CENTER CONDITIONS AND CYCLICITY FOR A FAMILY OF CUBIC SYSTEMS: COMPUTER ALGEBRA APPROACH.

PubMed

Ferčec, Brigita; Mahdi, Adam

2013-01-01

Using methods of computational algebra we obtain an upper bound for the cyclicity of a family of cubic systems. We overcame the problem of nonradicality of the associated Bautin ideal by moving from the ring of polynomials to a coordinate ring. Finally, we determine the number of limit cycles bifurcating from each component of the center variety.

Upper Limits on Gravitational Waves from Scorpius X-1 from a Model-based Cross-correlation Search in Advanced LIGO Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Arun, K. G.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; AultONeal, K.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Bae, S.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Banagiri, S.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bawaj, M.; Bazzan, M.; Bécsy, B.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Bode, N.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canepa, M.; Canizares, P.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Carney, M. F.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerboni Baiardi, L.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterjee, D.; Chatziioannou, K.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H.-P.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, A. K. W.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Ciolfi, R.; Cirelli, C. E.; Cirone, A.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L. R.; Constancio, M., Jr.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corban, P.; Corbitt, T. R.; Corley, K. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Deelman, E.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devenson, J.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Renzo, F.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Dovale Álvarez, M.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Duncan, J.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Etienne, Z. B.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gabel, M.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Galloway, D. K.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaudio, S.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, D.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glover, L.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gomes, S.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannuksela, O. A.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Horst, C.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Intini, G.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katolik, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kemball, A. J.; Kennedy, R.; Kent, C.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, W.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, S.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwang, S.; Lackey, B. D.; Lai, K. H.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lousto, C. O.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña Hernandez, I.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mayani, R.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B. C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muniz, E. A. M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Neri, M.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. M.; Rieger, S.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romel, C. L.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Ross, M. P.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Rynge, M.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sandeen, B.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, E.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schulte, B. W.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seidel, E.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shah, A. A.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shao, L.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Son, E. J.; Sonnenberg, J. A.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, J. A.; Taylor, R.; Theeg, T.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trifirò, D.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tsang, K. W.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ueno, K.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahi, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; Vallisneri, M.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walet, R.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, J. Z.; Wang, M.; Wang, Y.-F.; Wang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wessel, E. K.; Wessels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, K. W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yap, M. J.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration; Steeghs, D.; Wang, L.

2017-09-01

We present the results of a semicoherent search for continuous gravitational waves from the low-mass X-ray binary Scorpius X-1, using data from the first Advanced LIGO observing run. The search method uses details of the modeled, parametrized continuous signal to combine coherently data separated by less than a specified coherence time, which can be adjusted to trade off sensitivity against computational cost. A search was conducted over the frequency range 25-2000 {Hz}, spanning the current observationally constrained range of binary orbital parameters. No significant detection candidates were found, and frequency-dependent upper limits were set using a combination of sensitivity estimates and simulated signal injections. The most stringent upper limit was set at 175 {Hz}, with comparable limits set across the most sensitive frequency range from 100 to 200 {Hz}. At this frequency, the 95% upper limit on the signal amplitude h 0 is 2.3× {10}-25 marginalized over the unknown inclination angle of the neutron star’s spin, and 8.0× {10}-26 assuming the best orientation (which results in circularly polarized gravitational waves). These limits are a factor of 3-4 stronger than those set by other analyses of the same data, and a factor of ˜7 stronger than the best upper limits set using data from Initial LIGO science runs. In the vicinity of 100 {Hz}, the limits are a factor of between 1.2 and 3.5 above the predictions of the torque balance model, depending on the inclination angle; if the most likely inclination angle of 44° is assumed, they are within a factor of 1.7.

OPTHYLIC: An Optimised Tool for Hybrid Limits Computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busato, Emmanuel; Calvet, David; Theveneaux-Pelzer, Timothée

2018-05-01

A software tool, computing observed and expected upper limits on Poissonian process rates using a hybrid frequentist-Bayesian CLs method, is presented. This tool can be used for simple counting experiments where only signal, background and observed yields are provided or for multi-bin experiments where binned distributions of discriminating variables are provided. It allows the combination of several channels and takes into account statistical and systematic uncertainties, as well as correlations of systematic uncertainties between channels. It has been validated against other software tools and analytical calculations, for several realistic cases.

PROUCL VERSION 3.0

EPA Science Inventory

The computation ofa (l-a) 100% upper confidence limit (UCL) of the population mean depends upon the data distribution. Typically, environmental data are positively skewed, and a default lognormal distribution (EPA, 1992) is often used to model such data distributions. The H-stati...

The nature of arm movement in children with cerebral palsy when using computer-generated exercise games.

PubMed

Weightman, Andrew; Preston, Nick; Levesley, Martin; Bhakta, Bipin; Holt, Raymond; Mon-Williams, Mark

2014-05-01

To compare upper limb kinematics of children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) using a passive rehabilitation joystick with those of adults and able-bodied children, to better understand the design requirements of computer-based rehabilitation devices. A blocked comparative study involving seven children with spastic CP, nine able-bodied adults and nine able-bodied children, using a joystick system to play a computer game whilst the kinematics of their upper limb were recorded. The translational kinematics of the joystick's end point and the participant's shoulder movement (protraction/retraction) and elbow rotational kinematics (flexion/extension) were analysed for each group. Children with spastic CP matched their able-bodied peers in the time taken to complete the computer task, but this was due to a failure to adhere to the task instructions of travelling along a prescribed straight line when moving between targets. The spastic CP group took longer to initiate the first movement, which showed jerkier trajectories and demonstrated qualitatively different movement patterns when using the joystick, with shoulder movements that were significantly of greater magnitude than the able-bodied participants. Children with spastic CP generate large shoulder and hence trunk movements when using a joystick to undertake computer-generated arm exercises. This finding has implications for the development and use of assistive technologies to encourage exercise and the instructions given to users of such systems. A kinematic analysis of upper limb function of children with CP when using joystick devices is presented. Children with CP may use upper body movements to compensate for limitations in voluntary shoulder and elbow movements when undertaking computer games designed to encourage the practice of arm movement. The design of rehabilitative computer exercise systems should consider movement of the torso/shoulder as it may have implications for the quality of therapy in the rehabilitation of the upper limb in children with CP.

Effects of ergonomic intervention on work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders among computer workers: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Esmaeilzadeh, Sina; Ozcan, Emel; Capan, Nalan

2014-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine effects of ergonomic intervention on work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (WUEMSDs) among computer workers. Four hundred computer workers answered a questionnaire on work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms (WUEMSS). Ninety-four subjects with WUEMSS using computers at least 3 h a day participated in a prospective, randomized controlled 6-month intervention. Body posture and workstation layouts were assessed by the Ergonomic Questionnaire. We used the Visual Analogue Scale to assess the intensity of WUEMSS. The Upper Extremity Function Scale was used to evaluate functional limitations at the neck and upper extremities. Health-related quality of life was assessed with the Short Form-36. After baseline assessment, those in the intervention group participated in a multicomponent ergonomic intervention program including a comprehensive ergonomic training consisting of two interactive sessions, an ergonomic training brochure, and workplace visits with workstation adjustments. Follow-up assessment was conducted after 6 months. In the intervention group, body posture (p < 0.001) and workstation layout (p = 0.002) improved over 6 months; furthermore, intensity (p < 0.001), duration (p < 0.001), and frequency (p = 0.009) of WUEMSS decreased significantly in the intervention group compared with the control group. Additionally, the functional status (p = 0.001), and physical (p < 0.001), and mental (p = 0.035) health-related quality of life improved significantly compared with the controls. There was no improvement of work day loss due to WUEMSS (p > 0.05). Ergonomic intervention programs may be effective in reducing ergonomic risk factors among computer workers and consequently in the secondary prevention of WUEMSDs.

College students and computers: assessment of usage patterns and musculoskeletal discomfort.

PubMed

Noack-Cooper, Karen L; Sommerich, Carolyn M; Mirka, Gary A

2009-01-01

A limited number of studies have focused on computer-use-related MSDs in college students, though risk factor exposure may be similar to that of workers who use computers. This study examined computer use patterns of college students, and made comparisons to a group of previously studied computer-using professionals. 234 students completed a web-based questionnaire concerning computer use habits and physical discomfort respondents specifically associated with computer use. As a group, students reported their computer use to be at least 'Somewhat likely' 18 out of 24 h/day, compared to 12 h for the professionals. Students reported more uninterrupted work behaviours than the professionals. Younger graduate students reported 33.7 average weekly computing hours, similar to hours reported by younger professionals. Students generally reported more frequent upper extremity discomfort than the professionals. Frequent assumption of awkward postures was associated with frequent discomfort. The findings signal a need for intervention, including, training and education, prior to entry into the workforce. Students are future workers, and so it is important to determine whether their increasing exposure to computers, prior to entering the workforce, may make it so they enter already injured or do not enter their chosen profession due to upper extremity MSDs.

Inter-Annotator Agreement and the Upper Limit on Machine Performance: Evidence from Biomedical Natural Language Processing.

PubMed

Boguslav, Mayla; Cohen, Kevin Bretonnel

2017-01-01

Human-annotated data is a fundamental part of natural language processing system development and evaluation. The quality of that data is typically assessed by calculating the agreement between the annotators. It is widely assumed that this agreement between annotators is the upper limit on system performance in natural language processing: if humans can't agree with each other about the classification more than some percentage of the time, we don't expect a computer to do any better. We trace the logical positivist roots of the motivation for measuring inter-annotator agreement, demonstrate the prevalence of the widely-held assumption about the relationship between inter-annotator agreement and system performance, and present data that suggest that inter-annotator agreement is not, in fact, an upper bound on language processing system performance.

The Problem of Limited Inter-rater Agreement in Modelling Music Similarity

PubMed Central

Flexer, Arthur; Grill, Thomas

2016-01-01

One of the central goals of Music Information Retrieval (MIR) is the quantification of similarity between or within pieces of music. These quantitative relations should mirror the human perception of music similarity, which is however highly subjective with low inter-rater agreement. Unfortunately this principal problem has been given little attention in MIR so far. Since it is not meaningful to have computational models that go beyond the level of human agreement, these levels of inter-rater agreement present a natural upper bound for any algorithmic approach. We will illustrate this fundamental problem in the evaluation of MIR systems using results from two typical application scenarios: (i) modelling of music similarity between pieces of music; (ii) music structure analysis within pieces of music. For both applications, we derive upper bounds of performance which are due to the limited inter-rater agreement. We compare these upper bounds to the performance of state-of-the-art MIR systems and show how the upper bounds prevent further progress in developing better MIR systems. PMID:28190932

Computation of canonical correlation and best predictable aspect of future for time series

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pourahmadi, Mohsen; Miamee, A. G.

1989-01-01

The canonical correlation between the (infinite) past and future of a stationary time series is shown to be the limit of the canonical correlation between the (infinite) past and (finite) future, and computation of the latter is reduced to a (generalized) eigenvalue problem involving (finite) matrices. This provides a convenient and essentially, finite-dimensional algorithm for computing canonical correlations and components of a time series. An upper bound is conjectured for the largest canonical correlation.

Decomposition Algorithm for Global Reachability on a Time-Varying Graph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuwata, Yoshiaki

2010-01-01

A decomposition algorithm has been developed for global reachability analysis on a space-time grid. By exploiting the upper block-triangular structure, the planning problem is decomposed into smaller subproblems, which is much more scalable than the original approach. Recent studies have proposed the use of a hot-air (Montgolfier) balloon for possible exploration of Titan and Venus because these bodies have thick haze or cloud layers that limit the science return from an orbiter, and the atmospheres would provide enough buoyancy for balloons. One of the important questions that needs to be addressed is what surface locations the balloon can reach from an initial location, and how long it would take. This is referred to as the global reachability problem, where the paths from starting locations to all possible target locations must be computed. The balloon could be driven with its own actuation, but its actuation capability is fairly limited. It would be more efficient to take advantage of the wind field and ride the wind that is much stronger than what the actuator could produce. It is possible to pose the path planning problem as a graph search problem on a directed graph by discretizing the spacetime world and the vehicle actuation. The decomposition algorithm provides reachability analysis of a time-varying graph. Because the balloon only moves in the positive direction in time, the adjacency matrix of the graph can be represented with an upper block-triangular matrix, and this upper block-triangular structure can be exploited to decompose a large graph search problem. The new approach consumes a much smaller amount of memory, which also helps speed up the overall computation when the computing resource has a limited physical memory compared to the problem size.

Semiannual Report, October 1, 1989 through March 31, 1990 (Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

synchronization . We consider the performance of various synchronization protocols by deriving upper and lower bounds on optimal perfor- mance, upper bounds on Time ...from universities and from industry, who have resident appointments for limited periods of time , and by consultants. Members of NASA’s research staff...convergence to steady state is also being studied together with D. Gottlieb. The idea is to generalize the concept of local- time stepping by minimizing the

Effects of Action Observational Training Plus Brain-Computer Interface-Based Functional Electrical Stimulation on Paretic Arm Motor Recovery in Patient with Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kim, TaeHoon; Kim, SeongSik; Lee, ByoungHee

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether action observational training (AOT) plus brain-computer interface-based functional electrical stimulation (BCI-FES) has a positive influence on motor recovery of paretic upper extremity in patients with stroke. This was a hospital-based, randomized controlled trial with a blinded assessor. Thirty patients with a first-time stroke were randomly allocated to one of two groups: the BCI-FES group (n = 15) and the control group (n = 15). The BCI-FES group administered to AOT plus BCI-FES on the paretic upper extremity five times per week during 4 weeks while both groups received conventional therapy. The primary outcomes were the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity, Motor Activity Log (MAL), Modified Barthel Index and range of motion of paretic arm. A blinded assessor evaluated the outcomes at baseline and 4 weeks. All baseline outcomes did not differ significantly between the two groups. After 4 weeks, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity sub-items (total, shoulder and wrist), MAL (MAL-Activity of Use and Quality of Movement), Modified Barthel Index and wrist flexion range of motion were significantly higher in the BCI-FES group (p < 0.05). AOT plus BCI-based FES is effective in paretic arm rehabilitation by improving the upper extremity performance. The motor improvements suggest that AOT plus BCI-based FES can be used as a therapeutic tool for stroke rehabilitation. The limitations of the study are that subjects had a certain limited level of upper arm function, and the sample size was comparatively small; hence, it is recommended that future large-scale trials should consider stratified and lager populations according to upper arm function. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Upper limit on NUT charge from the observed terrestrial Sagnac effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulbakova, A.; Karimov, R. Kh; Izmailov, R. N.; Nandi, K. K.

2018-06-01

The exact Sagnac delay in the Kerr–Taub–NUT (Newman–Unti–Tamburino) spacetime is derived in the equatorial plane for non-geodesic as well as geodesic circular orbits. The resulting formula, being exact, can be directly applied to motion in the vicinity of any spinning object including black holes but here we are considering only the terrestrial case since observational data are available. The formula reveals that, in the limit of spin , the delay does not vanish. This fact is similar to the non-vanishing of Lense–Thirring precession under even though the two effects originate from different premises. Assuming a reasonable input that the Kerr–Taub–NUT corrections are subsumed in the average residual uncertainty in the measured Sagnac delay, we compute upper limits on the NUT charge n. It is found that the upper limits on n are far larger than the Earth’s gravitational mass, which has not been detected in observations, implying that the Sagnac effect cannot constrain n to smaller values near zero. We find a curious difference between the delays for non-geodesic and geodesic clock orbits and point out its implication for the well known ‘twin paradox’ of special relativity.

First low-frequency Einstein@Home all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves in Advanced LIGO data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; AultONeal, K.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Bae, S.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Banagiri, S.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bawaj, M.; Bazzan, M.; Bécsy, B.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Bode, N.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canizares, P.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Carney, M. F.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerboni Baiardi, L.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterjee, D.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H.-P.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, A. K. W.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Ciolfi, R.; Cirelli, C. E.; Cirone, A.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L. R.; Constancio, M.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corban, P.; Corbitt, T. R.; Corley, K. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Deelman, E.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devenson, J.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Renzo, F.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Dovale Álvarez, M.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Duncan, J.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Etienne, Z. B.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gabel, M.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaudio, S.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, D.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glover, L.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gomes, S.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannuksela, O. A.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Horst, C.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Intini, G.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katolik, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kemball, A. J.; Kennedy, R.; Kent, C.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, W.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, S.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwang, S.; Lackey, B. D.; Lai, K. H.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña Hernandez, I.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mayani, R.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B. C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muniz, E. A. M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Neri, M.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. M.; Rieger, S.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romel, C. L.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Ross, M. P.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Rynge, M.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sandeen, B.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, E.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schulte, B. W.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seidel, E.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shah, A. A.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shao, L.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Son, E. J.; Sonnenberg, J. A.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, J. A.; Taylor, R.; Theeg, T.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trifirò, D.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tsang, K. W.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ueno, K.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahi, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; Vallisneri, M.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walet, R.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, J. Z.; Wang, M.; Wang, Y.-F.; Wang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wessel, E. K.; Weßels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, K. W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yap, M. J.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; ZadroŻny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; Anderson, D. P.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2017-12-01

We report results of a deep all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves from isolated neutron stars in data from the first Advanced LIGO observing run. This search investigates the low frequency range of Advanced LIGO data, between 20 and 100 Hz, much of which was not explored in initial LIGO. The search was made possible by the computing power provided by the volunteers of the Einstein@Home project. We find no significant signal candidate and set the most stringent upper limits to date on the amplitude of gravitational wave signals from the target population, corresponding to a sensitivity depth of 48.7 [1 /√{Hz }] . At the frequency of best strain sensitivity, near 100 Hz, we set 90% confidence upper limits of 1.8 ×1 0-25. At the low end of our frequency range, 20 Hz, we achieve upper limits of 3.9 ×1 0-24. At 55 Hz we can exclude sources with ellipticities greater than 1 0-5 within 100 pc of Earth with fiducial value of the principal moment of inertia of 1038 kg m2 .

The impact of higher-order aberrations on the strength of directional signals produced by accommodative microfluctuations

PubMed Central

Metlapally, Sangeetha; Tong, Jianliang L.; Tahir, Humza J.; Schor, Clifton M.

2014-01-01

It has been proposed that the accommodation system could perform contrast discrimination between the two dioptric extremes of accommodative microfluctuations to extract directional signals for reflex accommodation. Higher-order aberrations (HOAs) may have a significant influence on the strength of these contrast signals. Our goal was to compute the effect HOAs may have on contrast signals for stimuli within the upper defocus limit by comparing computed microcontrast fluctuations with psychophysical contrast increment thresholds (Bradley & Ohzawa, 1986). Wavefront aberrations were measured while subjects viewed a Maltese spoke stimulus monocularly. Computations were performed for accommodation or disaccommodation stimuli from a 3 Diopter (D) baseline. Microfluctuations were estimated from the standard deviation of the wavefronts over time at baseline. Through-focus Modulation Transfer, optical contrast increments (ΔC), and Weber fractions (ΔC/C) were derived from point spread functions computed from the wavefronts at baseline for 2 and 4 cycles per degree (cpd) components, with and without HOAs. The ΔCs thus computed from the wavefronts were compared with psychophysical contrast increment threshold data. Microfluctuations are potentially useful for extracting directional information for defocus values within 3 D, where contrast increments for the 2 or 4 cpd components exceed psychophysical thresholds. HOAs largely reduce contrast signals produced by microfluctuations, depending on the mean focus error, and their magnitude in individual subjects, and they may shrink the effective stimulus range for reflex accommodation. The upper defocus limit could therefore be constrained by discrimination of microcontrast fluctuations. PMID:25342542

42 CFR 447.514 - Upper limits for multiple source drugs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... State agency plus an amount established by CMS that is equal to 250 percent of the AMP (as computed... will consider the following additional criteria: (1) The AMP of a terminated NDC will not be used to... section, the AMP of the lowest priced therapeutically and pharmaceutically equivalent drug that is not...

Developing and Deploying Multihop Wireless Networks for Low-Income Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camp, Joseph D.; Knightly, Edward W.; Reed, William S.

2006-01-01

In most middle- and upper-income homes across the United States, children, youth, and their families have access to the world's information-technology resources at their fingertips, while in low-income communities, access to technology and the opportunities it provides are often limited to brief periods of computer use and Internet access at…

Computation of subsonic flow around airfoil systems with multiple separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacob, K.

1982-01-01

A numerical method for computing the subsonic flow around multi-element airfoil systems was developed, allowing for flow separation at one or more elements. Besides multiple rear separation also sort bubbles on the upper surface and cove bubbles can approximately be taken into account. Also, compressibility effects for pure subsonic flow are approximately accounted for. After presentation the method is applied to several examples and improved in some details. Finally, the present limitations and desirable extensions are discussed.

Airline flight planning - The weather connection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, R.

1981-01-01

The history of airline flight planning is briefly reviewed. Over half a century ago, when scheduled airline services began, weather data were almost nonexistent. By the early 1950's a reliable synoptic network provided upper air reports. The next 15 years saw a rapid growth in commercial aviation, and airlines introduced computer techniques to flight planning. The 1970's saw the development of weather satellites. The current state of flight planning activities is analyzed. It is found that accurate flight planning will require meteorological information on a finer scale than can be provided by a synoptic forecast. Opportunities for a new approach are examined, giving attention to the available options, a mesoscale numerical weather prediction model, limited area fine mesh models, man-computer interactive display systems, the use of interactive techniques with the present upper air data base, and the implementation of interactive techniques.

The NASA MERIT program - Developing new concepts for accurate flight planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, R.

1982-01-01

It is noted that the rising cost of aviation fuel has necessitated the development of a new approach to upper air forecasting for flight planning. It is shown that the spatial resolution of the present weather forecast models used in fully automated computer flight planning is an important accuracy-limiting factor, and it is proposed that man be put back into the system, although not in the way he has been used in the past. A new approach is proposed which uses the application of man-computer interactive display techniques to upper air forecasting to retain the fine scale features of the atmosphere inherent in the present data base in order to provide a more accurate and cost effective flight plan. It is pointed out that, as a result of NASA research, the hardware required for this approach already exists.

Effect of correlated decay on fault-tolerant quantum computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemberger, B.; Yavuz, D. D.

2017-12-01

We analyze noise in the circuit model of quantum computers when the qubits are coupled to a common bosonic bath and discuss the possible failure of scalability of quantum computation. Specifically, we investigate correlated (super-radiant) decay between the qubit energy levels from a two- or three-dimensional array of qubits without imposing any restrictions on the size of the sample. We first show that regardless of how the spacing between the qubits compares with the emission wavelength, correlated decay produces errors outside the applicability of the threshold theorem. This is because the sum of the norms of the two-body interaction Hamiltonians (which can be viewed as the upper bound on the single-qubit error) that decoheres each qubit scales with the total number of qubits and is unbounded. We then discuss two related results: (1) We show that the actual error (instead of the upper bound) on each qubit scales with the number of qubits. As a result, in the limit of large number of qubits in the computer, N →∞ , correlated decay causes each qubit in the computer to decohere in ever shorter time scales. (2) We find the complete eigenvalue spectrum of the exchange Hamiltonian that causes correlated decay in the same limit. We show that the spread of the eigenvalue distribution grows faster with N compared to the spectrum of the unperturbed system Hamiltonian. As a result, as N →∞ , quantum evolution becomes completely dominated by the noise due to correlated decay. These results argue that scalable quantum computing may not be possible in the circuit model in a two- or three- dimensional geometry when the qubits are coupled to a common bosonic bath.

Risk factors for neck and upper extremity disorders among computers users and the effect of interventions: an overview of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Andersen, Johan H; Fallentin, Nils; Thomsen, Jane F; Mikkelsen, Sigurd

2011-05-12

To summarize systematic reviews that 1) assessed the evidence for causal relationships between computer work and the occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) or upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs), or 2) reported on intervention studies among computer users/or office workers. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Web of Science were searched for reviews published between 1999 and 2010. Additional publications were provided by content area experts. The primary author extracted all data using a purpose-built form, while two of the authors evaluated the quality of the reviews using recommended standard criteria from AMSTAR; disagreements were resolved by discussion. The quality of evidence syntheses in the included reviews was assessed qualitatively for each outcome and for the interventions. Altogether, 1,349 review titles were identified, 47 reviews were retrieved for full text relevance assessment, and 17 reviews were finally included as being relevant and of sufficient quality. The degrees of focus and rigorousness of these 17 reviews were highly variable. Three reviews on risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome were rated moderate to high quality, 8 reviews on risk factors for UEMSDs ranged from low to moderate/high quality, and 6 reviews on intervention studies were of moderate to high quality. The quality of the evidence for computer use as a risk factor for CTS was insufficient, while the evidence for computer use and UEMSDs was moderate regarding pain complaints and limited for specific musculoskeletal disorders. From the reviews on intervention studies no strong evidence based recommendations could be given. Computer use is associated with pain complaints, but it is still not very clear if this association is causal. The evidence for specific disorders or diseases is limited. No effective interventions have yet been documented.

Source Stacking for Numerical Wavefield Computations - Application to Global Scale Seismic Mantle Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacLean, L. S.; Romanowicz, B. A.; French, S.

2015-12-01

Seismic wavefield computations using the Spectral Element Method are now regularly used to recover tomographic images of the upper mantle and crust at the local, regional, and global scales (e.g. Fichtner et al., GJI, 2009; Tape et al., Science 2010; Lekic and Romanowicz, GJI, 2011; French and Romanowicz, GJI, 2014). However, the heaviness of the computations remains a challenge, and contributes to limiting the resolution of the produced images. Using source stacking, as suggested by Capdeville et al. (GJI,2005), can considerably speed up the process by reducing the wavefield computations to only one per each set of N sources. This method was demonstrated through synthetic tests on low frequency datasets, and therefore should work for global mantle tomography. However, the large amplitudes of surface waves dominates the stacked seismograms and these cases can no longer be separated by windowing in the time domain. We have developed a processing approach that helps address this issue and demonstrate its usefulness through a series of synthetic tests performed at long periods (T >60 s) on toy upper mantle models. The summed synthetics are computed using the CSEM code (Capdeville et al., 2002). As for the inverse part of the procedure, we use a quasi-Newton method, computing Frechet derivatives and Hessian using normal mode perturbation theory.

RAETRAD-F: VERSION 1.1 USER'S GUIDE FOR ANALYZING SITE-SPECIFIC MEASUREMENTS OF SOIL RADON POTENTIAL CATEGORY FOR FLORIDA HOUSES

EPA Science Inventory

The document describes RAETRAD-F (RAdon Emanation and TRAnsport into Dwellings--Florida), a computer code that provides a simple way to analyze site-specific soil measurements to estimate upper-limit indoor radon concentrations in a reference house on a site. The code uses data f...

Computational experience with a parallel algorithm for tetrangle inequality bound smoothing.

PubMed

Rajan, K; Deo, N

1999-09-01

Determining molecular structure from interatomic distances is an important and challenging problem. Given a molecule with n atoms, lower and upper bounds on interatomic distances can usually be obtained only for a small subset of the 2(n(n-1)) atom pairs, using NMR. Given the bounds so obtained on the distances between some of the atom pairs, it is often useful to compute tighter bounds on all the 2(n(n-1)) pairwise distances. This process is referred to as bound smoothing. The initial lower and upper bounds for the pairwise distances not measured are usually assumed to be 0 and infinity. One method for bound smoothing is to use the limits imposed by the triangle inequality. The distance bounds so obtained can often be tightened further by applying the tetrangle inequality--the limits imposed on the six pairwise distances among a set of four atoms (instead of three for the triangle inequalities). The tetrangle inequality is expressed by the Cayley-Menger determinants. For every quadruple of atoms, each pass of the tetrangle inequality bound smoothing procedure finds upper and lower limits on each of the six distances in the quadruple. Applying the tetrangle inequalities to each of the (4n) quadruples requires O(n4) time. Here, we propose a parallel algorithm for bound smoothing employing the tetrangle inequality. Each pass of our algorithm requires O(n3 log n) time on a REW PRAM (Concurrent Read Exclusive Write Parallel Random Access Machine) with O(log(n)n) processors. An implementation of this parallel algorithm on the Intel Paragon XP/S and its performance are also discussed.

[Dropped head syndrome as first manifestation of primary hyperparathyroid myopathy].

PubMed

Ota, Kiyobumi; Koseki, Sayo; Ikegami, Kenji; Onishi, Iichiroh; Tomimitsu, Hiyoryuki; Shintani, Shuzo

2018-03-28

75 years old woman presented with 6-month history of progressive dropped head syndrome. Neurological examination revealed moderate weakness of flexor and extensor of neck and mild weakness of proximal appendicular muscles with normal deep tendon reflexes. The needle electromyography showed short duration and low amplitude motor unit potential. No fibrillation potentials or positive sharp waves were seen. Biopsy of deltoid muscle was normal. Laboratory studies showed elevated levels of serum calcium (11.8 mg/dl, upper limit of normal 10.1) and intact parathyroid hormone (104 pg/ml, upper limit of normal 65), and decreased level of serum phosphorus (2.3 mg/dl, lower limit of normal 2.7). Ultrasonography and enhanced computed tomography revealed a parathyroid tumor. The tumor was removed surgically. Pathological examination proved tumor to be parathyroid adenoma. Dropped head and weakness of muscles were dramatically improved within a week after the operation. Although hyperparathyroidism is a rare cause of dropped head syndrome, neurologists must recognize hyperparathyroidism as a treatable cause of dropped head syndrome.

Differences in muscle load between computer and non-computer work among office workers.

PubMed

Richter, J M; Mathiassen, S E; Slijper, H P; Over, E A B; Frens, M A

2009-12-01

Introduction of more non-computer tasks has been suggested to increase exposure variation and thus reduce musculoskeletal complaints (MSC) in computer-intensive office work. This study investigated whether muscle activity did, indeed, differ between computer and non-computer activities. Whole-day logs of input device use in 30 office workers were used to identify computer and non-computer work, using a range of classification thresholds (non-computer thresholds (NCTs)). Exposure during these activities was assessed by bilateral electromyography recordings from the upper trapezius and lower arm. Contrasts in muscle activity between computer and non-computer work were distinct but small, even at the individualised, optimal NCT. Using an average group-based NCT resulted in less contrast, even in smaller subgroups defined by job function or MSC. Thus, computer activity logs should be used cautiously as proxies of biomechanical exposure. Conventional non-computer tasks may have a limited potential to increase variation in muscle activity during computer-intensive office work.

Metallic Species, Oxygen and Silicon in the Lunar Exosphere: Upper Limits and Prospects for LADEE Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarantos, Menelaos; Killen, Rosemary M.; Glenar, David A.; Benna, Mehdi; Stubbs, Timothy J.

2011-01-01

The only species that have been continued in the lunar exosphere are Na, K, Ar, and He. Models for the production and loss of lunar regolith-derived exospheric species from source processes including micrometeoroid impact vaporization, sputtering. and, for Na and K, photon-stimulated desorption, predict a host of other species should exist in the lunar exosphere. Assuming that loss processes are limited to ballistic escape and recycling to the surface, we have computed column abundances and compared them to published upper limits from the Moon and to detected abundances from Mercury. Only for Ca do the available measurements show a clear deficiency compared to the model estimates. This result suggests the importance of loss processes not included in the model, such as the possibility of gas-to-solid phase condensation during micrometeoroid impacts or the formation of stable metallic oxides, and underlines the need for improved spectroscopic measurements of the lunar exosphere. Simulations of the neutral mass (NMS) and visible/ultraviolet spectrometry (UVS) investigations planned by the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft are presented. Our calculations indicate that LADEE measurements promise to make definitive observations or set stringent upper limits for all regolith-driven exospheric species. Our models, along with LADEE observations, will constrain assumed model parameters for the Moon, such as sticking coefficients, source processes. and velocity distributions.

Medicaid program; revision to Medicaid upper payment limit requirements for hospital services, nursing facility services, intermediate care facility services for the mentally retarded, and clinic services. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS. Final rule.

PubMed

2001-01-12

This final rule modifies the Medicaid upper payment limits for inpatient hospital services, outpatient hospital services, nursing facility services, intermediate care facility services for the mentally retarded, and clinic services. For each type of Medicaid inpatient service, existing regulations place an upper limit on overall aggregate payments to all facilities and a separate aggregate upper limit on payments made to State-operated facilities. This final rule establishes an aggregate upper limit that applies to payments made to government facilities that are not State government-owned or operated, and a separate aggregate upper limit on payments made to privately-owned and operated facilities. This rule also eliminates the overall aggregate upper limit that had applied to these services. With respect to outpatient hospital and clinic services, this final rule establishes an aggregate upper limit on payments made to State government-owned or operated facilities, an aggregate upper limit on payments made to government facilities that are not State government-owned or operated, and an aggregate upper limit on payments made to privately-owned and operated facilities. These separate upper limits are necessary to ensure State Medicaid payment systems promote economy and efficiency. We are allowing a higher upper limit for payment to non-State public hospitals to recognize the higher costs of inpatient and outpatient services in public hospitals. In addition, to ensure continued beneficiary access to care and the ability of States to adjust to the changes in the upper payment limits, the final rule includes a transition period for States with approved rate enhancement State plan amendments.

TRUMP. Transient & S-State Temperature Distribution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elrod, D.C.; Turner, W.D.

1992-03-03

TRUMP solves a general nonlinear parabolic partial differential equation describing flow in various kinds of potential fields, such as fields of temperature, pressure, or electricity and magnetism; simultaneously, it will solve two additional equations representing, in thermal problems, heat production by decomposition of two reactants having rate constants with a general Arrhenius temperature dependence. Steady-state and transient flow in one, two, or three dimensions are considered in geometrical configurations having simple or complex shapes and structures. Problem parameters may vary with spatial position, time, or primary dependent variables, temperature, pressure, or field strength. Initial conditions may vary with spatial position,more » and among the criteria that may be specified for ending a problem are upper and lower limits on the size of the primary dependent variable, upper limits on the problem time or on the number of time-steps or on the computer time, and attainment of steady state.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elrod, D.C.; Turner, W.D.

TRUMP solves a general nonlinear parabolic partial differential equation describing flow in various kinds of potential fields, such as fields of temperature, pressure, or electricity and magnetism; simultaneously, it will solve two additional equations representing, in thermal problems, heat production by decomposition of two reactants having rate constants with a general Arrhenius temperature dependence. Steady-state and transient flow in one, two, or three dimensions are considered in geometrical configurations having simple or complex shapes and structures. Problem parameters may vary with spatial position, time, or primary dependent variables, temperature, pressure, or field strength. Initial conditions may vary with spatial position,more » and among the criteria that may be specified for ending a problem are upper and lower limits on the size of the primary dependent variable, upper limits on the problem time or on the number of time-steps or on the computer time, and attainment of steady state.« less

Simplifying Chandra aperture photometry with srcflux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glotfelty, Kenny

2014-11-01

This poster will highlight some of the features of the srcflux script in CIAO. This script combines many threads and tools together to compute photometric properties for sources: counts, rates, various fluxes, and confidence intervals or upper limits. Beginning and casual X-ray astronomers greatly benefit from the simple interface: just specify the event file and a celestial location, while power-users and X-ray astronomy experts can take advantage of the all the parameters to automatically produce catalogs for entire fields. Current limitations and future enhancements of the script will also be presented.

Perioperative patient radiation exposure in the endoscopic removal of upper urinary tract calculi.

PubMed

Jamal, Joseph E; Armenakas, Noel A; Sosa, R Ernest; Fracchia, John A

2011-11-01

The efficacy of computed tomography (CT) in detailing upper urinary tract calculi is well established. There is no established acceptable annual recommended limit for medical exposure, yet the global accepted upper limit for occupational radiation exposure is <50 millisieverts (mSv) in any one year. We sought to appreciate the CT and fluoroscopic radiation exposure to our patients undergoing endoscopic removal of upper tract calculi during the periprocedure period. All patients undergoing upper urinary endoscopic stone removal between 2005 and 2009 were identified. To calculate the cumulative radiation exposure, we included all ionizing radiation imaging performed during a periprocedure period, which we defined as ≤90 days pre- and post-therapeutic procedure. A total of 233 upper urinary tract therapeutic patient stone procedures were identified; 127 patients underwent ureteroscopy (URS) and 106 patients underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). A mean 1.58 CTs were performed per patient. Ninety (38.6%) patients underwent ≥2 CTs in the periprocedure period, with an average number in this group of 2.49 CT/patient, resulting in approximately 49.8 mSv of CT radiation exposure. Patients who were undergoing URS were significantly more likely to have multiple CTs (P=0.003) than those undergoing PCNL. Median fluoroscopic procedure exposures were 43.3 mGy for patients who were undergoing PCNL and 27.6 mGy for those patients undergoing URS. CT radiation exposure in the periprocedure period for patients who were undergoing endoscopic upper tract stone removal is considerable. Added to this is the procedure-related fluoroscopic radiation exposure. Urologic surgeons should be aware of the cumulative amount of ionizing radiation received by their patients from multiple sources.

Continuous Seismic Threshold Monitoring

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-31

Continuous threshold monitoring is a technique for using a seismic network to monitor a geographical area continuously in time. The method provides...area. Two approaches are presented. Site-specific monitoring: By focusing a seismic network on a specific target site, continuous threshold monitoring...recorded events at the site. We define the threshold trace for the network as the continuous time trace of computed upper magnitude limits of seismic

CFD-Based Design Optimization Tool Developed for Subsonic Inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The traditional approach to the design of engine inlets for commercial transport aircraft is a tedious process that ends with a less-than-optimum design. With the advent of high-speed computers and the availability of more accurate and reliable computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solvers, numerical optimization processes can effectively be used to design an aerodynamic inlet lip that enhances engine performance. The designers' experience at Boeing Corporation showed that for a peak Mach number on the inlet surface beyond some upper limit, the performance of the engine degrades excessively. Thus, our objective was to optimize efficiency (minimize the peak Mach number) at maximum cruise without compromising performance at other operating conditions. Using a CFD code NPARC, the NASA Lewis Research Center, in collaboration with Boeing, developed an integrated procedure at Lewis to find the optimum shape of a subsonic inlet lip and a numerical optimization code, ADS. We used a GRAPE-based three-dimensional grid generator to help automate the optimization procedure. The inlet lip shape at the crown and the keel was described as a superellipse, and the superellipse exponents and radii ratios were considered as design variables. Three operating conditions: cruise, takeoff, and rolling takeoff, were considered in this study. Three-dimensional Euler computations were carried out to obtain the flow field. At the initial design, the peak Mach numbers for maximum cruise, takeoff, and rolling takeoff conditions were 0.88, 1.772, and 1.61, respectively. The acceptable upper limits on the takeoff and rolling takeoff Mach numbers were 1.55 and 1.45. Since the initial design provided by Boeing was found to be optimum with respect to the maximum cruise condition, the sum of the peak Mach numbers at takeoff and rolling takeoff were minimized in the current study while the maximum cruise Mach number was constrained to be close to that at the existing design. With this objective, the optimum design satisfied the upper limits at takeoff and rolling takeoff while retaining the desirable cruise performance. Further studies are being conducted to include static and cross-wind operating conditions in the design optimization procedure. This work was carried out in collaboration with Dr. E.S. Reddy of NYMA, Inc.

Upper extremity pain and computer use among engineering graduate students.

PubMed

Schlossberg, Eric B; Morrow, Sandra; Llosa, Augusto E; Mamary, Edward; Dietrich, Peter; Rempel, David M

2004-09-01

The objective of this study was to investigate risk factors associated with persistent or recurrent upper extremity and neck pain among engineering graduate students. A random sample of 206 Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) graduate students at a large public university completed an online questionnaire. Approximately 60% of respondents reported upper extremity or neck pain attributed to computer use and reported a mean pain severity score of 4.5 (+/-2.2; scale 0-10). In a final logistic regression model, female gender, years of computer use, and hours of computer use per week were significantly associated with pain. The high prevalence of upper extremity pain reported by graduate students suggests a public health need to identify interventions that will reduce symptom severity and prevent impairment.

FDG-PET/CT Limited to the Thorax and Upper Abdomen for Staging and Management of Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Arens, Anne I J; Postema, Jan W A; Schreurs, Wendy M J; Lafeber, Albert; Hendrickx, Baudewijn W; Oyen, Wim J G; Vogel, Wouter V

2016-01-01

This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of [F-18]-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) of the chest/upper abdomen compared to the generally performed scan from head to upper thighs, for staging and management of (suspected) lung cancer in patients with no history of malignancy or complaints outside the thorax. FDG-PET/CT scans of 1059 patients with suspected or recently proven lung cancer, with no history of malignancy or complaints outside the thorax, were analysed in a retrospective multi-centre trial. Suspect FDG-avid lesions in the chest and upper abdomen, the head and neck area above the shoulder line and in the abdomen and pelvis below the caudal tip of the liver were noted. The impact of lesions detected in the head and neck area and abdomen and pelvis on additional diagnostic procedures, staging and treatment decisions was evaluated. The head and neck area revealed additional suspect lesions in 7.2%, and the abdomen and pelvis in 15.8% of patients. Imaging of the head and neck area and the abdomen and pelvic area showed additional lesions in 19.5%, inducing additional diagnostic procedures in 7.8%. This resulted in discovery of additional lesions considered malignant in 10.7%, changing patient management for lung cancer in 1.2%. In (suspected) lung cancer, PET/CT limited to the chest and upper abdomen resulted in correct staging in 98.7% of patients, which led to the identical management as full field of view PET in 98.8% of patients. High value of FDG-PET/CT for staging and correct patient management is already achieved with chest and upper abdomen. Findings in head and neck area and abdomen and pelvis generally induce investigations with limited or no impact on staging and treatment of NSCLC, and can be interpreted accordingly.

Risk Factors for Neck and Upper Extremity Disorders among Computers Users and the Effect of Interventions: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

PubMed Central

Andersen, Johan H.; Fallentin, Nils; Thomsen, Jane F.; Mikkelsen, Sigurd

2011-01-01

Background To summarize systematic reviews that 1) assessed the evidence for causal relationships between computer work and the occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) or upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs), or 2) reported on intervention studies among computer users/or office workers. Methodology/Principal Findings PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Web of Science were searched for reviews published between 1999 and 2010. Additional publications were provided by content area experts. The primary author extracted all data using a purpose-built form, while two of the authors evaluated the quality of the reviews using recommended standard criteria from AMSTAR; disagreements were resolved by discussion. The quality of evidence syntheses in the included reviews was assessed qualitatively for each outcome and for the interventions. Altogether, 1,349 review titles were identified, 47 reviews were retrieved for full text relevance assessment, and 17 reviews were finally included as being relevant and of sufficient quality. The degrees of focus and rigorousness of these 17 reviews were highly variable. Three reviews on risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome were rated moderate to high quality, 8 reviews on risk factors for UEMSDs ranged from low to moderate/high quality, and 6 reviews on intervention studies were of moderate to high quality. The quality of the evidence for computer use as a risk factor for CTS was insufficient, while the evidence for computer use and UEMSDs was moderate regarding pain complaints and limited for specific musculoskeletal disorders. From the reviews on intervention studies no strong evidence based recommendations could be given. Conclusions/Significance Computer use is associated with pain complaints, but it is still not very clear if this association is causal. The evidence for specific disorders or diseases is limited. No effective interventions have yet been documented. PMID:21589875

Automatic rectum limit detection by anatomical markers correlation.

PubMed

Namías, R; D'Amato, J P; del Fresno, M; Vénere, M

2014-06-01

Several diseases take place at the end of the digestive system. Many of them can be diagnosed by means of different medical imaging modalities together with computer aided detection (CAD) systems. These CAD systems mainly focus on the complete segmentation of the digestive tube. However, the detection of limits between different sections could provide important information to these systems. In this paper we present an automatic method for detecting the rectum and sigmoid colon limit using a novel global curvature analysis over the centerline of the segmented digestive tube in different imaging modalities. The results are compared with the gold standard rectum upper limit through a validation scheme comprising two different anatomical markers: the third sacral vertebra and the average rectum length. Experimental results in both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography colonography (CTC) acquisitions show the efficacy of the proposed strategy in automatic detection of rectum limits. The method is intended for application to the rectum segmentation in MRI for geometrical modeling and as contextual information source in virtual colonoscopies and CAD systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Runaway Massive Stars from R136: VFTS 682 is Very Likely a "Slow Runaway"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Sambaran; Kroupa, Pavel; Oh, Seungkyung

2012-02-01

We conduct a theoretical study on the ejection of runaway massive stars from R136—the central massive, starburst cluster in the 30 Doradus complex of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Specifically, we investigate the possibility of the very massive star (VMS) VFTS 682 being a runaway member of R136. Recent observations of the above VMS, by virtue of its isolated location and its moderate peculiar motion, have raised the fundamental question of whether isolated massive star formation is indeed possible. We perform the first realistic N-body computations of fully mass-segregated R136-type star clusters in which all the massive stars are in primordial binary systems. These calculations confirm that the dynamical ejection of a VMS from an R136-like cluster, with kinematic properties similar to those of VFTS 682, is common. Hence, the conjecture of isolated massive star formation is unnecessary to account for this VMS. Our results are also quite consistent with the ejection of 30 Dor 016, another suspected runaway VMS from R136. We further note that during the clusters' evolution, mergers of massive binaries produce a few single stars per cluster with masses significantly exceeding the canonical upper limit of 150 M ⊙. The observations of such single super-canonical stars in R136, therefore, do not imply an initial mass function with an upper limit greatly exceeding the accepted canonical 150 M ⊙ limit, as has been suggested recently, and they are consistent with the canonical upper limit.

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Sampling Plan for Enforcement Testing of Covered Consumer Products and Certain High-Volume...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... in Step (c). (6) For an energy or water consumption standard (ECS), compute the upper control limit (UCL2) for the mean of the combined first and second samples using the DOE ECS as the desired mean and a...)(1). (7) For an energy or water consumption standard (ECS), compare the combined sample mean (x2) to...

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Sampling Plan for Enforcement Testing of Covered Consumer Products and Certain High-Volume...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... in Step (c). (6) For an energy or water consumption standard (ECS), compute the upper control limit (UCL2) for the mean of the combined first and second samples using the DOE ECS as the desired mean and a...)(1). (7) For an energy or water consumption standard (ECS), compare the combined sample mean (x2) to...

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Sampling Plan for Enforcement Testing of Covered Consumer Products and Certain High-Volume...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... in Step (c). (6) For an energy or water consumption standard (ECS), compute the upper control limit (UCL2) for the mean of the combined first and second samples using the DOE ECS as the desired mean and a...)(1). (7) For an energy or water consumption standard (ECS), compare the combined sample mean (x2) to...

A computer program to calculate the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of upper-surface-blown wing-flap configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendenhall, M. R.

1978-01-01

A user's manual is presented for a computer program in which a vortex-lattice lifting-surface method is used to model the wing and multiple flaps. The engine wake model consists of a series of closely spaced vortex rings with rectangular cross sections. The jet wake is positioned such that the lower boundary of the jet is tangent to the wing and flap upper surfaces. The two potential flow models are used to calculate the wing-flap loading distribution including the influence of the wakes from up to two engines on the semispan. The method is limited to the condition where the flow and geometry of the configurations are symmetric about the vertical plane containing the wing root chord. The results include total configuration forces and moments, individual lifting-surface load distributions, pressure distributions, flap hinge moments, and flow field calculation at arbitrary field points. The use of the program, preparation of input, the output, program listing, and sample cases are described.

Normative Values for Near and Distance Clinical Tests of Stereoacuity.

PubMed

Piano, Marianne E F; Tidbury, Laurence P; O'Connor, Anna R

2016-12-01

Extensive literature exists on normative stereoacuity values for younger children, but there is less information about normative stereoacuity in older children/adults. Individual stereotests cannot be used interchangeably-knowing the upper limit of normality for each test is important. This report details normative stereoacuity values for 5 near/distance stereotests drawn from a large sample of participants aged 16-40 years, across 3 studies. Participants (n=206, mean age 22.18±5.31 years) were administered the following stereotests: TNO, Preschool Randot, Frisby, Distance Randot, and Frisby-Davis 2. Medians and upper limits were calculated for each test. Upper limits for each stereotest were as follows: TNO (n=127, upper limit=120" arc), Preschool Randot (PSR, n=206, upper limit=70" arc), Frisby (n=206, upper limit=40" arc), Distance Randot (n=127, upper limit=160" arc), and Frisby-Davis 2 (n=109, upper limit=25" arc). Normative values for each stereotest are identified and discussed with respect to other studies. Potential sources of variation between tests, within testing distances, are also discussed.

Feasibility of school-based computer-assisted robotic gaming technology for upper limb rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Preston, Nick; Weightman, Andrew; Gallagher, Justin; Holt, Raymond; Clarke, Michael; Mon-Williams, Mark; Levesley, Martin; Bhakta, Bipinchandra

2016-01-01

We investigated the feasibility of using computer-assisted arm rehabilitation (CAAR) computer games in schools. Outcomes were children's preference for single player or dual player mode, and changes in arm activity and kinematics. Nine boys and two girls with cerebral palsy (6-12 years, mean 9 years) played assistive technology computer games in single-user mode or with school friends in an AB-BA design. Preference was determined by recording the time spent playing each mode and by qualitative feedback. We used the ABILHAND-kids and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure to evaluate activity limitation, and a portable laptop-based device to capture arm kinematics. No difference was recorded between single-user and dual-user modes (median daily use 9.27 versus 11.2 min, p = 0.214). Children reported dual-user mode was preferable. There were no changes in activity limitation (ABILHAND-kids, p = 0.424; COPM, p = 0.484) but we found significant improvements in hand speed (p = 0.028), smoothness (p = 0.005) and accuracy (p = 0.007). School timetables prohibit extensive use of rehabilitation technology but there is potential for its short-term use to supplement a rehabilitation program. The restricted access to the rehabilitation games was sufficient to improve arm kinematics but not arm activity. Implications for Rehabilitation School premises and teaching staff present no obstacles to the installation of rehabilitation gaming technology. Twelve minutes per day is the average amount of time that the school time table permits children to use rehabilitation gaming equipment (without disruption to academic attendance). The use of rehabilitation gaming technology for an average of 12 minutes daily does not appear to benefit children's functional performance, but there are improvements in the kinematics of children's upper limb.

All-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the full S5 LIGO data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abadie, J.; Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M.; Accadia, T.; Acernese, F.; Adams, C.; Adhikari, R.; Affeldt, C.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allen, G. S.; Amador Ceron, E.; Amariutei, D.; Amin, R. S.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Arai, K.; Arain, M. A.; Araya, M. C.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Atkinson, D.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Aylott, B. E.; Babak, S.; Baker, P.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barriga, P.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barton, M. A.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Bastarrika, M.; Basti, A.; Batch, J.; Bauchrowitz, J.; Bauer, Th. S.; Bebronne, M.; Behnke, B.; Beker, M. G.; Bell, A. S.; Belletoile, A.; Belopolski, I.; Benacquista, M.; Berliner, J. M.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Beveridge, N.; Beyersdorf, P. T.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Birch, J.; Biswas, R.; Bitossi, M.; Bizouard, M. A.; Black, E.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackburn, L.; Blair, D.; Bland, B.; Blom, M.; Bock, O.; Bodiya, T. P.; Bogan, C.; Bondarescu, R.; Bondu, F.; Bonelli, L.; Bonnand, R.; Bork, R.; Born, M.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bosi, L.; Bouhou, B.; Braccini, S.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Breyer, J.; Briant, T.; Bridges, D. O.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Britzger, M.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brummit, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Burguet–Castell, J.; Burmeister, O.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Campsie, P.; Cannizzo, J.; Cannon, K.; Canuel, B.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C.; Cesarini, E.; Chaibi, O.; Chalermsongsak, T.; Chalkley, E.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chelkowski, S.; Chen, Y.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Cho, H.; Christensen, N.; Chua, S. S. Y.; Chung, C. T. Y.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Clark, D. E.; Clark, J.; Clayton, J. H.; Cleva, F.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colacino, C. N.; Colas, J.; Colla, A.; Colombini, M.; Conte, A.; Conte, R.; Cook, D.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cordier, M.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M.; Coulon, J.-P.; Couvares, P.; Coward, D. M.; Coyne, D. C.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cruise, A. M.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Cutler, R. M.; Dahl, K.; Danilishin, S. L.; Dannenberg, R.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dattilo, V.; Daudert, B.; Daveloza, H.; Davier, M.; Davies, G.; Daw, E. J.; Day, R.; Dayanga, T.; de Rosa, R.; Debra, D.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; Del Pozzo, W.; Del Prete, M.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; Derosa, R.; Desalvo, R.; Dhurandhar, S.; di Fiore, L.; Diguglielmo, J.; di Lieto, A.; di Palma, I.; di Paolo Emilio, M.; di Virgilio, A.; Díaz, M.; Dietz, A.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Dorsher, S.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Dumas, J.-C.; Dwyer, S.; Eberle, T.; Edgar, M.; Edwards, M.; Effler, A.; Ehrens, P.; Endrőczi, G.; Engel, R.; Etzel, T.; Evans, K.; Evans, M.; Evans, T.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, Y.; Farr, B. F.; Farr, W.; Fazi, D.; Fehrmann, H.; Feldbaum, D.; Ferrante, I.; Fidecaro, F.; Finn, L. S.; Fiori, I.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Flanigan, M.; Foley, S.; Forsi, E.; Forte, L. A.; Fotopoulos, N.; Fournier, J.-D.; Franc, J.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frede, M.; Frei, M.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Fricke, T. T.; Friedrich, D.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P. J.; Fyffe, M.; Galimberti, M.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Garcia, J.; Garofoli, J. A.; Garufi, F.; Gáspár, M. E.; Gemme, G.; Geng, R.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; Gergely, L. Á.; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giampanis, S.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, C.; Goetz, E.; Goggin, L. M.; González, G.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Goßler, S.; Gouaty, R.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Gray, N.; Greenhalgh, R. J. S.; Gretarsson, A. M.; Greverie, C.; Grosso, R.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guido, C.; Gupta, R.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Ha, T.; Hage, B.; Hallam, J. M.; Hammer, D.; Hammond, G.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, J.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Harstad, E. D.; Hartman, M. T.; Haughian, K.; Hayama, K.; Hayau, J.-F.; Hayler, T.; Heefner, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hendry, M. A.; Heng, I. S.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Herrera, V.; Hewitson, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hodge, K. A.; Holt, K.; Hong, T.; Hooper, S.; Hosken, D. J.; Hough, J.; Howell, E. J.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isogai, T.; Ivanov, A.; Izumi, K.; Jacobson, M.; Jang, H.; Jaranowski, P.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, G.; Jones, R.; Ju, L.; Kalmus, P.; Kalogera, V.; Kamaretsos, I.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, H.; Kawabe, K.; Kawamura, S.; Kawazoe, F.; Kells, W.; Keppel, D. G.; Keresztes, Z.; Khalaidovski, A.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kim, B.; Kim, C.; Kim, D.; Kim, H.; Kim, K.; Kim, N.; Kim, Y.-M.; King, P. J.; Kinsey, M.; Kinzel, D. L.; Kissel, J. S.; Klimenko, S.; Kokeyama, K.; Kondrashov, V.; Kopparapu, R.; Koranda, S.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D.; Kringel, V.; Krishnamurthy, S.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, R.; Kwee, P.; Lam, P. K.; Landry, M.; Lang, M.; Lantz, B.; Lastzka, N.; Lawrie, C.; Lazzarini, A.; Leaci, P.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. M.; Leindecker, N.; Leong, J. R.; Leonor, I.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Li, J.; Li, T. G. F.; Liguori, N.; Lindquist, P. E.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lodhia, D.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Luan, J.; Lubinski, M.; Lück, H.; Lundgren, A. P.; MacDonald, E.; Machenschalk, B.; Macinnis, M.; MacLeod, D. M.; Mageswaran, M.; Mailand, K.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandel, I.; Mandic, V.; Mantovani, M.; Marandi, A.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A.; Maros, E.; Marque, J.; Martelli, F.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Matzner, R. A.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazzolo, G.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McKechan, D. J. A.; Meadors, G. D.; Mehmet, M.; Meier, T.; Melatos, A.; Melissinos, A. C.; Mendell, G.; Menendez, D.; Mercer, R. A.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Meyer, M. S.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Milano, L.; Miller, J.; Minenkov, Y.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Miyakawa, O.; Moe, B.; Moesta, P.; Mohan, M.; Mohanty, S. D.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morgado, N.; Morgia, A.; Mori, T.; Mosca, S.; Mossavi, K.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, C. L.; Mueller, G.; Mukherjee, S.; Mullavey, A.; Müller-Ebhardt, H.; Munch, J.; Murphy, D.; Murray, P. G.; Mytidis, A.; Nash, T.; Naticchioni, L.; Nawrodt, R.; Necula, V.; Nelson, J.; Newton, G.; Nishizawa, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Nuttall, L.; Ochsner, E.; O'Dell, J.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Oldenburg, R. G.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Osthelder, C.; Ott, C. D.; Ottaway, D. J.; Ottens, R. S.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Page, A.; Pagliaroli, G.; Palladino, L.; Palomba, C.; Pan, Y.; Pankow, C.; Paoletti, F.; Papa, M. A.; Parisi, M.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patel, P.; Pedraza, M.; Peiris, P.; Pekowsky, L.; Penn, S.; Peralta, C.; Perreca, A.; Persichetti, G.; Phelps, M.; Pickenpack, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pietka, M.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Pletsch, H. J.; Plissi, M. V.; Poggiani, R.; Pöld, J.; Postiglione, F.; Prato, M.; Predoi, V.; Price, L. R.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Quetschke, V.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Rácz, I.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramet, C. R.; Rankins, B.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Re, V.; Redwine, K.; Reed, C. M.; Reed, T.; Regimbau, T.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Ricci, F.; Riesen, R.; Riles, K.; Robertson, N. A.; Robinet, F.; Robinson, C.; Robinson, E. L.; Rocchi, A.; Roddy, S.; Rodriguez, C.; Rodruck, M.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J.; Romano, J. D.; Romano, R.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Röver, C.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Ryll, H.; Sainathan, P.; Sakosky, M.; Salemi, F.; Samblowski, A.; Sammut, L.; Sancho de La Jordana, L.; Sandberg, V.; Sankar, S.; Sannibale, V.; Santamaría, L.; Santiago-Prieto, I.; Santostasi, G.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Sato, S.; Saulson, P. R.; Savage, R. L.; Schilling, R.; Schlamminger, S.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schulz, B.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwinberg, P.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Searle, A. C.; Seifert, F.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaltev, M.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Sibley, A.; Siemens, X.; Sigg, D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L.; Sintes, A. M.; Skelton, G.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Slutsky, J.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, M. R.; Smith, N. D.; Smith, R. J. E.; Somiya, K.; Sorazu, B.; Soto, J.; Speirits, F. C.; Sperandio, L.; Stefszky, M.; Stein, A. J.; Steinert, E.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steplewski, S.; Stochino, A.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Strigin, S.; Stroeer, A. S.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sung, M.; Susmithan, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B.; Tacca, M.; Taffarello, L.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tarabrin, S. P.; Taylor, J. R.; Taylor, R.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thrane, E.; Thüring, A.; Titsler, C.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toncelli, A.; Tonelli, M.; Torre, O.; Torres, C.; Torrie, C. I.; Tournefier, E.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trias, M.; Tseng, K.; Ugolini, D.; Urbanek, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Vallisneri, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; van den Broeck, C.; van der Putten, S.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vass, S.; Vasuth, M.; Vaulin, R.; Vavoulidis, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Veltkamp, C.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Villar, A. E.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vitale, S.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A.; Waldman, S. J.; Wallace, L.; Wan, Y.; Wang, X.; Wang, Z.; Wanner, A.; Ward, R. L.; Was, M.; Wei, P.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wen, S.; Wessels, P.; West, M.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whitcomb, S. E.; White, D.; Whiting, B. F.; Wilkinson, C.; Willems, P. A.; Williams, H. R.; Williams, L.; Willke, B.; Winkelmann, L.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wiseman, A. G.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Wooley, R.; Worden, J.; Yablon, J.; Yakushin, I.; Yamamoto, H.; Yamamoto, K.; Yang, H.; Yeaton-Massey, D.; Yoshida, S.; Yu, P.; Yvert, M.; Zadroźny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zhang, F.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, W.; Zhang, Z.; Zhao, C.; Zotov, N.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.

2012-01-01

We report on an all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency band 50-800 Hz and with the frequency time derivative in the range of 0 through -6×10-9Hz/s. Such a signal could be produced by a nearby spinning and slightly nonaxisymmetric isolated neutron star in our Galaxy. After recent improvements in the search program that yielded a 10× increase in computational efficiency, we have searched in two years of data collected during LIGO’s fifth science run and have obtained the most sensitive all-sky upper limits on gravitational-wave strain to date. Near 150 Hz our upper limit on worst-case linearly polarized strain amplitude h0 is 1×10-24, while at the high end of our frequency range we achieve a worst-case upper limit of 3.8×10-24 for all polarizations and sky locations. These results constitute a factor of 2 improvement upon previously published data. A new detection pipeline utilizing a loosely coherent algorithm was able to follow up weaker outliers, increasing the volume of space where signals can be detected by a factor of 10, but has not revealed any gravitational-wave signals. The pipeline has been tested for robustness with respect to deviations from the model of an isolated neutron star, such as caused by a low-mass or long-period binary companion.

A generalized public goods game with coupling of individual ability and project benefit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Li-Xin; Xu, Wen-Juan; He, Yun-Xin; Zhong, Chen-Yang; Chen, Rong-Da; Qiu, Tian; Shi, Yong-Dong; Ren, Fei

2017-08-01

Facing a heavy task, any single person can only make a limited contribution and team cooperation is needed. As one enjoys the benefit of the public goods, the potential benefits of the project are not always maximized and may be partly wasted. By incorporating individual ability and project benefit into the original public goods game, we study the coupling effect of the four parameters, the upper limit of individual contribution, the upper limit of individual benefit, the needed project cost and the upper limit of project benefit on the evolution of cooperation. Coevolving with the individual-level group size preferences, an increase in the upper limit of individual benefit promotes cooperation while an increase in the upper limit of individual contribution inhibits cooperation. The coupling of the upper limit of individual contribution and the needed project cost determines the critical point of the upper limit of project benefit, where the equilibrium frequency of cooperators reaches its highest level. Above the critical point, an increase in the upper limit of project benefit inhibits cooperation. The evolution of cooperation is closely related to the preferred group-size distribution. A functional relation between the frequency of cooperators and the dominant group size is found.

Design and fabrication of a sleep apnea device using computer-aided design/additive manufacture technologies.

PubMed

Al Mortadi, Noor; Eggbeer, Dominic; Lewis, Jeffrey; Williams, Robert J

2013-04-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the latest innovations in additive manufacture techniques and uniquely apply them to dentistry, to build a sleep apnea device requiring rotating hinges. Laser scanning was used to capture the three-dimensional topography of an upper and lower dental cast. The data sets were imported into an appropriate computer-aided design software environment, which was used to design a sleep apnea device. This design was then exported as a stereolithography file and transferred for three-dimensional printing by an additive manufacture machine. The results not only revealed that the novel computer-based technique presented provides new design opportunities but also highlighted limitations that must be addressed before the techniques can become clinically viable.

pyNS: an open-source framework for 0D haemodynamic modelling.

PubMed

Manini, Simone; Antiga, Luca; Botti, Lorenzo; Remuzzi, Andrea

2015-06-01

A number of computational approaches have been proposed for the simulation of haemodynamics and vascular wall dynamics in complex vascular networks. Among them, 0D pulse wave propagation methods allow to efficiently model flow and pressure distributions and wall displacements throughout vascular networks at low computational costs. Although several techniques are documented in literature, the availability of open-source computational tools is still limited. We here present python Network Solver, a modular solver framework for 0D problems released under a BSD license as part of the archToolkit ( http://archtk.github.com ). As an application, we describe patient-specific models of the systemic circulation and detailed upper extremity for use in the prediction of maturation after surgical creation of vascular access for haemodialysis.

Superadiabatic Controlled Evolutions and Universal Quantum Computation.

PubMed

Santos, Alan C; Sarandy, Marcelo S

2015-10-29

Adiabatic state engineering is a powerful technique in quantum information and quantum control. However, its performance is limited by the adiabatic theorem of quantum mechanics. In this scenario, shortcuts to adiabaticity, such as provided by the superadiabatic theory, constitute a valuable tool to speed up the adiabatic quantum behavior. Here, we propose a superadiabatic route to implement universal quantum computation. Our method is based on the realization of piecewise controlled superadiabatic evolutions. Remarkably, they can be obtained by simple time-independent counter-diabatic Hamiltonians. In particular, we discuss the implementation of fast rotation gates and arbitrary n-qubit controlled gates, which can be used to design different sets of universal quantum gates. Concerning the energy cost of the superadiabatic implementation, we show that it is dictated by the quantum speed limit, providing an upper bound for the corresponding adiabatic counterparts.

Superadiabatic Controlled Evolutions and Universal Quantum Computation

PubMed Central

Santos, Alan C.; Sarandy, Marcelo S.

2015-01-01

Adiabatic state engineering is a powerful technique in quantum information and quantum control. However, its performance is limited by the adiabatic theorem of quantum mechanics. In this scenario, shortcuts to adiabaticity, such as provided by the superadiabatic theory, constitute a valuable tool to speed up the adiabatic quantum behavior. Here, we propose a superadiabatic route to implement universal quantum computation. Our method is based on the realization of piecewise controlled superadiabatic evolutions. Remarkably, they can be obtained by simple time-independent counter-diabatic Hamiltonians. In particular, we discuss the implementation of fast rotation gates and arbitrary n-qubit controlled gates, which can be used to design different sets of universal quantum gates. Concerning the energy cost of the superadiabatic implementation, we show that it is dictated by the quantum speed limit, providing an upper bound for the corresponding adiabatic counterparts. PMID:26511064

Feature extraction using extrema sampling of discrete derivatives for spike sorting in implantable upper-limb neural prostheses.

PubMed

Zamani, Majid; Demosthenous, Andreas

2014-07-01

Next generation neural interfaces for upper-limb (and other) prostheses aim to develop implantable interfaces for one or more nerves, each interface having many neural signal channels that work reliably in the stump without harming the nerves. To achieve real-time multi-channel processing it is important to integrate spike sorting on-chip to overcome limitations in transmission bandwidth. This requires computationally efficient algorithms for feature extraction and clustering suitable for low-power hardware implementation. This paper describes a new feature extraction method for real-time spike sorting based on extrema analysis (namely positive peaks and negative peaks) of spike shapes and their discrete derivatives at different frequency bands. Employing simulation across different datasets, the accuracy and computational complexity of the proposed method are assessed and compared with other methods. The average classification accuracy of the proposed method in conjunction with online sorting (O-Sort) is 91.6%, outperforming all the other methods tested with the O-Sort clustering algorithm. The proposed method offers a better tradeoff between classification error and computational complexity, making it a particularly strong choice for on-chip spike sorting.

Structural and dynamic analysis of an ultra short intracavity directional coupler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gravé, Ilan; Griffel, Giora; Daou, Youssef; Golan, Gadi

1997-01-01

A recently proposed intracavity directional coupler is analysed. Exact analytic expressions for important parameters such as the transmission ratio, the coupling length, and the photon lifetime are given. We show that by controlling the mirror reflectivities of the cavity, it is theoretically possible to reduce the coupling length to a zero limit. The photon lifetime, which governs the dynamic properties of the structure, sets an upper frequency limit of a few hundreds of GHz, which is well over the bandwidth limitation of microwave lumped or travelling wave electrodes. This novel family of intracavity couplers has important applications in the realization of integrated optics circuits for high-speed computing, data processing, and communication.

Multipoint correlators in the Abelian sandpile model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poncelet, Adrien; Ruelle, Philippe

2017-12-01

We revisit the calculation of height correlations in the two-dimensional Abelian sandpile model by taking advantage of a technique developed recently by Kenyon and Wilson. The formalism requires to equip the usual graph Laplacian, ubiquitous in the context of cycle-rooted spanning forests, with a complex connection. In the case at hand, the connection is constant and localized along a semi-infinite defect line (zipper). In the appropriate limit of a trivial connection, it allows one to count spanning forests whose components contain prescribed sites, which are of direct relevance for height correlations in the sandpile model. Using this technique, we first rederive known 1- and 2-site lattice correlators on the plane and upper half-plane, more efficiently than what has been done so far. We also compute explicitly the (new) next-to-leading order in the distances (r-4 for 1-site on the upper half-plane, r-6 for 2-site on the plane). We extend these results by computing new correlators involving one arbitrary height and a few heights 1 on the plane and upper half-plane, for the open and closed boundary conditions. We examine our lattice results from the conformal point of view, and confirm the full consistency with the specific features currently conjectured to be present in the associated logarithmic conformal field theory.

Solution of axisymmetric and two-dimensional inviscid flow over blunt bodies by the method of lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, H. H., II

1978-01-01

Comparisons with experimental data and the results of other computational methods demonstrated that very accurate solutions can be obtained by using relatively few lines with the method of lines approach. This method is semidiscrete and has relatively low core storage requirements as compared with fully discrete methods since very little data were stored across the shock layer. This feature is very attractive for three dimensional problems because it enables computer storage requirements to be reduced by approximately an order of magnitude. In the present study it was found that nine lines was a practical upper limit for two dimensional and axisymmetric problems. This condition limits application of the method to smooth body geometries where relatively few lines would be adequate to describe changes in the flow variables around the body. Extension of the method to three dimensions was conceptually straightforward; however, three dimensional applications would also be limited to smooth body geometries although not necessarily to total of nine lines.

Congenital radioulnar synostosis - case report.

PubMed

Siemianowicz, Anna; Wawrzynek, Wojciech; Besler, Krzysztof

2010-10-01

Congenital radioulnar synostosis is a rare malformation of the upper limb, with functional limitations of the limb. A 10-year-old child with pain and restricted mobility of the elbow joint was admitted to the hospital. Plain film radiography and CT examination was performed. Radiological examinations showed a congenital radioulnar synostosis. The child underwent surgical treatment - derotational osteotomy. Diagnostic imaging including computed tomography with three-dimentional (3D) reconstructions, preceding surgery enables planning of the surgical treatment.

Effects of standing on typing task performance and upper limb discomfort, vascular and muscular indicators.

PubMed

Fedorowich, Larissa M; Côté, Julie N

2018-10-01

Standing is a popular alternative to traditionally seated computer work. However, no studies have described how standing impacts both upper body muscular and vascular outcomes during a computer typing task. Twenty healthy adults completed two 90-min simulated work sessions, seated or standing. Upper limb discomfort, electromyography (EMG) from eight upper body muscles, typing performance and neck/shoulder and forearm blood flow were collected. Results showed significantly less upper body discomfort and higher typing speed during standing. Lower Trapezius EMG amplitude was higher during standing, but this postural difference decreased with time (interaction effect), and its variability was 68% higher during standing compared to sitting. There were no effects on blood flow. Results suggest that standing computer work may engage shoulder girdle stabilizers while reducing discomfort and improving performance. Studies are needed to identify how standing affects more complex computer tasks over longer work bouts in symptomatic workers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Content Range and Precision of a Computer Adaptive Test of Upper Extremity Function for Children with Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montpetit, Kathleen; Haley, Stephen; Bilodeau, Nathalie; Ni, Pengsheng; Tian, Feng; Gorton, George, III; Mulcahey, M. J.

2011-01-01

This article reports on the content range and measurement precision of an upper extremity (UE) computer adaptive testing (CAT) platform of physical function in children with cerebral palsy. Upper extremity items representing skills of all abilities were administered to 305 parents. These responses were compared with two traditional standardized…

ARE WE THERE YET? TIME TO DETECTION OF NANOHERTZ GRAVITATIONAL WAVES BASED ON PULSAR-TIMING ARRAY LIMITS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, S. R.; Vallisneri, M.; Ellis, J. A.

2016-03-01

Decade-long timing observations of arrays of millisecond pulsars have placed highly constraining upper limits on the amplitude of the nanohertz gravitational-wave stochastic signal from the mergers of supermassive black hole binaries (∼10{sup −15} strain at f = 1 yr{sup −1}). These limits suggest that binary merger rates have been overestimated, or that environmental influences from nuclear gas or stars accelerate orbital decay, reducing the gravitational-wave signal at the lowest, most sensitive frequencies. This prompts the question whether nanohertz gravitational waves (GWs) are likely to be detected in the near future. In this Letter, we answer this question quantitatively using simple statistical estimates,more » deriving the range of true signal amplitudes that are compatible with current upper limits, and computing expected detection probabilities as a function of observation time. We conclude that small arrays consisting of the pulsars with the least timing noise, which yield the tightest upper limits, have discouraging prospects of making a detection in the next two decades. By contrast, we find large arrays are crucial to detection because the quadrupolar spatial correlations induced by GWs can be well sampled by many pulsar pairs. Indeed, timing programs that monitor a large and expanding set of pulsars have an ∼80% probability of detecting GWs within the next 10 years, under assumptions on merger rates and environmental influences ranging from optimistic to conservative. Even in the extreme case where 90% of binaries stall before merger and environmental coupling effects diminish low-frequency gravitational-wave power, detection is delayed by at most a few years.« less

RUNAWAY MASSIVE STARS FROM R136: VFTS 682 IS VERY LIKELY A 'SLOW RUNAWAY'

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Banerjee, Sambaran; Kroupa, Pavel; Oh, Seungkyung, E-mail: sambaran@astro.uni-bonn.de, E-mail: pavel@astro.uni-bonn.de, E-mail: skoh@astro.uni-bonn.de

2012-02-10

We conduct a theoretical study on the ejection of runaway massive stars from R136-the central massive, starburst cluster in the 30 Doradus complex of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Specifically, we investigate the possibility of the very massive star (VMS) VFTS 682 being a runaway member of R136. Recent observations of the above VMS, by virtue of its isolated location and its moderate peculiar motion, have raised the fundamental question of whether isolated massive star formation is indeed possible. We perform the first realistic N-body computations of fully mass-segregated R136-type star clusters in which all the massive stars are in primordialmore » binary systems. These calculations confirm that the dynamical ejection of a VMS from an R136-like cluster, with kinematic properties similar to those of VFTS 682, is common. Hence, the conjecture of isolated massive star formation is unnecessary to account for this VMS. Our results are also quite consistent with the ejection of 30 Dor 016, another suspected runaway VMS from R136. We further note that during the clusters' evolution, mergers of massive binaries produce a few single stars per cluster with masses significantly exceeding the canonical upper limit of 150 M{sub Sun }. The observations of such single super-canonical stars in R136, therefore, do not imply an initial mass function with an upper limit greatly exceeding the accepted canonical 150 M{sub Sun} limit, as has been suggested recently, and they are consistent with the canonical upper limit.« less

Influence of Input Hardware and Work Surface Angle on Upper Limb Posture in a Hybrid Computer Workstation.

