therapeutic doses of gemfibrozil cause mechanism-based inactivation of CYP2C8 via formation of gemfibrozil 1-O-β-glucuronide. We investigated the extent of CYP2C8 inactivation caused by three different doses of gemfibrozil twice dailyfor 5 days, using repaglinide as a probe drug, in 10 healthy volunteers. At the end of this 5-day regimen, there were dose-dependent increases in the area under the plasma concentration–time curve from 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞) of repaglinide by3.4-, 5.5-, and 7.0-fold corresponding to 30, 100, and 600 mg of gemfibrozil, respectively, as compared with the control phase (P gemfibrozil 1-O-β-glucuronide, a gemfibrozil dose of 30 mg twice daily was estimated to inhibit CYP2C8 by >70% and 100 mg twice daily was estimated to inhibit it by >90%. Hence, gemfibrozil is a strong inactivator of CYP2C8 even in very small, subtherapeutic, multiple doses. Administration of small gemfibrozil doses may be useful in optimizing the pharmacokinetics of CYP2C8 substrate drugs and in reducing the formation of their potentially toxic metabolites via CYP2C8.

Biodiversity effects in the wild are common and as strong as key drivers of productivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Duffy, J Emmett; Godwin, Casey M; Cardinale, Bradley J

2017-09-14

More than 500 controlled experiments have collectively suggested that biodiversity loss reduces ecosystem productivity and stability. Yet the importance of biodiversity in sustaining the world's ecosystems remains controversial, largely because of the lack of validation in nature, where strong abiotic forcing and complex interactions are assumed to swamp biodiversity effects. Here we test this assumption by analysing 133 estimates reported in 67 field studies that statistically separated the effects of biodiversity on biomass production from those of abiotic forcing. Contrary to the prevailing opinion of the previous two decades that biodiversity would have rare or weak effects in nature, we show that biomass production increases with species richness in a wide range of wild taxa and ecosystems. In fact, after controlling for environmental covariates, increases in biomass with biodiversity are stronger in nature than has previously been documented in experiments and comparable to or stronger than the effects of other well-known drivers of productivity, including climate and nutrient availability. These results are consistent with the collective experimental evidence that species richness increases community biomass production, and suggest that the role of biodiversity in maintaining productive ecosystems should figure prominently in global change science and policy.

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism strongly influenced by non-magnetic cover layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zafar, K.; Audehm, P.; Schütz, G.; Goering, E.; Pathak, M.; Chetry, K.B.; LeClair, P.R.; Gupta, A.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Energy filtering gives much larger sampling depth and escape length as expected. •XMCD sum rules could be dramatically altered by this effect. •Strong enhanced effective escape length for buried layers. •A “universal curve” model gives semi quantitative understanding. •Buried layers are more sensitive to self-absorption phenomena. -- Abstract: Total electron yield (TEY) is the dominating measurement mode in soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), where the sampling depth is generally assumed to be quite small and constant, and the related self-absorption or saturation phenomena are about to be negligible at normal incidence conditions. From the OK edge to CrL 2,3 edge XAS ratio we determined a strong change in the effective electron escape length between an uncovered and a RuO 2 covered CrO 2 sample. This effect has been explained by a simple electron energy filtering model, providing a semi quantitative description. In addition, this simple model can quantitatively describe the unexpected reduced and positive CrL 2,3 X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) signal of a RuO 2 /CrO 2 bilayer, while previous results have identified a clear negative Cr magnetization at the RuO 2 /CrO 2 interface. In our case this escape length enhancement has strong impact on the XMCD sum rule results and in general it provides much deeper sampling depth, but also larger self-absorption or saturation effects

Reduced alcohol consumption in mice lacking preprodynorphin.

Science.gov (United States)

Blednov, Yuri A; Walker, Danielle; Martinez, Marni; Harris, R Adron

2006-10-01

Many studies suggest a role for endogenous opioid peptides and their receptors in regulation of ethanol intake. It is commonly accepted that the kappa-opioid receptors and their endogenous ligands, dynorphins, produce a dysphoric state and therefore may be responsible for avoidance of alcohol. We used mutant mice lacking preprodynorphin in a variety of behavioral tests of alcohol actions. Null mutant female, but not male, mice showed significantly lower preference for alcohol and consumed lower amounts of alcohol in a two-bottle choice test as compared with wild-type littermates. In the same test, knockout mice of both sexes showed a strong reduction of preference for saccharin compared to control mice. In contrast, under conditions of limited (4 h) access (light phase of the light/dark cycle), null mutant mice did not show any differences in consumption of saccharin, but they showed significantly reduced intake of sucrose. To determine the possible cause for reduction of ethanol preference and intake, we studied other ethanol-related behaviors in mice lacking the preprodynorphin gene. There were no differences between null mutant and wild-type mice in ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex, acute ethanol withdrawal, ethanol-induced conditioned place preference, or conditioned taste aversion to ethanol. These results indicate that deletion of preprodynorphin leads to substantial reduction of alcohol intake in female mice, and suggest that this is caused by decreased orosensory reward of alcohol (sweet taste and/or palatability).

Terbutaline pump maintenance therapy after threatened preterm labour for reducing adverse neonatal outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chawanpaiboon, Saifon; Laopaiboon, Malinee; Lumbiganon, Pisake; Sangkomkamhang, Ussanee S; Dowswell, Therese

2014-03-23

After successful inhibition of threatened preterm labour women are at high risk of recurrent preterm labour. Terbutaline pump maintenance therapy has been used to reduce adverse neonatal outcomes. This review replaces an earlier Cochrane review, published in 2002, which is no longer being updated by the team. To determine the effectiveness of terbutaline pump maintenance therapy after threatened preterm labour in reducing adverse neonatal outcomes. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 January 2014) and reference lists of retrieved studies. Randomised controlled trials comparing terbutaline pump therapy with alternative therapy, placebo, or no therapy after arrest of threatened preterm labour. Two review authors independently assessed the studies for inclusion and then extracted data as eligible for inclusion in qualitative and quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). Four studies were included with a total of 234 women randomised. The overall methodological quality of the included studies was mixed; two studies provided very little information on study methods, there was high sample attrition in one study and in three studies the risk of performance bias was high. We found no strong evidence that terbutaline maintenance therapy offered any advantages over saline placebo or oral terbutaline maintenance therapy in reducing adverse neonatal outcomes by prolonging pregnancy among women with arrested preterm labour. The mean difference (MD) for gestational age at birth was -0.14 weeks (95% confidence interval (CI) -1.66 to 1.38) for terbutaline pump therapy compared with saline placebo pump for two trials combined. One trial reported a risk ratio (RR) of 1.17 (95% CI 0.79 to 1.73) for preterm birth (less than 37 completed weeks) and a RR of 0.97 (95% CI 0.51 to 1.84) of very preterm birth (less than 34 completed weeks) for terbutaline pump compared with saline placebo pump. We found no evidence that terbutaline pump therapy was

Multiscale KF Algorithm for Strong Fractional Noise Interference Suppression in Discrete-Time UWB Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liyun Su

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In order to suppress the interference of the strong fractional noise signal in discrete-time ultrawideband (UWB systems, this paper presents a new UWB multi-scale Kalman filter (KF algorithm for the interference suppression. This approach solves the problem of the narrowband interference (NBI as nonstationary fractional signal in UWB communication, which does not need to estimate any channel parameter. In this paper, the received sampled signal is transformed through multiscale wavelet to obtain a state transition equation and an observation equation based on the stationarity theory of wavelet coefficients in time domain. Then through the Kalman filter method, fractional signal of arbitrary scale is easily figured out. Finally, fractional noise interference is subtracted from the received signal. Performance analysis and computer simulations reveal that this algorithm is effective to reduce the strong fractional noise when the sampling rate is low.

Large orders in strong-field QED

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heinzl, Thomas [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA (United Kingdom); Schroeder, Oliver [Science-Computing ag, Hagellocher Weg 73, D-72070 Tuebingen (Germany)

2006-09-15

We address the issue of large-order expansions in strong-field QED. Our approach is based on the one-loop effective action encoded in the associated photon polarization tensor. We concentrate on the simple case of crossed fields aiming at possible applications of high-power lasers to measure vacuum birefringence. A simple next-to-leading order derivative expansion reveals that the indices of refraction increase with frequency. This signals normal dispersion in the small-frequency regime where the derivative expansion makes sense. To gain information beyond that regime we determine the factorial growth of the derivative expansion coefficients evaluating the first 82 orders by means of computer algebra. From this we can infer a nonperturbative imaginary part for the indices of refraction indicating absorption (pair production) as soon as energy and intensity become (super)critical. These results compare favourably with an analytic evaluation of the polarization tensor asymptotics. Kramers-Kronig relations finally allow for a nonperturbative definition of the real parts as well and show that absorption goes hand in hand with anomalous dispersion for sufficiently large frequencies and fields.

The lambda sigma calculus and strong normalization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schack-Nielsen, Anders; Schürmann, Carsten

Explicit substitution calculi can be classified into several dis- tinct categories depending on whether they are confluent, meta-confluent, strong normalization preserving, strongly normalizing, simulating, fully compositional, and/or local. In this paper we present a variant of the λσ-calculus, ...

Electrical Control of Structural and Physical Properties via Strong Spin-Orbit Interactions in Sr2IrO4

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, G.; Terzic, J.; Zhao, H. D.; Zheng, H.; De Long, L. E.; Riseborough, Peter S.

2018-01-01

Electrical control of structural and physical properties is a long-sought, but elusive goal of contemporary science and technology. We demonstrate that a combination of strong spin-orbit interactions (SOI) and a canted antiferromagnetic Mott state is sufficient to attain that goal. The antiferromagnetic insulator Sr2IrO4 provides a model system in which strong SOI lock canted Ir magnetic moments to IrO6 octahedra, causing them to rigidly rotate together. A novel coupling between an applied electrical current and the canting angle reduces the Néel temperature and drives a large, nonlinear lattice expansion that closely tracks the magnetization, increases the electron mobility, and precipitates a unique resistive switching effect. Our observations open new avenues for understanding fundamental physics driven by strong SOI in condensed matter, and provide a new paradigm for functional materials and devices.

A Critical Review of Wireless Power Transfer via Strongly Coupled Magnetic Resonances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuezhe Wei

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Strongly coupled magnetic resonance (SCMR, proposed by researchers at MIT in 2007, attracted the world’s attention by virtue of its mid-range, non-radiative and high-efficiency power transfer. In this paper, current developments and research progress in the SCMR area are presented. Advantages of SCMR are analyzed by comparing it with the other wireless power transfer (WPT technologies, and different analytic principles of SCMR are elaborated in depth and further compared. The hot research spots, including system architectures, frequency splitting phenomena, impedance matching and optimization designs are classified and elaborated. Finally, current research directions and development trends of SCMR are discussed.

British strong-acid leach process targeted at refractory uranium ores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1975-01-01

The UKAEA-patented strong-acid leach process for refractory U ores is briefly outlined with emphasis on its variations from the conventional dilute-acid process and the projected economics for a processing plant using this process. The process uses 6N H 2 SO 4 with a sharply reduced leaching time over conventional processes. The solubilized U is removed by percolation and the use of only about 10 percent liquid produces less effluent. Conventional processing plant equipment can be used except at the feed preparation, acid mixing, curing, and washing stages. Ore can be processed at larger grain sizes and the milling is done in a dry rod mill. Alternatives to the percolation removal of U are listed. Other work being done by UKAEA on U recovery from ores is briefly indicated. (U.S.)

Novel orthodontic cement containing dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate with strong antibacterial capability.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Xiaodong; Zhang, Ning; Xu, Hockin H K; Weir, Michael D; Melo, Mary Anne S; Bai, Yuxing; Zhang, Ke

2017-09-26

Orthodontic treatments increase the incidence of white spot lesions. The objectives of this study were to develop an antibacterial orthodontic cement to inhibit demineralization, and to evaluate its enamel shear bond strength and anti-biofilm properties. Novel antibacterial monomer dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM) was synthesized and incorporated into Transbond XT at 0, 1.5 and 3% by mass. Anti-biofilm activity was assessed using a human dental plaque microcosm biofilm model. Shear bond strength and adhesive remnant index were also tested. Biofilm activity precipitously dropped when contacting orthodontic cement with DMAHDM. Orthodontic cement containing 3% DMAHDM significantly reduced biofilm metabolic activity and lactic acid production (p0.1). By incorporating DMAHDM into Transbond XT for the first time, the modified orthodontic cement obtained a strong antibacterial capability without compromising the enamel bond strength.

Strong Convergence for Hybrid Implicit S-Iteration Scheme of Nonexpansive and Strongly Pseudocontractive Mappings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shin Min Kang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Let K be a nonempty closed convex subset of a real Banach space E, let S:K→K be nonexpansive, and let  T:K→K be Lipschitz strongly pseudocontractive mappings such that p∈FS∩FT=x∈K:Sx=Tx=x and x-Sy≤Sx-Sy and x-Ty≤Tx-Ty for all x, y∈K. Let βn be a sequence in 0, 1 satisfying (i ∑n=1∞βn=∞; (ii limn→∞⁡βn=0. For arbitrary x0∈K, let xn be a sequence iteratively defined by xn=Syn, yn=1-βnxn-1+βnTxn, n≥1. Then the sequence xn converges strongly to a common fixed point p of S and T.

Transformation impacts of dissolved and solid phase Fe(II) on trichloroethylene (TCE) reduction in an iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) mixed column system: a mathematical model.

