The effect of the geomagnetic field on cosmic ray energy estimates and large scale anisotropy searches on data from the Pierre Auger Observatory

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

Abreu, P.; /Lisbon, IST; Aglietta, M.

2011-11-01

We present a comprehensive study of the influence of the geomagnetic field on the energy estimation of extensive air showers with a zenith angle smaller than 60{sup o}, detected at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The geomagnetic field induces an azimuthal modulation of the estimated energy of cosmic rays up to the {approx} 2% level at large zenith angles. We present a method to account for this modulation of the reconstructed energy. We analyse the effect of the modulation on large scale anisotropy searches in the arrival direction distributions of cosmic rays. At a given energy, the geomagnetic effect is shownmore » to induce a pseudo-dipolar pattern at the percent level in the declination distribution that needs to be accounted for. In this work, we have identified and quantified a systematic uncertainty affecting the energy determination of cosmic rays detected by the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. This systematic uncertainty, induced by the influence of the geomagnetic field on the shower development, has a strength which depends on both the zenith and the azimuthal angles. Consequently, we have shown that it induces distortions of the estimated cosmic ray event rate at a given energy at the percent level in both the azimuthal and the declination distributions, the latter of which mimics an almost dipolar pattern. We have also shown that the induced distortions are already at the level of the statistical uncertainties for a number of events N {approx_equal} 32 000 (we note that the full Auger surface detector array collects about 6500 events per year with energies above 3 EeV). Accounting for these effects is thus essential with regard to the correct interpretation of large scale anisotropy measurements taking explicitly profit from the declination distribution.« less

Cyclotron resonance and interband optical transitions in HgTe/CdTe(0 1 3) quantum well heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikonnikov, A. V.; Zholudev, M. S.; Spirin, K. E.; Lastovkin, A. A.; Maremyanin, K. V.; Aleshkin, V. Ya; Gavrilenko, V. I.; Drachenko, O.; Helm, M.; Wosnitza, J.; Goiran, M.; Mikhailov, N. N.; Dvoretskii, S. A.; Teppe, F.; Diakonova, N.; Consejo, C.; Chenaud, B.; Knap, W.

2011-12-01

Cyclotron resonance spectra of 2D electrons in HgTe/CdxHg1-xTe (0 1 3) quantum well (QW) heterostructures with inverted band structure have been thoroughly studied in quasiclassical magnetic fields versus the electron concentration varied using the persistent photoconductivity effect. The cyclotron mass is shown to increase with QW width in contrast to QWs with normal band structure. The measured values of cyclotron mass are shown to be systematically less than those calculated using the 8 × 8 Kane model with conventional set of HgTe and CdTe material parameters. In quantizing pulsed magnetic fields (Landau level filling factor less than unity) up to 45 T, both intraband (CR) and interband magnetoabsorption have been studied at radiation wavelengths 14.8 and 11.4 µm for the first time. The results obtained are compared with the allowed transition energies between Landau levels in the valence and conduction bands calculated within the same model, the calculated energies being again systematically less (by 3-14%) than the observed optical transition energies.

Systematic shell-model study on spectroscopic properties from light to heavy nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Cenxi

2018-05-01

A systematic shell-model study is performed to study the spectroscopic properties from light to heavy nuclei, such as binding energies, energy levels, electromagnetic properties, and β decays. The importance of cross-shell excitation is shown in the spectroscopic properties of neutron-rich boron, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotopes. A special case is presented for low-lying structure of 14C. The weakly bound effect of proton 1s1/2 orbit is necessary for the description of the mirror energy difference in the nuclei around A=20. Some possible isomers are predicted in the nuclei in the southeast region of 132Sn based on a newly suggested Hamiltonian. A preliminary study on the nuclei around 208Pb are given to show the ability of the shell model in the heavy nuclei.

Active video games to promote physical activity in children and youth: a systematic review.

PubMed

Biddiss, Elaine; Irwin, Jennifer

2010-07-01

To systematically review levels of metabolic expenditure and changes in activity patterns associated with active video game (AVG) play in children and to provide directions for future research efforts. A review of the English-language literature (January 1, 1998, to January 1, 2010) via ISI Web of Knowledge, PubMed, and Scholars Portal using the following keywords: video game, exergame, physical activity, fitness, exercise, energy metabolism, energy expenditure, heart rate, disability, injury, musculoskeletal, enjoyment, adherence, and motivation. Only studies involving youth (< or = 21 years) and reporting measures of energy expenditure, activity patterns, physiological risks and benefits, and enjoyment and motivation associated with mainstream AVGs were included. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Articles were reviewed and data were extracted and synthesized by 2 independent reviewers. MAIN OUTCOME EXPOSURES: Energy expenditure during AVG play compared with rest (12 studies) and activity associated with AVG exposure (6 studies). Percentage increase in energy expenditure and heart rate (from rest). Activity levels during AVG play were highly variable, with mean (SD) percentage increases of 222% (100%) in energy expenditure and 64% (20%) in heart rate. Energy expenditure was significantly lower for games played primarily through upper body movements compared with those that engaged the lower body (difference, -148%; 95% confidence interval, -231% to -66%; P = .001). The AVGs enable light to moderate physical activity. Limited evidence is available to draw conclusions on the long-term efficacy of AVGs for physical activity promotion.

Mechanical energy profiles of the combined ankle-foot system in normal gait: insights for prosthetic designs.

PubMed

Takahashi, Kota Z; Stanhope, Steven J

2013-09-01

Over the last half-century, the field of prosthetic engineering has continuously evolved with much attention being dedicated to restoring the mechanical energy properties of ankle joint musculatures during gait. However, the contributions of 'distal foot structures' (e.g., foot muscles, plantar soft tissue) have been overlooked. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify the total mechanical energy profiles (e.g., power, work, and work-ratio) of the natural ankle-foot system (NAFS) by combining the contributions of the ankle joint and all distal foot structures during stance in level-ground steady state walking across various speeds (0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 statures/s). The results from eleven healthy subjects walking barefoot indicated ankle joint and distal foot structures generally performed opposing roles: the ankle joint performed net positive work that systematically increased its energy generation with faster walking speeds, while the distal foot performed net negative work that systematically increased its energy absorption with faster walking speeds. Accounting for these simultaneous effects, the combined ankle-foot system exhibited increased work-ratios with faster walking. Most notably, the work-ratio was not significantly greater than 1.0 during the normal walking speed of 0.8 statures/s. Therefore, a prosthetic design that strategically exploits passive-dynamic properties (e.g., elastic energy storage and return) has the potential to replicate the mechanical energy profiles of the NAFS during level-ground steady-state walking. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fatty Acid Synthesis Gene Variants and Breast Cancer Risk: A Study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-01

refined carbohydrates, is associated with high incidence of breast cancer in women. Excess energy intake causes elevated blood levels of glucose and...confer increased breast cancer susceptibility. In a series of 46 breast cancer cases, we are systematically searching the coding and regulatory regions of...of excess energy in the form of triglycerides , produced either from the diet fatty acids or from those synthesized de novo. Excess energy intake and

Ab initio study of weakly bound halogen complexes: RX⋯PH3.

PubMed

Georg, Herbert C; Fileti, Eudes E; Malaspina, Thaciana

2013-01-01

Ab initio calculations were employed to study the role of ipso carbon hybridization in halogenated compounds RX (R=methyl, phenyl, acetyl, H and X=F, Cl, Br and I) and its interaction with a phosphorus atom, as occurs in the halogen bonded complex type RX⋯PH3. The analysis was performed using ab initio MP2, MP4 and CCSD(T) methods. Systematic energy analysis found that the interaction energies are in the range -4.14 to -11.92 kJ mol(-1) (at MP2 level without ZPE correction). Effects of electronic correlation levels were evaluated at MP4 and CCSD(T) levels and a reduction of up to 27% in interaction energy obtained in MP2 was observed. Analysis of the electrostatic maps confirms that the PhCl⋯PH3 and all MeX⋯PH3 complexes are unstable. NBO analysis suggested that the charge transfer between the moieties is bigger when using iodine than bromine and chlorine. The electrical properties of these complexes (dipole and polarizability) were determined and the most important observed aspect was the systematic increase at the dipole polarizability, given by the interaction polarizability. This increase is in the range of 0.7-6.7 u.a. (about 3-7%).

In-beam γ-ray spectroscopy of the N=Z+1 nucleus 63Ga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balamuth, D. P.; Hüttmeier, U. J.; Chapuran, T.; Popescu, D. G.; Arrison, J. W.

1991-05-01

A total of ten previously observed γ rays have been assigned to the N=Z+1 nucleus 63Ga; these provide the first information on excited states reported in this neutron-deficient system. 63Ga has been populated using the 40Ca(28Si, αp), 40Ca(32S, 2αp), and 40Ca(29Si, αpn) reactions at beam energies of 80-100 MeV. Particle-γ coincidence techniques provide a definitive identification of γ transitions in 63Ga. An yrast-level scheme is proposed on the basis of charged-particle-γ, charged-particle-γ-γ, and neutron-γ-γ coincidences. Spin and parity assignments are based on neutron-gated γ-ray angular distributions, directional correlation with oriented nuclei ratios and systematics. Nine new energy levels are identified in addition to the previously known ground state, with the highest level at an excitation energy of 7.7 MeV. The results are interpreted in terms of the relevant single-particle orbitals and the systematics of the neighboring nuclei. In addition, a new determination has been made of the E2/M1 mixing ratio for the (5/2-)1-->(3/2-)1 transition in 65Ga, resolving a disagreement between two previous measurements.

High Temperature Chemistry of Rare Earth Compounds: Dramatic Examples of Periodicity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cater, E. David

1978-01-01

Reports that energy required to promote a 4f electron to the 5d level has a profound and predictable influence on the systematics of reactions involving conversion of rare earth atoms from combined to free states. (Author/MA)

Single and double core-hole ion emission spectroscopy of transient neon plasmas produced by ultraintense x-ray laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Cheng; Zeng, Jiaolong; Yuan, Jianmin

2016-05-01

Single core-hole (SCH) and double core-hole (DCH) spectroscopy is investigated systematically for neon gas in the interaction with ultraintense x-ray pulses with photon energy from 937 eV to 2000 eV. A time-dependent rate equation, implemented in the detailed level accounting approximation, is utilized to study the dynamical evolution of the level population and emission properties of the laser-produced highly transient plasmas. The plasma density effects on level populations are demonstrated with an x-ray photon energy of 2000 eV. For laser photon energy in the range of 937 - 1360 eV, resonant absorptions (RA) of 1s-np (n> = 2) transitions play important roles in time evolution of the population and DCH emission spectroscopy. For x-ray photon energy larger than 1360 eV, no RA exist and transient plasmas show different features in the DCH spectroscopy.

Energy poverty in healthcare facilities: a "silent barrier" to improved healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Ouedraogo, Nadia S; Schimanski, Caroline

2018-06-27

This paper addresses an important topic, energy poverty in healthcare facilities. We try to provide an interesting perspective on bringing together two SDGs. The SDG 7, which seeks to ensure access to affordable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, is interlinked with Goal 3 on Health. The literature studies as well as data on the subject are sparse. Nevertheless, a systematic documentation of the levels and variation in access to energy at the health-facility level is important for designing effective policies to improve the quality of healthcare and the ultimate health of the population. Using the 2012-2013 Senegal Service Provision Assessment (SCSPA), we assessed energy access in health facilities and health systems' performance. Data were also geocoded using ArcGIS 10.3 to give a snapshot of the situation.

Hybrid Density Functional Study of the Local Structures and Energy Levels of CaAl2O4:Ce3.

PubMed

Lou, Bibo; Jing, Weiguo; Lou, Liren; Zhang, Yongfan; Yin, Min; Duan, Chang-Kui

2018-05-03

First-principles calculations were carried out for the electronic structures of Ce 3+ in calcium aluminate phosphors, CaAl 2 O 4 , and their effects on luminescence properties. Hybrid density functional approaches were used to overcome the well-known underestimation of band gaps of conventional density functional approaches and to calculate the energy levels of Ce 3+ ions more accurately. The obtained 4f-5d excitation and emission energies show good consistency with measured values. A detailed energy diagram of all three sites is obtained, which explains qualitatively all of the luminescent phenomena. With the results of energy levels calculated by combining the hybrid functional of Heyd, Scuseria, and Ernzerhof (HSE06) and the constraint occupancy approach, we are able to construct a configurational coordinate diagram to analyze the processes of capture of a hole or an electron and luminescence. This approach can be applied for systematic high-throughput calculations in predicting Ce 3+ activated luminescent materials with a moderate computing requirement.

α-decay systematics for superheavy elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duarte, S. B.; Teruya, N.

2012-01-01

In this Brief Report we extend the α-decay half-life calculation to the superheavy emitter region to verify whether these nuclei satisfy the recently observed systematics [D. N. Poenaru , Phys. Rev. CPRVCAN0556-281310.1103/PhysRevC.83.014601 83, 014601 (2011);C. Qi , Phys. Rev. CPRVCAN0556-281310.1103/PhysRevC.80.044326 80, 044326 (2009)]. To establish the systematics, we have used the α-cluster potential description, which was originally developed to study α decay in connection with nuclear energy level structure [B. Buck , Phys. Rev. CPRVCAN0556-281310.1103/PhysRevC.51.559 51, 559 (1995)]. The quantum-mechanical tunneling calculation has been employed to obtain the half-lives, showing that with this treatment the systematics are well reproduced in the region of heavy nuclei. Finally, the half-life calculation has been extended to the superheavy emitters to verify whether the systematics can still be observed.

Experimental study of the β decay of the very neutron-rich nucleus Ge 85

DOE PAGES

Korgul, A.; Rykaczewski, Krzysztof Piotr; Grzywacz, Robert Kazimierz; ...