PubMed

Kingston, David C; Riddell, Maureen F; McKinnon, Colin D; Gallagher, Kaitlin M; Callaghan, Jack P

2016-02-01

We evaluated the effect of work surface angle and input hardware on upper-limb posture when using a hybrid computer workstation. Offices use sit-stand and/or tablet workstations to increase worker mobility. These workstations may have negative effects on upper-limb joints by increasing time spent in non-neutral postures, but a hybrid standing workstation may improve working postures. Fourteen participants completed office tasks in four workstation configurations: a horizontal or sloped 15° working surface with computer or tablet hardware. Three-dimensional right upper-limb postures were recorded during three tasks: reading, form filling, and writing e-mails. Amplitude probability distribution functions determined the median and range of upper-limb postures. The sloped-surface tablet workstation decreased wrist ulnar deviation by 5° when compared to the horizontal-surface computer when reading. When using computer input devices (keyboard and mouse), the shoulder, elbow, and wrist were closest to neutral joint postures when working on a horizontal work surface. The elbow was 23° and 15° more extended, whereas the wrist was 6° less ulnar deviated, when reading compared to typing forms or e-mails. We recommend that the horizontal-surface computer configuration be used for typing and the sloped-surface tablet configuration be used for intermittent reading tasks in this hybrid workstation. Offices with mobile employees could use this workstation for alternating their upper-extremity postures; however, other aspects of the device need further investigation. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Quantum-limited heat conduction over macroscopic distances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partanen, Matti; Tan, Kuan Yen; Govenius, Joonas; Lake, Russell E.; Mäkelä, Miika K.; Tanttu, Tuomo; Möttönen, Mikko

2016-05-01

The emerging quantum technological apparatuses, such as the quantum computer, call for extreme performance in thermal engineering. Cold distant heat sinks are needed for the quantized electric degrees of freedom owing to the increasing packaging density and heat dissipation. Importantly, quantum mechanics sets a fundamental upper limit for the flow of information and heat, which is quantified by the quantum of thermal conductance. However, the short distance between the heat-exchanging bodies in the previous experiments hinders their applicability in quantum technology. Here, we present experimental observations of quantum-limited heat conduction over macroscopic distances extending to a metre. We achieved this improvement of four orders of magnitude in the distance by utilizing microwave photons travelling in superconducting transmission lines. Thus, it seems that quantum-limited heat conduction has no fundamental distance cutoff. This work establishes the integration of normal-metal components into the framework of circuit quantum electrodynamics, which provides a basis for the superconducting quantum computer. Especially, our results facilitate remote cooling of nanoelectronic devices using faraway in situ-tunable heat sinks. Furthermore, quantum-limited heat conduction is important in contemporary thermodynamics. Here, the long distance may lead to ultimately efficient mesoscopic heat engines with promising practical applications.

Sensitivity analysis of limit state functions for probability-based plastic design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frangopol, D. M.

1984-01-01

The evaluation of the total probability of a plastic collapse failure P sub f for a highly redundant structure of random interdependent plastic moments acted on by random interdepedent loads is a difficult and computationally very costly process. The evaluation of reasonable bounds to this probability requires the use of second moment algebra which involves man statistical parameters. A computer program which selects the best strategy for minimizing the interval between upper and lower bounds of P sub f is now in its final stage of development. The relative importance of various uncertainties involved in the computational process on the resulting bounds of P sub f, sensitivity is analyzed. Response sensitivities for both mode and system reliability of an ideal plastic portal frame are shown.

Regional rainfall thresholds for landslide occurrence using a centenary database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaz, Teresa; Luís Zêzere, José; Pereira, Susana; Cruz Oliveira, Sérgio; Quaresma, Ivânia

2017-04-01

Rainfall is one of the most important triggering factors for landslides occurrence worldwide. The relation between rainfall and landslide occurrence is complex and some approaches have been focus on the rainfall thresholds identification, i.e., rainfall critical values that when exceeded can initiate landslide activity. In line with these approaches, this work proposes and validates rainfall thresholds for the Lisbon region (Portugal), using a centenary landslide database associated with a centenary daily rainfall database. The main objectives of the work are the following: i) to compute antecedent rainfall thresholds using linear and potential regression; ii) to define lower limit and upper limit rainfall thresholds; iii) to estimate the probability of critical rainfall conditions associated with landslide events; and iv) to assess the thresholds performance using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) metrics. In this study we consider the DISASTER database, which lists landslides that caused fatalities, injuries, missing people, evacuated and homeless people occurred in Portugal from 1865 to 2010. The DISASTER database was carried out exploring several Portuguese daily and weekly newspapers. Using the same newspaper sources, the DISASTER database was recently updated to include also the landslides that did not caused any human damage, which were also considered for this study. The daily rainfall data were collected at the Lisboa-Geofísico meteorological station. This station was selected considering the quality and completeness of the rainfall data, with records that started in 1864. The methodology adopted included the computation, for each landslide event, of the cumulative antecedent rainfall for different durations (1 to 90 consecutive days). In a second step, for each combination of rainfall quantity-duration, the return period was estimated using the Gumbel probability distribution. The pair (quantity-duration) with the highest return period was considered as the critical rainfall combination responsible for triggering the landslide event. Only events whose critical rainfall combinations have a return period above 3 years were included. This criterion reduces the likelihood of been included events whose triggering factor was other than rainfall. The rainfall quantity-duration threshold for the Lisbon region was firstly defined using the linear and potential regression. Considering that this threshold allow the existence of false negatives (i.e. events below the threshold) it was also identified the lower limit and upper limit rainfall thresholds. These limits were defined empirically by establishing the quantity-durations combinations bellow which no landslides were recorded (lower limit) and the quantity-durations combinations above which only landslides were recorded without any false positive occurrence (upper limit). The zone between the lower limit and upper limit rainfall thresholds was analysed using a probabilistic approach, defining the uncertainties of each rainfall critical conditions in the triggering of landslides. Finally, the performances of the thresholds obtained in this study were assessed using ROC metrics. This work was supported by the project FORLAND - Hydrogeomorphologic risk in Portugal: driving forces and application for land use planning [grant number PTDC/ATPGEO/1660/2014] funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal. Sérgio Cruz Oliveira is a post-doc fellow of the FCT [grant number SFRH/BPD/85827/2012].

Directional selection in the evolution of elongated upper canines in clouded leopards and sabre-toothed cats.

PubMed

Harano, Tomohiro; Kutsukake, Nobuyuki

2018-06-14

Extremely developed or specialised traits such as the elongated upper canines of extinct sabre-toothed cats are often not analogous to those of any extant species, which limits our understanding of their evolutionary cause. However, an extant species may have undergone directional selection for a similar extreme phenotype. Among living felids, the clouded leopard, Neofelis nebulosa, has exceptionally long upper canines for its body size. We hypothesised that directional selection generated the elongated upper canines of clouded leopards in a manner similar to the process in extinct sabre-toothed cats. To test this, we developed an approach that compared the effect of directional selection among lineages in a phylogeny using a simulation of trait evolution and approximate Bayesian computation. This approach was applied to analyse the evolution of upper canine length in the Felidae phylogeny. Our analyses consistently showed directional selection favouring longer upper canines in the clouded leopard lineage and a lineage leading to the sabre-toothed cat with the longest upper canines, Smilodon. Most of our analyses detected an effect of directional selection for longer upper canines in the lineage leading to another sabre-toothed cat, Homotherium, although this selection may have occurred exclusively in the primitive species. In all the analyses, the clouded leopard and Smilodon lineages showed comparable directional selection. This implies that clouded leopards share a selection advantage with sabre-toothed cats in having elongated upper canines. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

What is the most prominent factor limiting photosynthesis in different layers of a greenhouse cucumber canopy?

PubMed Central

Chen, Tsu-Wei; Henke, Michael; de Visser, Pieter H. B.; Buck-Sorlin, Gerhard; Wiechers, Dirk; Kahlen, Katrin; Stützel, Hartmut

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Maximizing photosynthesis at the canopy level is important for enhancing crop yield, and this requires insights into the limiting factors of photosynthesis. Using greenhouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus) as an example, this study provides a novel approach to quantify different components of photosynthetic limitations at the leaf level and to upscale these limitations to different canopy layers and the whole plant. Methods A static virtual three-dimensional canopy structure was constructed using digitized plant data in GroIMP. Light interception of the leaves was simulated by a ray-tracer and used to compute leaf photosynthesis. Different components of photosynthetic limitations, namely stomatal (SL), mesophyll (ML), biochemical (BL) and light (LL) limitations, were calculated by a quantitative limitation analysis of photosynthesis under different light regimes. Key Results In the virtual cucumber canopy, BL and LL were the most prominent factors limiting whole-plant photosynthesis. Diffusional limitations (SL + ML) contributed <15 % to total limitation. Photosynthesis in the lower canopy was more limited by the biochemical capacity, and the upper canopy was more sensitive to light than other canopy parts. Although leaves in the upper canopy received more light, their photosynthesis was more light restricted than in the leaves of the lower canopy, especially when the light condition above the canopy was poor. An increase in whole-plant photosynthesis under diffuse light did not result from an improvement of light use efficiency but from an increase in light interception. Diffuse light increased the photosynthesis of leaves that were directly shaded by other leaves in the canopy by up to 55 %. Conclusions Based on the results, maintaining biochemical capacity of the middle–lower canopy and increasing the leaf area of the upper canopy would be promising strategies to improve canopy photosynthesis in a high-wire cucumber cropping system. Further analyses using the approach described in this study can be expected to provide insights into the influences of horticultural practices on canopy photosynthesis and the design of optimal crop canopies. PMID:24907313

What is the most prominent factor limiting photosynthesis in different layers of a greenhouse cucumber canopy?

PubMed

Chen, Tsu-Wei; Henke, Michael; de Visser, Pieter H B; Buck-Sorlin, Gerhard; Wiechers, Dirk; Kahlen, Katrin; Stützel, Hartmut

2014-09-01

Maximizing photosynthesis at the canopy level is important for enhancing crop yield, and this requires insights into the limiting factors of photosynthesis. Using greenhouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus) as an example, this study provides a novel approach to quantify different components of photosynthetic limitations at the leaf level and to upscale these limitations to different canopy layers and the whole plant. A static virtual three-dimensional canopy structure was constructed using digitized plant data in GroIMP. Light interception of the leaves was simulated by a ray-tracer and used to compute leaf photosynthesis. Different components of photosynthetic limitations, namely stomatal (S(L)), mesophyll (M(L)), biochemical (B(L)) and light (L(L)) limitations, were calculated by a quantitative limitation analysis of photosynthesis under different light regimes. In the virtual cucumber canopy, B(L) and L(L) were the most prominent factors limiting whole-plant photosynthesis. Diffusional limitations (S(L) + M(L)) contributed <15% to total limitation. Photosynthesis in the lower canopy was more limited by the biochemical capacity, and the upper canopy was more sensitive to light than other canopy parts. Although leaves in the upper canopy received more light, their photosynthesis was more light restricted than in the leaves of the lower canopy, especially when the light condition above the canopy was poor. An increase in whole-plant photosynthesis under diffuse light did not result from an improvement of light use efficiency but from an increase in light interception. Diffuse light increased the photosynthesis of leaves that were directly shaded by other leaves in the canopy by up to 55%. Based on the results, maintaining biochemical capacity of the middle-lower canopy and increasing the leaf area of the upper canopy would be promising strategies to improve canopy photosynthesis in a high-wire cucumber cropping system. Further analyses using the approach described in this study can be expected to provide insights into the influences of horticultural practices on canopy photosynthesis and the design of optimal crop canopies.

AlGaAs-GaAs cascade solar cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamorte, M. F.; Abbott, D. H.

1980-01-01

Computer modeling studies are reported for a monolithic, two junction, cascade solar cell using the AlGaAs GaAs materials combination. An optimum design was obtained through a serial optimization procedure by which conversion efficiency is maximized for operation at 300 K, AM 0, and unity solar concentration. Under these conditions the upper limit on efficiency was shown to be in excess of 29 percent, provided surface recombination velocity did not exceed 10,000 cm/sec.

All-Sky Search for Periodic Gravitational Waves in the Full S5 LIGO Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abadie, J.; Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M.; Accadia, T.; Acernese, F.; Adams, C.; Adhikari, R.; Affeldt, C.;

Upper Body-Based Power Wheelchair Control Interface for Individuals With Tetraplegia.

PubMed

Thorp, Elias B; Abdollahi, Farnaz; Chen, David; Farshchiansadegh, Ali; Lee, Mei-Hua; Pedersen, Jessica P; Pierella, Camilla; Roth, Elliot J; Seanez Gonzalez, Ismael; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A

2016-02-01

Many power wheelchair control interfaces are not sufficient for individuals with severely limited upper limb mobility. The majority of controllers that do not rely on coordinated arm and hand movements provide users a limited vocabulary of commands and often do not take advantage of the user's residual motion. We developed a body-machine interface (BMI) that leverages the flexibility and customizability of redundant control by using high dimensional changes in shoulder kinematics to generate proportional control commands for a power wheelchair. In this study, three individuals with cervical spinal cord injuries were able to control a power wheelchair safely and accurately using only small shoulder movements. With the BMI, participants were able to achieve their desired trajectories and, after five sessions driving, were able to achieve smoothness that was similar to the smoothness with their current joystick. All participants were twice as slow using the BMI however improved with practice. Importantly, users were able to generalize training controlling a computer to driving a power wheelchair, and employed similar strategies when controlling both devices. Overall, this work suggests that the BMI can be an effective wheelchair control interface for individuals with high-level spinal cord injuries who have limited arm and hand control.

Unsystematic Technology Adoption in Cambodia: Students' Perceptions of Computer and Internet Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jayson W.; Nash, John B.; Flora, Kevin L.

2014-01-01

This study was designed to understand how upper secondary school students in Cambodia perceive the use of computers and the Internet. Data were collected from students in three urban upper secondary schools (n = 1,137) in Cambodia using questionnaires. The data indicate that the more exposure a Cambodian student had to computers and the Internet…

42 CFR 447.512 - Drugs: Aggregate upper limits of payment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...: Aggregate upper limits of payment. (a) Multiple source drugs. Except for brand name drugs that are certified... applies. (b) Other drugs. The agency payments for brand name drugs certified in accordance with paragraph... brand name drugs. (1) The upper limit for payment for multiple source drugs for which a specific limit...

Kinetic energy budgets in areas of convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuelberg, H. E.

1979-01-01

Synoptic scale budgets of kinetic energy are computed using 3 and 6 h data from three of NASA's Atmospheric Variability Experiments (AVE's). Numerous areas of intense convection occurred during the three experiments. Large kinetic energy variability, with periods as short as 6 h, is observed in budgets computed over each entire experiment area and over limited volumes that barely enclose the convection and move with it. Kinetic energy generation and transport processes in the smaller volumes are often a maximum when the enclosed storms are near peak intensity, but the nature of the various energy processes differs between storm cases and seems closely related to the synoptic conditions. A commonly observed energy budget for peak storm intensity indicates that generation of kinetic energy by cross-contour flow is the major energy source while dissipation to subgrid scales is the major sink. Synoptic scale vertical motion transports kinetic energy from lower to upper levels of the atmosphere while low-level horizontal flux convergence and upper-level horizontal divergence also occur. Spatial fields of the energy budget terms show that the storm environment is a major center of energy activity for the entire area.

Double plasma resonance instability as a source of solar zebra emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benáček, J.; Karlický, M.

2018-03-01

Context. The double plasma resonance (DPR) instability plays a basic role in the generation of solar radio zebras. In the plasma, consisting of the loss-cone type distribution of hot electrons and much denser and colder background plasma, this instability generates the upper-hybrid waves, which are then transformed into the electromagnetic waves and observed as radio zebras. Aims: In the present paper we numerically study the double plasma resonance instability from the point of view of the zebra interpretation. Methods: We use a 3-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell (3D PIC) relativistic model. We use this model in two versions: (a) a spatially extended "multi-mode" model and (b) a spatially limited "specific-mode" model. While the multi-mode model is used for detailed computations and verifications of the results obtained by the "specific-mode" model, the specific-mode model is used for computations in a broad range of model parameters, which considerably save computational time. For an analysis of the computational results, we developed software tools in Python. Results: First using the multi-mode model, we study details of the double plasma resonance instability. We show how the distribution function of hot electrons changes during this instability. Then we show that there is a very good agreement between results obtained by the multi-mode and specific-mode models, which is caused by a dominance of the wave with the maximal growth rate. Therefore, for computations in a broad range of model parameters, we use the specific-mode model. We compute the maximal growth rates of the double plasma resonance instability with a dependence on the ratio between the upper-hybrid ωUH and electron-cyclotron ωce frequency. We vary temperatures of both the hot and background plasma components and study their effects on the resulting growth rates. The results are compared with the analytical ones. We find a very good agreement between numerical and analytical growth rates. We also compute saturation energies of the upper-hybrid waves in a very broad range of parameters. We find that the saturation energies of the upper-hybrid waves show maxima and minima at almost the same values of ωUH/ωce as the growth rates, but with a higher contrast between them than the growth rate maxima and minima. The contrast between saturation energy maxima and minima increases when the temperature of hot electrons increases. Furthermore, we find that the saturation energy of the upper-hybrid waves is proportional to the density of hot electrons. The maximum saturated energy can be up to one percent of the kinetic energy of hot electrons. Finally we find that the saturation energy maxima in the interval of ωUH/ωce = 3-18 decrease according to the exponential function. All these findings can be used in the interpretation of solar radio zebras.

Plutonium Critical Mass Curve Comparison to Mass at Upper Subcritical Limit (USL) Using Whisper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alwin, Jennifer Louise; Zhang, Ning

Whisper is computational software designed to assist the nuclear criticality safety analyst with validation studies with the MCNP ® Monte Carlo radiation transport package. Standard approaches to validation rely on the selection of benchmarks based upon expert judgment. Whisper uses sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) methods to select relevant benchmarks to a particular application or set of applications being analyzed. Using these benchmarks, Whisper computes a calculational margin. Whisper attempts to quantify the margin of subcriticality (MOS) from errors in software and uncertainties in nuclear data. The combination of the Whisper-derived calculational margin and MOS comprise the baseline upper subcritical limit (USL), tomore » which an additional margin may be applied by the nuclear criticality safety analyst as appropriate to ensure subcriticality. A series of critical mass curves for plutonium, similar to those found in Figure 31 of LA-10860-MS, have been generated using MCNP6.1.1 and the iterative parameter study software, WORM_Solver. The baseline USL for each of the data points of the curves was then computed using Whisper 1.1. The USL was then used to determine the equivalent mass for plutonium metal-water system. ANSI/ANS-8.1 states that it is acceptable to use handbook data, such as the data directly from the LA-10860-MS, as it is already considered validated (Section 4.3 4) “Use of subcritical limit data provided in ANSI/ANS standards or accepted reference publications does not require further validation.”). This paper attempts to take a novel approach to visualize traditional critical mass curves and allows comparison with the amount of mass for which the k eff is equal to the USL (calculational margin + margin of subcriticality). However, the intent is to plot the critical mass data along with USL, not to suggest that already accepted handbook data should have new and more rigorous requirements for validation.« less

Methods of sound simulation and applications in flight simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaertner, K. P.

1980-01-01

An overview of methods for electronically synthesizing sounds is presented. A given amount of hardware and computer capacity places an upper limit on the degree and fidelity of realism of sound simulation which is attainable. Good sound realism for aircraft simulators can be especially expensive because of the complexity of flight sounds and their changing patterns through time. Nevertheless, the flight simulator developed at the Research Institute for Human Engineering, West Germany, shows that it is possible to design an inexpensive sound simulator with the required acoustic properties using analog computer elements. The characteristics of the sub-sound elements produced by this sound simulator for take-off, cruise and approach are discussed.

Including Short Period Constraints In the Construction of Full Waveform Tomographic Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, C.; Calo, M.; Bodin, T.; Romanowicz, B. A.

2015-12-01

Thanks to the introduction of the Spectral Element Method (SEM) in seismology, which allows accurate computation of the seismic wavefield in complex media, the resolution of regional and global tomographic models has improved in recent years. However, due to computational costs, only long period waveforms are considered, and only long wavelength structure can be constrained. Thus, the resulting 3D models are smooth, and only represent a small volumetric perturbation around a smooth reference model that does not include upper-mantle discontinuities (e.g. MLD, LAB). Extending the computations to shorter periods, necessary for the resolution of smaller scale features, is computationally challenging. In order to overcome these limitations and to account for layered structure in the upper mantle in our full waveform tomography, we include information provided by short period seismic observables (receiver functions and surface wave dispersion), sensitive to sharp boundaries and anisotropic structure respectively. In a first step, receiver functions and dispersion curves are used to generate a number of 1D radially anisotropic shear velocity profiles using a trans-dimensional Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm. These 1D profiles include both isotropic and anisotropic discontinuities in the upper mantle (above 300 km depth) beneath selected stationsand are then used to build a 3D starting model for the full waveform tomographic inversion. This model is built after 1) interpolation between the available 1D profiles, and 2) homogeneization of the layered 1D models to obtain an equivalent smooth 3D starting model in the period range of interest for waveform inversion. The waveforms used in the inversion are collected for paths contained in the region of study and filtered at periods longer than 40s. We use the spectral element code "RegSEM" (Cupillard et al., 2012) for forward computations and a quasi-Newton inversion approach in which kernels are computed using normal mode perturbation theory. We present here the first reults of such an approach after successive iterations of a full waveform tomography of the North American continent.

Extremely Scalable Spiking Neuronal Network Simulation Code: From Laptops to Exascale Computers.

PubMed

Jordan, Jakob; Ippen, Tammo; Helias, Moritz; Kitayama, Itaru; Sato, Mitsuhisa; Igarashi, Jun; Diesmann, Markus; Kunkel, Susanne

2018-01-01

State-of-the-art software tools for neuronal network simulations scale to the largest computing systems available today and enable investigations of large-scale networks of up to 10 % of the human cortex at a resolution of individual neurons and synapses. Due to an upper limit on the number of incoming connections of a single neuron, network connectivity becomes extremely sparse at this scale. To manage computational costs, simulation software ultimately targeting the brain scale needs to fully exploit this sparsity. Here we present a two-tier connection infrastructure and a framework for directed communication among compute nodes accounting for the sparsity of brain-scale networks. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach by implementing the technology in the NEST simulation code and we investigate its performance in different scaling scenarios of typical network simulations. Our results show that the new data structures and communication scheme prepare the simulation kernel for post-petascale high-performance computing facilities without sacrificing performance in smaller systems.

Extremely Scalable Spiking Neuronal Network Simulation Code: From Laptops to Exascale Computers

PubMed Central

Jordan, Jakob; Ippen, Tammo; Helias, Moritz; Kitayama, Itaru; Sato, Mitsuhisa; Igarashi, Jun; Diesmann, Markus; Kunkel, Susanne

2018-01-01

State-of-the-art software tools for neuronal network simulations scale to the largest computing systems available today and enable investigations of large-scale networks of up to 10 % of the human cortex at a resolution of individual neurons and synapses. Due to an upper limit on the number of incoming connections of a single neuron, network connectivity becomes extremely sparse at this scale. To manage computational costs, simulation software ultimately targeting the brain scale needs to fully exploit this sparsity. Here we present a two-tier connection infrastructure and a framework for directed communication among compute nodes accounting for the sparsity of brain-scale networks. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach by implementing the technology in the NEST simulation code and we investigate its performance in different scaling scenarios of typical network simulations. Our results show that the new data structures and communication scheme prepare the simulation kernel for post-petascale high-performance computing facilities without sacrificing performance in smaller systems. PMID:29503613

Surpassing the no-cloning limit with a heralded hybrid linear amplifier for coherent states

PubMed Central

Haw, Jing Yan; Zhao, Jie; Dias, Josephine; Assad, Syed M.; Bradshaw, Mark; Blandino, Rémi; Symul, Thomas; Ralph, Timothy C.; Lam, Ping Koy

2016-01-01

The no-cloning theorem states that an unknown quantum state cannot be cloned exactly and deterministically due to the linearity of quantum mechanics. Associated with this theorem is the quantitative no-cloning limit that sets an upper bound to the quality of the generated clones. However, this limit can be circumvented by abandoning determinism and using probabilistic methods. Here, we report an experimental demonstration of probabilistic cloning of arbitrary coherent states that clearly surpasses the no-cloning limit. Our scheme is based on a hybrid linear amplifier that combines an ideal deterministic linear amplifier with a heralded measurement-based noiseless amplifier. We demonstrate the production of up to five clones with the fidelity of each clone clearly exceeding the corresponding no-cloning limit. Moreover, since successful cloning events are heralded, our scheme has the potential to be adopted in quantum repeater, teleportation and computing applications. PMID:27782135

Congenital radioulnar synostosis – case report

PubMed Central

Siemianowicz, Anna; Wawrzynek, Wojciech; Besler, Krzysztof

2010-01-01

Summary Background: Congenital radioulnar synostosis is a rare malformation of the upper limb, with functional limitations of the limb. Case Report: A 10-year-old child with pain and restricted mobility of the elbow joint was admitted to the hospital. Plain film radiography and CT examination was performed. Radiological examinations showed a congenital radioulnar synostosis. The child underwent surgical treatment – derotational osteotomy. Conclusions: Diagnostic imaging including computed tomography with three-dimentional (3D) reconstructions, preceding surgery enables planning of the surgical treatment. PMID:22802806

Associated production of a quarkonium and a Z boson at one loop in a quark-hadron-duality approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lansberg, Jean-Philippe; Shao, Hua-Sheng

2016-10-01

In view of the large discrepancy about the associated production of a prompt J/ψ and a Z boson between the ATLAS data at √{s}=8 TeV and theoretical predictions for Single Parton Scattering (SPS) contributions, we perform an evaluation of the corresponding cross section at one loop accuracy (Next-to-Leading Order, NLO) in a quark-hadron-duality approach, also known as the Colour-Evaporation Model (CEM). This work is motivated by (i) the extremely disparate predictions based on the existing NRQCD fits conjugated with the absence of a full NLO NRQCD computation and (ii) the fact that we believe that such an evaluation provides a likely upper limit of the SPS cross section. In addition to these theory improvements, we argue that the ATLAS estimation of the Double Parton Scattering (DPS) yield may be underestimated by a factor as large as 3 which then reduces the size of the SPS yield extracted from the ATLAS data. Our NLO SPS evaluation also allows us to set an upper limit on σ eff driving the size of the DPS yield. Overall, the discrepancy between theory and experiment may be smaller than expected, which calls for further analyses by ATLAS and CMS, for which we provide predictions, and for full NLO computations in other models. As an interesting side product of our analysis, we have performed the first NLO computation of dσ /dP T for prompt single- J/ψ production in the CEM from which we have fit the CEM non-pertubative parameter at NLO using the most recent ATLAS data.

Worldwide Regulations of Standard Values of Pesticides for Human Health Risk Control: A Review.

PubMed

Li, Zijian; Jennings, Aaron

2017-07-22

Abstract : The impact of pesticide residues on human health is a worldwide problem, as human exposure to pesticides can occur through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Regulatory jurisdictions have promulgated the standard values for pesticides in residential soil, air, drinking water, and agricultural commodity for years. Until now, more than 19,400 pesticide soil regulatory guidance values (RGVs) and 5400 pesticide drinking water maximum concentration levels (MCLs) have been regulated by 54 and 102 nations, respectively. Over 90 nations have provided pesticide agricultural commodity maximum residue limits (MRLs) for at least one of the 12 most commonly consumed agricultural foods. A total of 22 pesticides have been regulated with more than 100 soil RGVs, and 25 pesticides have more than 100 drinking water MCLs. This research indicates that those RGVs and MCLs for an individual pesticide could vary over seven (DDT drinking water MCLs), eight (Lindane soil RGVs), or even nine (Dieldrin soil RGVs) orders of magnitude. Human health risk uncertainty bounds and the implied total exposure mass burden model were applied to analyze the most commonly regulated and used pesticides for human health risk control. For the top 27 commonly regulated pesticides in soil, there are at least 300 RGVs (8% of the total) that are above all of the computed upper bounds for human health risk uncertainty. For the top 29 most-commonly regulated pesticides in drinking water, at least 172 drinking water MCLs (5% of the total) exceed the computed upper bounds for human health risk uncertainty; while for the 14 most widely used pesticides, there are at least 310 computed implied dose limits (28.0% of the total) that are above the acceptable daily intake values. The results show that some worldwide standard values were not derived conservatively enough to avoid human health risk by the pesticides, and that some values were not computed comprehensively by considering all major human exposure pathways.

Worldwide Regulations of Standard Values of Pesticides for Human Health Risk Control: A Review

PubMed Central

Jennings, Aaron

2017-01-01

The impact of pesticide residues on human health is a worldwide problem, as human exposure to pesticides can occur through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Regulatory jurisdictions have promulgated the standard values for pesticides in residential soil, air, drinking water, and agricultural commodity for years. Until now, more than 19,400 pesticide soil regulatory guidance values (RGVs) and 5400 pesticide drinking water maximum concentration levels (MCLs) have been regulated by 54 and 102 nations, respectively. Over 90 nations have provided pesticide agricultural commodity maximum residue limits (MRLs) for at least one of the 12 most commonly consumed agricultural foods. A total of 22 pesticides have been regulated with more than 100 soil RGVs, and 25 pesticides have more than 100 drinking water MCLs. This research indicates that those RGVs and MCLs for an individual pesticide could vary over seven (DDT drinking water MCLs), eight (Lindane soil RGVs), or even nine (Dieldrin soil RGVs) orders of magnitude. Human health risk uncertainty bounds and the implied total exposure mass burden model were applied to analyze the most commonly regulated and used pesticides for human health risk control. For the top 27 commonly regulated pesticides in soil, there are at least 300 RGVs (8% of the total) that are above all of the computed upper bounds for human health risk uncertainty. For the top 29 most-commonly regulated pesticides in drinking water, at least 172 drinking water MCLs (5% of the total) exceed the computed upper bounds for human health risk uncertainty; while for the 14 most widely used pesticides, there are at least 310 computed implied dose limits (28.0% of the total) that are above the acceptable daily intake values. The results show that some worldwide standard values were not derived conservatively enough to avoid human health risk by the pesticides, and that some values were not computed comprehensively by considering all major human exposure pathways. PMID:28737697

Bayesian approach for counting experiment statistics applied to a neutrino point source analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bose, D.; Brayeur, L.; Casier, M.; de Vries, K. D.; Golup, G.; van Eijndhoven, N.

2013-12-01

In this paper we present a model independent analysis method following Bayesian statistics to analyse data from a generic counting experiment and apply it to the search for neutrinos from point sources. We discuss a test statistic defined following a Bayesian framework that will be used in the search for a signal. In case no signal is found, we derive an upper limit without the introduction of approximations. The Bayesian approach allows us to obtain the full probability density function for both the background and the signal rate. As such, we have direct access to any signal upper limit. The upper limit derivation directly compares with a frequentist approach and is robust in the case of low-counting observations. Furthermore, it allows also to account for previous upper limits obtained by other analyses via the concept of prior information without the need of the ad hoc application of trial factors. To investigate the validity of the presented Bayesian approach, we have applied this method to the public IceCube 40-string configuration data for 10 nearby blazars and we have obtained a flux upper limit, which is in agreement with the upper limits determined via a frequentist approach. Furthermore, the upper limit obtained compares well with the previously published result of IceCube, using the same data set.

[Population screening for breast cancer: an interim assessment].

PubMed

van der Maas, P J

2000-06-03

The Dutch national breast cancer programme started in 1989 and ten years later complete coverage of the target population was realised. Screening will save the lives of 27% of all women with screen detected breast cancer. In the other 73% survival will not change, but they will know some years earlier that they have breast cancer. There are 4 lessons from the 12 year experience: (a) mortality reduction due to the present programme can only be identified in individual follow-up data of all women with breast cancer; (b) systematic improvement of the programme's performance can only be based on feedback from a detailed quality and outcome monitoring system; (c) the advice to increase the upper age limit to 75 years was based on the interpretation of trial results for younger age groups and model analysis; (d) breast cancer screening contributed to the systematic improvement of clinical procedures. Current scientific and practical challenges are mortality evaluation, optimising test properties, setting upper and lower age limits, understanding regional differences, developing optimal screening frequencies in women with an elevated breast cancer risk, digital mammography and computer assisted diagnosis.

Roles of divergent and rotational winds in the kinetic energy balance during intense convective activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuelberg, H. E.; Browning, P. A.

1983-01-01

Contributions of divergent and rotational wind components to the synoptic-scale kinetic energy balance are described using rawinsonde data at 3 and 6 h intervals from NASA's fourth Atmospheric Variability experiment. Two intense thunderstorm complexes occurred during the period. Energy budgets are described for the entire computational region and for limited volumes that enclosed storm-induced, upper level wind maxima located poleward of convection. Although small in magnitude, the divergent wind component played an important role in the cross-contour generation and horizontal flux divergence of kinetic energy. The importance of V(D) appears directly related to the presence and intensity of convection. Although K(D) usually comprised less than 10 percent of the total kinetic energy content, generation of kinetic energy by V(D) was a major factor in the creation of upper-level wind maxima to the north of the storm complexes. Omission of the divergent wind apparently would lead to serious misrepresentations of the energy balance. A random error analysis is presented to assess confidence limits in the various energy parameters.

Upper Atmosphere Research Report Number 21. Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings

DTIC Science & Technology

1954-02-01

computer . The sky screens are essentially theodolites which view the rocket through a pair of - crossed rods which are driven closed by an electric motor...positions are electrically measured and fed into a computer . The computer continously predicts the point of impact of the rocket 411 were its thrust...Without such equipment it is neces- sary to rely on optical ’fixes’, sound ranging, or the Impact Point Computer to provide such information. In the early

Effects of fourth-order dispersion in very high-speed optical time-division multiplexed transmission.

PubMed

Capmany, J; Pastor, D; Sales, S; Ortega, B

2002-06-01

We present a closed-form expression for computation of the output pulse's rms time width in an optical fiber link with up to fourth-order dispersion (FOD) by use of an optical source with arbitrary linewidth and chirp parameters. We then specialize the expression to analyze the effect of FOD on the transmission of very high-speed linear optical time-division multiplexing systems. By suitable source chirping, FOD can be compensated for to an upper link-length limit above which other techniques must be employed. Finally, a design formula to estimate the maximum attainable bit rate limited by FOD as a function of the link length is also presented.

3-D PARTICLE TRANSPORT WITHIN THE HUMAN UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT

EPA Science Inventory

In this study trajectories of inhaled particulate matter (PM) were simulated within a three-dimensional (3-D) computer model of the human upper respiratory tract (URT). The airways were described by computer-reconstructed images of a silicone rubber cast of the human head, throat...

Profiling the robustness, efficiency and limits of the forward-adjoint method for 3-D mantle convection modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, M. G.; Davies, J. H.

2018-02-01

Knowledge of Earth's past mantle structure is inherently unknown. This lack of knowledge presents problems in many areas of Earth science, including in mantle circulation modelling (MCM). As a mathematical model of mantle convection, MCMs require boundary and initial conditions. While boundary conditions are readily available from sources such as plate reconstructions for the upper surface, and as free slip at the core-mantle boundary, the initial condition is not known. MCMs have historically `created' an initial condition using long `spin up' processes using the oldest available plate reconstruction period available. While these do yield good results when models are run to present day, it is difficult to infer with confidence results from early in a model's history. Techniques to overcome this problem are now being studied in geodynamics, such as by assimilating the known internal structure (e.g. from seismic tomography) of Earth at present day backwards in time. One such method is to use an iterative process known as the forward-adjoint method. While this is an efficient means of solving this inverse problem, it still strains all but the most cutting edge computational systems. In this study we endeavour to profile the effectiveness of this method using synthetic test cases as our known data source. We conclude that savings in terms of computational expense for forward-adjoint models can be achieved by streamlining the time-stepping of the calculation, as well as determining the most efficient method of updating initial conditions in the iterative scheme. Furthermore, we observe that in the models presented, there exists an upper limit on the time interval over which solutions will practically converge, although this limit is likely to be linked to Rayleigh number.

42 CFR 447.321 - Outpatient hospital and clinic services: Application of upper payment limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Outpatient hospital and clinic services: Application of upper payment limits. 447.321 Section 447.321 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID... Clinic Services § 447.321 Outpatient hospital and clinic services: Application of upper payment limits...

Component separation of a isotropic Gravitational Wave Background

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parida, Abhishek; Jhingan, Sanjay; Mitra, Sanjit, E-mail: abhishek@jmi.ac.in, E-mail: sanjit@iucaa.in, E-mail: sjhingan@jmi.ac.in

2016-04-01

A Gravitational Wave Background (GWB) is expected in the universe from the superposition of a large number of unresolved astrophysical sources and phenomena in the early universe. Each component of the background (e.g., from primordial metric perturbations, binary neutron stars, milli-second pulsars etc.) has its own spectral shape. Many ongoing experiments aim to probe GWB at a variety of frequency bands. In the last two decades, using data from ground-based laser interferometric gravitational wave (GW) observatories, upper limits on GWB were placed in the frequency range of 0∼ 50−100 Hz, considering one spectral shape at a time. However, one strong componentmore » can significantly enhance the estimated strength of another component. Hence, estimation of the amplitudes of the components with different spectral shapes should be done jointly. Here we propose a method for 'component separation' of a statistically isotropic background, that can, for the first time, jointly estimate the amplitudes of many components and place upper limits. The method is rather straightforward and needs negligible amount of computation. It utilises the linear relationship between the measurements and the amplitudes of the actual components, alleviating the need for a sampling based method, e.g., Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) or matched filtering, which are computationally intensive and cumbersome in a multi-dimensional parameter space. Using this formalism we could also study how many independent components can be separated using a given dataset from a network of current and upcoming ground based interferometric detectors.« less

Performance Benchmark for a Prismatic Flow Solver

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-26

Gauss- Seidel (LU-SGS) implicit method is used for time integration to reduce the computational time. A one-equation turbulence model by Goldberg and...numerical flux computations. The Lower-Upper-Symmetric Gauss- Seidel (LU-SGS) implicit method [1] is used for time integration to reduce the...Sharov, D. and Nakahashi, K., “Reordering of Hybrid Unstructured Grids for Lower-Upper Symmetric Gauss- Seidel Computations,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 36

Median and ulnar neuropathies in university guitarists.

PubMed

Kennedy, Rachel H; Hutcherson, Kimberly J; Kain, Jennifer B; Phillips, Alicia L; Halle, John S; Greathouse, David G

2006-02-01

Descriptive study. To determine the presence of median and ulnar neuropathies in both upper extremities of university guitarists. Peripheral nerve entrapment syndromes of the upper extremities are well documented in musicians. Guitarists and plucked-string musicians are at risk for entrapment neuropathies in the upper extremities and are prone to mild neurologic deficits. Twenty-four volunteer male and female guitarists (age range, 18-26 years) were recruited from the Belmont University School of Music and the Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music. Individuals were excluded if they were pregnant or had a history of recent upper extremity or neck injury. Subjects completed a history form, were interviewed, and underwent a physical examination. Nerve conduction status of the median and ulnar nerves of both upper extremities was obtained by performing motor, sensory, and F-wave (central) nerve conduction studies. Descriptive statistics of the nerve conduction study variables were computed using Microsoft Excel. Six subjects had positive findings on provocative testing of the median and ulnar nerves. Otherwise, these guitarists had normal upper extremity neural and musculoskeletal function based on the history and physical examinations. When comparing the subjects' nerve conduction study values with a chart of normal nerve conduction studies values, 2 subjects had prolonged distal motor latencies (DMLs) of the left median nerve of 4.3 and 4.7 milliseconds (normal, < 4.2 milliseconds). Prolonged DMLs are compatible with median neuropathy at or distal to the wrist. Otherwise, all electrophysiological variables were within normal limits for motor, sensory, and F-wave (central) values. However, comparison studies of median and ulnar motor latencies in the same hand demonstrated prolonged differences of greater than 1.0 milliseconds that affected the median nerve in 2 additional subjects, and identified contralateral limb involvement in a subject with a prolonged distal latency. The other 20 subjects demonstrated normal comparison studies of the median and ulnar nerves in both upper extremities. In this descriptive study of a population of 24 university guitarists, 4 musicians (17%) were found to have electrophysiologic evidence of median neuropathy at or distal to the wrist or carpal tunnel syndrome. Ulnar nerve electrophysiological function was within normal limits for all subjects examined.

Upper limits on the rates of BNS and NSBH mergers from Advanced LIGO's first observing run

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lackey, Benjamin; LIGO Collaboration

2017-01-01

Last year the Advanced LIGO detectors finished their first observing run and detected two binary black hole mergers with high significance but no binary neutron star (BNS) or neutron-star-black-hole (NSBH) mergers. We present upper limits on the rates of BNS and NSBH mergers in the universe based on their non-detection with two modeled searches. With zero detections, the upper limits depend on the choice of prior, but we find 90% upper limits using a conservative prior of 12 , 000 / Gpc3 / yr for BNS mergers and 1 , 000 - 3 , 000 / Gpc3 / yr for NSBH mergers depending on the black hole mass. Comparing these upper limits to several rates predictions in the literature, we find our upper limits are close to the more optimistic rates estimates. Further non-detections in the second and third observing runs should be able to rule out several rates predictions. Using the observed rate of short gamma ray bursts (GRBs), we can also place lower limits on the average beaming angle of short GRBs. Assuming all short GRBs come from BNS mergers, we find a 90% lower limit of 1-4 degrees on the GRB beaming angle, with the range coming from the uncertainty in short GRB rates.

Influence of Gender and Age on Upper-Airway Length During Development

PubMed Central

Ronen, Ohad; Malhotra, Atul; Pillar, Giora

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE Obstructive sleep apnea has a strong male predominance in adults but not in children. The collapsible portion of the upper airway is longer in adult men than in women (a property that may increase vulnerability to collapse during sleep). We sought to test the hypothesis that in prepubertal children, pharyngeal airway length is equal between genders, but after puberty boys have a longer upper airway than girls, thus potentially contributing to this change in apnea propensity. METHODS Sixty-nine healthy boys and girls who had undergone computed tomography scans of their neck for other reasons were selected from the computed tomography archives of Rambam and Carmel hospitals. The airway length was measured in the midsagittal plane and defined as the length between the lower part of the posterior hard palate and the upper limit of the hyoid bone. Airway length and normalized airway length/body height were compared between the genders in prepubertal (4- to 10-year-old) and postpubertal (14- to 19-year-old) children. RESULTS In prepubertal children, airway length was similar between boys and girls (43.2 ± 5.9 vs 46.8 ± 7.7 mm, respectively). When normalized to body height, airway length/body height was significantly shorter in prepubertal boys than in girls (0.35 ± 0.03 vs 0.38 ± 0.04 mm/cm). In contrast, postpubertal boys had longer upper airways (66.5 ± 9.2 vs 52.2 ± 7.0 mm) and normalized airway length/body height (0.38 ± 0.05 vs 0.33 ± 0.05 mm/cm) than girls. CONCLUSIONS Although boys have equal or shorter airway length compared with girls among prepubertal children, after puberty, airway length and airway length normalized for body height are significantly greater in boys than in girls. These data suggest that important anatomic changes at puberty occur in a gender-specific manner, which may be important in explaining the male predisposition to pharyngeal collapse in adults. PMID:17908723

The end of the MACHO era, revisited: New limits on MACHO masses from halo wide binaries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monroy-Rodríguez, Miguel A.; Allen, Christine, E-mail: chris@astro.unam.mx

2014-08-01

In order to determine an upper bound for the mass of the massive compact halo objects (MACHOs), we use the halo binaries contained in a recent catalog by Allen and Monroy-Rodríguez. To dynamically model their interactions with massive perturbers, a Monte Carlo simulation is conducted, using an impulsive approximation method and assuming a galactic halo constituted by massive particles of a characteristic mass. The results of such simulations are compared with several subsamples of our improved catalog of candidate halo wide binaries. In accordance with Quinn et al., we also find our results to be very sensitive to the widestmore » binaries. However, our larger sample, together with the fact that we can obtain galactic orbits for 150 of our systems, allows a more reliable estimate of the maximum MACHO mass than that obtained previously. If we employ the entire sample of 211 candidate halo stars we, obtain an upper limit of 112 M{sub ☉}. However, using the 150 binaries in our catalog with computed galactic orbits, we are able to refine our fitting criteria. Thus, for the 100 most halo-like binaries we obtain a maximum MACHO mass of 21-68 M{sub ☉}. Furthermore, we can estimate the dynamical effects of the galactic disk using binary samples that spend progressively shorter times within the disk. By extrapolating the limits obtained for our most reliable—albeit smallest—sample, we find that as the time spent within the disk tends to zero, the upper bound of the MACHO mass tends to less than 5 M{sub ☉}. The non-uniform density of the halo has also been taken into account, but the limit obtained, less than 5 M{sub ☉}, does not differ much from the previous one. Together with microlensing studies that provide lower limits on the MACHO mass, our results essentially exclude the existence of such objects in the galactic halo.« less

Differences in ergonomic and workstation factors between computer office workers with and without reported musculoskeletal pain.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Mirela Sant'Ana; Leite, Raquel Descie Veraldi; Lelis, Cheila Maira; Chaves, Thaís Cristina

2017-01-01

Some studies have suggested a causal relationship between computer work and the development of musculoskeletal disorders. However, studies considering the use of specific tools to assess workplace ergonomics and psychosocial factors in computer office workers with and without reported musculoskeletal pain are scarce. The aim of this study was to compare the ergonomic, physical, and psychosocial factors in computer office workers with and without reported musculoskeletal pain (MSP). Thirty-five computer office workers (aged 18-55 years) participated in the study. The following evaluations were completed: Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA), and Maastricht Upper Extremity Questionnaire revised Brazilian Portuguese version (MUEQ-Br revised). Student t-tests were used to make comparisons between groups. The computer office workers were divided into two groups: workers with reported MSP (WMSP, n = 17) and workers without positive report (WOMSP, n = 18). Those in the WMSP group showed significantly greater mean values in the total ROSA score (WMSP: 6.71 [CI95% :6.20-7.21] and WOMSP: 5.88 [CI95% :5.37-6.39], p = 0.01). The WMSP group also showed higher scores in the chair section of the ROSA, workstation of MUEQ-Br revised, and in the upper limb RULA score. The chair height and armrest sections from ROSA showed the higher mean values in workers WMSP compared to workers WOMSP. A positive moderate correlation was observed between ROSA and RULA total scores (R = 0.63, p < 0.001). Our results demonstrated that computer office workers who reported MSP had worse ergonomics indexes for chair workstation and worse physical risk related to upper limb (RULA upper limb section) than workers without pain. However, there were no observed differences in workers with and without MSP regarding work-related psychosocial factors. The results suggest that inadequate workstation conditions, specifically the chair height, arm and back rest, are linked to improper upper limb postures and that these factors are contributing to MSP in computer office workers.

Upper Body-Based Power Wheelchair Control Interface for Individuals with Tetraplegia

PubMed Central

Thorp, Elias B.; Abdollahi, Farnaz; Chen, David; Farshchiansadegh, Ali; Lee, Mei-Hua; Pedersen, Jessica; Pierella, Camilla; Roth, Elliot J.; Gonzalez, Ismael Seanez; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A.

2016-01-01

Many power wheelchair control interfaces are not sufficient for individuals with severely limited upper limb mobility. The majority of controllers that do not rely on coordinated arm and hand movements provide users a limited vocabulary of commands and often do not take advantage of the user’s residual motion. We developed a body-machine interface (BMI) that leverages the flexibility and customizability of redundant control by using high dimensional changes in shoulder kinematics to generate proportional controls commands for a power wheelchair. In this study, three individuals with cervical spinal cord injuries were able to control the power wheelchair safely and accurately using only small shoulder movements. With the BMI, participants were able to achieve their desired trajectories and, after five sessions driving, were able to achieve smoothness that was similar to the smoothness with their current joystick. All participants were twice as slow using the BMI however improved with practice. Importantly, users were able to generalize training controlling a computer to driving a power wheelchair, and employed similar strategies when controlling both devices. Overall, this work suggests that the BMI can be an effective wheelchair control interface for individuals with high-level spinal cord injuries who have limited arm and hand control. PMID:26054071

A study on flammability limits of fuel mixtures.

PubMed

Kondo, Shigeo; Takizawa, Kenji; Takahashi, Akifumi; Tokuhashi, Kazuaki; Sekiya, Akira

2008-07-15

Flammability limit measurements were made for various binary and ternary mixtures prepared from nine different compounds. The compounds treated are methane, propane, ethylene, propylene, methyl ether, methyl formate, 1,1-difluoroethane, ammonia, and carbon monoxide. The observed values of lower flammability limits of mixtures were found to be in good agreement to the calculated values by Le Chatelier's formula. As for the upper limits, however, some are close to the calculated values but some are not. It has been found that the deviations of the observed values of upper flammability limits from the calculated ones are mostly to lower concentrations. Modification of Le Chatelier's formula was made to better fit to the observed values of upper flammability limits. This procedure reduced the average difference between the observed and calculated values of upper flammability limits to one-third of the initial value.

Hyperbolic/parabolic development for the GIM-STAR code. [flow fields in supersonic inlets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spradley, L. W.; Stalnaker, J. F.; Ratliff, A. W.

1980-01-01

Flow fields in supersonic inlet configurations were computed using the eliptic GIM code on the STAR computer. Spillage flow under the lower cowl was calculated to be 33% of the incoming stream. The shock/boundary layer interaction on the upper propulsive surface was computed including separation. All shocks produced by the flow system were captured. Linearized block implicit (LBI) schemes were examined to determine their application to the GIM code. Pure explicit methods have stability limitations and fully implicit schemes are inherently inefficient; however, LBI schemes show promise as an effective compromise. A quasiparabolic version of the GIM code was developed using elastical parabolized Navier-Stokes methods combined with quasitime relaxation. This scheme is referred to as quasiparabolic although it applies equally well to hyperbolic supersonic inviscid flows. Second order windward differences are used in the marching coordinate and either explicit or linear block implicit time relaxation can be incorporated.

Combining dynamical decoupling with fault-tolerant quantum computation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ng, Hui Khoon; Preskill, John; Lidar, Daniel A.

2011-07-15

We study how dynamical decoupling (DD) pulse sequences can improve the reliability of quantum computers. We prove upper bounds on the accuracy of DD-protected quantum gates and derive sufficient conditions for DD-protected gates to outperform unprotected gates. Under suitable conditions, fault-tolerant quantum circuits constructed from DD-protected gates can tolerate stronger noise and have a lower overhead cost than fault-tolerant circuits constructed from unprotected gates. Our accuracy estimates depend on the dynamics of the bath that couples to the quantum computer and can be expressed either in terms of the operator norm of the bath's Hamiltonian or in terms of themore » power spectrum of bath correlations; we explain in particular how the performance of recursively generated concatenated pulse sequences can be analyzed from either viewpoint. Our results apply to Hamiltonian noise models with limited spatial correlations.« less

Rapidly assessing the probability of exceptionally high natural hazard losses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gollini, Isabella; Rougier, Jonathan

2014-05-01

One of the objectives in catastrophe modeling is to assess the probability distribution of losses for a specified period, such as a year. From the point of view of an insurance company, the whole of the loss distribution is interesting, and valuable in determining insurance premiums. But the shape of the righthand tail is critical, because it impinges on the solvency of the company. A simple measure of the risk of insolvency is the probability that the annual loss will exceed the company's current operating capital. Imposing an upper limit on this probability is one of the objectives of the EU Solvency II directive. If a probabilistic model is supplied for the loss process, then this tail probability can be computed, either directly, or by simulation. This can be a lengthy calculation for complex losses. Given the inevitably subjective nature of quantifying loss distributions, computational resources might be better used in a sensitivity analysis. This requires either a quick approximation to the tail probability or an upper bound on the probability, ideally a tight one. We present several different bounds, all of which can be computed nearly instantly from a very general event loss table. We provide a numerical illustration, and discuss the conditions under which the bound is tight. Although we consider the perspective of insurance and reinsurance companies, exactly the same issues concern the risk manager, who is typically very sensitive to large losses.

Computer search for binary cyclic UEP codes of odd length up to 65

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Mao-Chao; Lin, Chi-Chang; Lin, Shu

1990-01-01

Using an exhaustive computation, the unequal error protection capabilities of all binary cyclic codes of odd length up to 65 that have minimum distances at least 3 are found. For those codes that can only have upper bounds on their unequal error protection capabilities computed, an analytic method developed by Dynkin and Togonidze (1976) is used to show that the upper bounds meet the exact unequal error protection capabilities.

The ecological module of BOATS-1.0: a bioenergetically-constrained model of marine upper trophic levels suitable for studies of fisheries and ocean biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carozza, D. A.; Bianchi, D.; Galbraith, E. D.

2015-12-01

Environmental change and the exploitation of marine resources have had profound impacts on marine communities, with potential implications for ocean biogeochemistry and food security. In order to study such global-scale problems, it is helpful to have computationally efficient numerical models that predict the first-order features of fish biomass production as a function of the environment, based on empirical and mechanistic understandings of marine ecosystems. Here we describe the ecological module of the BiOeconomic mArine Trophic Size-spectrum (BOATS) model, which takes an Earth-system approach to modeling fish biomass at the global scale. The ecological model is designed to be used on an Earth System model grid, and determines size spectra of fish biomass by explicitly resolving life history as a function of local temperature and net primary production. Biomass production is limited by the availability of photosynthetic energy to upper trophic levels, following empirical trophic efficiency scalings, and by well-established empirical temperature-dependent growth rates. Natural mortality is calculated using an empirical size-based relationship, while reproduction and recruitment depend on both the food availability to larvae from net primary production and the production of eggs by mature adult fish. We describe predicted biomass spectra and compare them to observations, and conduct a sensitivity study to determine how the change as a function of net primary production and temperature. The model relies on a limited number of parameters compared to similar modeling efforts, while retaining realistic representations of biological and ecological processes, and is computationally efficient, allowing extensive parameter-space analyses even when implemented globally. As such, it enables the exploration of the linkages between ocean biogeochemistry, climate, and upper trophic levels at the global scale, as well as a representation of fish biomass for idealized studies of fisheries.

The ecological module of BOATS-1.0: a bioenergetically constrained model of marine upper trophic levels suitable for studies of fisheries and ocean biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carozza, David Anthony; Bianchi, Daniele; Galbraith, Eric Douglas

2016-04-01

Environmental change and the exploitation of marine resources have had profound impacts on marine communities, with potential implications for ocean biogeochemistry and food security. In order to study such global-scale problems, it is helpful to have computationally efficient numerical models that predict the first-order features of fish biomass production as a function of the environment, based on empirical and mechanistic understandings of marine ecosystems. Here we describe the ecological module of the BiOeconomic mArine Trophic Size-spectrum (BOATS) model, which takes an Earth-system approach to modelling fish biomass at the global scale. The ecological model is designed to be used on an Earth-system model grid, and determines size spectra of fish biomass by explicitly resolving life history as a function of local temperature and net primary production. Biomass production is limited by the availability of photosynthetic energy to upper trophic levels, following empirical trophic efficiency scalings, and by well-established empirical temperature-dependent growth rates. Natural mortality is calculated using an empirical size-based relationship, while reproduction and recruitment depend on both the food availability to larvae from net primary production and the production of eggs by mature adult fish. We describe predicted biomass spectra and compare them to observations, and conduct a sensitivity study to determine how they change as a function of net primary production and temperature. The model relies on a limited number of parameters compared to similar modelling efforts, while retaining reasonably realistic representations of biological and ecological processes, and is computationally efficient, allowing extensive parameter-space analyses even when implemented globally. As such, it enables the exploration of the linkages between ocean biogeochemistry, climate, and upper trophic levels at the global scale, as well as a representation of fish biomass for idealized studies of fisheries.

Composite measures of watershed health from a water quality perspective.

PubMed

Mallya, Ganeshchandra; Hantush, Mohamed; Govindaraju, Rao S

2018-05-15

Water quality data at gaging stations are typically compared with established federal, state, or local water quality standards to determine if violations (concentrations of specific constituents falling outside acceptable limits) have occurred. Based on the frequency and severity of water quality violations, risk metrics such as reliability, resilience, and vulnerability (R-R-V) are computed for assessing water quality-based watershed health. In this study, a modified methodology for computing R-R-V measures is presented, and a new composite watershed health index is proposed. Risk-based assessments for different water quality parameters are carried out using identified national sampling stations within the Upper Mississippi River Basin, the Maumee River Basin, and the Ohio River Basin. The distributional properties of risk measures with respect to water quality parameters are reported. Scaling behaviors of risk measures using stream order, specifically for the watershed health (WH) index, suggest that WH values increased with stream order for suspended sediment concentration, nitrogen, and orthophosphate in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. Spatial distribution of risk measures enable identification of locations exhibiting poor watershed health with respect to the chosen numerical standard, and the role of land use characteristics within the watershed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CFD Study of NACA 0018 Airfoil with Flow Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eggert, Christopher A.; Rumsey, Christopher L.

2017-01-01

The abilities of two different Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes codes to predict the effects of an active flow control device are evaluated. The flow control device consists of a blowing slot located on the upper surface of an NACA 0018 airfoil, near the leading edge. A second blowing slot present on the airfoil near mid-chord is not evaluated here. Experimental results from a wind tunnel test show that a slot blowing with high momentum coefficient will increase the lift of the airfoil (compared to no blowing) and delay flow separation. A slot with low momentum coefficient will decrease the lift and induce separation even at low angles of attack. Two codes, CFL3D and FUN3D, are used in two-dimensional computations along with several different turbulence models. Two of these produced reasonable results for this flow, when run fully turbulent. A more advanced transition model failed to predict reasonable results, but warrants further study using different inputs. Including inviscid upper and lower tunnel walls in the simulations was found to be important in obtaining pressure distributions and lift coefficients that best matched experimental data. A limited number of three-dimensional computations were also performed.

Computationally efficient modeling of proprioceptive signals in the upper limb for prostheses: a simulation study

PubMed Central

Williams, Ian; Constandinou, Timothy G.

2014-01-01

Accurate models of proprioceptive neural patterns could 1 day play an important role in the creation of an intuitive proprioceptive neural prosthesis for amputees. This paper looks at combining efficient implementations of biomechanical and proprioceptor models in order to generate signals that mimic human muscular proprioceptive patterns for future experimental work in prosthesis feedback. A neuro-musculoskeletal model of the upper limb with 7 degrees of freedom and 17 muscles is presented and generates real time estimates of muscle spindle and Golgi Tendon Organ neural firing patterns. Unlike previous neuro-musculoskeletal models, muscle activation and excitation levels are unknowns in this application and an inverse dynamics tool (static optimization) is integrated to estimate these variables. A proprioceptive prosthesis will need to be portable and this is incompatible with the computationally demanding nature of standard biomechanical and proprioceptor modeling. This paper uses and proposes a number of approximations and optimizations to make real time operation on portable hardware feasible. Finally technical obstacles to mimicking natural feedback for an intuitive proprioceptive prosthesis, as well as issues and limitations with existing models, are identified and discussed. PMID:25009463

42 CFR 447.516 - Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services. 447.516 Section 447.516 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payment for Drugs § 447.516 Upper limits for drugs furnished as...

42 CFR 447.516 - Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services. 447.516 Section 447.516 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payment for Drugs § 447.516 Upper limits for drugs furnished as...

42 CFR 447.516 - Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services. 447.516 Section 447.516 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payment for Drugs § 447.516 Upper limits for drugs furnished as...

42 CFR 447.516 - Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services. 447.516 Section 447.516 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payment for Drugs § 447.516 Upper limits for drugs furnished as...

42 CFR 447.516 - Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Upper limits for drugs furnished as part of services. 447.516 Section 447.516 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payment for Drugs § 447.516 Upper limits for drugs furnished as...

29 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of... - Compliance Assistance Guidelines for Confined and Enclosed Spaces and Other Dangerous Atmospheres

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... interchangeably in fire science literature. Section 1915.11(b)Definition of “Upper explosive limit.” The terms upper flammable limit (UFL) and upper explosive limit (UEL) are used interchangeably in fire science... life and is adequate for entry. However, any oxygen level greater than 20.8 percent by volume should...

29 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of... - Compliance Assistance Guidelines for Confined and Enclosed Spaces and Other Dangerous Atmospheres

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... interchangeably in fire science literature. Section 1915.11(b)Definition of “Upper explosive limit.” The terms upper flammable limit (UFL) and upper explosive limit (UEL) are used interchangeably in fire science... life and is adequate for entry. However, any oxygen level greater than 20.8 percent by volume should...

Participant perceptions of use of CyWee Z as adjunct to rehabilitation of upper-limb function following stroke.

PubMed

Hale, Leigh A; Satherley, Jessica A; McMillan, Nicole J; Milosavljevic, Stephan; Hijmans, Juha M; King, Marcus J

2012-01-01

This article reports on the perceptions of 14 adults with chronic stroke who participated in a pilot study to determine the utility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of using an adapted CyWee Z handheld game controller to play a variety of computer games aimed at improving upper-limb function. Four qualitative in-depth interviews and two focus groups explored participant perceptions. Data were thematically analyzed with the general inductive approach. Participants enjoyed playing the computer games with the technology. The perceived benefits included improved upper-limb function, concentration, and balance; however, six participants reported shoulder and/or arm pain or discomfort, which presented while they were engaged in play but appeared to ease during rest. Participants suggested changes to the games and provided opinions on the use of computer games in rehabilitation. Using an adapted CyWee Z controller and computer games in upper-limb rehabilitation for people with chronic stroke is an acceptable and potentially beneficial adjunct to rehabilitation. The development of shoulder pain was a negative side effect for some participants and requires further investigation.

Portrait of a Geothermal Spring, Hunter's Hot Springs, Oregon.

PubMed

Castenholz, Richard W

2015-01-27

Although alkaline Hunter's Hot Springs in southeastern Oregon has been studied extensively for over 40 years, most of these studies and the subsequent publications were before the advent of molecular methods. However, there are many field observations and laboratory experiments that reveal the major aspects of the phototrophic species composition within various physical and chemical gradients of these springs. Relatively constant temperature boundaries demark the upper boundary of the unicellular cyanobacterium, Synechococcus at 73-74 °C (the world-wide upper limit for photosynthesis), and 68-70 °C the upper limit for Chloroflexus. The upper limit for the cover of the filamentous cyanobacterium, Geitlerinema (Oscillatoria) is at 54-55 °C, and the in situ lower limit at 47-48 °C for all three of these phototrophs due to the upper temperature limit for the grazing ostracod, Thermopsis. The in situ upper limit for the cyanobacteria Pleurocapsa and Calothrix is at ~47-48 °C, which are more grazer-resistant and grazer dependent. All of these demarcations are easily visible in the field. In addition, there is a biosulfide production in some sections of the springs that have a large impact on the microbiology. Most of the temperature and chemical limits have been explained by field and laboratory experiments.

Portrait of a Geothermal Spring, Hunter’s Hot Springs, Oregon

PubMed Central

Castenholz, Richard W.

2015-01-01

Although alkaline Hunter’s Hot Springs in southeastern Oregon has been studied extensively for over 40 years, most of these studies and the subsequent publications were before the advent of molecular methods. However, there are many field observations and laboratory experiments that reveal the major aspects of the phototrophic species composition within various physical and chemical gradients of these springs. Relatively constant temperature boundaries demark the upper boundary of the unicellular cyanobacterium, Synechococcus at 73–74 °C (the world-wide upper limit for photosynthesis), and 68–70 °C the upper limit for Chloroflexus. The upper limit for the cover of the filamentous cyanobacterium, Geitlerinema (Oscillatoria) is at 54–55 °C, and the in situ lower limit at 47–48 °C for all three of these phototrophs due to the upper temperature limit for the grazing ostracod, Thermopsis. The in situ upper limit for the cyanobacteria Pleurocapsa and Calothrix is at ~47–48 °C, which are more grazer-resistant and grazer dependent. All of these demarcations are easily visible in the field. In addition, there is a biosulfide production in some sections of the springs that have a large impact on the microbiology. Most of the temperature and chemical limits have been explained by field and laboratory experiments. PMID:25633225

Augmenting two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations with measured velocity data to identify flow paths as a function of depth on Upper St. Clair River in the Great Lakes basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holtschlag, D.J.; Koschik, J.A.

2005-01-01

Upper St. Clair River, which receives outflow from Lake Huron, is characterized by flow velocities that exceed 7 feet per second and significant channel curvature that creates complex flow patterns downstream from the Blue Water Bridge in the Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, area. Discrepancies were detected between depth-averaged velocities previously simulated by a two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic model and surface velocities determined from drifting buoy deployments. A detailed ADCP (acoustic Doppler current profiler) survey was done on Upper St. Clair River during July 1–3, 2003, to help resolve these discrepancies. As part of this study, a refined finite-element mesh of the hydrodynamic model used to identify source areas to public water intakes was developed for Upper St. Clair River. In addition, a numerical procedure was used to account for radial accelerations, which cause secondary flow patterns near channel bends. The refined model was recalibrated to better reproduce local velocities measured in the ADCP survey. ADCP data also were used to help resolve the remaining discrepancies between simulated and measured velocities and to describe variations in velocity with depth. Velocity data from ADCP surveys have significant local variability, and statistical processing is needed to compute reliable point estimates. In this study, velocity innovations were computed for seven depth layers posited within the river as the differences between measured and simulated velocities. For each layer, the spatial correlation of velocity innovations was characterized by use of variogram analysis. Results were used with kriging to compute expected innovations within each layer at applicable model nodes. Expected innovations were added to simulated velocities to form integrated velocities, which were used with reverse particle tracking to identify the expected flow path near a sewage outfall as a function of flow depth. Expected particle paths generated by use of the integrated velocities showed that surface velocities in the upper layers tended to originate nearer the Canadian shoreline than velocities near the channel bottom in the lower layers. Therefore, flow paths to U.S. public water intakes located on the river bottom are more likely to be in the United States than withdrawals near the water surface. Integrated velocities in the upper layers are generally consistent with the surface velocities indicated by drifting-buoy deployments. Information in the 2D hydrodynamic model and the ADCP measurements was insufficient to describe the vertical flow component. This limitation resulted in the inability to account for vertical movements on expected flow paths through Upper St. Clair River. A three dimensional hydrodynamic model would be needed to account for these effects.

Energy efficient quantum machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abah, Obinna; Lutz, Eric

2017-05-01

We investigate the performance of a quantum thermal machine operating in finite time based on shortcut-to-adiabaticity techniques. We compute efficiency and power for a paradigmatic harmonic quantum Otto engine by taking the energetic cost of the shortcut driving explicitly into account. We demonstrate that shortcut-to-adiabaticity machines outperform conventional ones for fast cycles. We further derive generic upper bounds on both quantities, valid for any heat engine cycle, using the notion of quantum speed limit for driven systems. We establish that these quantum bounds are tighter than those stemming from the second law of thermodynamics.

Astrophysical cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardeen, J. M.

The last several years have seen a tremendous ferment of activity in astrophysical cosmology. Much of the theoretical impetus has come from particle physics theories of the early universe and candidates for dark matter, but what promise to be even more significant are improved direct observations of high z galaxies and intergalactic matter, deeper and more comprehensive redshift surveys, and the increasing power of computer simulations of the dynamical evolution of large scale structure. Upper limits on the anisotropy of the microwave background radiation are gradually getting tighter and constraining more severely theoretical scenarios for the evolution of the universe.

Nonperturbative study of dynamical SUSY breaking in N =(2 ,2 ) Yang-Mills theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catterall, Simon; Jha, Raghav G.; Joseph, Anosh

2018-03-01

We examine the possibility of dynamical supersymmetry breaking in two-dimensional N =(2 ,2 ) supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. The theory is discretized on a Euclidean spacetime lattice using a supersymmetric lattice action. We compute the vacuum energy of the theory at finite temperature and take the zero-temperature limit. Supersymmetry will be spontaneously broken in this theory if the measured ground-state energy is nonzero. By performing simulations on a range of lattices up to 96 ×96 we are able to perform a careful extrapolation to the continuum limit for a wide range of temperatures. Subsequent extrapolations to the zero-temperature limit yield an upper bound on the ground-state energy density. We find the energy density to be statistically consistent with zero in agreement with the absence of dynamical supersymmetry breaking in this theory.

Stage-discharge relations for Black Warrior River at Warrior Dam near Eutaw, Alabama; updated 1985

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, G.H.; Ming, C.O.

1986-01-01

The construction of Warrior Dam, completed in 1962, has resulted in changes to the stage-discharge relations in the vicinity. The scarcity of current-meter measurements, coupled with backwater conditions, make definition of a single stage-discharge relation impossible without considerable error. However, as a useful alternative, limit curves were developed in 1983 that defined the limits of possible stage-discharge relations at the dam tailwater section. Since the 1983 report, 37 discharge values computed through the dam for the flood of December 1983 were used to verify or update the lower end of the limit curves. Data obtained from a current-meter measurement of the February 1961 flood (furnished by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) were used to update the upper end of the curves. This report presents the updated information. (USGS)

Constructing a patient-specific computer model of the upper airway in sleep apnea patients.

PubMed

Dhaliwal, Sandeep S; Hesabgar, Seyyed M; Haddad, Seyyed M H; Ladak, Hanif; Samani, Abbas; Rotenberg, Brian W

2018-01-01

The use of computer simulation to develop a high-fidelity model has been proposed as a novel and cost-effective alternative to help guide therapeutic intervention in sleep apnea surgery. We describe a computer model based on patient-specific anatomy of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) subjects wherein the percentage and sites of upper airway collapse are compared to findings on drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). Basic science computer model generation. Three-dimensional finite element techniques were undertaken for model development in a pilot study of four OSA patients. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to capture patient anatomy and software employed to outline critical anatomical structures. A finite-element mesh was applied to the volume enclosed by each structure. Linear and hyperelastic soft-tissue properties for various subsites (tonsils, uvula, soft palate, and tongue base) were derived using an inverse finite-element technique from surgical specimens. Each model underwent computer simulation to determine the degree of displacement on various structures within the upper airway, and these findings were compared to DISE exams performed on the four study patients. Computer simulation predictions for percentage of airway collapse and site of maximal collapse show agreement with observed results seen on endoscopic visualization. Modeling the upper airway in OSA patients is feasible and holds promise in aiding patient-specific surgical treatment. NA. Laryngoscope, 128:277-282, 2018. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

[Thin-section computed tomography of the bronchi; 2. Right upper lobe and left upper division].

PubMed

Matsuoka, Y; Ookubo, T; Ohtomo, K; Nishikawa, J; Kojima, K; Oyama, K; Yoshikawa, K; Iio, M

1990-02-01

Thin (2mm) section contiguous computed tomographic (CT) scans were obtained through the bronchi of the right upper lobe and the left upper division in 30 patients. All segmental bronchi were identified. The right subsegmental bronchi were identified in 100%, and the left subsegmental bronchi in 97%. The type of the orifice of the right bronchus was trifurcated (53%), the extension of B1 was apicoanterior (50%), and the size of B2b was equal to B3a (63%). The extension of the left B3 was subapicoanterior (38%), and the size of B1+2c was equal to B3a (62%).

On the production of N2O from the reaction of O/1D/with N2.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simonaitis, R.; Lissi, E.; Heicklen, J.

1972-01-01

Ozone was photolyzed at 2537 A and at 25 C in the presence of 42-115 torr of O2 and about 880 torr of N2 to test the relative importance of the two reactions O(1D) + N2 + M leading to N2O + M and O(1D) + N2 leading to O(3P) + N2. In this study N2O was not found as a product. Thus from our detectability limit for N2O an upper limit to the efficiency of the first reaction relative to the second of 2.5 times 10 to the -6 power at 1000-torr total pressure was computed.

[Upper extremities, neck and back symptoms in office employees working at computer stations].

PubMed

Zejda, Jan E; Bugajska, Joanna; Kowalska, Małgorzata; Krzych, Lukasz; Mieszkowska, Marzena; Brozek, Grzegorz; Braczkowska, Bogumiła

2009-01-01

To obtain current data on the occurrence ofwork-related symptoms of office computer users in Poland we implemented a questionnaire survey. Its goal was to assess the prevalence and intensity of symptoms of upper extremities, neck and back in office workers who use computers on a regular basis, and to find out if the occurrence of symptoms depends on the duration of computer use and other work-related factors. Office workers in two towns (Warszawa and Katowice), employed in large social services companies, were invited to fill in the Polish version of Nordic Questionnaire. The questions included work history and history of last-week symptoms of pain of hand/wrist, elbow, arm, neck and upper and lower back (occurrence and intensity measured by visual scale). Altogether 477 men and women returned the completed questionnaires. Between-group symptom differences (chi-square test) were verified by multivariate analysis (GLM). The prevalence of symptoms in individual body parts was as follows: neck, 55.6%; arm, 26.9%; elbow, 13.3%; wrist/hand, 29.9%; upper back, 49.6%; and lower back, 50.1%. Multivariate analysis confirmed the effect of gender, age and years of computer use on the occurrence of symptoms. Among other determinants, forearm support explained pain of wrist/hand, wrist support of elbow pain, and chair adjustment of arm pain. Association was also found between low back pain and chair adjustment and keyboard position. The findings revealed frequent occurrence of symptoms of pain in upper extremities and neck in office workers who use computers on a regular basis. Seating position could also contribute to the frequent occurrence of back pain in the examined population.

Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing cutting guides and customized titanium plates are useful in upper maxilla waferless repositioning.