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Yeunook; Kim, Dooil; Cho, Hyun-Hee; Singhal, Naresh; Park, Jae-Woo

2012-12-01

In this research, we conducted trichloroethylene (TCE) reduction in a column filled with iron and iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) and developed a mathematical model to investigate the critical reactions between active species in iron/IRB/contaminant systems. The formation of ferrous iron (Fe(II)) in this system with IRB and zero-valent iron (ZVI, Fe(0)) coated with a ferric iron (Fe(III)) crust significantly affected TCE reduction and IRB respiration in various ways. This study presents a new framework for transformation property and reducing ability of both dissolved (Fe(II)(dissolved)) and solid form ferrous iron (Fe(II)(solid)). Results showed that TCE reduction was strongly depressed by Fe(II)(solid) rather than by other inhibitors (e.g., Fe(III) and lactate), suggesting that Fe(II)(solid) might reduce IRB activation due to attachment to IRB cells. Newly exposed Fe(0) from the released Fe(II)(dissolved) was a strong contributor to TCE reduction compared to Fe(II)(solid). In addition, our research confirmed that less Fe(II)(solid) production strongly supported long-term TCE reduction because it may create an easier TCE approach to Fe(0) or increase IRB growth. Our findings will aid the understanding of the contributions of iron media (e.g., Fe(II)(solid), Fe(II)(dissolved), Fe(III), and Fe(0)) to IRB for decontamination in natural groundwater systems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strong dynamics and lattice gauge theory

Science.gov (United States)

Schaich, David

In this dissertation I use lattice gauge theory to study models of electroweak symmetry breaking that involve new strong dynamics. Electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) is the process by which elementary particles acquire mass. First proposed in the 1960s, this process has been clearly established by experiments, and can now be considered a law of nature. However, the physics underlying EWSB is still unknown, and understanding it remains a central challenge in particle physics today. A natural possibility is that EWSB is driven by the dynamics of some new, strongly-interacting force. Strong interactions invalidate the standard analytical approach of perturbation theory, making these models difficult to study. Lattice gauge theory is the premier method for obtaining quantitatively-reliable, nonperturbative predictions from strongly-interacting theories. In this approach, we replace spacetime by a regular, finite grid of discrete sites connected by links. The fields and interactions described by the theory are likewise discretized, and defined on the lattice so that we recover the original theory in continuous spacetime on an infinitely large lattice with sites infinitesimally close together. The finite number of degrees of freedom in the discretized system lets us simulate the lattice theory using high-performance computing. Lattice gauge theory has long been applied to quantum chromodynamics, the theory of strong nuclear interactions. Using lattice gauge theory to study dynamical EWSB, as I do in this dissertation, is a new and exciting application of these methods. Of particular interest is non-perturbative lattice calculation of the electroweak S parameter. Experimentally S ≈ -0.15(10), which tightly constrains dynamical EWSB. On the lattice, I extract S from the momentum-dependence of vector and axial-vector current correlators. I created and applied computer programs to calculate these correlators and analyze them to determine S. I also calculated the masses

Endangerment of cultural heritage sites by strong rain

Science.gov (United States)

Krauß, Thomas; Fischer, Peter

2017-09-01

Due to climate change extreme weather conditions become more and more frequent in the last years. Especially in Germany nearly every year a large flood event happens. Most of these events are caused by strong rain. There are at most two causes for these floodings: The first is locally strong rain in the area of damage, the second happens at damage sites located near confluxes and strong rain in the upper stream areas of the joining rivers. The amount of damage is often strongly correlated with unreasonable designation of new construction in such endangered regions. Our presented study is based on an earlier project together with a German insurance company. In this project we analyzed correlations of geographical settings with the insurance data of flood damages over ten years. The result of this study was a strong relation of the terrain with the amount and the probability of damages. Further investigations allow us to derive a system for estimating potential endangerment due to strong rain just from suitable digital terrain models (DTMs). In the presented study we apply this method to different types of cultural heritage (CH) sites in Germany and other parts of the world to detect which type of CH sites were build with potential endangerment of strong rain events in mind and which ones are prone to such events.

Algebra of strong and electroweak interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolokhov, S.V.; Vladimirov, Yu.S.

2004-01-01

The algebraic approach to describing the electroweak and strong interactions is considered within the frames of the binary geometrophysics, based on the principles of the Fokker-Feynman direct interparticle interaction theories of the Kaluza-Klein multidimensional geometrical models and the physical structures theory. It is shown that in this approach the electroweak and strong elementary particles interaction through the intermediate vector bosons, are characterized by the subtypes of the algebraic classification of the complex 3 x 3-matrices [ru

Contribution of Strong Discontinuities to the Power Spectrum of the Solar Wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borovsky, Joseph E.

2010-01-01

Eight and a half years of magnetic field measurements (2 22 samples) from the ACE spacecraft in the solar wind at 1 A.U. are analyzed. Strong (large-rotation-angle) discontinuities in the solar wind are collected and measured. An artificial time series is created that preserves the timing and amplitudes of the discontinuities. The power spectral density of the discontinuity series is calculated and compared with the power spectral density of the solar-wind magnetic field. The strong discontinuities produce a power-law spectrum in the ''inertial subrange'' with a spectral index near the Kolmogorov -5/3 index. The discontinuity spectrum contains about half of the power of the full solar-wind magnetic field over this ''inertial subrange.'' Warnings are issued about the significant contribution of discontinuities to the spectrum of the solar wind, complicating interpretation of spectral power and spectral indices.

Strong Measurements Give a Better Direct Measurement of the Quantum Wave Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallone, Giuseppe; Dequal, Daniele

2016-01-29

Weak measurements have thus far been considered instrumental in the so-called direct measurement of the quantum wave function [4J. S. Lundeen, Nature (London) 474, 188 (2011).]. Here we show that a direct measurement of the wave function can be obtained by using measurements of arbitrary strength. In particular, in the case of strong measurements, i.e., those in which the coupling between the system and the measuring apparatus is maximum, we compared the precision and the accuracy of the two methods, by showing that strong measurements outperform weak measurements in both for arbitrary quantum states in most cases. We also give the exact expression of the difference between the original and reconstructed wave function obtained by the weak measurement approach; this will allow one to define the range of applicability of such a method.

Strongly interacting matter in magnetic fields

CERN Document Server

Landsteiner, Karl; Schmitt, Andreas; Yee, Ho-Ung

2013-01-01

The physics of strongly interacting matter in an external magnetic field is presently emerging as a topic of great cross-disciplinary interest for particle, nuclear, astro- and condensed matter physicists. It is known that strong magnetic fields are created in heavy ion collisions, an insight that has made it possible to study a variety of surprising and intriguing phenomena that emerge from the interplay of quantum anomalies, the topology of non-Abelian gauge fields, and the magnetic field. In particular, the non-trivial topological configurations of the gluon field induce a non-dissipative electric current in the presence of a magnetic field. These phenomena have led to an extended formulation of relativistic hydrodynamics, called chiral magnetohydrodynamics. Hitherto unexpected applications in condensed matter physics include graphene and topological insulators. Other fields of application include astrophysics, where strong magnetic fields exist in magnetars and pulsars. Last but not least, an important ne...

Strong drifts effects on neoclassical transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tessarotto, M.; Gregoratto, D.; White, R.B.

1996-01-01

It is well known that strong drifts play an important role in plasma equilibrium, stability and confinement A significant example concerns, in particular for tokamak plasmas, the case of strong toroidal differential rotation produced by E x B drift which is currently regarded as potentially important for its influence in equilibrium, stability and transport. In fact, theoretically, it has been found that shear flow can substantially affect the stability of microinstabilities as well modify substantially transport. Recent experimental observations of enhanced confinement and transport regimes in Tokamaks, show, however, evidence of the existence of strong drifts in the plasma core. These are produced not only by the radial electric field [which gives rise to the E x B drift], but also by density [N s ], temperature [T s ] and mass flow [V = ωRe var-phi , with e var-phi the toroidal unit vector, R the distance for the symmetry axis of the torus and ω being the toroidal angular rotation velocity] profiles which are suitably steep. This implies that, in a significant part of the plasma core, the relevant scale lengths of the gradients [of N s , T s , ω], i.e., respectively L N , L T and L ω can be as large as the radial scale length characterizing the banana orbits, L b . Interestingly enough, the transport estimates obtained appear close or even lower than the predictions based on the simplest neoclassical model. However, as is well known, the latter applies, in a strict sense only in the case of weak drifts and also ignoring even the contribution of shear flow related to strong E x B drift. Thus a fundamental problem appears the extension of neoclassical transport theory to include the effect of strong drifts in Tokamak confinement systems. The goal of this investigation is to develop a general formulation of neoclassical transport embodying such important feature

Classical integrability for three-point functions: cognate structure at weak and strong couplings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kazama, Yoichi [Research Center for Mathematical Physics, Rikkyo University,Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501 (Japan); Quantum Hadron Physics Laboratory, RIKEN Nishina Center, Wako 351-0198 (Japan); Institute of Physics, University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 (Japan); Komatsu, Shota [Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics,31 Caroline Street North, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 2Y5 (Canada); Nishimura, Takuya [Institute of Physics, University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 (Japan)

2016-10-10

In this paper, we develop a new method of computing three-point functions in the SU(2) sector of the N=4 super Yang-Mills theory in the semi-classical regime at weak coupling, which closely parallels the strong coupling analysis. The structure threading two disparate regimes is the so-called monodromy relation, an identity connecting the three-point functions with and without the insertion of the monodromy matrix. We shall show that this relation can be put to use directly for the semi-classical regime, where the dynamics is governed by the classical Landau-Lifshitz sigma model. Specifically, it reduces the problem to a set of functional equations, which can be solved once the analyticity in the spectral parameter space is specified. To determine the analyticity, we develop a new universal logic applicable at both weak and strong couplings. As a result, compact semi-classical formulas are obtained for a general class of three-point functions at weak coupling including the ones whose semi-classical behaviors were not known before. In addition, the new analyticity argument applied to the strong coupling analysis leads to a modification of the integration contour, producing the results consistent with the recent hexagon bootstrap approach. This modification also makes the Frolov-Tseytlin limit perfectly agree with the weak coupling form.

Optimal and Miniaturized Strongly Coupled Magnetic Resonant Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Hao

Wireless power transfer (WPT) technologies for communication and recharging devices have recently attracted significant research attention. Conventional WPT systems based either on far-field or near-field coupling cannot provide simultaneously high efficiency and long transfer range. The Strongly Coupled Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) method was introduced recently, and it offers the possibility of transferring power with high efficiency over longer distances. Previous SCMR research has only focused on how to improve its efficiency and range through different methods. However, the study of optimal and miniaturized designs has been limited. In addition, no multiband and broadband SCMR WPT systems have been developed and traditional SCMR systems exhibit narrowband efficiency thereby imposing strict limitations on simultaneous wireless transmission of information and power, which is important for battery-less sensors. Therefore, new SCMR systems that are optimally designed and miniaturized in size will significantly enhance various technologies in many applications. The optimal and miniaturized SCMR systems are studied here. First, analytical models of the Conformal SCMR (CSCMR) system and thorough analysis and design methodology have been presented. This analysis specifically leads to the identification of the optimal design parameters, and predicts the performance of the designed CSCMR system. Second, optimal multiband and broadband CSCMR systems are designed. Two-band, three-band, and four-band CSCMR systems are designed and validated using simulations and measurements. Novel broadband CSCMR systems are also analyzed, designed, simulated and measured. The proposed broadband CSCMR system achieved more than 7 times larger bandwidth compared to the traditional SCMR system at the same frequency. Miniaturization methods of SCMR systems are also explored. Specifically, methods that use printable CSCMR with large capacitors, novel topologies including meandered, SRRs, and

Alzheimer’s Disease Mutant Mice Exhibit Reduced Brain Tissue Stiffness Compared to Wild-type Mice in both Normoxia and following Intermittent Hypoxia Mimicking Sleep Apnea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria José Menal

2018-01-01

Full Text Available BackgroundEvidence from patients and animal models suggests that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD and that AD is associated with reduced brain tissue stiffness.AimTo investigate whether intermittent hypoxia (IH alters brain cortex tissue stiffness in AD mutant mice exposed to IH mimicking OSA.MethodsSix-eight month old (B6C3-Tg(APPswe,PSEN1dE985Dbo/J AD mutant mice and wild-type (WT littermates were subjected to IH (21% O2 40 s to 5% O2 20 s; 6 h/day or normoxia for 8 weeks. After euthanasia, the stiffness (E of 200-μm brain cortex slices was measured by atomic force microscopy.ResultsTwo-way ANOVA indicated significant cortical softening and weight increase in AD mice compared to WT littermates, but no significant effects of IH on cortical stiffness and weight were detected. In addition, reduced myelin was apparent in AD (vs. WT, but no significant differences emerged in the cortex extracellular matrix components laminin and glycosaminoglycans when comparing baseline AD and WT mice.ConclusionAD mutant mice exhibit reduced brain tissue stiffness following both normoxia and IH mimicking sleep apnea, and such differences are commensurate with increased edema and demyelination in AD.

Seed-mediated synthesis of gold nanorods: control of the aspect ratio by variation of the reducing agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koeppl, Susanne; Ghielmetti, Nico; Caseri, Walter; Spolenak, Ralph

2013-01-01

Seed-mediated growth methods involving reduction of tetrachloroaurate(III) with ascorbic acid are common for the synthesis of gold nanorods. This study shows, however, that simply by appropriate choice of the reducing agent a drastic influence on the aspect ratio can be attained. Weaker reducing agents, such as dihydroxybenzene isomers (hydroquinone, catechol or resorcinol) or glucose can increase the aspect ratio of the nanorods by an order of magnitude, up to values as high as 100 (nanowires). The increase in aspect ratio is mainly a consequence of an increase in length of the particles (up to 1–3 μm). This effect is probably associated with a decrease in the reduction rate of gold(III) species by dihydroxybenzenes or glucose compared to ascorbic acid. The reduction potential of the reducing agents strongly depends on the pH value, and related effects on the dimensions of the nanoparticles are also reflected in this study. The nanorods exhibited penta-twinned nature without noteworthy defects (e.g. stacking faults and dislocations).

Reduced chemical kinetic mechanisms for hydrocarbon fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montgomery, C.J.; Cremer, M.A.; Heap, M.P.; Chen, J-Y.; Westbrook, C.K.; Maurice, L.Q.

1999-01-01

Using CARM (Computer Aided Reduction Method), a computer program that automates the mechanism reduction process, a variety of different reduced chemical kinetic mechanisms for ethylene and n-heptane have been generated. The reduced mechanisms have been compared to detailed chemistry calculations in simple homogeneous reactors and experiments. Reduced mechanisms for combustion of ethylene having as few as 10 species were found to give reasonable agreement with detailed chemistry over a range of stoichiometries and showed significant improvement over currently used global mechanisms. The performance of reduced mechanisms derived from a large detailed mechanism for n-heptane was compared to results from a reduced mechanism derived from a smaller semi-empirical mechanism. The semi-empirical mechanism was advantageous as a starting point for reduction for ignition delay, but not for PSR calculations. Reduced mechanisms with as few as 12 species gave excellent results for n-heptane/air PSR calculations but 16-25 or more species are needed to simulate n-heptane ignition delay

Strong blue emission from ZnO nanocrystals synthesized in acetone-based solvent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efafi, B.; Majles Ara, M.H.; Mousavi, S.S.

2016-01-01

In this research, ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized by an improved sol–gel method. UV–vis, FTIR and photoluminescence spectra of the ZnO solution synthesized by this route indicated different properties compared to the other preparation methods. It was observed from FTIR that the sol (prepared using acetone) with the low concentration contains a noticeable amount of the Zn–O bond. The PL spectrum with a strong blue emission confirmed that these nanocrystals are good candidate for use in applications where a monochromatic emission is required. To the best of our knowledge, monochromatic emission ZnO devices have been fabricated through high technology instruments but this paper introduces a simple method for preparation of ZnO with the high intensity blue peak. The size and morphology of ZnO nanocrystals have been studied using FESEM. The nanocrystal size was estimated about 70 nm which was in good agreement with XRD data. - Highlights: • Preparation of ZnO nanocrystals through a novel method by the use of acetone as the solvent. • Observation of the strong blue emission peak from the ZnO prepared solution. • Reduction of green emission in the synthesized sample compared to the other methods of preparation.