2017-04-04

The β -decay properties of the very neutron-rich nucleus 85Ge, produced in the proton-induced fission of 238U, were studied at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The level scheme of 33 85As 52 populated in 85Geβ γ decay was reconstructed and compared to shell-model calculations. The investigation of the systematics of low-energy levels in N =52 isotones together with shell-model analysis allowed us to provide an estimate of the low-energy structure of the more exotic N =52 isotone 81Cu.

Promoting Children's Health with Digital Games: A Review of Reviews.

PubMed

Parisod, Heidi; Pakarinen, Anni; Kauhanen, Lotta; Aromaa, Minna; Leppänen, Ville; Liukkonen, Tapani N; Smed, Jouni; Salanterä, Sanna

2014-06-01

Effective, evidence-based, and interesting methods are needed for children's health promotion. Digital games can be such a method, but there is need for a summary of the evidence on the effectiveness of digital games in promoting children's health. The aim of this review of reviews was to evaluate the quality of systematic reviews, to summarize the evidence in systematic reviews and reviews related to the effectiveness of digital games in children's health promotion, and to identify gaps in knowledge. A systematic literature search was conducted in May-August 2013 from relevant databases, and 1178 references were found. In total, 15 systematic reviews and reviews met the inclusion criteria. Most of the systematic reviews were found to be medium quality on the AMSTAR checklist. Most commonly, systematic reviews and reviews evaluated active videogames. According to the results, evidence of the highest level and quality seems to support an increase in physical activity to light to moderate levels and energy expenditure, especially when playing active videogames that require both upper and lower body movements. In addition, sedentary games were shown to have potential in children's health education, especially in supporting changes in asthma- and diabetes-related behavior and in dietary habits. However, there are still several gaps in the knowledge. There is a need for further high-quality systematic reviews and research in the field of health games.

Sugar-Fat Seesaw: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

PubMed Central

Sadler, Michele Jeanne; McNulty, Helene; Gibson, Sigrid

2015-01-01

Further to reports of a reciprocal relationship between sugar and fat intakes, this review aimed to provide an in-depth analysis and to determine the likely influence of this relationship on the achievement of population dietary guidelines. Using systematic methods, relevant literature was selected according to preset criteria. A strong and consistent inverse association was found between total sugars and total fat intakes expressed as percentage energy. Fewer studies considered absolute intakes and these reported a positive relationship, which may be influenced by confounding with energy intakes. Evidence for an inverse relationship between percentage energy from fat and extrinsic sugars was weaker and less consistent than for fat and total sugars. Reciprocal relationships were also observed for sugar-saturated fat, sugar−protein, sugar−alcohol, and sugar−starch expressed as percentage energy. Under-reporting of dietary intakes had no major influence on the findings. This review confirms the existence of the sugar−fat seesaw on a percentage energy basis and concludes that it is most likely explained by a combination of mathematical and food compositional effects. This finding is relevant because dietary guidelines are expressed as percentage energy and implies that at the population level multiple guidelines may be difficult to achieve in practice. PMID:24915391

Orientation-dependent energy level alignment and film growth of 2,7-diocty[1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) on HOPG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyu, Lu; Niu, Dongmei; Xie, Haipeng; Cao, Ningtong; Zhang, Hong; Zhang, Yuhe; Liu, Peng; Gao, Yongli

2016-01-01

Combining ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction measurements, we performed a systematic investigation on the correlation of energy level alignment, film growth, and molecular orientation of 2,7-diocty[1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. The molecules lie down in the first layer and then stand up from the second layer. The ionization potential shows a sharp decrease from the lying down region to the standing up region. When C8-BTBT molecules start standing up, unconventional energy level band-bending-like shifts are observed as the film thickness increases. These shifts are ascribed to gradual decreasing of the molecular tilt angle about the substrate normal with the increasing film thickness.

Orientation-dependent energy level alignment and film growth of 2,7-diocty[1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) on HOPG.

PubMed

Lyu, Lu; Niu, Dongmei; Xie, Haipeng; Cao, Ningtong; Zhang, Hong; Zhang, Yuhe; Liu, Peng; Gao, Yongli

2016-01-21

Combining ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction measurements, we performed a systematic investigation on the correlation of energy level alignment, film growth, and molecular orientation of 2,7-diocty[1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. The molecules lie down in the first layer and then stand up from the second layer. The ionization potential shows a sharp decrease from the lying down region to the standing up region. When C8-BTBT molecules start standing up, unconventional energy level band-bending-like shifts are observed as the film thickness increases. These shifts are ascribed to gradual decreasing of the molecular tilt angle about the substrate normal with the increasing film thickness.

Unexpected Decrease in Moment of Inertia Between N = 98-100 in 162,164Gd

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, E. F.; Hamilton, J. H.; Gore, P. M.; Ramayya, A. V.; Hwang, J. K.; Delima, A. P.; Zhu, S. J.; Beyer, C. J.; Luo, Y. X.; Kormicki, J.; Zhang, X. Q.; Ma, W. C.; Rasmussen, J. O.; Lee, I. Y.; Wu, S. C.; Folden, C. M.; Fallon, P.; Zielinski, P.; Gregorich, K. E.; Macchiavelli, A. O.; Ginter, T. N.; Stoyer, M.; Cole, J. D.; Janssens, R. V. F.; Ahmad, I.; Daniel, A. V.; Ter-Akopian, G. M.; Oganessian, Yu. Ts.; Donangelo, R.; Asztalos, S. J.

2003-10-01

From γ-γ-γ coincidence studies of the prompt γ-rays emitted in the spontaneous fission (SF) of 252Cf with Gammasphere, the yrast energy levels in neutron-rich 162,164Gd were identified for the first time from 2+ to 16+ and from 2+ to 14+, respectively. The 2+ level energies are 71.6 and 73.3 keV in 162,164Gd, respectively. The transition energies from every level in 164Gd are higher than those from the same levels in 162Gd. There is a systematic decrease at every level of the moment of inertia (MOI) and similarly β2 deformation in N = 100 164Gd compared to N = 98 162Gd. The minimum in E(2+) and maxima in MOI and β2 occur at N = 98. This behavior is unexpected compared to the E(2+) and β2 trends in Er, Yb, and Hf nuclei where the minima and maxima occur at neutron midshell, N = 104.

Active video games for youth: A systematic review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Whether a population level increase in physical activity (PA) is critical to reduce obesity in youth. Video games are highly popular and active video games (AVGs) have the potential to play a role in promoting youth PA. Studies on AVG play energy expenditure (EE) and maintenance of play in youth wer...

Comparing the accuracy of high-dimensional neural network potentials and the systematic molecular fragmentation method: A benchmark study for all-trans alkanes

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

Gastegger, Michael; Kauffmann, Clemens; Marquetand, Philipp, E-mail: philipp.marquetand@univie.ac.at

Many approaches, which have been developed to express the potential energy of large systems, exploit the locality of the atomic interactions. A prominent example is the fragmentation methods in which the quantum chemical calculations are carried out for overlapping small fragments of a given molecule that are then combined in a second step to yield the system’s total energy. Here we compare the accuracy of the systematic molecular fragmentation approach with the performance of high-dimensional neural network (HDNN) potentials introduced by Behler and Parrinello. HDNN potentials are similar in spirit to the fragmentation approach in that the total energy ismore » constructed as a sum of environment-dependent atomic energies, which are derived indirectly from electronic structure calculations. As a benchmark set, we use all-trans alkanes containing up to eleven carbon atoms at the coupled cluster level of theory. These molecules have been chosen because they allow to extrapolate reliable reference energies for very long chains, enabling an assessment of the energies obtained by both methods for alkanes including up to 10 000 carbon atoms. We find that both methods predict high-quality energies with the HDNN potentials yielding smaller errors with respect to the coupled cluster reference.« less

Light neutron-rich hypernuclei from the importance-truncated no-core shell model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wirth, Roland; Roth, Robert

2018-04-01

We explore the systematics of ground-state and excitation energies in singly-strange hypernuclei throughout the helium and lithium isotopic chains - from He5Λ to He11Λ and from Li7Λ to Li12Λ - in the ab initio no-core shell model with importance truncation. All calculations are based on two- and three-baryon interaction from chiral effective field theory and we employ a similarity renormalization group transformation consistently up to the three-baryon level to improve the model-space convergence. While the absolute energies of hypernuclear states show a systematic variation with the regulator cutoff of the hyperon-nucleon interaction, the resulting neutron separation energies are very stable and in good agreement with available data for both nucleonic parents and their daughter hypernuclei. We provide predictions for the neutron separation energies and the spectra of neutron-rich hypernuclei that have not yet been observed experimentally. Furthermore, we find that the neutron drip lines in the helium and lithium isotopic chains are not changed by the addition of a hyperon.

Identification of neutron deficient niobium, molybdenum and technetium isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, C. J.

We report on the in-beam identification of fourteen new isotopes in the A=80-90 region. Heavy-ion reactions with a recoil separator or charged particle and neutron detectors provided identification of γ-rays from these new niobium, molybdenum, and technetium isotopes. The procedures used are described and energy level systematics are discussed. The energy levels appear to be organized into rotational bands in nuclei with N≤44 while those with N ≥ 46 have more single-particle-like transitions. Lifetime measurements in 87Mo and 87Nb indicate that g {9}/{2} particle alignment strongly influences the collectivity of these nuclei.

Theoretical Study on the Complexes of Benzene with Isoelectronic Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles

PubMed Central

Wang, Weizhou; Hobza, Pavel

2008-01-01

The π–π interactions between benzene and the aromatic nitrogen heterocycles pyridine, pyrimidine, 1,3,5-triazine, 1,2,3-triazine, 1,2,4,5-tetrazine, and 1,2,3,4,5-pentazine are systematically investigated. The T-shaped structures of all complexes studied exhibit a contraction of the C—H bond accompanied by a rather large blue shift (40–52 cm−1) of its stretching frequency, and they are almost isoenergetic with the corresponding displaced-parallel structures at reliable levels of theory. With increasing number of nitrogen atoms in the heterocycle, the geometries, frequencies, energies, percentage of s character at C, and the electron density in the C—H σ antibonding orbital of the complexes all increase or decrease systematically. Decomposition analysis of the total binding energy showed that for all the complexes, the dispersion energy is the dominant attractive contribution, and a rather large attraction originating from electrostatic contribution is compensated by its exchange counterpart. PMID:18389512

Orientation-dependent energy level alignment and film growth of 2,7-diocty[1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) on HOPG

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

Lyu, Lu; Niu, Dongmei, E-mail: mayee@csu.edu.cnmailto; Xie, Haipeng

Combining ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction measurements, we performed a systematic investigation on the correlation of energy level alignment, film growth, and molecular orientation of 2,7-diocty[1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. The molecules lie down in the first layer and then stand up from the second layer. The ionization potential shows a sharp decrease from the lying down region to the standing up region. When C8-BTBT molecules start standing up, unconventional energy level band-bending-like shifts are observed as the film thickness increases. These shifts are ascribed to gradual decreasing of the molecularmore » tilt angle about the substrate normal with the increasing film thickness.« less

Probing the Energy Level Alignment and the Correlation with Open-Circuit Voltage in Solution-Processed Polymeric Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices.

PubMed

Yang, Qing-Dan; Li, Ho-Wa; Cheng, Yuanhang; Guan, Zhiqiang; Liu, Taili; Ng, Tsz-Wai; Lee, Chun-Sing; Tsang, Sai-Wing

2016-03-23

Energy level alignment at the organic donor and acceptor interface is a key to determine the photovoltaic performance in organic solar cells, but direct probing of such energy alignment is still challenging especially for solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) thin films. Here we report a systematic investigation on probing the energy level alignment with different approaches in five commonly used polymer:[6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) BHJ systems. We find that by tuning the weight ratio of polymer to PCBM the electronic features from both polymer and PCBM can be obtained by photoemission spectroscopy. Using this approach, we find that some of the BHJ blends simply follow vacuum level alignment, but others show strong energy level shifting as a result of Fermi level pinning. Independently, by measuring the temperature-dependent open-circuit voltage (VOC), we find that the effective energy gap (Eeff), the energy difference between the highest occupied molecular orbital of the polymer donor (EHOMO-D) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the PCBM acceptor (ELUMO-A), obtained by photoemission spectroscopy in all polymer:PCBM blends has an excellent agreement with the extrapolated VOC at 0 K. Consequently, the photovoltage loss of various organic BHJ photovoltaic devices at room temperature is in a range of 0.3-0.6 V. It is believed that the demonstrated direct measurement approach of the energy level alignment in solution-processed organic BHJ will bring deeper insight into the origin of the VOC and the corresponding photovoltage loss mechanism in organic photovoltaic cells.