PubMed

Mazzoni, Simona; Bianchi, Alberto; Schiariti, Giulio; Badiali, Giovanni; Marchetti, Claudio

2015-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to develop a computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technique that enabled fabrication of surgical cutting guides and titanium fixation plates that would allow the upper maxilla to be repositioned correctly without a surgical splint in orthognathic patients. Ten patients were recruited. A complete CAD-CAM workflow for orthognathic surgery has 3 steps: 1) virtual planning of the surgical treatment, 2) CAD-CAM and 3-dimensional printing of customized surgical devices (surgical cutting guide and titanium fixation plates), and 3) computer-aided surgery. Upper maxilla repositioning was performed in a waferless manner using a CAD-CAM device: the surgical cutting guide was used during surgery to pilot the osteotomy line that had been planned preoperatively at the computer and the custom-made fixation titanium plates allowed desired repositioning of the maxilla. To evaluate the reproducibility of this CAD-CAM orthognathic surgical method, the virtually planned and actually achieved positions of the upper maxilla were compared. Overlap errors using a threshold value smaller than 2 mm were evaluated, and the frequency of such errors was used as a measurement of accuracy. By this definition, the accuracy was 100% in 7 patients (range in all patients, 62 to 100%; median, 92.7%). These results tend to confirm that the use of CAD-CAM cutting guides and customized titanium plates for upper maxilla repositioning represents a promising method for the accurate reproduction of preoperative virtual planning without the use of surgical splints. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimation of the lower and upper bounds on the probability of failure using subset simulation and random set theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, Diego A.; Uribe, Felipe; Hurtado, Jorge E.

2018-02-01

Random set theory is a general framework which comprises uncertainty in the form of probability boxes, possibility distributions, cumulative distribution functions, Dempster-Shafer structures or intervals; in addition, the dependence between the input variables can be expressed using copulas. In this paper, the lower and upper bounds on the probability of failure are calculated by means of random set theory. In order to accelerate the calculation, a well-known and efficient probability-based reliability method known as subset simulation is employed. This method is especially useful for finding small failure probabilities in both low- and high-dimensional spaces, disjoint failure domains and nonlinear limit state functions. The proposed methodology represents a drastic reduction of the computational labor implied by plain Monte Carlo simulation for problems defined with a mixture of representations for the input variables, while delivering similar results. Numerical examples illustrate the efficiency of the proposed approach.

Uncovering the Atomistic Mechanism for Calcite Step Growth

DOE PAGES

De La Pierre, Marco; Raiteri, Paolo; Stack, Andrew G.; ...

2017-04-13

Determining a complete atomic-level picture of how minerals grow from aqueous solution remains a challenge as macroscopic rates can be a convolution of many reactions. For the case of calcite (CaCO 3) in water, computer simulations have been used in this paper to map the complex thermodynamic landscape leading to growth of the two distinct steps, acute and obtuse, on the basal surface. The carbonate ion is found to preferentially adsorb at the upper edge of acute steps while Ca 2+ only adsorbs after CO 3 2-. In contrast to the conventional picture, ion pairs prefer to bind at themore » upper edge of the step with only one ion, at most, coordinated to the step and lower terrace. Finally, migration of the first carbonate ion to a growth site is found to be rate-limiting for kink nucleation, with this process having a lower activation energy on the obtuse step.« less

Cosmic microwave background trispectrum and primordial magnetic field limits.

PubMed

Trivedi, Pranjal; Seshadri, T R; Subramanian, Kandaswamy

2012-06-08

Primordial magnetic fields will generate non-gaussian signals in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) as magnetic stresses and the temperature anisotropy they induce depend quadratically on the magnetic field. We compute a new measure of magnetic non-gaussianity, the CMB trispectrum, on large angular scales, sourced via the Sachs-Wolfe effect. The trispectra induced by magnetic energy density and by magnetic scalar anisotropic stress are found to have typical magnitudes of approximately a few times 10(-29) and 10(-19), respectively. Observational limits on CMB non-gaussianity from WMAP data allow us to conservatively set upper limits of a nG, and plausibly sub-nG, on the present value of the primordial cosmic magnetic field. This represents the tightest limit so far on the strength of primordial magnetic fields, on Mpc scales, and is better than limits from the CMB bispectrum and all modes in the CMB power spectrum. Thus, the CMB trispectrum is a new and more sensitive probe of primordial magnetic fields on large scales.

Use of computer games as an intervention for stroke.

PubMed

Proffitt, Rachel M; Alankus, Gazihan; Kelleher, Caitlin L; Engsberg, Jack R

2011-01-01

Current rehabilitation for persons with hemiparesis after stroke requires high numbers of repetitions to be in accordance with contemporary motor learning principles. The motivational characteristics of computer games can be harnessed to create engaging interventions for persons with hemiparesis after stroke that incorporate this high number of repetitions. The purpose of this case report was to test the feasibility of using computer games as a 6-week home therapy intervention to improve upper extremity function for a person with stroke. One person with left upper extremity hemiparesis after stroke participated in a 6-week home therapy computer game intervention. The games were customized to her preferences and abilities and modified weekly. Her performance was tracked and analyzed. Data from pre-, mid-, and postintervention testing using standard upper extremity measures and the Reaching Performance Scale (RPS) were analyzed. After 3 weeks, the participant demonstrated increased upper extremity range of motion at the shoulder and decreased compensatory trunk movements during reaching tasks. After 6 weeks, she showed functional gains in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs despite no further improvements on the RPS. Results indicate that computer games have the potential to be a useful intervention for people with stroke. Future work will add additional support to quantify the effectiveness of the games as a home therapy intervention for persons with stroke.

Upper extremity musculoskeletal discomfort among occupational notebook personal computer users: work interference, associations with risk factors and the use of notebook computer stand and docking station.

PubMed

Erdinc, Oguzhan

2011-01-01

This study explored the prevalence and work interference (WI) of upper extremity musculoskeletal discomfort (UEMSD) and investigated the associations of individual and work-related risk factors and using a notebook stand or docking station with UEMSD among symptomatic occupational notebook personal computer (PC) users. The participant group included 45 Turkish occupational notebook PC users. The study used self-reports of participants. The Turkish version of the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (T-CMDQ) was used to collect symptom data. UEMSD prevailed mostly in the neck, the upper back, and the lower back with prevalence rates of 77.8%, 73.3%, and 60.0% respectively, and with WI rates of 28.9%, 24.4%, and 26.7% respectively. Aggregated results showed that 44% of participants reported WI due to UEMSD in at least one body region. Significant risk factors were: being female, being aged <31 years, having computer work experience <10 years, and physical discomfort during computer use. UEMSD prevalence and WI rates were considerable in the neck, the upper back, and the lower back. Significant associations between certain risk factors and UEMSD were identified, but no association was found between using notebook stand and docking station and UEMSD among participants.

White-collar workers' self-reported physical symptoms associated with using computers.

PubMed

Korpinen, Leena; Pääkkönen, Rauno; Gobba, Fabriziomaria

2012-01-01

The aim of our work was to study the physical symptoms of upper- and lower-level white-collar workers using a questionnaire. The study was cross-sectional with a questionnaire posted to 15 000 working-age persons. The responses (6121) included 970 upper- and 1150 lower-level white-collar workers. In the upper- and lower-level white-collar worker groups, 45.7 and 56.0%, respectively, had experienced pain, numbness and aches in the neck either pretty often or more frequently. When comparing daily computer users and nonusers, there were significant differences in pain, numbness and aches in the neck or in the shoulders. In addition, age and gender influenced some physical symptoms. In the future, it is essential to take into account that working with computers can be especially associated with physical symptoms in the neck and in the shoulders when workers use computers daily.

MRMPlus: an open source quality control and assessment tool for SRM/MRM assay development.

PubMed

Aiyetan, Paul; Thomas, Stefani N; Zhang, Zhen; Zhang, Hui

2015-12-12

Selected and multiple reaction monitoring involves monitoring a multiplexed assay of proteotypic peptides and associated transitions in mass spectrometry runs. To describe peptide and associated transitions as stable, quantifiable, and reproducible representatives of proteins of interest, experimental and analytical validation is required. However, inadequate and disparate analytical tools and validation methods predispose assay performance measures to errors and inconsistencies. Implemented as a freely available, open-source tool in the platform independent Java programing language, MRMPlus computes analytical measures as recommended recently by the Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Consortium Assay Development Working Group for "Tier 2" assays - that is, non-clinical assays sufficient enough to measure changes due to both biological and experimental perturbations. Computed measures include; limit of detection, lower limit of quantification, linearity, carry-over, partial validation of specificity, and upper limit of quantification. MRMPlus streamlines assay development analytical workflow and therefore minimizes error predisposition. MRMPlus may also be used for performance estimation for targeted assays not described by the Assay Development Working Group. MRMPlus' source codes and compiled binaries can be freely downloaded from https://bitbucket.org/paiyetan/mrmplusgui and https://bitbucket.org/paiyetan/mrmplusgui/downloads respectively.

All-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the O1 LIGO data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; AultONeal, K.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Bae, S.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Banagiri, S.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bawaj, M.; Bazzan, M.; Bécsy, B.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Bode, N.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canizares, P.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Carney, M. F.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerboni Baiardi, L.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterjee, D.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H.-P.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, A. K. W.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Ciecielag, P.; Ciolfi, R.; Cirelli, C. E.; Cirone, A.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L. R.; Constancio, M.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corban, P.; Corbitt, T. R.; Corley, K. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, E.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Canton, T. Dal; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Deelman, E.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devenson, J.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Renzo, F.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorosh, O.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Dovale Álvarez, M.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Duncan, J.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Etienne, Z. B.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gabel, M.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaudio, S.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, D.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glover, L.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gomes, S.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannuksela, O. A.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Horst, C.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Intini, G.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katolik, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kemball, A. J.; Kennedy, R.; Kent, C.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, W.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, S.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwang, S.; Lackey, B. D.; Lai, K. H.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Liu, W.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña Hernandez, I.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mayani, R.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B. C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muniz, E. A. M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Neri, M.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pisarski, A.; Pitkin, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. M.; Rieger, S.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romel, C. L.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Ross, M. P.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Rynge, M.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sandeen, B.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, E.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schulte, B. W.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seidel, E.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shah, A. A.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shao, L.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Son, E. J.; Sonnenberg, J. A.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tao, D.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, J. A.; Taylor, R.; Theeg, T.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trembath-Reichert, S.; Trifirò, D.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tsang, K. W.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ueno, K.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahi, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; Vallisneri, M.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walet, R.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, J. Z.; Wang, M.; Wang, Y.-F.; Wang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wessel, E. K.; Weßels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, K. W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yap, M. J.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; ZadroŻny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2017-09-01

We report on an all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency band 20-475 Hz and with a frequency time derivative in the range of [-1.0 ,+0.1 ] ×10-8 Hz /s . Such a signal could be produced by a nearby spinning and slightly nonaxisymmetric isolated neutron star in our galaxy. This search uses the data from Advanced LIGO's first observational run, O1. No periodic gravitational wave signals were observed, and upper limits were placed on their strengths. The lowest upper limits on worst-case (linearly polarized) strain amplitude h0 are ˜4 ×10-25 near 170 Hz. For a circularly polarized source (most favorable orientation), the smallest upper limits obtained are ˜1.5 ×10-25. These upper limits refer to all sky locations and the entire range of frequency derivative values. For a population-averaged ensemble of sky locations and stellar orientations, the lowest upper limits obtained for the strain amplitude are ˜2.5 ×10-25.

Upper limits to trace constituents in Jupiter's atmosphere from an analysis of its 5 micrometer spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treffers, R. R.; Larson, H. P.; Fink, U.; Gautier, T. N.

1978-01-01

A high-resolution spectrum of Jupiter at 5 micrometers recorded at the Kuiper Airborne Observatory is used to determine upper limits to the column density of 19 molecules. The upper limits to the mixing ratios of SiH4, H2S, HCN, and simple hydrocarbons are discussed with respect to current models of Jupiter's atmosphere. These upper limits are compared to expectations based upon the solar abundance of the elements. This analysis permits upper limit measurements (SiH4), or actual detections (GeH4) of molecules with mixing ratios with hydrogen as low as 10 to the minus 9th power. In future observations at 5 micrometers the sensitivity of remote spectroscopic analyses should permit the study of constituents with mixing ratios as low as 10 to the minus 10th power, which would include the hydrides of such elements as Sn and As as well as numerous organic molecules.

Quantum-limited heat conduction over macroscopic distances

PubMed Central

Partanen, Matti; Tan, Kuan Yen; Govenius, Joonas; Lake, Russell E.; Mäkelä, Miika K.; Tanttu, Tuomo; Möttönen, Mikko

2016-01-01

The emerging quantum technological apparatuses1, 2, such as the quantum computer3–6, call for extreme performance in thermal engineering7. Cold distant heat sinks are needed for the quantized electric degrees of freedom due to the increasing packaging density and heat dissipation. Importantly, quantum mechanics sets a fundamental upper limit for the flow of information and heat, which is quantified by the quantum of thermal conductance8–10. However, the short distance between the heat-exchanging bodies in the previous experiments11–14 hinders their applicability in quantum technology. Here, we present experimental observations of quantum-limited heat conduction over macroscopic distances extending to a metre. We achieved this improvement of four orders of magnitude in the distance by utilizing microwave photons travelling in superconducting transmission lines. Thus, it seems that quantum-limited heat conduction has no fundamental distance cutoff. This work establishes the integration of normal-metal components into the framework of circuit quantum electrodynamics15–17 which provides a basis for the superconducting quantum computer18–21. Especially, our results facilitate remote cooling of nanoelectronic devices using far-away in-situ-tunable heat sinks22, 23. Furthermore, quantum-limited heat conduction is important in contemporary thermodynamics24, 25. Here, the long distance may lead to ultimately efficient mesoscopic heat engines with promising practical applications26. PMID:27239219

The He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratio in starburst galaxies - An objective constraint on the upper mass limit to the initial mass function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doyon, Rene; Puxley, P. J.; Joseph, R. D.

1992-01-01

The use of the He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratio as a constraint on the massive stellar population in star-forming galaxies is developed. A theoretical relationship between the He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratio and the effective temperature of the exciting star in H II regions is derived. The effects of collisional excitation and dust within the nebula on the ratio are also considered. It is shown that the He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratio is a steep function of the effective temperature, a property which can be used to determine the upper mass limit of the initial mass function (IMF) in galaxies. This technique is reliable for upper mass limits less than about 40 solar masses. New near-infrared spectra of starburst galaxies are presented. The He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratios observed imply a range of upper mass limits from 27 to over 40 solar masses. There is also evidence that the upper mass limit is spatially dependent within a given galaxy. These results suggest that the upper mass limit is not a uniquely defined parameter of the IMF and probably varies with local physical conditions.

Oxygen dependence of upper thermal limits in fishes.

PubMed

Ern, Rasmus; Norin, Tommy; Gamperl, A Kurt; Esbaugh, Andrew J

2016-11-01

Temperature-induced limitations on the capacity of the cardiorespiratory system to transport oxygen from the environment to the tissues, manifested as a reduced aerobic scope (maximum minus standard metabolic rate), have been proposed as the principal determinant of the upper thermal limits of fishes and other water-breathing ectotherms. Consequently, the upper thermal niche boundaries of these animals are expected to be highly sensitive to aquatic hypoxia and other environmental stressors that constrain their cardiorespiratory performance. However, the generality of this dogma has recently been questioned, as some species have been shown to maintain aerobic scope at thermal extremes. Here, we experimentally tested whether reduced oxygen availability due to aquatic hypoxia would decrease the upper thermal limits (i.e. the critical thermal maximum, CT max ) of the estuarine red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and the marine lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus). In both species, CT max was independent of oxygen availability over a wide range of oxygen levels despite substantial (>72%) reductions in aerobic scope. These data show that the upper thermal limits of water-breathing ectotherms are not always linked to the capacity for oxygen transport. Consequently, we propose a novel metric for classifying the oxygen dependence of thermal tolerance; the oxygen limit for thermal tolerance (P CT max ), which is the water oxygen tension (Pw O 2 ) where an organism's CT max starts to decline. We suggest that this metric can be used for assessing the oxygen sensitivity of upper thermal limits in water-breathing ectotherms, and the susceptibility of their upper thermal niche boundaries to environmental hypoxia. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

The red and green lines of atomic oxygen in the nightglow of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, J. L.

1990-01-01

O(1D) and O(1S), the excited states that give rise to the atomic oxygen red and green lines, are produced in the Venus nightglow in dissociative recombination of O2(+). The emissions should also be excited by precipitation of soft electrons, the suggested source of the 'auroral' emission features of atomic oxygen at 1304 and 1356 A, which have been reported from observations of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Ultraviolet Spectrometer. No emisison at 6300 or 5577 A was detected, however, by the visible spectrophotometers on the Soviet spacecraft Veneras 9 and 10; upper limits have been placed on the intensities of these features. The constraints placed on models for the auroral production mechanism by the Venera upper limits by modeling the intensities of the red and green lines in the nightglow are evaluated, combining a model for the vibrational distribution of O2(+) on the nightside of Venus with rate coefficients recently computed by Guberman for production of O(1S) and O(1D) in dissociative recombination of O2(+) from different vibrational levels. The integrated overhead intensities are 1 - 2 R for the green line and about 46 R for the red line.

Contributions of divergent and nondivergent winds to the kinetic energy balance of a severe storm environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Browning, P. A.; Fuelberg, H. E.

1983-01-01

Divergent and rotational components of the synoptic scale kinetic energy balance are presented using rawinsonde data at 3 and 6 h intervals from the Atmospheric Variability Experiment (AVE 4). Two intense thunderstorm complexes occurred during the period. Energy budgets are described for the entire computational region and for limited volumes that enclose and move with the convection. Although small in magnitude, the divergent wind component played an important role in the cross contour generation and horizontal flux divergence of kinetic energy. The importance of V sub D appears directly to the presence and intensity of convection within the area. Although K sub D usually comprised less than 10 percent of the total kinetic energy content within the storm environment, as much as 87 percent of the total horizontal flux divergence and 68 percent of the total cross contour generation was due to the divergent component in the upper atmosphere. Generation of kinetic energy by the divergent component appears to be a major factor in the creation of an upper level wind maximum on the poleward side of one of the complexes. A random error analysis is presented to assess confidence limits in the various energy parameters.

Constraints on cosmic ray and PeV neutrino production in blazars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, B. Theodore; Li, Zhuo, E-mail: zhangbing91@pku.edu.cn, E-mail: zhuo.li@pku.edu.cn

2017-03-01

IceCube has detected a cumulative flux of PeV neutrinos, which origin is unknown. Blazars, active galactic nuclei with relativistic jets pointing to us, are long and widely expected to be one of the strong candidates of high energy neutrino sources. The neutrino production depends strongly on the cosmic ray power of blazar jets, which is largely unknown. The recent null results in stacking searches of neutrinos for several blazar samples by IceCube put upper limits on the neutrino fluxes from these blazars. Here we compute the cosmic ray power and PeV neutrino flux of Fermi-LAT blazars, and find that themore » upper limits for known blazar sources give stringent constraint on the cosmic ray loading factor of blazar jets (i.e., the ratio of the cosmic ray to bolometric radiation luminosity of blazar jets), ξ{sub cr} ∼< (2–10)ζ{sup −1} (with ζ ∼< 1 the remained fraction of cosmic ray energy when propagate into the blazar broad line region) for flat cosmic ray spectrum, and that the cumulative PeV neutrino flux contributed by all-sky blazars is a fraction ∼< (10–50)% of the IceCube detected flux.« less

Spiking Neural P Systems With Rules on Synapses Working in Maximum Spiking Strategy.

PubMed

Tao Song; Linqiang Pan

2015-06-01

Spiking neural P systems (called SN P systems for short) are a class of parallel and distributed neural-like computation models inspired by the way the neurons process information and communicate with each other by means of impulses or spikes. In this work, we introduce a new variant of SN P systems, called SN P systems with rules on synapses working in maximum spiking strategy, and investigate the computation power of the systems as both number and vector generators. Specifically, we prove that i) if no limit is imposed on the number of spikes in any neuron during any computation, such systems can generate the sets of Turing computable natural numbers and the sets of vectors of positive integers computed by k-output register machine; ii) if an upper bound is imposed on the number of spikes in each neuron during any computation, such systems can characterize semi-linear sets of natural numbers as number generating devices; as vector generating devices, such systems can only characterize the family of sets of vectors computed by sequential monotonic counter machine, which is strictly included in family of semi-linear sets of vectors. This gives a positive answer to the problem formulated in Song et al., Theor. Comput. Sci., vol. 529, pp. 82-95, 2014.

Beating the Spin-down Limit on Gravitational Wave Emission from the Vela Pulsar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abadie, J.; Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abernathy, M.; Accadia, T.; Acernese, F.; Adams, C.; Adhikari, R.; Affeldt, C.; Allen, B.; Allen, G. S.; Amador Ceron, E.; Amariutei, D.; Amin, R. S.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Antonucci, F.; Arai, K.; Arain, M. A.; Araya, M. C.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Atkinson, D.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Aylott, B. E.; Babak, S.; Baker, P.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S.; Barker, D.; Barnum, S.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barriga, P.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barton, M. A.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Bastarrika, M.; Basti, A.; Bauchrowitz, J.; Bauer, Th. S.; Behnke, B.; Bejger, M.; Beker, M. G.; Bell, A. S.; Belletoile, A.; Belopolski, I.; Benacquista, M.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Beveridge, N.; Beyersdorf, P. T.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Birch, J.; Birindelli, S.; Biswas, R.; Bitossi, M.; Bizouard, M. A.; Black, E.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackburn, L.; Blair, D.; Bland, B.; Blom, M.; Bock, O.; Bodiya, T. P.; Bogan, C.; Bondarescu, R.; Bondu, F.; Bonelli, L.; Bonnand, R.; Bork, R.; Born, M.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bosi, L.; Bouhou, B.; Boyle, M.; Braccini, S.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Brau, J. E.; Breyer, J.; Bridges, D. O.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Britzger, M.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brummit, A.; Budzyński, R.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Burguet-Castell, J.; Burmeister, O.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cain, J.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Campagna, E.; Campsie, P.; Cannizzo, J.; Cannon, K.; Canuel, B.; Cao, J.; Capano, C.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C.; Cesarini, E.; Chaibi, O.; Chalermsongsak, T.; Chalkley, E.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chelkowski, S.; Chen, Y.; Chincarini, A.; Christensen, N.; Chua, S. S. Y.; Chung, C. T. Y.; Chung, S.; Clara, F.; Clark, D.; Clark, J.; Clayton, J. H.; Cleva, F.; Coccia, E.; Colacino, C. N.; Colas, J.; Colla, A.; Colombini, M.; Conte, R.; Cook, D.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M.; Coulon, J.-P.; Coward, D. M.; Coyne, D. C.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cruise, A. M.; Culter, R. M.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dahl, K.; Danilishin, S. L.; Dannenberg, R.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Das, K.; Dattilo, V.; Daudert, B.; Daveloza, H.; Davier, M.; Davies, G.; Daw, E. J.; Day, R.; Dayanga, T.; De Rosa, R.; DeBra, D.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; del Prete, M.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; DeRosa, R.; DeSalvo, R.; Dhurandhar, S.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Palma, I.; Emilio, M. Di Paolo; Di Virgilio, A.; Díaz, M.; Dietz, A.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Dorsher, S.; Douglas, E. S. D.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Dumas, J.-C.; Dwyer, S.; Eberle, T.; Edgar, M.; Edwards, M.; Effler, A.; Ehrens, P.; Engel, R.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, Y.; Farr, B. F.; Fazi, D.; Fehrmann, H.; Feldbaum, D.; Ferrante, I.; Fidecaro, F.; Finn, L. S.; Fiori, I.; Flaminio, R.; Flanigan, M.; Foley, S.; Forsi, E.; Forte, L. A.; Fotopoulos, N.; Fournier, J.-D.; Franc, J.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frede, M.; Frei, M.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Fricke, T. T.; Friedrich, D.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Galimberti, M.; Gammaitoni, L.; Garcia, J.; Garofoli, J. A.; Garufi, F.; Gáspár, M. E.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giampanis, S.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, C.; Goetz, E.; Goggin, L. M.; González, G.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Goßler, S.; Gouaty, R.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greenhalgh, R. J. S.; Gretarsson, A. M.; Greverie, C.; Grosso, R.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guido, C.; Gupta, R.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hage, B.; Hallam, J. M.; Hammer, D.; Hammond, G.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, J.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Harstad, E. D.; Hartman, M. T.; Haughian, K.; Hayama, K.; Hayau, J.-F.; Hayler, T.; Heefner, J.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hendry, M. A.; Heng, I. S.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Herrera, V.; Hewitson, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hodge, K. A.; Holt, K.; Hong, T.; Hooper, S.; Hosken, D. J.; Hough, J.; Howell, E. J.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isogai, T.; Ivanov, A.; Jaranowski, P.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, G.; Jones, R.; Ju, L.; Kalmus, P.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kanner, J. B.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kawabe, K.; Kawamura, S.; Kawazoe, F.; Kells, W.; Kelner, M.; Keppel, D. G.; Khalaidovski, A.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kim, H.; Kim, N.; King, P. J.; Kinzel, D. L.; Kissel, J. S.; Klimenko, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kopparapu, R.; Koranda, S.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D.; Kringel, V.; Krishnamurthy, S.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, R.; Kwee, P.; Landry, M.; Lantz, B.; Lastzka, N.; Lazzarini, A.; Leaci, P.; Leong, J.; Leonor, I.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Li, J.; Li, T. G. F.; Liguori, N.; Lindquist, P. E.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lodhia, D.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lu, P.; Luan, J.; Lubinski, M.; Lück, H.; Lundgren, A. P.; Macdonald, E.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Mageswaran, M.; Mailand, K.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandel, I.; Mandic, V.; Mantovani, M.; Marandi, A.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Maros, E.; Marque, J.; Martelli, F.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Matzner, R. A.; Mavalvala, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McKechan, D. J. A.; Meadors, G.; Mehmet, M.; Meier, T.; Melatos, A.; Melissinos, A. C.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merill, L.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Meyer, M. S.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Milano, L.; Miller, J.; Minenkov, Y.; Mino, Y.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Miyakawa, O.; Moe, B.; Moesta, P.; Mohan, M.; Mohanty, S. D.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morgado, N.; Morgia, A.; Mosca, S.; Moscatelli, V.; Mossavi, K.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Mukherjee, S.; Mullavey, A.; Müller-Ebhardt, H.; Munch, J.; Murray, P. G.; Nash, T.; Nawrodt, R.; Nelson, J.; Neri, I.; Newton, G.; Nishida, E.; Nishizawa, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Ochsner, E.; O'Dell, J.; Ogin, G. H.; Oldenburg, R. G.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Osthelder, C.; Ott, C. D.; Ottaway, D. J.; Ottens, R. S.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Page, A.; Pagliaroli, G.; Palladino, L.; Palomba, C.; Pan, Y.; Pankow, C.; Paoletti, F.; Papa, M. A.; Parameswaran, A.; Pardi, S.; Parisi, M.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patel, P.; Pathak, D.; Pedraza, M.; Pekowsky, L.; Penn, S.; Peralta, C.; Perreca, A.; Persichetti, G.; Phelps, M.; Pichot, M.; Pickenpack, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pietka, M.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Pletsch, H. J.; Plissi, M. V.; Podkaminer, J.; Poggiani, R.; Pöld, J.; Postiglione, F.; Prato, M.; Predoi, V.; Price, L. R.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Quetschke, V.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Rácz, I.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramet, C. R.; Rankins, B.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Re, V.; Redwine, K.; Reed, C. M.; Reed, T.; Regimbau, T.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Ricci, F.; Riesen, R.; Riles, K.; Roberts, P.; Robertson, N. A.; Robinet, F.; Robinson, C.; Robinson, E. L.; Rocchi, A.; Roddy, S.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J.; Romano, J. D.; Romano, R.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Röver, C.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Sakata, S.; Sakosky, M.; Salemi, F.; Salit, M.; Sammut, L.; Sancho de la Jordana, L.; Sandberg, V.; Sannibale, V.; Santamaría, L.; Santiago-Prieto, I.; Santostasi, G.; Saraf, S.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Sato, S.; Satterthwaite, M.; Saulson, P. R.; Savage, R.; Schilling, R.; Schlamminger, S.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schulz, B.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwinberg, P.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Searle, A. C.; Seifert, F.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaltev, M.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Shihan Weerathunga, T.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Sibley, A.; Siemens, X.; Sigg, D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L.; Sintes, A. M.; Skelton, G.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Slutsky, J.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, M. R.; Smith, N. D.; Smith, R.; Somiya, K.; Sorazu, B.; Soto, J.; Speirits, F. C.; Sperandio, L.; Stefszky, M.; Stein, A. J.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steplewski, S.; Stochino, A.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Strigin, S.; Stroeer, A. S.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sung, M.; Susmithan, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B.; Szokoly, G. P.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tarabrin, S. P.; Taylor, J. R.; Taylor, R.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thrane, E.; Thüring, A.; Titsler, C.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toncelli, A.; Tonelli, M.; Torre, O.; Torres, C.; Torrie, C. I.; Tournefier, E.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trias, M.; Tseng, K.; Turner, L.; Ugolini, D.; Urbanek, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vaishnav, B.; Vajente, G.; Vallisneri, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; van der Putten, S.; van der Sluys, M. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vass, S.; Vasuth, M.; Vaulin, R.; Vavoulidis, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Veltkamp, C.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Villar, A. E.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vyachanin, S. P.; Waldman, S. J.; Wallace, L.; Wanner, A.; Ward, R. L.; Was, M.; Wei, P.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wen, S.; Wessels, P.; West, M.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whitcomb, S. E.; White, D.; Whiting, B. F.; Wilkinson, C.; Willems, P. A.; Williams, H. R.; Williams, L.; Willke, B.; Winkelmann, L.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wiseman, A. G.; Woan, G.; Wooley, R.; Worden, J.; Yablon, J.; Yakushin, I.; Yamamoto, H.; Yamamoto, K.; Yang, H.; Yeaton-Massey, D.; Yoshida, S.; Yu, P.; Yvert, M.; Zanolin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, Z.; Zhao, C.; Zotov, N.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration; Buchner, S.; Hotan, A.; Palfreyman, J.

2011-08-01

We present direct upper limits on continuous gravitational wave emission from the Vela pulsar using data from the Virgo detector's second science run. These upper limits have been obtained using three independent methods that assume the gravitational wave emission follows the radio timing. Two of the methods produce frequentist upper limits for an assumed known orientation of the star's spin axis and value of the wave polarization angle of, respectively, 1.9 × 10-24 and 2.2 × 10-24, with 95% confidence. The third method, under the same hypothesis, produces a Bayesian upper limit of 2.1 × 10-24, with 95% degree of belief. These limits are below the indirect spin-down limit of 3.3 × 10-24 for the Vela pulsar, defined by the energy loss rate inferred from observed decrease in Vela's spin frequency, and correspond to a limit on the star ellipticity of ~10-3. Slightly less stringent results, but still well below the spin-down limit, are obtained assuming the star's spin axis inclination and the wave polarization angles are unknown.

A search for X-ray emission from a nearby pulsar - PSR 1929 + 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alpar, A.; Brinkmann, W.; Oegelman, H.; Kiziloglu, U.; Pines, D.

1987-01-01

Observations of the radio pulsar PSR 1929 + 10 with the Exosat observatory are reported. A 2 sigma upper limit of 0.0005 cts/s was obtained in the 0.04-2.4 keV range, which translates into a luminosity upper limit of 2 x 10 to the 29th erg/s for a power-law source with photon number index 1-3, and a luminosity upper limit of 10 to the 30th erg/s corresponding to a temperature of 190,000 K for a blackbody with radius 10 km. The implications of these upper limits for various models and their compatibility with the positive detection of this source by the Einstein Observatory are discussed.

Back and upper extremity disorders among enlisted U.S. Marines: burden and individual risk factors.

PubMed

Huang, G D; Feuerstein, M; Arroyo, F

2001-11-01

Although musculoskeletal disorders of the low back and upper extremities can affect military readiness, little is known about their extent and risk factors in the U.S. Marine Corps. Using the Defense Medical Epidemiology and Defense Medical Surveillance System databases, back and upper extremity diagnostic categories were among the top four sources of outpatient visits and duty limitation among enlisted Marines. Back disorders were also found to be the fifth most common cause for lost time. Subsequently, high-risk occupations were identified, age-related trends for clinic visit rates were determined, and rate ratios were computed for the top 15 low back and upper extremity diagnoses among enlisted Marines from 1997 through 1998. Occupational categories with the highest rates of musculoskeletal-related outpatient visits included image interpretation, auditing and accounting, disturbsing, surveillance/target acquisition, and aircraft launch equipment. Significantly increasing linear trends in rates across age groups were found for most diagnoses. For 1998, age-specific rate ratios indicated significantly higher rates for most low back and upper extremity disorders for females; lower rank (i.e., E1-E4) was also a risk, but for fewer diagnoses. The findings emphasize the need to identify modifiable (e.g., work-related, individual) risk factors and to develop focused primary and secondary prevention programs for musculoskeletal disorders in the Marine Corps. Subsequently, these efforts can assist in reducing associated effects, maximizing resource utilization, and enhancing operational readiness.

Geohydrology and evaluation of water-resource potential of the upper Floridan Aquifer in the Albany area, southwestern Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Torak, L.J.; Davis, G.S.; Strain, G.A.; Herndon, J.G.

1993-01-01

In the Albany area of southwestern Georgia, the Upper Floridan aquifer lies entirely within the Dougherty Plain district of the Coastal Plain physiographic province, and consists of the Ocala Limestone of late Eocene age. The aquifer is divided throughout most of the study area into an upper and a lower lithologic unit, which creates an upper and a lower water-bearing zone. The lower waterbearing zone consists of alternating layers of sandy limestone and medium-brown, recrystallized dolomitic limestone, and ranges in thickness from about 50 ft to 100 ft. It is highly fractured and exhibits well-developed permeability by solution features that are responsible for transmitting most of the ground water in the aquifer. Transmissivity of the lower water-bearing zone ranges from about 90,000 to 178,000 ft2/d. The upper water-bearing zone is a finely crystallized-to-oolitic, locally dolomitic limestone having an average thickness of about 60 ft. Transmissivities are considerably less in the upper water-bearing zone than in the lower water-bearing zone. The Upper Floridan aquifer is overlain by about 20-120 ft of undifferentiated overburden consisting of fine-to-coarse quartz sand and noncalcareous clay. A clay zone about 10-30 ft thick may be continuous throughout the southwestern part of the Albany area and, where present, causes confinement of the Upper Floridan aquifer and creates perched ground water after periods of heavy rainfall. The Upper Floridan aquifer is confined below by the Lisbon Formation, a mostly dolomitic limestone that contains trace amounts of glauconite. The Lisbon Formation is at least 50 ft thick in the study area and acts as an impermeable base to the Upper Floridan aquifer. The quality of ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer is suitable for most uses; wells generally yield water of the hard, calcium-bicarbonate type that meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Primary or Secondary Drinking-Water Regulations. The water-resource potential of the Upper Floridan aquifer was evaluated by compiling results of drilling and aquifer testing in the study area, and by conducting computer simulations of the ground-water flow system under the seasonally low conditions of November 1985, and under conditions of pumping within a 12-mi 2 area located southwest of Albany. Results of test drilling, aquifer testing, and water-quality analyses indicate that, in the area southwest of Albany, geohydrologic conditions in the Upper Floridan aquifer, undifferentiated overburden, and Lisbon Formation were favorable for the aquifer to provide a large quantity of water without having adverse effects on the groundwater system. The confinement of the Upper Floridan aquifer by the undifferentiated overburden and the rural setting of the area of potential development decrease the likelihood that chemical constituents will enter the aquifer during development of the ground-water resources. Computer simulations of ground-water flow in the Upper Floridan aquifer, incorporating conditions for regional flow across model boundaries, leakage from rivers and other surface-water features, and vertical leakage from the undifferentiated overburden, were conducted by using a finite-element model for ground-water flow in two dimensions. Comparison of computed and measured water levels in the Upper Floridan aquifer for November 1985 at 74 locations indicated that computed water levels generally were within 5 ft of the measured values, which is the accuracy to which measured water levels were known. Water-level altitudes ranged from about 260 ft to 130 ft above sea level in the study area during calibration. Aquifer discharge to the Flint River downstream from the Lake Worth dam was computed by the calibrated model to be about 1 billion gallons per day; about 300 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) greater than was measured for similar lowflow conditions. The excess computed discharge was attributed partially to stream withdrawals for

Toward regional-scale adjoint tomography in the deep earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, Y.; Romanowicz, B. A.

2013-12-01

Thanks to the development of efficient numerical computation methods, such as the Spectral Element Method (SEM) and to the increasing power of computer clusters, it is now possible to obtain regional-scale images of the Earth's interior using adjoint-tomography (e.g. Tape, C., et al., 2009). As for now, these tomographic models are limited to the upper layers of the earth, i.e., they provide us with high-resolution images of the crust and the upper part of the mantle. Given the gigantic amount of calculation it represents, obtaing similar models at the global scale (i.e. images of the entire Earth) seems out of reach at the moment. Furthermore, it's likely that the first generation of such global adjoint tomographic models will have a resolution significantly smaller than the current regional models. In order to image regions of interests in the deep Earth, such as plumes, slabs or large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs), while keeping the computation tractable, we are developing new tools that will allow us to perform regional-scale adjoint-tomography at arbitrary depths. In a recent study (Masson et al., 2013), we showed that a numerical equivalent of the time reversal mirrors used in experimental acoustics permits to confine the wave propagation computations (i.e. using SEM simulations) inside the region to be imaged. With this ability to limit wave propagation modeling inside a region of interest, obtaining the adjoint sensitivity kernels needed for tomographic imaging is only two steps further. First, the local wavefield modeling needs to be coupled with field extrapolation techniques in order to obtain synthetic seismograms at the surface of the earth. These seismograms will account for the 3D structure inside the region of interest in a quasi-exact manner. We will present preliminary results where the field-extrapolation is performed using Green's function computed in a 1D Earth model thanks to the Direct Solution Method (DSM). Once synthetic seismograms can be obtained, it is possible to evaluate the misfit between observed and computed seismograms. The second step will then be to extrapolate the misfit function back into the SEM region in order to compute local adjoint sensitivity kernels. When available, these kernels will allow us to perform regional-scale adjoint tomography at arbitrary locations inside the earth. Masson Y., Cupillard P., Capdeville Y., & Romanowicz B., 2013. On the numerical implementation of time-reversal mirrors for tomographic imaging, Journal of Geophysical Research (under review). Tape, C., et al. (2009). "Adjoint tomography of the southern California crust." Science 325(5943): 988-992.

Wearable wireless User Interface Cursor-Controller (UIC-C).

PubMed

Marjanovic, Nicholas; Kerr, Kevin; Aranda, Ricardo; Hickey, Richard; Esmailbeigi, Hananeh

2017-07-01

Controlling a computer or a smartphone's cursor allows the user to access a world full of information. For millions of people with limited upper extremities motor function, controlling the cursor becomes profoundly difficult. Our team has developed the User Interface Cursor-Controller (UIC-C) to assist the impaired individuals in regaining control over the cursor. The UIC-C is a hands-free device that utilizes the tongue muscle to control the cursor movements. The entire device is housed inside a subject specific retainer. The user maneuvers the cursor by manipulating a joystick imbedded inside the retainer via their tongue. The joystick movement commands are sent to an electronic device via a Bluetooth connection. The device is readily recognizable as a cursor controller by any Bluetooth enabled electronic device. The device testing results have shown that the time it takes the user to control the cursor accurately via the UIC-C is about three times longer than a standard computer mouse controlled via the hand. The device does not require any permanent modifications to the body; therefore, it could be used during the period of acute rehabilitation of the hands. With the development of modern smart homes, and enhancement electronics controlled by the computer, UIC-C could be integrated into a system that enables individuals with permanent impairment, the ability to control the cursor. In conclusion, the UIC-C device is designed with the goal of allowing the user to accurately control a cursor during the periods of either acute or permanent upper extremities impairment.

The NANOGrav Nine-Year Data Set: Limits on the Isotropic Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arzoumanian, Z.; Brazier, A.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chatterjee, S.; Christy, B.; Cordes, J. M.; Cornish, N. J.; Crowter, K.; Demorest, P. B.;

A Test of Thick-Target Nonuniform Ionization as an Explanation for Breaks in Solar Flare Hard X-Ray Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holman, gordon; Dennis Brian R.; Tolbert, Anne K.; Schwartz, Richard

2010-01-01

Solar nonthermal hard X-ray (HXR) flare spectra often cannot be fitted by a single power law, but rather require a downward break in the photon spectrum. A possible explanation for this spectral break is nonuniform ionization in the emission region. We have developed a computer code to calculate the photon spectrum from electrons with a power-law distribution injected into a thick-target in which the ionization decreases linearly from 100% to zero. We use the bremsstrahlung cross-section from Haug (1997), which closely approximates the full relativistic Bethe-Heitler cross-section, and compare photon spectra computed from this model with those obtained by Kontar, Brown and McArthur (2002), who used a step-function ionization model and the Kramers approximation to the cross-section. We find that for HXR spectra from a target with nonuniform ionization, the difference (Delta-gamma) between the power-law indexes above and below the break has an upper limit between approx.0.2 and 0.7 that depends on the power-law index delta of the injected electron distribution. A broken power-law spectrum with a. higher value of Delta-gamma cannot result from nonuniform ionization alone. The model is applied to spectra obtained around the peak times of 20 flares observed by the Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI from 2002 to 2004 to determine whether thick-target nonuniform ionization can explain the measured spectral breaks. A Monte Carlo method is used to determine the uncertainties of the best-fit parameters, especially on Delta-gamma. We find that 15 of the 20 flare spectra require a downward spectral break and that at least 6 of these could not be explained by nonuniform ionization alone because they had values of Delta-gamma with less than a 2.5% probability of being consistent with the computed upper limits from the model. The remaining 9 flare spectra, based on this criterion, are consistent with the nonuniform ionization model.

Metallic Species, Oxygen and Silicon in the Lunar Exosphere: Upper Limits and Prospects for LADEE Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarantos, Menelaos; Killen, Rosemary Margaret; Glenar, David A.; Benna, Mehdi; Stubbs, Timothy J.

2012-01-01

The only species that have been so far detected in the lunar exosphere are Na, K, Ar,and He. However, models for the production and loss of species derived from the lunarregolith through micrometeoroid impact vaporization, sputtering, and photon-stimulateddesorption, predict that a host of other species should exist in the lunar exosphere.Assuming that loss processes are limited to ballistic escape, photoionization, and recyclingto the surface, we have computed column abundances and compared them to publishedupper limits for the Moon. Only for Ca do modeled abundances clearly exceed theavailable measurements. This result suggests the relevance of some loss processes thatwere not included in the model, such as the possibility of gas-to-solid phasecondensation during micrometeoroid impacts or the formation of stable metallic oxides.Our simulations and the recalculation of efficiencies for resonant light scattering showthat models for other species studied are not well constrained by existingmeasurements. This fact underlines the need for improved remote and in situmeasurements of the lunar exosphere such as those planned by the Lunar Atmosphereand Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft. Our simulations of the LADEEneutral mass spectrometer and visibleultraviolet spectrometer indicate that LADEE measurements promise to provide definitive observations or set stringent upper limitsfor all regolith-driven exospheric species. We predict that observations by LADEE willconstrain assumed model parameters for the exosphere of the Moon.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cartas-Fuentevilla, Roberto; Escalante, Alberto; Germán, Gabriel

Following recent studies which show that it is possible to localize gravity as well as scalar and gauge vector fields in a tachyonic de Sitter thick braneworld, we investigate the solution of the gauge hierarchy problem, the localization of fermion fields in this model, the recovering of the Coulomb law on the non-relativistic limit of the Yukawa interaction between bulk fermions and gauge bosons localized in the brane, and confront the predicted 5D corrections to the photon mass with its upper experimental/observational bounds, finding the model physically viable since it passes these tests. In order to achieve the latter aimsmore » we first consider the Yukawa interaction term between the fermionic and the tachyonic scalar fields MF(T)ΨΨ-bar in the action and analyze four distinct tachyonic functions F(T) that lead to four different structures of the respective fermionic mass spectra with different physics. In particular, localization of the massless left-chiral fermion zero mode is possible for three of these cases. We further analyze the phenomenology of these Yukawa interactions among fermion fields and gauge bosons localized on the brane and obtain the crucial and necessary information to compute the corrections to Coulomb’s law coming from massive KK vector modes in the non-relativistic limit. These corrections are exponentially suppressed due to the presence of the mass gap in the mass spectrum of the bulk gauge vector field. From our results we conclude that corrections to Coulomb’s law in the thin brane limit have the same form (up to a numerical factor) as far as the left-chiral massless fermion field is localized on the brane. Finally we compute the corrections to the Coulomb’s law for an arbitrarily thick brane scenario which can be interpreted as 5D corrections to the photon mass. By performing consistent estimations with brane phenomenology, we found that the predicted corrections to the photon mass, which are well bounded by the experimentally observed or astrophysically inferred photon mass, are far beyond its upper bound, positively testing the viability of our tachyonic braneworld. Moreover, the 5D parameters that define these corrections possess the same order, providing naturalness to our model, however, a fine-tuning between them is needed in order to fit the corresponding upper bound on the photon mass.« less

The Effect of Geographic Location on Circannual Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Plasma Concentrations in Horses in Australia.

PubMed

Secombe, C J; Tan, R H H; Perara, D I; Byrne, D P; Watts, S P; Wearn, J G

2017-09-01

Longitudinal evaluation of plasma endogenous ACTH concentration in clinically normal horses has not been investigated in the Southern Hemisphere. To longitudinally determine monthly upper reference limits for plasma ACTH in 2 disparate Australian geographic locations and to examine whether location affected the circannual rhythm of endogenous ACTH in the 2 groups of horses over a 12-month period. Clinically normal horses <20 years of age from 4 properties (institutional herd and client owned animals) in Perth (n = 40) and Townsville (n = 41) were included in the study. A prospective longitudinal descriptive study to determine the upper reference limit and confidence intervals for plasma ACTH in each geographic location using the ASVCP reference interval (RI) guidelines, for individual months and monthly groupings for 12 consecutive months. Plasma endogenous ACTH concentrations demonstrated a circannual rhythm. The increase in endogenous ACTH was not confined to the autumnal months but was associated with changes in photoperiod. During the quiescent period, plasma ACTH concentrations were lower, ≤43 pg/mL (upper limit of the 90% confidence interval (CI)) in horses from Perth and ≤67 pg/mL (upper limit of the 90% CI) in horses from Townsville, than at the acrophase, ≤94 pg/mL (upper limit of the 90% CI) in horses from Perth, ≤101 pg/mL (upper limit of the 90% CI) in horses from Townsville. Circannual rhythms of endogenous ACTH concentrations vary between geographic locations, this could be due to changes in photoperiod or other unknown factors, and upper reference limits should be determined for specific locations. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Differences in the activation and co-activation ratios of the four subdivisions of trapezius between genders following a computer typing task.

PubMed

Szucs, Kimberly A; Molnar, Megan

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to provide a description of gender differences of the activation patterns of the four subdivisions of the trapezius (clavicular, upper, middle, lower) following a 60min computer work task. Surface EMG was collected from these subdivisions from 21 healthy subjects during bilateral arm elevation pre-/post- task. Subjects completed a standardized 60min computer work task at a standard, ergonomic workstation. Normalized activation and activation ratios of each trapezius subdivision were compared between genders and condition with repeated measures ANOVAs. The interaction effect of Gender×Condition for upper trapezius% activation approached significance at p=0.051with males demonstrating greater activation post-task. The main effect of Condition was statistically significant for% activation of middle and lower trapezius (p<0.05), with both muscles demonstrating increase activation post-task. There was a statistically significant interaction effect of Gender×Condition for the Middle Trapezius/Upper Trapezius ratio and main effect of Condition for the Clavicular Trapezius/Upper Trapezius ratio, with a decreased ratio post-typing. Gender differences exist following 60min of a low force computer typing task. Imbalances in muscle activation and activation ratios following computer work may affect total shoulder kinematics and should be further explored. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Upper extremities and spinal musculoskeletal disorders and risk factors in students using computers

PubMed Central

Calik, Bilge Basakci; Yagci, Nesrin; Gursoy, Suleyman; Zencir, Mehmet

2014-01-01

Objective: To examine the effects of computer usage on the musculoskeletal system discomforts (MSD) of Turkish university students, the possible risk factors and study implications (SI). Methods: The study comprised a total of 871 students. Demographic information was recorded and the Student Specific Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (SsCMDQ) was used to evaluate musculoskeletal system discomforts. Results: The neck, lower back and upper back areas were determined to be the most affected areas and percentages for SI were 21.6%, 19.3% and 16.3% respectively. Significant differences were found to be daily computer usage time for the lower back, total usage time for the neck, being female and below the age of 21 years (p<0.05) had an increased risk. Conclusions: The neck, lower back and upper back areas were found to be the most affected areas due to computer usage in university students. Risk factors for MSD were seen to be daily and total computer usage time, female gender and age below 21 years and these were deemed to cause study interference PMID:25674139

The (cost-)effectiveness of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention on the recovery from neck and upper limb symptoms in computer workers

PubMed Central

Bernaards, Claire M; Ariëns, Geertje AM; Hildebrandt, Vincent H

2006-01-01

Background Neck and upper limb symptoms are frequently reported by computer workers. Work style interventions are most commonly used to reduce work-related neck and upper limb symptoms but lifestyle physical activity interventions are becoming more popular to enhance workers health and reduce work-related symptoms. A combined approach targeting work style and lifestyle physical activity seems promising, but little is known on the effectiveness of such combined interventions. Methods/design The RSI@Work study is a randomised controlled trial that aims to assess the added value of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention to reduce neck and upper limb symptoms in computer workers. Computer workers from seven Dutch companies with frequent or long-term neck and upper limb symptoms in the preceding six months and/or the last two weeks are randomised into three groups: (1) work style group, (2) work style and physical activity group, or (3) control group. The work style intervention consists of six group meetings in a six month period that take place at the workplace, during work time, and under the supervision of a specially trained counsellor. The goal of this intervention is to stimulate workplace adjustment and to improve body posture, the number and quality of breaks and coping behaviour with regard to high work demands. In the combined (work style and physical activity) intervention the additional goal is to increase moderate to heavy physical activity. The control group receives usual care. Primary outcome measures are degree of recovery, pain intensity, disability, number of days with neck and upper limb symptoms, and number of months without neck and upper limb symptoms. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and six and 12 months after randomisation. Cost-effectiveness of the group meetings will be assessed using an employer's perspective. Discussion This study will be one of the first to assess the added value of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention in reducing neck and upper limb symptoms of computer workers. The results of the study are expected in 2007. PMID:17062141

VIEWIT uses on the wild and scenic upper Missouri River

Treesearch

Dwight K. Araki

1979-01-01

This paper discusses a computer application approach to mapping the scenic boundaries on the Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic River. The approach taken in this effort was the computer program VIEWIT. VIEWIT, for seen area analysis, was developed over an eight-year period prior to 1968, by Elliot L. Amidon and Gary H. Elsner. This is the first attempt by the BLW to...

Difference in tree growth responses to climate at the upper treeline: Qilian Juniper in the Anyemaqen Mountains.

PubMed

Peng, Jianfeng; Gou, Xiaohua; Chen, Fahu; Li, Jinbao; Liu, Puxing; Zhang, Yong; Fang, Keyan

2008-08-01

Three ring-width chronologies were developed from Qilian Juniper (Sabina przewalskii Kom.) at the upper treeline along a west-east gradient in the Anyemaqen Mountains. Most chronological statistics, except for mean sensitivity (MS), decreased from west to east. The first principal component (PC1) loadings indicated that stands in a similar climate condition were most important to the variability of radial growth. PC2 loadings decreased from west to east, suggesting the difference of tree-growth between eastern and western Anyemaqen Mountains. Correlations between standard chronologies and climatic factors revealed different climatic influences on radial growth along a west-east gradient in the study area. Temperature of warm season (July-August) was important to the radial growth at the upper treeline in the whole study area. Precipitation of current May was an important limiting factor of tree growth only in the western (drier) upper treeline, whereas precipitation of current September limited tree growth in the eastern (wetter) upper treeline. Response function analysis results showed that there were regional differences between tree growth and climatic factors in various sampling sites of the whole study area. Temperature and precipitation were the important factors influencing tree growth in western (drier) upper treeline. However, tree growth was greatly limited by temperature at the upper treeline in the middle area, and was more limited by precipitation than temperature in the eastern (wetter) upper treeline.

Effect of an office ergonomic randomised controlled trial among workers with neck and upper extremity pain.

PubMed

Dropkin, Jonathan; Kim, Hyun; Punnett, Laura; Wegman, David H; Warren, Nicholas; Buchholz, Bryan

2015-01-01

Office computer workers are at increased risk for neck/upper extremity (UE) musculoskeletal pain. A seven-month office ergonomic intervention study evaluated the effect of two engineering controls plus training on neck/UE pain and mechanical exposures in 113 computer workers, including a 3-month follow-up period. Participants were randomised into an intervention group, who received a keyboard/mouse tray (KBT), touch pad (TP) for the non-dominant hand and keyboard shortcuts, and a control group who received keyboard shortcuts. Participants continued to have available a mouse at the dominant hand. Outcomes were pain severity, computer rapid upper limb assessment (RULA), and hand activity level. Prevalence ratios (PRs) evaluated intervention effects using dichotomised pain and exposure scores. In the intervention group, the dominnt proximal UE pain PR=0.9, 95% CI 0.7 to 1.2 and the dominant distal UE PR=0.8, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.3, postintervention. The non-dominant proximal UE pain PR=1.0, 95% CI 0.8 to 1.4, while the non-dominant distal UE PR=1.2, 95% CI 0.6 to 2.2, postintervention. Decreases in non-neutral postures were found in two RULA elements (non-dominant UE PR=0.9, 95% CI 0.8 to 0.9 and full non-dominant RULA PR=0.8, 95% CI 0.8 to 0.9) of the intervention group. Hand activity increased on the non-dominant side (PR=1.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.6) in this group. While the intervention reduced non-neutral postures in the non-dominant UE, it increased hand activity in the distal region of this extremity. To achieve lower hand activity, a KBT and TP used in the non-dominant hand may not be the best devices to use. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Dynamics on the laminar-turbulent boundary and the origin of the maximum drag reduction asymptote.

PubMed

Xi, Li; Graham, Michael D

2012-01-13

Dynamical trajectories on the boundary in state space between laminar and turbulent plane channel flow-edge states-are computed for Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids. Viscoelasticity has a negligible effect on the properties of these solutions, and, at least at a low Reynolds number, their mean velocity profiles correspond closely to experimental observations for polymer solutions in the maximum drag reduction regime. These results confirm the existence of weak turbulence states that cannot be suppressed by polymer additives, explaining the fact that there is an upper limit for polymer-induced drag reduction.

Delay-time distribution in the scattering of time-narrow wave packets (II)—quantum graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smilansky, Uzy; Schanz, Holger

2018-02-01

We apply the framework developed in the preceding paper in this series (Smilansky 2017 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 50 215301) to compute the time-delay distribution in the scattering of ultra short radio frequency pulses on complex networks of transmission lines which are modeled by metric (quantum) graphs. We consider wave packets which are centered at high wave number and comprise many energy levels. In the limit of pulses of very short duration we compute upper and lower bounds to the actual time-delay distribution of the radiation emerging from the network using a simplified problem where time is replaced by the discrete count of vertex-scattering events. The classical limit of the time-delay distribution is also discussed and we show that for finite networks it decays exponentially, with a decay constant which depends on the graph connectivity and the distribution of its edge lengths. We illustrate and apply our theory to a simple model graph where an algebraic decay of the quantum time-delay distribution is established.

A dimension-wise analysis method for the structural-acoustic system with interval parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Menghui; Du, Jianke; Wang, Chong; Li, Yunlong

2017-04-01

The interval structural-acoustic analysis is mainly accomplished by interval and subinterval perturbation methods. Potential limitations for these intrusive methods include overestimation or interval translation effect for the former and prohibitive computational cost for the latter. In this paper, a dimension-wise analysis method is thus proposed to overcome these potential limitations. In this method, a sectional curve of the system response surface along each input dimensionality is firstly extracted, the minimal and maximal points of which are identified based on its Legendre polynomial approximation. And two input vectors, i.e. the minimal and maximal input vectors, are dimension-wisely assembled by the minimal and maximal points of all sectional curves. Finally, the lower and upper bounds of system response are computed by deterministic finite element analysis at the two input vectors. Two numerical examples are studied to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and show that, compared to the interval and subinterval perturbation method, a better accuracy is achieved without much compromise on efficiency by the proposed method, especially for nonlinear problems with large interval parameters.

On the production of N2O from the reaction of O(1 D) with N2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simonaitis, R.; Lissi, E.; Heicklen, J.

1972-01-01

Ozone was photolyzed at 2537 A and 25 C in the presence of 42-115 torr of O2 and about 880 torr of N2 to test the relative importance of the two reactions: (1) O(1D) + N2 + M yields N2O + M, and (2) O(1D) + N2 yields O(3P) + N2. N2O was not found as a product. Thus from our detectability limit for N2O (0.3 micron), an upper limit to the efficiency of the first reaction relative to the second of 0.0000025 at 1000 torr total pressure was computed. This corresponds to k1/k2 smaller than 0.8 x 10 to the minus 25 power cu cm/particle.

Risk Factors for Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Office Workers in Qom Province, Iran.

PubMed

Alavi, Seyedeh Shohreh; Abbasi, Mahya; Mehrdad, Ramin

2016-10-01

The identification of the risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is the first step in designing effective preventive interventions. To investigate the association between individual, organizational, physical, and psychological factors and upper extremity MSDs (i.e., shoulder, elbow and hand/wrist). In this cross-sectional study, the study population was comprised of office workers from Qom Province, Iran. Of the 1630 Iranian office workers who were selected via a random multistage cluster sampling method, 1488 completed a comprehensive data collection form designed to investigate the individual, organizational, physical, and psychological factors related to MSDs (response rate: 91.3%). The predictors of shoulder MSDs in the past 12 months were uncomfortable sitting posture (β = 0.42, P = 0.04), limited rest breaks (β=0.73, P = 0.012), and no access to adjustable desks (β = 0.43, P = 0.018). Working on a computer for more than five hours (β = 0.61, P = 0.004) and an uncomfortable sitting posture (β = 0.79, P = 0.001) predicted hand/wrist symptoms. Various risk factors in the workplace may contribute to MSDs in different upper extremities. Preventive interventions should hence include ergonomic and office equipment modifications.

Computer-aided training sensorimotor cortex functions in humans before the upper limb transplantation using virtual reality and sensory feedback.

PubMed

Kurzynski, Marek; Jaskolska, Anna; Marusiak, Jaroslaw; Wolczowski, Andrzej; Bierut, Przemyslaw; Szumowski, Lukasz; Witkowski, Jerzy; Kisiel-Sajewicz, Katarzyna

2017-08-01

One of the biggest problems of upper limb transplantation is lack of certainty as to whether a patient will be able to control voluntary movements of transplanted hands. Based on findings of the recent research on brain cortex plasticity, a premise can be drawn that mental training supported with visual and sensory feedback can cause structural and functional reorganization of the sensorimotor cortex, which leads to recovery of function associated with the control of movements performed by the upper limbs. In this study, authors - based on the above observations - propose the computer-aided training (CAT) system, which generating visual and sensory stimuli, should enhance the effectiveness of mental training applied to humans before upper limb transplantation. The basis for the concept of computer-aided training system is a virtual hand whose reaching and grasping movements the trained patient can observe on the VR headset screen (visual feedback) and whose contact with virtual objects the patient can feel as a touch (sensory feedback). The computer training system is composed of three main components: (1) the system generating 3D virtual world in which the patient sees the virtual limb from the perspective as if it were his/her own hand; (2) sensory feedback transforming information about the interaction of the virtual hand with the grasped object into mechanical vibration; (3) the therapist's panel for controlling the training course. Results of the case study demonstrate that mental training supported with visual and sensory stimuli generated by the computer system leads to a beneficial change of the brain activity related to motor control of the reaching in the patient with bilateral upper limb congenital transverse deficiency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A-Priori Tuning of Modified Magnussen Combustion Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norris, A. T.

2016-01-01

In the application of CFD to turbulent reacting flows, one of the main limitations to predictive accuracy is the chemistry model. Using a full or skeletal kinetics model may provide good predictive ability, however, at considerable computational cost. Adding the ability to account for the interaction between turbulence and chemistry improves the overall fidelity of a simulation but adds to this cost. An alternative is the use of simple models, such as the Magnussen model, which has negligible computational overhead, but lacks general predictive ability except for cases that can be tuned to the flow being solved. In this paper, a technique will be described that allows the tuning of the Magnussen model for an arbitrary fuel and flow geometry without the need to have experimental data for that particular case. The tuning is based on comparing the results of the Magnussen model and full finite-rate chemistry when applied to perfectly and partially stirred reactor simulations. In addition, a modification to the Magnussen model is proposed that allows the upper kinetic limit for the reaction rate to be set, giving better physical agreement with full kinetic mechanisms. This procedure allows a simple reacting model to be used in a predictive manner, and affords significant savings in computational costs for simulations.

Patient-Specific Geometry Modeling and Mesh Generation for Simulating Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Cases by Maxillomandibular Advancement

PubMed Central

Ito, Yasushi; Cheng, Gary C.; Shih, Alan M.; Koomullil, Roy P.; Soni, Bharat K.; Sittitavornwong, Somsak; Waite, Peter D.

2011-01-01

The objective of this paper is the reconstruction of upper airway geometric models as hybrid meshes from clinically used Computed Tomography (CT) data sets in order to understand the dynamics and behaviors of the pre- and postoperative upper airway systems of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) patients by viscous Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The selection criteria for OSAS cases studied are discussed because two reasonable pre- and postoperative upper airway models for CFD simulations may not be created for every case without a special protocol for CT scanning. The geometry extraction and manipulation methods are presented with technical barriers that must be overcome so that they can be used along with computational simulation software as a daily clinical evaluation tool. Eight cases are presented in this paper, and each case consists of pre- and postoperative configurations. The results of computational simulations of two cases are included in this paper as demonstration. PMID:21625395

Concentrations of Volatiles in the Lunar Regolith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Jeff; Taylor, Larry; Duke, Mike

2007-01-01

To set lower and upper limits on the overall amounts and types of volatiles released during heating of polar regolith, we examined the data for equatorial lunar regolith and for the compositions of comets. The purpose, specifically, was to answer these questions: 1. Upper/Lower limits and 'best guess' for total amount of volatiles (by weight %) released from lunar regolith up to 150C 2. Upper/Lower limit and 'best guess' for composition of the volatiles released from the lunar regolith by weight %

Intervertebral reaction force prediction using an enhanced assembly of OpenSim models.

PubMed

Senteler, Marco; Weisse, Bernhard; Rothenfluh, Dominique A; Snedeker, Jess G

2016-01-01

OpenSim offers a valuable approach to investigating otherwise difficult to assess yet important biomechanical parameters such as joint reaction forces. Although the range of available models in the public repository is continually increasing, there currently exists no OpenSim model for the computation of intervertebral joint reactions during flexion and lifting tasks. The current work combines and improves elements of existing models to develop an enhanced model of the upper body and lumbar spine. Models of the upper body with extremities, neck and head were combined with an improved version of a lumbar spine from the model repository. Translational motion was enabled for each lumbar vertebrae with six controllable degrees of freedom. Motion segment stiffness was implemented at lumbar levels and mass properties were assigned throughout the model. Moreover, body coordinate frames of the spine were modified to allow straightforward variation of sagittal alignment and to simplify interpretation of results. Evaluation of model predictions for level L1-L2, L3-L4 and L4-L5 in various postures of forward flexion and moderate lifting (8 kg) revealed an agreement within 10% to experimental studies and model-based computational analyses. However, in an extended posture or during lifting of heavier loads (20 kg), computed joint reactions differed substantially from reported in vivo measures using instrumented implants. We conclude that agreement between the model and available experimental data was good in view of limitations of both the model and the validation datasets. The presented model is useful in that it permits computation of realistic lumbar spine joint reaction forces during flexion and moderate lifting tasks. The model and corresponding documentation are now available in the online OpenSim repository.

Learning the ideal observer for SKE detection tasks by use of convolutional neural networks (Cum Laude Poster Award)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Weimin; Anastasio, Mark A.

2018-03-01

It has been advocated that task-based measures of image quality (IQ) should be employed to evaluate and optimize imaging systems. Task-based measures of IQ quantify the performance of an observer on a medically relevant task. The Bayesian Ideal Observer (IO), which employs complete statistical information of the object and noise, achieves the upper limit of the performance for a binary signal classification task. However, computing the IO performance is generally analytically intractable and can be computationally burdensome when Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques are employed. In this paper, supervised learning with convolutional neural networks (CNNs) is employed to approximate the IO test statistics for a signal-known-exactly and background-known-exactly (SKE/BKE) binary detection task. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) are compared to those produced by the analytically computed IO. The advantages of the proposed supervised learning approach for approximating the IO are demonstrated.

Aeroheating Predictions for X-34 Using an Inviscid-Boundary Layer Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Christopher J.; Kleb, William L.; Alter, Steven J.

1998-01-01

Radiative equilibrium surface temperatures and surface heating rates from a combined inviscid-boundary layer method are presented for the X-34 Reusable Launch Vehicle for several points along the hypersonic descent portion of its trajectory. Inviscid, perfect-gas solutions are generated with the Langley Aerothermodynamic Upwind Relaxation Algorithm (LAURA) and the Data-Parallel Lower-Upper Relaxation (DPLUR) code. Surface temperatures and heating rates are then computed using the Langley Approximate Three-Dimensional Convective Heating (LATCH) engineering code employing both laminar and turbulent flow models. The combined inviscid-boundary layer method provides accurate predictions of surface temperatures over most of the vehicle and requires much less computational effort than a Navier-Stokes code. This enables the generation of a more thorough aerothermal database which is necessary to design the thermal protection system and specify the vehicle's flight limits.

The development of hurricane Inez, 1966, as shown by satellite nighttime radiometric and daytime television coverage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allison, L. J.

1972-01-01

A complete documentation of Numbus 2 High Resolution infrared Radiometer data and ESSA-1 and 3 television photographs is presented for the life-time of Hurricane Inez, 1966. Ten computer produced radiation charts were analyzed in order to delineate the three dimensional cloud structure during the formative, mature and dissipating stages of this tropical cyclone. Time sections were drawn throughout the storm's life cycle to relate the warm core development and upper level outflow of the storm with their respective cloud canopies, as shown by the radiation data. Aerial reconnaissance weather reports, radar photographs and conventional weather analyses were used to complement the satellite data. A computer program was utilized to accept Nimbus 2 HRIR equivalent blackbody temperatures within historical maximum and minimum sea surface temperature limits over the tropical Atlantic Ocean.

Reduction of fine particle emissions from wood combustion with optimized condensing heat exchangers.

PubMed

Gröhn, Arto; Suonmaa, Valtteri; Auvinen, Ari; Lehtinen, Kari E J; Jokiniemi, Jorma

2009-08-15

In this study, we designed and built a condensing heat exchanger capable of simultaneous fine particle emission reduction and waste heat recovery. The deposition mechanisms inside the heat exchanger prototype were maximized using a computer model which was later compared to actual measurements. The main deposition mechanisms were diffusio- and thermophoresis which have previously been examined in similar conditions only separately. The obtained removal efficiency in the experiments was measured in the total number concentration and ranged between 26 and 40% for the given pellet stove and the heat exchanger. Size distributions and number concentrations were measured with a TSI Fast mobility particle sizer (FMPS). The computer model predicts that there exists a specific upper limit for thermo- and diffusiophoretic deposition for each temperature and water vapor concentration in the flue gas.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography-based Evaluation of the Anterior Teeth Position Changes obtained by Passive Self-ligating Brackets.

PubMed

Rhoden, Fernando K; Maltagliati, Liliana Á; de Castro Ferreira Conti, Ana C; Almeida-Pedrin, Renata R; Filho, Leopoldino C; de Almeida Cardoso, Maurício

2016-08-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the anterior teeth position changes obtained by passive self-ligating brackets using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Twenty patients with a mean age of 16.5 years, class I malocclusion, constricted maxillary arch, and teeth crowding above 5 mm were enrolled in this study, and treated by passive orthodontic self-ligating brackets. A sequence of stainless steel thermoset wire was implemented with ending wire of 0.019" × 0.025". The CBCT and dental casts were obtained prior to the installation of orthodontic appliances (T1), and 30 days after rectangular steel wire 0.019" × 0.025" installation (T2). The measurements in CBCT were performed with the Anatomage software, and the dental casts were evaluated with a digital caliper rule with an accuracy of 0.01 mm. The CBCT data demonstrated mean buccal inclination of the upper and lower central incisors ranging from 6.55° to 7.24° respectively. The upper and lower lateral incisors ranged from 4.90° to 8.72° respectively. The lower canines showed an average increase of 3.88° in the buccal inclination and 1.96 mm in the transverse intercuspal distance. The upper canines showed a negative inclination with mean average of -0.36°, and an average increase of 0.82 mm in the transverse distance, with negative correlation with the initial crowding. Treatment with passive self-ligating brackets without obtaining spaces increases buccal inclination of the upper and lower incisors with no correlation with the amount of initial teeth crowding. The intercanine distance tends to a small increase showing different inclinations between the arches. When taking into account the self-ligating brackets, the amount of initial dental crowding is not a limitation factor that could increase the buccal inclination of the anterior teeth.

Development of a Pamphlet Targeting Computer Workstation Ergonomics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faraci, Jennifer S.

1997-01-01

With the increased use of computers throughout Goddard Space Flight Center, the Industrial Hygiene Office (IHO) has observed a growing trend in the number of health complaints attributed to poor computer workstation setup. A majority of the complaints has centered around musculoskeletal symptoms, including numbness, pain, and tingling in the upper extremities, shoulders, and neck. Eye strain and headaches have also been reported. In some cases, these symptoms can lead to chronic conditions such as repetitive strain injuries (RSI's). In an effort to prevent or minimize the frequency of these symptoms among the GSFC population, the IHO conducts individual ergonomic workstation evaluations and ergonomics training classes upon request. Because of the extensive number of computer workstations at GSFC, and the limited amount of manpower which the Industrial Hygiene staff could reasonably allocate to conduct workstation evaluations and employee training, a pamphlet was developed with a two-fold purpose: (1) to educate the GSFC population about the importance of ergonomically-correct computer workstation setup and the potential effects of a poorly configured workstation; and (2) to enable employees to perform a general assessment of their own workstations and make any necessary modifications for proper setup.

Teaching Comparative Local History: Upper Mississippi River Towns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crozier, William L.

Intended to engage students in a comparative look at local history in two upper Mississippi river towns (Winona, Minnesota and Dubuque, Iowa), this paper describes the computer-assisted component of an upper-level American Studies course. With emphasis on the 19th century, students examine the transition made by the United States from a…

SURE reliability analysis: Program and mathematics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; White, Allan L.

1988-01-01

The SURE program is a new reliability analysis tool for ultrareliable computer system architectures. The computational methods on which the program is based provide an efficient means for computing accurate upper and lower bounds for the death state probabilities of a large class of semi-Markov models. Once a semi-Markov model is described using a simple input language, the SURE program automatically computes the upper and lower bounds on the probability of system failure. A parameter of the model can be specified as a variable over a range of values directing the SURE program to perform a sensitivity analysis automatically. This feature, along with the speed of the program, makes it especially useful as a design tool.

A Proposal for the Maximum KIC for Use in ASME Code Flaw and Fracture Toughness Evaluations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirk, Mark; Stevens, Gary; Erickson, Marjorie A

2011-01-01

Nonmandatory Appendices A [1] and G [2] of Section XI of the ASME Code use the KIc curve (indexed to the material reference transition temperature, RTNDT) in reactor pressure vessel (RPV) flaw evaluations, and for the purpose of establishing RPV pressure-temperature (P-T) limits. Neither of these appendices places an upper-limit on the KIc value that may be used in these assessments. Over the years, it has often been suggested by some of the members of the ASME Section XI Code committees that are responsible for maintaining Appendices A and G that there is a practical upper limit of 200 ksimore » in (220 MPa m) [4]. This upper limit is not well recognized by all users of the ASME Code, is not explicitly documented within the Code itself, and the one source known to the authors where it is defended [4] relies on data that is either in error, or is less than 220 MPa m. However, as part of the NRC/industry pressurized thermal shock (PTS) re-evaluation effort, empirical models were developed that propose common temperature dependencies for all ferritic steels operating on the upper shelf. These models relate the fracture toughness properties in the transition regime to those on the upper shelf and, combined with data for a wide variety of RPV steels and welds on which they are based, suggest that the practical upper limit of 220 MPa m exceeds the upper shelf fracture toughness of most RPV steels by a considerable amount, especially for irradiated steels. In this paper, available models and data are used to propose upper bound limits of applicability on the KIc curve for use in ASME Code, Section XI, Nonmandatory Appendices A and G evaluations that are consistent with available data for RPV steels.« less

The Effect of Large Scale Salinity Gradient on Langmuir Turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Y.; Jarosz, E.; Yu, Z.; Jensen, T.; Sullivan, P. P.; Liang, J.