Strong blue emission from ZnO nanocrystals synthesized in acetone-based solvent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Efafi, B. [NanoPhotonics Lab., Physics Department, Kharazmi University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Departments of Physics, Iran University of Science & Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Majles Ara, M.H., E-mail: majlesara@gmail.com [NanoPhotonics Lab., Physics Department, Kharazmi University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mousavi, S.S. [NanoPhotonics Lab., Physics Department, Kharazmi University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-10-15

In this research, ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized by an improved sol–gel method. UV–vis, FTIR and photoluminescence spectra of the ZnO solution synthesized by this route indicated different properties compared to the other preparation methods. It was observed from FTIR that the sol (prepared using acetone) with the low concentration contains a noticeable amount of the Zn–O bond. The PL spectrum with a strong blue emission confirmed that these nanocrystals are good candidate for use in applications where a monochromatic emission is required. To the best of our knowledge, monochromatic emission ZnO devices have been fabricated through high technology instruments but this paper introduces a simple method for preparation of ZnO with the high intensity blue peak. The size and morphology of ZnO nanocrystals have been studied using FESEM. The nanocrystal size was estimated about 70 nm which was in good agreement with XRD data. - Highlights: • Preparation of ZnO nanocrystals through a novel method by the use of acetone as the solvent. • Observation of the strong blue emission peak from the ZnO prepared solution. • Reduction of green emission in the synthesized sample compared to the other methods of preparation.

Atomic excitation and acceleration in strong laser fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimmermann, H; Eichmann, U

2016-01-01

Atomic excitation in the tunneling regime of a strong-field laser–matter interaction has been recently observed. It is conveniently explained by the concept of frustrated tunneling ionization (FTI), which naturally evolves from the well-established tunneling picture followed by classical dynamics of the electron in the combined laser field and Coulomb field of the ionic core. Important predictions of the FTI model such as the n distribution of Rydberg states after strong-field excitation and the dependence on the laser polarization have been confirmed in experiments. The model also establishes a sound basis to understand strong-field acceleration of neutral atoms in strong laser fields. The experimental observation has become possible recently and initiated a variety of experiments such as atomic acceleration in an intense standing wave and the survival of Rydberg states in strong laser fields. Furthermore, the experimental investigations on strong-field dissociation of molecules, where neutral excited fragments after the Coulomb explosion of simple molecules have been observed, can be explained. In this review, we introduce the subject and give an overview over relevant experiments supplemented by new results. (paper)

Strongly intensive quantities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorenstein, M. I.; Gazdzicki, M.

2011-01-01

Analysis of fluctuations of hadron production properties in collisions of relativistic particles profits from use of measurable intensive quantities which are independent of system size variations. The first family of such quantities was proposed in 1992; another is introduced in this paper. Furthermore we present a proof of independence of volume fluctuations for quantities from both families within the framework of the grand canonical ensemble. These quantities are referred to as strongly intensive ones. Influence of conservation laws and resonance decays is also discussed.

Effect of Dislocation Density on Deformation Behavior of Super Strong Bainitic Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Avishan

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Presence of nanoscale bainitic ferrites and high carbon retained austenites that are stable at ambient temperature within the microstructures of super strong bainitic steels makes it possible to achieve exceptional strengths and ductility properties in these groups of nanostructured steels. This article aims to study the effect of the dislocation density variations during tensile testing in ambient temperature on deformation behavior of nanostructured low temperature bainitic steels. Results indicate that dislocation absorption from bainitic ferrite subunits by surrounding retained austenite reduces the work hardening and therefore increases the formability of bainitic ferrite during deformation, which in turn results in a suitable combination of strength and ductility.

Spin effects in strong-field laser-electron interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahrens, S; Bauke, H; Müller, T-O; Villalba-Chávez, S; Müller, C

2013-01-01

The electron spin degree of freedom can play a significant role in relativistic scattering processes involving intense laser fields. In this contribution we discuss the influence of the electron spin on (i) Kapitza-Dirac scattering in an x-ray laser field of high intensity, (ii) photo-induced electron-positron pair production in a strong laser wave and (iii) multiphoton electron-positron pair production on an atomic nucleus. We show that in all cases under consideration the electron spin can have a characteristic impact on the process properties and their total probabilities. To this end, spin-resolved calculations based on the Dirac equation in the presence of an intense laser field are performed. The predictions from Dirac theory are also compared with the corresponding results from the Klein-Gordon equation.

Evaluation of the strong coupling constant {alpha}{sub s} using the ATLAS inclusive jet cross-section data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malaescu, B. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); Starovoitov, P. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

2012-03-15

We perform a determination of the strong coupling constant using the latest ATLAS inclusive jet cross section data, from proton-proton collisions at {radical}(s)=7 TeV, and their full information on the bin-to-bin correlations. Several procedures for combining the statistical information from the different data inputs are studied and compared. The theoretical prediction is obtained using NLO QCD, and it also includes non-perturbative corrections. Our determination uses inputs with transverse momenta between 45 and 600 GeV, the running of the strong coupling being also tested in this range. Good agreement is observed when comparing our result with the world average at the Z-boson scale, as well as with the most recent results from the Tevatron. (orig.)

Nonlinear charge reduction effect in strongly coupled plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarmah, D; Tessarotto, M; Salimullah, M

2006-01-01

The charge reduction effect, produced by the nonlinear Debye screening of high-Z charges occurring in strongly coupled plasmas, is investigated. An analytic asymptotic expression is obtained for the charge reduction factor (f c ) which determines the Debye-Hueckel potential generated by a charged test particle. Its relevant parametric dependencies are analysed and shown to predict a strong charge reduction effect in strongly coupled plasmas

Solution of the Eliashberg equations for a very strong electron-phonon coupling with a low-energy cutoff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weger, M.; Barbiellini, B.; Jarlborg, T.; Peter, M.; Santi, G.

1995-01-01

We solve the Eliashberg equations for the case of an explicit vector k dependence of the interactions, and of the resulting self-energies Σ 1 ( vector k,ω), Σ 2 ( vector k,ω). We consider a strong energy-dependence of the electron-electron scattering-rate τ ee -1 , which is associated with a strong energy-dependence of the electron-phonon matrix element g(k,k'). We characterize this energy-dependence by a cutoff ξ 1 , which is of the order of the phonon frequency ω ph . We find that we can account for a large number of unexpected features of the superconductivity of the cuprates by the BCS electron-phonon theory, if we consider very large values of the McMillan coupling constant λ ph , and small values of the cutoff ξ 1 . Specifically, the Coulomb interaction is found not to depress T c ; the isotope effect is strongly reduced when ξ 1 ph . We find solutions in which the gap function Δ( vector k,ω) has extended s-wave symmetry but is very anisotropic. We suggest that the underlying cause of the strong energy-dependence is a very small electronic screening parameter at the Fermi surface; the electron-phonon matrix element g is abnormally large, and this accounts for the high transition temperatures of the cuprates. An order of magnitude estimate suggests that the electron-phonon mechanism can account for transition temperatures up to about 200 K. We thus propose a very-strong-coupling theory, in which the renormalization functions, in particular the energy-renormalization X, depend very strongly on the superconducting gap Δ, and thus display a very strong temperature-dependence between T c and T=0. An experimental manifestation of the very strong coupling with a small cutoff is a zero bias anomaly sometimes observed in tunneling experiments. (orig.)

NMR surprizes with thin slices and strong gradients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaedke, Achim; Kresse, Benjamin [Institute of Condensed Matter Physics, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt (Germany); Nestle, Nikolaus

2008-07-01

In the context of our work on diffusion-relaxation-coupling in thin excited slices, we perform NMR experiments in static magnetic field gradients up to 200 T/m. For slice thicknesses in the range of 10{mu}m, the frequency bandwidth of the excited slices becomes sufficiently narrow that free induction decays (FIDs) become observable despite the presence of the strong static gradient. The observed FIDs were also simulated using standard methods from MRI physics. Possible effects of diffusion during the FID duration are still minor at this slice thickness in water but might become dominant for smaller slices or more diffusive media. Furthermore, the detailed excitation structure of the RF pulses was studied in profiling experiments over the edge of a plane liquid cell. Side lobe effects to the slices will be discussed along with approaches to control them. The spatial resolution achieved in the profiling experiments furthermore allows the identification of thermal expansion phenomena in the NMR magnet. Measures to reduce the temperature drift problems are presented.

Biocide immobilized OMMT-carbon dot reduced Cu2O nanohybrid/hyperbranched epoxy nanocomposites: Mechanical, thermal, antimicrobial and optical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

De, Bibekananda; Gupta, Kuldeep; Mandal, Manabendra; Karak, Niranjan

2015-11-01

The present work demonstrated a transparent thermosetting nanocomposite with antimicrobial and photoluminescence attributes. The nanocomposites are fabricated by incorporation of different wt.% (1, 2 and 3) of a biocide immobilized OMMT-carbon dot reduced Cu2O nanohybrid (MITH-NH) in the hyperbranched epoxy matrix. MITH-NH is obtained by immobilization of 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one hydrochloride (MITH) at room temperature using sonication on OMMT-carbon dot reduced Cu2O nanohybid. The nanohybrid is prepared by reduction of cupric acetate using carbon dot as the reducing agent in the presence of OMMT at 70°C. The significant improvements in tensile strength (~2 fold), elongation at break (3 fold), toughness (4 fold) and initial thermal degradation temperature (30°C) of the pristine hyperbranched epoxy system are achieved by incorporation of 3wt.% of MITH-NH in it. The nanocomposites exhibit strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria and Candida albicans, a fungus. The nanocomposite also shows significant activity against biofilm formation compared to the pristine thermoset. Further, the nanocomposite films emit different colors on exposure of different wavelengths of UV light. The properties of these nanocomposites are also compared with the same nanohybrid without OMMT. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Strong Nash Equilibria and the Potential Maimizer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Megen, F.J.C.; Facchini, G.; Borm, P.E.M.; Tijs, S.H.

1996-01-01

A class of non cooperative games characterized by a `congestion e ect' is studied, in which there exists a strong Nash equilibrium, and the set of Nash equilibria, the set of strong Nash equilibria and the set of strategy pro les maximizing the potential function coincide.The structure of the class

Large N baryons, strong coupling theory, quarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakita, B.

1984-01-01

It is shown that in QCD the large N limit is the same as the static strong coupling limit. By using the static strong coupling techniques some of the results of large N baryons are derived. The results are consistent with the large N SU(6) static quark model. (author)

Institutionalizing Strong Sustainability: A Rawlsian Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konrad Ott

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The article aims to provide some ethical orientation on how sustainability might be actualized by institutions. Since institutionalization is about rules and organization, it presupposes ideas and concepts by which institutions can be substantiated. After outlining terminology, the article deals with underlying ethical and conceptual problems which are highly relevant for any suggestions concerning institutionalization. These problems are: (a the ethical scope of the sustainability perspective (natural capital, poverty, sentient animals, (b the theory of justice on which ideas about sustainability are built (capability approach, Rawlsianism, and (c the favored concept of sustainability (weak, intermediate, and strong sustainability. These problems are analyzed in turn. As a result, a Rawlsian concept of rule-based strong sustainability is proposed. The specific problems of institutionalization are addressed by applying Rawls’s concept of branches. The article concludes with arguments in favor of three transnational duties which hold for states that have adopted Rawlsian strong sustainability.

A theory of the strong interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gross, D.J.

1979-01-01

The most promising candidate for a fundamental microscopic theory of the strong interactions is a gauge theory of colored quarks-Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). There are many excellent reasons for believing in this theory. It embodies the broken symmetries, SU(3) and chiral SU(3)xSU(3), of the strong interactions and reflects the success of (albeit crude) quark models in explaining the spectrum of the observed hadrons. The hidden quantum number of color, necessary to account for the quantum numbers of the low lying hadrons, plays a fundamental role in this theory as the SU(3) color gauge vector 'gluons' are the mediators of the strong interactions. The absence of physical quark states can be 'explained' by the hypothesis of color confinement i.e. that hadrons are permanently bound in color singlet bound states. Finally this theory is unique in being asymptotically free, thus accounting for the almost free field theory behvior of quarks observed at short distances. (Auth.)

Strong lensing of a regular black hole with an electrodynamics source

Science.gov (United States)

Manna, Tuhina; Rahaman, Farook; Molla, Sabiruddin; Bhadra, Jhumpa; Shah, Hasrat Hussain

2018-05-01

In this paper we have investigated the gravitational lensing phenomenon in the strong field regime for a regular, charged, static black holes with non-linear electrodynamics source. We have obtained the angle of deflection and compared it to a Schwarzschild black hole and Reissner Nordström black hole with similar properties. We have also done a graphical study of the relativistic image positions and magnifications. We hope that this method may be useful in the detection of non-luminous bodies like this current black hole.

A brief introduction to the strong CP problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Dan-di; Melbourne Univ., Parkville

1991-09-01

The present status of the strong CP problem is briefly reviewed in a heuristic way. A crisis in EDMN calculation is explained. The equation of vacuum alignment obtained by the author and collaborators last year put a constraint on strong CP parameters. Thus the strong CP will be forced to vanish in one of the three scenarios characterized by axion, zero quark mass, and vanishing quark condensate. 12 refs

Reducing retrogradation and lipid oxidation of normal and glutinous rice flours by adding mango peel powder.

Science.gov (United States)

Siriamornpun, Sirithon; Tangkhawanit, Ekkarat; Kaewseejan, Niwat

2016-06-15

Green and ripe mango peel powders (MPP) were added to normal rice flour (NRF) and glutinous rice flour (GRF) at three levels (400, 800 and 1200 ppm) and their effects on physicochemical properties and lipid oxidation inhibition were investigated. Overall, MPP increased the breakdown viscosity and reduced the final viscosity in rice flours when compared to the control. Decreasing in retrogradation was observed in both NRF and GRF with MPP added of all levels. MPP addition also significantly inhibited the lipid oxidation of all flours during storage (30 days). Retrogradation values were strongly negatively correlated with total phenolic and flavonoid contents, but not with fiber content. The hydrogen bonds and hydrophilic interactions between phenolic compounds with amylopectin molecule may be involved the decrease of starch retrogradation, especially GRF. We suggest that the addition of MPP not only reduced the retrogradation but also inhibited the lipid oxidation of rice flour. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimentally reduced corticosterone release promotes early breeding in black-legged kittiwakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Goutte, Aurélie; Clément-Chastel, Céline; Moe, Børge; Bech, Claus; Gabrielsen, Geir Wing; Chastel, Olivier

2011-06-15

Breeding at the right time is important for successful reproduction. In birds, stressful environmental conditions are known to delay the timing of breeding but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The stress hormone corticosterone appears to be a good candidate for mediating egg-laying date according to early environmental conditions and physiological state. By experimentally reducing the release of corticosterone in black-legged kittiwakes during the pre-laying period, we tested whether egg-laying date was mechanistically linked to corticosterone levels. Male and female kittiwakes were implanted with a low dose of exogenous corticosterone to inhibit endogenous corticosterone production. According to our predictions, the experimental reduction of corticosterone release was paralleled by a significant advancement of egg laying in females (around 4 days earlier). In addition, females with experimentally reduced corticosterone release gained mass during the pre-laying period compared with controls. Ultimately, the advancement of egg laying in females with experimentally reduced corticosterone levels was associated with an enhanced breeding success. This effect was strongly sex specific. In corticosterone-treated male kittiwakes, egg-laying date and reproductive success were not affected, but breeding probability was lower than in controls. This corticosterone treatment did not influence immediate clutch size, or return rate and breeding decision the following year. Our results support the hypothesis that corticosterone secretion during the pre-laying period mediates the timing of breeding in this long-lived seabird, possibly through the dynamics of energy reserves.