Jet energy measurement with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at √{s}=7 TeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; Abdelalim, A. A.; Abdesselam, A.; Abdinov, O.; Abi, B.; Abolins, M.; Abramowicz, H.; Abreu, H.; Acerbi, E.; Acharya, B. S.; Adams, D. L.; Addy, T. N.; Adelman, J.; Aderholz, M.; Adomeit, S.; Adragna, P.; Adye, T.; Aefsky, S.; Aguilar-Saavedra, J. A.; Aharrouche, M.; Ahlen, S. P.; Ahles, F.; Ahmad, A.; Ahsan, M.; Aielli, G.; Akdogan, T.; Åkesson, T. P. A.; Akimoto, G.; Akimov, A. V.; Akiyama, A.; Aktas, A.; Alam, M. S.; Alam, M. A.; Albert, J.; Albrand, S.; Aleksa, M.; Aleksandrov, I. N.; Alessandria, F.; Alexa, C.; Alexander, G.; Alexandre, G.; Alexopoulos, T.; Alhroob, M.; Aliev, M.; Alimonti, G.; Alison, J.; Aliyev, M.; Allport, P. P.; Allwood-Spiers, S. E.; Almond, J.; Aloisio, A.; Alon, R.; Alonso, A.; Alviggi, M. G.; Amako, K.; Amaral, P.; Amelung, C.; Ammosov, V. V.; Amorim, A.; Amorós, G.; Amram, N.; Anastopoulos, C.; Ancu, L. S.; Andari, N.; Andeen, T.; Anders, C. F.; Anders, G.; Anderson, K. J.; Andreazza, A.; Andrei, V.; Andrieux, M.-L.; Anduaga, X. S.; Angerami, A.; Anghinolfi, F.; Anjos, N.; Annovi, A.; Antonaki, A.; Antonelli, M.; Antonov, A.; Antos, J.; Anulli, F.; Aoun, S.; Aperio Bella, L.; Apolle, R.; Arabidze, G.; Aracena, I.; Arai, Y.; Arce, A. T. H.; Archambault, J. P.; Arfaoui, S.; Arguin, J.-F.; Arik, E.; Arik, M.; Armbruster, A. J.; Arnaez, O.; Arnault, C.; Artamonov, A.; Artoni, G.; Arutinov, D.; Asai, S.; Asfandiyarov, R.; Ask, S.; Åsman, B.; Asner, D.; Asquith, L.; Assamagan, K.; Astbury, A.; Astvatsatourov, A.; Atoian, G.; Aubert, B.; Auge, E.; Augsten, K.; Aurousseau, M.; Austin, N.; Avolio, G.; Avramidou, R.; Axen, D.; Ay, C.; Azuelos, G.; Azuma, Y.; Baak, M. A.; Baccaglioni, G.; Bacci, C.; Bach, A. M.; Bachacou, H.; Bachas, K.; Bachy, G.; Backes, M.; Backhaus, M.; Badescu, E.; Bagnaia, P.; Bahinipati, S.; Bai, Y.; Bailey, D. C.; Bain, T.; Baines, J. T.; Baker, O. K.; Baker, M. D.; Baker, S.; Banas, E.; Banerjee, P.; Banerjee, Sw.; Banfi, D.; Bangert, A.; Bansal, V.; Bansil, H. S.; Barak, L.; Baranov, S. P.; Barashkou, A.; Barbaro Galtieri, A.; Barber, T.; Barberio, E. L.; Barberis, D.; Barbero, M.; Bardin, D. Y.; Barillari, T.; Barisonzi, M.; Barklow, T.; Barlow, N.; Barnett, B. M.; Barnett, R. M.; Baroncelli, A.; Barone, G.; Barr, A. J.; Barreiro, F.; Barreiro Guimarães da Costa, J.; Barrillon, P.; Bartoldus, R.; Barton, A. E.; Bartsch, D.; Bartsch, V.; Bates, R. L.; Batkova, L.; Batley, J. R.; Battaglia, A.; Battistin, M.; Battistoni, G.; Bauer, F.; Bawa, H. S.; Beare, B.; Beau, T.; Beauchemin, P. H.; Beccherle, R.; Bechtle, P.; Beck, H. P.; Beck, G. A.; Beckingham, M.; Becks, K. H.; Beddall, A. J.; Beddall, A.; Bedikian, S.; Bednyakov, V. A.; Bee, C. P.; Begel, M.; Behar Harpaz, S.; Behera, P. K.; Beimforde, M.; Belanger-Champagne, C.; Bell, P. J.; Bell, W. H.; Bella, G.; Bellagamba, L.; Bellina, F.; Bellomo, M.; Belloni, A.; Beloborodova, O.; Belotskiy, K.; Beltramello, O.; Ben Ami, S.; Benary, O.; Benchekroun, D.; Benchouk, C.; Bendel, M.; Benekos, N.; Benhammou, Y.; Benjamin, D. P.; Benoit, M.; Bensinger, J. R.; Benslama, K.; Bentvelsen, S.; Beretta, M.; Berge, D.; Bergeaas Kuutmann, E.; Berger, N.; Berghaus, F.; Berglund, E.; Beringer, J.; Bernardet, K.; Bernat, P.; Bernhard, R.; Bernius, C.; Berry, T.; Bertin, A.; Bertinelli, F.; Bertolucci, F.; Besana, M. I.; Besson, N.; Bethke, S.; Bhimji, W.; Bianchi, R. M.; Bianco, M.; Biebel, O.; Bieniek, S. P.; Bierwagen, K.; Biesiada, J.; Biglietti, M.; Bilokon, H.; Bindi, M.; Binet, S.; Bingul, A.; Bini, C.; Biscarat, C.; Bitenc, U.; Black, K. M.; Blair, R. E.; Blanchard, J.-B.; Blanchot, G.; Blazek, T.; Blocker, C.; Blocki, J.; Blondel, A.; Blum, W.; Blumenschein, U.; Bobbink, G. J.; Bobrovnikov, V. B.; Bocchetta, S. S.; Bocci, A.; Boddy, C. R.; Boehler, M.; Boek, J.; Boelaert, N.; Böser, S.; Bogaerts, J. A.; Bogdanchikov, A.; Bogouch, A.; Bohm, C.; Boisvert, V.; Bold, T.; Boldea, V.; Bolnet, N. M.; Bona, M.; Bondarenko, V. G.; Bondioli, M.; Boonekamp, M.; Boorman, G.; Booth, C. N.; Bordoni, S.; Borer, C.; Borisov, A.; Borissov, G.; Borjanovic, I.; Borroni, S.; Bos, K.; Boscherini, D.; Bosman, M.; Boterenbrood, H.; Botterill, D.; Bouchami, J.; Boudreau, J.; Bouhova-Thacker, E. V.; Bourdarios, C.; Bousson, N.; Boveia, A.; Boyd, J.; Boyko, I. R.; Bozhko, N. I.; Bozovic-Jelisavcic, I.; Bracinik, J.; Braem, A.; Branchini, P.; Brandenburg, G. W.; Brandt, A.; Brandt, G.; Brandt, O.; Bratzler, U.; Brau, B.; Brau, J. E.; Braun, H. M.; Brelier, B.; Bremer, J.; Brenner, R.; Bressler, S.; Breton, D.; Britton, D.; Brochu, F. M.; Brock, I.; Brock, R.; Brodbeck, T. J.; Brodet, E.; Broggi, F.; Bromberg, C.; Brooijmans, G.; Brooks, W. K.; Brown, G.; Brown, H.; Bruckman de Renstrom, P. A.; Bruncko, D.; Bruneliere, R.; Brunet, S.; Bruni, A.; Bruni, G.; Bruschi, M.; Buanes, T.; Bucci, F.; Buchanan, J.; Buchanan, N. J.; Buchholz, P.; Buckingham, R. M.; Buckley, A. G.; Buda, S. I.; Budagov, I. A.; Budick, B.; Büscher, V.; Bugge, L.; Buira-Clark, D.; Bulekov, O.; Bunse, M.; Buran, T.; Burckhart, H.; Burdin, S.; Burgess, T.; Burke, S.; Busato, E.; Bussey, P.; Buszello, C. P.; Butin, F.; Butler, B.; Butler, J. M.; Buttar, C. M.; Butterworth, J. M.; Buttinger, W.; Caballero, J.; Cabrera Urbán, S.; Caforio, D.; Cakir, O.; Calafiura, P.; Calderini, G.; Calfayan, P.; Calkins, R.; Caloba, L. P.; Caloi, R.; Calvet, D.; Calvet, S.; Camacho Toro, R.; Camarri, P.; Cambiaghi, M.; Cameron, D.; Campana, S.; Campanelli, M.; Canale, V.; Canelli, F.; Canepa, A.; Cantero, J.; Capasso, L.; Capeans Garrido, M. D. M.; Caprini, I.; Caprini, M.; Capriotti, D.; Capua, M.; Caputo, R.; Caramarcu, C.; Cardarelli, R.; Carli, T.; Carlino, G.; Carminati, L.; Caron, B.; Caron, S.; Carrillo Montoya, G. D.; Carter, A. A.; Carter, J. R.; Carvalho, J.; Casadei, D.; Casado, M. P.; Cascella, M.; Caso, C.; Castaneda Hernandez, A. M.; Castaneda-Miranda, E.; Castillo Gimenez, V.; Castro, N. F.; Cataldi, G.; Cataneo, F.; Catinaccio, A.; Catmore, J. R.; Cattai, A.; Cattani, G.; Caughron, S.; Cauz, D.; Cavalleri, P.; Cavalli, D.; Cavalli-Sforza, M.; Cavasinni, V.; Ceradini, F.; Cerqueira, A. S.; Cerri, A.; Cerrito, L.; Cerutti, F.; Cetin, S. A.; Cevenini, F.; Chafaq, A.; Chakraborty, D.; Chan, K.; Chapleau, B.; Chapman, J. D.; Chapman, J. W.; Chareyre, E.; Charlton, D. G.; Chavda, V.; Chavez Barajas, C. A.; Cheatham, S.; Chekanov, S.; Chekulaev, S. V.; Chelkov, G. A.; Chelstowska, M. A.; Chen, C.; Chen, H.; Chen, S.; Chen, T.; Chen, X.; Cheng, S.; Cheplakov, A.; Chepurnov, V. F.; Cherkaoui El Moursli, R.; Chernyatin, V.; Cheu, E.; Cheung, S. L.; Chevalier, L.; Chiefari, G.; Chikovani, L.; Childers, J. T.; Chilingarov, A.; Chiodini, G.; Chizhov, M. V.; Choudalakis, G.; Chouridou, S.; Christidi, I. A.; Christov, A.; Chromek-Burckhart, D.; Chu, M. L.; Chudoba, J.; Ciapetti, G.; Ciba, K.; Ciftci, A. K.; Ciftci, R.; Cinca, D.; Cindro, V.; Ciobotaru, M. D.; Ciocca, C.; Ciocio, A.; Cirilli, M.; Citterio, M.; Ciubancan, M.; Clark, A.; Clark, P. J.; Cleland, W.; Clemens, J. C.; Clement, B.; Clement, C.; Clifft, R. W.; Coadou, Y.; Cobal, M.; Coccaro, A.; Cochran, J.; Coe, P.; Cogan, J. G.; Coggeshall, J.; Cogneras, E.; Cojocaru, C. D.; Colas, J.; Colijn, A. P.; Collard, C.; Collins, N. J.; Collins-Tooth, C.; Collot, J.; Colon, G.; Conde Muiño, P.; Coniavitis, E.; Conidi, M. C.; Consonni, M.; Consorti, V.; Constantinescu, S.; Conta, C.; Conventi, F.; Cook, J.; Cooke, M.; Cooper, B. D.; Cooper-Sarkar, A. M.; Copic, K.; Cornelissen, T.; Corradi, M.; Corriveau, F.; Corso-Radu, A.; Cortes-Gonzalez, A.; Cortiana, G.; Costa, G.; Costa, M. J.; Costanzo, D.; Costin, T.; Côté, D.; Coura Torres, R.; Courneyea, L.; Cowan, G.; Cowden, C.; Cox, B. E.; Cranmer, K.; Cranshaw, J.; Crescioli, F.; Cristinziani, M.; Crosetti, G.; Crupi, R.; Crépé-Renaudin, S.; Cuciuc, C.-M.; Cuenca Almenar, C.; Cuhadar Donszelmann, T.; Curatolo, M.; Curtis, C. J.; Cwetanski, P.; Czirr, H.; Czyczula, Z.; D'Auria, S.; D'Onofrio, M.; D'Orazio, A.; Da Silva, P. V. M.; Da Via, C.; Dabrowski, W.; Dai, T.; Dallapiccola, C.; Daly, C. H.; Dam, M.; Dameri, M.; Damiani, D. S.; Danielsson, H. O.; Dannheim, D.; Dao, V.; Darbo, G.; Darlea, G. L.; Daum, C.; Dauvergne, J. P.; Davey, W.; Davidek, T.; Davidson, N.; Davidson, R.; Davies, E.; Davies, M.; Davison, A. R.; Davygora, Y.; Dawe, E.; Dawson, I.; Dawson, J. W.; Daya-Ishmukhametova, R. K.; De, K.; de Asmundis, R.; De Castro, S.; De Castro Faria Salgado, P. E.; De Cecco, S.; de Graat, J.; De Groot, N.; de Jong, P.; De La Taille, C.; De la Torre, H.; De Lotto, B.; de Mora, L.; De Nooij, L.; De Pedis, D.; De Salvo, A.; De Sanctis, U.; De Santo, A.; De Vivie De Regie, J. B.; Dean, S.; Debbe, R.; Dedovich, D. V.; Degenhardt, J.; Dehchar, M.; Del Papa, C.; Del Peso, J.; Del Prete, T.; Deliyergiyev, M.; Dell'Acqua, A.; Dell'Asta, L.; Della Pietra, M.; della Volpe, D.; Delmastro, M.; Delpierre, P.; Delruelle, N.; Delsart, P. A.; Deluca, C.; Demers, S.; Demichev, M.; Demirkoz, B.; Deng, J.; Deng, W.; Denisov, S. P.; Derendarz, D.; Derkaoui, J. E.; Derue, F.; Dervan, P.; Desch, K.; Devetak, E.; Deviveiros, P. O.; Dewhurst, A.; DeWilde, B.; Dhaliwal, S.; Dhullipudi, R.; Di Ciaccio, A.; Di Ciaccio, L.; Di Girolamo, A.; Di Girolamo, B.; Di Luise, S.; Di Mattia, A.; Di Micco, B.; Di Nardo, R.; Di Simone, A.; Di Sipio, R.; Diaz, M. A.; Diblen, F.; Diehl, E. B.; Dietrich, J.; Dietzsch, T. A.; Diglio, S.; Dindar Yagci, K.; Dingfelder, J.; Dionisi, C.; Dita, P.; Dita, S.; Dittus, F.; Djama, F.; Djobava, T.; do Vale, M. A. B.; Do Valle Wemans, A.; Doan, T. K. O.; Dobbs, M.; Dobinson, R.; Dobos, D.; Dobson, E.; Dobson, M.; Dodd, J.; Doglioni, C.; Doherty, T.; Doi, Y.; Dolejsi, J.; Dolenc, I.; Dolezal, Z.; Dolgoshein, B. A.; Dohmae, T.; Donadelli, M.; Donega, M.; Donini, J.; Dopke, J.; Doria, A.; Dos Anjos, A.; Dosil, M.; Dotti, A.; Dova, M. T.; Dowell, J. D.; Doxiadis, A. D.; Doyle, A. T.; Drasal, Z.; Drees, J.; Dressnandt, N.; Drevermann, H.; Driouichi, C.; Dris, M.; Dubbert, J.; Dubbs, T.; Dube, S.; Duchovni, E.; Duckeck, G.; Dudarev, A.; Dudziak, F.; Dührssen, M.; Duerdoth, I. P.; Duflot, L.; Dufour, M.