2017-12-01

Langmuir circulation (LC) is believed to be one of the leading order causes of turbulent mixing in the upper ocean. It is important for momentum and heat exchange across the mixed layer (ML) and directly impact the dynamics and thermodynamics in the upper ocean and lower atmosphere including the vertical distributions of chemical, biological, optical, and acoustic properties. Based on Craik and Leibovich (1976) theory, large eddy simulation (LES) models have been developed to simulate LC in the upper ocean, yielding new insights that could not be obtained from field observations and turbulent closure models. Due its high computational cost, LES models are usually limited to small domain sizes and cannot resolve large-scale flows. Furthermore, most LES models used in the LC simulations use periodic boundary conditions in the horizontal direction, which assumes the physical properties (i.e. temperature and salinity) and expected flow patterns in the area of interest are of a periodically repeating nature so that the limited small LES domain is representative for the larger area. Using periodic boundary condition can significantly reduce computational effort in problems, and it is a good assumption for isotropic shear turbulence. However, LC is anisotropic (McWilliams et al 1997) and was observed to be modulated by crosswind tidal currents (Kukulka et al 2011). Using symmetrical domains, idealized LES studies also indicate LC could interact with oceanic fronts (Hamlington et al 2014) and standing internal waves (Chini and Leibovich, 2005). The present study expands our previous LES modeling investigations of Langmuir turbulence to the real ocean conditions with large scale environmental motion that features fresh water inflow into the study region. Large scale gradient forcing is introduced to the NCAR LES model through scale separation analysis. The model is applied to a field observation in the Gulf of Mexico in July, 2016 when the measurement site was impacted by large fresh water inflow due to flooding from the Mississippi river. Model results indicate that the strong salinity gradient can reduce the mean flow in the ML and inhibit the turbulence in the planetary boundary layer. The Langmuir cells are also rotated clockwise by the pressure gradient.

How light a higgsino or a wino dark matter can become in a compressed scenario of MSSM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborti, Manimala; Chattopadhyay, Utpal; Poddar, Sujoy

2017-09-01

Higgsinos and Wino have strong motivations for being Dark Matter (DM) candidates in supersymmetry, but their annihilation cross sections are quite large. For thermal generation and a single component DM setup the higgsinos or wino may have masses of around 1 or 2-3 TeV respectively. For such DM candidates, a small amount of slepton coannihilation may decrease the effective DM annihilation cross section. This, in turn reduces the lower limit of the relic density satisfied DM mass by more than 50%. Almost a similar degree of reduction of the same limit is also seen for squark coannihilations. However, on the contrary, for near degeneracy of squarks and higgsino DM, near its generic upper limit, the associated coannihilations may decrease the relic density, thus extending the upper limit towards higher DM masses. We also compute the direct and indirect detection signals. Here, because of the quasi-mass degeneracy of the squarks and the LSP, we come across a situation where squark exchange diagrams may contribute significantly or more strongly than the Higgs exchange contributions in the spin-independent direct detection cross section of DM. For the higgsino-DM scenario, we observe that a DM mass of 600 GeV to be consistent with WMAP/PLANCK and LUX data for sfermion coannihilations. The LUX data itself excludes the region of 450 to 600 GeV, by a half order of magnitude of the cross-section, well below the associated uncertainty. The similar combined lower limit for a wino DM is about 1.1 TeV. There is hardly any collider bound from the LHC for squarks and sleptons in such a compressed scenario where sfermion masses are close to the mass of a higgsino/wino LSP.

Storage and computationally efficient permutations of factorized covariance and square-root information arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muellerschoen, R. J.

1988-01-01

A unified method to permute vector stored Upper triangular Diagonal factorized covariance and vector stored upper triangular Square Root Information arrays is presented. The method involves cyclic permutation of the rows and columns of the arrays and retriangularization with fast (slow) Givens rotations (reflections). Minimal computation is performed, and a one dimensional scratch array is required. To make the method efficient for large arrays on a virtual memory machine, computations are arranged so as to avoid expensive paging faults. This method is potentially important for processing large volumes of radio metric data in the Deep Space Network.

Institutional Tuberculosis Transmission. Controlled Trial of Upper Room Ultraviolet Air Disinfection: A Basis for New Dosing Guidelines.

PubMed

Mphaphlele, Matsie; Dharmadhikari, Ashwin S; Jensen, Paul A; Rudnick, Stephen N; van Reenen, Tobias H; Pagano, Marcello A; Leuschner, Wilhelm; Sears, Tim A; Milonova, Sonya P; van der Walt, Martie; Stoltz, Anton C; Weyer, Karin; Nardell, Edward A

2015-08-15

Transmission is driving the global tuberculosis epidemic, especially in congregate settings. Worldwide, natural ventilation is the most common means of air disinfection, but it is inherently unreliable and of limited use in cold climates. Upper room germicidal ultraviolet (UV) air disinfection with air mixing has been shown to be highly effective, but improved evidence-based dosing guidelines are needed. To test the efficacy of upper room germicidal air disinfection with air mixing to reduce tuberculosis transmission under real hospital conditions, and to define the application parameters responsible as a basis for proposed new dosing guidelines. Over an exposure period of 7 months, 90 guinea pigs breathed only untreated exhaust ward air, and another 90 guinea pigs breathed only air from the same six-bed tuberculosis ward on alternate days when upper room germicidal air disinfection was turned on throughout the ward. The tuberculin skin test conversion rates (>6 mm) of the two chambers were compared. The hazard ratio for guinea pigs in the control chamber converting their skin test to positive was 4.9 (95% confidence interval, 2.8-8.6), with an efficacy of approximately 80%. Upper room germicidal UV air disinfection with air mixing was highly effective in reducing tuberculosis transmission under hospital conditions. These data support using either a total fixture output (rather than electrical or UV lamp wattage) of 15-20 mW/m(3) total room volume, or an average whole-room UV irradiance (fluence rate) of 5-7 μW/cm(2), calculated by a lighting computer-assisted design program modified for UV use.

Upper extremity impairments in type 1 diabetes with long duration; common problems with great impact on daily life.

PubMed

Gutefeldt, Kerstin; Hedman, Christina A; Thyberg, Ingrid S M; Bachrach-Lindström, Margareta; Arnqvist, Hans J; Spångeus, Anna

2017-11-05

To investigate the prevalence, activity limitations and potential risk factors of upper extremity impairments in type 1 diabetes in comparison to controls. In a cross-sectional population-based study in the southeast of Sweden, patients with type 1 diabetes <35 years at onset, duration ≥20 years, <67 years old and matched controls were invited to answer a questionnaire on upper extremity impairments and activity limitations and to take blood samples. Seven hundred and seventy-three patients (ages 50 ± 10 years, diabetes duration 35 ± 10 years) and 708 controls (ages 54 ± 9 years) were included. Shoulder pain and stiffness, hand paraesthesia and finger impairments were common in patients with a prevalence of 28-48%, which was 2-4-folds higher than in controls. Compared to controls, the patients had more bilateral impairments, often had coexistence of several upper extremity impairments, and in the presence of impairments, reported more pronounced activity limitations. Female gender (1.72 (1.066-2.272), p = 0.014), longer duration (1.046 (1.015-1.077), p = 0.003), higher body mass index (1.08 (1.017-1.147), p = 0.013) and HbA1c (1.029 (1.008-1.05), p = 0.007) were associated with upper extremity impairments. Compared to controls, patients with type 1 diabetes have a high prevalence of upper extremity impairments, often bilateral, which are strongly associated with activity limitations. Recognising these in clinical practise is crucial, and improved preventative, therapeutic and rehabilitative interventions are needed. Implications for rehabilitation Upper extremity impairments affecting the shoulder, hand and fingers are common in patients with type 1 diabetes, the prevalence being 2-4-fold higher compared to non-diabetic persons. Patients with diabetes type 1 with upper extremity impairments have more pronounced limitations in daily activities compared to controls with similar impairments. Recognising upper extremity impairments and activity limitations are important and improved preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitation methods are needed.

Total arsenic concentrations in Chinese children's urine by different geographic locations, ages, and genders.

PubMed

Zhang, Xuan; Wang, Beibei; Cui, Xiaoyong; Lin, Chunye; Liu, Xitao; Ma, Jin

2018-06-01

Little is known about the variation of Chinese children's exposure to arsenic by geography, age, gender, and other potential factors. The main objective of this study was to investigate the total arsenic concentration in Chinese children's urine by geographic locations, ages, and genders. In total, 259 24-h urine samples were collected from 210 2- to 12-year-old children in China and analyzed for total arsenic and creatinine concentrations. The results showed that the upper limit (upper limit of the 90% confidence interval for the 97.5 fractile) was 27.51 µg/L or 55.88 µg/g creatinine for Chinese children. The total urinary arsenic levels were significantly different for children in Guangdong, Hubei, and Gansu provinces (P < 0.05), where the upper limits were 24.29, 58.70, and 44.29 µg/g creatinine, respectively. In addition, the total urinary arsenic levels were higher for 2- to 7-year-old children than for 7- to 12-year-old children (P < 0.05; the upper limits were 59.06 and 44.29 µg/g creatinine, respectively) and higher for rural children than for urban children (P < 0.05; the upper limits were 59.06 and 50.44 µg/g creatinine, respectively). The total urinary arsenic levels for boys were not significantly different from those for girls (P > 0.05), although the level for boys (the upper limit was 59.30 µg/g) was slightly higher than that for girls (the upper limit was 58.64 µg/g creatinine). Because the total urinary arsenic concentrations are significantly different for general populations of children in different locations and age groups, the reference level of total urinary arsenic might be dependent on the geographic site and the child's age.

Utilizing Adjoint-Based Error Estimates for Surrogate Models to Accurately Predict Probabilities of Events

DOE PAGES

Butler, Troy; Wildey, Timothy

2018-01-01

In thist study, we develop a procedure to utilize error estimates for samples of a surrogate model to compute robust upper and lower bounds on estimates of probabilities of events. We show that these error estimates can also be used in an adaptive algorithm to simultaneously reduce the computational cost and increase the accuracy in estimating probabilities of events using computationally expensive high-fidelity models. Specifically, we introduce the notion of reliability of a sample of a surrogate model, and we prove that utilizing the surrogate model for the reliable samples and the high-fidelity model for the unreliable samples gives preciselymore » the same estimate of the probability of the output event as would be obtained by evaluation of the original model for each sample. The adaptive algorithm uses the additional evaluations of the high-fidelity model for the unreliable samples to locally improve the surrogate model near the limit state, which significantly reduces the number of high-fidelity model evaluations as the limit state is resolved. Numerical results based on a recently developed adjoint-based approach for estimating the error in samples of a surrogate are provided to demonstrate (1) the robustness of the bounds on the probability of an event, and (2) that the adaptive enhancement algorithm provides a more accurate estimate of the probability of the QoI event than standard response surface approximation methods at a lower computational cost.« less

Utilizing Adjoint-Based Error Estimates for Surrogate Models to Accurately Predict Probabilities of Events

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butler, Troy; Wildey, Timothy

In thist study, we develop a procedure to utilize error estimates for samples of a surrogate model to compute robust upper and lower bounds on estimates of probabilities of events. We show that these error estimates can also be used in an adaptive algorithm to simultaneously reduce the computational cost and increase the accuracy in estimating probabilities of events using computationally expensive high-fidelity models. Specifically, we introduce the notion of reliability of a sample of a surrogate model, and we prove that utilizing the surrogate model for the reliable samples and the high-fidelity model for the unreliable samples gives preciselymore » the same estimate of the probability of the output event as would be obtained by evaluation of the original model for each sample. The adaptive algorithm uses the additional evaluations of the high-fidelity model for the unreliable samples to locally improve the surrogate model near the limit state, which significantly reduces the number of high-fidelity model evaluations as the limit state is resolved. Numerical results based on a recently developed adjoint-based approach for estimating the error in samples of a surrogate are provided to demonstrate (1) the robustness of the bounds on the probability of an event, and (2) that the adaptive enhancement algorithm provides a more accurate estimate of the probability of the QoI event than standard response surface approximation methods at a lower computational cost.« less

40 CFR 94.304 - Compliance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... specified in this part, except that the applicable FEL replaces the applicable THC+NOX and PM emission... life shall be unlimited. (m) Upper limits. The FELs for THC+NOX and PM for new engines certified for...—Category 1 Upper Limits for Tier 2 Family Emission Limits Subcategory liters/cylinder Model year 1 THC+NOX...

40 CFR 94.304 - Compliance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... specified in this part, except that the applicable FEL replaces the applicable THC+NOX and PM emission... life shall be unlimited. (m) Upper limits. The FELs for THC+NOX and PM for new engines certified for...—Category 1 Upper Limits for Tier 2 Family Emission Limits Subcategory liters/cylinder Model year 1 THC+NOX...

40 CFR 94.304 - Compliance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... specified in this part, except that the applicable FEL replaces the applicable THC+NOX and PM emission... life shall be unlimited. (m) Upper limits. The FELs for THC+NOX and PM for new engines certified for...—Category 1 Upper Limits for Tier 2 Family Emission Limits Subcategory liters/cylinder Model year 1 THC+NOX...

40 CFR 94.304 - Compliance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... specified in this part, except that the applicable FEL replaces the applicable THC+NOX and PM emission... life shall be unlimited. (m) Upper limits. The FELs for THC+NOX and PM for new engines certified for...—Category 1 Upper Limits for Tier 2 Family Emission Limits Subcategory liters/cylinder Model year 1 THC+NOX...

40 CFR 94.304 - Compliance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... specified in this part, except that the applicable FEL replaces the applicable THC+NOX and PM emission... life shall be unlimited. (m) Upper limits. The FELs for THC+NOX and PM for new engines certified for...—Category 1 Upper Limits for Tier 2 Family Emission Limits Subcategory liters/cylinder Model year 1 THC+NOX...

How To Better Track Effective School Indicators: The Control Chart Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coutts, Douglas

1998-01-01

Control charts are practical tools to monitor various school indicators (attendance rates, standardized test scores, grades, and graduation rates) by displaying data on the same scale over time. This article shows how principals can calculate the upper natural-process limit, lower natural-process limit, and upper control limit for attendance. (15…

Metacognitive gimmicks and their use by upper level physics students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Gary; Sikorski, Tiffany-Rose; Landay, Justin

2017-01-01

We report on the initial phases of a study of three particular metacognitive gimmicks that upper-level physics students can use as a tool in their problem-solving kit, namely: checking units for consistency, discerning whether limiting cases match physical intuition, and computing numerical values for reasonable-ness. Students in a one semester Griffiths electromagnetism course at a small private urban university campus are asked to respond to explicit prompts that encourage adopting these three methods for checking answers to physics problems, especially those problems for which an algebraic expression is part of the final answer. We explore how, and to what extent, these students adopt these gimmicks, as well as the time development of their use. While the term ``gimmick'' carries with it some pejorative baggage, we feel it describes the essential nature of the pedagogical idea adequately in that it gets attention, is easy for the students to remember, and represents, albeit perhaps in a surface way, some key ideas about which professional physicists care.

Anatomically correct visualization of the human upper airway using a high-speed long range optical coherence tomography system with an integrated positioning sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, Joseph C.; Chou, Lidek; Su, Erica; Wong, Brian J. F.; Chen, Zhongping

2016-12-01

The upper airway is a complex tissue structure that is prone to collapse. Current methods for studying airway obstruction are inadequate in safety, cost, or availability, such as CT or MRI, or only provide localized qualitative information such as flexible endoscopy. Long range optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used to visualize the human airway in vivo, however the limited imaging range has prevented full delineation of the various shapes and sizes of the lumen. We present a new long range OCT system that integrates high speed imaging with a real-time position tracker to allow for the acquisition of an accurate 3D anatomical structure in vivo. The new system can achieve an imaging range of 30 mm at a frame rate of 200 Hz. The system is capable of generating a rapid and complete visualization and quantification of the airway, which can then be used in computational simulations to determine obstruction sites.

Use of saline water in energy development. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Israelsen, C.E.; Adams, V.D.; Batty, J.C.

1980-06-01

Information was assembled relative to future energy-related projects in the upper basin, and estimates were made of their anticipated water needs. Using computer models, various options were tested for using saline water for coal-fired power plant cooling. Both cooling towers and brine evaporation ponds were included. Information is presented of several proven water treatment technologies, and comparisons are made of their cost effectiveness when placed in various combinations in the power plant makeup and blowdown water systems. A relative value scale was developed which compares graphically the relative values of waters of different salinities based on three different water treatmentmore » options and predetermined upper limits of cooling tower circulating salinities. Coal from several different mines was slurried in waters of different salinities. Samples were analyzed in the laboratory to determine which constituents had been leached from or absorbed by the coal, and what possible deleterious effects this might have on the burning properties of the coal, or on the water for culinary use or irrigation.« less

Upper Limit for Regional Sea Level Projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jevrejeva, Svetlana; Jackson, Luke; Riva, Riccardo; Grinsted, Aslak; Moore, John

2016-04-01

With more than 150 million people living within 1 m of high tide future sea level rise is one of the most damaging aspects of warming climate. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report (AR5 IPCC) noted that a 0.5 m rise in mean sea level will result in a dramatic increase the frequency of high water extremes - by an order of magnitude, or more in some regions. Thus the flood threat to the rapidly growing urban populations and associated infrastructure in coastal areas are major concerns for society. Hence, impact assessment, risk management, adaptation strategy and long-term decision making in coastal areas depend on projections of mean sea level and crucially its low probability, high impact, upper range. With probabilistic approach we produce regional sea level projections taking into account large uncertainties associated with Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets contribution. We calculate the upper limit (as 95%) for regional sea level projections by 2100 with RCP8.5 scenario, suggesting that for the most coastlines upper limit will exceed the global upper limit of 1.8 m.

TRUMP; transient and steady state temperature distribution. [IBM360,370; CDC7600; FORTRAN IV (95%) and BAL (5%) (IBM); FORTRAN IV (CDC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elrod, D.C.; Turner, W.D.

TRUMP solves a general nonlinear parabolic partial differential equation describing flow in various kinds of potential fields, such as fields of temperature, pressure, or electricity and magnetism; simultaneously, it will solve two additional equations representing, in thermal problems, heat production by decomposition of two reactants having rate constants with a general Arrhenius temperature dependence. Steady-state and transient flow in one, two, or three dimensions are considered in geometrical configurations having simple or complex shapes and structures. Problem parameters may vary with spatial position, time, or primary dependent variables--temperature, pressure, or field strength. Initial conditions may vary with spatial position, andmore » among the criteria that may be specified for ending a problem are upper and lower limits on the size of the primary dependent variable, upper limits on the problem time or on the number of time-steps or on the computer time, and attainment of steady state.IBM360,370;CDC7600; FORTRAN IV (95%) and BAL (5%) (IBM); FORTRAN IV (CDC); OS/360 (IBM360), OS/370 (IBM370), SCOPE 2.1.5 (CDC7600); As dimensioned, the program requires 400K bytes of storage on an IBM370 and 145,100 (octal) words on a CDC7600.« less

Computer users' postures and associations with workstation characteristics.

PubMed

Gerr, F; Marcus, M; Ortiz, D; White, B; Jones, W; Cohen, S; Gentry, E; Edwards, A; Bauer, E

2000-01-01

This investigation tested the hypotheses that (1) physical workstation dimensions are important determinants of operator posture, (2) specific workstation characteristics systematically affect worker posture, and (3) computer operators assume "neutral" upper limb postures while keying. Operator head, neck, and upper extremity posture and selected workstation dimensions and characteristics were measured among 379 computer users. Operator postures were measured with manual goniometers, workstation characteristics were evaluated by observation, and workstation dimensions by direct measurement. Considerably greater variability in all postures was observed than was expected from application of basic geometric principles to measured workstation dimensions. Few strong correlations were observed between worker posture and workstation physical dimensions; findings suggest that preference is given to keyboard placement with respect to the eyes (r = 0.60 for association between keyboard height and seated elbow height) compared with monitor placement with respect to the eyes (r = 0.18 for association between monitor height and seated eye height). Wrist extension was weakly correlated with keyboard height (r = -0.24) and virtually not at all with keyboard thickness (r = 0.07). Use of a wrist rest was associated with decreased wrist flexion (21.9 versus 25.1 degrees, p < 0.01). Participants who had easily adjustable chairs had essentially the same neck and upper limb postures as did those with nonadjustable chairs. Sixty-one percent of computer operators were observed in nonneutral shoulder postures and 41% in nonneutral wrist postures. Findings suggest that (1) workstation dimensions are not strong determinants of at least several neck and upper extremity postures among computer operators, (2) only some workstation characteristics affect posture, and (3) contrary to common recommendations, a large proportion of computer users do not work in so-called neutral postures.

Normal values of urine total protein- and albumin-to-creatinine ratios in term newborns.

PubMed

El Hamel, Chahrazed; Chianea, Thierry; Thon, Séverine; Lepichoux, Anne; Yardin, Catherine; Guigonis, Vincent

2017-01-01

It is important to have an accurate assessment of urinary protein when glomerulopathy or kidney injury is suspected. Currently available normal values for the neonate population have limited value, in part because they are based on small populations and obsolete creatinine assays. We have performed a prospective study with the aim to update the normal upper values of the urinary total protein-to-creatinine and albumin-to-creatinine ratios in term newborns. Urine samples were collected from 277 healthy, full-term newborns within the first 48 hours (D0-1) and between 72 and 120 h of life (D3-4). Total protein, albumin, creatinine and osmolality were measured and the upper limit of normal (upper-limit) values determined. At D0-1 and D3-4, the upper-limit values for the total protein-to-creatinine ratio were 1431 and 1205 mg/g (162 and 136 g/mol) and those for the albumin-to-creatinine ratio were 746 and 301 mg/g (84 and 34 g/mol), respectively. The upper-limit values were significantly higher at D0-1 than at D3-4 only for the albumin-to-creatinine ratio. This study determined the upper limit of normal values for urinary total protein-to-creatinine and albumin-to-creatinine ratios in the largest population of newborns studied to date. These values can therefore be considered as the most clinically relevant data currently available for the detection and diagnosis of glomerular injury in daily clinical practice in this population.

Upper limit set by causality on the tidal deformability of a neutron star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Oeveren, Eric D.; Friedman, John L.

2017-04-01

A principal goal of gravitational-wave astronomy is to constrain the neutron star equation of state (EOS) by measuring the tidal deformability of neutron stars. The tidally induced departure of the waveform from that of a point particle [or a spinless binary black hole (BBH)] increases with the stiffness of the EOS. We show that causality (the requirement that the speed of sound be less than the speed of light for a perfect fluid satisfying a one-parameter equation of state) places an upper bound on tidal deformability as a function of mass. Like the upper mass limit, the limit on deformability is obtained by using an EOS with vsound=c for high densities and matching to a low density (candidate) EOS at a matching density of order nuclear saturation density. We use these results and those of Lackey et al. [Phys. Rev. D 89, 043009 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevD.89.043009] to estimate the resulting upper limit on the gravitational-wave phase shift of a black hole-neutron star (BHNS) binary relative to a BBH. Even for assumptions weak enough to allow a maximum mass of 4 M⊙ (a match at nuclear saturation density to an unusually stiff low-density candidate EOS), the upper limit on dimensionless tidal deformability is stringent. It leads to a still more stringent estimated upper limit on the maximum tidally induced phase shift prior to merger. We comment in an appendix on the relation among causality, the condition vsound

Pheochromocytoma, papillary thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Nasser, Tariq; Qari, Faiza

2009-08-01

A 53-year-old woman presented with labile and difficult to control hypertension on 3 different anti-hypertensive medications. Abdominal computed tomography and ultrasonography of the thyroid gland showed a 1.8 cm thyroid nodule. Fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid nodule revealed papillary thyroid carcinoma. Serum thyroid stimulating hormone and free thyroxine, calcitonin, carcinoembryonic antigen, intact parathyroid hormone, and calcium levels were within normal limits. A 24-hour urine metanephrine showed significant elevation in urine metanephrine of approximately 3 times the upper limit of normal, and the result of 131I-metaiodobenzyleguanjdjne (131I-MIBG) scintigraphy confirmed that the adrenal mass was pheochromocytoma. Right adrenalectomy and total thyroidectomy were performed. The final pathology was pheochromocytoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma. An analysis of c-ret porto-oncogene mutation yielded a negative result. This unusual association of 2 tumors represents a new entity.

Children show limited movement repertoire when learning a novel motor skill.

PubMed

Lee, Mei-Hua; Farshchiansadegh, Ali; Ranganathan, Rajiv

2017-09-27

Examining age differences in motor learning using real-world tasks is often problematic due to task novelty and biomechanical confounds. Here, we investigated how children and adults acquire a novel motor skill in a virtual environment. Participants of three different age groups (9-year-olds, 12-year-olds, and adults) learned to use their upper body movements to control a cursor on a computer screen. Results showed that 9-year-old and 12-year-old children showed poorer ability to control the cursor at the end of practice. Critically, when we investigated the movement coordination, we found that the lower task performance of children was associated with limited exploration of their movement repertoire. These results reveal the critical role of motor exploration in understanding developmental differences in motor learning. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The SURE reliability analysis program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, R. W.

1986-01-01

The SURE program is a new reliability tool for ultrareliable computer system architectures. The program is based on computational methods recently developed for the NASA Langley Research Center. These methods provide an efficient means for computing accurate upper and lower bounds for the death state probabilities of a large class of semi-Markov models. Once a semi-Markov model is described using a simple input language, the SURE program automatically computes the upper and lower bounds on the probability of system failure. A parameter of the model can be specified as a variable over a range of values directing the SURE program to perform a sensitivity analysis automatically. This feature, along with the speed of the program, makes it especially useful as a design tool.

The SURE Reliability Analysis Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, R. W.

1986-01-01

The SURE program is a new reliability analysis tool for ultrareliable computer system architectures. The program is based on computational methods recently developed for the NASA Langley Research Center. These methods provide an efficient means for computing accurate upper and lower bounds for the death state probabilities of a large class of semi-Markov models. Once a semi-Markov model is described using a simple input language, the SURE program automatically computes the upper and lower bounds on the probability of system failure. A parameter of the model can be specified as a variable over a range of values directing the SURE program to perform a sensitivity analysis automatically. This feature, along with the speed of the program, makes it especially useful as a design tool.

The impact of computer display height and desk design on muscle activity during information technology work by young adults.

PubMed

Straker, L; Pollock, C; Burgess-Limerick, R; Skoss, R; Coleman, J

2008-08-01

Computer display height and desk design are believed to be important workstation features and are included in international standards and guidelines. However, the evidence base for these guidelines is lacking a comparison of neck/shoulder muscle activity during computer and paper tasks and whether forearm support can be provided by desk design. This study measured the spinal and upper limb muscle activity in 36 young adults whilst they worked in different computer display, book and desk conditions. Display height affected spinal muscle activity with paper tasks resulting in greater mean spinal and upper limb muscle activity. A curved desk resulted in increased proximal muscle activity. There was no substantial interaction between display and desk.

Extracting Loop Bounds for WCET Analysis Using the Instrumentation Point Graph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Betts, A.; Bernat, G.

2009-05-01

Every calculation engine proposed in the literature of Worst-Case Execution Time (WCET) analysis requires upper bounds on loop iterations. Existing mechanisms to procure this information are either error prone, because they are gathered from the end-user, or limited in scope, because automatic analyses target very specific loop structures. In this paper, we present a technique that obtains bounds completely automatically for arbitrary loop structures. In particular, we show how to employ the Instrumentation Point Graph (IPG) to parse traces of execution (generated by an instrumented program) in order to extract bounds relative to any loop-nesting level. With this technique, therefore, non-rectangular dependencies between loops can be captured, allowing more accurate WCET estimates to be calculated. We demonstrate the improvement in accuracy by comparing WCET estimates computed through our HMB framework against those computed with state-of-the-art techniques.

Measured current drainage through holes in various dielectrics up to 2 kilovolts in a dilute plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grier, N. T.; Mckinzie, D. J., Jr.

1972-01-01

The electron current drained from a plasma through approximately 0.05 cm diameter holes in eight possible space applicable dielectrics placed on a probe biased at voltages up to 2000 V dc have been determined both theoretically and experimentally. The dielectrics tested were Parylene C and N, Teflon FEP type C, Teflon TFE, Nomex, quartz 7940 Corning Glass, Mylar A, and Kapton H polymide film. A Laplace field was used to predict an upper limit for the drainage current. The measured current was less than the computed current for quartz, Teflon FEP, and the 0.0123 cm thick sample of Parylene N for all voltages tested. The drainage current through the other dielectrics became equal to or greater than the computed current at a voltage below 2000 V. The magnitudes of the currents were between 0.1 and 10 microamperes for most of the dielectrics.

Improved Limit on the Rate of the Decay K+ --> π+μ+e-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appel, R.; Atoyan, G. S.; Bassalleck, B.; Bergman, D. R.; Brown, D. N.; Cheung, N.; Dhawan, S.; Do, H.; Egger, J.; Eilerts, S.; Felder, C.; Fischer, H.; Gach, M.; Herold, W.; Issakov, V. V.; Kaspar, H.; Kraus, D. E.; Lazarus, D. M.; Leipuner, L.; Lichard, P.; Lowe, J.; Lozano, J.; Ma, H.; Majid, W.; Menzel, W.; Pislak, S.; Poblaguev, A. A.; Postoev, V. E.; Proskurjakov, A. L.; Rehak, P.; Robmann, P.; Sher, A.; Thompson, J. A.; Truöl, P.; Weyer, H.; Zeller, M. E.

2000-09-01

We report results of a search for the lepton-family number violating decay K+-->π+μ+e- from data collected by experiment E865 in 1996 at the Alternating Gradient Synchroton of Brookhaven National Laboratory. We place an upper limit on the branching ratio at 3.9×10-11 ( 90% C.L.). Together with results based on data collected in 1995 and an earlier experiment, E777, this result establishes a combined 90% confidence level upper limit on the branching ratio at 2.8×10-11. We also report a new upper limit on the branching ratio for π0-->μ+e- of 3.8×10-10 ( 90% C.L.).

The upper limits of pain and suffering in animal research.

PubMed

Beauchamp, Tom L; Morton, David B

2015-10-01

The control of risk and harm in human research often calls for the establishment of upper limits of risk of pain, suffering, and distress that investigators must not exceed. Such upper limits are uncommon in animal research, in which limits of acceptability are usually left to the discretion of individual investigators, institutions, national inspectors, or ethics review committees. We here assess the merits of the European Directive 2010/63/EU on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes and its accompanying instruments, such as guides and examples. These documents present a body of legislation governing animal research in the European Union. We argue that the directive supplies a promising approach, but one in need of revision. We interpret the directive's general conception of upper limits and show its promise for the establishment of high-quality policies. We provide a moral rationale for such policies, address the problem of justified exceptions to established upper limits, and show when causing harm is and is not wrongful. We conclude that if the standards we propose for improving the directive are not realized in the review of research protocols, loose and prejudicial risk-benefit assessments may continue to be deemed sufficient to justify morally questionable research. However, a revised EU directive and accompanying instruments could have a substantial influence on the ethics of animal research worldwide, especially in the development of morally sound legal frameworks.

Content range and precision of a computer adaptive test of upper extremity function for children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Montpetit, Kathleen; Haley, Stephen; Bilodeau, Nathalie; Ni, Pengsheng; Tian, Feng; Gorton, George; Mulcahey, M J

2011-02-01

This article reports on the content range and measurement precision of an upper extremity (UE) computer adaptive testing (CAT) platform of physical function in children with cerebral palsy. Upper extremity items representing skills of all abilities were administered to 305 parents. These responses were compared with two traditional standardized measures: Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument and Functional Independence Measure for Children. The UE CAT correlated strongly with the upper extremity component of these measures and had greater precision when describing individual functional ability. The UE item bank has wider range with items populating the lower end of the ability spectrum. This new UE item bank and CAT have the capability to quickly assess children of all ages and abilities with good precision and, most importantly, with items that are meaningful and appropriate for their age and level of physical function.

Coherent Backscattering in the Cross-Polarized Channel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mischenko, Michael I.; Mackowski, Daniel W.

2011-01-01

We analyze the asymptotic behavior of the cross-polarized enhancement factor in the framework of the standard low-packing-density theory of coherent backscattering by discrete random media composed of spherically symmetric particles. It is shown that if the particles are strongly absorbing or if the smallest optical dimension of the particulate medium (i.e., the optical thickness of a plane-parallel slab or the optical diameter of a spherically symmetric volume) approaches zero, then the cross-polarized enhancement factor tends to its upper-limit value 2. This theoretical prediction is illustrated using direct computer solutions of the Maxwell equations for spherical volumes of discrete random medium.

Covariance Data File Formats for Whisper-1.0 & Whisper-1.1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Forrest B.; Rising, Michael Evan

2017-01-09

Whisper is a statistical analysis package developed in 2014 to support nuclear criticality safety (NCS) validation. It uses the sensitivity profile data for an application as computed by MCNP6 along with covariance files for the nuclear data to determine a baseline upper-subcritical-limit (USL) for the application. Whisper version 1.0 was first developed and used at LANL in 2014. During 2015-2016, Whisper was updated to version 1.1 and is to be included with the upcoming release of MCNP6.2. This report describes the file formats used for the covariance data in both Whisper-1.0 and Whisper-1.1.

Features in the spectra of gamma-ray bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanek, Krzysztof Z.; Paczynski, Bohdan; Goodman, Jeremy

1993-01-01

Gravitational lensing of cosmological gamma-ray bursts by objects in the mass range about 10 exp 17 to 10 exp 20 g (femtolensing) may introduce complicated interference patterns that might be interpreted as absorption or emission lines in the bursts' spectra. This phenomenon, if detected, may be used as a unique probe of dark matter in the universe. The BATSE spectral data should allow one to detect such spectral features or to put significant upper limits on the cosmic density of a dark matter component that may be in the femtolensing range. Software to generate theoretical spectra has been developed, and it is accessible over the computer network with anonymous ftp.

A hybrid method for the computation of quasi-3D seismograms.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, Yder; Romanowicz, Barbara

2013-04-01

The development of powerful computer clusters and efficient numerical computation methods, such as the Spectral Element Method (SEM) made possible the computation of seismic wave propagation in a heterogeneous 3D earth. However, the cost of theses computations is still problematic for global scale tomography that requires hundreds of such simulations. Part of the ongoing research effort is dedicated to the development of faster modeling methods based on the spectral element method. Capdeville et al. (2002) proposed to couple SEM simulations with normal modes calculation (C-SEM). Nissen-Meyer et al. (2007) used 2D SEM simulations to compute 3D seismograms in a 1D earth model. Thanks to these developments, and for the first time, Lekic et al. (2011) developed a 3D global model of the upper mantle using SEM simulations. At the local and continental scale, adjoint tomography that is using a lot of SEM simulation can be implemented on current computers (Tape, Liu et al. 2009). Due to their smaller size, these models offer higher resolution. They provide us with images of the crust and the upper part of the mantle. In an attempt to teleport such local adjoint tomographic inversions into the deep earth, we are developing a hybrid method where SEM computation are limited to a region of interest within the earth. That region can have an arbitrary shape and size. Outside this region, the seismic wavefield is extrapolated to obtain synthetic data at the Earth's surface. A key feature of the method is the use of a time reversal mirror to inject the wavefield induced by distant seismic source into the region of interest (Robertsson and Chapman 2000). We compute synthetic seismograms as follow: Inside the region of interest, we are using regional spectral element software RegSEM to compute wave propagation in 3D. Outside this region, the wavefield is extrapolated to the surface by convolution with the Green's functions from the mirror to the seismic stations. For now, these Green's functions are computed using 2D SEM simulation in a 1D Earth model. Such seismograms account for the 3D structure inside the region of interest in a quasi-exact manner. Later we plan to extrapolate the misfit function computed from such seismograms at the stations back into the SEM region in order to compute local adjoint kernels. This opens a new path toward regional adjoint tomography into the deep Earth. Capdeville, Y., et al. (2002). "Coupling the spectral element method with a modal solution for elastic wave propagation in global Earth models." Geophysical Journal International 152(1): 34-67. Lekic, V. and B. Romanowicz (2011). "Inferring upper-mantle structure by full waveform tomography with the spectral element method." Geophysical Journal International 185(2): 799-831. Nissen-Meyer, T., et al. (2007). "A two-dimensional spectral-element method for computing spherical-earth seismograms-I. Moment-tensor source." Geophysical Journal International 168(3): 1067-1092. Robertsson, J. O. A. and C. H. Chapman (2000). "An efficient method for calculating finite-difference seismograms after model alterations." Geophysics 65(3): 907-918. Tape, C., et al. (2009). "Adjoint tomography of the southern California crust." Science 325(5943): 988-992.

Upper limits for X-ray emission from Jupiter as measured from the Copernicus satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vesecky, J. F.; Culhane, J. L.; Hawkins, F. J.

1975-01-01

X-ray telescopic observations are made by the Copernicus satellite for detecting X-ray emission from Jupiter analogous to X-rays from terrestrial aurorae. Values of X-ray fluxes recorded by three Copernicus detectors covering the 0.6 to 7.5 keV energy range are reported. The detectors employed are described and the times at which the observations were made are given. Resulting upper-limit spectra are compared with previous X-ray observations of Jupiter. The upper-limit X-ray fluxes are discussed in terms of magnetospheric activity on Jupiter.

Localizing Effects of Leptin on Upper Airway and Respiratory Control during Sleep.

PubMed

Yao, Qiaoling; Pho, Huy; Kirkness, Jason; Ladenheim, Ellen E; Bi, Sheng; Moran, Timothy H; Fuller, David D; Schwartz, Alan R; Polotsky, Vsevolod Y

2016-05-01

Obesity hypoventilation and obstructive sleep apnea are common complications of obesity linked to defects in respiratory pump and upper airway neural control. Leptin-deficient ob/ob mice have impaired ventilatory control and inspiratory flow limitation during sleep, which are both reversed with leptin. We aimed to localize central nervous system (CNS) site(s) of leptin action on respiratory and upper airway neuroventilatory control. We localized the effect of leptin to medulla versus hypothalamus by administering intracerbroventricular leptin (10 μg/2 μL) versus vehicle to the lateral (n = 14) versus fourth ventricle (n = 11) of ob/ob mice followed by polysomnographic recording. Analyses were stratified for effects on respiratory (nonflow-limited breaths) and upper airway (inspiratory flow limitation) functions. CNS loci were identified by (1) leptin-induced signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation and (2) projections of respiratory and upper airway motoneurons with a retrograde transsynaptic tracer (pseudorabies virus). Both routes of leptin administration increased minute ventilation during nonflow-limited breathing in sleep. Phrenic motoneurons were synaptically coupled to the nucleus of the solitary tract, which also showed STAT3 phosphorylation, but not to the hypothalamus. Inspiratory flow limitation and obstructive hypopneas were attenuated by leptin administration to the lateral but not to the fourth cerebral ventricle. Upper airway motoneurons were synaptically coupled with the dorsomedial hypothalamus, which exhibited STAT3 phosphorylation. Leptin relieves upper airway obstruction in sleep apnea by activating the forebrain, possibly in the dorsomedial hypothalamus. In contrast, leptin upregulates ventilatory control through hindbrain sites of action, possibly in the nucleus of the solitary tract. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Outcomes of the Bobath concept on upper limb recovery following stroke.

PubMed

Luke, Carolyn; Dodd, Karen J; Brock, Kim

2004-12-01

To determine the effectiveness of the Bobath concept at reducing upper limb impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions after stroke. Electronic databases were searched to identify relevant trials published between 1966 and 2003. Two reviewers independently assessed articles for the following inclusion criteria: population of adults with upper limb disability after stroke; stated use of the Bobath concept aimed at improving upper limb disability in isolation from other approaches; outcomes reflecting changes in upper limb impairment, activity limitation or participation restriction. Of the 688 articles initially identified, eight met the inclusion criteria. Five were randomized controlled trials, one used a single-group crossover design and two were single-case design studies. Five studies measured impairments including shoulder pain, tone, muscle strength and motor control. The Bobath concept was found to reduce shoulder pain better than cryotherapy, and to reduce tone compared to no intervention and compared to proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF). However, no difference was detected for changes in tone between the Bobath concept and a functional approach. Differences did not reach significance for measures of muscle strength and motor control. Six studies measured activity limitations, none of these found the Bobath concept was superior to other therapy approaches. Two studies measured changes in participation restriction and both found equivocal results. Comparisons of the Bobath concept with other approaches do not demonstrate superiority of one approach over the other at improving upper limb impairment, activity or participation. However, study limitations relating to methodological quality, the outcome measures used and contextual factors investigated limit the ability to draw conclusions. Future research should use sensitive upper limb measures, trained Bobath therapists and homogeneous samples to identify the influence of patient factors on the response to therapy approaches.

Associations between musculoskeletal pain and work-related factors among public service sector computer workers in Kaunas County, Lithuania.

PubMed

Kaliniene, Gintare; Ustinaviciene, Ruta; Skemiene, Lina; Vaiciulis, Vidmantas; Vasilavicius, Paulius

2016-10-07

Information technologies in occupational activities have been developing very rapid. Epidemiological studies have shown that musculoskeletal disorders are widely prevalent among employees working with a computer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in various anatomical areas and its associations with individual, ergonomic, and psychosocial factors among computer workers of the public sector in Kaunas County, Lithuania. The investigation consisting of two parts - questionnaire study (Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) and direct observation (evaluation of work ergonomics using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment [RULA]) - was carried out in three randomly selected public sector companies of Kaunas County. The representative study sample comprised 513 public service office workers. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in five anatomical areas of the body (shoulders, elbows, wrists/hands, as well as upper and low back) was evaluated. The prevalence rates of shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, upper and low back pain were 50.5 %, 20.3 %, 26.3 %, 44.8 %, and 56.1 %, respectively. Individual factors such as gender, age, computer work experience, and body mass index were found as significant for musculoskeletal pain in various musculoskeletal regions. The respondents reporting pain in shoulder, wrist/hand, upper back, and low back areas had a statistically significantly higher mean RULA score. The duration of working with a computer was found as a significant factor for shoulder pain. High quantitative demands were related to musculoskeletal pain in all investigated anatomical areas expect for the low back; weak social support was a significant predictor for complaints in upper and low back areas. This study confirmed associations between musculoskeletal pain and work ergonomics; therefore, preventive measures at the workplace should be directed to the improvement in ergonomic work environment, education, and workload optimization.

Effects of precision demands and mental pressure on muscle activation and hand forces in computer mouse tasks.

PubMed

Visser, Bart; De Looze, Michiel; De Graaff, Matthijs; Van Dieën, Jaap

2004-02-05

The objective of the present study was to gain insight into the effects of precision demands and mental pressure on the load of the upper extremity. Two computer mouse tasks were used: an aiming and a tracking task. Upper extremity loading was operationalized as the myo-electric activity of the wrist flexor and extensor and of the trapezius descendens muscles and the applied grip- and click-forces on the computer mouse. Performance measures, reflecting the accuracy in both tasks and the clicking rate in the aiming task, indicated that the levels of the independent variables resulted in distinguishable levels of accuracy and work pace. Precision demands had a small effect on upper extremity loading with a significant increase in the EMG-amplitudes (21%) of the wrist flexors during the aiming tasks. Precision had large effects on performance. Mental pressure had substantial effects on EMG-amplitudes with an increase of 22% in the trapezius when tracking and increases of 41% in the trapezius and 45% and 140% in the wrist extensors and flexors, respectively, when aiming. During aiming, grip- and click-forces increased by 51% and 40% respectively. Mental pressure had small effects on accuracy but large effects on tempo during aiming. Precision demands and mental pressure in aiming and tracking tasks with a computer mouse were found to coincide with increased muscle activity in some upper extremity muscles and increased force exertion on the computer mouse. Mental pressure caused significant effects on these parameters more often than precision demands. Precision and mental pressure were found to have effects on performance, with precision effects being significant for all performance measures studied and mental pressure effects for some of them. The results of this study suggest that precision demands and mental pressure increase upper extremity load, with mental pressure effects being larger than precision effects. The possible role of precision demands as an indirect mental stressor in working conditions is discussed.

On Evaluating Human Problem Solving of Computationally Hard Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carruthers, Sarah; Stege, Ulrike

2013-01-01

This article is concerned with how computer science, and more exactly computational complexity theory, can inform cognitive science. In particular, we suggest factors to be taken into account when investigating how people deal with computational hardness. This discussion will address the two upper levels of Marr's Level Theory: the computational…

Computer program for prediction of capture maneuver probability for an on-off reaction controlled upper stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knauber, R. N.

1982-01-01

A FORTRAN coded computer program which computes the capture transient of a launch vehicle upper stage at the ignition and/or separation event is presented. It is for a single degree-of-freedom on-off reaction jet attitude control system. The Monte Carlo method is used to determine the statistical value of key parameters at the outcome of the event. Aerodynamic and booster induced disturbances, vehicle and control system characteristics, and initial conditions are treated as random variables. By appropriate selection of input data pitch, yaw and roll axes can be analyzed. Transient response of a single deterministic case can be computed. The program is currently set up on a CDC CYBER 175 computer system but is compatible with ANSI FORTRAN computer language. This routine has been used over the past fifteen (15) years for the SCOUT Launch Vehicle and has been run on RECOMP III, IBM 7090, IBM 360/370, CDC6600 and CDC CYBER 175 computers with little modification.

Students Enrolled in Selected Upper-Division Agriculture Courses: An Examination of Computer Experiences, Self-Efficacy and Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Donald M.; Ferguson, James A.; Lester, Melissa L.

2000-01-01

Of 169 agriculture students surveyed, 79% had computer training, 66% owned computers; they had slightly above average computer self-efficacy, especially in word processing, electronic mail, and Internet use. However, 72.7% scored 60% or less on a test of computer knowledge. There was little correlation between self-efficacy and computer knowledge.…

Musculoskeletal symptoms and associated risk factors among office workers with high workload computer use.

PubMed

Cho, Chiung-Yu; Hwang, Yea-Shwu; Cherng, Rong-Ju

2012-09-01

Although the prevalence of reported discomfort by computer workers is high, the impact of high computer workload on musculoskeletal symptoms remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms for office workers with high computer workload. The association between risk factors and musculoskeletal symptoms was also assessed. Two questionnaires were posted on the Web sites of 3 companies and 1 university to recruit computer users in Tainan, Taiwan, during May to July 2009. The 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire and Musculoskeletal Symptom Questionnaire were chosen as the evaluation tools for musculoskeletal symptoms and its associated risk factors. Chinese Health Questionnaire greater than 5 and computer usage greater than 7 h/d were used to as the cutoff line to divide groups. Descriptive statistics were computed for mean values and frequencies. χ(2) Analysis was used to determine significant differences between groups. A 0.05 level of significance of was used for statistical comparisons. A total of 254 subjects returned the questionnaire, of which 203 met the inclusion criteria. The 3 leading regions of musculoskeletal symptoms among the computer users were the shoulder (73%), neck (71%), and upper back (60%) areas. Similarly, the 3 leading regions of musculoskeletal symptoms among the computer users with high workload were shoulder (77.3%), neck (75.6%), and upper back (63.9%) regions. High psychologic distress was significantly associated with shoulder and upper back complaints (odds ratio [OR], 3.46; OR, 2.24), whereas a high workload was significantly associated with lower back complaints (OR, 1.89). Females were more likely to report shoulder complaints (OR, 2.25). This study found that high psychologic distress was significantly associated with shoulder and upper back pain, whereas high workload was associated with lower back pain. Women tended to have a greater risk of shoulder complaints than men. Developing an intervention that addresses both physical and psychologic problems is important for future studies. Copyright © 2012 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A "reverse direction" technique of single-port left upper pulmonary resection.

PubMed

Zhang, Min; Sihoe, Alan D L; Du, Ming

2016-08-01

Single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) left upper lobectomy is difficult amongst all the lobes. At the beginning of single-port lobectomies, the upper lobes were believed not to be amenable for single-port approach due to the difficult angulation for staplers. Gonzalez reported the first single-port VATS left upper lobectomy in 2011. We report a new technique of single-port VATS left upper lobectomy with the concept of "reverse direction". We divide the apical-anterior arterial trunk with upper vein in the last. The procedure sequence is described as follows: posterior artery, lingular artery, bronchus and finally upper vein & apical-anterior arterial trunk. This method could overcome the angular limitations frequently encountered in single-port VATS procedures; reduce the risk of injuries to pulmonary artery; broaden the indications of single-port the upper lobe of the left lung (LUL) to include hypoplastic lung fissures. Limitations of this new practice include the enlargement or severe calcifications of hilar and bronchial lymph nodes. A "reverse direction" technique of single-port left upper pulmonary resection is feasible and safe.

Skeletal adaptations associated with pre-pubertal gymnastics participation as determined by DXA and pQCT: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Burt, Lauren A; Greene, David A; Ducher, Gaele; Naughton, Geraldine A

2013-05-01

Participation in gymnastics prior to puberty offers an intriguing and unique model, particularly in girls. The individuality comes from both upper and lower limbs being exposed to high mechanical loading through year long intensive training programs, initiated at a young age. Studying this unique model and the associated changes in musculoskeletal health during growth is an area of specific interest. Previous reviews on gymnastics participation and bone health have been broad; and not limited to a particular maturation period, such as pre-puberty. To determine the difference in skeletal health between pre-pubertal girls participating in gymnastics compared with non-gymnasts. Meta-analysis. Following a systematic search, 17 studies were included in this meta-analysis. All studies used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to assess bone mineral density and bone mineral content. In addition, two studies included peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Following the implementation of a random effects model, gymnasts were found to have greater bone properties than non-gymnasts. The largest difference in bone health between gymnasts and non-gymnasts was observed in peripheral quantitative computed tomography-derived volumetric bone mineral density at the distal radius (d=1.06). Participation in gymnastics during pre-pubertal growth was associated with skeletal health benefits, particularly to the upper body. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computer-assisted upper extremity training using interactive biking exercise (iBikE) platform.

PubMed

Jeong, In Cheol; Finkelstein, Joseph

2012-01-01

Upper extremity exercise training has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in different chronic health conditions. Arm-operated bicycles are frequently used to facilitate upper extremity training however effective use of these devices at patient homes is hampered by lack of remote connectivity with clinical rehabilitation team, inability to monitor exercise progress in real time using simple graphical representation, and absence of an alert system which would prevent exertion levels exceeding those approved by the clinical rehabilitation team. We developed an interactive biking exercise (iBikE) platform aimed at addressing these limitations. The platform uses a miniature wireless 3-axis accelerometer mounted on a patient wrist that transmits the cycling acceleration data to a laptop. The laptop screen presents an exercise dashboard to the patient in real time allowing easy graphical visualization of exercise progress and presentation of exercise parameters in relation to prescribed targets. The iBikE platform is programmed to alert the patient when exercise intensity exceeds the levels recommended by the patient care provider. The iBikE platform has been tested in 7 healthy volunteers (age range: 26-50 years) and shown to reliably reflect exercise progress and to generate alerts at pre-setup levels. Implementation of remote connectivity with patient rehabilitation team is warranted for future extension and evaluation efforts.

X-ray astrophysics: Constraining thermal conductivity in intracluster gas in clusters of galaxies and placing limits on progenitor systems of Type Ia supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Brock Richard

X-ray astrophysics provides a great many opportunities to study astronomical structures with large energies or high temperatures. This dissertation will describe two such applications: the use of Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT) data to analyze the interaction between a supernova shock and the circumstellar medium, and the use of a straightforward computer simulation to model the dynamics of intracluster gas in clusters of galaxies and constrain the thermal conduction coefficient. Stars emit stellar wind at varying rates throughout their lifetimes. This wind populates the circumstellar medium (CSM) with gas. When the supernova explodes, the shock wave propogates outward through this CSM and heats it to X-ray emitting temperatures. By analyzing X-ray observations of the immediate post-supernova environment, we are able to determine whether any significant CSM is present. By stacking a large number of Swift observations of SNe Ia, we increase the sensitivity. We find no X-rays, with an upper limit of 1.7 x 1038 erg s-1 and a 3 sigma upper limit on the mass loss rate of progenitor systems 1.1 x 10-6 solar masses per year x (vw)/(10 km s -1). This low upper limit precludes a massive progenitor as the binary companion in the supernova progenitor system, unless that star is in Roche lobe overflow. The hot Intracluster Medium (ICM) is composed of tenuous gas which is gravitationally-bound to the cluster of galaxies. This gas is not initially of uniform temperature, and experiences thermal conduction while maintaining hydrostatic equilibrium. However, magnetic field lines present in the ionized gas inhibit the full thermal conduction. In this dissertation, we present the results of a new one-dimensional simulation that models this conduction (and includes cooling while maintaining hydrostatic equilibrium). By comparing the results of this model with the observed gas temperature profiles and recent accurate constraints on the scatter of the gas fraction, we are able to constrain the thermal conductivity. Our results suggest that conduction factors are not higher than 10% of full Spitzer conduction for hot, relaxed clusters.

Evaluation of the Leap Motion Controller during the performance of visually-guided upper limb movements.

PubMed

Niechwiej-Szwedo, Ewa; Gonzalez, David; Nouredanesh, Mina; Tung, James

2018-01-01

Kinematic analysis of upper limb reaching provides insight into the central nervous system control of movements. Until recently, kinematic examination of motor control has been limited to studies conducted in traditional research laboratories because motion capture equipment used for data collection is not easily portable and expensive. A recently developed markerless system, the Leap Motion Controller (LMC), is a portable and inexpensive tracking device that allows recording of 3D hand and finger position. The main goal of this study was to assess the concurrent reliability and validity of the LMC as compared to the Optotrak, a criterion-standard motion capture system, for measures of temporal accuracy and peak velocity during the performance of upper limb, visually-guided movements. In experiment 1, 14 participants executed aiming movements to visual targets presented on a computer monitor. Bland-Altman analysis was conducted to assess the validity and limits of agreement for measures of temporal accuracy (movement time, duration of deceleration interval), peak velocity, and spatial accuracy (endpoint accuracy). In addition, a one-sample t-test was used to test the hypothesis that the error difference between measures obtained from Optotrak and LMC is zero. In experiment 2, 15 participants performed a Fitts' type aiming task in order to assess whether the LMC is capable of assessing a well-known speed-accuracy trade-off relationship. Experiment 3 assessed the temporal coordination pattern during the performance of a sequence consisting of a reaching, grasping, and placement task in 15 participants. Results from the t-test showed that the error difference in temporal measures was significantly different from zero. Based on the results from the 3 experiments, the average temporal error in movement time was 40±44 ms, and the error in peak velocity was 0.024±0.103 m/s. The limits of agreement between the LMC and Optotrak for spatial accuracy measures ranged between 2-5 cm. Although the LMC system is a low-cost, highly portable system, which could facilitate collection of kinematic data outside of the traditional laboratory settings, the temporal and spatial errors may limit the use of the device in some settings.

Evaluation of the Leap Motion Controller during the performance of visually-guided upper limb movements

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, David; Nouredanesh, Mina; Tung, James

2018-01-01

Kinematic analysis of upper limb reaching provides insight into the central nervous system control of movements. Until recently, kinematic examination of motor control has been limited to studies conducted in traditional research laboratories because motion capture equipment used for data collection is not easily portable and expensive. A recently developed markerless system, the Leap Motion Controller (LMC), is a portable and inexpensive tracking device that allows recording of 3D hand and finger position. The main goal of this study was to assess the concurrent reliability and validity of the LMC as compared to the Optotrak, a criterion-standard motion capture system, for measures of temporal accuracy and peak velocity during the performance of upper limb, visually-guided movements. In experiment 1, 14 participants executed aiming movements to visual targets presented on a computer monitor. Bland-Altman analysis was conducted to assess the validity and limits of agreement for measures of temporal accuracy (movement time, duration of deceleration interval), peak velocity, and spatial accuracy (endpoint accuracy). In addition, a one-sample t-test was used to test the hypothesis that the error difference between measures obtained from Optotrak and LMC is zero. In experiment 2, 15 participants performed a Fitts’ type aiming task in order to assess whether the LMC is capable of assessing a well-known speed-accuracy trade-off relationship. Experiment 3 assessed the temporal coordination pattern during the performance of a sequence consisting of a reaching, grasping, and placement task in 15 participants. Results from the t-test showed that the error difference in temporal measures was significantly different from zero. Based on the results from the 3 experiments, the average temporal error in movement time was 40±44 ms, and the error in peak velocity was 0.024±0.103 m/s. The limits of agreement between the LMC and Optotrak for spatial accuracy measures ranged between 2–5 cm. Although the LMC system is a low-cost, highly portable system, which could facilitate collection of kinematic data outside of the traditional laboratory settings, the temporal and spatial errors may limit the use of the device in some settings. PMID:29529064

Computing Radiative Transfer in a 3D Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von Allmen, Paul; Lee, Seungwon

2012-01-01

A package of software computes the time-dependent propagation of a narrow laser beam in an arbitrary three- dimensional (3D) medium with absorption and scattering, using the transient-discrete-ordinates method and a direct integration method. Unlike prior software that utilizes a Monte Carlo method, this software enables simulation at very small signal-to-noise ratios. The ability to simulate propagation of a narrow laser beam in a 3D medium is an improvement over other discrete-ordinate software. Unlike other direct-integration software, this software is not limited to simulation of propagation of thermal radiation with broad angular spread in three dimensions or of a laser pulse with narrow angular spread in two dimensions. Uses for this software include (1) computing scattering of a pulsed laser beam on a material having given elastic scattering and absorption profiles, and (2) evaluating concepts for laser-based instruments for sensing oceanic turbulence and related measurements of oceanic mixed-layer depths. With suitable augmentation, this software could be used to compute radiative transfer in ultrasound imaging in biological tissues, radiative transfer in the upper Earth crust for oil exploration, and propagation of laser pulses in telecommunication applications.

Bounds for the Z-spectral radius of nonnegative tensors.

PubMed

He, Jun; Liu, Yan-Min; Ke, Hua; Tian, Jun-Kang; Li, Xiang

2016-01-01

In this paper, we have proposed some new upper bounds for the largest Z-eigenvalue of an irreducible weakly symmetric and nonnegative tensor, which improve the known upper bounds obtained in Chang et al. (Linear Algebra Appl 438:4166-4182, 2013), Song and Qi (SIAM J Matrix Anal Appl 34:1581-1595, 2013), He and Huang (Appl Math Lett 38:110-114, 2014), Li et al. (J Comput Anal Appl 483:182-199, 2015), He (J Comput Anal Appl 20:1290-1301, 2016).

Complexity Bounds for Quantum Computation

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-22

Programs Trustees of Boston University Boston, MA 02215 - Complexity Bounds for Quantum Computation REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION...Complexity Bounds for Quantum Comp[utation Report Title ABSTRACT This project focused on upper and lower bounds for quantum computability using constant...classical computation models, particularly emphasizing new examples of where quantum circuits are more powerful than their classical counterparts. A second

Winter water relations at the upper elevational limits of hemlock on Mt. Ascutney, Vermont

Treesearch

Chandra B. Vostral; Richard L. Boyce

2000-01-01

Winter water relations have been monitored in hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.) at their upper elevational limits for three winters, 1997, 1998, and 1999, on Mt. Ascutney, Vermont. Hemlock and white pine trees (Pinus strobus L.) reach their elevational limit on Mt. Ascutney at 640 m (2100?), while the summit has an elevation of...

Upper limit on the inner radiation belt MeV electron intensity.

PubMed

Li, X; Selesnick, R S; Baker, D N; Jaynes, A N; Kanekal, S G; Schiller, Q; Blum, L; Fennell, J; Blake, J B

2015-02-01

No instruments in the inner radiation belt are immune from the unforgiving penetration of the highly energetic protons (tens of MeV to GeV). The inner belt proton flux level, however, is relatively stable; thus, for any given instrument, the proton contamination often leads to a certain background noise. Measurements from the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope integrated little experiment on board Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment CubeSat, in a low Earth orbit, clearly demonstrate that there exist sub-MeV electrons in the inner belt because their flux level is orders of magnitude higher than the background, while higher-energy electron (>1.6 MeV) measurements cannot be distinguished from the background. Detailed analysis of high-quality measurements from the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope on board Van Allen Probes, in a geo-transfer-like orbit, provides, for the first time, quantified upper limits on MeV electron fluxes in various energy ranges in the inner belt. These upper limits are rather different from flux levels in the AE8 and AE9 models, which were developed based on older data sources. For 1.7, 2.5, and 3.3 MeV electrons, the upper limits are about 1 order of magnitude lower than predicted model fluxes. The implication of this difference is profound in that unless there are extreme solar wind conditions, which have not happened yet since the launch of Van Allen Probes, significant enhancements of MeV electrons do not occur in the inner belt even though such enhancements are commonly seen in the outer belt. Quantified upper limit of MeV electrons in the inner beltActual MeV electron intensity likely much lower than the upper limitMore detailed understanding of relativistic electrons in the magnetosphere.

Upper limit on the inner radiation belt MeV electron intensity

PubMed Central

Li, X; Selesnick, RS; Baker, DN; Jaynes, AN; Kanekal, SG; Schiller, Q; Blum, L; Fennell, J; Blake, JB

2015-01-01

No instruments in the inner radiation belt are immune from the unforgiving penetration of the highly energetic protons (tens of MeV to GeV). The inner belt proton flux level, however, is relatively stable; thus, for any given instrument, the proton contamination often leads to a certain background noise. Measurements from the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope integrated little experiment on board Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment CubeSat, in a low Earth orbit, clearly demonstrate that there exist sub-MeV electrons in the inner belt because their flux level is orders of magnitude higher than the background, while higher-energy electron (>1.6 MeV) measurements cannot be distinguished from the background. Detailed analysis of high-quality measurements from the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope on board Van Allen Probes, in a geo-transfer-like orbit, provides, for the first time, quantified upper limits on MeV electron fluxes in various energy ranges in the inner belt. These upper limits are rather different from flux levels in the AE8 and AE9 models, which were developed based on older data sources. For 1.7, 2.5, and 3.3 MeV electrons, the upper limits are about 1 order of magnitude lower than predicted model fluxes. The implication of this difference is profound in that unless there are extreme solar wind conditions, which have not happened yet since the launch of Van Allen Probes, significant enhancements of MeV electrons do not occur in the inner belt even though such enhancements are commonly seen in the outer belt. Key Points Quantified upper limit of MeV electrons in the inner belt Actual MeV electron intensity likely much lower than the upper limit More detailed understanding of relativistic electrons in the magnetosphere PMID:26167446

A Reward-Maximizing Spiking Neuron as a Bounded Rational Decision Maker.

PubMed

Leibfried, Felix; Braun, Daniel A

2015-08-01

Rate distortion theory describes how to communicate relevant information most efficiently over a channel with limited capacity. One of the many applications of rate distortion theory is bounded rational decision making, where decision makers are modeled as information channels that transform sensory input into motor output under the constraint that their channel capacity is limited. Such a bounded rational decision maker can be thought to optimize an objective function that trades off the decision maker's utility or cumulative reward against the information processing cost measured by the mutual information between sensory input and motor output. In this study, we interpret a spiking neuron as a bounded rational decision maker that aims to maximize its expected reward under the computational constraint that the mutual information between the neuron's input and output is upper bounded. This abstract computational constraint translates into a penalization of the deviation between the neuron's instantaneous and average firing behavior. We derive a synaptic weight update rule for such a rate distortion optimizing neuron and show in simulations that the neuron efficiently extracts reward-relevant information from the input by trading off its synaptic strengths against the collected reward.

Assessment and virtual redesign of a manual handling workstation by computer-aided three-dimensional interactive application.

PubMed

Ziaei, Mansour; Ziaei, Hojjat; Hosseini, Seyed Younes; Gharagozlou, Faramarz; Keikhamoghaddam, Ali Akbar; Laybidi, Marzieh Izadi; Moradinazar, Mehdi

2017-06-01

Manual handling of bags which imposes frequent forces and stresses on body parts is a common task that many workers have to perform every day. The present study aimed to assess the postural risk and imposed forces due to manual handling and loading of sugar bags. This study was conducted on male warehouse workers of a sugar manufacturing plant. Rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) was used to assess the risks of awkward postures and computer-aided three-dimensional interactive application to estimate the forces and moments. RULA final scores were estimated to be 7 and 3 before and after the virtual redesign, respectively. Postures B and E obtained the highest compression forces and moments. The compression forces were higher than the action limit (AL) in all postures before the redesign and exceeded the maximum permissible limit (MPL) in posture E. After the redesign, these forces were reduced below the AL and MPL. Moreover, the shearing forces were lower than the AL and MPL in all postures. The main risk factors were heavy weight and poor control of sugar bags. Virtual redesign can diminish bending and twisting postures, and, therefore, some resulting forces and moments.

State-dependent anisotrophy: Comparison of quasi-analytical solutions with stochastic results for steady gravity drainage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, Timothy R.; Freyberg, David L.

1995-01-01

Anisotropy in large-scale unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of layered soils changes with the moisture state. Here, state-dependent anisotropy is computed under conditions of large-scale gravity drainage. Soils represented by Gardner's exponential function are perfectly stratified, periodic, and inclined. Analytical integration of Darcy’s law across each layer results in a system of nonlinear equations that is solved iteratively for capillary suction at layer interfaces and for the Darcy flux normal to layering. Computed fluxes and suction profiles are used to determine both upscaled hydraulic conductivity in the principal directions and the corresponding “state-dependent” anisotropy ratio as functions of the mean suction. Three groups of layered soils are analyzed and compared with independent predictions from the stochastic results of Yeh et al. (1985b). The small-perturbation approach predicts appropriate behaviors for anisotropy under nonarid conditions. However, the stochastic results are limited to moderate values of mean suction; this limitation is linked to a Taylor series approximation in terms of a group of statistical and geometric parameters. Two alternative forms of the Taylor series provide upper and lower bounds for the state-dependent anisotropy of relatively dry soils.

Lithospheric layering in the North American craton revealed by including Short Period Constraints in Full Waveform Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, C.; Calo, M.; Bodin, T.; Romanowicz, B. A.

2017-12-01

Recent receiver function studies of the North American craton suggest the presence of significant layering within the cratonic lithosphere, with significant lateral variations in the depth of the velocity discontinuities. These structural boundaries have been confirmed recently using a transdimensional Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach (TMCMC), inverting surface wave dispersion data and converted phases simultaneously (Calò et al., 2016; Roy and Romanowicz 2017). The lateral resolution of upper mantle structure can be improved with a high density of broadband seismic stations, or with a sparse network using full waveform inversion based on numerical wavefield computation methods such as the Spectral Element Method (SEM). However, inverting for discontinuities with strong topography such as MLDS's or LAB, presents challenges in an inversion framework, both computationally, due to the short periods required, and from the point of view of stability of the inversion. To overcome these limitations, and to improve resolution of layering in the upper mantle, we are developing a methodology that combines full waveform inversion tomography and information provided by short period seismic observables. We have extended the 30 1D radially anisotropic shear velocity profiles of Calò et al. 2016 to several other stations, for which we used a recent shear velocity model (Clouzet et al., 2017) as constraint in the modeling. These 1D profiles, including both isotropic and anisotropic discontinuities in the upper mantle (above 300 km depth) are then used to build a 3D starting model for the full waveform tomographic inversion. This model is built after 1) homogenization of the layered 1D models and 2) interpolation between the 1D smooth profiles and the model of Clouzet et al. 2017, resulting in a smooth 3D starting model. Waveforms used in the inversion are filtered at periods longer than 30s. We use the SEM code "RegSEM" for forward computations and a quasi-Newton inversion approach in which kernels are computed using normal mode perturbation theory. The resulting volumetric velocity perturbations around the homogenized starting model are then added to the discontinuous 3D starting model by dehomogenizing the model. We present here the first results of such an approach for refining structure in the North American continent.

ERRATUM: "Beating the Spin-Down Limit on Gravitational Wave Emission from the Crab Pulsar" (2008, ApJ, 683, L45)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B.; Abbott, R.; Adhikari, R.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Amin, R.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Arain, M. A.; Araya, M.; Armandula, H.; Armor, P.; Aso, Y.; Aston, S.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Babak, S.; Ballmer, S.; Bantilan, H.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, C.; Barker, D.; Barr, B.; Barriga, P.; Barton, M. A.; Bastarrika, M.; Bayer, K.; Betzwieser, J.; Beyersdorf, P. T.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Biswas, R.; Black, E.; Blackburn, K.; Blackburn, L.; Blair, D.; Bland, B.; Bodiya, T. P.; Bogue, L.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Brau, J. E.; Brinkmann, M.; Brooks, A.; Brown, D. A.; Brunet, G.; Bullington, A.; Buonanno, A.; Burmeister, O.; Byer, R. L.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Camp, J. B.; Cannizzo, J.; Cannon, K.; Cao, J.; Cardenas, L.; Casebolt, T.; Castaldi, G.; Cepeda, C.; Chalkley, E.; Charlton, P.; Chatterji, S.; Chelkowski, S.; Chen, Y.; Christensen, N.; Clark, D.; Clark, J.; Cokelaer, T.; Conte, R.; Cook, D.; Corbitt, T.; Coyne, D.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cutler, R. M.; Dalrymple, J.; Danzmann, K.; Davies, G.; De Bra, D.; Degallaix, J.; Degree, M.; Dergachev, V.; Desai, S.; De Salvo, R.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M.; Dickson, J.; Dietz, A.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doomes, E. E.; Drever, R. W. P.; Duke, I.; Dumas, J.-C.; Dupuis, R. J.; Dwyer, J. G.; Echols, C.; Effler, A.; Ehrens, P.; Espinoza, E.; Etzel, T.; Evans, T.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, Y.; Fazi, D.; Fehrmann, H.; Fejer, M. M.; Finn, L. S.; Flasch, K.; Fotopoulos, N.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Fricke, T.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fyffe, M.; Garofoli, J.; Gholami, I.; Giaime, J. A.; Giampanis, S.; Giardina, K. D.; Goda, K.; Goetz, E.; Goggin, L.; González, G.; Gossler, S.; Gouaty, R.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Gray, M.; Greenhalgh, R. J. S.; Gretarsson, A. M.; Grimaldi, F.; Grosso, R.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guenther, M.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hage, B.; Hallam, J. M.; Hammer, D.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, J.; Harms, J.; Harry, G.; Harstad, E.; Hayama, K.; Hayler, T.; Heefner, J.; Heng, I. S.; Hennessy, M.; Heptonstall, A.; Hewitson, M.; Hild, S.; Hirose, E.; Hoak, D.; Hosken, D.; Hough, J.; Huttner, S. H.; Ingram, D.; Ito, M.; Ivanov, A.; Johnson, B.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, G.; Jones, R.; Ju, L.; Kalmus, P.; Kalogera, V.; Kamat, S.; Kanner, J.; Kasprzyk, D.; Katsavounidis, E.; Kawabe, K.; Kawamura, S.; Kawazoe, F.; Kells, W.; Keppel, D. G.; Khalili, F. Ya.; Khan, R.; Khazanov, E.; Kim, C.; King, P.; Kissel, J. S.; Klimenko, S.; Kokeyama, K.; Kondrashov, V.; Kopparapu, R. K.; Kozak, D.; Kozhevatov, I.; Krishnan, B.; Kwee, P.; Lam, P. K.; Landry, M.; Lang, M. M.; Lantz, B.; Lazzarini, A.; Lei, M.; Leindecker, N.; Leonhardt, V.; Leonor, I.; Libbrecht, K.; Lin, H.; Lindquist, P.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lodhia, D.; Lormand, M.; Lu, P.; Lubiński, M.; Lucianetti, A.; Lück, H.; Machenschalk, B.; Mac Innis, M.; Mageswaran, M.; Mailand, K.; Mandic, V.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A.; Markowitz, J.; Maros, E.; Martin, I.; Martin, R. M.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Matzner, R.; Mavalvala, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McGuire, S. C.; McHugh, M.; McIntyre, G.; McIvor, G.; McKechan, D.; McKenzie, K.; Meier, T.; Melissinos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C. J.; Meyers, D.; Miller, J.; Minelli, J.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Miyakawa, O.; Moe, B.; Mohanty, S.; Moreno, G.; Mossavi, K.; Lowry, C. Mow; Mueller, G.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukhopadhyay, H.; Müller-Ebhardt, H.; Munch, J.; Murray, P.; Myers, E.; Myers, J.; Nash, T.; Nelson, J.; Newton, G.; Nishizawa, A.; Numata, K.; O'Dell, J.; Ogin, G.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Ottens, R. S.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pan, Y.; Pankow, C.; Papa, M. A.; Parameshwaraiah, V.; Patel, P.; Pedraza, M.; Penn, S.; Perreca, A.; Petrie, T.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Pletsch, H. J.; Plissi, M. V.; Postiglione, F.; Principe, M.; Prix, R.; Quetschke, V.; Raab, F.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Rainer, N.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramsunder, M.; Rehbein, H.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Riesen, R.; Riles, K.; Rivera, B.; Robertson, N. A.; Robinson, C.; Robinson, E. L.; Roddy, S.; Rodriguez, A.; Rogan, A. M.; Rollins, J.; Romano, J. D.; Romie, J.; Route, R.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruet, L.; Russell, P.; Ryan, K.; Sakata, S.; Samidi, M.; Sancho de la Jordana, L.; Sandberg, V.; Sannibale, V.; Saraf, S.; Sarin, P.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Sato, S.; Saulson, P. R.; Savage, R.; Savov, P.; Schediwy, S. W.; Schilling, R.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwinberg, P.; Scott, S. M.; Searle, A. C.; Sears, B.; Seifert, F.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Shawhan, P.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Sibley, A.; Siemens, X.; Sigg, D.; Sinha, S.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Slutsky, J.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, M. R.; Smith, N. D.; Somiya, K.; Sorazu, B.; Stein, L. C.; Stochino, A.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Strom, D. M.; Stuver, A.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, K.-X.; Sung, M.; Sutton, P. J.; Takahashi, H.; Tanner, D. B.; Taylor, R.; Taylor, R.; Thacker, J.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thüring, A.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Torres, C.; Torrie, C.; Traylor, G.; Trias, M.; Tyler, W.; Ugolini, D.; Ulmen, J.; Urbanek, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Van Den Broeck, C.; van der Sluys, M.; Vass, S.; Vaulin, R.; Vecchio, A.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P.; Villar, A.; Vorvick, C.; Vyachanin, S. P.; Waldman, S. J.; Wallace, L.; Ward, H.; Ward, R.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A.; Weiss, R.; Wen, S.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whitcomb, S. E.; Whiting, B. F.; Wilkinson, C.; Willems, P. A.; Williams, H. R.; Williams, L.; Willke, B.; Wilmut, I.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wiseman, A. G.; Woan, G.; Wooley, R.; Worden, J.; Wu, W.; Yakushin, I.; Yamamoto, H.; Yan, Z.; Yoshida, S.; Zanolin, M.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, L.; Zhao, C.; Zotov, N.; Zucker, M.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Santostasi, G.