Strong-coupling approximations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbott, R.B.

1984-03-01

Standard path-integral techniques such as instanton calculations give good answers for weak-coupling problems, but become unreliable for strong-coupling. Here we consider a method of replacing the original potential by a suitably chosen harmonic oscillator potential. Physically this is motivated by the fact that potential barriers below the level of the ground-state energy of a quantum-mechanical system have little effect. Numerically, results are good, both for quantum-mechanical problems and for massive phi 4 field theory in 1 + 1 dimensions. 9 references, 6 figures

Jets in a strongly coupled anisotropic plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fadafan, Kazem Bitaghsir [Shahrood University of Technology, Faculty of Physics, Shahrood (Iran, Islamic Republic of); University of Southampton, STAG Research Centre Physics and Astronomy, Southampton (United Kingdom); Morad, Razieh [University of Cape Town, Department of Physics, Rondebosch (South Africa)

2018-01-15

In this paper, we study the dynamics of the light quark jet moving through the static, strongly coupled N = 4, anisotropic plasma with and without charge. The light quark is presented by a 2-parameters point-like initial condition falling string in the context of the AdS/CFT. We calculate the stopping distance of the light quark in the anisotropic medium and compare it with its isotropic value. We study the dependency of the stopping distance to the both string initial conditions and background parameters such as anisotropy parameter or chemical potential. Although the typical behavior of the string in the anisotropic medium is similar to the one in the isotropic AdS-Sch background, the string falls faster to the horizon depending on the direction of moving. Particularly, the enhancement of quenching is larger in the beam direction. We find that the suppression of stopping distance is more prominent when the anisotropic plasma have the same temperature as the isotropic plasma. (orig.)

Strong Electroweak Symmetry Breaking and Spin-0 Resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, Jared; Luty, Markus A.

2009-01-01

We argue that theories of the strong electroweak symmetry breaking sector necessarily contain new spin 0 states at the TeV scale in the tt and tb/bt channels, even if the third generation quarks are not composite at the TeV scale. These states couple sufficiently strongly to third generation quarks to have significant production at LHC via gg→φ 0 or gb→tφ - . The existence of narrow resonances in QCD suggests that the strong electroweak breaking sector contains narrow resonances that decay to tt or tb/bt, with potentially significant branching fractions to 3 or more longitudinal W and Z bosons. These may give new 'smoking gun' signals of strong electroweak symmetry breaking.

Reduced brain resting-state network specificity in infants compared with adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wylie KP

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Korey P Wylie,1,* Donald C Rojas,1,* Randal G Ross,1 Sharon K Hunter,1 Keeran Maharajh,1 Marc-Andre Cornier,2 Jason R Tregellas1,3 1Department of Psychiatry, 2Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; 3Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Infant resting-state networks do not exhibit the same connectivity patterns as those of young children and adults. Current theories of brain development emphasize developmental progression in regional and network specialization. We compared infant and adult functional connectivity, predicting that infants would exhibit less regional specificity and greater internetwork communication compared with adults.Patients and methods: Functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest was acquired in 12 healthy, term infants and 17 adults. Resting-state networks were extracted, using independent components analysis, and the resulting components were then compared between the adult and infant groups.Results: Adults exhibited stronger connectivity in the posterior cingulate cortex node of the default mode network, but infants had higher connectivity in medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex than adults. Adult connectivity was typically higher than infant connectivity within structures previously associated with the various networks, whereas infant connectivity was frequently higher outside of these structures. Internetwork communication was significantly higher in infants than in adults.Conclusion: We interpret these findings as consistent with evidence suggesting that resting-state network development is associated with increasing spatial specificity, possibly reflecting the corresponding functional specialization of regions and their interconnections through experience. Keywords: functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging

A participatory ergonomics approach to reduce mental and physical workload

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vink, P.; Peeters, M.; Grundemann, R.W.M.; Smulders, P.G.W.; Kompier, M.A.J.; Dul, J.

1995-01-01

A step-by-step approach to better work, aimed at reducing mental and physical workload in office work, is evaluated. This approach is based on a strong commitment of the management in the enterprise, and on as much direct worker participation as possible. After every step the workers proposed how to

Self-channeling of high-power laser pulses through strong atmospheric turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Peñano, J.; Palastro, J. P.; Hafizi, B.; Helle, M. H.; DiComo, G. P.

2017-07-01

We present an unusual example of truly long-range propagation of high-power laser pulses through strong atmospheric turbulence. A form of nonlinear self-channeling is achieved when the laser power is close to the self-focusing power of air and the transverse dimensions of the pulse are smaller than the coherence diameter of turbulence. In this mode, nonlinear self-focusing counteracts diffraction, and turbulence-induced spreading is greatly reduced. Furthermore, the laser intensity is below the ionization threshold so that multiphoton absorption and plasma defocusing are avoided. Simulations show that the pulse can propagate many Rayleigh lengths (several kilometers) while maintaining a high intensity. In the presence of aerosols, or other extinction mechanisms that deplete laser energy, the pulse can be chirped to maintain the channeling.

Quantum screening effects on the electron-ion occurrence scattering time advance in strongly coupled semiclassical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Mi-Young; Jung, Young-Dae

2003-01-01

Quantum screening effects on the occurrence scattering time advance for elastic electron-ion collisions in strongly coupled semiclassical plasmas are investigated using the second-order eikonal analysis. The electron-ion interaction in strongly coupled semiclassical plasmas is obtained by the pseudopotential model taking into account the plasma screening and quantum effects. It is found that the quantum-mechanical effects significantly reduce the occurrence scattering time advance. It is also found that the occurrence scattering time advance increases with increasing Debye length. It is quite interesting to note that the domain of the maximum occurrence time advance is localized for the forward scattering case. The region of the scaled thermal de Broglie wave length (λ-bar) for the maximum occurrence time advance is found to be 0.4≤λ-bar≤1.4

Intravenous hydrocortisone premedication reduces antibodies to infliximab in Crohn's disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, Richard J; Alsahli, Mazen; Jeen, Yoon-Tae; Falchuk, Kenneth R; Peppercorn, Mark A; Michetti, Pierre

2003-04-01

We assessed the relationship between antibodies to infliximab (ATI) and the loss of response postinfliximab, infusion reactions and, in a randomized trial, investigated whether intravenous hydrocortisone premedication can reduce ATI. Initially, we prospectively evaluated clinical response, adverse events, and ATI levels in 53 consecutive patients with Crohn's disease who received 199 infliximab (5 mg/kg) infusions. Subsequently, 80 patients with Crohn's disease were randomized to intravenous hydrocortisone 200 mg or placebo immediately before their first and subsequent infliximab infusions. The primary endpoint was reduction in median ATI levels at week 16. Analysis was by intention to treat. Nineteen of our initial 53 patients (36%) developed ATI, including all 7 patients with serious infusion reactions (median ATI level, 19.6 microg/mL). Eleven of 15 patients (73%) who lost their initial response were ATI positive compared with none of 21 continuous responders, (8.9 vs. 0.7 microg/mL, P < 0.0001). Administering a second infusion within 8 weeks of the first (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.03-0.5; P = 0.0007) or concurrent immunosuppressants (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.04-1.03; P = 0.007) significantly reduced ATI formation. In the placebo-controlled trial, ATI levels were lower at week 16 among hydrocortisone-treated patients (1.6 vs. 3.4 microg/mL, P = 0.02), and 26% of hydrocortisone-treated patients developed ATI compared with 42% of placebo-treated patients, P = 0.06. Loss of initial response and infusion reactions post-infliximab is strongly related to ATI formation and level. Administering a second infusion within 8 weeks of the first and concurrent immunosuppressant therapy significantly reduce ATI formation. Intravenous hydrocortisone premedication significantly reduces ATI levels but does not eliminate ATI formation or infusion reactions.

Intermittent strong transport of the quasi-adiabatic plasma state.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Chang-Bae; An, Chan-Yong; Min, Byunghoon

2018-06-05

The dynamics of the fluctuating electrostatic potential and the plasma density couched in the resistive-drift model at nearly adiabatic state are simulated. The linear modes are unstable if the phase difference between the potential and the density are positive. Exponential growth of the random small perturbations slows down due to the nonlinear E × B flows that work in two ways. They regulate the strength of the fluctuations by transferring the energy from the energy-producing scale to neighboring scales and reduce the cross phase at the same time. During quasi-steady relaxation sporadic appearance of very strong turbulent particle flux is observed that is characterized by the flat energy spectrum and the broad secondary peak in the mesoscale of the order of the gyro-radius. Such boost of the transport is found to be caused by presence of relatively large cross phase as the E × B flows are not effective in cancelling out the cross phase.

Steering neutral atoms in strong laser fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eilzer, S; Eichmann, U

2014-01-01

The seminal strong-field tunnelling theory introduced by L V Keldysh plays a pivotal role. It has shaped our understanding of atomic strong-field processes, where it represents the first step in complex ionisation dynamics and provides reliable tunnelling rates. Tunnelling rates, however, cannot be necessarily equated with ionisation rates. Taking into account the electron dynamics in the Coulomb potential following the tunnelling process, the process of frustrated tunnelling ionisation has been found to lead to excited Rydberg atoms. Here, we excite He atoms in the strong-field tunnelling regime into Rydberg states. A high percentage of these Rydberg atoms survive in high intensity laser fields. We exploit this fact together with their high polarisability to kinematically manipulate the Rydberg atoms with a second elliptically polarised focused strong laser field. By varying the spatial overlap of the two laser foci, we are able to selectively control the deflection of the Rydberg atoms. The results of semi-classical calculations, which are based on the frustrated tunnelling model and on the ponderomotive acceleration, are in accord with our experimental data. (paper)

Detecting reduced renal function in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Trine Borup; Jødal, Lars; Erlandsen, Erland J

2013-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to compare the ability of renal indicators [serum creatinine (SCr), cystatin C (SCysC)] and glomerular filtration rate (GFR)-models to discriminate normal and reduced renal function. As a single cut-off level will always lead to false classifications, we propose...... function was defined as a GFR ofcreatinine (SCr-ratio), and eight published GFR-models were compared for their ability to correctly classify renal function as normal or reduced. Cut-off levels were determined so as to give 99 % certainty outside the gray zone...

A Study on the Performance of Low Cost MEMS Sensors in Strong Motion Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Tanırcan, Gulum; Alçık, Hakan; Kaya, Yavuz; Beyen, Kemal

2017-04-01

Recent advances in sensors have helped the growth of local networks. In recent years, many Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS)-based accelerometers have been successfully used in seismology and earthquake engineering projects. This is basically due to the increased precision obtained in these downsized instruments. Moreover, they are cheaper alternatives to force-balance type accelerometers. In Turkey, though MEMS-based accelerometers have been used in various individual applications such as magnitude and location determination of earthquakes, structural health monitoring, earthquake early warning systems, MEMS-based strong motion networks are not currently available in other populated areas of the country. Motivation of this study comes from the fact that, if MEMS sensors are qualified to record strong motion parameters of large earthquakes, a dense network can be formed in an affordable price at highly populated areas. The goals of this study are 1) to test the performance of MEMS sensors, which are available in the inventory of the Institute through shake table tests, and 2) to setup a small scale network for observing online data transfer speed to a trusted in-house routine. In order to evaluate the suitability of sensors in strong motion related studies, MEMS sensors and a reference sensor are tested under excitations of sweeping waves as well as scaled earthquake recordings. Amplitude response and correlation coefficients versus frequencies are compared. As for earthquake recordings, comparisons are carried out in terms of strong motion(SM) parameters (PGA, PGV, AI, CAV) and elastic response of structures (Sa). Furthermore, this paper also focuses on sensitivity and selectivity for sensor performances in time-frequency domain to compare different sensing characteristics and analyzes the basic strong motion parameters that influence the design majors. Results show that the cheapest MEMS sensors under investigation are able to record the mid

Statistical Investigation on Coherent Vortex Structure in Turbulent Drag Reducing Channel Flow with Blown Polymer Solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishitsuka, Shota; Motozawa, Masaaki; Kawaguchi, Yasuo; Iwamoto, Kaoru; Ando, Hirotomo; Senda, Tetsuya

2011-01-01

Coherent vortex structure in turbulent drag-reducing channel flow with blown polymer solution from the wall was investigated. As a statistical analysis, we carried out Galilean decomposition, swirling strength and linear stochastic estimation of the PIV data obtained by the PIV measurement in x – y plane. Reynolds number based on bulk velocity and channel height was set to 40000. As a result, the angle of shear layer that cleared up by using Galilean decomposition becomes small in the drag-reducing flow. Q3 events were observed near the shear layer. In addition, as a result of linear stochastic estimation (LSE) based on swirling strength, we confirmed that the velocity under the vortex core is strong in the water flow. This result shows Q2 (ejection) are dominant in the water flow. However, in the drag-reducing flow with blown polymer solution, the velocity above the vortex core become strong, that is, Q4 (sweep) events are relatively strong around the vortex core. This is the result of Q4 events to come from the channel center region because the polymer solution does not exist in this region. The typical structure like this was observed in the drag -reducing flow with blown polymer solution from the wall.

Evaluation of mitigation strategies to reduce ammonia losses from slurry fertilisation on arable lands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carozzi, M., E-mail: marco.carozzi@unimi.it [University of Milan, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan (Italy); Ferrara, R.M.; Rana, G. [Consiglio per la Ricerca e sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Research Unit for Cropping Systems in Dry Environments, via C. Ulpiani, 5 – 70125 Bari (Italy); Acutis, M. [University of Milan, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan (Italy)

2013-04-01

To evaluate the best practices in reducing ammonia (NH{sub 3}) losses from fertilised arable lands, six field trials were carried out in three different locations in northern Italy. NH{sub 3} emissions from cattle slurry were estimated considering the spreading techniques and the field incorporation procedures. The measurements were performed using long term exposure samplers associated to the determination of the atmospheric turbulence and the use of the backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLS) model WindTrax. The results obtained indicate that the NH{sub 3} emission process was exhausted in the first 24–48 h after slurry spreading. The slurry incorporation technique was able to reduce the NH{sub 3} losses with respect to the surface spreading, where a contextual incorporation led to reductions up to 87%. However, the best abatement strategy for NH{sub 3} losses from slurry applications has proved to be the direct injection into the soil, with a reduction of about 95% with respect to the surface spreading. The results obtained highlight the strong dependence of the volatilisation phenomenon by soil and weather conditions. - Highlights: ► Ammonia emissions from land-application of slurry were quantified. ► We examined and compared six different agronomic treatments in three locations. ► The faster was the soil-incorporation of slurry, the lower was the ammonia loss. ► The direct injection of slurry was found to be the best abatement strategy. ► The environmental factors were able to strongly influence the ammonia emission.