-A.; Dunford, M.; Duran Yildiz, H.; Duxfield, R.; Dwuznik, M.; Dydak, F.; Düren, M.; Ebenstein, W. L.; Ebke, J.; Eckert, S.; Eckweiler, S.; Edmonds, K.; Edwards, C. A.; Edwards, N. C.; Ehrenfeld, W.; Ehrich, T.; Eifert, T.; Eigen, G.; Einsweiler, K.; Eisenhandler, E.; Ekelof, T.; El Kacimi, M.; Ellert, M.; Elles, S.; Ellinghaus, F.; Ellis, K.; Ellis, N.; Elmsheuser, J.; Elsing, M.; Emeliyanov, D.; Engelmann, R.; Engl, A.; Epp, B.; Eppig, A.; Erdmann, J.; Ereditato, A.; Eriksson, D.; Ernst, J.; Ernst, M.; Ernwein, J.; Errede, D.; Errede, S.; Ertel, E.; Escalier, M.; Escobar, C.; Espinal Curull, X.; Esposito, B.; Etienne, F.; Etienvre, A. I.; Etzion, E.; Evangelakou, D.; Evans, H.; Fabbri, L.; Fabre, C.; Fakhrutdinov, R. M.; Falciano, S.; Fang, Y.; Fanti, M.; Farbin, A.; Farilla, A.; Farley, J.; Farooque, T.; Farrington, S. M.; Farthouat, P.; Fassnacht, P.; Fassouliotis, D.; Fatholahzadeh, B.; Favareto, A.; Fayard, L.; Fazio, S.; Febbraro, R.; Federic, P.; Fedin, O. L.; Fedorko, W.; Fehling-Kaschek, M.; Feligioni, L.; Fellmann, D.; Felzmann, C. U.; Feng, C.; Feng, E. J.; Fenyuk, A. B.; Ferencei, J.; Ferland, J.; Fernando, W.; Ferrag, S.; Ferrando, J.; Ferrara, V.; Ferrari, A.; Ferrari, P.; Ferrari, R.; Ferrer, A.; Ferrer, M. L.; Ferrere, D.; Ferretti, C.; Ferretto Parodi, A.; Fiascaris, M.; Fiedler, F.; Filipčič, A.; Filippas, A.; Filthaut, F.; Fincke-Keeler, M.; Fiolhais, M. C. N.; Fiorini, L.; Firan, A.; Fischer, G.; Fischer, P.; Fisher, M. J.; Fisher, S. M.; Flechl, M.; Fleck, I.; Fleckner, J.; Fleischmann, P.; Fleischmann, S.; Flick, T.; Flores Castillo, L. R.; Flowerdew, M. J.; Fokitis, M.; Fonseca Martin, T.; Fopma, J.; Forbush, D. A.; Formica, A.; Forti, A.; Fortin, D.; Foster, J. M.; Fournier, D.; Foussat, A.; Fowler, A. J.; Fowler, K.; Fox, H.; Francavilla, P.; Franchino, S.; Francis, D.; Frank, T.; Franklin, M.; Franz, S.; Fraternali, M.; Fratina, S.; Freestone, J.; French, S. T.; Friedrich, F.; Froeschl, R.; Froidevaux, D.; Frost, J. A.; Fukunaga, C.; Fullana Torregrosa, E.; Fuster, J.; Gabaldon, C.; Gabizon, O.; Gadfort, T.; Gadomski, S.; Gagliardi, G.; Gagnon, P.; Galea, C.; Gallas, E. J.; Gallo, V.; Gallop, B. J.; Gallus, P.; Galyaev, E.; Gan, K. K.; Gao, Y. S.; Gapienko, V. A.; Gaponenko, A.; Garberson, F.; Garcia-Sciveres, M.; García, C.; García Navarro, J. E.; Gardner, R. W.; Garelli, N.; Garitaonandia, H.; Garonne, V.; Garvey, J.; Gatti, C.; Gaudio, G.; Gaumer, O.; Gaur, B.; Gauthier, L.; Gauzzi, P.; Gavrilenko, I. L.; Gay, C.; Gaycken, G.; Gayde, J.-C.; Gazis, E. N.; Ge, P.; Gee, C. N. P.; Geerts, D. A. A.; Geich-Gimbel, Ch.; Gellerstedt, K.; Gemme, C.; Gemmell, A.; Genest, M. H.; Gentile, S.; George, M.; George, S.; Gerlach, P.; Gershon, A.; Geweniger, C.; Ghazlane, H.; Ghodbane, N.; Giacobbe, B.; Giagu, S.; Giakoumopoulou, V.; Giangiobbe, V.; Gianotti, F.; Gibbard, B.; Gibson, A.; Gibson, S. M.; Gilbert, L. M.; Gilchriese, M.; Gilewsky, V.; Gillberg, D.; Gillman, A. R.; Gingrich, D. M.; Ginzburg, J.; Giokaris, N.; Giordani, M. P.; Giordano, R.; Giorgi, F. M.; Giovannini, P.; Giraud, P. F.; Giugni, D.; Giunta, M.; Giusti, P.; Gjelsten, B. K.; Gladilin, L. K.; Glasman, C.; Glatzer, J.; Glazov, A.; Glitza, K. W.; Glonti, G. L.; Godfrey, J.; Godlewski, J.; Goebel, M.; Göpfert, T.; Goeringer, C.; Gössling, C.; Göttfert, T.; Goldfarb, S.; Golling, T.; Golovnia, S. N.; Gomes, A.; Gomez Fajardo, L. S.; Gonçalo, R.; Goncalves Pinto Firmino Da Costa, J.; Gonella, L.; Gonidec, A.; Gonzalez, S.; González de la Hoz, S.; Gonzalez Silva, M. L.; Gonzalez-Sevilla, S.; Goodson, J. J.; Goossens, L.; Gorbounov, P. A.; Gordon, H. A.; Gorelov, I.; Gorfine, G.; Gorini, B.; Gorini, E.; Gorišek, A.; Gornicki, E.; Gorokhov, S. A.; Goryachev, V. N.; Gosdzik, B.; Gosselink, M.; Gostkin, M. I.; Gough Eschrich, I.; Gouighri, M.; Goujdami, D.; Goulette, M. P.; Goussiou, A. G.; Goy, C.; Grabowska-Bold, I.; Grafström, P.; Grah, C.; Grahn, K.-J.; Grancagnolo, F.; Grancagnolo, S.; Grassi, V.; Gratchev, V.; Grau, N.; Gray, H. M.; Gray, J. A.; Graziani, E.; Grebenyuk, O. G.; Green, B.; Greenfield, D.; Greenshaw, T.; Greenwood, Z. D.; Gregersen, K.; Gregor, I. M.; Grenier, P.; Griffiths, J.; Grigalashvili, N.; Grillo, A. A.; Grinstein, S.; Grishkevich, Y. V.; Grivaz, J.-F.; Groh, M.; Gross, E.; Grosse-Knetter, J.; Groth-Jensen, J.; Grybel, K.; Guarino, V. J.; Guest, D.; Guicheney, C.; Guida, A.; Guindon, S.; Guler, H.; Gunther, J.; Guo, B.; Guo, J.; Gupta, A.; Gusakov, Y.; Gushchin, V. N.; Gutierrez, A.; Gutierrez, P.; Guttman, N.; Gutzwiller, O.; Guyot, C.; Gwenlan, C.; Gwilliam, C. B.; Haas, A.; Haas, S.; Haber, C.; Hackenburg, R.; Hadavand, H. K.; Hadley, D. R.; Haefner, P.; Hahn, F.; Haider, S.; Hajduk, Z.; Hakobyan, H.; Haller, J.; Hamacher, K.; Hamal, P.; Hamilton, A.; Hamilton, S.; Han, H.; Han, L.; Hanagaki, K.; Hance, M.; Handel, C.; Hanke, P.; Hansen, J. R.; Hansen, J. B.; Hansen, J. D.; Hansen, P. H.; Hansson, P.; Hara, K.; Hare, G. A.; Harenberg, T.; Harkusha, S.; Harper, D.; Harrington, R. D.; Harris, O. M.; Harrison, K.; Hartert, J.; Hartjes, F.; Haruyama, T.; Harvey, A.; Hasegawa, S.; Hasegawa, Y.; Hassani, S.; Hatch, M.; Hauff, D.; Haug, S.; Hauschild, M.; Hauser, R.; Havranek, M.; Hawes, B. M.; Hawkes, C. M.; Hawkings, R. J.; Hawkins, D.; Hayakawa, T.; Hayashi, T.; Hayden, D.; Hayward, H. S.; Haywood, S. J.; Hazen, E.; He, M.; Head, S. J.; Hedberg, V.; Heelan, L.; Heim, S.; Heinemann, B.; Heisterkamp, S.; Helary, L.; Heller, M.; Hellman, S.; Hellmich, D.; Helsens, C.; Hemperek, T.; Henderson, R. C. W.; Henke, M.; Henrichs, A.; Henriques Correia, A. M.; Henrot-Versille, S.; Henry-Couannier, F.; Hensel, C.; Henß, T.; Hernandez, C. M.; Hernández Jiménez, Y.; Herrberg, R.; Hershenhorn, A. D.; Herten, G.; Hertenberger, R.; Hervas, L.; Hessey, N. P.; Hidvegi, A.; Higón-Rodriguez, E.; Hill, D.; Hill, J. C.; Hill, N.; Hiller, K. H.; Hillert, S.; Hillier, S. J.; Hinchliffe, I.; Hines, E.; Hirose, M.; Hirsch, F.; Hirschbuehl, D.; Hobbs, J.; Hod, N.; Hodgkinson, M. C.; Hodgson, P.; Hoecker, A.; Hoeferkamp, M. R.; Hoffman, J.; Hoffmann, D.; Hohlfeld, M.; Holder, M.; Holmgren, S. O.; Holy, T.; Holzbauer, J. L.; Homma, Y.; Hong, T. M.; Hooft van Huysduynen, L.; Horazdovsky, T.; Horn, C.; Horner, S.; Horton, K.; Hostachy, J.-Y.; Hou, S.; Houlden, M. A.; Hoummada, A.; Howarth, J.; Howell, D. F.; Hristova, I.; Hrivnac, J.; Hruska, I.; Hryn'ova, T.; Hsu, P. J.; Hsu, S.-C.; Huang, G. S.; Hubacek, Z.; Hubaut, F.; Huegging, F.; Huffman, T. B.; Hughes, E. W.; Hughes, G.; Hughes-Jones, R. E.; Huhtinen, M.; Hurst, P.; Hurwitz, M.; Husemann, U.; Huseynov, N.; Huston, J.; Huth, J.; Iacobucci, G.; Iakovidis, G.; Ibbotson, M.; Ibragimov, I.; Ichimiya, R.; Iconomidou-Fayard, L.; Idarraga, J.; Iengo, P.; Igonkina, O.; Ikegami, Y.; Ikeno, M.; Ilchenko, Y.; Iliadis, D.; Imbault, D.; Imori, M.; Ince, T.; Inigo-Golfin, J.; Ioannou, P.; Iodice, M.; Irles Quiles, A.; Ishikawa, A.; Ishino, M.; Ishmukhametov, R.; Issever, C.; Istin, S.; Ivashin, A. V.; Iwanski, W.; Iwasaki, H.; Izen, J. M.; Izzo, V.; Jackson, B.; Jackson, J. N.; Jackson, P.; Jaekel, M. R.; Jain, V.; Jakobs, K.; Jakobsen, S.; Jakubek, J.; Jana, D. K.; Jankowski, E.; Jansen, E.; Jantsch, A.; Janus, M.; Jarlskog, G.; Jeanty, L.; Jelen, K.; Jen-La Plante, I.; Jenni, P.; Jeremie, A.; Jež, P.; Jézéquel, S.; Jha, M. K.; Ji, H.; Ji, W.; Jia, J.; Jiang, Y.; Jimenez Belenguer, M.; Jin, G.; Jin, S.; Jinnouchi, O.; Joergensen, M. D.; Joffe, D.; Johansen, L. G.; Johansen, M.; Johansson, K. E.; Johansson, P.; Johnert, S.; Johns, K. A.; Jon-And, K.; Jones, G.; Jones, R. W. L.; Jones, T. W.; Jones, T. J.; Jonsson, O.; Joram, C.; Jorge, P. M.; Joseph, J.; Jovin, T.; Ju, X.; Jung, C. A.; Juranek, V.; Jussel, P.; Juste Rozas, A.; Kabachenko, V. V.; Kabana, S.; Kaci, M.; Kaczmarska, A.; Kadlecik, P.; Kado, M.; Kagan, H.; Kagan, M.; Kaiser, S.; Kajomovitz, E.; Kalinin, S.; Kalinovskaya, L. V.; Kama, S.; Kanaya, N.; Kaneda, M.; Kanno, T.; Kantserov, V. A.; Kanzaki, J.; Kaplan, B.; Kapliy, A.; Kaplon, J.; Kar, D.; Karagounis, M.; Karagoz, M.; Karnevskiy, M.; Karr, K.; Kartvelishvili, V.; Karyukhin, A. N.; Kashif, L.; Kasmi, A.; Kass, R. D.; Kastanas, A.; Kataoka, M.; Kataoka, Y.; Katsoufis, E.; Katzy, J.; Kaushik, V.; Kawagoe, K.; Kawamoto, T.; Kawamura, G.; Kayl, M. S.; Kazanin, V. A.; Kazarinov, M. Y.; Keates, J. R.; Keeler, R.; Kehoe, R.; Keil, M.; Kekelidze, G. D.; Kelly, M.; Kennedy, J.; Kenney, C. J.; Kenyon, M.; Kepka, O.; Kerschen, N.; Kerševan, B. 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G.; Sarangi, T.; Sarkisyan-Grinbaum, E.; Sarri, F.; Sartisohn, G.; Sasaki, O.; Sasaki, T.; Sasao, N.; Satsounkevitch, I.; Sauvage, G.; Sauvan, E.; Sauvan, J. B.; Savard, P.; Savine, A. Y.; Savinov, V.; Savu, D. O.; Savva, P.; Sawyer, L.; Saxon, D. H.; Says, L. P.; Sbarra, C.; Sbrizzi, A.; Scallon, O.; Scannicchio, D. A.; Schaarschmidt, J.; Schacht, P.; Schäfer, U.; Schaepe, S.; Schaetzel, S.; Schaffer, A. C.; Schaile, D.; Schamberger, R. D.; Schamov, A. G.; Scharf, V.; Schegelsky, V. A.; Scheirich, D.; Schernau, M.; Scherzer, M. I.; Schiavi, C.; Schieck, J.; Schioppa, M.; Schlenker, S.; Schlereth, J. L.; Schmidt, E.; Schmieden, K.; Schmitt, C.; Schmitt, S.; Schmitz, M.; Schöning, A.; Schott, M.; Schouten, D.; Schovancova, J.; Schram, M.; Schroeder, C.; Schroer, N.; Schuh, S.; Schuler, G.; Schultes, J.; Schultz-Coulon, H.