2009-11-01

A processing error in the signal template used in this search led to upper limits about 30% lower than we now know is warranted by the early S5 data. We have re-analyzed that data and find new upper limits on the strain parameter h 0 of 4.9 × 10-25/3.9 × 10-25 for uniform/restricted prior assumptions concerning the Crab inclination and polarization angles. These results have now been superseded by upper limits of 2.6 × 10-25/2.0 × 10-25 based on the full S5 data and presented in Abbott et al. (2009). The multitemplate search was not affected by the error.

Full band all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the O1 LIGO data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Angelova, S. V.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Atallah, D. V.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; AultONeal, K.; Austin, C.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Bae, S.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Banagiri, S.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barkett, K.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Bawaj, M.; Bayley, J. C.; Bazzan, M.; Bécsy, B.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Bero, J. J.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Biscoveanu, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Bode, N.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonilla, E.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bossie, K.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Bustillo, J. Calderón; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canepa, M.; Canizares, P.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Carney, M. F.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerdá-Durán, P.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chase, E.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterjee, D.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, X.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H.-P.; Chia, H. Y.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, A. K. W.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Ciecielag, P.; Ciolfi, R.; Cirelli, C. E.; Cirone, A.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Clearwater, P.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Cohen, D.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L. R.; Constancio, M.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corban, P.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cordero-Carrión, I.; Corley, K. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, E. T.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Dálya, G.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Demos, N.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; De Pietri, R.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; De Rossi, C.; DeSalvo, R.; de Varona, O.; Devenson, J.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Renzo, F.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorosh, O.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Dovale Álvarez, M.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Dreissigacker, C.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Dupej, P.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Estevez, D.; Etienne, Z. B.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fee, C.; Fehrmann, H.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Finstad, D.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fishbach, M.; Fisher, R. P.; Fitz-Axen, M.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Font, J. A.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garcia-Quiros, C.; Garufi, F.; Gateley, B.; Gaudio, S.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, D.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glover, L.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gomes, S.; Goncharov, B.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Gretarsson, E. M.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Halim, O.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hamilton, E. Z.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannam, M. D.; Hannuksela, O. A.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hinderer, T.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Horst, C.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hreibi, A.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Inta, R.; Intini, G.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kamai, B.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Kapadia, S. J.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katolik, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kemball, A. J.; Kennedy, R.; Kent, C.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, K.; Kim, W.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kinley-Hanlon, M.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Knowles, T. D.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, S.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwang, S.; Lackey, B. D.; Lai, K. H.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Linker, S. D.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macas, R.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña Hernandez, I.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Markowitz, A.; Maros, E.; Marquina, A.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Massera, E.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McNeill, L.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Mehmet, M.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Milovich-Goff, M. C.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moffa, D.; Moggi, A.; Mogushi, K.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muñiz, E. A.; Muratore, M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Neilson, J.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Nevin, L.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; North, C.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; O'Dea, G. D.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Okada, M. A.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ossokine, S.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, Howard; Pan, Huang-Wei; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Parida, A.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patil, M.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pirello, M.; Pisarski, A.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Pratten, G.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rajbhandari, B.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Ramos-Buades, A.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Ren, W.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. M.; Rieger, S.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romel, C. L.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Ross, M. P.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Rutins, G.; Ryan, K.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sanchez, L. E.; Sanchis-Gual, N.; Sandberg, V.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheel, M.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schulte, B. W.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seidel, E.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shah, A. A.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shaner, M. B.; Shao, L.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Somala, S.; Son, E. J.; Sonnenberg, J. A.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staats, K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stevenson, S. P.; Stone, R.; Stops, D. J.; Strain, K. A.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Strunk, A.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Suresh, J.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Tait, S. C.; Talbot, C.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tao, D.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Tasson, J. D.; Taylor, J. A.; Taylor, R.; Tewari, S. V.; Theeg, T.; Thies, F.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torres-Forné, A.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tsang, K. W.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Tsukada, L.; Tsuna, D.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ueno, K.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walet, R.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, J. Z.; Wang, W. H.; Wang, Y. F.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wessel, E. K.; Weßels, P.; Westerweck, J.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Wilken, D.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wysocki, D. M.; Xiao, S.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yang, L.; Yap, M. J.; Yazback, M.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; Zadroźny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2018-05-01

We report on a new all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency band 475-2000 Hz and with a frequency time derivative in the range of [-1.0 ,+0.1 ] ×1 0-8 Hz /s . Potential signals could be produced by a nearby spinning and slightly nonaxisymmetric isolated neutron star in our Galaxy. This search uses the data from Advanced LIGO's first observational run O1. No gravitational-wave signals were observed, and upper limits were placed on their strengths. For completeness, results from the separately published low-frequency search 20-475 Hz are included as well. Our lowest upper limit on worst-case (linearly polarized) strain amplitude h0 is ˜4 ×1 0-25 near 170 Hz, while at the high end of our frequency range, we achieve a worst-case upper limit of 1.3 ×1 0-24. For a circularly polarized source (most favorable orientation), the smallest upper limit obtained is ˜1.5 ×1 0-25.

Upper limits to the annihilation radiation luminosity of Centaurus A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrels, N.; Cline, T. L.; Paciesas, W. S.; Teegarden, B. J.; Tueller, J.; Dirouchoux, P.; Hameury, J. M.

1983-01-01

A high resolution observation of the active nucleus galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128) was made by the GSFC low energy gamma-ray spectrometer (LEGS) during a balloon flight on 1981 November 19. The measured spectrum between 70 and 500 keV is well represented by a power law of the form 1.05 x 10 (-4) (E/100 keV) (-1.59) ph/sq cm/s with no breaks or line features observed. The 98 percent confidence (2 sigma) flux upper limit for a narrow (3 keV) 511-keV positron annihilation line is 9.9 x 10 (-4) ph/sq cm/s. Using this upper limit, the ratio of the narrow-line annihilation radiation luminosity to the integral or = 511 keV luminosity is estimated to be 0.09 (2 sigma upper limit). This is compared with the measured value for our Galactic center in the Fall of 1979 of 0.10 to 0.13, indicating a difference in the emission regions in the nuclei of the two galaxies.

Upper Limits to the Annihilation Radiation Luminosity of Centaurus a

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrels, N.; Cline, T. L.; Paciesas, W. S.; Teegarden, B. J.; Tueller, J.; Dirouchoux, P.; Hameury, J. M.

1983-01-01

A high resolution observation of the active nucleus galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128) was made by the GSFC low energy gamma-ray spectrometer (LEGS) during a balloon flight on 1981 November 19. The measured spectrum between 70 and 500 keV is well represented by a power law of the form 1.05 x 10 (-4) (E/100 keV) (-1.59) ph/sq cm /s with no breaks or line features observed. The 98% confidence (2 sigma) flux upper limit for a narrow ( 3 keV) 511-keV positron annihilation line is 9.9 x 10 (-4) ph/ sq cm /s. Using this upper limit, the ratio of the narrow-line annihilation radiation luminosity to the integral or = 511 keV luminosity is estimated to be 0.09 (2 sigma upper limit). This is compared with the measured value for our galactic center in the Fall of 1979 of 0.10 to 0.13, indicating a difference in he emission regions in the nuclei of the two galaxies.

Upper ocean moored current and density profiler applied to winter conditions near Bermuda

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eriksen, C.C.; Dahlen, J.M.; Shillingford, J.T. Jr.

1982-09-20

A new moored instrument which makes repeated high vertical resolution profiles of current, temperature, and salinity in the upper ocean over extended periods was used to observe midwinter conditions near Bermuda. The operation and performance of the instrument, called the profiling current meter (PCM), in the surface wave environment of winter storms is reported here. The PCM profiles along the upper portion of a slightly subsurface mooring by adjusting its buoyancy under computer control. This design decouples the instrument from vertical motions of the mooring induced by surface waves, so that its electromagnetic current sensor operates in a favorable mean-to-fluctuatingmore » flow regime. Current, temperature, and electrical conductivity are (vector) averaged into contiguous preselected bins several meters wide over the possible profile range of 20- to 250-m depth. The PCM is capable of collecting 1000--4000 profiles in a 6- to 12-month period, depending on depth range and ambient currents. A variety of baroclinic motions are evident in the Bermuda observations. Upper ocean manifestations of both Kelvin and superinertial island-trapped waves dominate longshore currents. Vertical coherence of onshore current and temperature suggest that internal wave vertical wave number energy distribution is independent of frequency but modified by island bathymetry. Kinetic energy in shear integrated over a 115.6-m-thick layer in the upper ocean is limited to values less than or equal to the potential energy required to mix the existing stratification. Mixing events occur when kinetic energy associated with shear drives the bulk Richardson number (defined by the ratio of energy integrals over the range profiles) to unity, where it remains while shear and stratification disappear together.« less

Acoustic Observation of Living Organisms Reveals the Upper Limit of the Oxygen Minimum Zone

PubMed Central

Bertrand, Arnaud; Ballón, Michael; Chaigneau, Alexis

2010-01-01

Background Oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) are expanding in the World Ocean as a result of climate change and direct anthropogenic influence. OMZ expansion greatly affects biogeochemical processes and marine life, especially by constraining the vertical habitat of most marine organisms. Currently, monitoring the variability of the upper limit of the OMZs relies on time intensive sampling protocols, causing poor spatial resolution. Methodology/Principal Findings Using routine underwater acoustic observations of the vertical distribution of marine organisms, we propose a new method that allows determination of the upper limit of the OMZ with a high precision. Applied in the eastern South-Pacific, this original sampling technique provides high-resolution information on the depth of the upper OMZ allowing documentation of mesoscale and submesoscale features (e.g., eddies and filaments) that structure the upper ocean and the marine ecosystems. We also use this information to estimate the habitable volume for the world's most exploited fish, the Peruvian anchovy (Engraulis ringens). Conclusions/Significance This opportunistic method could be implemented on any vessel geared with multi-frequency echosounders to perform comprehensive high-resolution monitoring of the upper limit of the OMZ. Our approach is a novel way of studying the impact of physical processes on marine life and extracting valid information about the pelagic habitat and its spatial structure, a crucial aspect of Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management in the current context of climate change. PMID:20442791

Climate limits across space and time on European forest structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, A. L. S.; Neumann, M.; Hasenauer, H.

2017-12-01

The impact climate has on forests has been extensively studied. However, the large scale effect climate has on forest structures, such as average diameters, heights and basal area are understudied in a spatially explicit manner. The limits, tipping points and thresholds that climate places on forest structures dictate the services a forest may provide, the vulnerability of a forest to mortality and the potential value of the timber there within. The majority of current research either investigates climate impacts on forest pools and fluxes, on a tree physiological scale or on case studies that are used to extrapolate results and potential impacts. A spatially explicit study on how climate affects forest structure over a large region would give valuable information to stakeholders who are more concerned with ecosystem services that cannot be described by pools and fluxes but require spatially explicit information - such as biodiversity, habitat suitability, and market values. In this study, we quantified the limits that climate (maximum, minimum temperature and precipitation) places on 3 forest structures, diameter at breast height, height, and basal area throughout Europe. Our results show clear climatic zones of high and low upper limits for each forest structure variable studied. We also spatially analyzed how climate restricts the potential bio-physical upper limits and creates tipping points of each forest structure variable and which climate factors are most limiting. Further, we demonstrated how the climate change has affected 8 individual forests across Europe and then the continent as a whole. We find that diameter, height and basal area are limited by climate in different ways and that areas may have high upper limits in one structure and low upper limits in another limitted by different climate variables. We also found that even though individual forests may have increased their potential upper limit forest structure values, European forests as a whole have lost, on average, 5.0%, 1.7% and 6.5% in potential mean forest diameter, height and basal area, respectively.

Multibody local approximation: Application to conformational entropy calculations on biomolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suárez, Ernesto; Suárez, Dimas

2012-08-01

Multibody type expansions like mutual information expansions are widely used for computing or analyzing properties of large composite systems. The power of such expansions stems from their generality. Their weaknesses, however, are the large computational cost of including high order terms due to the combinatorial explosion and the fact that truncation errors do not decrease strictly with the expansion order. Herein, we take advantage of the redundancy of multibody expansions in order to derive an efficient reformulation that captures implicitly all-order correlation effects within a given cutoff, avoiding the combinatory explosion. This approach, which is cutoff dependent rather than order dependent, keeps the generality of the original expansions and simultaneously mitigates their limitations provided that a reasonable cutoff can be used. An application of particular interest can be the computation of the conformational entropy of flexible peptide molecules from molecular dynamics trajectories. By combining the multibody local estimations of conformational entropy with average values of the rigid-rotor and harmonic-oscillator entropic contributions, we obtain by far a tighter upper bound of the absolute entropy than the one obtained by the broadly used quasi-harmonic method.

Multibody local approximation: application to conformational entropy calculations on biomolecules.

PubMed

Suárez, Ernesto; Suárez, Dimas

2012-08-28

Multibody type expansions like mutual information expansions are widely used for computing or analyzing properties of large composite systems. The power of such expansions stems from their generality. Their weaknesses, however, are the large computational cost of including high order terms due to the combinatorial explosion and the fact that truncation errors do not decrease strictly with the expansion order. Herein, we take advantage of the redundancy of multibody expansions in order to derive an efficient reformulation that captures implicitly all-order correlation effects within a given cutoff, avoiding the combinatory explosion. This approach, which is cutoff dependent rather than order dependent, keeps the generality of the original expansions and simultaneously mitigates their limitations provided that a reasonable cutoff can be used. An application of particular interest can be the computation of the conformational entropy of flexible peptide molecules from molecular dynamics trajectories. By combining the multibody local estimations of conformational entropy with average values of the rigid-rotor and harmonic-oscillator entropic contributions, we obtain by far a tighter upper bound of the absolute entropy than the one obtained by the broadly used quasi-harmonic method.

On Integral Upper Limits Assuming Power-law Spectra and the Sensitivity in High-energy Astronomy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahnen, Max L., E-mail: m.knoetig@gmail.com

The high-energy non-thermal universe is dominated by power-law-like spectra. Therefore, results in high-energy astronomy are often reported as parameters of power-law fits, or, in the case of a non-detection, as an upper limit assuming the underlying unseen spectrum behaves as a power law. In this paper, I demonstrate a simple and powerful one-to-one relation of the integral upper limit in the two-dimensional power-law parameter space into the spectrum parameter space and use this method to unravel the so-far convoluted question of the sensitivity of astroparticle telescopes.

An upper limit for stratospheric hydrogen peroxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chance, K. V.; Traub, W. A.

1984-01-01

It has been postulated that hydrogen peroxide is important in stratospheric chemistry as a reservoir and sink for odd hydrogen species, and for its ability to interconvert them. The present investigation is concerned with an altitude dependent upper limit curve for stratospheric hydrogen peroxide, taking into account an altitude range from 21.5 to 38.0 km for January 23, 1983. The data employed are from balloon flight No. 1316-P, launched from the National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF) in Palestine, Texas. The obtained upper limit curve lies substantially below the data reported by Waters et al. (1981), even though the results are from the same latitude and are both wintertime measurements.

The relationship between sitting posture and seated-related upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain in computing South African adolescents: A prospective study.

PubMed

Brink, Yolandi; Louw, Quinette; Grimmer, Karen; Jordaan, Esmè

2015-12-01

There is evidence that consistent sitting for prolonged periods is associated with upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain (UQMP). It is unclear whether postural alignment is a significant risk factor. The aim of the prospective study (2010-2011) was to ascertain if three-dimensional sitting postural angles, measured in a real-life school computer classroom setting, predict seated-related UQMP. Asymptomatic Grade 10 high-school students, aged 15-17 years, undertaking Computer Application Technology, were eligible to participate. Using the 3D Posture Analysis Tool, sitting posture was measured while students used desk-top computers. Posture was reported as five upper quadrant angles (Head flexion, Neck flexion; Craniocervical angle, Trunk flexion and Head lateral bending). The Computer Usage Questionnaire measured seated-related UQMP and hours of computer use. The Beck Depression Inventory and the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children assessed psychosocial factors. Sitting posture, computer use and psychosocial factors were measured at baseline. UQMP was measured at six months and one-year follow-up. 211, 190 and 153 students participated at baseline, six months and one-year follow-up respectively. 34.2% students complained of seated-related UQMP during the follow-up period. Increased head flexion (HF) predicted seated-related UQMP developing over time for a small group of students with pain scores greater than the 90th pain percentile, adjusted for age, gender, BMI, computer use and psychosocial factors (p = 0.003). The pain score increased 0.22 points per 1° increase in HF. Classroom ergonomics and postural hygiene should therefore focus on reducing large HF angles among computing adolescents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reusable Agena study. Volume 1: Executive summary. [space shuttle Agena upper stage tug concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The shuttle Agena upper stage interim tug concept is based on a building block approach. These building block concepts are extensions of existing ascent Agena configurations. Several current improvements, have been used in developing the shuttle/Agena upper stage concepts. High-density acid is used as the Agena upper stage oxidizer. The baffled injector is used in the main engine. The DF-224 is a fourth generation computer currently in development and will be flight proven in the near future. The Agena upper stage building block concept uses the current Agena as a baseline, adds an 8.5-inch (21.6 cm) extension to the fuel tank for optimum mixture ratio, uses monomethyl hydrazine as fuel, exchanges a 150:1 nozzle extension for the existing 45:1, exchanges an Autonetics DF-224 for the existing Honeywell computer, and adds a star sensor for guidance update. These modifications to the current Agena provide a 5-foot (1.52m) diameter shuttle/Agena upper stage that will fly all Vandenberg Air Force Base missions in the reusable mode without resorting to a kick motor. The delta V velocity of the Agena is increased by use of a strap-on propellant tank option. This option provides a shuttle/Agena upper stage with the capability to place almost 3900 pounds (1769 kg) into geosynchronous orbit (24 hour period) without the aid of kick motors.

Considerations for Assessing Maximum Critical Temperatures in Small Ectothermic Animals: Insights from Leaf-Cutting Ants

PubMed Central

Ribeiro, Pedro Leite; Camacho, Agustín; Navas, Carlos Arturo

2012-01-01

The thermal limits of individual animals were originally proposed as a link between animal physiology and thermal ecology. Although this link is valid in theory, the evaluation of physiological tolerances involves some problems that are the focus of this study. One rationale was that heating rates shall influence upper critical limits, so that ecological thermal limits need to consider experimental heating rates. In addition, if thermal limits are not surpassed in experiments, subsequent tests of the same individual should yield similar results or produce evidence of hardening. Finally, several non-controlled variables such as time under experimental conditions and procedures may affect results. To analyze these issues we conducted an integrative study of upper critical temperatures in a single species, the ant Atta sexdens rubropiosa, an animal model providing large numbers of individuals of diverse sizes but similar genetic makeup. Our specific aims were to test the 1) influence of heating rates in the experimental evaluation of upper critical temperature, 2) assumptions of absence of physical damage and reproducibility, and 3) sources of variance often overlooked in the thermal-limits literature; and 4) to introduce some experimental approaches that may help researchers to separate physiological and methodological issues. The upper thermal limits were influenced by both heating rates and body mass. In the latter case, the effect was physiological rather than methodological. The critical temperature decreased during subsequent tests performed on the same individual ants, even one week after the initial test. Accordingly, upper thermal limits may have been overestimated by our (and typical) protocols. Heating rates, body mass, procedures independent of temperature and other variables may affect the estimation of upper critical temperatures. Therefore, based on our data, we offer suggestions to enhance the quality of measurements, and offer recommendations to authors aiming to compile and analyze databases from the literature. PMID:22384147

Seismic hazard study for selected sites in New Mexico and Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, J. C.

1983-12-01

Seismic hazard evaluations were conducted for specific sites in New Mexico and Nevada. For New Mexico, a model of seismicity was developed from historical accounts of medium to large shocks and the current microactivity record from local networks. Ninety percent confidence levels at Albuquerque and Roswell were computed to be 56 gals for a 10-year period and 77 gals for a 20-year period. Values of ground motion for Clovis were below these values. Peak velocity and displacement were also computed for each site. Deterministic spectra based on the estimated maximum credible earthquake for the zones which the sites occupy were also computed. For the sites in Nevada, the regionalizations used in Battis (1982) for the uniform seismicity model were slightly modified. For 10- and 20-year time periods, peak acceleration values for Indian Springs were computed to be 94 gals and 123 gals and for Hawthorne 206 gals and 268 gals. Deterministic spectra were also computed. The input parameters were well determined for the analysis for the Nevada sites because of the abundance of data. The values computed for New Mexico, however, are likely upper limits. As more data are collected from the area of the Rio Grande rift zone, the pattern of seismicity will become better understood. At this time a more detailed, and thus more accurate, model may emerge.

Low-mass dark matter search using ionization signals in XENON100

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aprile, E.; Aalbers, J.; Agostini, F.; Alfonsi, M.; Amaro, F. D.; Anthony, M.; Arneodo, F.; Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Bauermeister, B.; Benabderrahmane, M. L.; Berger, T.; Breur, P. A.; Brown, A.; Brown, E.; Bruenner, S.; Bruno, G.; Budnik, R.; Buss, A.; Bütikofer, L.; Cardoso, J. M. R.; Cervantes, M.; Cichon, D.; Coderre, D.; Colijn, A. P.; Conrad, J.; Cussonneau, J. P.; Decowski, M. P.; de Perio, P.; di Gangi, P.; di Giovanni, A.; Duchovni, E.; Ferella, A. D.; Fieguth, A.; Franco, D.; Fulgione, W.; Galloway, M.; Garbini, M.; Geis, C.; Goetzke, L. W.; Greene, Z.; Grignon, C.; Gross, E.; Hasterok, C.; Hogenbirk, E.; Itay, R.; Kaminsky, B.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Landsman, H.; Lang, R. F.; Levinson, L.; Le Calloch, M.; Levy, C.; Linde, F.; Lindemann, S.; Lindner, M.; Lopes, J. A. M.; Lyashenko, A.; Manfredini, A.; Marrodán Undagoitia, T.; Masbou, J.; Massoli, F. V.; Masson, D.; Mayani, D.; Melgarejo Fernandez, A. J.; Meng, Y.; Messina, M.; Micheneau, K.; Miguez, B.; Molinario, A.; Murra, M.; Naganoma, J.; Oberlack, U.; Orrigo, S. E. A.; Pakarha, P.; Pelssers, B.; Persiani, R.; Piastra, F.; Pienaar, J.; Plante, G.; Priel, N.; Rauch, L.; Reichard, S.; Reuter, C.; Rizzo, A.; Rosendahl, S.; Rupp, N.; Dos Santos, J. M. F.; Sartorelli, G.; Scheibelhut, M.; Schindler, S.; Schreiner, J.; Schumann, M.; Scotto Lavina, L.; Selvi, M.; Shagin, P.; Simgen, H.; Stein, A.; Thers, D.; Tiseni, A.; Trinchero, G.; Tunnell, C. D.; von Sivers, M.; Wall, R.; Wang, H.; Weber, M.; Wei, Y.; Weinheimer, C.; Wulf, J.; Zhang, Y.; Xenon Collaboration

2016-11-01

We perform a low-mass dark matter search using an exposure of 30 kg ×yr with the XENON100 detector. By dropping the requirement of a scintillation signal and using only the ionization signal to determine the interaction energy, we lowered the energy threshold for detection to 0.7 keV for nuclear recoils. No dark matter detection can be claimed because a complete background model cannot be constructed without a primary scintillation signal. Instead, we compute an upper limit on the WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section under the assumption that every event passing our selection criteria could be a signal event. Using an energy interval from 0.7 keV to 9.1 keV, we derive a limit on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross section that excludes WIMPs with a mass of 6 GeV /c2 above 1.4 ×10-41 cm2 at 90% confidence level.

Scaling Laws for NanoFET Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Qi-Huo; Zhou, Fu-Shan

2008-03-01

In this paper, we report our numerical studies of the scaling laws for nanoplate field-effect transistor (FET) sensors by simplifying the nanoplates as random resistor networks. Nanowire/tube FETs are included as the limiting cases where the device width goes small. Computer simulations show that the field effect strength exerted by the binding molecules has significant impact on the scaling behaviors. When the field effect strength is small, nanoFETs have little size and shape dependence. In contrast, when the field-effect strength becomes stronger, there exists a lower detection threshold for charge accumulation FETs and an upper detection threshold for charge depletion FET sensors. At these thresholds, the nanoFET devices undergo a transition between low and large sensitivities. These thresholds may set the detection limits of nanoFET sensors. We propose to eliminate these detection thresholds by employing devices with very short source-drain distance and large width.

Constraints on Leptophilic Dark Matter from the AMS-02 Experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cavasonza, Leila Ali; Gast, Henning; Schael, Stefan

2017-04-10

The annihilation of dark matter particles in the Galactic halo of the Milky Way may lead to cosmic ray signatures that can be probed by the AMS-02 experiment, which has measured the composition and fluxes of charged cosmic rays with unprecedented precision. Given the absence of characteristic spectral features in the electron and positron fluxes measured by AMS-02, we derive upper limits on the dark matter annihilation cross section for leptophilic dark matter models. Our limits are based on a new background model that describes all recent measurements of the energy spectra of cosmic-ray positrons and electrons. For thermal darkmore » matter relics, we can exclude dark matter masses below about 100 GeV. We include the radiation of electroweak gauge bosons in the dark matter annihilation process and compute the antiproton signal that can be expected within leptophilic dark matter models.« less

Cosmic microwave background bispectrum from primordial magnetic fields on large angular scales.

PubMed

Seshadri, T R; Subramanian, Kandaswamy

2009-08-21

Primordial magnetic fields lead to non-Gaussian signals in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) even at the lowest order, as magnetic stresses and the temperature anisotropy they induce depend quadratically on the magnetic field. In contrast, CMB non-Gaussianity due to inflationary scalar perturbations arises only as a higher-order effect. We propose a novel probe of stochastic primordial magnetic fields that exploits the characteristic CMB non-Gaussianity that they induce. We compute the CMB bispectrum (b(l1l2l3)) induced by such fields on large angular scales. We find a typical value of l1(l1 + 1)l3(l3 + 1)b(l1l2l3) approximately 10(-22), for magnetic fields of strength B0 approximately 3 nG and with a nearly scale invariant magnetic spectrum. Observational limits on the bispectrum allow us to set upper limits on B0 approximately 35 nG.

Optimally setting up directed searches for continuous gravitational waves in Advanced LIGO O1 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ming, Jing; Papa, Maria Alessandra; Krishnan, Badri; Prix, Reinhard; Beer, Christian; Zhu, Sylvia J.; Eggenstein, Heinz-Bernd; Bock, Oliver; Machenschalk, Bernd

2018-02-01

In this paper we design a search for continuous gravitational waves from three supernova remnants: Vela Jr., Cassiopeia A (Cas A) and G347.3. These systems might harbor rapidly rotating neutron stars emitting quasiperiodic gravitational radiation detectable by the advanced LIGO detectors. Our search is designed to use the volunteer computing project Einstein@Home for a few months and assumes the sensitivity and duty cycles of the advanced LIGO detectors during their first science run. For all three supernova remnants, the sky positions of their central compact objects are well known but the frequency and spin-down rates of the neutron stars are unknown which makes the searches computationally limited. In a previous paper we have proposed a general framework for deciding on what target we should spend computational resources and in what proportion, what frequency and spin-down ranges we should search for every target, and with what search setup. Here we further expand this framework and apply it to design a search directed at detecting continuous gravitational wave signals from the most promising three supernova remnants identified as such in the previous work. Our optimization procedure yields broad frequency and spin-down searches for all three objects, at an unprecedented level of sensitivity: The smallest detectable gravitational wave strain h0 for Cas A is expected to be 2 times smaller than the most sensitive upper limits published to date, and our proposed search, which was set up and ran on the volunteer computing project Einstein@Home, covers a much larger frequency range.

Gravity-supported exercise with computer gaming improves arm function in chronic stroke.

PubMed

Jordan, Kimberlee; Sampson, Michael; King, Marcus

2014-08-01

To investigate the effect of 4 to 6 weeks of exergaming with a computer mouse embedded within an arm skate on upper limb function in survivors of chronic stroke. Intervention study with a 4-week postintervention follow-up. In home. Survivors (N=13) of chronic (≥6 mo) stroke with hemiparesis of the upper limb with stable baseline Fugl-Meyer assessment scores received the intervention. One participant withdrew, and 2 participants were not reassessed at the 4-week follow-up. No participants withdrew as a result of adverse effects. Four to 6 weeks of exergaming using the arm skate where participants received either 9 (n=5) or 16 (n=7) hours of game play. Upper limb component of the Fugl-Meyer assessment. There was an average increase in the Fugl-Meyer upper limb assessment score from the beginning to end of the intervention of 4.9 points. At the end of the 4-week period after the intervention, the increase was 4.4 points. A 4- to 6-week intervention using the arm skate significantly improved arm function in survivors of chronic stroke by an average of 4.9 Fugl-Meyer upper limb assessment points. This research shows that a larger-scale randomized trial of this device is warranted and highlights the potential value of using virtual reality technology (eg, computer games) in a rehabilitation setting. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The chronology and sequence of eruption of human permanent teeth in Northern Ireland.

PubMed

Kochhar, R; Richardson, A

1998-12-01

To ascertain the average and range of ages and sequence of eruption of human permanent teeth, taking into account the effect of premature loss of primary antecedents. Longitudinal study. Caucasian subjects in Northern Ireland. Study casts at 6-monthly intervals from age 5 to 15 years of 276 children (146 males and 130 females) enrolled in the Belfast Growth Study. The mean and range of ages of eruption of each individual tooth were computed. Comparisons were made between the mean ages of eruption with and without premature loss of primary antecedents, between upper and lower arches, between right and left sides and between males and females. The sequence of eruption was also investigated. The means and ranges of eruption ages are reported. Premature loss of primary antecedents delayed eruption of permanent successors except for the upper premolars which were accelerated. The differences relating to the upper first premolar and lower canine were not statistically significant. Each lower tooth erupted before its upper counterpart except for the premolars. There was no significant difference in age of eruption between right and left sides. Females tended to erupt teeth before males with the exception of the second molars in both arches; however, the only differences to reach statistical significance related to upper and lower canines and upper lateral incisors. The most frequent orders of eruption were unique to the subject. These occurred in 22% of upper and 33% of lower arches. The classic sequences: first molar-central incisor-lateral incisor-first premolar-canine-second premolar-second molar (M1-I1-I2-PM1-C-PM2-M2) in the upper arch and I1-M1-I2-C-PM1-PM2-M2 in the lower arch occurred in only 16% of upper arches and 13% of lower arches. Males adhered to the textbook sequence (20% upper, 17% lower) more than females (12% upper, 8% lower). In the upper arch of females, the order M1-I1-I2-PM1-PM2-C-M2 in 10% of subjects was almost as frequent as the classic sequence. The ages, ranges and orders of eruption found in this study are more reliable than many which are frequently quoted on account of its longitudinal nature and the fact that the effect of premature loss of primary antecedents is taken into account. The exclusively Caucasian sample makes the data quite precise but limits applicability to patients of this ethnic origin.

Determination of the 100-year flood plain on Upper Three Runs and selected tributaries, and the Savannah River at the Savannah River site, South Carolina, 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lanier, T.H.

1996-01-01

The 100-year flood plain was determined for Upper Three Runs, its tributaries, and the part of the Savannah River that borders the Savannah River Site. The results are provided in tabular and graphical formats. The 100-year flood-plain maps and flood profiles provide water-resource managers of the Savannah River Site with a technical basis for making flood-plain management decisions that could minimize future flood problems and provide a basis for designing and constructing drainage structures along roadways. A hydrologic analysis was made to estimate the 100-year recurrence- interval flow for Upper Three Runs and its tributaries. The analysis showed that the well-drained, sandy soils in the head waters of Upper Three Runs reduce the high flows in the stream; therefore, the South Carolina upper Coastal Plain regional-rural-regression equation does not apply for Upper Three Runs. Conse- quently, a relation was established for 100-year recurrence-interval flow and drainage area using streamflow data from U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations on Upper Three Runs. This relation was used to compute 100-year recurrence-interval flows at selected points along the stream. The regional regression equations were applicable for the tributaries to Upper Three Runs, because the soil types in the drainage basins of the tributaries resemble those normally occurring in upper Coastal Plain basins. This was verified by analysis of the flood-frequency data collected from U.S. Geological Survey gaging station 02197342 on Fourmile Branch. Cross sections were surveyed throughout each reach, and other pertinent data such as flow resistance and land-use were col- lected. The surveyed cross sections and computed 100-year recurrence-interval flows were used in a step-backwater model to compute the 100-year flood profile for Upper Three Runs and its tributaries. The profiles were used to delineate the 100-year flood plain on topographic maps. The Savannah River forms the southwestern border of the Savannah River Site. Data from previously published reports were used to delineate the 100-year flood plain for the Savannah River from the downstream site boundary at the mouth of Lower Three Runs at river mile 125 to the upstream site boundary at river mile 163.

The large-scale microwave background anisotropy in decaying particle cosmology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panek, Miroslaw

1988-01-01

The quadrupole anisotropy of the microwave background radiation in cosmological models with decaying particles is investigated. A conservative upper limit on value of the quadrupole moment combined with other constraints gives an upper limit on the redshift of the decay z(d) of less than 3-6.

1.25-mm observations of luminous infrared galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carico, David P.; Keene, Jocelyn; Soifer, B. T.; Neugebauer, G.

1992-01-01

Measurements at a wavelength of 1.25 mm have been obtained for 17 IRAS galaxies selected on the basis of high far-infrared luminosity. These measurements are used to estimate the lower and upper limits to the mass of cold dust in infrared galaxies. As a lower limit on dust mass, all of the galaxies can be successfully modeled without invoking any dust colder than the dust responsible for the 60 and 100 micron emission that was detected by IRAS. As an upper limit, it is possible that the dust mass in a number of the galaxies may actually be dominated by cold dust. This large difference between the lower and upper limits is due primarily to uncertainty in the long-wavelength absorption efficiency of the astrophysical dust grains.

Exact one-sided confidence limits for the difference between two correlated proportions.

PubMed

Lloyd, Chris J; Moldovan, Max V

2007-08-15

We construct exact and optimal one-sided upper and lower confidence bounds for the difference between two probabilities based on matched binary pairs using well-established optimality theory of Buehler. Starting with five different approximate lower and upper limits, we adjust them to have coverage probability exactly equal to the desired nominal level and then compare the resulting exact limits by their mean size. Exact limits based on the signed root likelihood ratio statistic are preferred and recommended for practical use.

[Torque control evaluated by lateral cephalometric radiography and cone-beam CT after retraction of the upper anterior teeth].

PubMed

Yang, Xue; Qian, Yu-Fen

2016-08-01

To investigate the relationship between torque control and movement type of the teeth and to investigate the correlation between reconstruction of the alveolar bone and retraction of the upper anterior teeth. Cephalograms of pre-treatment and post-treatment of 111 cases and cone-beam computed tomography of pre-retraction and post-retraction of 7 cases were collected. The inclination degree of the upper anterior teeth, the horizontal and vertical displacement of edge and apex,and the thickness of the alveolar bone at the apex level were measured. Student's t test and Pearson χ2 test were performed for statistical analysis with SAS 8.02 software package. Cases who received torque control during the period of retraction displayed less change of inclination degree of the upper anterior teeth, less lingual displacement of the edge, more lingual displacement of the apex. The total thickness of the alveolar bone at the apex level and the length of the teeth significantly decreased after retraction(P<0.05). The amount of the alveolar bone rebuilt after retraction was less than that of the tooth movement, and there was no significant difference between teenagers and adults. During retraction of the upper anterior teeth, cases who received torque control showed less inclination degree change of the upper anterior teeth, less lingual displacement of the edge, more lingual displacement of the apex. More bodily movement and partially controlled tipping movement as well as higher incident rate of severe root resorption would also arise. There was correlation between reconstruction of the alveolar bone and the tooth movement. Since the amount of adaptive reconstruction of the lingual alveolar bone was limited, and there was no difference between teenagers and adults, excessive lingual displacement would surpass its adaption ability, and gave rise to alveolar bone and tooth damage.

FLOW SIMULATION IN THE HUMAN UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT

EPA Science Inventory

ABSTRACT

Computer simulations of airflow patterns within the human upper respiratory tract (URT) are presented. The URT model includes airways of the head (nasal and oral), throat (pharyngeal and laryngeal), and lungs (trachea and main bronchi). The head and throat mor...

Risk factors for generally reduced productivity--a prospective cohort study of young adults with neck or upper-extremity musculoskeletal symptoms.

PubMed

Boström, Maria; Dellve, Lotta; Thomée, Sara; Hagberg, Mats

2008-04-01

This study prospectively assessed the importance of individual conditions and computer use during school or work and leisure time as risk factors for self-reported generally reduced productivity due to musculoskeletal complaints among young adults with musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck or upper extremities. A cohort of 2914 young adults (18-25 years, vocational school and college or university students) responded to an internet-based questionnaire concerning musculoskeletal symptoms related to individual conditions and computer use during school or work and leisure time that possibly affected general productivity. Prevalence ratios (PR) were used to assess prospective risk factors for generally reduced productivity. The selected study sample (N=1051) had reported neck or upper-extremity symptoms. At baseline, 280 of them reported reduced productivity. A follow-up of the 771 who reported no reduced productivity was carried out after 1 year. Risk factors for self-reported generally reduced productivity for those followed-up were symptoms in two or three locations or dimensions for the upper back or neck and the shoulders, arms, wrists, or hands [PR 2.30, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.40-3.78], symptoms persisting longer than 90 days in the shoulders, arms, wrists, or hands (PR 2.50, 95% CI 1.12-5.58), current symptoms in the shoulders, arms, wrists, or hands (PR 1.78, 95% CI 1.10-2.90) and computer use 8-14 hours/week during leisure time (PR 2.32, 95% CI 1.20-4.47). A stronger relationship was found if three or four risk factors were present. For women, a relationship was found between generally reduced productivity and widespread and current symptoms in the upper extremities. The main risk factors for generally reduced productivity due to musculoskeletal symptoms among young adults in this study were chronic symptoms in the upper extremities and widespread symptoms in the neck and upper extremities.

A Computational Experiment on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Scott; Lonie, David C.; Chen, Jiechen; Zurek, Eva

2013-01-01

A computational experiment that investigates single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been developed and employed in an upper-level undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory course. Computations were carried out to determine the electronic structure, radial breathing modes, and the influence of the nanotube's diameter on the…

Upper Grades Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Classroom Computer Learning, 1984

1984-01-01

Offers suggestions for five computer-oriented classroom activities. They include uniting a writing class by having them collectively write a book using a word processor, examining FOR/NEXT loops, using a compound interest computer program, and developing a list of facts about computers. Includes four short programs which erase monitor screens. (JN)

Computer-Aided Drug Discovery: Molecular Docking of Diminazene Ligands to DNA Minor Groove

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kholod, Yana; Hoag, Erin; Muratore, Katlynn; Kosenkov, Dmytro

2018-01-01

The reported project-based laboratory unit introduces upper-division undergraduate students to the basics of computer-aided drug discovery as a part of a computational chemistry laboratory course. The students learn to perform model binding of organic molecules (ligands) to the DNA minor groove with computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) tools. The…

Subaru HDS transmission spectroscopy of the transiting extrasolar planet HD209458b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narita, N.; Suto, Y.; Winn, J. N.; Turner, E. L.; Aoki, W.; Leigh, C. J.; Sato, B.; Tamura, M.; Yamada, T.

2006-02-01

We have searched for absorption in several common atomic species due to the atmosphere or exosphere of the transiting extrasolar planet HD 209458b, using high precision optical spectra obtained with the Subaru High Dispersion Spectrograph (HDS). Previously we reported an upper limit on Hα absorption of 0.1% (3σ) within a 5.1Å band. Using the same procedure, we now report upper limits on absorption due to the optical transitions of Na D, Li, Hα, Hβ, Hγ, Fe, and Ca. The 3σ upper limit for each transition is approximately 1% within a 0.3Å band (the core of the line), and a few tenths of a per cent within a 2Å band (the full line width). The wide-band results are close to the expected limit due to photon-counting (Poisson) statistics, although in the narrow-band case we have encountered unexplained systematic errors at a few times the Poisson level. These results are consistent with all previously reported detections (Charbonneau et al. 2002, ApJ, 568, 377) and upper limits (Bundy & Marcy 2000, PASP, 112, 1421; Moutou et al. 2001, A&A, 371, 260), but are significantly more sensitive yet achieved from ground based observations.

New project to support scientific collaboration electronically

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clauer, C. R.; Rasmussen, C. E.; Niciejewski, R. J.; Killeen, T. L.; Kelly, J. D.; Zambre, Y.; Rosenberg, T. J.; Stauning, P.; Friis-Christensen, E.; Mende, S. B.; Weymouth, T. E.; Prakash, A.; McDaniel, S. E.; Olson, G. M.; Finholt, T. A.; Atkins, D. E.

A new multidisciplinary effort is linking research in the upper atmospheric and space, computer, and behavioral sciences to develop a prototype electronic environment for conducting team science worldwide. A real-world electronic collaboration testbed has been established to support scientific work centered around the experimental operations being conducted with instruments from the Sondrestrom Upper Atmospheric Research Facility in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. Such group computing environments will become an important component of the National Information Infrastructure initiative, which is envisioned as the high-performance communications infrastructure to support national scientific research.

Upper and lower bounds for semi-Markov reliability models of reconfigurable systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, A. L.

1984-01-01

This paper determines the information required about system recovery to compute the reliability of a class of reconfigurable systems. Upper and lower bounds are derived for these systems. The class consists of those systems that satisfy five assumptions: the components fail independently at a low constant rate, fault occurrence and system reconfiguration are independent processes, the reliability model is semi-Markov, the recovery functions which describe system configuration have small means and variances, and the system is well designed. The bounds are easy to compute, and examples are included.

Vanishing spin stiffness in the spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain for any nonzero temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmelo, J. M. P.; Prosen, T.; Campbell, D. K.

2015-10-01

Whether at the zero spin density m =0 and finite temperatures T >0 the spin stiffness of the spin-1 /2 X X X chain is finite or vanishes remains an unsolved and controversial issue, as different approaches yield contradictory results. Here we explicitly compute the stiffness at m =0 and find strong evidence that it vanishes. In particular, we derive an upper bound on the stiffness within a canonical ensemble at any fixed value of spin density m that is proportional to m2L in the thermodynamic limit of chain length L →∞ , for any finite, nonzero temperature, which implies the absence of ballistic transport for T >0 for m =0 . Although our method relies in part on the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA), it does not evaluate the stiffness through the second derivative of the TBA energy eigenvalues relative to a uniform vector potential. Moreover, we provide strong evidence that in the thermodynamic limit the upper bounds on the spin current and stiffness used in our derivation remain valid under string deviations. Our results also provide strong evidence that in the thermodynamic limit the TBA method used by X. Zotos [Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 1764 (1999), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.1764] leads to the exact stiffness values at finite temperature T >0 for models whose stiffness is finite at T =0 , similar to the spin stiffness of the spin-1 /2 Heisenberg chain but unlike the charge stiffness of the half-filled 1D Hubbard model.

On the absence of radio haloes in clusters with double relics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonafede, A.; Cassano, R.; Brüggen, M.; Ogrean, G. A.; Riseley, C. J.; Cuciti, V.; de Gasperin, F.; Golovich, N.; Kale, R.; Venturi, T.; van Weeren, R. J.; Wik, D. R.; Wittman, D.

2017-09-01

Pairs of radio relics are believed to form during cluster mergers, and are best observed when the merger occurs in the plane of the sky. Mergers can also produce radio haloes, through complex processes likely linked to turbulent re-acceleration of cosmic ray electrons. However, only some clusters with double relics also show a radio halo. Here, we present a novel method to derive upper limits on the radio halo emission, and analyse archival X-ray Chandra data, as well as galaxy velocity dispersions and lensing data, in order to understand the key parameter that switches on radio halo emission. We place upper limits on the halo power below the P1.4 GHz-M500 correlation for some clusters, confirming that clusters with double relics have different radio properties. Computing X-ray morphological indicators, we find that clusters with double relics are associated with the most disturbed clusters. We also investigate the role of different mass-ratios and time-since-merger. Data do not indicate that the merger mass-ratio has an impact on the presence or absence of radio haloes (the null hypothesis that the clusters belong to the same group cannot be rejected). However, the data suggest that the absence of radio haloes could be associated with early and late mergers, but the sample is too small to perform a statistical test. Our study is limited by the small number of clusters with double relics. Future surveys with LOFAR, ASKAP, MeerKat and SKA will provide larger samples to better address this issue.

Adaptive Sampling-Based Information Collection for Wireless Body Area Networks.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaobin; Zhao, Fang; Wang, Wendong; Tian, Hui

2016-08-31

To collect important health information, WBAN applications typically sense data at a high frequency. However, limited by the quality of wireless link, the uploading of sensed data has an upper frequency. To reduce upload frequency, most of the existing WBAN data collection approaches collect data with a tolerable error. These approaches can guarantee precision of the collected data, but they are not able to ensure that the upload frequency is within the upper frequency. Some traditional sampling based approaches can control upload frequency directly, however, they usually have a high loss of information. Since the core task of WBAN applications is to collect health information, this paper aims to collect optimized information under the limitation of upload frequency. The importance of sensed data is defined according to information theory for the first time. Information-aware adaptive sampling is proposed to collect uniformly distributed data. Then we propose Adaptive Sampling-based Information Collection (ASIC) which consists of two algorithms. An adaptive sampling probability algorithm is proposed to compute sampling probabilities of different sensed values. A multiple uniform sampling algorithm provides uniform samplings for values in different intervals. Experiments based on a real dataset show that the proposed approach has higher performance in terms of data coverage and information quantity. The parameter analysis shows the optimized parameter settings and the discussion shows the underlying reason of high performance in the proposed approach.

Adaptive Sampling-Based Information Collection for Wireless Body Area Networks

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiaobin; Zhao, Fang; Wang, Wendong; Tian, Hui

2016-01-01

To collect important health information, WBAN applications typically sense data at a high frequency. However, limited by the quality of wireless link, the uploading of sensed data has an upper frequency. To reduce upload frequency, most of the existing WBAN data collection approaches collect data with a tolerable error. These approaches can guarantee precision of the collected data, but they are not able to ensure that the upload frequency is within the upper frequency. Some traditional sampling based approaches can control upload frequency directly, however, they usually have a high loss of information. Since the core task of WBAN applications is to collect health information, this paper aims to collect optimized information under the limitation of upload frequency. The importance of sensed data is defined according to information theory for the first time. Information-aware adaptive sampling is proposed to collect uniformly distributed data. Then we propose Adaptive Sampling-based Information Collection (ASIC) which consists of two algorithms. An adaptive sampling probability algorithm is proposed to compute sampling probabilities of different sensed values. A multiple uniform sampling algorithm provides uniform samplings for values in different intervals. Experiments based on a real dataset show that the proposed approach has higher performance in terms of data coverage and information quantity. The parameter analysis shows the optimized parameter settings and the discussion shows the underlying reason of high performance in the proposed approach. PMID:27589758

Electric Dipole Moment of the Neutron from 2+1 Flavor Lattice QCD.

PubMed

Guo, F-K; Horsley, R; Meissner, U-G; Nakamura, Y; Perlt, H; Rakow, P E L; Schierholz, G; Schiller, A; Zanotti, J M

2015-08-07

We compute the electric dipole moment d(n) of the neutron from a fully dynamical simulation of lattice QCD with 2+1 flavors of clover fermions and nonvanishing θ term. The latter is rotated into a pseudoscalar density in the fermionic action using the axial anomaly. To make the action real, the vacuum angle θ is taken to be purely imaginary. The physical value of dd(n) is obtained by analytic continuation. We find d(n)=-3.9(2)(9)×10(-16) θ  e cm, which, when combined with the experimental limit on d(n), leads to the upper bound |θ|≲7.4×10(-11).

An airborne sensor for the avoidance of clear air turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gary, B. L.

1981-01-01

This paper describes an airborne microwave radiometer that may be able to provide altitude guidance away from layers containing clear air turbulence, CAT. The sensor may also be able to predict upper limits for the severity of upcoming CAT. The 55 GHz radiometer is passive, not radar, and it measures the temperature of oxygen molecules in the viewing direction (averaged along a several-kilometer path). A small computer directs the viewing direction through elevation angle scans, and converts observed quantities to an 'altitude temperature profile'. The principle for CAT avoidance is that CAT is found statistically more often within inversion layers and at the tropopause, both of which are easily located from sensor-generated altitude temperature profiles.

Steady state whistler turbulence and stability of thermal barriers in tandem mirrors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Litwin, C.; Sudan, R.N.

The effect of the whistler turbulence on anisotropic electrons in a thermal barrier is examined. The electron distribution function is derived self-consistently by solving the steady state quasilinear diffusion equation. Saturated amplitudes are computed using the resonance broadening theory or convective stabilization. Estimated power levels necessary for sustaining the steady state of a strongly anisotropic electron population are found to exceed by orders of magnitude the estimates based on Fokker--Planck calculations for the range of parameters of tandem mirror (TMX-U and MFTF-B) experiments (Nucl. Fusion 25, 1205 (1985)). Upper limits on the allowed degree of anisotropy for existing power densitiesmore » are calculated.« less

Large Scale Structures in the GOODS-SOUTH Field up to z~2.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trevese, D.; Castellano, M.; Salimbeni, S.; Pentericci, L.; Fiore, F.

2009-05-01

We apply a density evaluation technique based on photometric redshifts, developed by our group, to estimate galaxy space density on the deep (z450~26) multi-wavelength GOODS-MUSIC catalogue. We find several groups and clusters in the redshift range 0.4-2.5. We present here an outline of the X-ray properties of our cluster sample as computed from the Chandra 2Ms data. A group at z = 0.96 could be associated to an extended X-ray source, while two clusters with masses of few times 1014Msolar have upper limits on their X-ray emission significantly lower than expected from their optical properties.

About an Extreme Achievable Current in Plasma Focus Installation of Mather Type

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nikulin, V. Ya.; Polukhin, S. N.; Vikhrev, V. V.

A computer simulation and analytical analysis of the discharge process in Plasma Focus has shown that there is an upper limit to the current which can be achieved in Plasma Focus installation of Mather type by only increasing the capacity of the condenser bank. The maximum current achieved for various plasma focus installations of 1 MJ level is discussed. For example, for the PF-1000 (IFPiLM) and 1 MJ Frascati PF, the maximum current is near 2 MA. Thus, the commonly used method of increasing the energy of the PF installation by increasing of the capacity has no merit. Alternative optionsmore » in order to increase the current are discussed.« less

The upper values of plasma creatine kinase of professional soccer players during the Brazilian National Championship.

PubMed

Lazarim, Fernanda L; Antunes-Neto, Joaquim M F; da Silva, Fernando O C; Nunes, Lázaro A S; Bassini-Cameron, Adriana; Cameron, Luiz-Cláudio; Alves, Armindo A; Brenzikofer, René; de Macedo, Denise Vaz

2009-01-01

The current schedule of the Brazilian Soccer Championship may not give players enough recovery time between games. This could increase the chances of muscle damage and impaired performance. We hypothesized that plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity could be a reliable indirect marker of muscle overload in soccer players, so we sought to identify the reference values for upper limits of CK activity during a real-life elite competition. This study analyzed changes in plasma CK activity in 128 professional soccer players at different times during the Brazilian Championship. The upper limits of the 97.5th and 90th percentiles determined for CK activity were 1.338U/L and 975U/L, respectively, markedly higher than values previously reported in the literature. We also evaluated a team monthly throughout the Championship. The upper limit of the 90th percentile, 975U/L, was taken as the decision limit. Six players showing plasma CK values higher than this were asked to decrease their training for 1 week. These players presented lower CK values afterwards. Only one player with a CK value higher than the decision limit (1800U/L 1 day before a game) played on the field and was unfortunately injured during the game. The CK activity in all the other players showed a significant decrease over the course of the Championship, and the values became more homogeneous at the end. The results presented here suggest that plasma CK upper limit values can be used as a practical alternative for early detection of muscle overload in competing soccer players.

Limits on the fluctuating part of y-type distortion monopole from Planck and SPT results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatri, Rishi; Sunyaev, Rashid

2015-08-01

We use the published Planck and SPT cluster catalogs [1,2] and recently published y-distortion maps [3] to put strong observational limits on the contribution of the fluctuating part of the y-type distortions to the y-distortion monopole. Our bounds are 5.4× 10-8 < langle yrangle < 2.2× 10-6. Our upper bound is a factor of 6.8 stronger than the currently best upper 95% confidence limit from COBE-FIRAS of langle yrangle <15× 10-6. In the standard cosmology, large scale structure is the only source of such distortions and our limits therefore constrain the baryonic physics involved in the formation of the large scale structure. Our lower limit, from the detected clusters in the Planck and SPT catalogs, also implies that a Pixie-like experiment should detect the y-distortion monopole at >27-σ. The biggest sources of uncertainty in our upper limit are the monopole offsets between different HFI channel maps that we estimate to be <10-6.

Upper limits on the 21 cm power spectrum at z = 5.9 from quasar absorption line spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pober, Jonathan C.; Greig, Bradley; Mesinger, Andrei

2016-11-01

We present upper limits on the 21 cm power spectrum at z = 5.9 calculated from the model-independent limit on the neutral fraction of the intergalactic medium of x_{H I} < 0.06 + 0.05 (1σ ) derived from dark pixel statistics of quasar absorption spectra. Using 21CMMC, a Markov chain Monte Carlo Epoch of Reionization analysis code, we explore the probability distribution of 21 cm power spectra consistent with this constraint on the neutral fraction. We present 99 per cent confidence upper limits of Δ2(k) < 10-20 mK2 over a range of k from 0.5 to 2.0 h Mpc-1, with the exact limit dependent on the sampled k mode. This limit can be used as a null test for 21 cm experiments: a detection of power at z = 5.9 in excess of this value is highly suggestive of residual foreground contamination or other systematic errors affecting the analysis.

University students' notebook computer use: lessons learned using e-diaries to report musculoskeletal discomfort.

PubMed

Jacobs, K; Foley, G; Punnett, L; Hall, V; Gore, R; Brownson, E; Ansong, E; Markowitz, J; McKinnon, M; Steinberg, S; Ing, A; Wuest, Ellen; Dibiccari, Leah

2011-02-01

The objective of this pilot study was to identify if notebook accessories (ergonomic chair, desktop monitor and notebook riser) combined with a wireless keyboard, mouse and participatory ergonomics training would have the greatest impact on reducing self-reported upper extremity musculoskeletal discomfort in university students. In addition to pre-post computing and health surveys, the Ecological Momentary Assessment was used to capture change in discomfort over time using a personal digital assistant (PDA) as the e-diary. The PDA was programmed with a survey containing 45 questions. Four groups of university students were randomised to either intervention (three external computer accessories) or to control. Participants reported less discomfort with the ergonomic chair and notebook riser based on the pre-post survey data and the e-diary/PDA ANOVA analysis. However, the PDA data, adjusted for the effect of hours per day of computer use, showed no benefit of the chair and limited benefit from the riser. Statement of Relevance:University students' use of notebook computers has increased. This study found evidence of a positive effect of an adjustable chair or notebook riser when combined with ergonomic training on reducing discomfort. Daily notebook computer use of 4 h was confirmed as a risk factor. Without some form of ergonomic intervention, these students are likely to enter the workforce with poor computing habits, which places them on the road to future injuries as technology continues to play a dominant role in their lives.

New upper limits on the local metagalactic ionizing radiation density

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogel, Stuart N.; Weymann, Ray; Rauch, Michael; Hamilton, Tom

1995-01-01

We have obtained H-alpha observations with the Maryland-Caltech Fabry-Perot Spectrometer attached to the Cassegrain focus of the 1.5 m telescope at Palomer Observatory in order to set limits on the number of ionizing photons from the local metagalactic radiation field. We have observed the SW component of the Haynes-Giovanelli cloud H I 1225+01, an intergalactic cloud which should be optimum for measuring the metagalactic flux because it is nearly opaque to ionizing photons, it does not appear to be significantly shielded from the metagalactic radiation field, and the limits on embedded or nearby ionizing sources are unusually low. For the area of the cloud with an H I column density greater than 10(exp 19)/sq cm we set a 2 sigma limit of 1.1 x 10(exp -19) ergs/sq cm/s/sq arcsec (20 mR) for the surface brightness of diffuse H-alpha. This implies a 2 sigma upper limit on the incident one-sided ionizing flux of Phi(sub ex) is less than 3 x 10(exp 4)/sq cm/s. For a radiation field of the form J(sub nu) is approximately nu(exp -1.4), this yields a firm 2 sigma upper limit on the local metagalactic photoionization rate of Gamma is less than 2 x 10(exp -13)/s, and an upper limit for the radiation field J(sub nu) at the Lyman limit of J(sub nu0) is less than 8 x 10(exp -23) ergs/sq cm/Hz/sr. We discuss previous efforts to constrain the metagalactic ionizing flux using H-alpha surface brightness observations and also other methods, and conclude that our result places the firmest upper limit on this flux. We also observed the 7 min diameter region centered on 3C 273 in which H-alpha emission at a velocity of approximately 1700 km/s was initially reported by Williams and Schommer. In agreement with T. B. Williams (private communication) we find the initial detection was spurious. We obtain a 2 sigma upper limit of 1.8 x 10(exp -19) ergs/sq cm/s/sq arcsec (32 mR) for the mean surface brightness of diffuse H-alpha, about a factor of 6 below the published value.

Nurse opinions and pulse oximeter saturation target limits for preterm infants.

PubMed

Nghiem, Tuyet-Hang; Hagadorn, James I; Terrin, Norma; Syke, Sally; MacKinnon, Brenda; Cole, Cynthia H

2008-05-01

The objectives of this study were to compare pulse oximeter saturation limits targeted by nurses for extremely preterm infants during routine care with nurse opinions regarding appropriate pulse oximeter saturation limits and with policy-specified pulse oximeter saturation limits and to identify factors that influence pulse oximeter saturation limits targeted by nurses. We surveyed nurses in US NICUs with neonatal-perinatal fellowships in 2004. Data collected included pulse oximeter saturation limits targeted by nurses and by NICU policy when present, nurses' opinions about appropriate pulse oximeter saturation limits, and NICU and nurse characteristics. Factors associated with pulse oximeter saturation limits targeted by nurses were identified with hierarchical linear modeling. Among those eligible, 2805 (45%) nurses in 59 (60%) NICUs responded. Forty (68%) of 59 NICUs had a policy that specified a pulse oximeter saturation target range for extremely preterm infants. Among 1957 nurses at NICUs with policies, 540 (28%) accurately identified the upper and lower limits of their NICU's policy and also targeted these values in practice. NICU-specific SDs for individual nurse target limits were less at NICUs with versus without a policy for both upper and lower limits. Hierarchical linear modeling identified presence of pulse oximeter saturation policy, NICU-specific nurse group opinion, and individual nurse opinion as factors significantly associated with individual pulse oximeter saturation target limits. For each percentage point increase in individual opinion upper limit, the individual target upper limit increased by 0.41 percentage point at NICUs with a policy compared with 0.6 percentage point at NICUs with no policy. Presence of policy-specified pulse oximeter saturation limits, nurse group opinion, and individual nurse opinion were independently associated with individual nurse pulse oximeter saturation target limits during routine care of extremely preterm infants. The presence of a policy reduced the influence of individual nurse opinion on targeted pulse oximeter saturation limits and reduced variation among nurse target limits within NICUs.

[Investigation of reference intervals of blood gas and acid-base analysis assays in China].

PubMed

Zhang, Lu; Wang, Wei; Wang, Zhiguo

2015-10-01

To investigate and analyze the upper and lower limits and their sources of reference intervals in blood gas and acid-base analysis assays. The data of reference intervals were collected, which come from the first run of 2014 External Quality Assessment (EQA) program in blood gas and acid-base analysis assays performed by National Center for Clinical Laboratories (NCCL). All the abnormal values and errors were eliminated. Data statistics was performed by SPSS 13.0 and Excel 2007 referring to upper and lower limits of reference intervals and sources of 7 blood gas and acid-base analysis assays, i.e. pH value, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Cl-. Values were further grouped based on instrument system and the difference between each group were analyzed. There were 225 laboratories submitting the information on the reference intervals they had been using. The three main sources of reference intervals were National Guide to Clinical Laboratory Procedures [37.07% (400/1 079)], instructions of instrument manufactures [31.23% (337/1 079)] and instructions of reagent manufactures [23.26% (251/1 079)]. Approximately 35.1% (79/225) of the laboratories had validated the reference intervals they used. The difference of upper and lower limits in most assays among 7 laboratories was moderate, both minimum and maximum (i.e. the upper limits of pH value was 7.00-7.45, the lower limits of Na+ was 130.00-156.00 mmol/L), and mean and median (i.e. the upper limits of K+ was 5.04 mmol/L and 5.10 mmol/L, the upper limits of PCO2 was 45.65 mmHg and 45.00 mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa), as well as the difference in P2.5 and P97.5 between each instrument system group. It was shown by Kruskal-Wallis method that the P values of upper and lower limits of all the parameters were lower than 0.001, expecting the lower limits of Na+ with P value 0.029. It was shown by Mann-Whitney that the statistic differences were found among instrument system groups and between most of two instrument system groups in all assays. The difference of reference intervals of blood gas and acid-base analysis assays used in China laboratories is moderate, which is better than other specialties in clinical laboratories.

A pedagogical example of second-order arithmetic sequences applied to the construction of computer passwords by upper elementary grade students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coggins, Porter E.

2015-04-01

The purpose of this paper is (1) to present how general education elementary school age students constructed computer passwords using digital root sums and second-order arithmetic sequences, (2) argue that computer password construction can be used as an engaging introduction to generate interest in elementary school students to study mathematics related to computer science, and (3) share additional mathematical ideas accessible to elementary school students that can be used to create computer passwords. This paper serves to fill a current gap in the literature regarding the integration of mathematical content accessible to upper elementary school students and aspects of computer science in general, and computer password construction in particular. In addition, the protocols presented here can serve as a hook to generate further interest in mathematics and computer science. Students learned to create a random-looking computer password by using biometric measurements of their shoe size, height, and age in months and to create a second-order arithmetic sequence, then converted the resulting numbers into characters that become their computer passwords. This password protocol can be used to introduce students to good computer password habits that can serve a foundation for a life-long awareness of data security. A refinement of the password protocol is also presented.

Human arm joints reconstruction algorithm in rehabilitation therapies assisted by end-effector robotic devices.

PubMed

Bertomeu-Motos, Arturo; Blanco, Andrea; Badesa, Francisco J; Barios, Juan A; Zollo, Loredana; Garcia-Aracil, Nicolas

2018-02-20

End-effector robots are commonly used in robot-assisted neuro-rehabilitation therapies for upper limbs where the patient's hand can be easily attached to a splint. Nevertheless, they are not able to estimate and control the kinematic configuration of the upper limb during the therapy. However, the Range of Motion (ROM) together with the clinical assessment scales offers a comprehensive assessment to the therapist. Our aim is to present a robust and stable kinematic reconstruction algorithm to accurately measure the upper limb joints using only an accelerometer placed onto the upper arm. The proposed algorithm is based on the inverse of the augmented Jaciobian as the algorithm (Papaleo, et al., Med Biol Eng Comput 53(9):815-28, 2015). However, the estimation of the elbow joint location is performed through the computation of the rotation measured by the accelerometer during the arm movement, making the algorithm more robust against shoulder movements. Furthermore, we present a method to compute the initial configuration of the upper limb necessary to start the integration method, a protocol to manually measure the upper arm and forearm lengths, and a shoulder position estimation. An optoelectronic system was used to test the accuracy of the proposed algorithm whilst healthy subjects were performing upper limb movements holding the end effector of the seven Degrees of Freedom (DoF) robot. In addition, the previous and the proposed algorithms were studied during a neuro-rehabilitation therapy assisted by the 'PUPArm' planar robot with three post-stroke patients. The proposed algorithm reports a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 2.13cm in the elbow joint location and 1.89cm in the wrist joint location with high correlation. These errors lead to a RMSE about 3.5 degrees (mean of the seven joints) with high correlation in all the joints with respect to the real upper limb acquired through the optoelectronic system. Then, the estimation of the upper limb joints through both algorithms reveal an instability on the previous when shoulder movement appear due to the inevitable trunk compensation in post-stroke patients. The proposed algorithm is able to accurately estimate the human upper limb joints during a neuro-rehabilitation therapy assisted by end-effector robots. In addition, the implemented protocol can be followed in a clinical environment without optoelectronic systems using only one accelerometer attached in the upper arm. Thus, the ROM can be perfectly determined and could become an objective assessment parameter for a comprehensive assessment.

Computer Applications in Instruction: A Teacher's Guide to Selection and Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Judith B.; And Others

Intended for upper elementary and secondary teachers in all subject areas, this guide provides practical advice on determining the appropriate application of computer technology and on the selection of specific, subject-related computer-based instruction units. Under the heading of hardware and software, topics discussed include communicating with…

Age Effects on Upper Limb Kinematics Assessed by the REAplan Robot in Healthy Subjects Aged 3 to 93 Years.

PubMed

Gilliaux, Maxime; Lejeune, Thierry M; Sapin, Julien; Dehez, Bruno; Stoquart, Gaëtan; Detrembleur, Christine

2016-04-01

Kinematics is recommended for the quantitative assessment of upper limb movements. The aims of this study were to determine the age effects on upper limb kinematics and establish normative values in healthy subjects. Three hundred and seventy healthy subjects, aged 3-93 years, participated in the study. They performed two unidirectional and two geometrical tasks ten consecutive times with the REAplan, a distal effector robotic device that allows upper limb displacements in the horizontal plane. Twenty-six kinematic indices were computed for the four tasks. For the four tasks, nineteen of the computed kinematic indices showed an age effect. Seventeen indices (the accuracy, speed and smoothness indices and the reproducibility of the accuracy, speed and smoothness) improved in young subjects aged 3-30 years, showed stabilization in adults aged 30-60 years and declined in elderly subjects aged 60-93 years. Additionally, for both geometrical tasks, the speed index exhibited a decrease throughout life. Finally, a principal component analysis provided the relations between the kinematic indices, tasks and subjects' age. This study is the first to assess age effects on upper limb kinematics and establish normative values in subjects aged 3-93 years.

Quasi-relativistic electron precipitation due to interactions with coherent VLF waves in the magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, H. C.; Inan, U. S.

1983-01-01

The equations of motion for the cyclotron resonance interaction between coherent whistler mode waves and energetic particles are rederived with the inclusion of relativistic effects. The pitch angle scattering of the near-loss-cone quasi-relativistic electrons trapped in the magnetosphere is studied using a test particle method employing these relativistic equations, and the precipitated energy spectrum due to the wave-induced perturbations of a full distribution of particles is computed. Results show that the full width at half maximum peak width of the rms scattering pattern of the near-loss-cone particles would give an upper bound to the peak width of the associated precipitated energy spectrum under the conditions of moderate wave intensities in the low L shell region. In addition, it is found that the peak widths are within the upper limit values measured by recent satellite experiments. It is concluded that interactions of inner radiation belt particles with monochromatic waves could produce precipitated fluxes with relatively sharp spectral widths, and that therefore the L-dependent narrow peaks observed by low altitude satellite particle detectors could be caused by such interactions.

Evaluating the Sonic Layer Depth Relative to the Mixed Layer Depth

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-24

upper ocean to trap acoustic energy in a surface duct while MLD characterizes upper ocean mixing. The SLD is computed from temperature and salinity...and compared over the annual cycle. The SLD characterizes the potential of the upper ocean to trap acoustic energy in a surface duct while MLD...exists a tropical cyclone formation [e.g., Mao et al., 2000], to Minimum acoustic Cutoff Frequency (MCF) above which phytoplankton bloom critical depth

X-ray Survey of Centaurus A.

PubMed

Byram, E T; Chubb, T A; Friedman, H

1970-07-24

An x-ray survey of Centaurus A has given marginal evidence of its x-ray flux. If taken as an upper limit on inverse Compton x-rays generated by scattering interactions between relativistic electrons and cosmological background photons, the observation implies an upper limit of close to 3 degrees K for the background radiation temperature.

FRB180311: AstroSat CZTI upper limits and correction to FRB180301 upper limits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anumarlapudi, A.; Aarthy, E.; Arvind, B.; Bhalerao, V.; Bhattacharya, D.; Rao, A. R.; Vadawale, S.

2018-03-01

We carried out offline analysis of data from Astrosat CZTI in a 200 second window centred on the FRB 180311 (Parkes discovery - Oslowski, S. et al., ATEL #11396) trigger time, 2018-03-11 04:11:54.80 UTC, to look for any coincident hard X-ray flash.

CALET Upper Limits on X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Counterparts of GW151226

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adriani, O.; Akaike, Y.; Asano, K.; Asaoka, Y.; Bagliesi, M. G.; Bigongiari, G.; Binns, W. R.; Bonechi, S.; Bongi, M.; Brogi, P.; Buckley, J. H.; Cannady, N.; Castellini, G.; Checchia, C.; Cherry, M. L.; Collazuol, G.; Di Felice, V.; Ebisawa, K.; Fuke, H.; Guzik, T. G.; Hams, T.; Hareyama, M.; Hasebe, N.; Hibino, K.; Ichimura, M.; Ioka, K.; Ishizaki, W.; Israel, M. H.; Javaid, A.; Kasahara, K.; Kataoka, J.; Kataoka, R.; Katayose, Y.; Kato, C.; Kawanaka, N.; Kawakubo, Y.; Kitamura, H.; Krawczynski, H. S.; Krizmanic, J. F.; Kuramata, S.; Lomtadze, T.; Maestro, P.; Marrocchesi, P. S.; Messineo, A. M.; Mitchell, J. W.; Miyake, S.; Mizutani, K.; Moiseev, A. A.; Mori, K.; Mori, M.; Mori, N.; Motz, H. M.; Munakata, K.; Murakami, H.; Nakagawa, Y. E.; Nakahira, S.; Nishimura, J.; Okuno, S.; Ormes, J. F.; Ozawa, S.; Pacini, L.; Palma, F.; Papini, P.; Penacchioni, A. V.; Rauch, B. F.; Ricciarini, S.; Sakai, K.; Sakamoto, T.; Sasaki, M.; Shimizu, Y.; Shiomi, A.; Sparvoli, R.; Spillantini, P.; Stolzi, F.; Takahashi, I.; Takayanagi, M.; Takita, M.; Tamura, T.; Tateyama, N.; Terasawa, T.; Tomida, H.; Torii, S.; Tsunesada, Y.; Uchihori, Y.; Ueno, S.; Vannuccini, E.; Wefel, J. P.; Yamaoka, K.; Yanagita, S.; Yoshida, A.; Yoshida, K.; Yuda, T.

2016-09-01

We present upper limits in the hard X-ray and gamma-ray bands at the time of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) gravitational-wave event GW151226 derived from the CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) observation. The main instrument of CALET, CALorimeter (CAL), observes gamma-rays from ˜1 GeV up to 10 TeV with a field of view of ˜2 sr. The CALET gamma-ray burst monitor (CGBM) views ˜3 sr and ˜2π sr of the sky in the 7 keV-1 MeV and the 40 keV-20 MeV bands, respectively, by using two different scintillator-based instruments. The CGBM covered 32.5% and 49.1% of the GW151226 sky localization probability in the 7 keV-1 MeV and 40 keV-20 MeV bands respectively. We place a 90% upper limit of 2 × 10-7 erg cm-2 s-1 in the 1-100 GeV band where CAL reaches 15% of the integrated LIGO probability (˜1.1 sr). The CGBM 7σ upper limits are 1.0 × 10-6 erg cm-2 s-1 (7-500 keV) and 1.8 × 10-6 erg cm-2 s-1 (50-1000 keV) for a 1 s exposure. Those upper limits correspond to the luminosity of 3-5 × 1049 erg s-1, which is significantly lower than typical short GRBs.

Management of upper extremity dysfunction in people with Parkinson disease and Huntington disease: facilitating outcomes across the disease lifespan.

PubMed

Quinn, Lori; Busse, Monica; Dal Bello-Haas, Vanina

2013-01-01

Parkinson Disease (PD) and Huntington Disease (HD) are degenerative neurological diseases, which can result in impairments and activity limitations affecting the upper extremities from early in the disease process. The progressive nature of these diseases poses unique challenges for therapists aiming to effectively maximize physical functioning and minimize participation restrictions in these patient groups. Research is underway in both diseases to develop effective disease-modifying agents and pharmacological interventions, as well as mobility-focused rehabilitation protocols. Rehabilitation, and in particular task-specific interventions, has the potential to influence the upper extremity functional abilities of patients with these degenerative conditions. However to date, investigations of interventions specifically addressing upper extremity function have been limited in both PD, and in particular HD. In this paper, we provide an update of the known pathological features of PD and HD as they relate to upper extremity function. We further review the available literature on the use of outcome measures, and the clinical management of upper extremity function in both conditions. Due to the currently limited evidence base in both diseases, we recommend utilization of a clinical management framework specific for degenerative conditions that can serve as a guideline for disease management. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Young People's Computer Use: Implications for Health Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Leslie M.; Currie, Candace

2004-01-01

Increasing numbers of young people use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for education, work and leisure activities. Research on ICT and Upper Limb Disorders (ULDs) in adults has shown that functional impairment, pain and discomfort in the upper limbs, neck and shoulder increases with frequency and duration of exposure to computer…

Biomechanical loading on the upper extremity increases from single key tapping to directional tapping.