The CO/NOx emissions of swirled, strongly pulsed jet diffusion flames

KAUST Repository

Liao, Ying-Hao

2014-05-28

The CO and NOx exhaust emissions of swirled, strongly pulsed, turbulent jet diffusion flames were studied experimentally in a coflow swirl combustor. Measurements of emissions were performed on the combustor centerline using standard emission analyzers combined with an aspirated sampling probe located downstream of the visible flame tip. The highest levels of CO emissions are generally found for compact, isolated flame puffs, which is consistent with the quenching due to rapid dilution with excess air. The imposition of swirl generally results in a decrease in CO levels by up to a factor of 2.5, suggesting more rapid and compete fuel/air mixing by imposing swirl in the coflow stream. The levels of NO emissions for most cases are generally below the steady-flame value. The NO levels become comparable to the steady-flame value for sufficiently short jet-off times. The swirled coflow air can, in some cases, increase the NO emissions due to a longer combustion residence time due to the flow recirculation within the swirl-induced recirculation zone. Scaling relations, when taking into account the impact of air dilution over an injection cycle on the flame length, reveal a strong correlation between the CO emissions and the global residence time. However, the NO emissions do not successfully correlate with the global residence time. For some specific cases, a compact flame with a simultaneous decrease in both CO and NO emissions compared to the steady flames was observed. © Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

First-principles study of strong correlation effects in pyrochlore iridates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shinaoka, Hiroshi [Department of Physics, Saitama University (Japan); Hoshino, Shintaro [Department of Basic Science, The University of Tokyo (Japan); Troyer, Matthias [Theoretische Physik, ETH Zuerich (Switzerland); Werner, Philipp [Department of Physics, University of Fribourg (Switzerland)

2016-07-01

The pyrochlore iridates A{sub 2}Ir{sub 2}O{sub 7} (A=Pr, Nd, Y, etc.) are an ideal system to study fascinating phenomena induced by strong electron correlations and spin-orbit coupling. In this talk, we study strong correlation effects in the prototype compound Y{sub 2}Ir{sub 2}O{sub 7} using the local density approximation and dynamical mean-field theory (LDA+DMFT). We map out the phase diagram in the space of temperature, onsite Coulomb repulsion U, and filling. Consistent with experiments, we find that an all-in/all-out ordered insulating phase is stable for realistic values of U. We reveal the importance of the hybridization between j{sub eff} = 1/2 and j{sub eff} = 3/2 states under the Coulomb interaction and trigonal crystal field. We demonstrate a substantial band narrowing in the paramagnetic metallic phase and non-Fermi liquid behavior in the electron/hole doped system originating from long-lived quasi-spin moments induced by nearly flat bands. We further compare our results with recent experimental results of Eu{sub 2}Ir{sub 2}O{sub 7} under hydrostatic pressure.

Caspase-1 deficiency reduces intestinal and hepatic triglyceride-rich lipoprotein secretion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diepen, van Janna A.; Stienstra, Rinke; Hooiveld, Guido; Willems van Dijk, Ko; Rensen, Patrick C.

2013-01-01

Background and Aims: Inflammasome-mediated caspase-1 activity regulates the maturation and release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18. Recently, we showed that caspase-1 deficiency strongly reduces high fat diet-induced adiposity although the mechanism is still unclear.

Solid strong base K-Pt/NaY zeolite nano-catalytic system for completed elimination of formaldehyde at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Shaoqing; Wu, Xi; Lu, Changhai; Wen, Meicheng; Le, Zhanggao; Jiang, Shujuan

2018-06-01

Solid strong base nano-catalytic system of K-modification NaY zeolite supported 0.08% Pt (K-Pt/NaY) were constructed for eliminating HCHO at room temperature. In the catalytic process, activation energy over K-Pt/NaY nano-catalytic system was greatly decreased along with the enhanced reaction rate. Characterization and catalytic tests revealed the surface electron structure of K-Pt/NaY was improved, as reflected by the enhanced HCHO adsorption capability, high sbnd OH concentration, and low-temperature reducibility. Therefore, the optimal K-Pt/NaY showed high catalytic efficiency and strong H2O tolerance for HCHO elimination by directly promoting the reaction between active sbnd OH and formate species. These results may suggest a new way for probing the advanced solid strong base nano-catalytic system for the catalytic elimination of indoor HCHO.

Reduced transport and ER shearing in improved confinement regimes in JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirai, H.; Kikuchi, M.; Takizuka, T.

2001-01-01

The global confinement and the local transport properties of improved core confinement plasmas in JT-60U have been studied in connection with E r shear formation. The improved core confinement mode with ITB, the internal transport barrier, is roughly classified into 'parabolic' type ITBs and 'box' type ITBs. The parabolic type ITB has the reduced thermal diffusivity, χ, in the core region; however, the E r shear, dE r /dr, is not so strong. The box type ITB has a very strong E r shear at the thin ITB layer and the χ value decreases to the level of neoclassical transport there. The estimated ExB shearing rate, ω ExB , becomes almost the same as the linear growth rate of the drift microinstability, γ L , at the ITB layer in the box type ITB. Experiments of hot ion mode plasmas during the repetitive L-H-L transition shows that the thermal diffusivity clearly depends on the E r shear and the strong E r shear contributes to the reduced thermal diffusivity. (author)

Reduced transport and Er shearing in improved confinement regimes in JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirai, H.; Kikuchi, M.; Takizuka, T.

1999-01-01

The global confinement and the local transport properties of improved core confinement plasmas in JT-60U were studied in connection with E r shear formation. In the improved core confinement mode with internal transport barriers (ITBs), these are roughly classified into 'parabolic type' ITBs and 'box type' ITBs. The parabolic type ITB has a reduced thermal diffusivity χ in the core region; however, the E r shear, dE r /dr, is not as strong. The box type ITB has a very strong E r shear at the thin ITB layer and χ decreases to the level of neoclassical transport there. The estimated E x B shearing rate, ω ExB , becomes almost the same as the linear growth rate of the drift microinstability, γ L , at the ITB layer in the box type ITB. Experiments with hot ion mode plasmas during the repetitive L-H-L transition showed that the thermal diffusivity clearly depends on the E r shear and the strong E r shear contributes to the reduced thermal diffusivity. (author)

Potent neutralizing anti-CD1d antibody reduces lung cytokine release in primate asthma model.

Science.gov (United States)

Nambiar, Jonathan; Clarke, Adam W; Shim, Doris; Mabon, David; Tian, Chen; Windloch, Karolina; Buhmann, Chris; Corazon, Beau; Lindgren, Matilda; Pollard, Matthew; Domagala, Teresa; Poulton, Lynn; Doyle, Anthony G

2015-01-01

CD1d is a receptor on antigen-presenting cells involved in triggering cell populations, particularly natural killer T (NKT) cells, to release high levels of cytokines. NKT cells are implicated in asthma pathology and blockade of the CD1d/NKT cell pathway may have therapeutic potential. We developed a potent anti-human CD1d antibody (NIB.2) that possesses high affinity for human and cynomolgus macaque CD1d (KD ∼100 pM) and strong neutralizing activity in human primary cell-based assays (IC50 typically <100 pM). By epitope mapping experiments, we showed that NIB.2 binds to CD1d in close proximity to the interface of CD1d and the Type 1 NKT cell receptor β-chain. Together with data showing that NIB.2 inhibited stimulation via CD1d loaded with different glycolipids, this supports a mechanism whereby NIB.2 inhibits NKT cell activation by inhibiting Type 1 NKT cell receptor β-chain interactions with CD1d, independent of the lipid antigen in the CD1d antigen-binding cleft. The strong in vitro potency of NIB.2 was reflected in vivo in an Ascaris suum cynomolgus macaque asthma model. Compared with vehicle control, NIB.2 treatment significantly reduced bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) levels of Ascaris-induced cytokines IL-5, IL-8 and IL-1 receptor antagonist, and significantly reduced baseline levels of GM-CSF, IL-6, IL-15, IL-12/23p40, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and VEGF. At a cellular population level NIB.2 also reduced numbers of BAL lymphocytes and macrophages, and blood eosinophils and basophils. We demonstrate that anti-CD1d antibody blockade of the CD1d/NKT pathway modulates inflammatory parameters in vivo in a primate inflammation model, with therapeutic potential for diseases where the local cytokine milieu is critical.

Low genetic diversity and strong population structure shaped by anthropogenic habitat fragmentation in a critically endangered primate, Trachypithecus leucocephalus.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, W; Qiao, Y; Li, S; Pan, W; Yao, M

2017-06-01

Habitat fragmentation may strongly impact population genetic structure and reduce the genetic diversity and viability of small and isolated populations. The white-headed langur (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) is a critically endangered primate species living in a highly fragmented and human-modified habitat in southern China. We examined the population genetic structure and genetic diversity of the species and investigated the environmental and anthropogenic factors that may have shaped its population structure. We used 214 unique multi-locus genotypes from 41 social groups across the main distribution area of T. leucocephalus, and found strong genetic structure and significant genetic differentiation among local populations. Our landscape genetic analyses using a causal modelling framework suggest that a large habitat gap and geographical distance represent the primary landscape elements shaping genetic structure, yet high levels of genetic differentiation also exist between patches separated by a small habitat gap or road. This is the first comprehensive study that has evaluated the population genetic structure and diversity of T. leucocephalus using nuclear markers. Our results indicate strong negative impacts of anthropogenic land modifications and habitat fragmentation on primate genetic connectivity between forest patches. Our analyses suggest that two management units of the species could be defined, and indicate that habitat continuity should be enforced and restored to reduce genetic isolation and enhance population viability.

Strongly-correlated ultracold atoms in optical lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dao, Tung-Lam

2008-01-01

liquids, but also in unusual phases such as the normal state of high-temperature superconductivity with a pseudo gap (leading to a differentiation between nodes and anti-nodes) observed in condensed mater physics. In the second part of this thesis, we have performed theoretical studies of several phases of strongly correlated fermions in optical lattices in the framework of theoretical models such as the Hubbard model. We have implemented and developed analytical methods (Hartree-Fock mean field theory at weak coupling, mapping on a effective spin model at strong coupling) and numerical methods (the dynamic mean field theory approach). This work has led to two particular types of studies. The first one studies the competition between a superfluid phase and a density wave (or phase separation) for fermions with mass imbalance and attractive interaction. We have shown that the superfluid phase is unstable beyond a certain value of the mass ratio, which depends on the interaction. The second study treats a gas with imbalanced populations (polarized gas) with an attractive interaction in a three dimensional optical lattice. The main result is a phase diagram showing the stability of a uniform superfluid phase with polarization (Sarma phase or breached pair phase) in a certain parameter regime. Via an energetic argument, we concluded that the stability of the polarized superfluid phase is due to the reduction of the polarizability and the critical field of the non-polarized superfluid phase. In the strong coupling regime of the Hubbard model, within the DMFT method, we have shown that the formation of the preformed pair in the normal state reduces the polarizability and favors the stability of the breached pair phase. Although some aspects have been addressed in this thesis, many interesting questions still remain open for future work. In the first part, the framework of the novel spectroscopy method established in chapter 2 can allow for different concrete studies of the

Cooling Curve of Strange Star in Strong Magnetic Field

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Xiao-Qin; LUO Zhi-Quan

2008-01-01

In this paper, firstly, we investigate the neutrino emissivity from quark Urca process in strong magnetic field. Then, we discuss the heat capacity of strange stars in strong magnetic field. Finally, we give the cooling curve in strong magnetic field. In order to make a comparison, we also give the corresponding cooling curve in the case of null magnetic field. It turns out that strange stars cool faster in strong magnetic field than that without magnetic field.

Strong seismic ground motion propagation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seale, S.; Archuleta, R.; Pecker, A.; Bouchon, M.; Mohammadioun, G.; Murphy, A.; Mohammadioun, B.

1988-10-01

At the McGee Creek, California, site, 3-component strong-motion accelerometers are located at depths of 166 m, 35 m and 0 m. The surface material is glacial moraine, to a depth of 30.5 m, overlying homfels. Accelerations were recorded from two California earthquakes: Round Valley, M L 5.8, November 23, 1984, 18:08 UTC and Chalfant Valley, M L 6.4, July 21, 1986, 14:42 UTC. By separating out the SH components of acceleration, we were able to determine the orientations of the downhole instruments. By separating out the SV component of acceleration, we were able to determine the approximate angle of incidence of the signal at 166 m. A constant phase velocity Haskell-Thomson model was applied to generate synthetic SH seismograms at the surface using the accelerations recorded at 166 m. In the frequency band 0.0 - 10.0 Hz, we compared the filtered synthetic records to the filtered surface data. The onset of the SH pulse is clearly seen, as are the reflections from the interface at 30.5 m. The synthetic record closely matches the data in amplitude and phase. The fit between the synthetic accelerogram and the data shows that the seismic amplification at the surface is a result of the contrast of the impedances (shear stiffnesses) of the near surface materials

A Discovery of Strong Metal-Support Bonding in Nanoengineered Au-Fe3O4 Dumbbell-like Nanoparticles by in Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chang Wan; Choksi, Tej; Milligan, Cory; Majumdar, Paulami; Manto, Michael; Cui, Yanran; Sang, Xiahan; Unocic, Raymond R; Zemlyanov, Dmitry; Wang, Chao; Ribeiro, Fabio H; Greeley, Jeffrey; Ortalan, Volkan

2017-08-09

The strength of metal-support bonding in heterogeneous catalysts determines their thermal stability, therefore, a tremendous amount of effort has been expended to understand metal-support interactions. Herein, we report the discovery of an anomalous "strong metal-support bonding" between gold nanoparticles and "nano-engineered" Fe 3 O 4 substrates by in situ microscopy. During in situ vacuum annealing of Au-Fe 3 O 4 dumbbell-like nanoparticles, synthesized by the epitaxial growth of nano-Fe 3 O 4 on Au nanoparticles, the gold nanoparticles transform into the gold thin films and wet the surface of nano-Fe 3 O 4 , as the surface reduction of nano-Fe 3 O 4 proceeds. This phenomenon results from a unique coupling of the size-and shape-dependent high surface reducibility of nano-Fe 3 O 4 and the extremely strong adhesion between Au and the reduced Fe 3 O 4 . This strong metal-support bonding reveals the significance of controlling the metal oxide support size and morphology for optimizing metal-support bonding and ultimately for the development of improved catalysts and functional nanostructures.