-C.; Schulz, H.; Schumacher, J. W.; Schumacher, M.; Schumm, B. A.; Schune, Ph.; Schwanenberger, C.; Schwartzman, A.; Schwemling, Ph.; Schwienhorst, R.; Schwierz, R.; Schwindling, J.; Schwindt, T.; Scott, W. G.; Searcy, J.; Sedov, G.; Sedykh, E.; Segura, E.; Seidel, S. C.; Seiden, A.; Seifert, F.; Seixas, J. M.; Sekhniaidze, G.; Seliverstov, D. M.; Sellden, B.; Sellers, G.; Seman, M.; Semprini-Cesari, N.; Serfon, C.; Serin, L.; Seuster, R.; Severini, H.; Sevior, M. E.; Sfyrla, A.; Shabalina, E.; Shamim, M.; Shan, L. Y.; Shank, J. T.; Shao, Q. T.; Shapiro, M.; Shatalov, P. B.; Shaver, L.; Shaw, K.; Sherman, D.; Sherwood, P.; Shibata, A.; Shichi, H.; Shimizu, S.; Shimojima, M.; Shin, T.; Shmeleva, A.; Shochet, M. J.; Short, D.; Shupe, M. A.; Sicho, P.; Sidoti, A.; Siebel, A.; Siegert, F.; Siegrist, J.; Sijacki, Dj.; Silbert, O.; Silva, J.; Silver, Y.; Silverstein, D.; Silverstein, S. B.; Simak, V.; Simard, O.; Simic, Lj.; Simion, S.; Simmons, B.; Simonyan, M.; Sinervo, P.; Sinev, N. B.; Sipica, V.; Siragusa, G.; Sircar, A.; Sisakyan, A. N.; Sivoklokov, S. Yu.; Sjölin, J.; Sjursen, T. B.; Skinnari, L. A.; Skottowe, H. P.; Skovpen, K.; Skubic, P.; Skvorodnev, N.; Slater, M.; Slavicek, T.; Sliwa, K.; Sloper, J.; Smakhtin, V.; Smirnov, S. Yu.; Smirnov, Y.; Smirnova, L. N.; Smirnova, O.; Smith, B. C.; Smith, D.; Smith, K. M.; Smizanska, M.; Smolek, K.; Snesarev, A. A.; Snow, S. W.; Snow, J.; Snuverink, J.; Snyder, S.; Soares, M.; Sobie, R.; Sodomka, J.; Soffer, A.; Solans, C. A.; Solar, M.; Solc, J.; Soldatov, E.; Soldevila, U.; Solfaroli Camillocci, E.; Solodkov, A. A.; Solovyanov, O. V.; Sondericker, J.; Soni, N.; Sopko, V.; Sopko, B.; Sorbi, M.; Sosebee, M.; Soualah, R.; Soukharev, A.; Spagnolo, S.; Spanò, F.; Spighi, R.; Spigo, G.; Spila, F.; Spiriti, E.; Spiwoks, R.; Spousta, M.; Spreitzer, T.; Spurlock, B.; St. Denis, R. D.; Stahl, T.; Stahlman, J.; Stamen, R.; Stanecka, E.; Stanek, R. W.; Stanescu, C.; Stapnes, S.; Starchenko, E. A.; Stark, J.; Staroba, P.; Starovoitov, P.; Staude, A.; Stavina, P.; Stavropoulos, G.; Steele, G.; Steinbach, P.; Steinberg, P.; Stekl, I.; Stelzer, B.; Stelzer, H. J.; Stelzer-Chilton, O.; Stenzel, H.; Stevenson, K.; Stewart, G. A.; Stillings, J. A.; Stockmanns, T.; Stockton, M. C.; Stoerig, K.; Stoicea, G.; Stonjek, S.; Strachota, P.; Stradling, A. R.; Straessner, A.; Strandberg, J.; Strandberg, S.; Strandlie, A.; Strang, M.; Strauss, E.; Strauss, M.; Strizenec, P.; Ströhmer, R.; Strom, D. M.; Strong, J. A.; Stroynowski, R.; Strube, J.; Stugu, B.; Stumer, I.; Stupak, J.; Sturm, P.; Soh, D. A.; Su, D.; Subramania, HS.; Succurro, A.; Sugaya, Y.; Sugimoto, T.; Suhr, C.; Suita, K.; Suk, M.; Sulin, V. V.; Sultansoy, S.; Sumida, T.; Sun, X.; Sundermann, J. E.; Suruliz, K.; Sushkov, S.; Susinno, G.; Sutton, M. R.; Suzuki, Y.; Suzuki, Y.; Svatos, M.; Sviridov, Yu. M.; Swedish, S.; Sykora, I.; Sykora, T.; Szeless, B.; Sánchez, J.; Ta, D.; Tackmann, K.; Taffard, A.; Tafirout, R.; Taiblum, N.; Takahashi, Y.; Takai, H.; Takashima, R.; Takeda, H.; Takeshita, T.; Talby, M.; Talyshev, A.; Tamsett, M. C.; Tanaka, J.; Tanaka, R.; Tanaka, S.; Tanaka, S.; Tanaka, Y.; Tani, K.; Tannoury, N.; Tappern, G. P.; Tapprogge, S.; Tardif, D.; Tarem, S.; Tarrade, F.; Tartarelli, G. F.; Tas, P.; Tasevsky, M.; Tassi, E.; Tatarkhanov, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Taylor, C.; Taylor, F. E.; Taylor, G. N.; Taylor, W.; Teinturier, M.; Teixeira Dias Castanheira, M.; Teixeira-Dias, P.; Temming, K. K.; Ten Kate, H.; Teng, P. K.; Terada, S.; Terashi, K.; Terron, J.; Terwort, M.; Testa, M.; Teuscher, R. J.; Thadome, J.; Therhaag, J.; Theveneaux-Pelzer, T.; Thioye, M.; Thoma, S.; Thomas, J. P.; Thompson, E. N.; Thompson, P. D.; Thompson, P. D.; Thompson, A. S.; Thomson, E.; Thomson, M.; Thompson, R. J.; Thun, R. P.; Tian, F.; Tic, T.; Tikhomirov, V. O.; Tikhonov, Y. A.; Timmermans, C. J. W. P.; Tipton, P.; Tique Aires Viegas, F. J.; Tisserant, S.; Tobias, J.; Toczek, B.; Todorov, T.; Todorova-Nova, S.; Toggerson, B.; Tojo, J.; Tokár, S.; Tokunaga, K.; Tokushuku, K.; Tollefson, K.; Tomoto, M.; Tompkins, L.; Toms, K.; Tong, G.; Tonoyan, A.; Topfel, C.; Topilin, N. D.; Torchiani, I.; Torrence, E.; Torres, H.; Torró Pastor, E.; Toth, J.; Touchard, F.; Tovey, D. R.; Traynor, D.; Trefzger, T.; Tremblet, L.; Tricoli, A.; Trigger, I. M.; Trincaz-Duvoid, S.; Trinh, T. N.; Tripiana, M. F.; Trischuk, W.; Trivedi, A.; Trocmé, B.; Troncon, C.; Trottier-McDonald, M.; Trzupek, A.; Tsarouchas, C.; Tseng, J. C.-L.; Tsiakiris, M.; Tsiareshka, P. V.; Tsionou, D.; Tsipolitis, G.; Tsiskaridze, V.; Tskhadadze, E. G.; Tsukerman, I. I.; Tsulaia, V.; Tsung, J.-W.; Tsuno, S.; Tsybychev, D.; Tua, A.; Tudorache, A.; Tudorache, V.; Tuggle, J. M.; Turala, M.; Turecek, D.; Turk Cakir, I.; Turlay, E.; Turra, R.; Tuts, P. M.; Twomey, M. S.; Tykhonov, A.; Tylmad, M.; Tyndel, M.; Tyrvainen, H.; Tzanakos, G.; Uchida, K.; Ueda, I.; Ueno, R.; Ugland, M.; Uhlenbrock, M.; Uhrmacher, M.; Ukegawa, F.; Unal, G.; Underwood, D. G.; Undrus, A.; Unel, G.; Unno, Y.; Urbaniec, D.; Urkovsky, E.; Urrejola, P.; Usai, G.; Uslenghi, M.; Vacavant, L.; Vacek, V.; Vachon, B.; Vahsen, S.; Valenta, J.; Valente, P.; Valentinetti, S.; Valkar, S.; Valladolid Gallego, E.; Vallecorsa, S.; Valls Ferrer, J. A.; van der Graaf, H.; van der Kraaij, E.; Van Der Leeuw, R.; van der Poel, E.; van der Ster, D.; van Eldik, N.; van Gemmeren, P.; van Kesteren, Z.; van Vulpen, I.; Vanadia, M.; Vandelli, W.; Vandoni, G.; Vaniachine, A.; Vankov, P.; Vannucci, F.; Varela Rodriguez, F.; Vari, R.; Varnes, E. W.; Varouchas, D.; Vartapetian, A.; Varvell, K. E.; Vassilakopoulos, V. I.; Vazeille, F.; Vegni, G.; Veillet, J. J.; Vellidis, C.; Veloso, F.; Veness, R.; Veneziano, S.; Ventura, A.; Ventura, D.; Venturi, M.; Venturi, N.; Vercesi, V.; Verducci, M.; Verkerke, W.; Vermeulen, J. C.; Vest, A.; Vetterli, M. C.; Vichou, I.; Vickey, T.; Vickey Boeriu, O. E.; Viehhauser, G. H. A.; Viel, S.; Villa, M.; Villani, E. G.; Villaplana Perez, M.; Vilucchi, E.; Vincter, M. G.; Vinek, E.; Vinogradov, V. B.; Virchaux, M.; Virzi, J.; Vitells, O.; Viti, M.; Vivarelli, I.; Vives Vaque, F.; Vlachos, S.; Vladoiu, D.; Vlasak, M.; Vlasov, N.; Vogel, A.; Vokac, P.; Volpi, G.; Volpi, M.; Volpini, G.; von der Schmitt, H.; von Loeben, J.; von Radziewski, H.; von Toerne, E.; Vorobel, V.; Vorobiev, A. P.; Vorwerk, V.; Vos, M.; Voss, R.; Voss, T. T.; Vossebeld, J. H.; Vranjes, N.; Vranjes Milosavljevic, M.; Vrba, V.; Vreeswijk, M.; Vu Anh, T.; Vuillermet, R.; Vujicic, M.; Vukotic, I.; Wagner, W.; Wagner, P.; Wahlen, H.; Wakabayashi, J.; Walbersloh, J.; Walch, S.; Walder, J.; Walker, R.; Walkowiak, W.; Wall, R.; Waller, P.; Wang, C.; Wang, H.; Wang, H.; Wang, J.; Wang, J.; Wang, J. C.; Wang, R.; Wang, S. M.; Warburton, A.; Ward, C. P.; Warsinsky, M.; Wastie, R.; Watkins, P. M.; Watson, A. T.; Watson, M. F.; Watts, G.; Watts, S.; Waugh, A. T.; Waugh, B. M.; Weber, J.; Weber, M.; Weber, M. S.; Weber, P.; Weidberg, A. R.; Weigell, P.; Weingarten, J.; Weiser, C.; Wellenstein, H.; Wells, P. S.; Wen, M.; Wenaus, T.; Wendler, S.; Weng, Z.; Wengler, T.; Wenig, S.; Wermes, N.; Werner, M.; Werner, P.; Werth, M.; Wessels, M.; Weydert, C.; Whalen, K.; Wheeler-Ellis, S. J.; Whitaker, S. P.; White, A.; White, M. J.; White, S.; Whitehead, S. R.; Whiteson, D.; Whittington, D.; Wicek, F.; Wicke, D.; Wickens, F. J.; Wiedenmann, W.; Wielers, M.; Wienemann, P.; Wiglesworth, C.; Wiik-Fuchs, L. A. M.; Wijeratne, P. A.; Wildauer, A.; Wildt, M. A.; Wilhelm, I.; Wilkens, H. G.; Will, J. Z.; Williams, E.; Williams, H. H.; Willis, W.; Willocq, S.; Wilson, J. A.; Wilson, M. G.; Wilson, A.; Wingerter-Seez, I.; Winkelmann, S.; Winklmeier, F.; Wittgen, M.; Wolter, M. W.; Wolters, H.; Wong, W. C.; Wooden, G.; Wosiek, B. K.; Wotschack, J.; Woudstra, M. J.; Wraight, K.; Wright, C.; Wright, M.; Wright, D.; Wrona, B.; Wu, S. L.; Wu, X.; Wu, Y.; Wulf, E.; Wunstorf, R.; Wynne, B. M.; Xaplanteris, L.; Xella, S.; Xie, S.; Xie, Y.; Xu, C.; Xu, D.; Xu, G.; Yabsley, B.; Yacoob, S.; Yamada, M.; Yamaguchi, H.; Yamamoto, A.; Yamamoto, K.; Yamamoto, S.; Yamamura, T.; Yamanaka, T.; Yamaoka, J.; Yamazaki, T.; Yamazaki, Y.; Yan, Z.; Yang, H.; Yang, U. K.; Yang, Y.; Yang, Y.; Yang, Z.; Yanush, S.; Yao, Y.; Yasu, Y.; Ybeles Smit, G. V.; Ye, J.; Ye, S.; Yilmaz, M.; Yoosoofmiya, R.; Yorita, K.; Yoshida, R.; Young, C.; Youssef, S.; Yu, D.; Yu, J.; Yu, J.; Yuan, L.; Yurkewicz, A.; Zaets, V. G.; Zaidan, R.; Zaitsev, A. M.; Zajacova, Z.; Zalite, Yo. K.; Zanello, L.; Zarzhitsky, P.; Zaytsev, A.; Zeitnitz, C.; Zeller, M.; Zeman, M.; Zemla, A.; Zendler, C.; Zenin, O.; Ženiš, T.; Zenonos, Z.; Zenz, S.; Zerwas, D.; Zevi della Porta, G.; Zhan, Z.; Zhang, D.; Zhang, H.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, Z.; Zhang, Q.; Zhao, L.; Zhao, T.; Zhao, Z.; Zhemchugov, A.; Zheng, S.; Zhong, J.; Zhou, B.; Zhou, N.; Zhou, Y.; Zhu, C. G.; Zhu, H.; Zhu, J.; Zhu, Y.; Zhuang, X.; Zhuravlov, V.; Zieminska, D.; Zimmermann, R.; Zimmermann, S.; Zimmermann, S.; Zinonos, Z.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zitoun, R.; Živković, L.; Zmouchko, V. V.; Zobernig, G.; Zoccoli, A.; Zolnierowski, Y.; Zsenei, A.; zur Nedden, M.; Zutshi, V.; Zwalinski, L.