PubMed

Qin, Jin; Trudeau, Matthieu; Katz, Jeffrey N; Buchholz, Bryan; Dennerlein, Jack T

2011-08-01

Musculoskeletal disorders associated with computer use span the joints of the upper extremity. Computing typically involves tapping in multiple directions. Thus, we sought to describe the loading on the finger, wrist, elbow and shoulder joints in terms of kinematic and kinetic difference across single key switch tapping to directional tapping on multiple keys. An experiment with repeated measures design was conducted. Six subjects tapped with their right index finger on a stand-alone number keypad placed horizontally in three conditions: (1) on single key switch (the number key 5); (2) left and right on number key 4 and 6; (3) top and bottom on number key 8 and 2. A force-torque transducer underneath the keypad measured the fingertip force. An active-marker infrared motion analysis system measured the kinematics of the fingertip, hand, forearm, upper arm and torso. Joint moments for the metacarpophalangeal, wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints were estimated using inverse dynamics. Tapping in the top-bottom orientation introduced the largest biomechanical loading on the upper extremity especially for the proximal joint, followed by tapping in the left-right orientation, and the lowest loading was observed during single key switch tapping. Directional tapping on average increased the fingertip force, joint excursion, and peak-to-peak joint torque by 45%, 190% and 55%, respectively. Identifying the biomechanical loading patterns associated with these fundamental movements of keying improves the understanding of the risks of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders for computer keyboard users. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of morphing wing methodologies on an unmanned aerial system and a wind tunnel technology demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabor, Oliviu Sugar

To increase the aerodynamic efficiency of aircraft, in order to reduce the fuel consumption, a novel morphing wing concept has been developed. It consists in replacing a part of the wing upper and lower surfaces with a flexible skin whose shape can be modified using an actuation system placed inside the wing structure. Numerical studies in two and three dimensions were performed in order to determine the gains the morphing system achieves for the case of an Unmanned Aerial System and for a morphing technology demonstrator based on the wing tip of a transport aircraft. To obtain the optimal wing skin shapes in function of the flight condition, different global optimization algorithms were implemented, such as the Genetic Algorithm and the Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm. To reduce calculation times, a hybrid method was created by coupling the population-based algorithm with a fast, gradient-based local search method. Validations were performed with commercial state-of-the-art optimization tools and demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed methods. For accurately determining the aerodynamic characteristics of the morphing wing, two new methods were developed, a nonlinear lifting line method and a nonlinear vortex lattice method. Both use strip analysis of the span-wise wing section to account for the airfoil shape modifications induced by the flexible skin, and can provide accurate results for the wing drag coefficient. The methods do not require the generation of a complex mesh around the wing and are suitable for coupling with optimization algorithms due to the computational time several orders of magnitude smaller than traditional three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics methods. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional optimizations of the Unmanned Aerial System wing equipped with the morphing skin were performed, with the objective of improving its performances for an extended range of flight conditions. The chordwise positions of the internal actuators, the spanwise number of actuation stations as well as the displacement limits were established. The performance improvements obtained and the limitations of the morphing wing concept were studied. To verify the optimization results, high-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations were also performed, giving very accurate indications of the obtained gains. For the morphing model based on an aircraft wing tip, the skin shapes were optimized in order to control laminar flow on the upper surface. An automated structured mesh generation procedure was developed and implemented. To accurately capture the shape of the skin, a precision scanning procedure was done and its results were included in the numerical model. High-fidelity simulations were performed to determine the upper surface transition region and the numerical results were validated using experimental wind tunnel data.

Should Computing Be Taught in Single-Sex Environments? An Analysis of the Computing Learning Environment of Upper Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logan, Keri

2007-01-01

It has been well established in the literature that girls are turning their backs on computing courses at all levels of the education system. One reason given for this is that the computer learning environment is not conducive to girls, and it is often suggested that they would benefit from learning computing in a single-sex environment. The…

Application of a symbolic motion structure representation algorithm to identify upper extremity kinematic changes during a repetitive task.

PubMed

Whittaker, Rachel L; Park, Woojin; Dickerson, Clark R

2018-04-27

Efficient and holistic identification of fatigue-induced movement strategies can be limited by large between-subject variability in descriptors of joint angle data. One promising alternative to traditional, or computationally intensive methods is the symbolic motion structure representation algorithm (SMSR), which identifies the basic spatial-temporal structure of joint angle data using string descriptors of temporal joint angle trajectories. This study attempted to use the SMSR to identify changes in upper extremity time series joint angle data during a repetitive goal directed task causing muscle fatigue. Twenty-eight participants (15 M, 13 F) performed a seated repetitive task until fatigued. Upper extremity joint angles were extracted from motion capture for representative task cycles. SMSRs, averages and ranges of several joint angles were compared at the start and end of the repetitive task to identify kinematic changes with fatigue. At the group level, significant increases in the range of all joint angle data existed with large between-subject variability that posed a challenge to the interpretation of these fatigue-related changes. However, changes in the SMSRs across participants effectively summarized the adoption of adaptive movement strategies. This establishes SMSR as a viable, logical, and sensitive method of fatigue identification via kinematic changes, with novel application and pragmatism for visual assessment of fatigue development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validity of the modified RULA for computer workers and reliability of one observation compared to six.

PubMed

Levanon, Yafa; Lerman, Yehuda; Gefen, Amit; Ratzon, Navah Z

2014-01-01

Awkward body posture while typing is associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Valid rapid assessment of computer workers' body posture is essential for the prevention of MSD among this large population. This study aimed to examine the validity of the modified rapid upper limb assessment (mRULA) which adjusted the rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) for computer workers. Moreover, this study examines whether one observation during a working day is sufficient or more observations are needed. A total of 29 right-handed computer workers were recruited. RULA and mRULA were conducted. The observations were then repeated six times at one-hour intervals. A significant moderate correlation (r = 0.6 and r = 0.7 for mouse and keyboard, respectively) was found between the assessments. No significant differences were found between one observation and six observations per working day. The mRULA was found to be valid for the assessment of computer workers, and one observation was sufficient to assess the work-related risk factor.

Computer vision-based classification of hand grip variations in neurorehabilitation.

PubMed

Zariffa, José; Steeves, John D

2011-01-01

The complexity of hand function is such that most existing upper limb rehabilitation robotic devices use only simplified hand interfaces. This is in contrast to the importance of the hand in regaining function after neurological injury. Computer vision technology has been used to identify hand posture in the field of Human Computer Interaction, but this approach has not been translated to the rehabilitation context. We describe a computer vision-based classifier that can be used to discriminate rehabilitation-relevant hand postures, and could be integrated into a virtual reality-based upper limb rehabilitation system. The proposed system was tested on a set of video recordings from able-bodied individuals performing cylindrical grasps, lateral key grips, and tip-to-tip pinches. The overall classification success rate was 91.2%, and was above 98% for 6 out of the 10 subjects. © 2011 IEEE

Estimating ground-water exchange with lakes using water-budget and chemical mass-balance approaches for ten lakes in ridge areas of Polk and Highlands counties, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sacks, L.A.; Swancar, Amy; Lee, T.M.

1998-01-01

Water budget and chemical mass-balance approaches were used to estimate ground-water exchange with 10 lakes in ridge areas of Polk and Highlands Counties, Florida. At each lake, heads were monitored in the surficial aquifer system and deeper Upper Floridan aquifer, lake stage and rainfall were measured continuously, and lakes and wells were sampled three times between October 1995 and December 1996. The water-budget approach computes net ground-water flow (ground-water inflow minus outflow) as the residual of the monthly waterbudget equation. Net ground-water flow varied seasonally at each of the 10 lakes, and was notably different between lakes, illustrating short-term differences in ground-water fluxes. Monthly patterns in net ground-water flow were related to monthly patterns of other hydrologic variables such as rainfall, ground-water flow patterns, and head differences between the lake and the Upper Floridan aquifer. The chemical mass-balance approach combines the water budget and solute or isotope mass-balance equations, and assumes steady-state conditions. Naturally occurring tracers that were analyzed for include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and bromide, the isotopes deuterium and oxygen-18. Chloride and sodium were the most successful solute tracers; however, their concentrations in ground water typically varied spatially, and in places were similar to that in lake water, limiting their sensitivity as tracers. In contrast, the isotopes were more robust tracers because the isotopic composition of ground water was relatively uniform and was distinctly different from the lake water. Groundwater inflow computed using the chemical massbalance method varied significantly between lakes, and ranged from less than 10 to more than 150 inches per year. Both water-budget and chemical mass-balance approaches had limitations, but the multiple lines of evidence gained using both approaches improved the understanding of the role of ground water in the water budget of the lakes.

Enstrophy-based proper orthogonal decomposition of flow past rotating cylinder at super-critical rotating rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengupta, Tapan K.; Gullapalli, Atchyut

2016-11-01

Spinning cylinder rotating about its axis experiences a transverse force/lift, an account of this basic aerodynamic phenomenon is known as the Robins-Magnus effect in text books. Prandtl studied this flow by an inviscid irrotational model and postulated an upper limit of the lift experienced by the cylinder for a critical rotation rate. This non-dimensional rate is the ratio of oncoming free stream speed and the surface speed due to rotation. Prandtl predicted a maximum lift coefficient as CLmax = 4π for the critical rotation rate of two. In recent times, evidences show the violation of this upper limit, as in the experiments of Tokumaru and Dimotakis ["The lift of a cylinder executing rotary motions in a uniform flow," J. Fluid Mech. 255, 1-10 (1993)] and in the computed solution in Sengupta et al. ["Temporal flow instability for Magnus-robins effect at high rotation rates," J. Fluids Struct. 17, 941-953 (2003)]. In the latter reference, this was explained as the temporal instability affecting the flow at higher Reynolds number and rotation rates (>2). Here, we analyze the flow past a rotating cylinder at a super-critical rotation rate (=2.5) by the enstrophy-based proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of direct simulation results. POD identifies the most energetic modes and helps flow field reconstruction by reduced number of modes. One of the motivations for the present study is to explain the shedding of puffs of vortices at low Reynolds number (Re = 60), for the high rotation rate, due to an instability originating in the vicinity of the cylinder, using the computed Navier-Stokes equation (NSE) from t = 0 to t = 300 following an impulsive start. This instability is also explained through the disturbance mechanical energy equation, which has been established earlier in Sengupta et al. ["Temporal flow instability for Magnus-robins effect at high rotation rates," J. Fluids Struct. 17, 941-953 (2003)].

Quantitative computed tomography measurements of emphysema for diagnosing asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome

PubMed Central

Xie, Mengshuang; Wang, Wei; Dou, Shuang; Cui, Liwei; Xiao, Wei

2016-01-01

Background The diagnostic criteria of asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) are controversial. Emphysema is characteristic of COPD and usually does not exist in typical asthma patients. Emphysema in patients with asthma suggests the coexistence of COPD. Quantitative computed tomography (CT) allows repeated evaluation of emphysema noninvasively. We investigated the value of quantitative CT measurements of emphysema in the diagnosis of ACOS. Methods This study included 404 participants; 151 asthma patients, 125 COPD patients, and 128 normal control subjects. All the participants underwent pulmonary function tests and a high-resolution CT scan. Emphysema measurements were taken with an Airway Inspector software. The asthma patients were divided into high and low emphysema index (EI) groups based on the percentage of low attenuation areas less than −950 Hounsfield units. The characteristics of asthma patients with high EI were compared with those having low EI or COPD. Results The normal value of percentage of low attenuation areas less than −950 Hounsfield units in Chinese aged >40 years was 2.79%±2.37%. COPD patients indicated more severe emphysema and more upper-zone-predominant distribution of emphysema than asthma patients or controls. Thirty-two (21.2%) of the 151 asthma patients had high EI. Compared with asthma patients with low EI, those with high EI were significantly older, more likely to be male, had more pack-years of smoking, had more upper-zone-predominant distribution of emphysema, and had greater airflow limitation. There were no significant differences in sex ratios, pack-years of smoking, airflow limitation, or emphysema distribution between asthma patients with high EI and COPD patients. A greater number of acute exacerbations were seen in asthma patients with high EI compared with those with low EI or COPD. Conclusion Asthma patients with high EI fulfill the features of ACOS, as described in the Global Initiative for Asthma and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines. Quantitative CT measurements of emphysema may help in diagnosing ACOS. PMID:27226711

Prevalence of Apical Periodontitis in Endodontically Treated Premolars and Molars with Untreated Canal: A Cone-beam Computed Tomography Study.

PubMed

Karabucak, Bekir; Bunes, Alf; Chehoud, Christel; Kohli, Meetu R; Setzer, Frank

2016-04-01

The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the incidence of missed canals in endodontically treated teeth in the Greater Philadelphia area patient population and to evaluate the effect of untreated canals on endodontic outcome. A total of 1397 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) volumes taken from January 2013 to July 2015 were investigated. Limited view CBCT images were taken with Kodak 9000 3D System field of view at voxel size, 76 μm or Morita Veraviewpocs 3D F40 field of view at voxel size, 125 μm. All root canal-treated premolars and molars were included in the study. Unfilled canals appearing from cementoenamel junction to apex including splitting from a main canal at coronal, mid, or apical third were defined as missed-untreated canal. A periapical lesion was diagnosed when disruption of the lamina dura was detected and the low density area associated with the radiographic apex was at least twice the width of the periodontal ligament space. The overall incidence of missed canals was 23.04%. The incidence of missed canals per tooth was highest in tooth #14 at 46.5% and tooth #3 at 41.3%. The incidence of missed canals was highest in the upper molars at 40.1% and lowest in the upper premolars at 9.5%. There was a significant difference in lesion prevalence when a canal was missed-untreated (P < .05). Teeth with a missed canal were 4.38 times more likely to be associated with a lesion. Limited field-of-view CBCT should be examined before any endodontic retreatment to identify missed canals. This knowledge would not only help clinicians to locate missed canals clinically but would also help in deciding the surgical approach. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SENSITIVITY OF NORMAL THEORY METHODS TO MODEL MISSPECIFICATION IN THE CALCULATION OF UPPER CONFIDENCE LIMITS ON THE RISK FUNCTION FOR CONTINUOUS RESPONSES. (R825385)

EPA Science Inventory

Normal theory procedures for calculating upper confidence limits (UCL) on the risk function for continuous responses work well when the data come from a normal distribution. However, if the data come from an alternative distribution, the application of the normal theory procedure...

Search for Very High-energy Gamma Rays from the Northern Fermi Bubble Region with HAWC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abeysekara, A. U.; Albert, A.; Alfaro, R.; Alvarez, C.; Álvarez, J. D.; Arceo, R.; Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.; Ayala Solares, H. A.; Barber, A. S.; Bautista-Elivar, N.; Becerril, A.; Belmont-Moreno, E.; BenZvi, S. Y.; Berley, D.; Braun, J.; Brisbois, C.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Capistrán, T.; Carramiñana, A.; Casanova, S.; Castillo, M.; Cotti, U.; Cotzomi, J.; Coutiño de León, S.; De León, C.; De la Fuente, E.; Diaz Hernandez, R.; Dingus, B. L.; DuVernois, M. A.; Díaz-Vélez, J. C.; Ellsworth, R. W.; Engel, K.; Fick, B.; Fiorino, D. W.; Fleischhack, H.; Fraija, N.; García-González, J. A.; Garfias, F.; Gerhardt, M.; González Muñoz, A.; González, M. M.; Goodman, J. A.; Hampel-Arias, Z.; Harding, J. P.; Hernandez, S.; Hernandez-Almada, A.; Hinton, J.; Hona, B.; Hui, C. M.; Hüntemeyer, P.; Iriarte, A.; Jardin-Blicq, A.; Joshi, V.; Kaufmann, S.; Kieda, D.; Lara, A.; Lauer, R. J.; Lee, W. H.; Lennarz, D.; León Vargas, H.; Linnemann, J. T.; Longinotti, A. L.; Raya, G. Luis; Luna-García, R.; López-Coto, R.; Malone, K.; Marinelli, S. S.; Martinez, O.; Martinez-Castellanos, I.; Martínez-Castro, J.; Martínez-Huerta, H.; Matthews, J. A.; Miranda-Romagnoli, P.; Moreno, E.; Mostafá, M.; Nellen, L.; Newbold, M.; Nisa, M. U.; Noriega-Papaqui, R.; Pelayo, R.; Pretz, J.; Pérez-Pérez, E. G.; Ren, Z.; Rho, C. D.; Rivière, C.; Rosa-González, D.; Rosenberg, M.; Ruiz-Velasco, E.; Salazar, H.; Salesa Greus, F.; Sandoval, A.; Schneider, M.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Sinnis, G.; Smith, A. J.; Springer, R. W.; Surajbali, P.; Taboada, I.; Tibolla, O.; Tollefson, K.; Torres, I.; Ukwatta, T. N.; Vianello, G.; Weisgarber, T.; Westerhoff, S.; Wisher, I. G.; Wood, J.; Yapici, T.; Yodh, G. B.; Zepeda, A.; Zhou, H.

2017-06-01

We present a search for very high-energy gamma-ray emission from the Northern Fermi Bubble region using data collected with the High Altitude Water Cherenkov gamma-ray observatory. The size of the data set is 290 days. No significant excess is observed in the Northern Fermi Bubble region, so upper limits above 1 TeV are calculated. The upper limits are between 3× {10}-7 {GeV} {{cm}}-2 {{{s}}}-1 {{sr}}-1 and 4× {10}-8 {GeV} {{cm}}-2 {{{s}}}-1 {{sr}}-1. The upper limits disfavor a proton injection spectrum that extends beyond 100 TeV without being suppressed. They also disfavor a hadronic injection spectrum derived from neutrino measurements.

Computational Precision of Mental Inference as Critical Source of Human Choice Suboptimality.

PubMed

Drugowitsch, Jan; Wyart, Valentin; Devauchelle, Anne-Dominique; Koechlin, Etienne

2016-12-21

Making decisions in uncertain environments often requires combining multiple pieces of ambiguous information from external cues. In such conditions, human choices resemble optimal Bayesian inference, but typically show a large suboptimal variability whose origin remains poorly understood. In particular, this choice suboptimality might arise from imperfections in mental inference rather than in peripheral stages, such as sensory processing and response selection. Here, we dissociate these three sources of suboptimality in human choices based on combining multiple ambiguous cues. Using a novel quantitative approach for identifying the origin and structure of choice variability, we show that imperfections in inference alone cause a dominant fraction of suboptimal choices. Furthermore, two-thirds of this suboptimality appear to derive from the limited precision of neural computations implementing inference rather than from systematic deviations from Bayes-optimal inference. These findings set an upper bound on the accuracy and ultimate predictability of human choices in uncertain environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interactive FORTRAN IV computer programs for the thermodynamic and transport properties of selected cryogens (fluids pack)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccarty, R. D.

1980-01-01

The thermodynamic and transport properties of selected cryogens had programmed into a series of computer routines. Input variables are any two of P, rho or T in the single phase regions and either P or T for the saturated liquid or vapor state. The output is pressure, density, temperature, entropy, enthalpy for all of the fluids and in most cases specific heat capacity and speed of sound. Viscosity and thermal conductivity are also given for most of the fluids. The programs are designed for access by remote terminal; however, they have been written in a modular form to allow the user to select either specific fluids or specific properties for particular needs. The program includes properties for hydrogen, helium, neon, nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and methane. The programs include properties for gaseous and liquid states usually from the triple point to some upper limit of pressure and temperature which varies from fluid to fluid.

Age Effects on Upper Limb Kinematics Assessed by the REAplan Robot in Healthy School-Aged Children.

PubMed

Gilliaux, Maxime; Dierckx, Floriane; Vanden Berghe, Lola; Lejeune, Thierry M; Sapin, Julien; Dehez, Bruno; Stoquart, Gaëtan; Detrembleur, Christine

2015-05-01

The use of kinematics is recommended to quantitatively evaluate upper limb movements. The aims of this study were to determine the age effects on upper limb kinematics and establish norms in healthy children. Ninety-three healthy children, aged 3-12 years, participated in this study. Twenty-eight kinematic indices were computed from four tasks. Each task was performed with the REAplan, a distal effector robotic device that allows upper limb displacements in the horizontal plane. Twenty-four of the 28 indices showed an improvement during childhood. Indeed, older children showed better upper limb movements. This study was the first to use a robotic device to show the age effects on upper limb kinematics and establish norms in healthy children.

Gender Differences: An Examination of Computer-Mediated Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Mona Y.

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is a pervasive means of communicating in work place, education, and home settings. Males currently occupy approximately 69% of all jobs in the computer industry and only 10% of upper-level positions are occupied by females. Stereotypical perceptions and gendered occupations contribute to the lack of females in…

Computation of Chemical Shifts for Paramagnetic Molecules: A Laboratory Experiment for the Undergraduate Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, Benjamin P.; Simpson, Scott; Zurek, Eva; Autschbach, Jochen

2014-01-01

A computational experiment investigating the [superscript 1]H and [superscript 13]C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of molecules with unpaired electrons has been developed and implemented. This experiment is appropriate for an upper-level undergraduate laboratory course in computational, physical, or inorganic chemistry. The…

Singapore Math: Place Value, Computation & Number Sense. [CD-ROM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Sandra

2008-01-01

"Singapore Math: Place Value, Computation & Number Sense" is a six-part presentation on CD-ROM that can be used by individual teachers or an entire school. The author takes primary to upper elementary grade teachers through place value skills with each of the computational operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. She gives…

Development Of A Navier-Stokes Computer Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoon, Seokkwan; Kwak, Dochan

1993-01-01

Report discusses aspects of development of CENS3D computer code, solving three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations of compressible, viscous, unsteady flow. Implements implicit finite-difference or finite-volume numerical-integration scheme, called "lower-upper symmetric-Gauss-Seidel" (LU-SGS), offering potential for very low computer time per iteration and for fast convergence.

The Computer, the Discipline and the Classroom: Two Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurber, Bart; Pope, Jack

The authors present two case studies in the use of computers in the classroom, one involving an introductory computer science class, the other an upper division literature class. After describing each case, the differences are discussed, showing that pedagogical models developed for one discipline may not transfer to another, and that the…

Ecological traps in shallow coastal waters-Potential effect of heat-waves in tropical and temperate organisms.

PubMed

Vinagre, Catarina; Mendonça, Vanessa; Cereja, Rui; Abreu-Afonso, Francisca; Dias, Marta; Mizrahi, Damián; Flores, Augusto A V

2018-01-01

Mortality of fish has been reported in tide pools during warm days. That means that tide pools are potential ecological traps for coastal organisms, which happen when environmental changes cause maladaptive habitat selection. Heat-waves are predicted to increase in intensity, duration and frequency, making it relevant to investigate the role of tide pools as traps for coastal organisms. However, heat waves can also lead to acclimatization. If organisms undergo acclimatization prior to being trapped in tide pools, their survival chances may increase. Common tide pool species (46 species in total) were collected at a tropical and a temperate area and their upper thermal limits estimated. They were maintained for 10 days at their mean summer sea surface temperature +3°C, mimicking a heat-wave. Their upper thermal limits were estimated again, after this acclimation period, to calculate each species' acclimation response. The upper thermal limits of the organisms were compared to the temperatures attained by tide pool waters to investigate if 1) tide pools could be considered ecological traps and 2) if the increase in upper thermal limits elicited by the acclimation period could make the organisms less vulnerable to this threat. Tropical tide pools were found to be ecological traps for an important number of common coastal species, given that they can attain temperatures higher than the upper thermal limits of most of those species. Tide pools are not ecological traps in temperate zones. Tropical species have higher thermal limits than temperate species, but lower acclimation response, that does not allow them to survive the maximum habitat temperature of tropical tide pools. This way, tropical coastal organisms seem to be, not only more vulnerable to climate warming per se, but also to an increase in the ecological trap effect of tide pools.

Searches for continuous gravitational waves from Scorpius X-1 and XTE J1751-305 in LIGO's sixth science run

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meadors, G. D.; Goetz, E.; Riles, K.; Creighton, T.; Robinet, F.

2017-02-01

Scorpius X-1 (Sco X-1) and x-ray transient XTE J1751-305 are low-mass x-ray binaries (LMXBs) that may emit continuous gravitational waves detectable in the band of ground-based interferometric observatories. Neutron stars in LMXBs could reach a torque-balance steady-state equilibrium in which angular momentum addition from infalling matter from the binary companion is balanced by angular momentum loss, conceivably due to gravitational-wave emission. Torque balance predicts a scale for detectable gravitational-wave strain based on observed x-ray flux. This paper describes a search for Sco X-1 and XTE J1751-305 in LIGO science run 6 data using the TwoSpect algorithm, based on searching for orbital modulations in the frequency domain. While no detections are claimed, upper limits on continuous gravitational-wave emission from Sco X-1 are obtained, spanning gravitational-wave frequencies from 40 to 2040 Hz and projected semimajor axes from 0.90 to 1.98 light-seconds. These upper limits are injection validated, equal any previous set in initial LIGO data, and extend over a broader parameter range. At optimal strain sensitivity, achieved at 165 Hz, the 95% confidence level random-polarization upper limit on dimensionless strain h0 is approximately 1.8 ×10-24. The closest approach to the torque-balance limit, within a factor of 27, is also at 165 Hz. Upper limits are set in particular narrow frequency bands of interest for J1751-305. These are the first upper limits known to date on r -mode emission from this XTE source. The TwoSpect method will be used in upcoming searches of Advanced LIGO and Virgo data.

Upper temperature limits of tropical marine ectotherms: global warming implications.

PubMed

Nguyen, Khanh Dung T; Morley, Simon A; Lai, Chien-Houng; Clark, Melody S; Tan, Koh Siang; Bates, Amanda E; Peck, Lloyd S

2011-01-01

Animal physiology, ecology and evolution are affected by temperature and it is expected that community structure will be strongly influenced by global warming. This is particularly relevant in the tropics, where organisms are already living close to their upper temperature limits and hence are highly vulnerable to rising temperature. Here we present data on upper temperature limits of 34 tropical marine ectotherm species from seven phyla living in intertidal and subtidal habitats. Short term thermal tolerances and vertical distributions were correlated, i.e., upper shore animals have higher thermal tolerance than lower shore and subtidal animals; however, animals, despite their respective tidal height, were susceptible to the same temperature in the long term. When temperatures were raised by 1°C hour(-1), the upper lethal temperature range of intertidal ectotherms was 41-52°C, but this range was narrower and reduced to 37-41°C in subtidal animals. The rate of temperature change, however, affected intertidal and subtidal animals differently. In chronic heating experiments when temperature was raised weekly or monthly instead of every hour, upper temperature limits of subtidal species decreased from 40°C to 35.4°C, while the decrease was more than 10°C in high shore organisms. Hence in the long term, activity and survival of tropical marine organisms could be compromised just 2-3°C above present seawater temperatures. Differences between animals from environments that experience different levels of temperature variability suggest that the physiological mechanisms underlying thermal sensitivity may vary at different rates of warming.

Microwave boundary conditions on the atmosphere and clouds of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossow, W. B.; Sagan, C.

1975-01-01

The dielectric properties of H2O/H2SO4 mixtures are deduced from the Debye equations and, for a well-mixed atmosphere, the structure of H2O and H2O/H2SO4 clouds is calculated. Various data on the planet together set an upper limit on the mixing ratio by number for H2O of about 0.001 in the lower Venus atmosphere, and for H2SO4 of about 0.00001. The polarization value of the real part of the refractive index of the clouds, the spectroscopic limits on the abundance of water vapor above the clouds, and the microwave data together set corresponding upper limits on H2O of approximately 0.0002 and on H2SO4 of approximately 0.000009. Upper limits on the surface density of total cloud constituents and of cloud liquid water are, respectively, about 0.1 g/sq cm and about 0.01 g/sq cm. The infrared opacities of 90 bars of CO2, together with the derived upper limits to the amounts of water vapor and liquid H2O/H2SO4, may be sufficient to explain the high surface temperatures through the greenhouse effect.

Physiological responses to short-term thermal stress in mayfly (Neocloeon triangulifer) larvae in relation to upper thermal limits.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoung Sun; Chou, Hsuan; Funk, David H; Jackson, John K; Sweeney, Bernard W; Buchwalter, David B

2017-07-15

Understanding species' thermal limits and their physiological determinants is critical in light of climate change and other human activities that warm freshwater ecosystems. Here, we ask whether oxygen limitation determines the chronic upper thermal limits in larvae of the mayfly Neocloeon triangulifer , an emerging model for ecological and physiological studies. Our experiments are based on a robust understanding of the upper acute (∼40°C) and chronic thermal limits of this species (>28°C, ≤30°C) derived from full life cycle rearing experiments across temperatures. We tested two related predictions derived from the hypothesis that oxygen limitation sets the chronic upper thermal limits: (1) aerobic scope declines in mayfly larvae as they approach and exceed temperatures that are chronically lethal to larvae; and (2) genes indicative of hypoxia challenge are also responsive in larvae exposed to ecologically relevant thermal limits. Neither prediction held true. We estimated aerobic scope by subtracting measurements of standard oxygen consumption rates from measurements of maximum oxygen consumption rates, the latter of which was obtained by treating with the metabolic uncoupling agent carbonyl cyanide-4-(trifluoromethoxy) pheylhydrazone (FCCP). Aerobic scope was similar in larvae held below and above chronic thermal limits. Genes indicative of oxygen limitation (LDH, EGL-9) were only upregulated under hypoxia or during exposure to temperatures beyond the chronic (and more ecologically relevant) thermal limits of this species (LDH). Our results suggest that the chronic thermal limits of this species are likely not driven by oxygen limitation, but rather are determined by other factors, e.g. bioenergetics costs. We caution against the use of short-term thermal ramping approaches to estimate critical thermal limits (CT max ) in aquatic insects because those temperatures are typically higher than those that occur in nature. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Decadal prediction skill in the ocean with surface nudging in the IPSL-CM5A-LR climate model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mignot, Juliette; García-Serrano, Javier; Swingedouw, Didier; Germe, Agathe; Nguyen, Sébastien; Ortega, Pablo; Guilyardi, Eric; Ray, Sulagna

2016-08-01

Two decadal prediction ensembles, based on the same climate model (IPSL-CM5A-LR) and the same surface nudging initialization strategy are analyzed and compared with a focus on upper-ocean variables in different regions of the globe. One ensemble consists of 3-member hindcasts launched every year since 1961 while the other ensemble benefits from 9 members but with start dates only every 5 years. Analysis includes anomaly correlation coefficients and root mean square errors computed against several reanalysis and gridded observational fields, as well as against the nudged simulation used to produce the hindcasts initial conditions. The last skill measure gives an upper limit of the predictability horizon one can expect in the forecast system, while the comparison with different datasets highlights uncertainty when assessing the actual skill. Results provide a potential prediction skill (verification against the nudged simulation) beyond the linear trend of the order of 10 years ahead at the global scale, but essentially associated with non-linear radiative forcings, in particular from volcanoes. At regional scale, we obtain 1 year in the tropical band, 10 years at midlatitudes in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, and 5 years at tropical latitudes in the North Atlantic, for both sea surface temperature (SST) and upper-ocean heat content. Actual prediction skill (verified against observational or reanalysis data) is overall more limited and less robust. Even so, large actual skill is found in the extratropical North Atlantic for SST and in the tropical to subtropical North Pacific for upper-ocean heat content. Results are analyzed with respect to the specific dynamics of the model and the way it is influenced by the nudging. The interplay between initialization and internal modes of variability is also analyzed for sea surface salinity. The study illustrates the importance of two key ingredients both necessary for the success of future coordinated decadal prediction exercises, a high frequency of start dates is needed to achieve robust statistical significance, and a large ensemble size is required to increase the signal to noise ratio.

The effectiveness of manual therapy for the management of musculoskeletal disorders of the upper and lower extremities: a systematic review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration.

PubMed

Southerst, Danielle; Yu, Hainan; Randhawa, Kristi; Côté, Pierre; D'Angelo, Kevin; Shearer, Heather M; Wong, Jessica J; Sutton, Deborah; Varatharajan, Sharanya; Goldgrub, Rachel; Dion, Sarah; Cox, Jocelyn; Menta, Roger; Brown, Courtney K; Stern, Paula J; Stupar, Maja; Carroll, Linda J; Taylor-Vaisey, Anne

2015-01-01

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of the upper and lower extremities are common in the general population and place a significant burden on the health care system. Manual therapy is recommended by clinical practice guidelines for the management of these injuries; however, there is limited evidence to support its effectiveness. The purpose of our review was to investigate the effectiveness of manual therapy in adults or children with MSDs of the upper or lower extremity. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, and case-control studies evaluating the effectiveness of manual therapy were eligible. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from 1990 to 2015. Paired reviewers screened studies for relevance and critically appraised relevant studies using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria. Studies with low risk of bias were synthesized following best-evidence synthesis principles. Where available, we computed mean changes between groups, relative risks and 95 % CI. We screened 6047 articles. Seven RCTs were critically appraised and three had low risk of bias. For adults with nonspecific shoulder pain of variable duration, cervicothoracic spinal manipulation and mobilization in addition to usual care may improve self-perceived recovery compared to usual care alone. For adults with subacromial impingement syndrome of variable duration, neck mobilization in addition to a multimodal shoulder program of care provides no added benefit. Finally, for adults with grade I-II ankle sprains of variable duration, lower extremity mobilization in addition to home exercise and advice provides greater short-term improvements in activities and function over home exercise and advice alone. No studies were included that evaluated the effectiveness of manual therapy in children or for the management of other extremity injuries in adults. The current evidence on the effectiveness of manual therapy for MSDs of the upper and lower extremities is limited. The available evidence supports the use of manual therapy for non-specific shoulder pain and ankle sprains, but not for subacromial impingement syndrome in adults. Future research is needed to determine the effectiveness of manual therapy and guide clinical practice. CRD42014009899.

Effects of hypoxia and ocean acidification on the upper thermal niche boundaries of coral reef fishes.

PubMed

Ern, Rasmus; Johansen, Jacob L; Rummer, Jodie L; Esbaugh, Andrew J

2017-07-01

Rising ocean temperatures are predicted to cause a poleward shift in the distribution of marine fishes occupying the extent of latitudes tolerable within their thermal range boundaries. A prevailing theory suggests that the upper thermal limits of fishes are constrained by hypoxia and ocean acidification. However, some eurythermal fish species do not conform to this theory, and maintain their upper thermal limits in hypoxia. Here we determine if the same is true for stenothermal species. In three coral reef fish species we tested the effect of hypoxia on upper thermal limits, measured as critical thermal maximum (CT max ). In one of these species we also quantified the effect of hypoxia on oxygen supply capacity, measured as aerobic scope (AS). In this species we also tested the effect of elevated CO 2 (simulated ocean acidification) on the hypoxia sensitivity of CT max We found that CT max was unaffected by progressive hypoxia down to approximately 35 mmHg, despite a substantial hypoxia-induced reduction in AS. Below approximately 35 mmHg, CT max declined sharply with water oxygen tension ( P w O 2 ). Furthermore, the hypoxia sensitivity of CT max was unaffected by elevated CO 2 Our findings show that moderate hypoxia and ocean acidification do not constrain the upper thermal limits of these tropical, stenothermal fishes. © 2017 The Author(s).

Multivariate Lipschitz optimization: Survey and computational comparison

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, P.; Gourdin, E.; Jaumard, B.

1994-12-31

Many methods have been proposed to minimize a multivariate Lipschitz function on a box. They pertain the three approaches: (i) reduction to the univariate case by projection (Pijavskii) or by using a space-filling curve (Strongin); (ii) construction and refinement of a single upper bounding function (Pijavskii, Mladineo, Mayne and Polak, Jaumard Hermann and Ribault, Wood...); (iii) branch and bound with local upper bounding functions (Galperin, Pint{acute e}r, Meewella and Mayne, the present authors). A survey is made, stressing similarities of algorithms, expressed when possible within a unified framework. Moreover, an extensive computational comparison is reported on.

The Limits of Human Stereopsis in Space and Time

PubMed Central

Kane, David; Guan, Phillip

2014-01-01

To encode binocular disparity, the visual system determines the image patches in one eye that yield the highest correlation with patches in the other eye. The computation of interocular correlation occurs after spatiotemporal filtering of monocular signals, which leads to restrictions on disparity variations that can support depth perception. We quantified those restrictions by measuring humans' ability to see disparity variation at a wide range of spatial and temporal frequencies. Lower-disparity thresholds cut off at very low spatiotemporal frequencies, which is consistent with the behavior of V1 neurons. Those thresholds are space–time separable, suggesting that the underlying neural mechanisms are separable. We also found that upper-disparity limits were characterized by a spatiotemporal, disparity-gradient limit; to be visible, disparity variation cannot exceed a fixed amount for a given interval in space–time. Our results illustrate that the disparity variations that humans can see are very restricted compared with the corresponding luminance variations. The results also provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying depth from disparity, such as why stimuli with long interocular delays can still yield clear depth percepts. PMID:24453329

An upper limit on interstellar C IV in the spectrum of gamma-2 Velorum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lengyel-Frey, D.; Stecher, T. P.; West, D. K.

1975-01-01

An upper limit on the column density of C IV along the line of sight to gamma-2 Vel is derived from upper limits placed on the equivalent widths of the interstellar C IV doublet with rest wavelengths at 1548.20 A and 1550.77 A. A lower limit of 250,000 K is calculated for the electron temperature of O VI emitting regions by combining the C IV results with a measurement of the column density of interstellar O VI for the same star and using calculations for the relative ionization of some abundant elements as a function of electron temperature in a low-density plasma. Since gamma-2 Vel is in the central part of the Gum Nebula, the high temperature suggested by these results is shown to support the idea that a high-temperature phase of the interstellar medium, possibly maintained by supernova explosions, may exist.-

Intrinsic Magnetic Properties of the Lunar Body

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Behannon, Kenneth W.

1968-01-01

Preliminary analysis of magnetic measurements by Explorer 35 in lunar orbit suggested an upper limit of 4 x 10(exp 20) gauss-cm3 for the magnetic moment of the moon. A more detailed analysis of a larger body of Explorer 35 data from measurements in the earth's magnetic tail has subsequently been performed. Reversal of the ambient tail field by 180deg when the moon and spacecraft traverse the neutral sheet permits a separation of permanent and induced field contributions to the total field observed near the moon. When compared to calculated permanent and induced field effects, the results of this analysis lead to new upper limits of 102' gauss-cm3 on the lunar magnetic moment and 4y on the lunar surface field. Limiting the moment induced in the moon by the magnetotail field permits an upper limit of 1.8 to be set on the bulk relative magnetic permeability of the moon.

Upper Grades Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornburg, David; Beane, Pam

1983-01-01

Presents programming ideas using LOGO, activity for converting flowchart into a computer program, and a Pascal program for generating music using paddles. Includes the article "Helping Computers Adapt to Kids" by Philip Nothnagle; a program for estimating length of lines is included. (JN)

77 FR 40828 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-11

... certain main landing gear (MLG) upper torque link bolts is reduced significantly due to incorrect fabrication. This proposed AD would require replacing certain MLG upper torque link bolts with a new or... safe life limit on certain MLG upper torque link bolts is reduced significantly due to incorrect...

Limit on possible narrow rings around Jupiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, E.; Elliot, J. L.; Mink, D.; Klemola, A. R.

1982-01-01

An upper limit to the optical depth of the Jovian ring at high spatial resolution, determined from stellar occultation data, is reported. The spatial resolution of the observation is limited to about 13 km in Jupiter's equatorial plane by the projection of the Fresnel zone on the equatorial plane in the radial direction. At this resolution, the normal optical depth limit is about 0.008. This limit applies to a strip in the Jovian equatorial plane that crosses the orbits of Amalthea, 1979J1, 1979J3, and the ring. An upper limit on the number density of kilometer-size boulders has been set at one per 11.000 sq km in the equatorial plane.

COMPOSITIONAL LANDSCAPE METRICS AND LANDCOVER CONNECTIVITY MEASURES FOR THE SUB-WATERSHEDS OF THE UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER 1997

EPA Science Inventory

Various compositional landscape metrics and landcover connectivity measures for the sub-watersheds of the Upper San Pedro River. Metrics were computed using the ATtILA v.3.03 ArcView extension. Inputs included the sub-watershed coverage obtained from the USDA-ARS-SWRC in Tucson,...

Computing Across the Physics and Astrophysics Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeGioia Eastwood, Kathy; James, M.; Dolle, E.

2012-01-01

Computational skills are essential in today's marketplace. Bachelors entering the STEM workforce report that their undergraduate education does not adequately prepare them to use scientific software and to write programs. Computation can also increase student learning; not only are the students actively engaged, but computational problems allow them to explore physical problems that are more realistic than the few that can be solved analytically. We have received a grant from the NSF CCLI Phase I program to integrate computing into our upper division curriculum. Our language of choice is Matlab; this language had already been chosen for our required sophomore course in Computational Physics because of its prevalence in industry. For two summers we have held faculty workshops to help our professors develop the needed expertise, and we are now in the implementation and evaluation stage. The end product will be a set of learning materials in the form of computational modules that we will make freely available. These modules will include the assignment, pedagogical goals, Matlab code, samples of student work, and instructor comments. At this meeting we present an overview of the project as well as modules written for a course in upper division stellar astrophysics. We acknowledge the support of the NSF through DUE-0837368.

Cyborg beast: a low-cost 3d-printed prosthetic hand for children with upper-limb differences.

PubMed

Zuniga, Jorge; Katsavelis, Dimitrios; Peck, Jean; Stollberg, John; Petrykowski, Marc; Carson, Adam; Fernandez, Cristina

2015-01-20

There is an increasing number of children with traumatic and congenital hand amputations or reductions. Children's prosthetic needs are complex due to their small size, constant growth, and psychosocial development. Families' financial resources play a crucial role in the prescription of prostheses for their children, especially when private insurance and public funding are insufficient. Electric-powered (i.e., myoelectric) and body-powered (i.e., mechanical) devices have been developed to accommodate children's needs, but the cost of maintenance and replacement represents an obstacle for many families. Due to the complexity and high cost of these prosthetic hands, they are not accessible to children from low-income, uninsured families or to children from developing countries. Advancements in computer-aided design (CAD) programs, additive manufacturing, and image editing software offer the possibility of designing, printing, and fitting prosthetic hands devices at a distance and at very low cost. The purpose of this preliminary investigation was to describe a low-cost three-dimensional (3D)-printed prosthetic hand for children with upper-limb reductions and to propose a prosthesis fitting methodology that can be performed at a distance. No significant mean differences were found between the anthropometric and range of motion measurements taken directly from the upper limbs of subjects versus those extracted from photographs. The Bland and Altman plots show no major bias and narrow limits of agreements for lengths and widths and small bias and wider limits of agreements for the range of motion measurements. The main finding of the survey was that our prosthetic device may have a significant potential to positively impact quality of life and daily usage, and can be incorporated in several activities at home and in school. This investigation describes a low-cost 3D-printed prosthetic hand for children and proposes a distance fitting procedure. The Cyborg Beast prosthetic hand and the proposed distance-fitting procedures may represent a possible low-cost alternative for children in developing countries and those who have limited access to health care providers. Further studies should examine the functionality, validity, durability, benefits, and rejection rate of this type of low-cost 3D-printed prosthetic device.

The detectability of brown dwarfs - Predictions and uncertainties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, L. A.; Rappaport, S.; Joss, P. C.

1993-01-01

In order to determine the likelihood for the detection of isolated brown dwarfs in ground-based observations as well as in future spaced-based astronomy missions, and in order to evaluate the significance of any detections that might be made, we must first know the expected surface density of brown dwarfs on the celestial sphere as a function of limiting magnitude, wavelength band, and Galactic latitude. It is the purpose of this paper to provide theoretical estimates of this surface density, as well as the range of uncertainty in these estimates resulting from various theoretical uncertainties. We first present theoretical cooling curves for low-mass stars that we have computed with the latest version of our stellar evolution code. We use our evolutionary results to compute theoretical brown-dwarf luminosity functions for a wide range of assumed initial mass functions and stellar birth rate functions. The luminosity functions, in turn, are utilized to compute theoretical surface density functions for brown dwarfs on the celestial sphere. We find, in particular, that for reasonable theoretical assumptions, the currently available upper bounds on the brown-dwarf surface density are consistent with the possibility that brown dwarfs contribute a substantial fraction of the mass of the Galactic disk.

High Altitude Balloon Flight Path Prediction and Site Selection Based On Computer Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linford, Joel

2010-10-01

Interested in the upper atmosphere, Weber State University Physics department has developed a High Altitude Reconnaissance Balloon for Outreach and Research team, also known as HARBOR. HARBOR enables Weber State University to take a variety of measurements from ground level to altitudes as high as 100,000 feet. The flight paths of these balloons can extend as long as 100 miles from the launch zone, making the choice of where and when to fly critical. To ensure the ability to recover the packages in a reasonable amount of time, days and times are carefully selected using computer simulations limiting flight tracks to approximately 40 miles from the launch zone. The computer simulations take atmospheric data collected by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to plot what flights might have looked like in the past, and to predict future flights. Using these simulations a launch zone has been selected in Duchesne Utah, which has hosted eight successful flights over the course of the last three years, all of which have been recovered. Several secondary launch zones in western Wyoming, Southern Idaho, and Northern Utah are also being considered.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: 2014-2017 photometry for ASASSN-13db (Sicilia-Aguilar+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sicilia-Aguilar, A.; Oprandi, A.; Froebrich, D.; Fang, M.; Prieto, J. L.; Stanek, K.; Scholz, A.; Kochanek, C. S.; Henning, T.; Gredel, R.; Holoien, T. S. W.; Rabus, M.; Shappee, B. J.; Billington, S. J.; Campbell-White, J.; Zegmott, T. J.

2017-08-01

Table 1 contains the full photometry from the All Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) for the variable star ASASSN-13db. Detections with their errors and 5-sigma upper limits are given. Upper limits are marked by the "<" sign and have the error column set to 99.99. (1 data file).

Using National Data to Estimate Average Cost Effectiveness of EFNEP Outcomes by State/Territory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baral, Ranju; Davis, George C.; Blake, Stephanie; You, Wen; Serrano, Elena

2013-01-01

This report demonstrates how existing national data can be used to first calculate upper limits on the average cost per participant and per outcome per state/territory for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). These upper limits can then be used by state EFNEP administrators to obtain more precise estimates for their states,…

The effect of recording and analysis bandwidth on acoustic identification of delphinid species.

PubMed

Oswald, Julie N; Rankin, Shannon; Barlow, Jay

2004-11-01

Because many cetacean species produce characteristic calls that propagate well under water, acoustic techniques can be used to detect and identify them. The ability to identify cetaceans to species using acoustic methods varies and may be affected by recording and analysis bandwidth. To examine the effect of bandwidth on species identification, whistles were recorded from four delphinid species (Delphinus delphis, Stenella attenuata, S. coeruleoalba, and S. longirostris) in the eastern tropical Pacific ocean. Four spectrograms, each with a different upper frequency limit (20, 24, 30, and 40 kHz), were created for each whistle (n = 484). Eight variables (beginning, ending, minimum, and maximum frequency; duration; number of inflection points; number of steps; and presence/absence of harmonics) were measured from the fundamental frequency of each whistle. The whistle repertoires of all four species contained fundamental frequencies extending above 20 kHz. Overall correct classification using discriminant function analysis ranged from 30% for the 20-kHz upper frequency limit data to 37% for the 40-kHz upper frequency limit data. For the four species included in this study, an upper bandwidth limit of at least 24 kHz is required for an accurate representation of fundamental whistle contours.

Five years of searches for point sources of astrophysical neutrinos with the AMANDA-II neutrino telescope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Achterberg, A.; Duvoort, M. R.; Heise, J.

2007-05-15

We report the results of a five-year survey of the northern sky to search for point sources of high energy neutrinos. The search was performed on the data collected with the AMANDA-II neutrino telescope in the years 2000 to 2004, with a live time of 1001 days. The sample of selected events consists of 4282 upward going muon tracks with high reconstruction quality and an energy larger than about 100 GeV. We found no indication of point sources of neutrinos and set 90% confidence level flux upper limits for an all-sky search and also for a catalog of 32 selectedmore » sources. For the all-sky search, our average (over declination and right ascension) experimentally observed upper limit {phi}{sup 0}=((E/1 TeV)){sup {gamma}}{center_dot}(d{phi}/dE) to a point source flux of muon and tau neutrino (detected as muons arising from taus) is {phi}{sub {nu}{sub {mu}}+{nu}{sub {mu}}{sup 0}}+{phi}{sub {nu}{sub {tau}}+{nu}{sub {tau}}}{sup 0}=11.1x 10{sup -11} TeV{sup -1} cm{sup -2} s{sup -1}, in the energy range between 1.6 TeV and 2.5 PeV for a flavor ratio {phi}{sub {nu}{sub {mu}}+{nu}{sub {mu}}{sup 0}}/{phi}{sub {nu}{sub {tau}}+{nu}{sub {tau}}}{sup 0}=1 and assuming a spectral index {gamma}=2. It should be noticed that this is the first time we set upper limits to the flux of muon and tau neutrinos. In previous papers we provided muon neutrino upper limits only neglecting the sensitivity to a signal from tau neutrinos, which improves the limits by 10% to 16%. The value of the average upper limit presented in this work corresponds to twice the limit on the muon neutrino flux {phi}{sub {nu}{sub {mu}}+{nu}{sub {mu}}}{sup 0}=5.5x10{sup -11} TeV{sup -1} cm{sup -2} s{sup -1}. A stacking analysis for preselected active galactic nuclei and a search based on the angular separation of the events were also performed. We report the most stringent flux upper limits to date, including the results of a detailed assessment of systematic uncertainties.« less

Social networking among upper extremity patients.

PubMed

Rozental, Tamara D; George, Tina M; Chacko, Aron T

2010-05-01

Despite their rising popularity, the health care profession has been slow to embrace social networking sites. These are Web-based initiatives, designed to bring people with common interests or activities under a common umbrella. The purpose of this study is to evaluate social networking patterns among upper extremity patients. A total of 742 anonymous questionnaires were distributed among upper extremity outpatients, with a 62% response rate (462 were completed). Demographic characteristics (gender, age, level of education, employment, type of health insurance, and income stratification) were defined, and data on computer ownership and frequency of social networking use were collected. Social network users and nonusers were compared according to their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Our patient cohort consisted of 450 patients. Of those 450 patients, 418 had a high school education or higher, and 293 reported a college or graduate degree. The majority of patients (282) were employed at the time of the survey, and income was evenly distributed among U.S. Census Bureau quintiles. A total of 349 patients reported computer ownership, and 170 reported using social networking sites. When compared to nonusers, social networking users were younger (p<.001), more educated (p<.001), and more likely to be employed (p = .013). Users also had higher income levels (p=0.028) and had high rates of computer ownership (p<.001). Multivariate regression revealed that younger age (p<.001), computer ownership (p<.001), and higher education (p<.001) were independent predictors of social networking use. Most users (n = 114) regularly visit a single site. Facebook was the most popular site visited (n=142), followed by MySpace (n=28) and Twitter (n=16). Of the 450 upper extremity patients in our sample, 170 use social networking sites. Younger age, higher level of education, and computer ownership were associated with social networking use. Physicians should consider expanding their use of social networking sites to reach their online patient populations. Copyright 2010 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Software Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Diane, Ed.

1989-01-01

Reviewed are two computer software programs for Apple II computers on weather for upper elementary and middle school grades. "Weather" introduces the major factors (temperature, humidity, wind, and air pressure) affecting weather. "How Weather Works" uses simulation and auto-tutorial formats on sun, wind, fronts, clouds, and…

A limit on the diffuse gamma-rays measured with KASCADE-Grande

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, D.; Apel, W. D.; Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.; Bekk, K.; Bertaina, M.; Blümer, J.; Bozdog, H.; Brancus, I. M.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Cossavella, F.; Daumiller, K.; de Souza, V.; Di Pierro, F.; Doll, P.; Engel, R.; Feng, Z.; Fuhrmann, D.; Gherghel-Lascu, A.; Gils, H. J.; Glasstetter, R.; Grupen, C.; Haungs, A.; Heck, D.; Hörandel, J. R.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Kampert, K. H.; Klages, H. O.; Link, K.; Łuczak, P.; Mathes, H. J.; Mayer, H. J.; Milke, J.; Mitrica, B.; Morello, C.; Oehlschläger, J.; Ostapchenko, S.; Palmieri, N.; Petcu, M.; Pierog, T.; Rebel, H.; Roth, M.; Schieler, H.; Schoo, S.; Schröder, F.; Sima, O.; Toma, G.; Trinchero, G. C.; Ulrich, H.; Weindl, A.; Wochele, J.; Zabierowski, J.

2015-08-01

Using data measured by the KASCADE-Grande air shower array, an upper limit to the flux of ultra-high energy gamma-rays in the primary cosmic-ray flux is determined. KASCADE-Grande measures the electromagnetic and muonic components for individual air showers in the energy range from 10 PeV up to 1 EeV. The analysis is performed by selecting air showers with low muon contents. A preliminary result on the 90% C.L. upper limit to the relative intensity of gamma-ray with respect to cosmic ray primaries is presented and compared with limits reported by other measurements.

Impacts of Mobile Computing on Student Learning in the University: A Comparison of Course Assessment Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkes, Mark; Hategekimana, Claver

2010-01-01

This study focuses on the impact of wireless, mobile computing tools on student assessment outcomes. In a campus-wide wireless, mobile computing environment at an upper Midwest university, an empirical analysis is applied to understand the relationship between student performance and Tablet PC use. An experimental/control group comparison of…

Errors and Intelligence in Computer-Assisted Language Learning: Parsers and Pedagogues. Routledge Studies in Computer Assisted Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heift, Trude; Schulze, Mathias

2012-01-01

This book provides the first comprehensive overview of theoretical issues, historical developments and current trends in ICALL (Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning). It assumes a basic familiarity with Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory and teaching, CALL and linguistics. It is of interest to upper undergraduate and/or graduate…

Are Price Limits Effective? An Examination of an Artificial Stock Market.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaotao; Ping, Jing; Zhu, Tao; Li, Yuelei; Xiong, Xiong

2016-01-01

We investigated the inter-day effects of price limits policies that are employed in agent-based simulations. To isolate the impact of price limits from the impact of other factors, we built an artificial stock market with higher frequency price limits hitting. The trading mechanisms in this market are the same as the trading mechanisms in China's stock market. Then, we designed a series of simulations with and without price limits policy. The results of these simulations demonstrate that both upper and lower price limits can cause a volatility spillover effect and a trading interference effect. The process of price discovery will be delayed if upper price limits are imposed on a stock market; however, this phenomenon does not occur when lower price limits are imposed.

Are Price Limits Effective? An Examination of an Artificial Stock Market

PubMed Central

Zhu, Tao; Li, Yuelei; Xiong, Xiong

2016-01-01

We investigated the inter-day effects of price limits policies that are employed in agent-based simulations. To isolate the impact of price limits from the impact of other factors, we built an artificial stock market with higher frequency price limits hitting. The trading mechanisms in this market are the same as the trading mechanisms in China’s stock market. Then, we designed a series of simulations with and without price limits policy. The results of these simulations demonstrate that both upper and lower price limits can cause a volatility spillover effect and a trading interference effect. The process of price discovery will be delayed if upper price limits are imposed on a stock market; however, this phenomenon does not occur when lower price limits are imposed. PMID:27513330

Density Large Deviations for Multidimensional Stochastic Hyperbolic Conservation Laws

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barré, J.; Bernardin, C.; Chetrite, R.

2018-02-01

We investigate the density large deviation function for a multidimensional conservation law in the vanishing viscosity limit, when the probability concentrates on weak solutions of a hyperbolic conservation law. When the mobility and diffusivity matrices are proportional, i.e. an Einstein-like relation is satisfied, the problem has been solved in Bellettini and Mariani (Bull Greek Math Soc 57:31-45, 2010). When this proportionality does not hold, we compute explicitly the large deviation function for a step-like density profile, and we show that the associated optimal current has a non trivial structure. We also derive a lower bound for the large deviation function, valid for a more general weak solution, and leave the general large deviation function upper bound as a conjecture.

Theoretical study of ArH+ dissociative recombination and electron-impact vibrational excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdoulanziz, A.; Colboc, F.; Little, D. A.; Moulane, Y.; Mezei, J. Zs; Roueff, E.; Tennyson, J.; Schneider, I. F.; Laporta, V.

2018-06-01

Cross sections are presented for dissociative recombination and electron-impact vibrational excitation of the ArH+ molecular ion at electron energies appropriate for the interstellar environment. The R-matrix method is employed to determine the molecular structure data, i.e. the position and width of the resonance states. The cross sections and the corresponding Maxwellian rate coefficients are computed using a method based on the Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory. The main result of the paper is the very low dissociative recombination rate found at temperatures below 1000K. This is in agreement with the previous upper limit measurement in merged beams and offers a realistic explanation to the presence of ArH+ in exotic interstellar conditions.

Aortoduodenal fistula in a patient on intravitreal bevacizumab injections: a case report.

PubMed

Pepper, Amber N; Valenzuela, Mauricio O; Oller, Kellee L

2015-01-01

An 88-year-old woman on long-term intravitreal bevacizumab presented with acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage. She was stabilized and underwent nonrevealing upper endoscopy. She continued to require intermittent blood transfusions, and resulting computed tomography of the abdomen revealed an aortoduodenal fistula. The patient was undergoing treatment for her macular degeneration with intravitreal bevacizumab, an angiogenesis inhibitor frequently used to treat solid organ malignancies. Systemic administration has been associated with serious adverse events, including gastrointestinal hemorrhage, perforation, and fistula formation. Intravitreal bevacizumab has been used off-label to treat macular degeneration, but data on the safety of this therapy are limited. Given her lack of other risk factors, the authors postulate a potential association between intravitreal bevacizumab and aortoduodenal fistula formation in this patient.

Calculating Reuse Distance from Source Code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Narayanan, Sri Hari Krishna; Hovland, Paul

The efficient use of a system is of paramount importance in high-performance computing. Applications need to be engineered for future systems even before the architecture of such a system is clearly known. Static performance analysis that generates performance bounds is one way to approach the task of understanding application behavior. Performance bounds provide an upper limit on the performance of an application on a given architecture. Predicting cache hierarchy behavior and accesses to main memory is a requirement for accurate performance bounds. This work presents our static reuse distance algorithm to generate reuse distance histograms. We then use these histogramsmore » to predict cache miss rates. Experimental results for kernels studied show that the approach is accurate.« less

Surface Transient Binding-Based Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (STB-FCS), a Simple and Easy-to-Implement Method to Extend the Upper Limit of the Time Window to Seconds.

PubMed

Peng, Sijia; Wang, Wenjuan; Chen, Chunlai

2018-05-10

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy is a powerful single-molecule tool that is able to capture kinetic processes occurring at the nanosecond time scale. However, the upper limit of its time window is restricted by the dwell time of the molecule of interest in the confocal detection volume, which is usually around submilliseconds for a freely diffusing biomolecule. Here, we present a simple and easy-to-implement method, named surface transient binding-based fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (STB-FCS), which extends the upper limit of the time window to seconds. We further demonstrated that STB-FCS enables capture of both intramolecular and intermolecular kinetic processes whose time scales cross several orders of magnitude.

Analysis of the 0.511 MeV radiation at the OSO-7 satellite. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunphy, P. P.

1974-01-01

Observations of the 0.511 MeV positron annihilation, gamma ray on the OSO-7 satellite are presented. Variables which affect the counting rate are discussed. An upper limit flux of .0076 photons/sq cm/sec is obtained for the quiet sun and a positive solar flux of .063(+ or - .0002) photons/sq cm/sec is obtained for the 3B flare of 4 August 1972. The width of this annihilation line gives an upper limit temperature for the annihilation region of approximately 6 million K. An analysis of the line width and position also shows that the contribution to the line from positronium annihilation is less than 100% at the 99% confidence level. An upper limit is also found for an isotropic cosmic flux.

Experimental quantum key distribution with simulated ground-to-satellite photon losses and processing limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourgoin, Jean-Philippe; Gigov, Nikolay; Higgins, Brendon L.; Yan, Zhizhong; Meyer-Scott, Evan; Khandani, Amir K.; Lütkenhaus, Norbert; Jennewein, Thomas

2015-11-01

Quantum key distribution (QKD) has the potential to improve communications security by offering cryptographic keys whose security relies on the fundamental properties of quantum physics. The use of a trusted quantum receiver on an orbiting satellite is the most practical near-term solution to the challenge of achieving long-distance (global-scale) QKD, currently limited to a few hundred kilometers on the ground. This scenario presents unique challenges, such as high photon losses and restricted classical data transmission and processing power due to the limitations of a typical satellite platform. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of such a system by implementing a QKD protocol, with optical transmission and full post-processing, in the high-loss regime using minimized computing hardware at the receiver. Employing weak coherent pulses with decoy states, we demonstrate the production of secure key bits at up to 56.5 dB of photon loss. We further illustrate the feasibility of a satellite uplink by generating a secure key while experimentally emulating the varying losses predicted for realistic low-Earth-orbit satellite passes at 600 km altitude. With a 76 MHz source and including finite-size analysis, we extract 3374 bits of a secure key from the best pass. We also illustrate the potential benefit of combining multiple passes together: while one suboptimal "upper-quartile" pass produces no finite-sized key with our source, the combination of three such passes allows us to extract 165 bits of a secure key. Alternatively, we find that by increasing the signal rate to 300 MHz it would be possible to extract 21 570 bits of a secure finite-sized key in just a single upper-quartile pass.

Interactive RadioEpidemiological Program (IREP): a web-based tool for estimating probability of causation/assigned share of radiogenic cancers.

PubMed

Kocher, David C; Apostoaei, A Iulian; Henshaw, Russell W; Hoffman, F Owen; Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K; Stancescu, Daniel O; Thomas, Brian A; Trabalka, John R; Gilbert, Ethel S; Land, Charles E

2008-07-01

The Interactive RadioEpidemiological Program (IREP) is a Web-based, interactive computer code that is used to estimate the probability that a given cancer in an individual was induced by given exposures to ionizing radiation. IREP was developed by a Working Group of the National Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and was adopted and modified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for use in adjudicating claims for compensation for cancer under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. In this paper, the quantity calculated in IREP is referred to as "probability of causation/assigned share" (PC/AS). PC/AS for a given cancer in an individual is calculated on the basis of an estimate of the excess relative risk (ERR) associated with given radiation exposures and the relationship PC/AS = ERR/ERR+1. IREP accounts for uncertainties in calculating probability distributions of ERR and PC/AS. An accounting of uncertainty is necessary when decisions about granting claims for compensation for cancer are made on the basis of an estimate of the upper 99% credibility limit of PC/AS to give claimants the "benefit of the doubt." This paper discusses models and methods incorporated in IREP to estimate ERR and PC/AS. Approaches to accounting for uncertainty are emphasized, and limitations of IREP are discussed. Although IREP is intended to provide unbiased estimates of ERR and PC/AS and their uncertainties to represent the current state of knowledge, there are situations described in this paper in which NIOSH, as a matter of policy, makes assumptions that give a higher estimate of the upper 99% credibility limit of PC/AS than other plausible alternatives and, thus, are more favorable to claimants.

Compressed Secret Key Agreement:Maximizing Multivariate Mutual Information per Bit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Chung

2017-10-01

The multiterminal secret key agreement problem by public discussion is formulated with an additional source compression step where, prior to the public discussion phase, users independently compress their private sources to filter out strongly correlated components for generating a common secret key. The objective is to maximize the achievable key rate as a function of the joint entropy of the compressed sources. Since the maximum achievable key rate captures the total amount of information mutual to the compressed sources, an optimal compression scheme essentially maximizes the multivariate mutual information per bit of randomness of the private sources, and can therefore be viewed more generally as a dimension reduction technique. Single-letter lower and upper bounds on the maximum achievable key rate are derived for the general source model, and an explicit polynomial-time computable formula is obtained for the pairwise independent network model. In particular, the converse results and the upper bounds are obtained from those of the related secret key agreement problem with rate-limited discussion. A precise duality is shown for the two-user case with one-way discussion, and such duality is extended to obtain the desired converse results in the multi-user case. In addition to posing new challenges in information processing and dimension reduction, the compressed secret key agreement problem helps shed new light on resolving the difficult problem of secret key agreement with rate-limited discussion, by offering a more structured achieving scheme and some simpler conjectures to prove.

A space-time lower-upper symmetric Gauss-Seidel scheme for the time-spectral method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Lei; Xiong, Juntao; Liu, Feng

2016-05-01

The time-spectral method (TSM) offers the advantage of increased order of accuracy compared to methods using finite-difference in time for periodic unsteady flow problems. Explicit Runge-Kutta pseudo-time marching and implicit schemes have been developed to solve iteratively the space-time coupled nonlinear equations resulting from TSM. Convergence of the explicit schemes is slow because of the stringent time-step limit. Many implicit methods have been developed for TSM. Their computational efficiency is, however, still limited in practice because of delayed implicit temporal coupling, multiple iterative loops, costly matrix operations, or lack of strong diagonal dominance of the implicit operator matrix. To overcome these shortcomings, an efficient space-time lower-upper symmetric Gauss-Seidel (ST-LU-SGS) implicit scheme with multigrid acceleration is presented. In this scheme, the implicit temporal coupling term is split as one additional dimension of space in the LU-SGS sweeps. To improve numerical stability for periodic flows with high frequency, a modification to the ST-LU-SGS scheme is proposed. Numerical results show that fast convergence is achieved using large or even infinite Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) numbers for unsteady flow problems with moderately high frequency and with the use of moderately high numbers of time intervals. The ST-LU-SGS implicit scheme is also found to work well in calculating periodic flow problems where the frequency is not known a priori and needed to be determined by using a combined Fourier analysis and gradient-based search algorithm.

Feasibility of estimate sediment yield in the non-sediment monitoring station area - A case study of Alishan River watershed,Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, ChiaChi; Chan, HsunChuan; Jia, YaFei; Zhang, YaoXin

2017-04-01

Due to the steep topography, frail geology and concentrated rainfall in wet season, slope disaster occurred frequently in Taiwan. In addition, heavy rainfall induced landslides in upper watersheds. The sediment yield on the slopeland affects the sediment transport in the river. Sediment deposits on the river bed reduce the river cross section and change the flow direction. Furthermore, it generates risks to residents' lives and property in the downstream. The Taiwanese government has been devoting increasing efforts on the sedimentary management issues and on reduction in disaster occurrence. However, due to the limited information on the environmental conditions in the upper stream, it is difficult to set up the sedimentary monitoring equipment. This study used the upper stream of the Qingshuei River, the Alishan River, as a study area. In August 2009, Typhoon Morakot caused the sedimentation of midstream and downstream river courses in the Alishan River. Because there is no any sediment monitoring stations within the Alishan River watershed, the sediment yield values are hard to determine. The objective of this study is to establish a method to analyze the event-landslide sediment transport in the river on the upper watershed. This study numerically investigated the sediment transport in the Alishan River by using the KINEROS 2 model developed by the United States Department of Agriculture and the CCHE1D model developed by the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering. The simulated results represent the morphology changes in the Alishan River during the typhoon events. The results consist of a critical strategy reference for the sedimentary management for the Alishan River watershed.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTER MODELING OF THE HUMAN UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT

EPA Science Inventory

ABSTRACT
Computer simulations of airflow and particle transport phenomena within the human respiratory system have important applications to aerosol therapy (e.g., the targeted delivery of inhaled drugs) and inhalation toxicology (e.g., the risk assessment of air pollutants). ...

Upper Grades Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornburg, David; Beane, Pam

1983-01-01

Presents programs for creating animated characters (Atari), random sentences (Logo), and making a triangle (TRS-80 Level III Basic), and suggestions for creative writing and comparison shopping for computers/software. Also includes "Modems for Micros: Your Computer Can Talk on the Phone" (Bill Chalgren) on telecommunications capabilities of…

Evaluation of two posture survey instruments for assessing computing postures among college students

PubMed Central

Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Amick, Benjamin C.; Chang, Che-Hsu (Joe); Harrist, Ronald B.; Jenkins, Mark; Robertson, Michelle; Janowitz, Ira; Rempel, David M.; Katz, Jeffrey N.; Dennerlein, Jack T.

2012-01-01

Objective To determine agreement between two posture assessment survey instruments and which, if any, were correlated with experiencing upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms. Methods Thirty undergraduate participants had three postural assessment surveys completed, one each for three separate 7-day data collection periods during a semester. Two observation assessment tools were used, a modified Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (mRULA) for computer users for the right and left limbs and the University of California Computer Use Checklist. Concurrently, upper extremity musculoskeletal symptom experience paired to each postural assessment was measured. Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient evaluated survey agreement and multi-level statistical models described associations between survey responses and symptoms. Results There was no agreement between the two postural assessment tool scores (p > 0.85). In adjusted models, the UC Computer Use Checklist was positively associated with symptoms occurrence (OR = 1.4, 90% CI 1.2–1.6 for any symptoms; OR = 1.3, 90% CI 1.0–1.6 for moderate or greater symptoms). Associations with mRULA scores were inconsistent in that they were sometimes protective and sometimes indicators of risk, depending on the covariates included in the models. Conclusion The mRULA for computer users and the UC Computer Use Checklist were independent of each other; however, due to the inconsistent associations with symptoms we cannot conclude one instrument is superior to the other. Our data do suggest the UC Computer Use Checklist demonstrates a traditional relationship with symptoms, where increasing scores signifiy greater risk. We observed a nontraditional relatioship with symptoms for the mRULA for computer users that needs to be further examined. This is a pilot study and, thus, findings should be interpreted as exploratory. Associations observed in the current study will be used to test hypotheses in the cohort study recently conducted. PMID:20075519

A splenic artery aneurysm presenting with multiple episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a case report.

PubMed

De Silva, W S L; Gamlaksha, D S; Jayasekara, D P; Rajamanthri, S D

2017-05-03

Splenic artery aneurysm is rare and its diagnosis is challenging due to the nonspecific nature of the clinical presentation. We report a case of a splenic artery aneurysm in which the patient presented with chronic dyspepsia and multiple episodes of minor intragastric bleeding. A 60-year-old, previously healthy Sri Lankan man presented with four episodes of hematemesis and severe dyspeptic symptoms over a period of 6 months. The results of two initial upper gastrointestinal endoscopies and an abdominal ultrasound scan were unremarkable. A third upper gastrointestinal endoscopy detected a pulsatile bulge at the posterior wall of the gastric antrum. A contrast-enhanced computed tomogram of his abdomen detected a splenic artery aneurysm measuring 3 × 3 × 2.5 cm. While awaiting routine surgery, he developed a torrential upper gastrointestinal bleeding and shock, leading to emergency laparotomy. Splenectomy and en bloc resection of the aneurysm with the posterior stomach wall were performed. Histology revealed evidence for a true aneurysm without overt, acute, or chronic inflammation of the surrounding gastric mucosa. He became completely asymptomatic 2 weeks after the surgery. Splenic artery aneurysms can result in recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The possibility of impending catastrophic bleeding should be remembered when managing patients with splenic artery aneurysms after a minor bleeding. Negative endoscopy and ultrasonography should require contrast-enhanced computed tomography to look for the cause of recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Einstein observations of three classical Cepheids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bohm-Vitense, E.; Parsons, S. B.

1983-01-01

We have looked for X-ray emission from the classical Cepheids delta Cep, beta Dor, and zeta Gem during phases when the latter two stars show emission in low excitation chromospheric lines. No X-ray flux was detected except possibly from zeta Gem at phase 0.26. Derived upper limits are in line with emission flux or upper limits obtained for other F and G supergiants.

COMPOSITIONAL LANDSCAPE METRICS AND LANDCOVER CONNECTIVITY MEASURES FOR THE SUB-WATERSHEDS OF THE UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER 1973

EPA Science Inventory

Various compositional landscape metrics and landcover connectivity measures for the sub-watersheds of the Upper San Pedro River. Metrics were computed using the ATtILA v3.03 ArcView extension. Inputs included the sub-watershed coverage obtained from the USDA-ARS-SWRC in Tucson, A...

Finnish Upper Secondary Students' Collaborative Processes in Learning Statistics in a CSCL Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oikarinen, Juho Kaleva; Järvelä, Sanna; Kaasila, Raimo

2014-01-01

This design-based research project focuses on documenting statistical learning among 16-17-year-old Finnish upper secondary school students (N = 78) in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. One novel value of this study is in reporting the shift from teacher-led mathematical teaching to autonomous small-group learning in…

Reference intervals for orotic acid in urine, plasma and dried blood spot using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

D'Apolito, Oceania; Garofalo, Daniela; la Marca, Giancarlo; Dello Russo, Antonio; Corso, Gaetano

2012-02-01

Orotic acid (OA), a marker of hereditary orotic aciduria, is usually used for the differential diagnosis of some hyperammonemic inherited defects of urea cycle and of basic amino acid transporters. This study was aimed to establish age related reference intervals of OA in urine, and for the first time in plasma, and dried blood spot (DBS) from 229 apparently healthy subjects aged from three days to 40 years. The quantification of OA was performed by a previously implemented method, using a stable isotope dilution with 1,3-[(15)N(2)]-orotic acid and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS). The method has proved to be sensitive and accurate for a quantitative analysis of OA also in DBS and plasma. According to previous studies, urinary OA levels (mmol/mol of creatinine) decrease significantly with age. The upper limits (as 99th %ile) were of 3.44 and 1.30 in groups aged from three days to 1 year (group 1) and from 1 year to 12 years (group 2), respectively; in teenagers (from 13 to 19 years; group 3) and adults (from 20 to 40 years; group 4) urinary levels became more stable and the upper limits were of 0.64 and 1.21, respectively. Furthermore, OA levels in DBS (μM) also resulted significantly higher in subjects of group 1 (upper limit of 0.89) than in subjects of groups 2, 3 and 4 (upper limits of 0.24, 0.21, and 0.29, respectively). OA levels in plasma (μM) were significantly lower in subjects of group 3 (upper limit of 0.30) than in subjects of groups 1, 2, and 4 (upper limits of 0.59, 0.48, and 0.77, respectively). This method was also employed for OA quantification in plasma and DBS of 17 newborns affected by urea cycle defects, resulting sensitive and specific enough to screen these disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeled sulfate concentrations in North Dakota streams, 1993-2008, based on spatial basin characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, Joel M.; Vecchia, Aldo V.

2014-01-01

Modeled sulfate concentrations generally were highest (greater than 750 milligrams per liter) in basins in western North Dakota and lowest (less than 250 milligrams per liter) in basins in the upper Sheyenne River and upper James River. Area-weighted means for the basin characteristics also were computed for 10-digit and 8-digit hydrologic units for streams in North Dakota and modeled sulfate concentrations were computed from the characteristics. The resulting distribution of modeled sulfate concentrations was similar to the distribution of estimates for the 12-digit hydrologic units, but less variable because the basin characteristics were averaged over larger areas.

A Massively Parallel Bayesian Approach to Planetary Protection Trajectory Analysis and Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, Mark S.