Do restrictive omnibus immigration laws reduce enrollment in public health insurance by Latino citizen children? A comparative interrupted time series study.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Chenoa D; McNeely, Clea A

2017-10-01

In the United States, there is concern that recent state laws restricting undocumented immigrants' rights could threaten access to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for citizen children of immigrant parents. Of particular concern are omnibus immigration laws, state laws that include multiple provisions increasing immigration enforcement and restricting rights for undocumented immigrants. These laws could limit Medicaid/CHIP access for citizen children in immigrant families by creating misinformation about their eligibility and fostering fear and mistrust of government among immigrant parents. This study uses nationally-representative data from the National Health Interview Survey (2005-2014; n = 70,187) and comparative interrupted time series methods to assess whether passage of state omnibus immigration laws reduced access to Medicaid/CHIP for US citizen Latino children. We found that law passage did not reduce enrollment for children with noncitizen parents and actually resulted in temporary increases in coverage among Latino children with at least one citizen parent. These findings are surprising in light of prior research. We offer potential explanations for this finding and conclude with a call for future research to be expanded in three ways: 1) examine whether policy effects vary for children of undocumented parents, compared to children whose noncitizen parents are legally present; 2) examine the joint effects of immigration-related policies at different levels, from the city or county to the state to the federal; and 3) draw on the large social movements and political mobilization literature that describes when and how Latinos and immigrants push back against restrictive immigration laws. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of music therapy compared with general recreational activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Vink, A C; Zuidersma, M; Boersma, F; de Jonge, P; Zuidema, S U; Slaets, J P J

2013-10-01

This study aimed to compare the effects of music therapy with general recreational day activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia, residing in nursing home facilities. In a randomised controlled design, residents with dementia (n = 94) were allocated to either music therapy or recreational activities. Both music therapy and general activities were offered twice weekly for 4 months. Changes in agitation were measured with a modified Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) at four intervals on each intervention day. A mixed model analysis was used to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy, compared with general activities, on CMAI scores at 4 h after the intervention, controlled for CMAI scores at 1 h before the session and session number. Data were analysed for 77 residents (43 randomised to music therapy and 34 to general activities). In both groups, the intervention resulted in a decrease in agitated behaviours from 1 h before to 4 h after each session. This decrease was somewhat greater in the music therapy group than in the general activities group, but this difference was statistically not significant (F = 2.885, p = 0.090) and disappeared completely after adjustment for Global Deterioration Scale stage (F = 1.500; p = 0.222). Both music therapy and recreational activities lead to a short-term decrease in agitation, but there was no additional beneficial effect of music therapy over general activities. More research is required to provide insight in the effects of music therapy in reducing agitation in demented older people. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Strong Proximities on Smooth Manifolds and Vorono\\" i Diagrams

OpenAIRE

Peters, J. F.; Guadagni, C.

2015-01-01

This article introduces strongly near smooth manifolds. The main results are (i) second countability of the strongly hit and far-miss topology on a family $\\mathcal{B}$ of subsets on the Lodato proximity space of regular open sets to which singletons are added, (ii) manifold strong proximity, (iii) strong proximity of charts in manifold atlases implies that the charts have nonempty intersection. The application of these results is given in terms of the nearness of atlases and charts of proxim...

QCD : the theory of strong interactions Conference MT17

CERN Multimedia

2001-01-01

The theory of strong interactions,Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), predicts that the strong interaction is transmitted by the exchange of particles called gluons. Unlike the messengers of electromagnetism photons, which are electrically neutral - gluons carry a strong charge associated with the interaction they mediate. QCD predicts that the strength of the interaction between quarks and gluons becomes weaker at higher energies. LEP has measured the evolution of the strong coupling constant up to energies of 200 GeV and has confirmed this prediction.

What if LIGO's gravitational wave detections are strongly lensed by massive galaxy clusters?

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Graham P.; Jauzac, Mathilde; Veitch, John; Farr, Will M.; Massey, Richard; Richard, Johan

2018-04-01

Motivated by the preponderance of so-called `heavy black holes' in the binary black hole (BBH) gravitational wave (GW) detections to date, and the role that gravitational lensing continues to play in discovering new galaxy populations, we explore the possibility that the GWs are strongly lensed by massive galaxy clusters. For example, if one of the GW sources were actually located at z = 1, then the rest-frame mass of the associated BHs would be reduced by a factor of ˜2. Based on the known populations of BBH GW sources and strong-lensing clusters, we estimate a conservative lower limit on the number of BBH mergers detected per detector year at LIGO/Virgo's current sensitivity that are multiply-imaged, of Rdetect ≃ 10-5 yr-1. This is equivalent to rejecting the hypothesis that one of the BBH GWs detected to date was multiply-imaged at ≲4σ. It is therefore unlikely, but not impossible, that one of the GWs is multiply-imaged. We identify three spectroscopically confirmed strong-lensing clusters with well-constrained mass models within the 90 per cent credible sky localizations of the BBH GWs from LIGO's first observing run. In the event that one of these clusters multiply-imaged one of the BBH GWs, we predict that 20-60 per cent of the putative next appearances of the GWs would be detectable by LIGO, and that they would arrive at Earth within 3yr of first detection.

Simulation of weak and strong Langmuir collapse regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadzievski, L.R.; Skoric, M.M.; Kono, M.; Sato, T.

1998-01-01

In order to check the validity of the self-similar solutions and the existence of weak and strong collapse regimes, direct two dimensional simulation of the time evolution of a Langmuir soliton instability is performed. Simulation is based on the Zakharov model of strong Langmuir turbulence in a weakly magnetized plasma accounting for the full ion dynamics. For parameters considered, agreement with self-similar dynamics of the weak collapse type is found with no evidence of the strong Langmuir collapse. (author)

Two-step excitation structure changes of luminescence centers and strong tunable blue emission on surface of silica nanospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Lei, E-mail: nanoyang@qq.com; Jiang, Zhongcheng; Dong, Jiazhang; Zhang, Liuqian [Hunan University, College of Materials Science and Engineering (China); Pan, Anlian, E-mail: anlian.pan@gmail.com; Zhuang, Xiujuan [Hunan University, Key Laboratory for Micro-Nano Physics and Technology of Hunan Province (China)

2015-10-15

We report a scheme for investigating two-step stimulated structure change of luminescence centers. Amorphous silica nanospheres with uniform diameter of 9–15 nm have been synthesized by Stöber method. Strong hydroxyl-related infrared-absorption band is observed in infrared spectrum. The surface hydroxyl groups exert great influence on the luminescent behavior of silica. They provide stable and intermediate energy states to accommodate excitation electrons. The existence of these surface states reduces the energy barrier of photochemical reactions, creating conditions for two-step excitation process. By carefully examining excitation and emission process, the nearest excitation band is absent in both optical absorption spectrum and excitation spectrum. This later generated state confirms the generation of new luminescence centers as well as the existence of photochemical reactions. Stimulated by different energies, two-step excitation process impels different photochemical reactions, prompting generation of different lattice defects on surface area of silica. Thereby, tunable luminescence is achieved. After thermal treatment, strong gap excitation band appears with the disappearance of strong surface excitation band. Strong blue luminescence also disappears. The research is significance to precise introducing structural defects and controlling position of luminescence peaks.

Avian response to tidal freshwater habitat creation by controlled reduced tide system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beauchard, O.; Jacobs, S.; Ysebaert, T.; Meire, P.

2013-01-01

Human activities have caused extensive loss of estuarine wetlands, and the restoration of functional habitats remains a challenging task given several physical constraints in strongly embanked estuaries. In the Schelde estuary (Belgium), a new tidal marsh restoration technique, Controlled Reduced

QCD : the theory of strong interactions Exhibition LEPFest 2000

CERN Multimedia

2000-01-01

The theory of strong interactions,Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD),predicts that the strong interac- tion is transmitted by the exchange of particles called glu- ons.Unlike the messengers of electromagnetism -pho- tons,which are electrically neutral -gluons carry a strong charge associated with the interaction they mediate. QCD predicts that the strength of the interaction between quarks and gluons becomes weaker at higher energies.LEP has measured the evolution of the strong coupling constant up to energies of 200 GeV and has confirmed this prediction.

On the measurement of comparative advantage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoen, A.R.; Oosterhaven, J.

This paper shows-that the standard measure of revealed comparative advantage (RCA), ranging from 0 to infinity, has problematic properties. Due to its multiplicative specification, it has a moving mean larger than its expected value of 1, while its distribution strongly depends on the number of

Biomineralization of radioactive sulfide minerals in strong acidic Tamagawa hot springs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tazaki, Kazue; Watanabe, Hiroaki

2004-01-01

Bioaccumulation of radioactive sulfide minerals by bacteria in strong acidic hot spring water was found at Tamagawa Hot Springs, Akita prefecture in Japan. The hot spring water produces Hokutolite of radioactive minerals high radium and radon. The β-ray measurements of sediments and biofilms indicate 1850-2420 and 5700 cpm, respectively, which are 50-100 times higher than that of the water and the air (50-90 cpm). The characteristics of hot spring water show pH (1.2), Eh (140 mV), EC (29 mS/cm), DO (0.8 mg/l), and water temperature (99.5degC), indicating extremely strong acidic and reducing conditions. The hot spring water contains mainly HCl associated with high concentrations of Ca 2+ , Al 3+ , Fe 2+ , HSO 4 - and SO 4 2- . SEM-EDX and TEM demonstrate some insight into how microorganisms affect the chemistry and microbiological characteristics of the strong acidic surroundings with high S, As, Ba, and Ca contents in biofilms. Especially SEM-EDX, ED-XRF, and STEM-EDX elemental content maps illustrate the distribution of sulfur-bearing compounds of barite (BaSO 4 ), gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O), elemental sulfur (S) and orpiment(As 2 S 3 ) in the reddish orange biofilms. The presence of a hydrogen sulfide-rich (H 2 S) thermal spring and gypsum deposits suggest the volatilization of H 2 S from the spring water, oxidation of the H 2 S gas to sulfuric acid, and reaction of the sulfuric acid. TEM micrographs of bacteria in the biofilms reveal in detail the intimate connections between biological and mineralogical processes that the cells are entirely accumulated with spherical grains, 100∼200 nm in diameter. The relationship among sulfide minerals, such as barite, gypsum, sulfur, orpiment, and Hakutolite, associated with bacteria implies that heavy metals have been transported from strong acidic hot spring water to sediments through bacteria metabolism. It is possible that the capability of radioactive sulfide biofilms for heavy metal immobilization can be used to

A Computer-Based Intervention to Reduce Internalized Heterosexism in Men

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yen-Jui; Israel, Tania

2012-01-01

Internalized heterosexism (IH) is a strong predictor of the psychological well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), or other same-sex attracted individuals. To respond to the call for interventions to address IH, the current study developed and tested an online intervention to reduce IH among gay, bisexual, and other same-sex attracted men. A…

Synthesis and strong photooxidation power of a supramolecular hybrid comprising a polyoxometalate and Ru(II) polypyridyl complex with zinc(II).

Science.gov (United States)

Ohashi, Kenji; Takeda, Hiroyuki; Koike, Kazuhide; Ishitani, Osamu

2015-01-01

A novel method for constructing supramolecular hybrids composed of polyoxometalates and photofunctional metal complexes was developed. A Ru(II) complex with phosphonate groups (RuP) strongly interacted with Zn(II) to afford a 2 : 1 trinuclear metal complex ([(RuP)2Zn](3+)). In dimethylsulfoxide, [(RuP)2Zn](3+) strongly interacted with a Keggin-type heteropolyoxometalate (Si-WPOM) to form a 1 : 1 hybrid ([(RuP)2Zn]-POM). Irradiation of [(RuP)2Zn]-POM in the presence of diethanolamine caused rapid accumulation of the one-electron reduced hybrid with a quantum yield of 0.99.

Great hammerhead sharks swim on their side to reduce transport costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Nicholas L; Iosilevskii, Gil; Barnett, Adam; Fischer, Chris; Graham, Rachel T; Gleiss, Adrian C; Watanabe, Yuuki Y

2016-07-26

Animals exhibit various physiological and behavioural strategies for minimizing travel costs. Fins of aquatic animals play key roles in efficient travel and, for sharks, the functions of dorsal and pectoral fins are considered well divided: the former assists propulsion and generates lateral hydrodynamic forces during turns and the latter generates vertical forces that offset sharks' negative buoyancy. Here we show that great hammerhead sharks drastically reconfigure the function of these structures, using an exaggerated dorsal fin to generate lift by swimming rolled on their side. Tagged wild sharks spend up to 90% of time swimming at roll angles between 50° and 75°, and hydrodynamic modelling shows that doing so reduces drag-and in turn, the cost of transport-by around 10% compared with traditional upright swimming. Employment of such a strongly selected feature for such a unique purpose raises interesting questions about evolutionary pathways to hydrodynamic adaptations, and our perception of form and function.

The North Atlantic Ocean Is in a State of Reduced Overturning

Science.gov (United States)

Smeed, D. A.; Josey, S. A.; Beaulieu, C.; Johns, W. E.; Moat, B. I.; Frajka-Williams, E.; Rayner, D.; Meinen, C. S.; Baringer, M. O.; Bryden, H. L.; McCarthy, G. D.

2018-02-01

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is responsible for a variable and climatically important northward transport of heat. Using data from an array of instruments that span the Atlantic at 26°N, we show that the AMOC has been in a state of reduced overturning since 2008 as compared to 2004-2008. This change of AMOC state is concurrent with other changes in the North Atlantic such as a northward shift and broadening of the Gulf Stream and altered patterns of heat content and sea surface temperature. These changes resemble the response to a declining AMOC predicted by coupled climate models. Concurrent changes in air-sea fluxes close to the western boundary reveal that the changes in ocean heat transport and sea surface temperature have altered the pattern of ocean-atmosphere heat exchange over the North Atlantic. These results provide strong observational evidence that the AMOC is a major factor in decadal-scale variability of North Atlantic climate.

The Statistical Analysis of Migration of Strong Earthquakes-Taking the North China Region as an Example

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Qin Chengzhi; Zhou Chenghu; Pei Tao; Li Quanlin

2004-01-01

The migration of strong earthquakes is an important research topic because the migration phenomena reflect partly the seismic mechanism and involve the prediction of tendency of seismic activity. Research on migration of strong earthquakes has mostly focused on finding the phenomena. Some attempts on getting regularity were comparatively subjective. This paper suggests that there should be indices of migration in earthquake dataset and the indexes should have statistical meaning if there is regularity in the migration of strong earthquakes. In this study, three derivative attributes of migration, i.e., migration orientation, migration distance and migration time interval, were statistically analyzed. Results in the North China region show that the migration of strong earthquakes has statistical meaning. There is a dominant migration orientation (W by S to E by N), a dominant distance ( ≤ 100km and on the confines of 300 ～ 700km), and a dominant time interval ( ≤ 1 a and on the confines of 3 ～ 4a). The results also show that the migration will differ slightly with different magnitude range or earthquake activity phase.

Strong SH-to-Love wave scattering off the Southern California Continental Borderland

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Chunquan; Zhan, Zhongwen; Hauksson, Egill; Cochran, Elizabeth S.

2017-01-01

Seismic scattering is commonly observed and results from wave propagation in heterogeneous medium. Yet, deterministic characterization of scatterers associated with lateral heterogeneities remains challenging. In this study, we analyze broadband waveforms recorded by the Southern California Seismic Network and observe strongly scattered Love waves following the arrival of teleseismic SH wave. These scattered Love waves travel approximately in the same (azimuthal) direction as the incident SH wave at a dominant period of ~10 s but at an apparent velocity of ~3.6 km/s as compared to the ~11 km/s for the SH wave. Back-projection suggests that this strong scattering is associated with pronounced bathymetric relief in the Southern California Continental Borderland, in particular the Patton Escarpment. Finite-difference simulations using a simplified 2-D bathymetric and crustal model are able to predict the arrival times and amplitudes of major scatterers. The modeling suggests a relatively low shear wave velocity in the Continental Borderland.