2013-03-01

The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt{s}=7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb-1. Jets are reconstructed with the anti- k t algorithm with distance parameters R=0.4 or R=0.6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta p T≥20 GeV and pseudorapidities | η|<4.5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron response measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2.5 % in the central calorimeter region (| η|<0.8) for jets with 60≤ p T<800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for p T<30 GeV in the most forward region 3.2≤| η|<4.5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon p T, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low- p T jets recoiling against a high- p T jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high- p T jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined.

Jet energy measurement with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at $$\\sqrt{\\mathrm{s}}=7\\ \\mathrm{TeV}$$

DOE PAGES

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; ...

2013-03-02

The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb -1. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-k t algorithm with distance parameters R = 0.4 or R = 0.6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta p T ≥ 20 GeV and pseudorapidities |η| < 4.5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron responsemore » measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2.5 % in the central calorimeter region (|η| < 0.8) for jets with 60 ≤ p T < 800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for p T ≤ 30 GeV in the most forward region 3.2 ≤ |η| < 4.5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon p T, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-p T jets recoiling against a high-p T jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-p T jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined.« less

Porphyrin-sensitized solar cells: systematic molecular optimization, coadsorption and cosensitization.

PubMed

Song, Heli; Liu, Qingyun; Xie, Yongshu

2018-02-15

As a promising low-cost solar energy conversion technique, dye-sensitized solar cells have undergone spectacular development since 1991. For practical applications, improvement of power conversion efficiency has always been one of the major research topics. Porphyrins are outstanding sensitizers endowed with strong sunlight harvesting ability in the visible region and multiple reaction sites available for functionalization. However, judicious molecular design in consideration of light-harvest, energy levels, operational dynamics, adsorption geometry and suppression of back reactions is specifically required for achieving excellent photovoltaic performance. This feature article highlights some of the recently developed porphyrin sensitizers, especially focusing on the systematic dye structure optimization approach in combination with coadsorption and cosensitization methods in pursuing higher efficiencies. Herein, we expect to provide more insights into the structure-performance correlation and molecular engineering strategies in a stepwise manner.

Energy Level Alignment of N-Doping Fullerenes and Fullerene Derivatives Using Air-Stable Dopant.

PubMed

Bao, Qinye; Liu, Xianjie; Braun, Slawomir; Li, Yanqing; Tang, Jianxin; Duan, Chungang; Fahlman, Mats

2017-10-11

Doping has been proved to be one of the powerful technologies to achieve significant improvement in the performance of organic electronic devices. Herein, we systematically map out the interface properties of solution-processed air-stable n-type (4-(1,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzoimidazol-2-yl)phenyl) doping fullerenes and fullerene derivatives and establish a universal energy level alignment scheme for this class of n-doped system. At low doping levels at which the charge-transfer doping induces mainly bound charges, the energy level alignment of the n-doping organic semiconductor can be described by combining integer charger transfer-induced shifts with a so-called double-dipole step. At high doping levels, significant densities of free charges are generated and the charge flows between the organic film and the conducting electrodes equilibrating the Fermi level in a classic "depletion layer" scheme. Moreover, we demonstrate that the model holds for both n- and p-doping of π-backbone molecules and polymers. With the results, we provide wide guidance for identifying the application of the current organic n-type doping technology in organic electronics.

Volume 42, Issue5 (May 2005)Articles in the Current Issue:Developmental growth in students' concept of energy: Analysis of selected items from the TIMSS database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiufeng; McKeough, Anne

2005-05-01

The aim of this study was to develop a model of students' energy concept development. Applying Case's (1985, 1992) structural theory of cognitive development, we hypothesized that students' concept of energy undergoes a series of transitions, corresponding to systematic increases in working memory capacity. The US national sample from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) database was used to test our hypothesis. Items relevant to the energy concept in the TIMSS test booklets for three populations were identified. Item difficulty from Rasch modeling was used to test the hypothesized developmental sequence, and percentage of students' correct responses was used to test the correspondence between students' age/grade level and level of the energy concepts. The analysis supported our hypothesized sequence of energy concept development and suggested mixed effects of maturation and schooling on energy concept development. Further, the results suggest that curriculum and instruction design take into consideration the developmental progression of students' concept of energy.

Systematic search for very-high-energy gamma-ray emission from bow shocks of runaway stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

H.E.S.S. Collaboration; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Andersson, T.; Angüner, E. O.; Arakawa, M.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Büchele, M.; Bulik, T.; Capasso, M.; Carr, J.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chakraborty, N.; Chalme-Calvet, R.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chevalier, J.; Chrétien, M.; Coffaro, M.; Colafrancesco, S.; Cologna, G.; Condon, B.; Conrad, J.; Cui, Y.; Davids, I. D.; Decock, J.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; Devin, J.; deWilt, P.; Dirson, L.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Donath, A.; Drury, L. O.'C.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Eschbach, S.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Funk, S.; Füßling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gajdus, M.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Goyal, A.; Grondin, M.-H.; Hahn, J.; Haupt, M.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hervet, O.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hoischen, C.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Iwasaki, H.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Janiak, M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jankowsky, F.; Jingo, M.; Jogler, T.; Jouvin, L.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katsuragawa, M.; Katz, U.; Kerszberg, D.; Khangulyan, D.; Khélifi, B.; Kieffer, M.; King, J.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Kolitzus, D.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Kraus, M.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lees, J.-P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lefranc, V.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Leser, E.; Lohse, T.; Lorentz, M.; Liu, R.; López-Coto, R.; Lypova, I.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Mohrmann, L.; Morå, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; Nakashima, S.; de Naurois, M.; Niederwanger, F.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; O'Brien, P.; Odaka, H.; Öttl, S.; Ohm, S.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Padovani, M.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perennes, C.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Piel, Q.; Pita, S.; Poon, H.; Prokhorov, D.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de los Reyes, R.; Richter, S.; Rieger, F.; Romoli, C.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Sahakian, V.; Saito, S.; Salek, D.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schüssler, F.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Seglar-Arroyo, M.; Settimo, M.; Seyffert, A. S.; Shafi, N.; Shilon, I.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spengler, G.; Spies, F.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Stycz, K.; Sushch, I.; Takahashi, T.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tibaldo, L.; Tiziani, D.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tsuji, N.; Tuffs, R.; Uchiyama, Y.; van der Walt, D. J.; van Eldik, C.; van Rensburg, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wadiasingh, Z.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zabalza, V.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zanin, R.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Ziegler, A.; Żywucka, N.

2018-04-01

Context. Runaway stars form bow shocks by ploughing through the interstellar medium at supersonic speeds and are promising sources of non-thermal emission of photons. One of these objects has been found to emit non-thermal radiation in the radio band. This triggered the development of theoretical models predicting non-thermal photons from radio up to very-high-energy (VHE, E ≥ 0.1 TeV) gamma rays. Subsequently, one bow shock was also detected in X-ray observations. However, the data did not allow discrimination between a hot thermal and a non-thermal origin. Further observations of different candidates at X-ray energies showed no evidence for emission at the position of the bow shocks either. A systematic search in the Fermi-LAT energy regime resulted in flux upper limits for 27 candidates listed in the E-BOSS catalogue. Aim. Here we perform the first systematic search for VHE gamma-ray emission from bow shocks of runaway stars. Methods: Using all available archival H.E.S.S. data we search for very-high-energy gamma-ray emission at the positions of bow shock candidates listed in the second E-BOSS catalogue release. Out of the 73 bow shock candidates in this catalogue, 32 have been observed with H.E.S.S. Results: None of the observed 32 bow shock candidates in this population study show significant emission in the H.E.S.S. energy range. Therefore, flux upper limits are calculated in five energy bins and the fraction of the kinetic wind power that is converted into VHE gamma rays is constrained. Conclusions: Emission from stellar bow shocks is not detected in the energy range between 0.14 and 18 TeV.The resulting upper limits constrain the level of VHE gamma-ray emission from these objects down to 0.1-1% of the kinetic wind energy.

Flexible Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting from Mouse Click Motions

PubMed Central

Cha, Youngsu; Hong, Jin; Lee, Jaemin; Park, Jung-Min; Kim, Keehoon

2016-01-01

In this paper, we study energy harvesting from the mouse click motions of a robot finger and a human index finger using a piezoelectric material. The feasibility of energy harvesting from mouse click motions is experimentally and theoretically assessed. The fingers wear a glove with a pocket for including the piezoelectric material. We model the energy harvesting system through the inverse kinematic framework of parallel joints in a finger and the electromechanical coupling equations of the piezoelectric material. The model is validated through energy harvesting experiments in the robot and human fingers with the systematically varying load resistance. We find that energy harvesting is maximized at the matched load resistance to the impedance of the piezoelectric material, and the harvested energy level is tens of nJ. PMID:27399705

Single- and double-core-hole ion emission spectroscopy of transient neon plasmas produced by ultraintense x-ray laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Cheng; Zeng, Jiaolong; Yuan, Jianmin

2016-02-01

Single-core-hole (SCH) and double-core-hole (DCH) spectroscopy is investigated systematically for neon gas in the interaction with ultraintense x-ray pulses with photon energy from 937 eV to 2000 eV. A time-dependent rate equation, implemented in detailed level accounting approximation, is utilized to study the dynamical evolution of the level population and emission properties of the laser-produced highly transient plasmas. The plasma-density effects on level populations and charge-state distribution are demonstrated with an x-ray photon energy of 2000 eV. It is shown that atomic number density of relevant experiment is about 1 × 1018 cm-3, which is comparable to a recent experiment. At this density, we systematically investigate the emissivity of the transient neon plasmas. For laser photon energy in the range 937-1360 eV, resonant absorptions (RA) of 1s\\to {np} (n≥slant 2) transitions play important roles in time evolution of the population and DCH emission spectroscopy. The RA effects are illustrated in detail for an x-ray pulse of 944 eV photon energy, which creates the 1s\\to 2p RA from the SCH states (1s2{s}22{p}4, 1s2s2p5, and 1s2p6) of Ne3+. After averaging over the space and time distribution of x-ray pulse, DCH emission spectroscopy is studied at x-ray photon energies of 937, 944, 955, 968, 980, and 990 eV, where there exist 1s\\to 2p resonances from SCH states of Ne2+-Ne7+. The processes with producing DCH states are discussed. For x-ray photon energy larger than 1360 eV, no RA exist and transient plasmas show different features in the DCH spectroscopy.

Theoretical Study of Energy Levels and Transition Probabilities of Boron Atom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian Yi, Zhang; Neng Wu, Zheng

2009-08-01

Full Text PDF Though the electrons configuration for boron atom is simple and boron atom has long been of interest for many researchers, the theoretical studies for properties of BI are not systematic, there are only few results reported on energy levels of high excited states of boron, and transition measurements are generally restricted to transitions involving ground states and low excited states without considering fine structure effects, provided only multiplet results, values for transitions between high excited states are seldom performed. In this article, by using the scheme of the weakest bound electron potential model theory calculations for energy levels of five series are performed and with the same method we give the transition probabilities between excited states with considering fine structure effects. The comprehensive set of calculations attempted in this paper could be of some value to workers in the field because of the lack of published calculations for the BI systems. The perturbations coming from foreign perturbers are taken into account in studying the energy levels. Good agreement between our results and the accepted values taken from NIST has been obtained. We also reported some values of energy levels and transition probabilities not existing on the NIST data bases.