2015-01-01

The NASA Planetary Protection Office has levied a requirement that the upper stage of future planetary launches have a less than 10(exp -4) chance of impacting Mars within 50 years after launch. A brute-force approach requires a decade of computer time to demonstrate compliance. By using a Bayesian approach and taking advantage of the demonstrated reliability of the upper stage, the required number of fifty-year propagations can be massively reduced. By spreading the remaining embarrassingly parallel Monte Carlo simulations across multiple computers, compliance can be demonstrated in a reasonable time frame. The method used is described here.

radEq Add-On Module for CFD Solver Loci-CHEM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCloud, Peter

2013-01-01

Loci-CHEM to be applied to flow velocities where surface radiation due to heating from compression and friction becomes significant. The module adds a radiation equilibrium boundary condition to the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code to produce accurate results. The module expanded the upper limit for accurate CFD solutions of Loci-CHEM from Mach 4 to Mach 10 based on Space Shuttle Orbiter Re-Entry trajectories. Loci-CHEM already has a very promising architecture and performance, but absence of radiation equilibrium boundary condition limited the application of Loci-CHEM to below Mach 4. The immediate advantage of the add-on module is that it allows Loci-CHEM to work with supersonic flows up to Mach 10. This transformed Loci-CHEM from a rocket engine- heritage CFD code with general subsonic and low-supersonic applications, to an aeroheating code with hypersonic applications. The follow-on advantage of the module is that it is a building block for additional add-on modules that will solve for the heating generated at Mach numbers higher than 10.

Ultraviolet spectrophotometry of flares on ``quiescent'' M and K dwarf exoplanet hosts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loyd, R. O. Parke; France, Kevin; Youngblood, Allison

We present an analysis of a sample of flares on ``quiescent'' (i.e. non-flare) M and K stars using temporally resolved UV spectroscopy from the growing body of MUSCLES Treasury Survey data. Specifically, our analysis quantified the response of the far-UV C II, Si III, Si IV, and N V emission lines and the far-UV continuum during the flares. Using these tracers, we examined one representative event on GJ 832. In concordance with flares recorded on the Sun and AD Leo, the MUSCLES flares are well fit by a power law relationship of similar slope in frequency versus energy. Flares can strip atmospheric mass from orbiting planets, adversely affecting their long-term habitability. To gauge the amplitude of this effect, we computed an energy-balance upper-limit on the amount of atmosphere a large flare might remove from an orbiting Earth due purely to elevated EUV flux and found this limit to be modest relative to Earth's atmospheric mass.

Television, computer, and video viewing; physical activity; and upper limb fracture risk in children: a population-based case control study.

PubMed

Ma, Deqiong; Jones, Graeme

2003-11-01

The effect of physical activity on upper limb fractures was examined in this population-based case control study with 321 age- and gender-matched pairs. Sports participation increased fracture risk in boys and decreased risk in girls. Television viewing had a deleterious dose response association with wrist and forearm fractures while light physical activity was protective. The aim of this population-based case control study was to examine the association between television, computer, and video viewing; types and levels of physical activity; and upper limb fractures in children 9-16 years of age. A total of 321 fracture cases and 321 randomly selected individually matched controls were studied. Television, computer, and video viewing and types and levels of physical activity were determined by interview-administered questionnaire. Bone strength was assessed by DXA and metacarpal morphometry. In general, sports participation increased total upper limb fracture risk in boys and decreased risk in girls. Gender-specific risk estimates were significantly different for total, contact, noncontact, and high-risk sports participation as well as four individual sports (soccer, cricket, surfing, and swimming). In multivariate analysis, time spent television, computer, and video viewing in both sexes was positively associated with wrist and forearm fracture risk (OR 1.6/category, 95% CI: 1.1-2.2), whereas days involved in light physical activity participation decreased fracture risk (OR 0.8/category, 95% CI: 0.7-1.0). Sports participation increased hand (OR 1.5/sport, 95% CI: 1.1-2.0) and upper arm (OR 29.8/sport, 95% CI: 1.7-535) fracture risk in boys only and decreased wrist and forearm fracture risk in girls only (OR 0.5/sport, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9). Adjustment for bone density and metacarpal morphometry did not alter these associations. There is gender discordance with regard to sports participation and fracture risk in children, which may reflect different approaches to sport. Importantly, television, computer, and video viewing has a dose-dependent association with wrist and forearm fractures, whereas light physical activity is protective. The mechanism is unclear but may involve bone-independent factors, or less likely, changes in bone quality not detected by DXA or metacarpal morphometry.

DUKSUP: A Computer Program for High Thrust Launch Vehicle Trajectory Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, C. H.; Spurlock, O. F.

2014-01-01

From the late 1960's through 1997, the leadership of NASA's Intermediate and Large class unmanned expendable launch vehicle projects resided at the NASA Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center (LeRC). One of LeRC's primary responsibilities --- trajectory design and performance analysis --- was accomplished by an internally-developed analytic three dimensional computer program called DUKSUP. Because of its Calculus of Variations-based optimization routine, this code was generally more capable of finding optimal solutions than its contemporaries. A derivation of optimal control using the Calculus of Variations is summarized including transversality, intermediate, and final conditions. The two point boundary value problem is explained. A brief summary of the code's operation is provided, including iteration via the Newton-Raphson scheme and integration of variational and motion equations via a 4th order Runge-Kutta scheme. Main subroutines are discussed. The history of the LeRC trajectory design efforts in the early 1960's is explained within the context of supporting the Centaur upper stage program. How the code was constructed based on the operation of the Atlas/Centaur launch vehicle, the limits of the computers of that era, the limits of the computer programming languages, and the missions it supported are discussed. The vehicles DUKSUP supported (Atlas/Centaur, Titan/Centaur, and Shuttle/Centaur) are briefly described. The types of missions, including Earth orbital and interplanetary, are described. The roles of flight constraints and their impact on launch operations are detailed (such as jettisoning hardware on heating, Range Safety, ground station tracking, and elliptical parking orbits). The computer main frames on which the code was hosted are described. The applications of the code are detailed, including independent check of contractor analysis, benchmarking, leading edge analysis, and vehicle performance improvement assessments. Several of DUKSUP's many major impacts on launches are discussed including Intelsat, Voyager, Pioneer Venus, HEAO, Galileo, and Cassini.

DUKSUP: A Computer Program for High Thrust Launch Vehicle Trajectory Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spurlock, O. Frank; Williams, Craig H.

2015-01-01

From the late 1960s through 1997, the leadership of NASAs Intermediate and Large class unmanned expendable launch vehicle projects resided at the NASA Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center (LeRC). One of LeRCs primary responsibilities --- trajectory design and performance analysis --- was accomplished by an internally-developed analytic three dimensional computer program called DUKSUP. Because of its Calculus of Variations-based optimization routine, this code was generally more capable of finding optimal solutions than its contemporaries. A derivation of optimal control using the Calculus of Variations is summarized including transversality, intermediate, and final conditions. The two point boundary value problem is explained. A brief summary of the codes operation is provided, including iteration via the Newton-Raphson scheme and integration of variational and motion equations via a 4th order Runge-Kutta scheme. Main subroutines are discussed. The history of the LeRC trajectory design efforts in the early 1960s is explained within the context of supporting the Centaur upper stage program. How the code was constructed based on the operation of the AtlasCentaur launch vehicle, the limits of the computers of that era, the limits of the computer programming languages, and the missions it supported are discussed. The vehicles DUKSUP supported (AtlasCentaur, TitanCentaur, and ShuttleCentaur) are briefly described. The types of missions, including Earth orbital and interplanetary, are described. The roles of flight constraints and their impact on launch operations are detailed (such as jettisoning hardware on heating, Range Safety, ground station tracking, and elliptical parking orbits). The computer main frames on which the code was hosted are described. The applications of the code are detailed, including independent check of contractor analysis, benchmarking, leading edge analysis, and vehicle performance improvement assessments. Several of DUKSUPs many major impacts on launches are discussed including Intelsat, Voyager, Pioneer Venus, HEAO, Galileo, and Cassini.

Computer program for post-flight evaluation of a launch vehicle upper-stage on-off reaction control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knauber, R. N.

1982-01-01

This report describes a FORTRAN IV coded computer program for post-flight evaluation of a launch vehicle upper stage on-off reaction control system. Aerodynamic and thrust misalignment disturbances are computed as well as the total disturbing moments in pitch, yaw, and roll. Effective thrust misalignment angle time histories of the rocket booster motor are calculated. Disturbing moments are integrated and used to estimate the required control system total inpulse. Effective control system specific inpulse is computed for the boost and coast phases using measured control fuel useage. This method has been used for more than fifteen years for analyzing the NASA Scout launch vehicle second and third-stage reaction control system performance. The computer program is set up in FORTRAN IV for a CDC CYBER 175 system. With slight modification it can be used on other machines having a FORTRAN compiler. The program has optional CALCOMP plotting output. With this option the program requires 19K words of memory and has 786 cards. Running time on a CDC CYBER 175 system is less than three (3) seconds for a typical problem.

Computation in generalised probabilisitic theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ciarán M.; Barrett, Jonathan

2015-08-01

From the general difficulty of simulating quantum systems using classical systems, and in particular the existence of an efficient quantum algorithm for factoring, it is likely that quantum computation is intrinsically more powerful than classical computation. At present, the best upper bound known for the power of quantum computation is that {{BQP}}\\subseteq {{AWPP}}, where {{AWPP}} is a classical complexity class (known to be included in {{PP}}, hence {{PSPACE}}). This work investigates limits on computational power that are imposed by simple physical, or information theoretic, principles. To this end, we define a circuit-based model of computation in a class of operationally-defined theories more general than quantum theory, and ask: what is the minimal set of physical assumptions under which the above inclusions still hold? We show that given only an assumption of tomographic locality (roughly, that multipartite states and transformations can be characterized by local measurements), efficient computations are contained in {{AWPP}}. This inclusion still holds even without assuming a basic notion of causality (where the notion is, roughly, that probabilities for outcomes cannot depend on future measurement choices). Following Aaronson, we extend the computational model by allowing post-selection on measurement outcomes. Aaronson showed that the corresponding quantum complexity class, {{PostBQP}}, is equal to {{PP}}. Given only the assumption of tomographic locality, the inclusion in {{PP}} still holds for post-selected computation in general theories. Hence in a world with post-selection, quantum theory is optimal for computation in the space of all operational theories. We then consider whether one can obtain relativized complexity results for general theories. It is not obvious how to define a sensible notion of a computational oracle in the general framework that reduces to the standard notion in the quantum case. Nevertheless, it is possible to define computation relative to a ‘classical oracle’. Then, we show there exists a classical oracle relative to which efficient computation in any theory satisfying the causality assumption does not include {{NP}}.

Cadaveric and three-dimensional computed tomography study of the morphology of the scapula with reference to reversed shoulder prosthesis

PubMed Central

Torrens, Carlos; Corrales, Monica; Gonzalez, Gemma; Solano, Alberto; Cáceres, Enrique

2008-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the morphology of the scapula with reference to the glenoid component implantation in reversed shoulder prosthesis, in order to improve primary fixation of the component. Methods Seventy-three 3-dimensional computed tomography of the scapula and 108 scapular dry specimens were analyzed to determine the anterior and posterior length of the glenoid neck, the angle between the glenoid surface and the upper posterior column of the scapula and the angle between the major craneo-caudal glenoid axis and the base of the coracoid process and the upper posterior column. Results The anterior and posterior length of glenoid neck was classified into two groups named "short-neck" and "long-neck" with significant differences between them. The angle between the glenoid surface and the upper posterior column of the scapula was also classified into two different types: type I (mean 50°–52°) and type II (mean 62,50°–64°), with significant differences between them (p < 0,001). The angle between the major craneo-caudal glenoid axis and the base of the coracoid process averaged 18,25° while the angle with the upper posterior column of the scapula averaged 8°. Conclusion Scapular morphological variability advices for individual adjustments of glenoid component implantation in reversed total shoulder prosthesis. Three-dimensional computed tomography of the scapula constitutes an important tool when planning reversed prostheses implantation. PMID:18847487

Cadaveric and three-dimensional computed tomography study of the morphology of the scapula with reference to reversed shoulder prosthesis.

PubMed

Torrens, Carlos; Corrales, Monica; Gonzalez, Gemma; Solano, Alberto; Cáceres, Enrique

2008-10-10

The purpose of this study is to analyze the morphology of the scapula with reference to the glenoid component implantation in reversed shoulder prosthesis, in order to improve primary fixation of the component. Seventy-three 3-dimensional computed tomography of the scapula and 108 scapular dry specimens were analyzed to determine the anterior and posterior length of the glenoid neck, the angle between the glenoid surface and the upper posterior column of the scapula and the angle between the major craneo-caudal glenoid axis and the base of the coracoid process and the upper posterior column. The anterior and posterior length of glenoid neck was classified into two groups named "short-neck" and "long-neck" with significant differences between them. The angle between the glenoid surface and the upper posterior column of the scapula was also classified into two different types: type I (mean 50 degrees-52 degrees ) and type II (mean 62.50 degrees-64 degrees ), with significant differences between them (p < 0.001). The angle between the major craneo-caudal glenoid axis and the base of the coracoid process averaged 18,25 degrees while the angle with the upper posterior column of the scapula averaged 8 degrees . Scapular morphological variability advices for individual adjustments of glenoid component implantation in reversed total shoulder prosthesis. Three-dimensional computed tomography of the scapula constitutes an important tool when planning reversed prostheses implantation.

Hubble space telescope near-ultraviolet spectroscopy of the bright cemp-no star BD+44°493

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Placco, Vinicius M.; Beers, Timothy C.; Smith, Verne V.

2014-07-20

We present an elemental-abundance analysis, in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) spectral range, for the extremely metal-poor star BD+44°493 a ninth magnitude subgiant with [Fe/H] =–3.8 and enhanced carbon, based on data acquired with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. This star is the brightest example of a class of objects that, unlike the great majority of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars, does not exhibit over-abundances of heavy neutron-capture elements (CEMP-no). In this paper, we validate the abundance determinations for a number of species that were previously studied in the optical region, and obtain strong upper limits for berylliummore » and boron, as well as for neutron-capture elements from zirconium to platinum, many of which are not accessible from ground-based spectra. The boron upper limit we obtain for BD+44°493, log ε (B) <–0.70, the first such measurement for a CEMP star, is the lowest yet found for very and extremely metal-poor stars. In addition, we obtain even lower upper limits on the abundances of beryllium, log ε (Be) <–2.3, and lead, log ε (Pb) <–0.23 ([Pb/Fe] <+1.90), than those reported by previous analyses in the optical range. Taken together with the previously measured low abundance of lithium, the very low upper limits on Be and B suggest that BD+44°493 was formed at a very early time, and that it could well be a bona-fide second-generation star. Finally, the Pb upper limit strengthens the argument for non-s-process production of the heavy-element abundance patterns in CEMP-no stars.« less

Using Hashimoto thyroiditis as gold standard to determine the upper limit value of thyroid stimulating hormone in a Chinese cohort.

PubMed

Li, Yu; Chen, Dong-Ning; Cui, Jing; Xin, Zhong; Yang, Guang-Ran; Niu, Ming-Jia; Yang, Jin-Kui

2016-11-06

Subclinical hypothyroidism, commonly caused by Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This disorder is defined as merely having elevated serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. However, the upper limit of reference range for TSH is debated recently. This study was to determine the cutoff value for the upper normal limit of TSH in a cohort using the prevalence of Hashimoto thyroiditis as "gold" calibration standard. The research population was medical staff of 2856 individuals who took part in health examination annually. Serum free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), TSH, thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPAb), thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) and other biochemistry parameters were tested. Meanwhile, thyroid ultrasound examination was performed. The diagnosis of HT was based on presence of thyroid antibodies (TPAb and TGAb) and abnormalities of thyroid ultrasound examination. We used two different methods to estimate the cutoff point of TSH based on the prevalence of HT. Joinpoint regression showed the prevalence of HT increased significantly at the ninth decile of TSH value corresponding to 2.9 mU/L. ROC curve showed a TSH cutoff value of 2.6 mU/L with the maximized sensitivity and specificity in identifying HT. Using the newly defined cutoff value of TSH can detect patients with hyperlipidemia more efficiently, which may indicate our approach to define the upper limit of TSH can make more sense from the clinical point of view. A significant increase in the prevalence of HT occurred among individuals with a TSH of 2.6-2.9 mU/L made it possible to determine the cutoff value of normal upper limit of TSH.

Dayglow and night glow of the Venusian upper atmosphere. Modelling and observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gronoff, G.; Lilensten, J.; Simon, C.; Barthélemy, M.; Leblanc, F.

2007-08-01

Aims. We present the modelling of the production of excited states of O, CO and N2 in the Venusian upper atmosphere, which allows to compute the nightglow emissions. In the dayside, we also compute several emissions, taking advantage of the small influence of resonant scattering for forbidden transitions. Methods. We compute the photoionisation and the photodissociation mechanisms, and thus the photoelectron production. We compute electron impact excitation and ionisation through a multi-stream stationary kinetic transport code. Finally, we compute the ion recombination with a stationary chemical model. Results.We predict altitude density profiles for O(1S) and O(1D) states and the emissions corresponding to their different transitions. They are found to be very comparable to the observations without the need for stratospheric emissions. In the nightside, we highlight the role of the N + O+2 reaction in the creation of the O(1S) state. This reaction has been suggested by Rees in 1975 (Frederick, 1976). It has been discussed several times afterwhile and in spite of different studies, is still controversial. However, when we take it in consideration in Venus, it is shown to be the cause of almost 90% of the state production. We calculate the production intensities of O(3S) and O(5S) states, which are needed for radiative transfer models. For CO we compute the Cameron band and the fourth positive band emissions. For N2 we compute the LBH, first and second positive bands. All these values are successfully compared to the experiment when data are available. Conclusions. For the first time, a comprehensive model is proposed to compute dayglow and nightglow emissions of the Venusian upper atmosphere. It relies on previous works with noticeable improvements, both on the transport and on the chemical aspects. In the near future, a radiative transfer model will be used to compute optically thick lines in the dayglow, and a fluid model will be added to compute ionosphere densities and temperatures. We will present the first observational results from the Pic du Midi telescope in June 2007, in order to compare with our modelling.

Noninvasive estimation of pharyngeal airway resistance and compliance in children based on volume-gated dynamic MRI and computational fluid dynamics.

PubMed

Persak, Steven C; Sin, Sanghun; McDonough, Joseph M; Arens, Raanan; Wootton, David M

2011-12-01

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was used to model the effect of collapsing airway geometry on internal pressure and velocity in the pharyngeal airway of three sedated children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and three control subjects. Model geometry was reconstructed from volume-gated magnetic resonance images during normal tidal breathing at 10 increments of tidal volume through the respiratory cycle. Each geometry was meshed with an unstructured grid and solved using a low-Reynolds number k-ω turbulence model driven by flow data averaged over 12 consecutive breathing cycles. Combining gated imaging with CFD modeling created a dynamic three-dimensional view of airway anatomy and mechanics, including the evolution of airway collapse and flow resistance and estimates of the local effective compliance. The upper airways of subjects with OSAS were generally much more compliant during tidal breathing. Compliance curves (pressure vs. cross-section area), derived for different locations along the airway, quantified local differences along the pharynx and between OSAS subjects. In one subject, the distal oropharynx was more compliant than the nasopharynx (1.028 vs. 0.450 mm(2)/Pa) and had a lower theoretical limiting flow rate, confirming the distal oropharynx as the flow-limiting segment of the airway in this subject. Another subject had a more compliant nasopharynx (0.053 mm(2)/Pa) during inspiration and apparent stiffening of the distal oropharynx (C = 0.0058 mm(2)/Pa), and the theoretical limiting flow rate indicated the nasopharynx as the flow-limiting segment. This new method may help to differentiate anatomical and functional factors in airway collapse.

Gardening in the zone of death: an experimental assessment of the absolute elevation limit of vascular plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorský, Miroslav; Chlumská, Zuzana; Altman, Jan; Čapková, Kateřina; Řeháková, Klára; Macek, Martin; Kopecký, Martin; Liancourt, Pierre; Doležal, Jiří

2016-04-01

Vascular plants in the western Tibetan Plateau reach 6000 m-the highest elevation on Earth. Due to the significant warming of the region, plant ranges are expected to shift upwards. However, factors governing maximum elevational limits of plant are unclear. To experimentally assess these factors, we transplanted 12 species from 5750 m to 5900 m (upper edge of vegetation) and 6100 m (beyond range) and monitored their survival for six years. In the first three years (2009-2012), there were plants surviving beyond the regional upper limit of vegetation. This supports the hypothesis of dispersal and/or recruitment limitation. Substantial warming, recorded in-situ during this period, very likely facilitated the survival. The survival was ecologically a non-random process, species better adapted to repeated soil freezing and thawing survived significantly better. No species have survived at 6100 m since 2013, probably due to the extreme snowfall in 2013. In conclusion, apart from the minimum heat requirements, our results show that episodic climatic events are decisive determinants of upper elevational limits of vascular plants.

Gardening in the zone of death: an experimental assessment of the absolute elevation limit of vascular plants.

PubMed

Dvorský, Miroslav; Chlumská, Zuzana; Altman, Jan; Čapková, Kateřina; Řeháková, Klára; Macek, Martin; Kopecký, Martin; Liancourt, Pierre; Doležal, Jiří

2016-04-13

Vascular plants in the western Tibetan Plateau reach 6000 m--the highest elevation on Earth. Due to the significant warming of the region, plant ranges are expected to shift upwards. However, factors governing maximum elevational limits of plant are unclear. To experimentally assess these factors, we transplanted 12 species from 5750 m to 5900 m (upper edge of vegetation) and 6100 m (beyond range) and monitored their survival for six years. In the first three years (2009-2012), there were plants surviving beyond the regional upper limit of vegetation. This supports the hypothesis of dispersal and/or recruitment limitation. Substantial warming, recorded in-situ during this period, very likely facilitated the survival. The survival was ecologically a non-random process, species better adapted to repeated soil freezing and thawing survived significantly better. No species have survived at 6100 m since 2013, probably due to the extreme snowfall in 2013. In conclusion, apart from the minimum heat requirements, our results show that episodic climatic events are decisive determinants of upper elevational limits of vascular plants.

Estimative of conversion fractions of AGN magnetic luminosity to produce ultra high energy cosmic rays from the observation of Fermi-LAT gamma rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coimbra-Araújo, Carlos H.; Anjos, Rita C.

2017-01-01

A fraction of the magnetic luminosity (LB) produced by Kerr black holes in some active galactic nuclei (AGNs) can produce the necessary energy to accelerate ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) beyond the GZK limit, observed, e.g., by the Pierre Auger experiment. Nevertheless, the direct detection of those UHECRs has a lack of information about the direction of the source from where those cosmic rays are coming, since charged particles are deflected by the intergalactic magnetic field. This problem arises the needing of alternative methods to evaluate the luminosity of UHECRs (LCR) from a given source. Methods proposed in literature range from the observation of upper limits in gamma rays to the observation of upper limits in neutrinos produced by cascade effects during the propagation of UHECRs. In this aspect, the present work proposes a method to calculate limits of the main possible conversion fractions ηCR = LCR/LB for nine UHECR AGN Seyfert sources based on the respective observation of gamma ray upper limits from Fermi-LAT data.

Neck postures in air traffic controllers with and without neck/shoulder disorders.

PubMed

Arvidsson, Inger; Hansson, Gert-Ake; Mathiassen, Svend Erik; Skerfving, Staffan

2008-03-01

Prolonged computer work with an extended neck is commonly believed to be associated with an increased risk of neck-shoulder disorders. The aim of this study was to compare neck postures during computer work between female cases with neck-shoulder disorders, and healthy referents. Based on physical examinations, 13 cases and 11 referents were selected among 70 female air traffic controllers with the same computer-based work tasks and identical workstations. Postures and movements were measured by inclinometers, placed on the forehead and upper back (C7/Th1) during authentic air traffic control. A recently developed method was applied to assess flexion/extension in the neck, calculated as the difference between head and upper back flexion/extension. cases and referents did not differ significantly in neck posture (median neck flexion/extension: -10 degrees vs. -9 degrees ; p=0.9). Hence, the belief that neck extension posture is associated with neck-shoulder disorders in computer work is not supported by the present data.

Computation of distribution of minimum resolution for log-normal distribution of chromatographic peak heights.

PubMed

Davis, Joe M

2011-10-28

General equations are derived for the distribution of minimum resolution between two chromatographic peaks, when peak heights in a multi-component chromatogram follow a continuous statistical distribution. The derivation draws on published theory by relating the area under the distribution of minimum resolution to the area under the distribution of the ratio of peak heights, which in turn is derived from the peak-height distribution. Two procedures are proposed for the equations' numerical solution. The procedures are applied to the log-normal distribution, which recently was reported to describe the distribution of component concentrations in three complex natural mixtures. For published statistical parameters of these mixtures, the distribution of minimum resolution is similar to that for the commonly assumed exponential distribution of peak heights used in statistical-overlap theory. However, these two distributions of minimum resolution can differ markedly, depending on the scale parameter of the log-normal distribution. Theory for the computation of the distribution of minimum resolution is extended to other cases of interest. With the log-normal distribution of peak heights as an example, the distribution of minimum resolution is computed when small peaks are lost due to noise or detection limits, and when the height of at least one peak is less than an upper limit. The distribution of minimum resolution shifts slightly to lower resolution values in the first case and to markedly larger resolution values in the second one. The theory and numerical procedure are confirmed by Monte Carlo simulation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Center for Seismic Studies Final Technical Report, October 1992 through October 1993

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-07

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT OF REPORT OF THIS PAGE OF ABSTRACT...Upper limit of depth error as a function of mb for estimates based on P and S waves for three netowrks : GSETr-2, ALPHA, and ALPHA + a 50 station...U 4A 4 U 4S as 1 I I I Figure 42: Upper limit of depth error as a function of mb for estimatesbased on P and S waves for three netowrk : GSETT-2o ALPHA

Lethal levels of selected water quality variables to larval and juvenile Lost River and shortnose suckers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saiki, M.K.; Monda, D.P.; Bellerud, B.L.

1999-01-01

Resource managers hypothesize that occasional fish kills during summer-early fall in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, may be linked to unfavorable water quality conditions created by massive algal blooms. In a preliminary effort to address this concern, short-term (96-h-long) laboratory tests were conducted with larval and juvenile Lost River (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose (Chasmistes brevirostris) suckers to determine the upper median lethal concentrations (LC50s; also referred to as median tolerance limits) for pH, un-ionized ammonia, and water temperature, and the lower LC50s for dissolved oxygen. The mean LC50s varied among species and life stages as follows: for pH, 10.30-10.39; for un-ionized ammonia, 0.48-1.06 mg litre-1; for temperature, 30.35-31.82??C; and for dissolved oxygen, 1.34-2.10 mg litre-1. Comparisons of 95% confidence limits indicated that, on average, the 96-h LC50s were not significantly different from those computed for shorter exposure times (i.e., 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h). According to two-way analysis of variance, LC50s for the four water quality variables did not vary significantly (p > 0.05) between fish species. However, LC50s for pH (exposure times of 24 h and 48 h) and dissolved oxygen (exposure times of 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h) differed significantly (p ??? 0.05) between life stages, whereas LC50s for un-ionized ammonia and water temperature did not exhibit significant differences. In general, larvae were more sensitive than juveniles to high pH and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. When compared to ambient water quality conditions in Upper Klamath Lake, our results strongly suggest that near-anoxic conditions associated with the senescence phase of algal blooms are most likely to cause high mortalities of larval and juvenile suckers.

WAMDII: The Wide Angle Michelson Doppler Imaging Interferometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

As part of an effort to learn more about the upper atmosphere and how it is linked to the weather experienced each day, NASA and NRCC are jointly sponsoring the Wide Angle Michelson Doppler Imaging Interferometer (WAMDII) Mission. WAMDII will measure atmospheric temperature and wind speed in the upper atmosphere. In addition to providing data on the upper atmosphere, the wind speed and temperature readings WAMDII takes will also be highly useful in developing and updating computer simulated models of the upper atmosphere. These models are used in the design and testing of equipment and software for Shuttles, satellites, and reentry vehicles. In making its wind speed and temperature measurements, WAMDII examines the Earth's airglow, a faint photochemical luminescence caused by the influx of solar ultraviolet energy into the upper atmosphere. During periods of high solar flare activity, the amount of this UV energy entering the upper atmosphere increases, and this increase may effect airglow emissions.

Progressive upper limb prosthetics.

PubMed

Lake, Chris; Dodson, Robert

2006-02-01

The field of upper extremity prosthetics is a constantly changing arena as researchers and prosthetists strive to bridge the gap between prosthetic reality and upper limb physiology. With the further development of implantable neurologic sensing devices and targeted muscle innervation (discussed elsewhere in this issue), the challenge of limited input to control vast outputs promises to become a historical footnote in the future annals of upper limb prosthetics. Soon multidextrous terminal devices, such as that found in the iLimb system(Touch EMAS, Inc., Edinburgh, UK), will be a clinical reality (Fig. 22). Successful prosthetic care depends on good communication and cooperation among the surgeon, the amputee, the rehabilitation team, and the scientists harnessing the power of technology to solve real-life challenges. If the progress to date is any indication, amputees of the future will find their dreams limited only by their imagination.

Investigation of the computer experiences and attitudes of pre-service mathematics teachers: new evidence from Turkey.

PubMed

Birgin, Osman; Catlioğlu, Hakan; Gürbüz, Ramazan; Aydin, Serhat

2010-10-01

This study aimed to investigate the experiences of pre-service mathematics (PSM) teachers with computers and their attitudes toward them. The Computer Attitude Scale, Computer Competency Survey, and Computer Use Information Form were administered to 180 Turkish PSM teachers. Results revealed that most PSM teachers used computers at home and at Internet cafes, and that their competency was generally intermediate and upper level. The study concludes that PSM teachers' attitudes about computers differ according to their years of study, computer ownership, level of computer competency, frequency of computer use, computer experience, and whether they had attended a computer-aided instruction course. However, computer attitudes were not affected by gender.

Evaluating external nutrient and suspended-sediment loads to Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, using surrogate regressions with real-time turbidity and acoustic backscatter data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schenk, Liam N.; Anderson, Chauncey W.; Diaz, Paul; Stewart, Marc A.

2016-12-22

Executive SummarySuspended-sediment and total phosphorus loads were computed for two sites in the Upper Klamath Basin on the Wood and Williamson Rivers, the two main tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake. High temporal resolution turbidity and acoustic backscatter data were used to develop surrogate regression models to compute instantaneous concentrations and loads on these rivers. Regression models for the Williamson River site showed strong correlations of turbidity with total phosphorus and suspended-sediment concentrations (adjusted coefficients of determination [Adj R2]=0.73 and 0.95, respectively). Regression models for the Wood River site had relatively poor, although statistically significant, relations of turbidity with total phosphorus, and turbidity and acoustic backscatter with suspended sediment concentration, with high prediction uncertainty. Total phosphorus loads for the partial 2014 water year (excluding October and November 2013) were 39 and 28 metric tons for the Williamson and Wood Rivers, respectively. These values are within the low range of phosphorus loads computed for these rivers from prior studies using water-quality data collected by the Klamath Tribes. The 2014 partial year total phosphorus loads on the Williamson and Wood Rivers are assumed to be biased low because of the absence of data from the first 2 months of water year 2014, and the drought conditions that were prevalent during that water year. Therefore, total phosphorus and suspended-sediment loads in this report should be considered as representative of a low-water year for the two study sites. Comparing loads from the Williamson and Wood River monitoring sites for November 2013–September 2014 shows that the Williamson and Sprague Rivers combined, as measured at the Williamson River site, contributed substantially more suspended sediment to Upper Klamath Lake than the Wood River, with 4,360 and 1,450 metric tons measured, respectively.Surrogate techniques have proven useful at the two study sites, particularly in using turbidity to compute suspended-sediment concentrations in the Williamson River. This proof-of-concept effort for computing total phosphorus concentrations using turbidity at the Williamson and Wood River sites also has shown that with additional samples over a wide range of flow regimes, high-temporal-resolution total phosphorus loads can be estimated on a daily, monthly, and annual basis, along with uncertainties for total phosphorus and suspended-sediment concentrations computed using regression models. Sediment-corrected backscatter at the Wood River has potential for estimating suspended-sediment loads from the Wood River Valley as well, with additional analysis of the variable streamflow measured at that site. Suspended-sediment and total phosphorus loads with a high level of temporal resolution will be useful to water managers, restoration practitioners, and scientists in the Upper Klamath Basin working toward the common goal of decreasing nutrient and sediment loads in Upper Klamath Lake.

Adherence to balance tolerance limits at the Upper Mississippi Science Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Myers, C.T.; Kennedy, D.M.

1998-01-01

Verification of balance accuracy entails applying a series of standard masses to a balance prior to use and recording the measured values. The recorded values for each standard should have lower and upper weight limits or tolerances that are accepted as verification of balance accuracy under normal operating conditions. Balance logbooks for seven analytical balances at the Upper Mississippi Science Center were checked over a 3.5-year period to determine if the recorded weights were within the established tolerance limits. A total of 9435 measurements were checked. There were 14 instances in which the balance malfunctioned and operators recorded a rationale in the balance logbook. Sixty-three recording errors were found. Twenty-eight operators were responsible for two types of recording errors: Measurements of weights were recorded outside of the tolerance limit but not acknowledged as an error by the operator (n = 40); and measurements were recorded with the wrong number of decimal places (n = 23). The adherence rate for following tolerance limits was 99.3%. To ensure the continued adherence to tolerance limits, the quality-assurance unit revised standard operating procedures to require more frequent review of balance logbooks.

Limits on the fluctuating part of y-type distortion monopole from Planck and SPT results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khatri, Rishi; Sunyaev, Rashid, E-mail: khatri@mpa-garching.mpg.de, E-mail: sunyaev@mpa-garching.mpg.de

2015-08-01

We use the published Planck and SPT cluster catalogs [1,2] and recently published y-distortion maps [3] to put strong observational limits on the contribution of the fluctuating part of the y-type distortions to the y-distortion monopole. Our bounds are 5.4× 10{sup −8} < ( y) < 2.2× 10{sup −6}. Our upper bound is a factor of 6.8 stronger than the currently best upper 95% confidence limit from COBE-FIRAS of ( y) <15× 10{sup −6}. In the standard cosmology, large scale structure is the only source of such distortions and our limits therefore constrain the baryonic physics involved in the formation of the large scale structure. Our lower limit, from themore » detected clusters in the Planck and SPT catalogs, also implies that a Pixie-like experiment should detect the y-distortion monopole at >27-σ. The biggest sources of uncertainty in our upper limit are the monopole offsets between different HFI channel maps that we estimate to be <10{sup −6}.« less

Trajectory Software With Upper Atmosphere Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrett, Charles

2012-01-01

The Trajectory Software Applications 6.0 for the Dec Alpha platform has an implementation of the Jacchia-Lineberry Upper Atmosphere Density Model used in the Mission Control Center for International Space Station support. Previous trajectory software required an upper atmosphere to support atmosphere drag calculations in the Mission Control Center. The Functional operation will differ depending on the end-use of the module. In general, the calling routine will use function-calling arguments to specify input to the processor. The atmosphere model will then compute and return atmospheric density at the time of interest.

Simulink Model of the Ares I Upper Stage Main Propulsion System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burchett, Bradley T.

2008-01-01

A numerical model of the Ares I upper stage main propulsion system is formulated based on first principles. Equation's are written as non-linear ordinary differential equations. The GASP fortran code is used to compute thermophysical properties of the working fluids. Complicated algebraic constraints are numerically solved. The model is implemented in Simulink and provides a rudimentary simulation of the time history of important pressures and temperatures during re-pressurization, boost and upper stage firing. The model is validated against an existing reliable code, and typical results are shown.

Use of saline water in energy development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Israelsen, C.E.; Adams, V.D.; Batty, J.C.

1980-06-01

Maps were made of the Upper Colorado River Basin showing locations of coal deposits, oil and gas, oil shale, uranium, and tar sand, in relationship to cities and towns in the area. Superimposed on these are locations of wells showing four ranges of water quality; 1000 to 3000 mg/l, 3000 to 10,000 mg/l, 10,000 to 35,000 mg/l, and over 35,000 mg/l. Information was assembled relative to future energy-related projects in the upper basin, and estimates were made of their anticipated water needs. Using computer models, various options were tested for using saline water for coal-fired power plant cooling. Both coolingmore » towers and brine evaporation ponds were included. Information is presented of several proven water treatment technologies, and comparisons are made of their cost effectiveness when placed in various combinations in the power plant makeup and blowdown water systems. A relative value scale was developed which compares graphically the relative values of waters of different salinities based on three different water treatment options and predetermined upper limits of cooling tower circulating salinities. Coal from several different mines was slurried in waters of different salinities. Samples were analyzed in the laboratory to determine which constituents had been leached from or absorbed by the coal, and what possible deleterious effects this might have on the burning properties of the coal, or on the water for culinary use or irrigation.« less

Frequency response of portable PEF meters.

PubMed

Hankinson, J L; Das, M K

1995-08-01

Peak expiratory flow (PEF) is a dynamic parameter and therefore requires a measuring device with a high-frequency response. This study evaluated the frequency-response characteristics of eight commercially available PEF meters, using simulated forced-expiratory maneuvers with a computer-controlled mechanical pump. Three different PEF levels were used (200, 400, and 600 L/min) at six levels of harmonic-frequency content similar to those observed in human subjects. For waveforms with higher frequency content (at the high end or above the physiologic range), the Assess, Vitalograph, Pocket Peak, and Spir-O-Flow PEF meters all overread PEF (greater than 15% difference from target values) at all three PEF levels. These results suggest that the frequency response of PEF meters is an important consideration in the selection of such meters and should be included in device requirements. The current practice of using various levels of American Thoracic Society (ATS) waveform 24 with its low-frequency content may not adequately evaluate the frequency characteristics of PEF meters. An upper range (5% of the fundamental frequency) of 12 Hz, within the range observed in normal subjects, appears to be more practical than an upper limit of 20 Hz.

Dielectric properties of water under extreme conditions and transport of carbonates in the deep Earth.

PubMed

Pan, Ding; Spanu, Leonardo; Harrison, Brandon; Sverjensky, Dimitri A; Galli, Giulia

2013-04-23

Water is a major component of fluids in the Earth's mantle, where its properties are substantially different from those at ambient conditions. At the pressures and temperatures of the mantle, experiments on aqueous fluids are challenging, and several fundamental properties of water are poorly known; e.g., its dielectric constant has not been measured. This lack of knowledge of water dielectric properties greatly limits our ability to model water-rock interactions and, in general, our understanding of aqueous fluids below the Earth's crust. Using ab initio molecular dynamics, we computed the dielectric constant of water under the conditions of the Earth's upper mantle, and we predicted the solubility products of carbonate minerals. We found that MgCO3 (magnesite)--insoluble in water under ambient conditions--becomes at least slightly soluble at the bottom of the upper mantle, suggesting that water may transport significant quantities of oxidized carbon. Our results suggest that aqueous carbonates could leave the subducting lithosphere during dehydration reactions and could be injected into the overlying lithosphere. The Earth's deep carbon could possibly be recycled through aqueous transport on a large scale through subduction zones.

Alder Establishment and Channel Dynamics in a Tributary of the South Fork Eel River, Mendocino County, California

Treesearch

William J. Trush; Edward C. Connor; Knight Alan W.

1989-01-01

Riparian communities established along Elder Creek, a tributary of the upper South Fork Eel River, are bounded by two frequencies of periodic flooding. The upper limit for the riparian zone occurs at bankfull stage. The lower riparian limit is associated with a more frequent stage height, called the active channel, having an exceedance probability of 11 percent on a...

Applicability of Thermal Storage Systems to Air Force Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

Analisis of Region 6 Upper Limit Retrofit Scenario 30% Reduction .... ............. 4.52 4.58 Economic Analysis of Region 7 Upper Limit Retrofit Scenario...or a dynamic-direct contact type. They usually include all the controls, chilling and storage equipment in one self-contained, skid mounted, factory ...SCS technology. One promising trend in reducing system construction costs is the factory -packaged thermal storage cooling unit. As of February 1989

An upper limit on the neutrino rest mass.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowsik, R.; Mcclelland, J.

1972-01-01

It is pointed out that the measurement of the deceleration parameter by Sandage (1972) implies an upper limit of a few tens of electron volts on the sum of the masses of all the possible light, stable particles that interact only weakly. In the discussion of the problem, it is assumed that the universe is expanding from an initially hot and condensed state as envisaged in the 'big-bang' theories.

The upper spatial limit for perception of displacement is affected by preceding motion.

PubMed

Stefanova, Miroslava; Mateeff, Stefan; Hohnsbein, Joachim

2009-03-01

The upper spatial limit D(max) for perception of apparent motion of a random dot pattern may be strongly affected by another, collinear, motion that precedes it [Mateeff, S., Stefanova, M., &. Hohnsbein, J. (2007). Perceived global direction of a compound of real and apparent motion. Vision Research, 47, 1455-1463]. In the present study this phenomenon was studied with two-dimensional motion stimuli. A random dot pattern moved alternately in the vertical and oblique direction (zig-zag motion). The vertical motion was of 1.04 degrees length; it was produced by three discrete spatial steps of the dots. Thereafter the dots were displaced by a single spatial step in oblique direction. Each motion lasted for 57ms. The upper spatial limit for perception of the oblique motion was measured under two conditions: the vertical component of the oblique motion and the vertical motion were either in the same or in opposite directions. It was found that the perception of the oblique motion was strongly influenced by the relative direction of the vertical motion that preceded it; in the "same" condition the upper spatial limit was much shorter than in the "opposite" condition. Decreasing the speed of the vertical motion reversed this effect. Interpretations based on networks of motion detectors and on Gestalt theory are discussed.

Dispersal of sticky particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Ramana; Kumar, Sanjeev

2007-12-01

In this paper, we show through simulations that when sticky particles are broken continually, particles are dispersed into fine dust only if they are present in a narrow range of volume fractions. The upper limit of this range is 0.20 in the 2D and 0.10 in the 3D space. An increase in the dimensionality of space reduces the upper limit nearly by a factor of two. This scaling holds for dispersal of particles in hyperdimensional space of dimensions up to ten, the maximum dimension studied in this work. The maximum values of volume fractions obtained are significantly lower than those required for close packing and random packing of discs in 2D and spheres in 3D space. These values are also smaller than those required for critical phenomena of cluster percolation. The results obtained are attributed to merger cascades of sticky particles, triggered by breakup events. A simple theory that incorporates this cascade is developed to quantitatively explain the observed scaling of the upper limit with the dimensionality of space. The theory also captures the dynamics of the dispersal process in the corresponding range of particle volume fractions. The theory suggests that cascades of order one and two predominantly decide the upper limit for complete dispersal of particles.

Ecological traps in shallow coastal waters—Potential effect of heat-waves in tropical and temperate organisms

PubMed Central

Mendonça, Vanessa; Cereja, Rui; Abreu-Afonso, Francisca; Dias, Marta; Mizrahi, Damián; Flores, Augusto A. V.

2018-01-01

Mortality of fish has been reported in tide pools during warm days. That means that tide pools are potential ecological traps for coastal organisms, which happen when environmental changes cause maladaptive habitat selection. Heat-waves are predicted to increase in intensity, duration and frequency, making it relevant to investigate the role of tide pools as traps for coastal organisms. However, heat waves can also lead to acclimatization. If organisms undergo acclimatization prior to being trapped in tide pools, their survival chances may increase. Common tide pool species (46 species in total) were collected at a tropical and a temperate area and their upper thermal limits estimated. They were maintained for 10 days at their mean summer sea surface temperature +3°C, mimicking a heat-wave. Their upper thermal limits were estimated again, after this acclimation period, to calculate each species’ acclimation response. The upper thermal limits of the organisms were compared to the temperatures attained by tide pool waters to investigate if 1) tide pools could be considered ecological traps and 2) if the increase in upper thermal limits elicited by the acclimation period could make the organisms less vulnerable to this threat. Tropical tide pools were found to be ecological traps for an important number of common coastal species, given that they can attain temperatures higher than the upper thermal limits of most of those species. Tide pools are not ecological traps in temperate zones. Tropical species have higher thermal limits than temperate species, but lower acclimation response, that does not allow them to survive the maximum habitat temperature of tropical tide pools. This way, tropical coastal organisms seem to be, not only more vulnerable to climate warming per se, but also to an increase in the ecological trap effect of tide pools. PMID:29420657

Orbit decay analysis of STS upper stage boosters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graf, O. F., Jr.; Mueller, A. C.

1979-01-01

An orbit decay analysis of the space transportation system upper stage boosters is presented. An overview of the computer trajectory programs, DSTROB, algorithm is presented. Atmospheric drag and perturbation models are described. The development of launch windows, such that the transfer orbit will decay within two years, is discussed. A study of the lifetimes of geosynchronous transfer orbits is presented.

Global solutions of restricted open-shell Hartree-Fock theory from semidefinite programming with applications to strongly correlated quantum systems.

PubMed

Veeraraghavan, Srikant; Mazziotti, David A

2014-03-28

We present a density matrix approach for computing global solutions of restricted open-shell Hartree-Fock theory, based on semidefinite programming (SDP), that gives upper and lower bounds on the Hartree-Fock energy of quantum systems. While wave function approaches to Hartree-Fock theory yield an upper bound to the Hartree-Fock energy, we derive a semidefinite relaxation of Hartree-Fock theory that yields a rigorous lower bound on the Hartree-Fock energy. We also develop an upper-bound algorithm in which Hartree-Fock theory is cast as a SDP with a nonconvex constraint on the rank of the matrix variable. Equality of the upper- and lower-bound energies guarantees that the computed solution is the globally optimal solution of Hartree-Fock theory. The work extends a previously presented method for closed-shell systems [S. Veeraraghavan and D. A. Mazziotti, Phys. Rev. A 89, 010502-R (2014)]. For strongly correlated systems the SDP approach provides an alternative to the locally optimized Hartree-Fock energies and densities with a certificate of global optimality. Applications are made to the potential energy curves of C2, CN, Cr2, and NO2.

Neurophysiological substrates of stroke patients with motor imagery-based Brain-Computer Interface training.

PubMed

Li, Mingfen; Liu, Ye; Wu, Yi; Liu, Sirao; Jia, Jie; Zhang, Liqing

2014-06-01

We investigated the efficacy of motor imagery-based Brain Computer Interface (MI-based BCI) training for eight stroke patients with severe upper extremity paralysis using longitudinal clinical assessments. The results were compared with those of a control group (n = 7) that only received FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) treatment besides conventional therapies. During rehabilitation training, changes in the motor function of the upper extremity and in the neurophysiologic electroencephalographic (EEG) were observed for two groups. After 8 weeks of training, a significant improvement in the motor function of the upper extremity for the BCI group was confirmed (p < 0.05 for ARAT), simultaneously with the activation of bilateral cerebral hemispheres. Additionally, event-related desynchronization (ERD) of the affected sensorimotor cortexes (SMCs) was significantly enhanced when compared to the pretraining course, which was only observed in the BCI group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the activation of affected SMC and parietal lobe were determined to contribute to motor function recovery (p < 0.05). In brief, our findings demonstrate that MI-based BCI training can enhance the motor function of the upper extremity for stroke patients by inducing the optimal cerebral motor functional reorganization.

Root reinforcement and its contribution to slope stability in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukose Kuriakose, Sekhar; van Beek, L. P. H.

2010-05-01

The Western Ghats of Kerala, India is prone to shallow landslides and consequent debris flows. An earlier study (Kuriakose et al., DOI:10.1002/esp.1794) with limited data had already demonstrated the possible effects of vegetation on slope hydrology and stability. Spatially distributed root cohesion is one of the most important data necessary to assess the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on the probability of shallow landslide initiation, results of which are reported in sessions GM6.1 and HS13.13/NH3.16. Thus it is necessary to the know the upper limits of reinforcement that the roots are able to provide and its spatial and vertical distribution in such an anthropogenically intervened terrain. Root tensile strength and root pull out tests were conducted on nine species of plants that are commonly found in the region. They are 1) Rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis), 2) Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera), 3) Jackfruit trees (Artocarpus heterophyllus), 4) Teak (Tectona grandis), 5) Mango trees (Mangifera indica), 6) Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), 7) Gambooge (Garcinia gummi-gutta), 8) Coffee (Coffea Arabica) and 9) Tea (Camellia sinensis). About 1500 samples were collected of which only 380 could be tested (in the laboratory) due to breakage of roots during the tests. In the successful tests roots failed in tension. Roots having diameters between 2 mm and 12 mm were tested. Each sample tested had a length of 15 cm. Root pull out tests were conducted in the field. Root tensile strength vs root diameter, root pull out strength vs diameter, root diameter vs root depth and root count vs root depth relationships were derived. Root cohesion was computed for nine most dominant plants in the region using the perpendicular root model of Wu et al. (1979) modified by Schimidt et al. (2001). A soil depth map was derived using regression kriging as suggested by Kuriakose et al., (doi:10.1016/j.catena.2009.05.005) and used along with the land use map of 2008 to distribute the computed root tensile strength both vertically and spatially. Root cohesion varies significantly with the type of land use and the depth of soil. The computation showed that a maximum root reinforcement of 40 kPa was available in the first 30 cm of soil while exponentially decreased with depth to just about 3 kPa at 3 m depth. Mixed crops land use unit had the maximum root cohesion while fallow land, degraded forest and young rubber plantation had the lowest root reinforcement. These are the upper limits of root reinforcement that the vegetation can provide. When the soil is saturated, the bond between soil and roots reduces and thus the applicable root reinforcement is limited by the root pullout strength. Root reinforcement estimated from pullout strength vs diameter relationships was significantly lower than those estimated from tensile strength vs diameter relationships.

Development of a Traditional/Computer-aided Graphics Course for Engineering Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anand, Vera B.

1985-01-01

Describes a two-semester-hour freshman course in engineering graphics which uses both traditional and computerized instruction. Includes course description, computer graphics topics, and recommendations. Indicates that combining interactive graphics software with development of simple programs gave students a better foundation for upper-division…

DCJ-indel and DCJ-substitution distances with distinct operation costs

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Classical approaches to compute the genomic distance are usually limited to genomes with the same content and take into consideration only rearrangements that change the organization of the genome (i.e. positions and orientation of pieces of DNA, number and type of chromosomes, etc.), such as inversions, translocations, fusions and fissions. These operations are generically represented by the double-cut and join (DCJ) operation. The distance between two genomes, in terms of number of DCJ operations, can be computed in linear time. In order to handle genomes with distinct contents, also insertions and deletions of fragments of DNA – named indels – must be allowed. More powerful than an indel is a substitution of a fragment of DNA by another fragment of DNA. Indels and substitutions are called content-modifying operations. It has been shown that both the DCJ-indel and the DCJ-substitution distances can also be computed in linear time, assuming that the same cost is assigned to any DCJ or content-modifying operation. Results In the present study we extend the DCJ-indel and the DCJ-substitution models, considering that the content-modifying cost is distinct from and upper bounded by the DCJ cost, and show that the distance in both models can still be computed in linear time. Although the triangular inequality can be disrupted in both models, we also show how to efficiently fix this problem a posteriori. PMID:23879938

Temporal variations of mobile carbohydrates in Abies fargesii at the upper tree limits.

PubMed

Dang, H S; Zhang, K R; Zhang, Q F; Xu, Y M

2015-01-01

Low temperatures are associated high-altitude treelines, but the functional mechanism of treeline formation remains controversial. The relative contributions of carbon limitation (source activity) and growth limitation (sink activity) require more tests across taxa and regions. We examined temporal variations of mobile carbon supply in different tissues of Abies fargesii across treeline ecotones on north- and south-facing slopes of the Qinling Mountains, China. Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations in tissues along the altitudinal gradient on both slopes changed significantly in the early and late growing season, but not in the mid-growing season, indicating the season-dependent carbon supply status. Late in the growing season on both slopes, trees at the upper limits had the highest NSC concentrations and total soluble sugars and lowest starch concentrations compared to trees at the lower elevations. NSC concentrations tended to increase in needles and branches throughout the growing season with increasing elevation on both slopes, but declined in roots and stems. NSC concentrations across sampling dates also indicated increases in needles and branches, and decreases in roots and stem with increasing elevation. Overall altitudinal trends of NSC in A. fargesii revealed no depletion of mobile carbon reserves at upper elevation limits, suggesting limitation of sink activity dominates tree life across treeline ecotones in both north- and south-facing slopes. Carbon reserves in storage tissues (especially roots) in the late growing season might also play an important role in winter survival and early growth in spring at upper elevations on both slopes, which define the uppermost limit of A. fargesii. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

X-ray Bursts in Neutron Star and Black Hole Binaries from USA Data: Detections and Upper Limits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tournear, Derek M

Narayan and Heyl (2002) have developed a theoretical framework to convert suitable upper limits on type I X-ray bursts from accreting black hole candidates (BHCs) into evidence for an event horizon. However, no appropriate observational limit exists in the literature. In this paper we survey 2101.2 ks of data from the Unconventional Stellar Aspect (USA) X-ray timing experiment and 5142 ks of data from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) experiment to obtain a formal constraint of this type. 1122 ks of neutron star data yield a population averaged mean burst rate of 1.69 x 10{sup -5} bursts s{sup -1}more » while 6081 ks of BHC data yield a 95% confidence level upper limit of 4.9 x 10{sup -7} bursts s{sup -1}. This is the first published limit of this type for Black Hole Candidates. Applying the theoretical framework of Narayan and Heyl (2002) we calculate regions of unstable luminosity where the neutron stars are expected to burst and the BHCs would be expected to burst if they had a surface. In this unstable luminosity region 464 ks of neutron star data yield an averaged mean burst rate of 4.1 x 10{sup -5} bursts s{sup -1} and 1512 ks of BHC data yield a 95% confidence level upper limit of 2.0 x 10{sup 6} bursts s{sup -1}, and a limit of > 10 {sigma} that BHCs do not burst with a rate similar to the rate of neutron stars in these unstable regions. This gives further evidence that BHCs do not have surfaces unless there is some new physics occurring on their surface.« less

Exact one-sided confidence bounds for the risk ratio in 2 x 2 tables with structural zero.

PubMed

Lloyd, Chris J; Moldovan, Max V

2007-12-01

This paper examines exact one-sided confidence limits for the risk ratio in a 2 x 2 table with structural zero. Starting with four approximate lower and upper limits, we adjust each using the algorithm of Buehler (1957) to arrive at lower (upper) limits that have exact coverage properties and are as large (small) as possible subject to coverage, as well as an ordering, constraint. Different Buehler limits are compared by their mean size, since all are exact in their coverage. Buehler limits based on the signed root likelihood ratio statistic are found to have the best performance and recommended for practical use. (c) 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Evaluation of 'I-Preventive': a digital preventive tool for musculoskeletal disorders in computer workers-a pilot cluster randomised trial.

PubMed

Lanhers, C; Pereira, B; Garde, G; Maublant, C; Dutheil, F; Coudeyre, E

2016-09-22

I-Preventive is a digital preventive tool for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in computer workers. We sought to determine its impact on pain in computer workers with upper limb MSDs and visual discomfort. We conducted a pilot cluster randomised trial in 2 different sites of a tyre factory in France. We randomised 200 employees to either an intervention group (I-Preventive) or control group, each comprising symptomatic and asymptomatic employees. The workers were followed up for 5 months. The main outcome was overall recovery from symptoms following 1 month's intervention based on Nordic-style and eyestrain questionnaires. We included 185/200 workers: 96 in the intervention group (mean age 41.8±1.4 years; 88.5% males) and 79 in the control group (mean age 42.9±12.0 years; 94.5% males). The most painful areas (numerical scale ≥2) were the neck (40.0%), upper back (18.8%) and shoulders (15.7%). For the most painful anatomical area, the Nordic score significantly decreased after 1 month in the intervention group (p=0.038); no change was observed in the control group (p=0.59). After 1 month's use, the intervention group reported less pain in the painful area and less visual discomfort symptoms (p=0.02). Adherence to the I-Preventive program was 60%. I-Preventive is effective in the short term on musculoskeletal symptoms and visual discomfort by promoting active breaks and eyestrain treatment. This easy-to-use digital tool allows each worker to focus on areas of their choice via personalised, easy exercises that can be performed in the workplace. NCT02350244; Pre-results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

General Reevaluation Report, Upper Skunk River Basin, Iowa (Ames Lake).

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

the beneficial effects of land enhance- ment are analyzed as location benefits. Computations of the effects of future growth as related to...relationships needed to compute benefits. c. Computations of the effects of future growth as related to resi- dential and commercial properties were based... effects of increased amounts of soil conservation land treatment practices upon: - soil erosion by water - sediment yields to potential reservoir

Defining the upper age limit of luminescence dating: A case study using long lacustrine records from Chew Bahir, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapot, Melissa S.; Roberts, Helen M.; Lamb, Henry F.; Schäbitz, Frank; Asrat, Asfawossen; Trauth, Martin H.

2017-04-01

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating is a family of numerical chronometric techniques applied to quartz or feldspar mineral grains to assess the time since these grains were last exposed to sunlight (i.e. deposited), based on the amount of energy they absorbed from ambient radiation during burial. The maximum limit of any OSL dating technique is not defined by a fixed upper age limit, but instead by the maximum radiation dose the sample can accurately record before the OSL signal saturates. The challenge is to assess this upper limit of accurate age determination without necessitating comparison to independent age control. Laboratory saturation of OSL signals can be observed using a dose response curve (DRC) plotting OSL signal intensity against absorbed laboratory radiation dose. When a DRC is fitted with a single saturating exponential, one of the equation's parameters can be used to define a pragmatic upper limit beyond which uncertainties become large and asymmetric (Wintle and Murray, 2006). However, many sub-samples demonstrate DRCs that are best defined by double saturating exponential equations, which cannot be used to define this upper limit. To investigate the reliability of luminescence ages approaching saturation, Chapot et al. (2012) developed the Natural DRC concept, which uses expected ages derived from independent age control, combined with sample-specific measurements of ambient radioactivity, to calculate expected doses of absorbed radiation during burial. Natural OSL signal intensity is then plotted against these expected doses and compared to laboratory-generated DRCs. Using this approach, discrepancies between natural and laboratory DRCs have been observed for the same mineral material as natural OSL signal intensities saturate at absorbed radiation doses lower than the pragmatic upper limit defined by laboratory DRCs, leading to increasing age underestimation with depth without a metric for questioning the age reliability. The present study explores a means of defining the upper limit for reliable luminescence ages for sedimentary records without an established chronologic framework, using a long ( 280m; Cohen et al., 2016) lacustrine record from Chew Bahir, Ethiopia, drilled as part of the Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project (HSPDP) of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Programme (ICDP) and CRC806 "Our way to Europe". Natural saturation of OSL signals is explored by plotting natural signal intensity against depth, creating a pseudo-Natural DRC that can be compared to laboratory DRCs. Unlike the homogenous deposits of the Chinese Loess Plateau where the Natural DRC concept was developed, the 280m composite core from Chew Bahir shows significant variation in lithology enabling investigation of the effects of sample to sample variability on Natural DRC construction, and facilitating comparison between signals from fine-quartz, fine-polymineral, and coarse-potassium feldspar grains. This work demonstrates how the concepts of Natural DRCs can be used to define the upper dating limit of sample suites without independent age control, providing valuable information for long sedimentary sequences such as the lacustrine deposits from Chew Bahir. Chapot M.S., et al. (2012), Radiation Measurements 47: 1045-1052. Cohen A, et al. (2016), Scientific Drilling 21: 1-16. Wintle, A.G., Murray, A.S. (2006) Radiation Measurements 41: 369-391.

Informative graphing of continuous safety variables relative to normal reference limits.

PubMed

Breder, Christopher D

2018-05-16

Interpreting graphs of continuous safety variables can be complicated because differences in age, gender, and testing site methodologies data may give rise to multiple reference limits. Furthermore, data below the lower limit of normal are compressed relative to those points above the upper limit of normal. The objective of this study is to develop a graphing technique that addresses these issues and is visually intuitive. A mock dataset with multiple reference ranges is initially used to develop the graphing technique. Formulas are developed for conditions where data are above the upper limit of normal, normal, below the lower limit of normal, and below the lower limit of normal when the data value equals zero. After the formulae are developed, an anonymized dataset from an actual set of trials for an approved drug is evaluated comparing the technique developed in this study to standard graphical methods. Formulas are derived for the novel graphing method based on multiples of the normal limits. The formula for values scaled between the upper and lower limits of normal is a novel application of a readily available scaling formula. The formula for the lower limit of normal is novel and addresses the issue of this value potentially being indeterminate when the result to be scaled as a multiple is zero. The formulae and graphing method described in this study provides a visually intuitive method to graph continuous safety data including laboratory values, vital sign data.

An upper limit of muon flux of energies above 100 TeV determined from horizontal air showers observed at Akeno

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagano, M.; Yoshii, H.; Hara, T.; Kamata, K.; Kawaguchi, S.; Kifune, T.

1985-01-01

Muon energy spectrum above 100 TeV was determined by observing the extensive air showers (EAS) from the horizontal direction (HAS). No definite muon originated shower of sizes above 100,000 and zenith angles above 60 deg was observed. The upper limits of HAS intensity is 5x10/12 m/2 s/1 sn/1 above 100,000. It is indicated that the upper limit of muon flux above 100 TeV is about 1.3x10/8 m/2 s/1 sr/1 and is in agreement with that expected from the primary spectrum with a knee assuming scaling in the fragmentation region and 40% protons in the primary beam. The critical energy at which muon flux from prompt processes take over that from the conventional process is higher than 100 Tev at horizontal direction.

Search for Θ++ Pentaquarks in the Exclusive Reaction γp→K+K-p

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubarovsky, V.; Battaglieri, M.; Vita, R. De; Goett, J.; Guo, L.; Mutchler, G. S.; Stoler, P.; Weygand, D. P.; Ambrozewicz, P.; Anghinolfi, M.; Asryan, G.; Avakian, H.; Bagdasaryan, H.; Baillie, N.; Ball, J. P.; Baltzell, N. A.; Batourine, V.; Bedlinskiy, I.; Bellis, M.; Benmouna, N.; Berman, B. L.; Biselli, A. S.; Bouchigny, S.; Boiarinov, S.; Bradford, R.; Branford, D.; Briscoe, W. J.; Brooks, W. K.; Bültmann, S.; Burkert, V. D.; Butuceanu, C.; Calarco, J. R.; Careccia, S. L.; Carman, D. S.; Chen, S.; Clinton, E.; Cole, P. L.; Collins, P.; Coltharp, P.; Crabb, D.; Crannell, H.; Crede, V.; Cummings, J. P.; Masi, R. De; Dale, D.; Sanctis, E. De; Degtyarenko, P. V.; Deur, A.; Dharmawardane, K. V.; Djalali, C.; Dodge, G. E.; Donnelly, J.; Doughty, D.; Dugger, M.; Dzyubak, O. P.; Egiyan, H.; Egiyan, K. S.; Elouadrhiri, L.; Eugenio, P.; Fedotov, G.; Funsten, H.; Gabrielyan, M. Y.; Gan, L.; Garçon, M.; Gasparian, A.; Gavalian, G.; Gilfoyle, G. P.; Giovanetti, K. L.; Girod, F. X.; Glamazdin, O.; Goetz, J. T.; Golovach, E.; Gonenc, A.; Gordon, C. I. O.; Gothe, R. W.; Griffioen, K. A.; Guidal, M.; Guler, N.; Gyurjyan, V.; Hadjidakis, C.; Hafidi, K.; Hakobyan, R. S.; Hardie, J.; Hersman, F. W.; Hicks, K.; Hleiqawi, I.; Holtrop, M.; Hyde-Wright, C. E.; Ilieva, Y.; Ireland, D. G.; Ishkhanov, B. S.; Isupov, E. L.; Ito, M. M.; Jenkins, D.; Jo, H. S.; Joo, K.; Juengst, H. G.; Kellie, J. D.; Khandaker, M.; Kim, W.; Klein, A.; Klein, F. J.; Klimenko, A. V.; Kossov, M.; Kramer, L. H.; Kuhn, J.; Kuhn, S. E.; Kuleshov, S. V.; Lachniet, J.; Laget, J. M.; Langheinrich, J.; Lawrence, D.; Lee, T.; Li, Ji; Livingston, K.; Lu, H.; MacCormick, M.; Markov, N.; McKinnon, B.; Mecking, B. A.; Melone, J. J.; Mestayer, M. D.; Meyer, C. A.; Mibe, T.; Mikhailov, K.; Minehart, R.; Mirazita, M.; Miskimen, R.; Mochalov, V.; Mokeev, V.; Morand, L.; Morrow, S. A.; Moteabbed, M.; Nadel-Turonski, P.; Nakagawa, I.; Nasseripour, R.; Niccolai, S.; Niculescu, G.; Niculescu, I.; Niczyporuk, B. B.; Niroula, M. R.; Niyazov, R. A.; Nozar, M.; Osipenko, M.; Ostrovidov, A. I.; Park, K.; Pasyuk, E.; Paterson, C.; Pierce, J.; Pivnyuk, N.; Pocanic, D.; Pogorelko, O.; Pozdniakov, S.; Price, J. W.; Prok, Y.; Protopopescu, D.; Raue, B. A.; Riccardi, G.; Ricco, G.; Ripani, M.; Ritchie, B. G.; Ronchetti, F.; Rosner, G.; Rossi, P.; Sabatié, F.; Salgado, C.; Santoro, J. P.; Sapunenko, V.; Schumacher, R. A.; Serov, V. S.; Sharabian, Y. G.; Shvedunov, N. V.; Smith, E. S.; Smith, L. C.; Sober, D. I.; Stavinsky, A.; Stepanyan, S. S.; Stepanyan, S.; Stokes, B. E.; Strakovsky, I. I.; Strauch, S.; Taiuti, M.; Tedeschi, D. J.; Teymurazyan, A.; Thoma, U.; Tkabladze, A.; Tkachenko, S.; Todor, L.; Tur, C.; Ungaro, M.; Vineyard, M. F.; Vlassov, A. V.; Weinstein, L. B.; Williams, M.; Wolin, E.; Wood, M. H.; Yegneswaran, A.; Zana, L.; Zhang, J.; Zhao, B.

2006-09-01

The reaction γp→pK+K- was studied at Jefferson Lab with photon energies from 1.8 to 3.8 GeV using a tagged photon beam. The goal was to search for a Θ++ pentaquark, a narrow, doubly charged baryon state having strangeness S=+1 and isospin I=1, in the pK+ invariant mass spectrum. No statistically significant evidence of a Θ++ was found. Upper limits on the total and differential cross section for the reaction γp→K-Θ++ were obtained in the mass range from 1.5 to 2.0GeV/c2, with an upper limit for a narrow resonance with a mass MΘ++=1.54GeV/c2 of about 0.15 nb, 95% C.L.. This result places a stringent upper limit on the Θ++ width ΓΘ++<0.1MeV/c2.

New upper limits for atmospheric constituents on Io

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, U.; Larson, H. P.; Gautier, T. N., III

1976-01-01

A spectrum of Io from 0.86 to 2.7 microns with a resolution of 3.36 per cm and a signal to rms noise ratio of 120 is presented. No absorptions due to any atmospheric constituents on Io could be found in the spectrum. Upper limits of 0.12 cm-atm for NH3, 0.12 cm-atm for CH4, 0.4 cm-atm for N2O, and 24 cm-atm for H2S were determined. Laboratory spectra of ammonia frosts as a function of temperature were compared with the spectrum of Io and showed this frost not to be present at the surface of Io. A search for possible resonance lines of carbon, silicon, and sulfur, as well as the 1.08-micron line of helium, proved negative. Upper emission limits of 60, 18, 27, and 60 kilorayleighs, respectively, were established for these lines.

Fault-tolerant clock synchronization validation methodology. [in computer systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; Palumbo, Daniel L.; Johnson, Sally C.

1987-01-01

A validation method for the synchronization subsystem of a fault-tolerant computer system is presented. The high reliability requirement of flight-crucial systems precludes the use of most traditional validation methods. The method presented utilizes formal design proof to uncover design and coding errors and experimentation to validate the assumptions of the design proof. The experimental method is described and illustrated by validating the clock synchronization system of the Software Implemented Fault Tolerance computer. The design proof of the algorithm includes a theorem that defines the maximum skew between any two nonfaulty clocks in the system in terms of specific system parameters. Most of these parameters are deterministic. One crucial parameter is the upper bound on the clock read error, which is stochastic. The probability that this upper bound is exceeded is calculated from data obtained by the measurement of system parameters. This probability is then included in a detailed reliability analysis of the system.

A Portable Bioinformatics Course for Upper-Division Undergraduate Curriculum in Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Floraino, Wely B.

2008-01-01

This article discusses the challenges that bioinformatics education is facing and describes a bioinformatics course that is successfully taught at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, to the fourth year undergraduate students in biological sciences, chemistry, and computer science. Information on lecture and computer practice…

Embodied Computation: An Active-Learning Approach to Mobile Robotics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riek, L. D.

2013-01-01

This paper describes a newly designed upper-level undergraduate and graduate course, Autonomous Mobile Robots. The course employs active, cooperative, problem-based learning and is grounded in the fundamental computational problems in mobile robotics defined by Dudek and Jenkin. Students receive a broad survey of robotics through lectures, weekly…

Computer program for prediction of fuel consumption statistical data for an upper stage three-axes stabilized on-off control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

A FORTRAN coded computer program and method to predict the reaction control fuel consumption statistics for a three axis stabilized rocket vehicle upper stage is described. A Monte Carlo approach is used which is more efficient by using closed form estimates of impulses. The effects of rocket motor thrust misalignment, static unbalance, aerodynamic disturbances, and deviations in trajectory, mass properties and control system characteristics are included. This routine can be applied to many types of on-off reaction controlled vehicles. The pseudorandom number generation and statistical analyses subroutines including the output histograms can be used for other Monte Carlo analyses problems.

Water-level declines in the Madison area, Dane County, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLeod, R.S.

1978-01-01

The effects of anticipated pumping were examined with the use of a digital model. The maximum water-level decline from the beginning of pumping in 1882 until 1975 was about 75 feet in the sandstone aquifer and 10 to 20 feet in the upper aquifer. Additional declines between 1975 and 2000 were computed to be 10 to 30 feet in the sandstone aquifer and 5 to 10 feet in the upper aquifer. The average annual streamflow of the Yahara River at the McFarland gaging station was reduced 32 percent from the beginning of pumping to 1975. An additional 7 percent reduction in streamflow was computed for the period 1975 to 2000.

Advances in target imaging of deep Earth structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, Y.; Romanowicz, B. A.; Clouzet, P.

2015-12-01

A new generation of global tomographic models (Lekić and Romanowicz, 2011; French et al, 2013, 2014) has emerged with the development of accurate numerical wavefield computations in a 3D earth combined with access to enhanced HPC capabilities. These models have sharpened up mantle images and unveiled relatively small scale structures that were blurred out in previous generation models. Fingerlike structures have been found at the base of the oceanic asthenosphere, and vertically oriented broad low velocity plume conduits extend throughout the lower mantle beneath those major hotspots that are located within the perimeter of the deep mantle large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs). While providing new insights into our understanding of mantle dynamics, the detailed morphology of these features, requires further efforts to obtain higher resolution images. The focus of our ongoing effort is to develop advanced tomographic methods to image remote regions of the Earth at fine scales. We have developed an approach in which distant sources (located outside of the target region) are replaced by an equivalent set of local sources located at the border of the computational domain (Masson et al., 2014). A limited number of global simulations in a reference 3D earth model is then required. These simulations are computed prior to the regional inversion, while iterations of the model need to be performed only within the region of interest, potentially allowing us to include shorter periods at limited additional computational cost. Until now, the application was limited to a distribution of receivers inside the target region. This is particularly suitable for studies of upper mantle structure in regions with dense arrays (e.g. see our companion presentation Clouzet et al., this Fall AGU). Here we present our latest development that now can include teleseismic data recorded outside the imaged region. This allows us to perform regional waveform tomography in the situation where neither earthquakes nor seismological stations are present within the region of interest, such as would be desireable for the study of a region in the deep mantle. We present benchmark tests showing how the uncertainties in the reference 3D model employed outside of the target region affects the quality of the regional tomographic images obtained.

Upper critical fields and two-band superconductivity in Sr 1-xEu x(Fe 0.89Co 0.11)₂As₂ (x=0.20 and 0.46)

DOE PAGES

Hu, Rongwei; Mun, Eun Deok; Altarawneh, M. M.; ...

2012-02-13

The upper critical fields H c2(T) of single crystals of Sr 1-xEu x(Fe₀.₈₉Co₀.₁₁)₂As₂ (x=0.20 and 0.46) were determined by radio-frequency penetration depth measurements in pulsed magnetic fields. H c2(T) approaches the Pauli limiting field but shows an upward curvature with an enhancement from the orbital limited field, as inferred from the Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg theory. We discuss the temperature dependence of the upper critical fields and the decreasing anisotropy using a two-band BCS model.

Assessment of computer techniques for processing digital LANDSAT MSS data for lithological discrimination of Serra do Ramalho, State of Bahia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paradella, W. R. (Principal Investigator); Vitorello, I.; Monteiro, M. D.

1984-01-01

Enhancement techniques and thematic classifications were applied to the metasediments of Bambui Super Group (Upper Proterozoic) in the Region of Serra do Ramalho, SW of the state of Bahia. Linear contrast stretch, band-ratios with contrast stretch, and color-composites allow lithological discriminations. The effects of human activities and of vegetation cover mask and limit, in several ways, the lithological discrimination with digital MSS data. Principal component images and color composite of linear contrast stretch of these products, show lithological discrimination through tonal gradations. This set of products allows the delineations of several metasedimentary sequences to a level superior to reconnaissance mapping. Supervised (maximum likelihood classifier) and nonsupervised (K-Means classifier) classification of the limestone sequence, host to fluorite mineralization show satisfactory results.

Current Saturation Avoidance with Real-Time Control using DPCS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrara, M.; Hutchinson, I.; Wolfe, S.; Stillerman, J.; Fredian, T.