Quantum Wronskian approach to six-point gluon scattering amplitudes at strong coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatsuda, Yasuyuki; Ito, Katsushi; Satoh, Yuji; Suzuki, Junji

2014-06-01

We study the six-point gluon scattering amplitudes in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory at strong coupling based on the twisted Z 4 -symmetric integrable model. The lattice regularization allows us to derive the associated thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA) equations as well as the functional relations among the Q-/T-/Y-functions. The quantum Wronskian relation for the Q-/T-functions plays an important role in determining a series of the expansion coefficients of the T-/Y-functions around the UV limit, including the dependence on the twist parameter. Studying the CFT limit of the TBA equations, we derive the leading analytic expansion of the remainder function for the general kinematics around the limit where the dual Wilson loops become regular-polygonal. We also compare the rescaled remainder functions at strong coupling with those at two, three and four loops, and find that they are close to each other along the trajectories parameterized by the scale parameter of the integrable model.

Spin quenching assisted by a strongly anisotropic compression behavior in MnP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Fei; Wang, Di; Wang, Yonggang; Li, Nana; Bao, Jin-Ke; Li, Bing; Botana, Antia S.; Xiao, Yuming; Chow, Paul; Chung, Duck Young; Chen, Jiuhua; Wan, Xiangang; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.; Yang, Wenge; Mao, Ho-Kwang

2018-02-01

We studied the crystal structure and spin state of MnP under high pressure with synchrotron X-ray diffraction and X-ray emission spectroscopy. MnP has an exceedingly strong anisotropy in compressibility, with the primary compressible direction along the b axis of the Pnma structure. X-ray emission spectroscopy reveals a pressure-driven quenching of the spin state in MnP. First-principles calculations suggest that the strongly anisotropic compression behavior significantly enhances the dispersion of the Mn d-orbitals and the splitting of the d-orbital levels compared to the hypothetical isotropic compression behavior. Thus, we propose spin quenching results mainly from the significant enhancement of the itinerancy of d electrons and partly from spin rearrangement occurring in the split d-orbital levels near the Fermi level. This explains the fast suppression of magnetic ordering in MnP under high pressure. The spin quenching lags behind the occurrence of superconductivity at ~8 GPa implying that spin fluctuations govern the electron pairing for superconductivity.

High precision hyperfine measurements in Bismuth challenge bound-state strong-field QED.

Science.gov (United States)

Ullmann, Johannes; Andelkovic, Zoran; Brandau, Carsten; Dax, Andreas; Geithner, Wolfgang; Geppert, Christopher; Gorges, Christian; Hammen, Michael; Hannen, Volker; Kaufmann, Simon; König, Kristian; Litvinov, Yuri A; Lochmann, Matthias; Maaß, Bernhard; Meisner, Johann; Murböck, Tobias; Sánchez, Rodolfo; Schmidt, Matthias; Schmidt, Stefan; Steck, Markus; Stöhlker, Thomas; Thompson, Richard C; Trageser, Christian; Vollbrecht, Jonas; Weinheimer, Christian; Nörtershäuser, Wilfried

2017-05-16

Electrons bound in highly charged heavy ions such as hydrogen-like bismuth 209 Bi 82+ experience electromagnetic fields that are a million times stronger than in light atoms. Measuring the wavelength of light emitted and absorbed by these ions is therefore a sensitive testing ground for quantum electrodynamical (QED) effects and especially the electron-nucleus interaction under such extreme conditions. However, insufficient knowledge of the nuclear structure has prevented a rigorous test of strong-field QED. Here we present a measurement of the so-called specific difference between the hyperfine splittings in hydrogen-like and lithium-like bismuth 209 Bi 82+,80+ with a precision that is improved by more than an order of magnitude. Even though this quantity is believed to be largely insensitive to nuclear structure and therefore the most decisive test of QED in the strong magnetic field regime, we find a 7-σ discrepancy compared with the theoretical prediction.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Compare to Campaign Advertisement Programs in Reducing Aggressive Driving Behavior

OpenAIRE

Ina Saraswati; Dyah T Indirasari; Dewi Maulina; Guritnaningsih A Santoso

2011-01-01

This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of three intervention programs, i.e. CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), humor appeal advertisements (positive ads), and fear appeal advertisements (negative ads) in reducing aggressive driving behavior. 196 young adults age between 18–35 years old, who are considered to be at risk in performing aggressive driving behavior had completed four self report inventories. The four inventories measures perception on traffic conditions, degree of fr...

Reduced context effects on retrieval in first-episode schizophrenia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia M Talamini

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A recent modeling study by the authors predicted that contextual information is poorly integrated into episodic representations in schizophrenia, and that this is a main cause of the retrieval deficits seen in schizophrenia. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have tested this prediction in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and matched controls. The benefit from contextual cues in retrieval was strongly reduced in patients. On the other hand, retrieval based on item cues was spared. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that reduced integration of context information into episodic representations is a core deficit in schizophrenia and one of the main causes of episodic memory impairment.

Rrsm: The European Rapid Raw Strong-Motion Database

Science.gov (United States)

Cauzzi, C.; Clinton, J. F.; Sleeman, R.; Domingo Ballesta, J.; Kaestli, P.; Galanis, O.

2014-12-01

We introduce the European Rapid Raw Strong-Motion database (RRSM), a Europe-wide system that provides parameterised strong motion information, as well as access to waveform data, within minutes of the occurrence of strong earthquakes. The RRSM significantly differs from traditional earthquake strong motion dissemination in Europe, which has focused on providing reviewed, processed strong motion parameters, typically with significant delays. As the RRSM provides rapid open access to raw waveform data and metadata and does not rely on external manual waveform processing, RRSM information is tailored to seismologists and strong-motion data analysts, earthquake and geotechnical engineers, international earthquake response agencies and the educated general public. Access to the RRSM database is via a portal at http://www.orfeus-eu.org/rrsm/ that allows users to query earthquake information, peak ground motion parameters and amplitudes of spectral response; and to select and download earthquake waveforms. All information is available within minutes of any earthquake with magnitude ≥ 3.5 occurring in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Waveform processing and database population are performed using the waveform processing module scwfparam, which is integrated in SeisComP3 (SC3; http://www.seiscomp3.org/). Earthquake information is provided by the EMSC (http://www.emsc-csem.org/) and all the seismic waveform data is accessed at the European Integrated waveform Data Archive (EIDA) at ORFEUS (http://www.orfeus-eu.org/index.html), where all on-scale data is used in the fully automated processing. As the EIDA community is continually growing, the already significant number of strong motion stations is also increasing and the importance of this product is expected to also increase. Real-time RRSM processing started in June 2014, while past events have been processed in order to provide a complete database back to 2005.

Experiment on dust acoustic solitons in strongly coupled dusty plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boruah, Abhijit; Sharma, Sumita Kumari; Bailung, Heremba

2015-01-01

Dusty plasma, which contains nanometer to micrometer sized dust particles along with electrons and ions, supports a low frequency wave called Dust Acoustic wave, analogous to ion acoustic wave in normal plasma. Due to high charge and low temperature of the dust particles, dusty plasma can easily transform into a strongly coupled state when the Coulomb interaction potential energy exceeds the dust kinetic energy. Dust acoustic perturbations are excited in such strongly coupled dusty plasma by applying a short negative pulse (100 ms) of amplitude 5 - 20 V to an exciter. The perturbation steepens due to nonlinear effect and forms a solitary structure by balancing dispersion present in the medium. For specific discharge conditions, excitation amplitude above a critical value, the perturbation is found to evolve into a number of solitons. The experimental results on the excitation of multiple dust acoustic solitons in the strongly coupled regime are presented in this work. The experiment is carried out in radio frequency discharged plasma produced in a glass chamber at a pressure 0.01 - 0.1 mbar. Few layers of dust particles (∼ 5 μm in diameter) are levitated above a grounded electrode inside the chamber. Wave evolution is observed with the help of green laser sheet and recorded in a high resolution camera at high frame rate. The high amplitude soliton propagates ahead followed by smaller amplitude solitons with lower velocity. The separation between the solitons increases as time passes by. The characteristics of the observed dust acoustic solitons such as amplitude-velocity and amplitude- Mach number relationship are compared with the solutions of Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation. (author)

Strong Coupling between Plasmons and Organic Semiconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joel Bellessa

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper we describe the properties of organic material in strong coupling with plasmon, mainly based on our work in this field of research. The strong coupling modifies the optical transitions of the structure, and occurs when the interaction between molecules and plasmon prevails on the damping of the system. We describe the dispersion relation of different plasmonic systems, delocalized and localized plasmon, coupled to aggregated dyes and the typical properties of these systems in strong coupling. The modification of the dye emission is also studied. In the second part, the effect of the microscopic structure of the organics, which can be seen as a disordered film, is described. As the different molecules couple to the same plasmon mode, an extended coherent state on several microns is observed.

Use of strong opioids for chronic pain in osteoarthritis: an insight into the Latin American reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz Iban, Miguel Angel; Benavides, Javier; Forero, Juan Pablo; Bittelman, Sacha; Martinez, Rafael; Mite, Miguel Angel; Diaz Heredia, Jorge; Ulloa, Sergio; Lizárraga Ferrand, Mauro Marcelo

2018-01-01

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of arthritis and one of the main causes of chronic pain. Although opioids are frequently employed for chronic pain treatment, their usage for osteoarthritis pain remains controversial due to the associated adverse effects. Most guidelines reserve their use for refractory pain in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis. The situation is even more complex in Latin America, where the prevalence of insufficient pain treatment is high because of the limited availability and use of strong opioids. Areas covered: In this article we review the epidemiology of osteoarthritis, its socioeconomic burden, its impact as a chronic pain cause and the pharmacological treatment options, giving emphasis to the role of strong opioids, their safety and efficacy, especially in Latin American countries, where restrictions regulate their usage. Expert commentary: Usage of strong opioids is safe and effective in the short-term management of osteoarthritis with moderate to severe pain, when other pharmacological treatments are inadequate and surgery is contraindicated, provided their use adheres to existing guidelines. Educational programs for patients and physicians and further research on treating chronic pain with opioids should be implemented to reduce adverse effects and improve care quality.

Lipid reducing activity and toxicity profiles of a library of polyphenol derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Urbatzka, Ralph; Freitas, Sara; Palmeira, Andreia; Almeida, Tiago; Moreira, João; Azevedo, Carlos; Afonso, Carlos; Correia-da-Silva, Marta; Sousa, Emilia; Pinto, Madalena; Vasconcelos, Vitor

2018-05-10

Obesity is an increasing epidemic worldwide and novel treatments are urgently needed. Polyphenols are natural compounds derived from plants, which are known in particular for their antioxidant properties. However, some polyphenols were described to possess anti-obesity activities in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we aimed to screen a library of 85 polyphenol derivatives for their lipid reducing activity and toxicity. Compounds were analyzed at 5 μM with the zebrafish Nile red fluorescence fat metabolism assay and for general toxicity in vivo. To improve the safety profile, compounds were screened at 50 μM in murine preadipocytes in vitro for cytotoxicity. Obtained activity data were used to create a 2D-QSAR (quantitative structure activity relationship) model. 38 polyphenols showed strong lipid reducing activity. Toxicity analysis revealed that 18 of them did not show any toxicity in vitro or in vivo. QSAR analysis revealed the importance of the number of rings, fractional partial positively charged surface area, relative positive charge, relative number of oxygen atoms, and partial negative surface area for lipid-reducing activity. The five most potent compounds with EC 50 values in the nanomolar range for lipid reducing activity and without any toxic effects are strong candidates for future research and development into anti-obesity drugs. Molecular profiling for fasn, sirt1, mtp and ppary revealed one compound that reduced significantly fasn mRNA expression. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Strong coupling electrostatics for randomly charged surfaces: antifragility and effective interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghodrat, Malihe; Naji, Ali; Komaie-Moghaddam, Haniyeh; Podgornik, Rudolf

2015-05-07

We study the effective interaction mediated by strongly coupled Coulomb fluids between dielectric surfaces carrying quenched, random monopolar charges with equal mean and variance, both when the Coulomb fluid consists only of mobile multivalent counterions and when it consists of an asymmetric ionic mixture containing multivalent and monovalent (salt) ions in equilibrium with an aqueous bulk reservoir. We analyze the consequences that follow from the interplay between surface charge disorder, dielectric and salt image effects, and the strong electrostatic coupling that results from multivalent counterions on the distribution of these ions and the effective interaction pressure they mediate between the surfaces. In a dielectrically homogeneous system, we show that the multivalent counterions are attracted towards the surfaces with a singular, disorder-induced potential that diverges logarithmically on approach to the surfaces, creating a singular but integrable counterion density profile that exhibits an algebraic divergence at the surfaces with an exponent that depends on the surface charge (disorder) variance. This effect drives the system towards a state of lower thermal 'disorder', one that can be described by a renormalized temperature, exhibiting thus a remarkable antifragility. In the presence of an interfacial dielectric discontinuity, the singular behavior of counterion density at the surfaces is removed but multivalent counterions are still accumulated much more strongly close to randomly charged surfaces as compared with uniformly charged ones. The interaction pressure acting on the surfaces displays in general a highly non-monotonic behavior as a function of the inter-surface separation with a prominent regime of attraction at small to intermediate separations. This attraction is caused directly by the combined effects from charge disorder and strong coupling electrostatics of multivalent counterions, which dominate the surface-surface repulsion due to

The colours of strong interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The aim of this session is to draw a consistent framework about the different ways to consider strong interaction. A large part is dedicated to theoretical work and the latest experimental results obtained at the first electron collider HERA are discussed. (A.C.)

Cost-Effectiveness of Sacubitril-Valsartan Combination Therapy Compared With Enalapril for the Treatment of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Jordan B; Shah, Rashmee U; Bress, Adam P; Nelson, Richard E; Bellows, Brandon K

2016-05-01

The objective of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness and cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained of sacubitril-valsartan relative to enalapril for treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Compared with enalapril, combination angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibition (ARNI), as is found in sacubitril-valsartan, reduces cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization rates in patients with HFrEF. Using a Markov model, costs, effects, and cost-effectiveness were estimated for sacubitril-valsartan and enalapril therapies for the treatment of HFrEF. Patients were 60 years of age at model entry and were modeled over a lifetime (40 years) from a third-party payer perspective. Clinical probabilities were derived predominantly from PARADIGM-HF (Prospective Comparison of ARNI With ACEI to Determine Impact on Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure). All costs and effects were discounted at a 3% rate annually and are presented in 2015 U.S. dollars. In the base case, sacubitril-valsartan, compared with enalapril, was more costly ($60,391 vs. $21,758) and more effective (6.49 vs. 5.74 QALYs) over a lifetime. The cost-effectiveness of sacubitril-valsartan was highly dependent on duration of treatment, ranging from $249,411 per QALY at 3 years to $50,959 per QALY gained over a lifetime. Sacubitril-valsartan may be a cost-effective treatment option depending on the willingness-to-pay threshold. Future investigations should incorporate real-world evidence with sacubitril-valsartan to further inform decision making. Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strong coupling of collection of emitters on hyperbolic meta-material

Science.gov (United States)

Biehs, Svend-Age; Xu, Chenran; Agarwal, Girish S.