Pressure Measurements Using an Airborne Differential Absorption Lidar. Part 1; Analysis of the Systematic Error Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flamant, Cyrille N.; Schwemmer, Geary K.; Korb, C. Laurence; Evans, Keith D.; Palm, Stephen P.

1999-01-01

Remote airborne measurements of the vertical and horizontal structure of the atmospheric pressure field in the lower troposphere are made with an oxygen differential absorption lidar (DIAL). A detailed analysis of this measurement technique is provided which includes corrections for imprecise knowledge of the detector background level, the oxygen absorption fine parameters, and variations in the laser output energy. In addition, we analyze other possible sources of systematic errors including spectral effects related to aerosol and molecular scattering interference by rotational Raman scattering and interference by isotopic oxygen fines.

Low-Energy Proton Testing Methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellish, Jonathan A.; Marshall, Paul W.; Heidel, David F.; Schwank, James R.; Shaneyfelt, Marty R.; Xapsos, M.A.; Ladbury, Raymond L.; LaBel, Kenneth A.; Berg, Melanie; Kim, Hak S.;

Renewable Energy Supply for Power Dominated, Energy Intense Production Processes - A Systematic Conversion Approach for the Anodizing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

>D Stollenwerk, T Kuvarakul, I Kuperjans,

2013-06-01

European countries are highly dependent on energy imports. To lower this import dependency effectively, renewable energies will take a major role in future energy supply systems. To assist the national and inter-European efforts, extensive changes towards a renewable energy supply, especially on the company level, will be unavoidable. To conduct this conversion in the most effective way, the methodology developed in this paper can support the planning procedure. It is applied to the energy intense anodizing production process, where the electrical demand is the governing factor for the energy system layout. The differences between the classical system layout based on the current energy procurement and an approach with a detailed load-time-curve analysis, using process decomposition besides thermodynamic optimization, are discussed. The technical effects on the resulting energy systems are shown besides the resulting energy supply costs which will be determined by hourly discrete simulation.

Autonomous Energy Grids: Preprint

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

Kroposki, Benjamin D; Dall-Anese, Emiliano; Bernstein, Andrey

With much higher levels of distributed energy resources - variable generation, energy storage, and controllable loads just to mention a few - being deployed into power systems, the data deluge from pervasive metering of energy grids, and the shaping of multi-level ancillary-service markets, current frameworks to monitoring, controlling, and optimizing large-scale energy systems are becoming increasingly inadequate. This position paper outlines the concept of 'Autonomous Energy Grids' (AEGs) - systems that are supported by a scalable, reconfigurable, and self-organizing information and control infrastructure, can be extremely secure and resilient (self-healing), and self-optimize themselves in real-time for economic and reliable performancemore » while systematically integrating energy in all forms. AEGs rely on scalable, self-configuring cellular building blocks that ensure that each 'cell' can self-optimize when isolated from a larger grid as well as partaking in the optimal operation of a larger grid when interconnected. To realize this vision, this paper describes the concepts and key research directions in the broad domains of optimization theory, control theory, big-data analytics, and complex system modeling that will be necessary to realize the AEG vision.« less

A highly accurate ab initio potential energy surface for methane.

PubMed

Owens, Alec; Yurchenko, Sergei N; Yachmenev, Andrey; Tennyson, Jonathan; Thiel, Walter

2016-09-14

A new nine-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for methane has been generated using state-of-the-art ab initio theory. The PES is based on explicitly correlated coupled cluster calculations with extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and incorporates a range of higher-level additive energy corrections. These include core-valence electron correlation, higher-order coupled cluster terms beyond perturbative triples, scalar relativistic effects, and the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction. Sub-wavenumber accuracy is achieved for the majority of experimentally known vibrational energy levels with the four fundamentals of (12)CH4 reproduced with a root-mean-square error of 0.70 cm(-1). The computed ab initio equilibrium C-H bond length is in excellent agreement with previous values despite pure rotational energies displaying minor systematic errors as J (rotational excitation) increases. It is shown that these errors can be significantly reduced by adjusting the equilibrium geometry. The PES represents the most accurate ab initio surface to date and will serve as a good starting point for empirical refinement.

Influence of semiclassical plasma on the energy levels and radiative transitions in highly charged ions★

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Hong-Wei; Chen, Zhan-Bin; Chen, Wen-Cong; Liu, Xiao-Bin; Fu, Nian; Wang, Kai

2017-11-01

Considering the quantum effects of diffraction and the collective screening effects, the potential of test charge in semiclassical plasmas is derived. It is generalized exponential screened Coulomb potential. Using the Ritz variational method incorporating this potential, the effects of semiclassical plasma on the energy levels and radiative transitions are investigated systematically, taking highly charged H-like ion as an example. The Debye plasma model is also employed for comparison purposes. Comparisons and analysis are made between these two sets of results and the differences are discussed. Contribution to the Topical Issue "Atomic and Molecular Data and their Applications", edited by Gordon W.F. Drake, Jung-Sik Yoon, Daiji Kato, Grzegorz Karwasz.

Randomized Controlled Trials Evaluating Effect of Television Advertising on Food Intake in Children: Why Such a Sensitive Topic is Lacking Top-Level Evidence?

PubMed

Gregori, Dario; Ballali, Simonetta; Vecchio, Maria Gabriella; Sciré, Antonella Silvia; Foltran, Francesca; Berchialla, Paola

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of evidence coming from randomized controlled trials (RCT) aimed at assessing the effect of television advertising on food intake in children from 4 to 12 years old. Randomized controlled trials were searched in PubMed database and included if they assessed the effect of direct exposure to television food advertising over the actual energy intake of children. Seven studies out of 2166 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The association between television advertising and energy intake is based on a very limited set of randomized researches lacking a solid ground of first-level evidence.

A measurement error model for physical activity level as measured by a questionnaire with application to the 1999-2006 NHANES questionnaire.

PubMed

Tooze, Janet A; Troiano, Richard P; Carroll, Raymond J; Moshfegh, Alanna J; Freedman, Laurence S

2013-06-01

Systematic investigations into the structure of measurement error of physical activity questionnaires are lacking. We propose a measurement error model for a physical activity questionnaire that uses physical activity level (the ratio of total energy expenditure to basal energy expenditure) to relate questionnaire-based reports of physical activity level to true physical activity levels. The 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey physical activity questionnaire was administered to 433 participants aged 40-69 years in the Observing Protein and Energy Nutrition (OPEN) Study (Maryland, 1999-2000). Valid estimates of participants' total energy expenditure were also available from doubly labeled water, and basal energy expenditure was estimated from an equation; the ratio of those measures estimated true physical activity level ("truth"). We present a measurement error model that accommodates the mixture of errors that arise from assuming a classical measurement error model for doubly labeled water and a Berkson error model for the equation used to estimate basal energy expenditure. The method was then applied to the OPEN Study. Correlations between the questionnaire-based physical activity level and truth were modest (r = 0.32-0.41); attenuation factors (0.43-0.73) indicate that the use of questionnaire-based physical activity level would lead to attenuated estimates of effect size. Results suggest that sample sizes for estimating relationships between physical activity level and disease should be inflated, and that regression calibration can be used to provide measurement error-adjusted estimates of relationships between physical activity and disease.

Low-energy tautomers and conformers of neutral and protonated arginine.

PubMed

Rak, J; Skurski, P; Simons, J; Gutowski, M

2001-11-28

The relative stabilities of zwitterionic and canonical forms of neutral arginine and of its protonated derivative were studied by using ab initio electronic structure methods. Trial structures were first identified at the PM3 level of theory with use of a genetic algorithm to systematically vary geometrical parameters. Further geometry optimizations of these structures were performed at the MP2 and B3LYP levels of theory with basis sets of the 6-31++G** quality. The final energies were determined at the CCSD/6-31++G** level and corrected for thermal effects determined at the B3LYP level. Two new nonzwitterionic structures of the neutral were identified, and one of them is the lowest energy structure found so far. The five lowest energy structures of neutral arginine are all nonzwitterionic in nature and are clustered within a narrow energy range of 2.3 kcal/mol. The lowest energy zwitterion structure is less stable than the lowest nonzwitterion structure by 4.0 kcal/mol. For no level of theory is a zwitterion structure suggested to be the global minimum. The calculated proton affinity of 256.3 kcal/mol and gas-phase basicity of 247.8 kcal/mol of arginine are in reasonable agreement with the measured values of 251.2 and 240.6 kcal/mol, respectively. The calculated vibrational characteristics of the low-energy structures of neutral arginine provide an alternative interpretation of the IR-CRLAS spectrum (Chapo et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 12956-12957).

Standing Waves in an Elastic Spring: A Systematic Study by Video Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodrigues Ventura, Daniel; Simeão de Carvalho, Paulo; Adriano Dias, Marco

2017-01-01

The word "wave" is part of the daily language of every student. However, the physical understanding of the concept demands a high level of abstract thought. In physics, waves are oscillating variations of a physical quantity that involve the transfer of energy from one point to another, without displacement of matter. A wave can be…

Systematics of the electric dipole response in stable tin isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassauer, Sergej; von Neumann-Cosel, Peter; Tamii, Atsushi

2018-05-01

The electric dipole is an important property of heavy nuclei. Precise information on the electric dipole response provides information on the electric dipole polarisability which in turn allows to extract important constraints on neutron-skin thickness in heavy nuclei and parameters of the symmetry energy. The tin isotope chain is particularly suited for a systematic study of the dependence of the electric dipole response on neutron excess as it provides a wide mass range of accessible isotopes with little change of the underlying structure. Recently an inelastic proton scattering experiment under forward angles including 0º on 112,116,124Sn was performed at the Research Centre for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Japan with a focus on the low-energy dipole strength and the polarisability. First results are presented here. Using data from an earlier proton scattering experiment on 120Sn the gamma strength function and level density are determined for this nucleus.

Effect of the energy-environment simulator on achievement, attitudes, and behavior relative to energy-education concepts systematically replicated in higher education

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

Lees, J.R.

This study was a systematic replication of a study by Stagliano (1981). Additional hypotheses concerning pretest, student major, and student section variance were tested. Achievement in energy knowledge and conservation attitudes attained by (a) lecture-discussion enriched with the Energy-Environment Simulator and (b) lecture-discussion methods of instruction were measured. Energy knowledge was measured on the Energy Knowledge Assessment Test (EKAT), and attitudes were measured on the Youth Energy Survey (YES), the Lecture-discussion simulation (LDS) used a two hour out-of-class activity in debriefing. The population consisted of 142 college student volunteers randomly selected, and assigned to one of two groups of 71more » students for each treatment. Stagliano used three groups (n = 35), one group receiving an energy-game treatment. Both studies used the pretest-posttest true experimental design. The present study included 28 hypotheses, eight of which were found to be significant. Stagliano used 12 hypotheses, all of which were rejected. The present study hypothesized that students who received the LDS treatment would obtain significantly higher scores on the EKAT and the YES instruments. Results showed that significance was found (alpha level .05) on the EKAT and also found on the YES total subscale when covaried for effects of pretest, student major, and student section. When covarying the effects of pretest scores only, significance was found on the EKAT. All YES hypotheses were rejected.« less

LSST Probes of Dark Energy: New Energy vs New Gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradshaw, Andrew; Tyson, A.; Jee, M. J.; Zhan, H.; Bard, D.; Bean, R.; Bosch, J.; Chang, C.; Clowe, D.; Dell'Antonio, I.; Gawiser, E.; Jain, B.; Jarvis, M.; Kahn, S.; Knox, L.; Newman, J.; Wittman, D.; Weak Lensing, LSST; LSS Science Collaborations

2012-01-01

Is the late time acceleration of the universe due to new physics in the form of stress-energy or a departure from General Relativity? LSST will measure the shape, magnitude, and color of 4x109 galaxies to high S/N over 18,000 square degrees. These data will be used to separately measure the gravitational growth of mass structure and distance vs redshift to unprecedented precision by combining multiple probes in a joint analysis. Of the five LSST probes of dark energy, weak gravitational lensing (WL) and baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) probes are particularly effective in combination. By measuring the 2-D BAO scale in ugrizy-band photometric redshift-selected samples, LSST will determine the angular diameter distance to a dozen redshifts with sub percent-level errors. Reconstruction of the WL shear power spectrum on linear and weakly non-linear scales, and of the cross-correlation of shear measured in different photometric redshift bins provides a constraint on the evolution of dark energy that is complementary to the purely geometric measures provided by supernovae and BAO. Cross-correlation of the WL shear and BAO signal within redshift shells minimizes the sensitivity to systematics. LSST will also detect shear peaks, providing independent constraints. Tomographic study of the shear of background galaxies as a function of redshift allows a geometric test of dark energy. To extract the dark energy signal and distinguish between the two forms of new physics, LSST will rely on accurate stellar point-spread functions (PSF) and unbiased reconstruction of galaxy image shapes from hundreds of exposures. Although a weighted co-added deep image has high S/N, it is a form of lossy compression. Bayesian forward modeling algorithms can in principle use all the information. We explore systematic effects on shape measurements and present tests of an algorithm called Multi-Fit, which appears to avoid PSF-induced shear systematics in a computationally efficient way.

Systematic effects in the HfF+-ion experiment to search for the electron electric dipole moment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrov, A. N.

2018-05-01

The energy splittings for J =1 , F =3 /2 , | mF|=3 /2 hyperfine levels of the 3Δ1 electronic state of 180Hf+19F ion are calculated as functions of the external variable electric and magnetic fields within two approaches. In the first one, the transition to the rotating frame is performed, whereas in the second approach, the quantization of rotating electromagnetic field is performed. Calculations are required for understanding possible systematic errors in the experiment to search for the electron electric dipole moment (e EDM ) with the 180Hf+19F ion.