2008-11-01

Tokamak ohmic-transformer and equilibrium-field coils need to be able to operate near their maximum current capabilities. However if they reach their upper limit during high-performance discharges or in the presence of a strong off-normal event, shape control is compromised, and instability, even plasma disruptions can result. On Alcator C-Mod we designed and tested an anti-saturation routine which detects the impending saturation of OH and EF currents and interpolates to a neighboring safe equilibrium in real-time. The routine was implemented with a multi-processor, multi-time-scale control scheme, which is based on a master process and multiple asynchronous slave processes. The scheme is general and can be used for any computationally-intensive algorithm. USDoE award DE- FC02-99ER545512.

Application of the Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer (ESMR) to classification of the moisture condition of the ground

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meneely, J. M.

1977-01-01

The ability of the Nimbus 5 ESMR to characterize the moisture condition of the uppermost portion of the soil was evaluated. In the absence of snow cover, ESMR-5 brightness temperatures were compared with computed upper soil zone moisture values from a soil moisture budgeting scheme. The study was conducted over the U.S. Great Plains for the late summer and early fall in 1974 and 1975. Favorable results were limited by the relatively high vegetative cover and infrequent substantial rainfalls at that time of year. Satisfactory characterization of the general moisture condition was deemed feasible in agricultural regions at times of the year when fields were nearly bare. An additional evaluation demonstrated that ESMR-6 data could delineate the active boundary of a snow pack.

Determination of turbulent energy dissipation rate directly from MF-radar determined velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, C. M.; Nozawa, S.; Manson, A. H.; Meek, C. E.

2000-02-01

MF radar systems are able to determine horizontal neutral winds in the mesosphere and, to some extent in the lower thermosphere by cross-correlations of signals received at spaced antennas. Essentially, by also computing auto-correlations, signal fading may be measured which in turn is thought to be largely attributable to turbulence. Hitherto, estimates of upper limits for the turbulent energy dissipation rate have been derived from the characteristic fading times. In this paper, we propose that power spectra of the velocity components themselves may be used to yield estimates of turbulent energy dissipation rate. 2-minute resolution velocities from the Universities of Saskatchewan, Tromsø and Nagoya joint MF radar at 69°N, 19°E are used in a pilot analysis to illustrate and ratify the method.

A polyhedral study of production ramping

DOE PAGES

Damci-Kurt, Pelin; Kucukyavuz, Simge; Rajan, Deepak; ...

2015-06-12

Here, we give strong formulations of ramping constraints—used to model the maximum change in production level for a generator or machine from one time period to the next—and production limits. For the two-period case, we give a complete description of the convex hull of the feasible solutions. The two-period inequalities can be readily used to strengthen ramping formulations without the need for separation. For the general case, we define exponential classes of multi-period variable upper bound and multi-period ramping inequalities, and give conditions under which these inequalities define facets of ramping polyhedra. Finally, we present exact polynomial separation algorithms formore » the inequalities and report computational experiments on using them in a branch-and-cut algorithm to solve unit commitment problems in power generation.« less

Technical evaluation of a CAD system for orthopaedic shoe-upper design.

PubMed

Lord, M; Foulston, J; Smith, P J

1991-01-01

Computer aided design is now employed routinely in the volume shoe trade. New styles are developed on a three-dimensional image of the last followed by automated pattern generation and engineering. It is suggested that such systems could be useful in the orthopaedic footwear industry although the different requirements for these bespoke products need careful consideration. A clinical trial has been conducted on the Shoemaster (Clarks Shoes) upper design system both to assess its technical capabilities and to consider its role in improvement of service and cosmetic appearance. This particular system works throughout on a three-dimensional representation of the shoe last, which offers particular advantages for integration with shape capture and reproduction. The report concentrates on the technical evaluation to assess (a) its ability to work with unusual last shapes dictated by medical requirements and (b) its potential for integration into a complete computer system for design of both shoe lasts and shoe uppers. The trial indicates that this particular system is promising in both respects.

ϕ 3 theory with F4 flavor symmetry in 6 - 2 ɛ dimensions: 3-loop renormalization and conformal bootstrap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Yi; Rong, Junchen; Su, Ning

2016-12-01

We consider ϕ 3 theory in 6 - 2 ɛ with F 4 global symmetry. The beta function is calculated up to 3 loops, and a stable unitary IR fixed point is observed. The anomalous dimensions of operators quadratic or cubic in ϕ are also computed. We then employ conformal bootstrap technique to study the fixed point predicted from the perturbative approach. For each putative scaling dimension of ϕ (Δ ϕ ), we obtain the corresponding upper bound on the scaling dimension of the second lowest scalar primary in the 26 representation ( Δ 26 2nd ) which appears in the OPE of ϕ × ϕ. In D = 5 .95, we observe a sharp peak on the upper bound curve located at Δ ϕ equal to the value predicted by the 3-loop computation. In D = 5, we observe a weak kink on the upper bound curve at ( Δ ϕ , Δ 26 2nd ) = (1.6, 4).

Searches for Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars with Science Run 5 LIGO Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Acernese, F.; Adhikari, R.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Alshourbagy, M.; Amin, R. S.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Antonucci, F.; Aoudia, S.; Arain, M. A.; Araya, M.; Armandula, H.; Armor, P.; Arun, K. G.; Aso, Y.; Aston, S.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Babak, S.; Baker, P.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S.; Barker, C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barriga, P.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barton, M. A.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Bastarrika, M.; Bauer, Th. S.; Behnke, B.; Beker, M.; Benacquista, M.; Betzwieser, J.; Beyersdorf, P. T.; Bigotta, S.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Birindelli, S.; Biswas, R.; Bizouard, M. A.; Black, E.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackburn, L.; Blair, D.; Bland, B.; Boccara, C.; Bodiya, T. P.; Bogue, L.; Bondu, F.; Bonelli, L.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bosi, L.; Braccini, S.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Brau, J. E.; Bridges, D. O.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brummit, A.; Brunet, G.; Budzyński, R.; Bulik, T.; Bullington, A.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Burmeister, O.; Buskulic, D.; Byer, R. L.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Campagna, E.; Cannizzo, J.; Cannon, K. C.; Canuel, B.; Cao, J.; Carbognani, F.; Cardenas, L.; Caride, S.; Castaldi, G.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C.; Cesarini, E.; Chalermsongsak, T.; Chalkley, E.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterji, S.; Chelkowski, S.; Chen, Y.; Chincarini, A.; Christensen, N.; Chung, C. T. Y.; Clark, D.; Clark, J.; Clayton, J. H.; Cleva, F.; Coccia, E.; Cokelaer, T.; Colacino, C. N.; Colas, J.; Colla, A.; Colombini, M.; Conte, R.; Cook, D.; Corbitt, T. R. C.; Corda, C.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Coulon, J.-P.; Coward, D.; Coyne, D. C.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cruise, A. M.; Culter, R. M.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dari, A.; Dattilo, V.; Daudert, B.; Davier, M.; Davies, G.; Daw, E. J.; Day, R.; De Rosa, R.; DeBra, D.; Degallaix, J.; del Prete, M.; Dergachev, V.; Desai, S.; DeSalvo, R.; Dhurandhar, S.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Lieto, A.; Emilio, M. Di Paolo; Di Virgilio, A.; Díaz, M.; Dietz, A.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doomes, E. E.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Dueck, J.; Duke, I.; Dumas, J.-C.; Dwyer, J. G.; Echols, C.; Edgar, M.; Effler, A.; Ehrens, P.; Espinoza, E.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T.; Fafone, V.; Fairhurst, S.; Faltas, Y.; Fan, Y.; Fazi, D.; Fehrmann, H.; Ferrante, I.; Fidecaro, F.; Finn, L. S.; Fiori, I.; Flaminio, R.; Flasch, K.; Foley, S.; Forrest, C.; Fotopoulos, N.; Fournier, J.-D.; Franc, J.; Franzen, A.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frede, M.; Frei, M.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Fricke, T.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fyffe, M.; Galdi, V.; Gammaitoni, L.; Garofoli, J. A.; Garufi, F.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; Gholami, I.; Giaime, J. A.; Giampanis, S.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Goda, K.; Goetz, E.; Goggin, L. M.; González, G.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Goßler, S.; Gouaty, R.; Granata, M.; Granata, V.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Gray, M.; Greenhalgh, R. J. S.; Gretarsson, A. M.; Greverie, C.; Grimaldi, F.; Grosso, R.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guenther, M.; Guidi, G.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hage, B.; Hallam, J. M.; Hammer, D.; Hammond, G. D.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, J.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Harstad, E. D.; Haughian, K.; Hayama, K.; Heefner, J.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Heng, I. S.; Heptonstall, A.; Hewitson, M.; Hild, S.; Hirose, E.; Hoak, D.; Hodge, K. A.; Holt, K.; Hosken, D. J.; Hough, J.; Hoyland, D.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Huttner, S. H.; Ingram, D. R.; Isogai, T.; Ito, M.; Ivanov, A.; Jaranowski, P.; Johnson, B.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, G.; Jones, R.; Sancho de la Jordana, L.; Ju, L.; Kalmus, P.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kanner, J.; Kasprzyk, D.; Katsavounidis, E.; Kawabe, K.; Kawamura, S.; Kawazoe, F.; Kells, W.; Keppel, D. G.; Khalaidovski, A.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, R.; Khazanov, E.; King, P.; Kissel, J. S.; Klimenko, S.; Kokeyama, K.; Kondrashov, V.; Kopparapu, R.; Koranda, S.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kumar, R.; Kwee, P.; La Penna, P.; Lam, P. K.; Landry, M.; Lantz, B.; Lazzarini, A.; Lei, H.; Lei, M.; Leindecker, N.; Leonor, I.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Li, C.; Lin, H.; Lindquist, P. E.; Littenberg, T. B.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lodhia, D.; Longo, M.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lu, P.; Lubiński, M.; Lucianetti, A.; Lück, H.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Mackowski, J.-M.; Mageswaran, M.; Mailand, K.; Majorana, E.; Man, N.; Mandel, I.; Mandic, V.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A.; Markowitz, J.; Maros, E.; Marque, J.; Martelli, F.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Matzner, R. A.; Mavalvala, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McGuire, S. C.; McHugh, M.; McIntyre, G.; McKechan, D. J. A.; McKenzie, K.; Mehmet, M.; Melatos, A.; Melissinos, A. C.; Mendell, G.; Menéndez, D. F.; Menzinger, F.; Mercer, R. A.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Meyer, M. S.; Michel, C.; Milano, L.; Miller, J.; Minelli, J.; Minenkov, Y.; Mino, Y.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Miyakawa, O.; Moe, B.; Mohan, M.; Mohanty, S. D.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Moreau, J.; Moreno, G.; Morgado, N.; Morgia, A.; Morioka, T.; Mors, K.; Mosca, S.; Moscatelli, V.; Mossavi, K.; Mours, B.; MowLowry, C.; Mueller, G.; Muhammad, D.; zur Mühlen, H.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukhopadhyay, H.; Mullavey, A.; Müller-Ebhardt, H.; Munch, J.; Murray, P. G.; Myers, E.; Myers, J.; Nash, T.; Nelson, J.; Neri, I.; Newton, G.; Nishizawa, A.; Nocera, F.; Numata, K.; Ochsner, E.; O'Dell, J.; Ogin, G. H.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Ottens, R. S.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pagliaroli, G.; Palomba, C.; Pan, Y.; Pankow, C.; Paoletti, F.; Papa, M. A.; Parameshwaraiah, V.; Pardi, S.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patel, P.; Pedraza, M.; Penn, S.; Perreca, A.; Persichetti, G.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pietka, M.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Pletsch, H. J.; Plissi, M. V.; Poggiani, R.; Postiglione, F.; Prato, M.; Principe, M.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Quetschke, V.; Raab, F. J.; Rabaste, O.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raics, Z.; Rainer, N.; Rakhmanov, M.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Re, V.; Reed, C. M.; Reed, T.; Regimbau, T.; Rehbein, H.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Ricci, F.; Riesen, R.; Riles, K.; Rivera, B.; Roberts, P.; Robertson, N. A.; Robinet, F.; Robinson, C.; Robinson, E. L.; Rocchi, A.; Roddy, S.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J.; Romano, J. D.; Romano, R.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Röver, C.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Russell, P.; Ryan, K.; Sakata, S.; Salemi, F.; Sandberg, V.; Sannibale, V.; Santamaría, L.; Saraf, S.; Sarin, P.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Sato, S.; Satterthwaite, M.; Saulson, P. R.; Savage, R.; Savov, P.; Scanlan, M.; Schilling, R.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R.; Schulz, B.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwinberg, P.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Searle, A. C.; Sears, B.; Seifert, F.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sergeev, A.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Sibley, A.; Siemens, X.; Sigg, D.; Sinha, S.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Slutsky, J.; van der Sluys, M. V.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, M. R.; Smith, N. D.; Somiya, K.; Sorazu, B.; Stein, A.; Stein, L. C.; Steplewski, S.; Stochino, A.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Strigin, S.; Stroeer, A.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, K.-X.; Sung, M.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B.; Szokoly, G. P.; Talukder, D.; Tang, L.; Tanner, D. B.; Tarabrin, S. P.; Taylor, J. R.; Taylor, R.; Terenzi, R.; Thacker, J.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thüring, A.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toncelli, A.; Tonelli, M.; Torres, C.; Torrie, C.; Tournefier, E.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trias, M.; Trummer, J.; Ugolini, D.; Ulmen, J.; Urbanek, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Vallisneri, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; van der Putten, S.; Vass, S.; Vaulin, R.; Vavoulidis, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; van Veggel, A. A.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P.; Veltkamp, C.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Villar, A.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vyachanin, S. P.; Waldman, S. J.; Wallace, L.; Ward, R. L.; Was, M.; Weidner, A.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wen, S.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whitcomb, S. E.; Whiting, B. F.; Wilkinson, C.; Willems, P. A.; Williams, H. R.; Williams, L.; Willke, B.; Wilmut, I.; Winkelmann, L.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wiseman, A. G.; Woan, G.; Wooley, R.; Worden, J.; Wu, W.; Yakushin, I.; Yamamoto, H.; Yan, Z.; Yoshida, S.; Yvert, M.; Zanolin, M.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, L.; Zhao, C.; Zotov, N.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; Bégin, S.; Corongiu, A.; D'Amico, N.; Freire, P. C. C.; Hessels, J. W. T.; Hobbs, G. B.; Kramer, M.; Lyne, A. G.; Manchester, R. N.; Marshall, F. E.; Middleditch, J.; Possenti, A.; Ransom, S. M.; Stairs, I. H.; Stappers, B.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2010-04-01

We present a search for gravitational waves from 116 known millisecond and young pulsars using data from the fifth science run of the LIGO detectors. For this search, ephemerides overlapping the run period were obtained for all pulsars using radio and X-ray observations. We demonstrate an updated search method that allows for small uncertainties in the pulsar phase parameters to be included in the search. We report no signal detection from any of the targets and therefore interpret our results as upper limits on the gravitational wave signal strength. The most interesting limits are those for young pulsars. We present updated limits on gravitational radiation from the Crab pulsar, where the measured limit is now a factor of 7 below the spin-down limit. This limits the power radiated via gravitational waves to be less than ~2% of the available spin-down power. For the X-ray pulsar J0537 - 6910 we reach the spin-down limit under the assumption that any gravitational wave signal from it stays phase locked to the X-ray pulses over timing glitches, and for pulsars J1913+1011 and J1952+3252 we are only a factor of a few above the spin-down limit. Of the recycled millisecond pulsars, several of the measured upper limits are only about an order of magnitude above their spin-down limits. For these our best (lowest) upper limit on gravitational wave amplitude is 2.3 × 10-26 for J1603 - 7202 and our best (lowest) limit on the inferred pulsar ellipticity is 7.0 × 10-8 for J2124 - 3358.

Dynamic analysis of astronaut motions in microgravity: Applications for Extravehicular Activity (EVA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Dava J.

1995-01-01

Simulations of astronaut motions during extravehicular activity (EVA) tasks were performed using computational multibody dynamics methods. The application of computational dynamic simulation to EVA was prompted by the realization that physical microgravity simulators have inherent limitations: viscosity in neutral buoyancy tanks; friction in air bearing floors; short duration for parabolic aircraft; and inertia and friction in suspension mechanisms. These limitations can mask critical dynamic effects that later cause problems during actual EVA's performed in space. Methods of formulating dynamic equations of motion for multibody systems are discussed with emphasis on Kane's method, which forms the basis of the simulations presented herein. Formulation of the equations of motion for a two degree of freedom arm is presented as an explicit example. The four basic steps in creating the computational simulations were: system description, in which the geometry, mass properties, and interconnection of system bodies are input to the computer; equation formulation based on the system description; inverse kinematics, in which the angles, velocities, and accelerations of joints are calculated for prescribed motion of the endpoint (hand) of the arm; and inverse dynamics, in which joint torques are calculated for a prescribed motion. A graphical animation and data plotting program, EVADS (EVA Dynamics Simulation), was developed and used to analyze the results of the simulations that were performed on a Silicon Graphics Indigo2 computer. EVA tasks involving manipulation of the Spartan 204 free flying astronomy payload, as performed during Space Shuttle mission STS-63 (February 1995), served as the subject for two dynamic simulations. An EVA crewmember was modeled as a seven segment system with an eighth segment representing the massive payload attached to the hand. For both simulations, the initial configuration of the lower body (trunk, upper leg, and lower leg) was a neutral microgravity posture. In the first simulation, the payload was manipulated around a circular trajectory of 0.15 m radius in 10 seconds. It was found that the wrist joint theoretically exceeded its ulnal deviation limit by as much as 49. 8 deg and was required to exert torques as high as 26 N-m to accomplish the task, well in excess of the wrist physiological limit of 12 N-m. The largest torque in the first simulation, 52 N-m, occurred in the ankle joint. To avoid these problems, the second simulation placed the arm in a more comfortable initial position and the radius and speed of the circular trajectory were reduced by half. As a result, the joint angles and torques were reduced to values well within their physiological limits. In particular, the maximum wrist torque for the second simulation was only 3 N-m and the maximum ankle torque was only 6 N-m.

Numerical study of interfacial solitary waves propagating under an elastic sheet

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhan; Părău, Emilian I.; Milewski, Paul A.; Vanden-Broeck, Jean-Marc

2014-01-01

Steady solitary and generalized solitary waves of a two-fluid problem where the upper layer is under a flexible elastic sheet are considered as a model for internal waves under an ice-covered ocean. The fluid consists of two layers of constant densities, separated by an interface. The elastic sheet resists bending forces and is mathematically described by a fully nonlinear thin shell model. Fully localized solitary waves are computed via a boundary integral method. Progression along the various branches of solutions shows that barotropic (i.e. surface modes) wave-packet solitary wave branches end with the free surface approaching the interface. On the other hand, the limiting configurations of long baroclinic (i.e. internal) solitary waves are characterized by an infinite broadening in the horizontal direction. Baroclinic wave-packet modes also exist for a large range of amplitudes and generalized solitary waves are computed in a case of a long internal mode in resonance with surface modes. In contrast to the pure gravity case (i.e without an elastic cover), these generalized solitary waves exhibit new Wilton-ripple-like periodic trains in the far field. PMID:25104909

Protocol standards and implementation within the digital engineering laboratory computer network (DELNET) using the universal network interface device (UNID). Part 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phister, P. W., Jr.

1983-12-01

Development of the Air Force Institute of Technology's Digital Engineering Laboratory Network (DELNET) was continued with the development of an initial draft of a protocol standard for all seven layers as specified by the International Standards Organization's (ISO) Reference Model for Open Systems Interconnections. This effort centered on the restructuring of the Network Layer to perform Datagram routing and to conform to the developed protocol standards and actual software module development of the upper four protocol layers residing within the DELNET Monitor (Zilog MCZ 1/25 Computer System). Within the guidelines of the ISO Reference Model the Transport Layer was developed utilizing the Internet Header Format (IHF) combined with the Transport Control Protocol (TCP) to create a 128-byte Datagram. Also a limited Application Layer was created to pass the Gettysburg Address through the DELNET. This study formulated a first draft for the DELNET Protocol Standard and designed, implemented, and tested the Network, Transport, and Application Layers to conform to these protocol standards.

Plasma separation process. Betacell (BCELL) code, user's manual

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taherzadeh, M.

1987-11-01

The emergence of clearly defined applications for (small or large) amounts of long-life and reliable power sources has given the design and production of betavoltaic systems a new life. Moreover, because of the availability of the Plasma Separation Program, (PSP) at TRW, it is now possible to separate the most desirable radioisotopes for betacell power generating devices. A computer code, named BCELL, has been developed to model the betavoltaic concept by utilizing the available up-to-date source/cell parameters. In this program, attempts have been made to determine the betacell energy device maximum efficiency, degradation due to the emitting source radiation and source/cell lifetime power reduction processes. Additionally, comparison is made between the Schottky and PN junction devices for betacell battery design purposes. Certain computer code runs have been made to determine the JV distribution function and the upper limit of the betacell generated power for specified energy sources. A Ni beta emitting radioisotope was used for the energy source and certain semiconductors were used for the converter subsystem of the betacell system. Some results for a Promethium source are also given here for comparison.

A computer-based matrix for rapid calculation of pulmonary hemodynamic parameters in congenital heart disease

PubMed Central

Lopes, Antonio Augusto; dos Anjos Miranda, Rogério; Gonçalves, Rilvani Cavalcante; Thomaz, Ana Maria

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: In patients with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac catheterization for hemodynamic purposes, parameter estimation by the indirect Fick method using a single predicted value of oxygen consumption has been a matter of criticism. OBJECTIVE: We developed a computer-based routine for rapid estimation of replicate hemodynamic parameters using multiple predicted values of oxygen consumption. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using Microsoft® Excel facilities, we constructed a matrix containing 5 models (equations) for prediction of oxygen consumption, and all additional formulas needed to obtain replicate estimates of hemodynamic parameters. RESULTS: By entering data from 65 patients with ventricular septal defects, aged 1 month to 8 years, it was possible to obtain multiple predictions for oxygen consumption, with clear between-age groups (P <.001) and between-methods (P <.001) differences. Using these predictions in the individual patient, it was possible to obtain the upper and lower limits of a likely range for any given parameter, which made estimation more realistic. CONCLUSION: The organized matrix allows for rapid obtainment of replicate parameter estimates, without error due to exhaustive calculations. PMID:19641642

ARECIBO PALFA SURVEY AND EINSTEIN-HOME: BINARY PULSAR DISCOVERY BY VOLUNTEER COMPUTING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knispel, B.; Allen, B.; Aulbert, C.

2011-05-01

We report the discovery of the 20.7 ms binary pulsar J1952+2630, made using the distributed computing project Einstein-Home in Pulsar ALFA survey observations with the Arecibo telescope. Follow-up observations with the Arecibo telescope confirm the binary nature of the system. We obtain a circular orbital solution with an orbital period of 9.4 hr, a projected orbital radius of 2.8 lt-s, and a mass function of f = 0.15 M{sub sun} by analysis of spin period measurements. No evidence of orbital eccentricity is apparent; we set a 2{sigma} upper limit e {approx}< 1.7 x 10{sup -3}. The orbital parameters suggest amore » massive white dwarf companion with a minimum mass of 0.95 M{sub sun}, assuming a pulsar mass of 1.4 M{sub sun}. Most likely, this pulsar belongs to the rare class of intermediate-mass binary pulsars. Future timing observations will aim to determine the parameters of this system further, measure relativistic effects, and elucidate the nature of the companion star.« less

Einstein@Home all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in LIGO S5 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aasi, J.; Abadie, J.; Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M.; Accadia, T.; Acernese, F.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R.; Affeldt, C.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allocca, A.; Amador Ceron, E.; Amariutei, D.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Ast, S.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Atkinson, D.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Aylott, B. E.; Babak, S.; Baker, P.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S.; Bao, Y.; Barayoga, J. C. B.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barton, M. A.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Bastarrika, M.; Basti, A.; Batch, J.; Bauchrowitz, J.; Bauer, Th. S.; Bebronne, M.; Beck, D.; Behnke, B.; Bejger, M.; Beker, M. G.; Bell, A. S.; Bell, C.; Belopolski, I.; Benacquista, M.; Berliner, J. M.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Beveridge, N.; Beyersdorf, P. T.; Bhadbade, T.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Birch, J.; Biswas, R.; Bitossi, M.; Bizouard, M. A.; Black, E.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackburn, L.; Blair, D.; Bland, B.; Blom, M.; Bock, O.; Bodiya, T. P.; Bogan, C.; Bond, C.; Bondarescu, R.; Bondu, F.; Bonelli, L.; Bonnand, R.; Bork, R.; Born, M.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bosi, L.; Bouhou, B.; Braccini, S.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Breyer, J.; Briant, T.; Bridges, D. O.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Britzger, M.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Burguet-Castell, J.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cagnoli, G.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Campsie, P.; Cannon, K.; Canuel, B.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Carbognani, F.; Carbone, L.; Caride, S.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C.; Cesarini, E.; Chalermsongsak, T.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chen, W.; Chen, X.; Chen, Y.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Cho, H. S.; Chow, J.; Christensen, N.; Chua, S. S. Y.; Chung, C. T. Y.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Clark, D. E.; Clark, J. A.; Clayton, J. H.; Cleva, F.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colacino, C. N.; Colla, A.; Colombini, M.; Conte, A.; Conte, R.; Cook, D.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cordier, M.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M.; Coulon, J.-P.; Couvares, P.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M.; Coyne, D. C.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cruise, A. M.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Cutler, R. M.; Dahl, K.; Damjanic, M.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dattilo, V.; Daudert, B.; Daveloza, H.; Davier, M.; Daw, E. J.; Day, R.; Dayanga, T.; De Rosa, R.; DeBra, D.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; Del Pozzo, W.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; DeRosa, R.; Dhurandhar, S.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Palma, I.; Di Paolo Emilio, M.; Di Virgilio, A.; Díaz, M.; Dietz, A.; Dietz, A.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorsher, S.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Dumas, J.-C.; Dwyer, S.; Eberle, T.; Edgar, M.; Edwards, M.; Effler, A.; Ehrens, P.; Endrőczi, G.; Engel, R.; Etzel, T.; Evans, K.; Evans, M.; Evans, T.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fairhurst, S.; Farr, B. F.; Favata, M.; Fazi, D.; Fehrmann, H.; Feldbaum, D.; Ferrante, I.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Finn, L. S.; Fiori, I.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Foley, S.; Forsi, E.; Fotopoulos, N.; Fournier, J.-D.; Franc, J.; Franco, S.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frede, M.; Frei, M. A.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Fricke, T. T.; Friedrich, D.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fujimoto, M.-K.; Fulda, P. J.; Fyffe, M.; Gair, J.; Galimberti, M.; Gammaitoni, L.; Garcia, J.; Garufi, F.; Gáspár, M. E.; Gelencser, G.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; Gergely, L. Á.; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giampanis, S.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gil-Casanova, S.; Gill, C.; Gleason, J.; Goetz, E.; González, G.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Goßler, S.; Gouaty, R.; Graef, C.; Graff, P. B.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gray, C.; Greenhalgh, R. J. S.; Gretarsson, A. M.; Griffo, C.; Grote, H.; Grover, K.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guido, C.; Gupta, R.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hallam, J. M.; Hammer, D.; Hammond, G.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, J.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Harstad, E. D.; Hartman, M. T.; Haughian, K.; Hayama, K.; Hayau, J.-F.; Heefner, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hendry, M. A.; Heng, I. S.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Herrera, V.; Heurs, M.; Hewitson, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hodge, K. A.; Holt, K.; Holtrop, M.; Hong, T.; Hooper, S.; Hough, J.; Howell, E. J.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isogai, T.; Ivanov, A.; Izumi, K.; Jacobson, M.; James, E.; Jang, Y. J.; Jaranowski, P.; Jesse, E.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Kalmus, P.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Kasprzack, M.; Kasturi, R.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, H.; Kaufman, K.; Kawabe, K.; Kawamura, S.; Kawazoe, F.; Keitel, D.; Kelley, D.; Kells, W.; Keppel, D. G.; Keresztes, Z.; Khalaidovski, A.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kim, B. K.; Kim, C.; Kim, H.; Kim, K.; Kim, N.; Kim, Y. M.; King, P. J.; Kinzel, D. L.; Kissel, J. S.; Klimenko, S.; Kline, J.; Kokeyama, K.; Kondrashov, V.; Koranda, S.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kurdyumov, R.; Kwee, P.; Lam, P. K.; Landry, M.; Langley, A.; Lantz, B.; Lastzka, N.; Lawrie, C.; Lazzarini, A.; Leaci, P.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Leong, J. R.; Leonor, I.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Lhuillier, V.; Li, J.; Li, T. G. F.; Lindquist, P. E.; Litvine, V.; Liu, Y.; Liu, Z.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lodhia, D.; Logue, J.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J.; Lubinski, M.; Lück, H.; Lundgren, A. P.; Macarthur, J.; Macdonald, E.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Mageswaran, M.; Mailand, K.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Malvezzi, V.; Man, N.; Mandel, I.; Mandic, V.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A.; Maros, E.; Marque, J.; Martelli, F.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Matzner, R. A.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazzolo, G.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; Meadors, G. D.; Mehmet, M.; Meier, T.; Melatos, A.; Melissinos, A. C.; Mendell, G.; Menéndez, D. F.; Mercer, R. A.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Meyer, M. S.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Milano, L.; Miller, J.; Minenkov, Y.; Mingarelli, C. M. F.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moe, B.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morgado, N.; Morgia, A.; Mori, T.; Morriss, S. R.; Mosca, S.; Mossavi, K.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, C. L.; Mueller, G.; Mukherjee, S.; Mullavey, A.; Müller-Ebhardt, H.; Munch, J.; Murphy, D.; Murray, P. G.; Mytidis, A.; Nash, T.; Naticchioni, L.; Necula, V.; Nelson, J.; Neri, I.; Newton, G.; Nguyen, T.; Nishizawa, A.; Nitz, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E.; Nuttall, L.; Ochsner, E.; O'Dell, J.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Oldenberg, R. G.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Osthelder, C.; Ott, C. D.; Ottaway, D. J.; Ottens, R. S.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Page, A.; Palladino, L.; Palomba, C.; Pan, Y.; Paoletti, F.; Paoletti, R.; Papa, M. A.; Parisi, M.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Pedraza, M.; Penn, S.; Perreca, A.; Persichetti, G.; Phelps, M.; Pichot, M.; Pickenpack, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pihlaja, M.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Pletsch, H. J.; Plissi, M. V.; Poggiani, R.; Pöld, J.; Postiglione, F.; Poux, C.; Prato, M.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Price, L. R.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Quetschke, V.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Rácz, I.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramet, C.; Rankins, B.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Re, V.; Reed, C. M.; Reed, T.; Regimbau, T.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Ricci, F.; Riesen, R.; Riles, K.; Roberts, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robinet, F.; Robinson, C.; Robinson, E. L.; Rocchi, A.; Roddy, S.; Rodriguez, C.; Rodruck, M.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Romano, J. D.; Romano, R.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Röver, C.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Salemi, F.; Sammut, L.; Sandberg, V.; Sankar, S.; Sannibale, V.; Santamaría, L.; Santiago-Prieto, I.; Santostasi, G.; Saracco, E.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Savage, R. L.; Schilling, R.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schulz, B.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwinberg, P.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seifert, F.; Sellers, D.; Sentenac, D.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaltev, M.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Sidery, T. L.; Siemens, X.; Sigg, D.; Simakov, D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L.; Sintes, A. M.; Skelton, G. R.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Slutsky, J.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, M. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Smith-Lefebvre, N. D.; Somiya, K.; Sorazu, B.; Speirits, F. C.; Sperandio, L.; Stefszky, M.; Steinert, E.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steplewski, S.; Stochino, A.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Strigin, S. E.; Stroeer, A. S.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sung, M.; Susmithan, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B.; Szeifert, G.; Tacca, M.; Taffarello, L.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tarabrin, S. P.; Taylor, R.; ter Braack, A. P. M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thrane, E.; Thüring, A.; Titsler, C.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Tomlinson, C.; Toncelli, A.; Tonelli, M.; Torre, O.; Torres, C. V.; Torrie, C. I.; Tournefier, E.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Tse, M.; Ugolini, D.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; van der Putten, S.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vass, S.; Vasuth, M.; Vaulin, R.; Vavoulidis, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Villar, A. E.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A.; Wade, L.; Wade, M.; Waldman, S. J.; Wallace, L.; Wan, Y.; Wang, M.; Wang, X.; Wanner, A.; Ward, R. L.; Was, M.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Welborn, T.; Wen, L.; Wessels, P.; West, M.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whitcomb, S. E.; White, D. J.; Whiting, B. F.; Wiesner, K.; Wilkinson, C.; Willems, P. A.; Williams, L.; Williams, R.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M.; Winkelmann, L.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wiseman, A. G.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Wooley, R.; Worden, J.; Yablon, J.; Yakushin, I.; Yamamoto, H.; Yamamoto, K.; Yancey, C. C.; Yang, H.; Yeaton-Massey, D.; Yoshida, S.; Yvert, M.; Zadrożny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zhang, F.; Zhang, L.; Zhao, C.; Zotov, N.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; Anderson, D. P.

2013-02-01

This paper presents results of an all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency range [50,1190]Hz and with frequency derivative range of ˜[-20,1.1]×10-10Hzs-1 for the fifth LIGO science run (S5). The search uses a noncoherent Hough-transform method to combine the information from coherent searches on time scales of about one day. Because these searches are very computationally intensive, they have been carried out with the Einstein@Home volunteer distributed computing project. Postprocessing identifies eight candidate signals; deeper follow-up studies rule them out. Hence, since no gravitational wave signals have been found, we report upper limits on the intrinsic gravitational wave strain amplitude h0. For example, in the 0.5 Hz-wide band at 152.5 Hz, we can exclude the presence of signals with h0 greater than 7.6×10-25 at a 90% confidence level. This search is about a factor 3 more sensitive than the previous Einstein@Home search of early S5 LIGO data.

Living Donor Liver Transplantation Using a Liver Graft With Congenital Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt

PubMed Central

Kamei, Hideya; Imai, Hisashi; Onishi, Yasuharu; Sugimoto, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Kojiro; Ogura, Yasuhiro

2016-01-01

Background Despite of recent development of imaging modalities, congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (IPSS) is rarely diagnosed. Therefore, living donor liver transplantation using a liver graft with IPSS has not been previously published. Materials and Methods We report a 28-year-old male patient with end-stage liver disease secondary to Wilson disease. His 26-year-old brother was a potential living donor, who had an IPSS of 25 mm in diameter at segment 6 as shown by computed tomography. Liver function tests were normal, and blood ammonia concentration was in the upper limit of normal. Results Living donor liver transplantation was uneventfully performed. After surgery, a recipient liver function tests showed a quick recovery, and serum ammonia levels were consistently normal. Although thrombosis inside the IPSS was confirmed by computed tomography on postoperative day 21, this thrombosis disappeared at 3 months posttransplant with anticoagulants. Currently (12 months posttransplant), the patient has fully recovered, and the IPSS is still the same size. Conclusions Based on our experience, liver allografts with IPSS can be accepted as potential liver allografts. PMID:27500240

Blast effect on the lower extremities and its mitigation: a computational study.

PubMed

Dong, Liqiang; Zhu, Feng; Jin, Xin; Suresh, Mahi; Jiang, Binhui; Sevagan, Gopinath; Cai, Yun; Li, Guangyao; Yang, King H

2013-12-01

A series of computational studies were performed to investigate the response of the lower extremities of mounted soldiers under landmine detonation. A numerical human body model newly developed at Wayne State University was used to simulate two types of experimental studies and the model predictions were validated against test data in terms of the tibia axial force as well as bone fracture pattern. Based on the validated model, the minimum axial force causing tibia facture was found. Then a series of parametric studies was conducted to determine the critical velocity (peak velocity of the floor plate) causing tibia fracture at different upper/lower leg angles. In addition, to limit the load transmission through the vehicular floor, two types of energy absorbing materials, namely IMPAXX(®) foam and aluminum alloy honeycomb, were selected for floor matting. Their performances in terms of blast effect mitigation were compared using the validated numerical model, and it has been found that honeycomb is a more efficient material for blast injury prevention under the loading conditions studied. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A strategy for computer-assisted mental practice in stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Gaggioli, Andrea; Meneghini, Andrea; Morganti, Francesca; Alcaniz, Mariano; Riva, Giuseppe

2006-12-01

To investigate the technical and clinical viability of using computer-facilitated mental practice in the rehabilitation of upper-limb hemiparesis following stroke. A single-case study. Academic-affiliated rehabilitation center. A 46-year-old man with stable motor deficit of the upper right limb following subcortical ischemic stroke. Three computer-enhanced mental practice sessions per week at the rehabilitation center, in addition to usual physical therapy. A custom-made virtual reality system equipped with arm-tracking sensors was used to guide mental practice. The system was designed to superimpose over the (unseen) paretic arm a virtual reconstruction of the movement registered from the nonparetic arm. The laboratory intervention was followed by a 1-month home-rehabilitation program, making use of a portable display device. Pretreatment and posttreatment clinical assessment measures were the upper-extremity scale of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Sensorimotor Impairment and the Action Research Arm Test. Performance of the affected arm was evaluated using the healthy arm as the control condition. The patient's paretic limb improved after the first phase of intervention, with modest increases after home rehabilitation, as indicated by functional assessment scores and sensors data. Results suggest that technology-supported mental training is a feasible and potentially effective approach for improving motor skills after stroke.

Virtual Assessment of Sex: Linear and Angular Traits of the Mandibular Ramus Using Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography.

PubMed

Inci, Ercan; Ekizoglu, Oguzhan; Turkay, Rustu; Aksoy, Sema; Can, Ismail Ozgur; Solmaz, Dilek; Sayin, Ibrahim

2016-10-01

Morphometric analysis of the mandibular ramus (MR) provides highly accurate data to discriminate sex. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the utility and accuracy of MR morphometric analysis for sex identification in a Turkish population.Four hundred fifteen Turkish patients (18-60 y; 201 male and 214 female) who had previously had multidetector computed tomography scans of the cranium were included in the study. Multidetector computed tomography images were obtained using three-dimensional reconstructions and a volume-rendering technique, and 8 linear and 3 angular values were measured. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate discriminant analyses were performed, and the accuracy rates for determining sex were calculated.Mandibular ramus values produced high accuracy rates of 51% to 95.6%. Upper ramus vertical height had the highest rate at 95.6%, and bivariate analysis showed 89.7% to 98.6% accuracy rates with the highest ratios of mandibular flexure upper border and maximum ramus breadth. Stepwise discrimination analysis gave a 99% accuracy rate for all MR variables.Our study showed that the MR, in particular morphometric measures of the upper part of the ramus, can provide valuable data to determine sex in a Turkish population. The method combines both anthropological and radiologic studies.

Airway growth and development: a computerized 3-dimensional analysis.

PubMed

Schendel, Stephen A; Jacobson, Richard; Khalessi, Sadri

2012-09-01

The present study was undertaken to investigate the changes in the normal upper airway during growth and development using 3-dimensional computer analysis from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data to provide a normative reference. The airway size and respiratory mode are known to have a relationship to facial morphology and the development of a malocclusion. The use of CBCT, 3-dimensional imaging, and automated computer analysis in treatment planning allows the upper airway to be precisely evaluated. In the present study, we evaluated the growth of the airway using 3-dimensional analysis and CBCT data from age 6 through old age, in 1300 normal individuals. The airway size and length increase until age 20 at which time a variable period of stability occurs. Next, the airway at first decreases slowly in size and then, after age 40, more rapidly. Normative data are provided in the present study for age groups from 6 to 60 years in relation to the airway total volume, smallest cross-sectional area and vertical length of the airway. This 3-dimensional data of the upper airway will provide a normative reference as an aid in the early understanding of respiration and dentofacial anatomy, which will help in early treatment planning. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THE EINSTEIN-HOME SEARCH FOR RADIO PULSARS AND PSR J2007+2722 DISCOVERY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Allen, B.; Knispel, B.; Aulbert, C.

Einstein-Home aggregates the computer power of hundreds of thousands of volunteers from 193 countries, to search for new neutron stars using data from electromagnetic and gravitational-wave detectors. This paper presents a detailed description of the search for new radio pulsars using Pulsar ALFA survey data from the Arecibo Observatory. The enormous computing power allows this search to cover a new region of parameter space; it can detect pulsars in binary systems with orbital periods as short as 11 minutes. We also describe the first Einstein-Home discovery, the 40.8 Hz isolated pulsar PSR J2007+2722, and provide a full timing model. PSRmore » J2007+2722's pulse profile is remarkably wide with emission over almost the entire spin period. This neutron star is most likely a disrupted recycled pulsar, about as old as its characteristic spin-down age of 404 Myr. However, there is a small chance that it was born recently, with a low magnetic field. If so, upper limits on the X-ray flux suggest but cannot prove that PSR J2007+2722 is at least {approx}100 kyr old. In the future, we expect that the massive computing power provided by volunteers should enable many additional radio pulsar discoveries.« less

Regeneration of upper-elevation red oak in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Treesearch

William B. Leak; Mariko. Yamasaki

2013-01-01

Northern red oak occurs in limited amounts with a mixture of softwoods on the shallow soils at upper elevations in northern New England. These stands are important for wildlife habitat and forest diversity as well as a modest amount of timber harvesting. Little experience or research is available on how to regenerate upper-elevation oak. However, an examination of a 35...

IFN-λ prevents influenza virus spread from the upper airways to the lungs and limits virus transmission

PubMed Central

Ye, Liang; Schwaderlapp, Marilena; Gad, Hans Henrik; Hartmann, Rune; Garcin, Dominique; Mahlakõiv, Tanel

2018-01-01

Host factors restricting the transmission of respiratory viruses are poorly characterized. We analyzed the contribution of type I and type III interferon (IFN) using a mouse model in which the virus is selectively administered to the upper airways, mimicking a natural respiratory virus infection. Mice lacking functional IFN-λ receptors (Ifnlr1−/−) no longer restricted virus dissemination from the upper airways to the lungs. Ifnlr1−/− mice shed significantly more infectious virus particles via the nostrils and transmitted the virus much more efficiently to naïve contacts compared with wild-type mice or mice lacking functional type I IFN receptors. Prophylactic treatment with IFN-α or IFN-λ inhibited initial virus replication in all parts of the respiratory tract, but only IFN-λ conferred long-lasting antiviral protection in the upper airways and blocked virus transmission. Thus, IFN-λ has a decisive and non-redundant function in the upper airways that greatly limits transmission of respiratory viruses to naïve contacts. PMID:29651984

Mechanical Properties of the Upper Airway

PubMed Central

Strohl, Kingman P.; Butler, James P.; Malhotra, Atul

2013-01-01

The importance of the upper airway (nose, pharynx, and larynx) in health and in the pathogenesis of sleep apnea, asthma, and other airway diseases, discussed elsewhere in the Comprehensive Physiology series, prompts this review of the biomechanical properties and functional aspects of the upper airway. There is a literature based on anatomic or structural descriptions in static circumstances, albeit studied in limited numbers of individuals in both health and disease. As for dynamic features, the literature is limited to studies of pressure and flow through all or parts of the upper airway and to the effects of muscle activation on such features; however, the links between structure and function through airway size, shape, and compliance remain a topic that is completely open for investigation, particularly through analyses using concepts of fluid and structural mechanics. Throughout are included both historically seminal references, as well as those serving as signposts or updated reviews. This article should be considered a resource for concepts needed for the application of biomechanical models of upper airway physiology, applicable to understanding the pathophysiology of disease and anticipated results of treatment interventions. PMID:23723026

Anaemia only causes a small reduction in the upper critical temperature of sea bass: is oxygen delivery the limiting factor for tolerance of acute warming in fishes?

PubMed

Wang, Tobias; Lefevre, Sjannie; Iversen, Nina K; Findorf, Inge; Buchanan, Rasmus; McKenzie, David J

2014-12-15

To address how the capacity for oxygen transport influences tolerance of acute warming in fishes, we investigated whether a reduction in haematocrit, by means of intra-peritoneal injection of the haemolytic agent phenylhydrazine, lowered the upper critical temperature of sea bass. A reduction in haematocrit from 42±2% to 20±3% (mean ± s.e.m.) caused a significant but minor reduction in upper critical temperature, from 35.8±0.1 to 35.1±0.2°C, with no correlation between individual values for haematocrit and upper thermal limit. Anaemia did not influence the rise in oxygen uptake between 25 and 33°C, because the anaemic fish were able to compensate for reduced blood oxygen carrying capacity with a significant increase in cardiac output. Therefore, in sea bass the upper critical temperature, at which they lost equilibrium, was not determined by an inability of the cardio-respiratory system to meet the thermal acceleration of metabolic demands. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Frequency bandwidth limitation of external pulse electric fields in cylindrical micro-channel electrophoresis with analyte velocity modulation.

PubMed

Wang, Shau-Chun; Chen, Hsiao-Ping; Lee, Chia-Yu; Yeo, Leslie Y

2005-04-15

In capillary electrophoresis, effective optical signal quality improvement is obtained when high frequency (>100 Hz) external pulse fields modulate analyte velocities with synchronous lock-in detection. However, the pulse frequency is constrained under a critical value corresponding to the time required for the bulk viscous flow, which arises due to viscous momentum diffusion from the electro-osmotic slip in the Debye layer, to reach steady-state. By solving the momentum diffusion equation for transient bulk flow in the micro-channel, we show that this set-in time to steady-state and hence, the upper limit for the pulse frequency is dependent on the characteristic diffusion length scale and therefore the channel geometry; for cylindrical capillaries, the set-in time is approximately one half of that for rectangular slot channels. From our estimation of the set-in time and hence the upper frequency modulation limit, we propose that the half width of planar channels does not exceed 100 microm and that the radii of cylindrical channels be limited to 140 microm such that there is a finite working bandwidth range above 100 Hz and below the upper limit in order for flicker noise to be effectively suppressed.

Pulmonary Actinomycosis Imitating Lung Cancer on (18)F-FDG PET/CT: A Case Report and Literature Review.

PubMed

Qiu, Lin; Lan, Lianjun; Feng, Yue; Huang, Zhanwen; Chen, Yue

2015-01-01

Here we report a case of 41-year-old man with a soft tissue density mass at right upper lung and palpable abscesses at right upper backside and right wrist. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography demonstrated a 7.8 × 5.0 cm mass with soft-tissue density in the upper lobe of the right lung with high metabolic activity. The infiltrative mass extended to adjacent chest wall soft tissue. Final diagnosis of pulmonary actinomycosis with multiple abscesses was made. The patient responded well to antibiotics treatment.

Performance of Fourth-Grade Students in the 2012 NAEP Computer-Based Writing Pilot Assessment: Scores, Text Length, and Use of Editing Tools. Working Paper Series. NCES 2015-119

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Sheida; Kim, Young Yee; Chen, Jing; Liu, Fei

2015-01-01

This study examined whether or not fourth-graders could fully demonstrate their writing skills on the computer and factors associated with their performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) computer-based writing assessment. The results suggest that high-performing fourth-graders (those who scored in the upper 20 percent…

Mapping Computation with No Memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burckel, Serge; Gioan, Emeric; Thomé, Emmanuel

We investigate the computation of mappings from a set S n to itself with in situ programs, that is using no extra variables than the input, and performing modifications of one component at a time. We consider several types of mappings and obtain effective computation and decomposition methods, together with upper bounds on the program length (number of assignments). Our technique is combinatorial and algebraic (graph coloration, partition ordering, modular arithmetics).

Relationship between impairments, disability and handicap in reflex sympathetic dystrophy patients: a long-term follow-up study.

PubMed

Geertzen, J H; Dijkstra, P U; van Sonderen, E L; Groothoff, J W; ten Duis, H J; Eisma, W H

1998-10-01

To determine the relationship between impairments, disability and handicap in reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) patients. A long-term follow-up study of upper extremity RSD patients. A university hospital. Sixty-five patients, 3-9 years (mean interval 5.5 years) after RSD of the upper extremity (mean age 50.2 years). Impairments: range of motion, moving two point discrimination, muscle strength of the hand and pain were measured. Disability was assessed with the Groningen Activity Restriction Scale (GARS) and handicap was assessed with three subscales (social functioning, role limitations due to physical problems and role limitations due to emotional problems) of the RAND-36. After RSD of the upper extremity, 62% of the patients are limited in activities of daily living (ADL) and/or instrumental ADL (IADL). Pain and restrictions in forward flexion of the shoulder, thumb opposition and grip strength are the most important impairments limiting ADL and IADL. Patients with limitations in ADL and IADL are significantly more handicapped than patients without limitations. Pain is the most important factor contributing to handicap. The relationship between impairments and disability and between disability and handicap in RSD patients is weak to moderate. Pain is the most important factor leading to disability and handicap.

Measurement of upper limits for Υ→γ+R decays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosner, J. L.; Adam, N. E.; Alexander, J. P.; Cassel, D. G.; Duboscq, J. E.; Ehrlich, R.; Fields, L.; Galik, R. S.; Gibbons, L.; Gray, R.; Gray, S. W.; Hartill, D. L.; Heltsley, B. K.; Hertz, D.; Jones, C. D.; Kandaswamy, J.; Kreinick, D. L.; Kuznetsov, V. E.; Mahlke-Krüger, H.; Onyisi, P. U. E.; Patterson, J. R.; Peterson, D.; Pivarski, J.; Riley, D.; Ryd, A.; Sadoff, A. J.; Schwarthoff, H.; Shi, X.; Stroiney, S.; Sun, W. M.; Wilksen, T.; Weinberger, M.; Athar, S. B.; Patel, R.; Potlia, V.; Yelton, J.; Rubin, P.; Cawlfield, C.; Eisenstein, B. I.; Karliner, I.; Kim, D.; Lowrey, N.; Naik, P.; Selen, M.; White, E. J.; Wiss, J.; Mitchell, R. E.; Shepherd, M. R.; Besson, D.; Henderson, S.; Pedlar, T. K.; Cronin-Hennessy, D.; Gao, K. Y.; Hietala, J.; Kubota, Y.; Klein, T.; Lang, B. W.; Poling, R.; Scott, A. W.; Smith, A.; Zweber, P.; Dobbs, S.; Metreveli, Z.; Seth, K. K.; Tomaradze, A.; Ernst, J.; Ecklund, K. M.; Severini, H.; Love, W.; Savinov, V.; Aquines, O.; Li, Z.; Lopez, A.; Mehrabyan, S.; Mendez, H.; Ramirez, J.; Huang, G. S.; Miller, D. H.; Pavlunin, V.; Sanghi, B.; Shipsey, I. P. J.; Xin, B.; Adams, G. S.; Anderson, M.; Cummings, J. P.; Danko, I.; Hu, D.; Moziak, B.; Napolitano, J.; He, Q.; Insler, J.; Muramatsu, H.; Park, C. S.; Thorndike, E. H.; Yang, F.; Coan, T. E.; Gao, Y. S.; Artuso, M.; Blusk, S.; Butt, J.; Li, J.; Menaa, N.; Moneti, G. C.; Mountain, R.; Nisar, S.; Randrianarivony, K.; Sia, R.; Skwarnicki, T.; Stone, S.; Wang, J. C.; Zhang, K.; Bonvicini, G.; Cinabro, D.; Dubrovin, M.; Lincoln, A.; Asner, D. M.; Edwards, K. W.; Briere, R. A.; Ferguson, T.; Tatishvili, G.; Vogel, H.; Watkins, M. E.

2007-12-01

We report on a study of exclusive radiative decays Υ(nS)→γ+R (n=1, 2, 3), with R a narrow resonant hadronic state decaying into four or more charged particles (plus possible neutrals). Using data collected from the CLEO III detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we present upper limits of order 10-4 for such bottomonium two-body decays as a function of the mass MR recoiling opposite the photon.

Upper limits of the proton magnetic form factor in the time-like region from p¯p--> e+e- at the CERN-ISR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baglin, C.; Baird, S.; Bassompierre, G.; Borreani, G.; Brient, J. C.; Broll, C.; Brom, J. M.; Bugge, L.; Buran, T.; Burq, J. P.; Bussière, A.; Buzzo, A.; Cester, R.; Chemarin, M.; Chevallier, M.; Escoubes, B.; Fay, J.; Ferroni, S.; Gracco, V.; Guillaud, J. P.; Khan-Aronsen, E.; Kirsebom, K.; Ille, B.; Lambert, M.; Leistam, L.; Lundby, A.; Macri, M.; Marchetto, F.; Mattera, L.; Menichetti, E.; Mouellic, B.; Pastrone, N.; Petrillo, L.; Pia, M. G.; Poulet, M.; Pozzo, A.; Rinaudo, G.; Santroni, A.; Severi, M.; Skjevling, G.; Stapnes, S.; Stugu, B.; Tomasini, F.; Valbusa, U.

1985-11-01

From the measurement of e+e- pairs from the reaction p¯p-->e+e- at the CERN-ISR, using an antiproton beam and a hydrogen jet target, we derived upper limits for the proton magnetic form factor in the time-like region at Q2⋍8.9(GeV/c)2 and Q2⋍12.5(GeV/c)2.

A search for SiO, OH, CO and HCN radio emission from silicate-carbon stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Little-Marenin, I. R.; Sahai, R.; Wannier, P. G.; Benson, P. J.; Gaylard, M.; Omont, A.

1994-01-01

We report upper limits for radio emission of SiO at 86 and 43 GHz, of OH at 1612 and 1665/1667 MHz, of CO at 115 GHz and HCN at 88.6 GHz in the silicate-carbon stars. These upper limits of SiO imply that oxygen-rich material has not been detected within 2R(sub star) of a central star even though the detected emission from silicate dust grains, H2O and OH maser establishes the presence of oxygen-rich material from about tens to thousands of AU of a central star. The upper limit of the SiO abundance is consistent with that found in oxygen-rich envelopes. Upper limits of the mass loss rate (based on the CO data) are estimated to be between 10(exp -6) to 10(exp -7) solar mass/yr assuming a distance of 1.5 kpc for these stars. The absence of HCN microwave emission implies that no carbon-rich material can be detected at large distances (thousands of AU) from a central star. The lack of detections of SiO, CO, and HCN emission is most likely due to the large distances of these stars. A number of C stars were detected in CO and HCN, but only the M supergiant VX Sgr was detected in CO.

First all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown sources in binary systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aasi, J.; Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T.; Abernathy, M. R.; Accadia, T.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Affeldt, C.; Agathos, M.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Alemic, A.; Allen, B.; Allocca, A.; Amariutei, D.; Andersen, M.; Anderson, R.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Arceneaux, C.; Areeda, J.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Austin, L.; Aylott, B. E.; Babak, S.; Baker, P. T.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barbet, M.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barton, M. A.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Bauchrowitz, J.; Bauer, Th. S.; Behnke, B.; Bejger, M.; Beker, M. G.; Belczynski, C.; Bell, A. S.; Bell, C.; Bergmann, G.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Beyersdorf, P. T.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Birch, J.; Biscans, S.; Bitossi, M.; Bizouard, M. A.; Black, E.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackburn, L.; Blair, D.; Bloemen, S.; Blom, M.; Bock, O.; Bodiya, T. P.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bogan, C.; Bond, C.; Bondu, F.; Bonelli, L.; Bonnand, R.; Bork, R.; Born, M.; Boschi, V.; Bose, Sukanta; Bosi, L.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Bridges, D. O.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brückner, F.; Buchman, S.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Burman, R.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Campsie, P.; Cannon, K. C.; Canuel, B.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Carbognani, F.; Carbone, L.; Caride, S.; Castiglia, A.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Celerier, C.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C.; Cesarini, E.; Chakraborty, R.; Chalermsongsak, T.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chen, X.; Chen, Y.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Cho, H. S.; Chow, J.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, S. S. Y.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C.; Colombini, M.; Cominsky, L.; Constancio, M.; Conte, A.; Cook, D.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cordier, M.; Cornish, N.; Corpuz, A.; Corsi, A.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S.; Couvares, P.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Craig, K.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Crowder, S. G.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dahl, K.; Dal Canton, T.; Damjanic, M.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dattilo, V.; Daveloza, H.; Davier, M.; Davies, G. S.; Daw, E. J.; Day, R.; Dayanga, T.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dereli, H.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Palma, I.; Di Virgilio, A.; Donath, A.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dossa, S.; Douglas, R.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Dwyer, S.; Eberle, T.; Edo, T.; Edwards, M.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Endrőczi, G.; Essick, R.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fairhurst, S.; Fang, Q.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Favata, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Fejer, M. M.; Feldbaum, D.; Feroz, F.; Ferrante, I.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Finn, L. S.; Fiori, I.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fournier, J.-D.; Franco, S.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frede, M.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Fricke, T. T.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gair, J.; Gammaitoni, L.; Gaonkar, S.; Garufi, F.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, C.; Gleason, J.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gondan, L.; González, G.; Gordon, N.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S.; Goßler, S.; Gouaty, R.; Gräf, C.; Graff, P. B.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greenhalgh, R. J. S.; Gretarsson, A. M.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grover, K.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guido, C.; Gushwa, K.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hammer, D.; Hammond, G.; Hanke, M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, J.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Harstad, E. D.; Hart, M.; Hartman, M. T.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hewitson, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hodge, K. A.; Holt, K.; Hooper, S.; Hopkins, P.; Hosken, D. J.; Hough, J.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y.; Huerta, E.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh, M.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isogai, T.; Ivanov, A.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacobson, M.; James, E.; Jang, H.; Jaranowski, P.; Ji, Y.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; K, Haris; Kalmus, P.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Karlen, J.; Kasprzack, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, H.; Kawabe, K.; Kawazoe, F.; Kéfélian, F.; Keiser, G. M.; Keitel, D.; Kelley, D. B.; Kells, W.; Khalaidovski, A.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kim, C.; Kim, K.; Kim, N.; Kim, N. G.; Kim, Y.-M.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kinzel, D. L.; Kissel, J. S.; Klimenko, S.; Kline, J.; Koehlenbeck, S.; Kokeyama, K.; Kondrashov, V.; Koranda, S.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Kremin, A.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, A.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwee, P.; Landry, M.; Lantz, B.; Larson, S.; Lasky, P. D.; Lawrie, C.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lebigot, E. O.; Lee, C.-H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, J.; Leonardi, M.; Leong, J. R.; Le Roux, A.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Levine, B.; Lewis, J.; Li, T. G. F.; Libbrecht, K.; Libson, A.; Lin, A. C.; Littenberg, T. B.; Litvine, V.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lockett, V.; Lodhia, D.; Loew, K.; Logue, J.; Lombardi, A. L.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J.; Lubinski, M. J.; Lück, H.; Luijten, E.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macarthur, J.; Macdonald, E. P.; MacDonald, T.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magana-Sandoval, F.; Mageswaran, M.; Maglione, C.; Mailand, K.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Malvezzi, V.; Man, N.; Manca, G. M.; Mandel, I.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mangini, N.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A.; Maros, E.; Marque, J.; Martelli, F.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Martinelli, L.; Martynov, D.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Matzner, R. A.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; Mazzolo, G.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McLin, K.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Mehmet, M.; Meidam, J.; Meinders, M.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Meyers, P.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Milde, S.; Miller, J.; Minenkov, Y.; Mingarelli, C. M. F.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moe, B.; Moesta, P.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morgado, N.; Morriss, S. R.; Mossavi, K.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, C. L.; Mueller, G.; Mukherjee, S.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Murphy, D.; Murray, P. G.; Mytidis, A.; Nagy, M. F.; Nanda Kumar, D.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Necula, V.; Nelemans, G.; Neri, I.; Neri, M.; Newton, G.; Nguyen, T.; Nitz, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Ochsner, E.; O'Dell, J.; Oelker, E.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oppermann, P.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Osthelder, C.; Ottaway, D. J.; Ottens, R. S.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Padilla, C.; Pai, A.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pan, H.; Pan, Y.; Pankow, C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoletti, R.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Pedraza, M.; Penn, S.; Perreca, A.; Phelps, M.; Pichot, M.; Pickenpack, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poeld, J.; Poggiani, R.; Poteomkin, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Premachandra, S.; Prestegard, T.; Price, L. R.; Prijatelj, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Qin, J.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E.; Quiroga, G.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Rácz, I.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajalakshmi, G.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramet, C.; Ramirez, K.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Re, V.; Read, J.; Reed, C. M.; Regimbau, T.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rhoades, E.; Ricci, F.; Riles, K.; Robertson, N. A.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rodruck, M.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Romano, R.; Romanov, G.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Salemi, F.; Sammut, L.; Sandberg, V.; Sanders, J. R.; Sannibale, V.; Santiago-Prieto, I.; Saracco, E.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Savage, R.; Scheuer, J.; Schilling, R.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schutz, B. F.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D.; Shah, S.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shaltev, M.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Sidery, T. L.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sigg, D.; Simakov, D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L.; Singh, R.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Slutsky, J.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, M.; Smith, R. J. E.; Smith-Lefebvre, N. D.; Son, E. J.; Sorazu, B.; Souradeep, T.; Sperandio, L.; Staley, A.; Stebbins, J.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Stephens, B. C.; Steplewski, S.; Stevenson, S.; Stone, R.; Stops, D.; Strain, K. A.; Straniero, N.; Strigin, S.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Susmithan, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tarabrin, S. P.; Taylor, R.; ter Braack, A. P. M.; Thirugnanasambandam, M. P.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Tomlinson, C.; Toncelli, A.; Tonelli, M.; Torre, O.; Torres, C. V.; Torrie, C. I.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Tse, M.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Urbanek, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; Vallisneri, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; van der Putten, S.; van der Sluys, M. V.; van Heijningen, J.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vaulin, R.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Verkindt, D.; Verma, S. S.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Vincent-Finley, R.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyachanin, S. P.; Wade, A.; Wade, L.; Wade, M.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Wang, M.; Wang, X.; Ward, R. L.; Was, M.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Welborn, T.; Wen, L.; Wessels, P.; West, M.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; White, D. J.; Whiting, B. F.; Wiesner, K.; Wilkinson, C.; Williams, K.; Williams, L.; Williams, R.; Williams, T.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wiseman, A. G.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Worden, J.; Yablon, J.; Yakushin, I.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yang, H.; Yang, Z.; Yoshida, S.; Yvert, M.; ZadroŻny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zhang, Fan; Zhang, L.; Zhao, C.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zuraw, S.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2014-09-01

We present the first results of an all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown spinning neutron stars in binary systems using LIGO and Virgo data. Using a specially developed analysis program, the TwoSpect algorithm, the search was carried out on data from the sixth LIGO science run and the second and third Virgo science runs. The search covers a range of frequencies from 20 Hz to 520 Hz, a range of orbital periods from 2 to ˜2,254 h and a frequency- and period-dependent range of frequency modulation depths from 0.277 to 100 mHz. This corresponds to a range of projected semimajor axes of the orbit from ˜0.6×10-3 ls to ˜6,500 ls assuming the orbit of the binary is circular. While no plausible candidate gravitational wave events survive the pipeline, upper limits are set on the analyzed data. The most sensitive 95% confidence upper limit obtained on gravitational wave strain is 2.3×10-24 at 217 Hz, assuming the source waves are circularly polarized. Although this search has been optimized for circular binary orbits, the upper limits obtained remain valid for orbital eccentricities as large as 0.9. In addition, upper limits are placed on continuous gravitational wave emission from the low-mass x-ray binary Scorpius X-1 between 20 Hz and 57.25 Hz.

Increasing Gas Hydrate Formation Temperature for Desalination of High Salinity Produced Water with Secondary Guests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cha, Jong-Ho; Seol, Yongkoo

We suggest a new gas hydrate-based desalination process using water-immiscible hydrate formers; cyclopentane (CP) and cyclohexane (CH) as secondary hydrate guests to alleviate temperature requirements for hydrate formation. The hydrate formation reactions were carried out in an isobaric condition of 3.1 MPa to find the upper temperature limit of CO2 hydrate formation. Simulated produced water (8.95 wt % salinity) mixed with the hydrate formers shows an increased upper temperature limit from -2 °C for simple CO2 hydrate to 16 and 7 °C for double (CO2 + CP) and (CO2 + CH) hydrates, respectively. The resulting conversion rate to double hydratemore » turned out to be similar to that with simple CO2 hydrate at the upper temperature limit. Hydrate formation rates (Rf) for the double hydrates with CP and CH are shown to be 22 and 16 times higher, respectively, than that of the simple CO2 hydrate at the upper temperature limit. Such mild hydrate formation temperature and fast formation kinetics indicate increased energy efficiency of the double hydrate system for the desalination process. Dissociated water from the hydrates shows greater than 90% salt removal efficiency for the hydrates with the secondary guests, which is also improved from about 70% salt removal efficiency for the simple hydrates.« less

Efficacy and bleeding profile of a combined oral contraceptive containing oestradiol valerate/dienogest: a pooled analysis of three studies conducted in North America and Europe.

PubMed

Nelson, Anita; Parke, Susanne; Makalova, Dagmar; Serrani, Marco; Palacios, Santiago; Mellinger, Uwe

2013-08-01

To summarise all clinical data on the contraceptive efficacy and bleeding profile associated with an oestradiol valerate (E2V) and dienogest (DNG) [E2V/DNG] combined oral contraceptive (COC) derived from Phase III trials. Pooled analysis of three large-scale multicentre trials conducted in healthy women who received oral E2V/DNG for 7 to 28 cycles (28-day cycles). A total of 2266 women were included in this analysis. Overall, 19 pregnancies occurred over 13 cycles during 880,950 days of relevant exposure (Pearl Index [PI] of 0.79; upper limit of the two-sided 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23). Ten pregnancies attributed to method failure came about during 871,091 days of relevant exposure (adjusted PI of 0.42; upper limit of the two-sided 95% CI: 0.77). In women aged 18 to 35 years (n = 1687), the corresponding PI and adjusted PI were 1.01 (upper limit of the two-sided 95% CI: 1.59) and 0.51 (upper limit of the two-sided 95% CI: 0.97), respectively. In the first 13 cycles of treatment, 76 to 81% of women experienced scheduled withdrawal bleeding, and 13 to 23% experienced intracyclic bleeding. E2V/DNG provides reliable contraceptive efficacy in women aged 18 to 50 years.

BMI and risk of serious upper body injury following motor vehicle crashes: concordance of real-world and computer-simulated observations.

PubMed

Zhu, Shankuan; Kim, Jong-Eun; Ma, Xiaoguang; Shih, Alan; Laud, Purushottam W; Pintar, Frank; Shen, Wei; Heymsfield, Steven B; Allison, David B

2010-03-30

Men tend to have more upper body mass and fat than women, a physical characteristic that may predispose them to severe motor vehicle crash (MVC) injuries, particularly in certain body regions. This study examined MVC-related regional body injury and its association with the presence of driver obesity using both real-world data and computer crash simulation. Real-world data were from the 2001 to 2005 National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System. A total of 10,941 drivers who were aged 18 years or older involved in frontal collision crashes were eligible for the study. Sex-specific logistic regression models were developed to analyze the associations between MVC injury and the presence of driver obesity. In order to confirm the findings from real-world data, computer models of obese subjects were constructed and crash simulations were performed. According to real-world data, obese men had a substantially higher risk of injury, especially serious injury, to the upper body regions including head, face, thorax, and spine than normal weight men (all p<0.05). A U-shaped relation was found between body mass index (BMI) and serious injury in the abdominal region for both men and women (p<0.05 for both BMI and BMI(2)). In the high-BMI range, men were more likely to be seriously injured than were women for all body regions except the extremities and abdominal region (all p<0.05 for interaction between BMI and sex). The findings from the computer simulation were generally consistent with the real-world results in the present study. Obese men endured a much higher risk of injury to upper body regions during MVCs. This higher risk may be attributed to differences in body shape, fat distribution, and center of gravity between obese and normal-weight subjects, and between men and women. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

BMI and Risk of Serious Upper Body Injury Following Motor Vehicle Crashes: Concordance of Real-World and Computer-Simulated Observations

PubMed Central

Zhu, Shankuan; Kim, Jong-Eun; Ma, Xiaoguang; Shih, Alan; Laud, Purushottam W.; Pintar, Frank; Shen, Wei; Heymsfield, Steven B.; Allison, David B.

2010-01-01

Background Men tend to have more upper body mass and fat than women, a physical characteristic that may predispose them to severe motor vehicle crash (MVC) injuries, particularly in certain body regions. This study examined MVC-related regional body injury and its association with the presence of driver obesity using both real-world data and computer crash simulation. Methods and Findings Real-world data were from the 2001 to 2005 National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System. A total of 10,941 drivers who were aged 18 years or older involved in frontal collision crashes were eligible for the study. Sex-specific logistic regression models were developed to analyze the associations between MVC injury and the presence of driver obesity. In order to confirm the findings from real-world data, computer models of obese subjects were constructed and crash simulations were performed. According to real-world data, obese men had a substantially higher risk of injury, especially serious injury, to the upper body regions including head, face, thorax, and spine than normal weight men (all p<0.05). A U-shaped relation was found between body mass index (BMI) and serious injury in the abdominal region for both men and women (p<0.05 for both BMI and BMI2). In the high-BMI range, men were more likely to be seriously injured than were women for all body regions except the extremities and abdominal region (all p<0.05 for interaction between BMI and sex). The findings from the computer simulation were generally consistent with the real-world results in the present study. Conclusions Obese men endured a much higher risk of injury to upper body regions during MVCs. This higher risk may be attributed to differences in body shape, fat distribution, and center of gravity between obese and normal-weight subjects, and between men and women. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:20361024

First Search for Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars with Advanced LIGO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M. R.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Arun, K. G.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bavigadda, V.; Bazzan, M.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Belgin, M.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canepa, M.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerboni Baiardi, L.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H.-P.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L.; Constancio, M., Jr.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Danilishin, S. L.; D’Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davies, G. S.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; Day, R.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devenson, J.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Virgilio, A.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Dovale Álvarez, M.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Etienne, Z.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Everett, R.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernández Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glaefke, A.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gondan, L.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hacker, J. J.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Hartman, M. T.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Isogai, T.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kaur, T.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kelley, D. B.; Kennedy, R.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, Whansun; Kim, W.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Klein, B.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Lackey, B. D.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lebigot, E. O.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leong, J. R.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lombardi, A. L.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lousto, C. O.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Malvezzi, V.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McGrath, C.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mendoza-Gandara, D.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mirshekari, S.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B. C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muniz, E. A. M.; Murray, P. G.; Mytidis, A.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Neri, M.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O’Reilly, B.; O’Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Re, V.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Rhoades, E.; Ricci, F.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, E.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Setyawati, Y.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Son, E. J.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stevenson, S. P.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Straniero, N.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, R.; Theeg, T.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tippens, T.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tomlinson, C.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trifirò, D.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Turconi, M.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, M.; Wang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Weßels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yap, M. J.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; Zadrożny, A.; Zangrando, L.; Zanolin, M.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration; Buchner, S.; Cognard, I.; Corongiu, A.; Freire, P. C. C.; Guillemot, L.; Hobbs, G. B.; Kerr, M.; Lyne, A. G.; Possenti, A.; Ridolfi, A.; Shannon, R. M.; Stappers, B. W.; Weltevrede, P.

2017-04-01

We present the result of searches for gravitational waves from 200 pulsars using data from the first observing run of the Advanced LIGO detectors. We find no significant evidence for a gravitational-wave signal from any of these pulsars, but we are able to set the most constraining upper limits yet on their gravitational-wave amplitudes and ellipticities. For eight of these pulsars, our upper limits give bounds that are improvements over the indirect spin-down limit values. For another 32, we are within a factor of 10 of the spin-down limit, and it is likely that some of these will be reachable in future runs of the advanced detector. Taken as a whole, these new results improve on previous limits by more than a factor of two.

Finescale parameterizations of energy dissipation in a region of strong internal tides and sheared flow, the Lucky-Strike segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasquet, Simon; Bouruet-Aubertot, Pascale; Reverdin, Gilles; Turnherr, Andreas; Laurent, Lou St.

2016-06-01

The relevance of finescale parameterizations of dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy is addressed using finescale and microstructure measurements collected in the Lucky Strike segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). There, high amplitude internal tides and a strongly sheared mean flow sustain a high level of dissipation rate and turbulent mixing. Two sets of parameterizations are considered: the first ones (Gregg, 1989; Kunze et al., 2006) were derived to estimate dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy induced by internal wave breaking, while the second one aimed to estimate dissipation induced by shear instability of a strongly sheared mean flow and is a function of the Richardson number (Kunze et al., 1990; Polzin, 1996). The latter parameterization has low skill in reproducing the observed dissipation rate when shear unstable events are resolved presumably because there is no scale separation between the duration of unstable events and the inverse growth rate of unstable billows. Instead GM based parameterizations were found to be relevant although slight biases were observed. Part of these biases result from the small value of the upper vertical wavenumber integration limit in the computation of shear variance in Kunze et al. (2006) parameterization that does not take into account internal wave signal of high vertical wavenumbers. We showed that significant improvement is obtained when the upper integration limit is set using a signal to noise ratio criterion and that the spatial structure of dissipation rates is reproduced with this parameterization.

Envelope contributions to the representation of interaural time difference in the forebrain of barn owls.

PubMed

Tellers, Philipp; Lehmann, Jessica; Führ, Hartmut; Wagner, Hermann

2017-09-01

Birds and mammals use the interaural time difference (ITD) for azimuthal sound localization. While barn owls can use the ITD of the stimulus carrier frequency over nearly their entire hearing range, mammals have to utilize the ITD of the stimulus envelope to extend the upper frequency limit of ITD-based sound localization. ITD is computed and processed in a dedicated neural circuit that consists of two pathways. In the barn owl, ITD representation is more complex in the forebrain than in the midbrain pathway because of the combination of two inputs that represent different ITDs. We speculated that one of the two inputs includes an envelope contribution. To estimate the envelope contribution, we recorded ITD response functions for correlated and anticorrelated noise stimuli in the barn owl's auditory arcopallium. Our findings indicate that barn owls, like mammals, represent both carrier and envelope ITDs of overlapping frequency ranges, supporting the hypothesis that carrier and envelope ITD-based localization are complementary beyond a mere extension of the upper frequency limit. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The results presented in this study show for the first time that the barn owl is able to extract and represent the interaural time difference (ITD) information conveyed by the envelope of a broadband acoustic signal. Like mammals, the barn owl extracts the ITD of the envelope and the carrier of a signal from the same frequency range. These results are of general interest, since they reinforce a trend found in neural signal processing across different species. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.