2018-04-01

Recently, considerable effort has been devoted to the realization of a strong coupling regime of the radiation matter interaction in the context of an emitter at a meta surface. The strong interaction is well realized in cavity quantum electrodynamics, which also show that strong coupling is much easier to realize using a collection of emitters. Keeping this in mind, we study if emitters on a hyperbolic meta materials can yield a strong coupling regime. We show that strong coupling can be realized for densities of emitters exceeding a critical value. A way to detect strong coupling between emitters and hyperbolic metamaterials is to use the Kretschman-Raether configuration. The strong coupling appears as the splitting of the reflectivity dip. In the weak coupling regime, the dip position shifts. The shift and splitting can be used to sense active molecules at surfaces.

Site-specific strong ground motion prediction using 2.5-D modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Narayan, J. P.

2001-08-01

An algorithm was developed using the 2.5-D elastodynamic wave equation, based on the displacement-stress relation. One of the most significant advantages of the 2.5-D simulation is that the 3-D radiation pattern can be generated using double-couple point shear-dislocation sources in the 2-D numerical grid. A parsimonious staggered grid scheme was adopted instead of the standard staggered grid scheme, since this is the only scheme suitable for computing the dislocation. This new 2.5-D numerical modelling avoids the extensive computational cost of 3-D modelling. The significance of this exercise is that it makes it possible to simulate the strong ground motion (SGM), taking into account the energy released, 3-D radiation pattern, path effects and local site conditions at any location around the epicentre. The slowness vector (py) was used in the supersonic region for each layer, so that all the components of the inertia coefficient are positive. The double-couple point shear-dislocation source was implemented in the numerical grid using the moment tensor components as the body-force couples. The moment per unit volume was used in both the 3-D and 2.5-D modelling. A good agreement in the 3-D and 2.5-D responses for different grid sizes was obtained when the moment per unit volume was further reduced by a factor equal to the finite-difference grid size in the case of the 2.5-D modelling. The components of the radiation pattern were computed in the xz-plane using 3-D and 2.5-D algorithms for various focal mechanisms, and the results were in good agreement. A comparative study of the amplitude behaviour of the 3-D and 2.5-D wavefronts in a layered medium reveals the spatial and temporal damped nature of the 2.5-D elastodynamic wave equation. 3-D and 2.5-D simulated responses at a site using a different strike direction reveal that strong ground motion (SGM) can be predicted just by rotating the strike of the fault counter-clockwise by the same amount as the azimuth of

A comparative study of collagen dressing versus petrolatum gauze dressing in reducing pain at the donor area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B A Ramesh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Skin graft is one of the commonly done procedures by plastic surgeons, dermato surgeons and general surgeons. Pain at the donor area is a common complaint by the patient. The skin graft donor site area is usually covered with petrolatum dressing dermatosurgeons. Aim: This study was done to compare collagen dressing with petroleum gauze dressing in control of post-operative pain on skin graft donor area. Materials and Methods: The study was done on forty patients, twenty as study group who received collagen dressing and twenty as control group who received petroleum gauze dressing. The procedure was randomly selected by permutated block size of four. The post-operative pain was assessed with numerical pain rating scale 0 to 10. Nursing staff did the recording of pain scale. The nursing staff was not aware whether patient had collagen or petroleum gauze dressing. Statistics: Statistical analysis used was independent 't'-test (two-sample test and Levene's test. Results: Statistics proved that study group (collagen dressing had lesser pain than control group (petroleum gauze dressing. Conclusion: The collagen sheet dressing on skin graft donor area reduces pain in post-operative period.

The role of gamma-band activity in the representation of faces: reduced activity in the fusiform face area in congenital prosopagnosia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Dobel

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Congenital prosopagnosia (CP describes an impairment in face processing that is presumably present from birth. The neuronal correlates of this dysfunction are still under debate. In the current paper, we investigate high-frequent oscillatory activity in response to faces in persons with CP. Such neuronal activity is thought to reflect higher-level representations for faces.Source localization of induced Gamma-Band Responses (iGBR measured by magnetoencephalography (MEG was used to establish the origin of oscillatory activity in response to famous and unknown faces which were presented in upright and inverted orientation. Persons suffering from congenital prosopagnosia (CP were compared to matched controls.Corroborating earlier research, both groups revealed amplified iGBR in response to upright compared to inverted faces predominately in a time interval between 170 and 330 ms and in a frequency range from 50-100 Hz. Oscillatory activity upon known faces was smaller in comparison to unknown faces, suggesting a "sharpening" effect reflecting more efficient processing for familiar stimuli. These effects were seen in a wide cortical network encompassing temporal and parietal areas involved in the disambiguation of homogenous stimuli such as faces, and in the retrieval of semantic information. Importantly, participants suffering from CP displayed a strongly reduced iGBR in the left fusiform area compared to control participants.In sum, these data stress the crucial role of oscillatory activity for face representation and demonstrate the involvement of a distributed occipito-temporo-parietal network in generating iGBR. This study also provides the first evidence that persons suffering from an agnosia actually display reduced gamma band activity. Finally, the results argue strongly against the view that oscillatory activity is a mere epiphenomenon brought fourth by rapid eye-movements (micro saccades.

Supporting aboriginal knowledge and practice in health care: lessons from a qualitative evaluation of the strong women, strong babies, strong culture program.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowell, Anne; Kildea, Sue; Liddle, Marlene; Cox, Barbara; Paterson, Barbara

2015-02-05

The Strong Women, Strong Babies, Strong Culture Program (the Program) evolved from a recognition of the value of Aboriginal knowledge and practice in promoting maternal and child health (MCH) in remote communities of the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. Commencing in 1993 it continues to operate today. In 2008, the NT Department of Health commissioned an evaluation to identify enabling factors and barriers to successful implementation of the Program, and to identify potential pathways for future development. In this paper we focus on the evaluation findings related specifically to the role of Aborignal cultural knowledge and practice within the Program. A qualitative evaluation utilised purposive sampling to maximise diversity in program history and Aboriginal culture. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 76 participants were recorded in their preferred language with a registered Interpreter when required. Thematic analysis of data was verified or modified through further discussions with participants and members of the evaluation team. Although the importance of Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a fundamental component of the Program is widely acknowledged, there has been considerable variation across time and location in the extent to which these cultural dimensions have been included in practice. Factors contributing to this variation are complex and relate to a number of broad themes including: location of control over Program activities; recognition and respect for Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a legitimate component of health care; working in partnership; communication within and beyond the Program; access to transport and working space; and governance and organisational support. We suggest that inclusion of Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a fundamental component of the Program is key to its survival over more than twenty years despite serious challenges. Respect for the legitimacy of Aboriginal knowledge and practice within health

Atoms in strong laser fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

L'Huillier, A.

2002-01-01

When a high-power laser focuses into a gas of atoms, the electromagnetic field becomes of the same magnitude as the Coulomb field which binds a 1s electron in a hydrogen atom. 3 highly non-linear phenomena can happen: 1) ATI (above threshold ionization): electrons initially in the ground state absorb a large number of photons, many more than the minimum number required for ionization; 2) multiple ionization: many electrons can be emitted one at a time, in a sequential process, or simultaneously in a mechanism called direct or non-sequential; and 3) high order harmonic generation (HHG): efficient photon emission in the extreme ultraviolet range, in the form of high-order harmonics of the fundamental laser field can occur. The theoretical problem consists in solving the time dependent Schroedinger equation (TDSE) that describes the interaction of a many-electron atom with a laser field. A number of methods have been proposed to solve this problem in the case of a hydrogen atom or a single-active electron atom in a strong laser field. A large effort is presently being devoted to go beyond the single-active approximation. The understanding of the physics of the interaction between atoms and strong laser fields has been provided by a very simple model called ''simple man's theory''. A unified view of HHG, ATI, and non-sequential ionization, originating from the simple man's model and the strong field approximation, expressed in terms of electrons trajectories or quantum paths is slowly emerging. (A.C.)

Strongly not relatives Kähler manifolds

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Zedda Michela

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper we study Kähler manifolds that are strongly not relative to any projective Kähler manifold, i.e. those Kähler manifolds that do not share a Kähler submanifold with any projective Kähler manifold even when their metric is rescaled by the multiplication by a positive constant. We prove two results which highlight some relations between this property and the existence of a full Kähler immersion into the infinite dimensional complex projective space. As application we get that the 1-parameter families of Bergman-Hartogs and Fock-Bargmann-Hartogs domains are strongly not relative to projective Kähler manifolds.

Super symmetry in strong and weak interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seshavatharam, U.V.S.; Lakshminarayana, S.

2010-01-01

For strong interaction two new fermion mass units 105.32 MeV and 11450 MeV are assumed. Existence of "Integral charge quark bosons", "Integral charge effective quark fermions", "Integral charge (effective) quark fermi-gluons" and "Integral charge quark boso-gluons" are assumed and their masses are estimated. It is noticed that, characteristic nuclear charged fermion is X s · 105.32 = 938.8 MeV and corresponding charged boson is X s (105.32/x) = 415.0 where X s = 8.914 is the inverse of the strong coupling constant and x = 2.26234 is a new number by using which "super symmetry" can be seen in "strong and weak" interactions. 11450 MeV fermion and its boson of mass = 11450/x = 5060 MeV plays a crucial role in "sub quark physics" and "weak interaction". 938.8 MeV strong fermion seems to be the proton. 415 MeV strong boson seems to be the mother of the presently believed 493,496 and 547 MeV etc, strange mesons. With 11450 MeV fermion "effective quark-fermi-gluons" and with 5060 MeV boson "quark boso-gluon masses" are estimated. "Effective quark fermi-gluons" plays a crucial role in ground state charged baryons mass generation. Light quark bosons couple with these charged baryons to form doublets and triplets. "Quark boso-gluons" plays a crucial role in ground state neutral and charged mesons mass generation. Fine and super-fine rotational levels can be given by [I or (I/2)] power(1/4) and [I or (I/2)] power(1/12) respectively. Here, I = n(n+1) and n = 1, 2, 3, … (author)

Dynamics of Strong Interactions and the S-Matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omnes, R. [Laboratoire de Physique Theorique et Hautes Energies, Universite de Paris, Orsay (France)

1969-08-15

The physical principles underlying the S-matrix theory of strong interactions are reviewed. In particular, the problem of whether these principles are sufficient to completely determine the S-matrix, i.e. to yield a dynamical theory of strong interactions, is discussed. (author)

Use of strong anion exchange resins for the removal of perfluoroalkylated substances from contaminated drinking water in batch and continuous pilot plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaggia, Alessandro; Conte, Lino; Falletti, Luigi; Fant, Massimo; Chiorboli, Andrea

2016-03-15

In recent years abnormally high levels of perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) have been detected both in surface and underground water sampled in an area covering approximately 150 square kilometers in the Veneto region (Italy) indicating the presence of a pollution point source (fluorochemicals production plant). Adsorption on granular activated carbon is an emergency measure which is poorly effective requiring frequent replacement. This work focuses on the application of three strong anion exchange resins (Purolite® A520E, A600E and A532E) for the removal of traces of PFOA, PFOS, PFBA and PFBS (concentration of hundreds of ng L(-1)) from drinking water. This technology is attractive for the possibility of reusing resins after an in-situ regeneration step. A strong relationship between the hydrophobicity of the exchange functional group of the resin and its capacity in removing PFAS exists. A600E (non hydrophobic) and A520E (fairly hydrophobic) show a reduced sorption capacity compared to A532E (highly hydrophobic). While A600E and A520E can be regenerated with solvent-less dilute solutions of non-toxic NH4Cl and NH4OH, A532E requires concentrated solutions of methanol or ethanol and 1% NH4Cl and for the sake of this work it was regarded as non-regenerable. The volume of regeneration effluents requiring incineration can be efficiently reduced by more than 96.5% by using reverse osmosis coupled with under-vacuum evaporation. Transmission electron analysis on saturated resins showed that large molecular macro-aggregates of PFAS can form in the intraparticle pores of resin indicating that ion exchange is not the only mechanism involved in PFAS removal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantum dynamics of a strongly driven Josephson Junction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gosner, Jennifer; Kubala, Bjoern; Ankerhold, Joachim [Institute for Complex Quantum Systems, University of Ulm (Germany)

2015-07-01

A Josephson Junction embedded in a dissipative circuit can be driven to exhibit non-linear oscillations. Classically the non-linear oscillator shows under sufficient strong driving and weak damping dynamical bifurcations and a bistable region similar to the conventional Duffing-oscillator. These features depend sensitively on initial conditions and parameters. The sensitivity of this circuit, called Josephson Bifurcation Amplifier, can be used to amplify an incoming signal, to form a sensing device or even for measuring a quantum system. The quantum dynamics can be described by a dissipative Lindblad master equation. Signatures of the classical bifurcation phenomena appear in the Wigner representation, used to characterize and visualize the resulting behaviour. In order to compare this quantum dynamics to that of the conventional Duffing-oscillator, the complete cosine-nonlinearity of the Josephson Junction is kept for the quantum description while going into a rotating frame.

Building strong brands – does it matter?

OpenAIRE

Aure, Kristin Gaaseide; Nervik, Kristine Dybvik

2014-01-01

Brand equity has proven, through several decades of research, to be a primary source of competitive advantage and future earnings (Yoo & Donthu, 2001). Building strong brands has therefore become a priority for many organizations, with the presumption that building strong brands yields these advantages (Yasin et al., 2007). A quantitative survey was conducted at Sunnmøre in Norway in order to answer the two developed research questions. - Does the brand equity dimensions; brand...

Interaction of strong electromagnetic fields with atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandi, H.S.; Davidovich, L.; Zagury, N.

1982-06-01

Several non-linear processes involvoing the interaction of atoms with strong laser fields are discussed, with particular emphasis on the ionization problem. Non-perturbative methods which have been proposed to tackle this problem are analysed, and shown to correspond to an expansion in the intra-atomic potential. The relation between tunneling and multiphoton absorption as ionization mechanisms, and the generalization of Einstein's photoelectric equation to the strong-field case are discussed. (Author) [pt

Risk indices in comparative risk assessment studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hubert, P.

1984-01-01

More than a decade ago the development of comparative risk assessment studies aroused overwhelming interest. There was no doubt that data on the health and safety aspects of energy systems would greatly benefit, or even end, the debate on nuclear energy. Although such attempts are still strongly supported, the rose-coloured expectations of the early days have faded. The high uncertainties, and the contradictory aspect, of the first results might explain this evolution. The loose connection between the range of computed risk indices and the questions on which the debate was focused is another reason for this decline in interest. Important research work is being carried out aiming at reducing the different kinds of uncertainties. Rather than the uncertainties, the paper considers the meaning of available risk indices and proposes more significant indices with respect to the goals of risk assessment. First, the indices which are of frequent use in comparative studies are listed. The stress is put on a French comparative study from which most examples are drawn. Secondly, the increase in magnitude of the indices and the decrease in the attributability of the risk to a given system is shown to be a consequence of the trend towards more comprehensive analyses. Thirdly, the ambiguity of such indices as the collective occupational risk is underlined, and a possible solution is suggested. Whenever risk assessments are related to pragmatic decision making problems it is possible to find satisfactory risk indices. The development of cost-effectiveness analyses and the proposals for quantitative safety goals clearly demonstrate this point. In the field of comparison of social impacts some proposals are made, but there remain some gaps still to be filled. (author)