Data on development of new energy technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1994-03-01

The paper compiles data on the trend of development of new energy technologies into a book. By category, renewable energy is solar energy, wind power generation, geothermal power generation, ocean energy, and biomass. As a category of fuel form conversion, cited are coal liquefaction/gasification, coal gasification combined cycle power generation, and natural gas liquefaction/decarbonization. The other categories are cogeneration by fuel cell and ceramic gas turbine, district heat supply system, power load leveling technology, transportation-use substitution-fuel vehicle, and others (Stirling engine, superconducting power generator, etc.). The data are systematically compiled on essential principles, transition of introduction, objectives of introduction, status of production, cost, development schedule, performance, etc. The paper also deals with the related legislation system, developmental organizations, and a menu for power companies' buying surplus power.

Energy Cost Impact of Non-Residential Energy Code Requirements

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

Zhang, Jian; Hart, Philip R.; Rosenberg, Michael I.

2016-08-22

The 2012 International Energy Conservation Code contains 396 separate requirements applicable to non-residential buildings; however, there is no systematic analysis of the energy cost impact of each requirement. Consequently, limited code department budgets for plan review, inspection, and training cannot be focused on the most impactful items. An inventory and ranking of code requirements based on their potential energy cost impact is under development. The initial phase focuses on office buildings with simple HVAC systems in climate zone 4C. Prototype building simulations were used to estimate the energy cost impact of varying levels of non-compliance. A preliminary estimate of themore » probability of occurrence of each level of non-compliance was combined with the estimated lost savings for each level to rank the requirements according to expected savings impact. The methodology to develop and refine further energy cost impacts, specific to building type, system type, and climate location is demonstrated. As results are developed, an innovative alternative method for compliance verification can focus efforts so only the most impactful requirements from an energy cost perspective are verified for every building and a subset of the less impactful requirements are verified on a random basis across a building population. The results can be further applied in prioritizing training material development and specific areas of building official training.« less

Physics-informed machine learning for inorganic scintillator discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilania, G.; McClellan, K. J.; Stanek, C. R.; Uberuaga, B. P.

2018-06-01

Applications of inorganic scintillators—activated with lanthanide dopants, such as Ce and Eu—are found in diverse fields. As a strict requirement to exhibit scintillation, the 4f ground state (with the electronic configuration of [Xe]4fn 5d0) and 5d1 lowest excited state (with the electronic configuration of [Xe]4fn-1 5d1) levels induced by the activator must lie within the host bandgap. Here we introduce a new machine learning (ML) based search strategy for high-throughput chemical space explorations to discover and design novel inorganic scintillators. Building upon well-known physics-based chemical trends for the host dependent electron binding energies within the 4f and 5d1 energy levels of lanthanide ions and available experimental data, the developed ML model—coupled with knowledge of the vacuum referred valence and conduction band edges computed from first principles—can rapidly and reliably estimate the relative positions of the activator's energy levels relative to the valence and conduction band edges of any given host chemistry. Using perovskite oxides and elpasolite halides as examples, the presented approach has been demonstrated to be able to (i) capture systematic chemical trends across host chemistries and (ii) effectively screen promising compounds in a high-throughput manner. While a number of other application-specific performance requirements need to be considered for a viable scintillator, the scheme developed here can be a practically useful tool to systematically down-select the most promising candidate materials in a first line of screening for a subsequent in-depth investigation.

Global optimization of small bimetallic Pd-Co binary nanoalloy clusters: a genetic algorithm approach at the DFT level.

PubMed

Aslan, Mikail; Davis, Jack B A; Johnston, Roy L

2016-03-07

The global optimisation of small bimetallic PdCo binary nanoalloys are systematically investigated using the Birmingham Cluster Genetic Algorithm (BCGA). The effect of size and composition on the structures, stability, magnetic and electronic properties including the binding energies, second finite difference energies and mixing energies of Pd-Co binary nanoalloys are discussed. A detailed analysis of Pd-Co structural motifs and segregation effects is also presented. The maximal mixing energy corresponds to Pd atom compositions for which the number of mixed Pd-Co bonds is maximised. Global minimum clusters are distinguished from transition states by vibrational frequency analysis. HOMO-LUMO gap, electric dipole moment and vibrational frequency analyses are made to enable correlation with future experiments.

Localizing nearby sound sources in a classroom: Binaural room impulse responses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinn-Cunningham, Barbara G.; Kopco, Norbert; Martin, Tara J.

2005-05-01

Binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs) were measured in a classroom for sources at different azimuths and distances (up to 1 m) relative to a manikin located in four positions in a classroom. When the listener is far from all walls, reverberant energy distorts signal magnitude and phase independently at each frequency, altering monaural spectral cues, interaural phase differences, and interaural level differences. For the tested conditions, systematic distortion (comb-filtering) from an early intense reflection is only evident when a listener is very close to a wall, and then only in the ear facing the wall. Especially for a nearby source, interaural cues grow less reliable with increasing source laterality and monaural spectral cues are less reliable in the ear farther from the sound source. Reverberation reduces the magnitude of interaural level differences at all frequencies; however, the direct-sound interaural time difference can still be recovered from the BRIRs measured in these experiments. Results suggest that bias and variability in sound localization behavior may vary systematically with listener location in a room as well as source location relative to the listener, even for nearby sources where there is relatively little reverberant energy. .

Localizing nearby sound sources in a classroom: binaural room impulse responses.

PubMed

Shinn-Cunningham, Barbara G; Kopco, Norbert; Martin, Tara J

2005-05-01

Binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs) were measured in a classroom for sources at different azimuths and distances (up to 1 m) relative to a manikin located in four positions in a classroom. When the listener is far from all walls, reverberant energy distorts signal magnitude and phase independently at each frequency, altering monaural spectral cues, interaural phase differences, and interaural level differences. For the tested conditions, systematic distortion (comb-filtering) from an early intense reflection is only evident when a listener is very close to a wall, and then only in the ear facing the wall. Especially for a nearby source, interaural cues grow less reliable with increasing source laterality and monaural spectral cues are less reliable in the ear farther from the sound source. Reverberation reduces the magnitude of interaural level differences at all frequencies; however, the direct-sound interaural time difference can still be recovered from the BRIRs measured in these experiments. Results suggest that bias and variability in sound localization behavior may vary systematically with listener location in a room as well as source location relative to the listener, even for nearby sources where there is relatively little reverberant energy.

Spectroscopy of 204,206,208Rn and the systematic behavior of Z=86 isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horn, D.; Baktash, C.; Lister, C. J.

1981-11-01

A spectroscopic investigation of the radon isotopes 204,206,208Rn was performed by means of the reactions 192,194,196Pt(16O,4n)204,206,208Rn and 197Au(14N,5n)206Rn with 16O energies between 85 and 110 MeV and 14N energies between 80 and 94 MeV. γ-γ coincidences, pulsed beam yield functions, angular distributions, and pulsed beam isomeric decay rates were measured. The yrast and near-yrast level structure was established to J~15ℏ, and in each of the three nuclei two isomers above the known Jπ=8+ state were observed. The systematic trends for the Z=86 isotopes are compared with the behavior expected in a single particle model, and increased collectivity is found with decreasing neutron number. Analogies are made with the N=86 system. NUCLEAR REACTIONS 192,194,196Pt (16O,4n), E=85-110 MeV; 197Au(14N,5n), E=80-94 MeV. Measured Iγ(E,t), Iγ(θ), γ-γ(t). Deduced level sequences, Jπ, T12, transition rates. Continuous and pulsed beams, enriched targets, Ge(Li) detectors.

(abstract) A Geomagnetic Contribution to Climate Change in this Century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feynman, J.; Ruzmaikin, A.; Lawrence, J.

1996-01-01

There is a myth that all solar effects can be parameterized by the sun spot number. This is not true. For example, the level of geomagnetic activity during this century was not proportional to the sunspot number. Instead there is a large systematic increase in geomagnetic activity, not reflected in the sunspot number. This increase occurred gradually over at least 60 years. The 11 year solar cycle variation was superimposed on this systematic increase. Here we show that this systematic increase in activity is well correlated to the simultaneous increase in terrestrial temperature that occurred during the first half of this century. We discuss these findings in terms of mechanisms by which geomagnetics can be coupled to climate. These mechanisms include possible changes in weather patterns and cloud cover due to increased cosmic ray fluxes, or to increased fluxes of high energy electrons. We suggest that this systematic increase in geomagnetic activity contributed (along with anthropogenic effects and possible changes in solar irradiance) to the changes in climate recorded during this period.

Collective systematics in the mass 80 region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabor, S. L.

1986-07-01

The deformation of nuclei around A~80 is found to vary systematically as a function of the product of the number of protons and neutrons (or holes) (NpNn) in the shell extending from 28 to 50 particles. A similar result was reported previously for heavier even A nuclei, but this is the first investigation of a region in which neutrons and protons fill the same major shell and the first application of the technique to odd A nuclei. The systematic behavior is seen in both energy level spacings and electromagnetic quadrupole transition strengths and in both even-even and odd A nuclei. These systematics hold for the measures of deformation not involving the positions of the 0+ states, which are strongly affected by the coexistence of weakly and strongly deformed shapes in some A~80 nuclei. A rather surprising result is that the deformations of the odd-Z-even-N nuclei are substantially larger than those of the even-Z-odd-N nuclei.

Space-charge compensation measurements in electron cyclotron resonance ion source low energy beam transport lines with a retarding field analyzer

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

Winklehner, D.; Leitner, D., E-mail: leitnerd@nscl.msu.edu; Cole, D.

2014-02-15

In this paper we describe the first systematic measurement of beam neutralization (space charge compensation) in the ECR low energy transport line with a retarding field analyzer, which can be used to measure the potential of the beam. Expected trends for the space charge compensation levels such as increase with residual gas pressure, beam current, and beam density could be observed. However, the overall levels of neutralization are consistently low (<60%). The results and the processes involved for neutralizing ion beams are discussed for conditions typical for ECR injector beam lines. The results are compared to a simple theoretical beammore » plasma model as well as simulations.« less

Deriving a dosage-response relationship for community response to high-energy impulsive noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fidell, Sanford; Pearsons, Karl S.

1994-01-01

The inability to systematically predict community response to exposure to sonic booms (and other high energy impulsive sounds) is a major impediment to credible analyses of the environmental effects of supersonic flight operations. Efforts to assess community response to high energy impulsive sounds are limited in at least two important ways. First, a paucity of appropriate empirical data makes it difficult to infer a dosage-response relationship by means similar to those used in the case of general transportation noise. Second, it is unclear how well the 'equal energy hypothesis' (the notion that duration, number, and level of individual events are directly interchangeable determinants of annoyance) applies to some forms of impulsive noise exposure. Some of the issues currently under consideration by a CHABA working group addressing these problems are discussed. These include means for applying information gained in controlled exposure studies about different rates of growth of annoyance with impulsive and non-impulsive sound exposure levels, and strategies for developing a dosage-response relationship in a data-poor area.

Fast Timing Study of the β- Decay of 63Mn to 63Fe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olaizola, B.; Fraile, L. M.; Mach, H.; Briz, J. A.; Cal-González, J.; Ghita, D.; Köster, U.; Kurcewicz, W.; Lesher, S. R.; Pauwels, D.; Picado, E.; Poves, A.; Radulov, D.; Simpson, G. S.; Udias, J. M.

The β- decay of 63Mn to 63Fe has been studied in an experiment at ISOLDE, CERN. The previously known 63Fe level scheme has been confirmed and greatly expanded, to a total of 31 levels and 73 γ lines. The energy of the 9/2+ isomer state has been measured for the first time at 475.0 keV, completing the systematics of such states in odd-Fe isotopes below 68Ni. In addition, the lifetimes of the low-lying states have been measured, allowing the tentative assignment of the spin-parity sequence for those levels.

High-spin structures in the 139Pr nucleus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeoh, E. Y.; Zhu, S. J.; Wang, J. G.; Xiao, Z. G.; Zhang, M.; Yan, W. H.; Wang, R. S.; Xu, Q.; Wu, X. G.; He, C. Y.; Li, G. S.; Zheng, Y.; Li, C. B.; Cao, X. P.; Hu, S. P.; Yao, S. H.; Yu, B. B.

2012-06-01

Background: 139Pr is located in a transitional region of neutron number close to the N=82 shell. The study of its high-spin states and collective bands is important for systematically understanding the nuclear structural characteristics in this region.Purpose: To investigate the high-spin levels and to search for oblate bands in 139Pr.Methods: The high-spin states of 139Pr have been studied via the reaction 124Sn(19F,4n) at a beam energy of 80 MeV. The experiment was carried out at the HI-13 Tandem Accelerator at the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). The data analysis was done by using the γ-γ coincidence method.Results: The level scheme of 139Pr has been expanded with spin up to 45/2ℏ. A total of 39 new levels and 45 new transitions are identified. Four collective band structures at high-spin states have been newly established. From systematic analysis, one of the bands is proposed as a double decoupled band; two bands are proposed as oblate bands with γ˜-60∘; another band is suggested as an oblate-triaxial band with γ˜-90∘. The other characteristics for these bands are discussed.Conclusions: A new level scheme in 139Pr has been established and the collective bands at high spin have been identified. The result shows that the strong oblate shape-driving effect is caused by neutrons at the high-spin states in 139Pr.

Gross Instability After Hip Arthroscopy: An Analysis of Case Reports Evaluating Surgical and Patient Factors.

PubMed

Yeung, Marco; Memon, Muzammil; Simunovic, Nicole; Belzile, Etienne; Philippon, Marc J; Ayeni, Olufemi R

2016-06-01

Gross hip instability is a rare complication after hip arthroscopy, and there is limited literature surrounding this topic. This systematic review investigates cases of gross hip instability after arthroscopy and discusses the risk factors associated with this complication. A systematic search was performed in duplicate for studies investigating gross hip instability after hip arthroscopy up to October 2015. Study parameters including sample size, mechanism and type of dislocation, surgical procedure details, patient characteristics, postoperative rehabilitation protocol, and level of evidence were analyzed. The systematic review identified 9 case reports investigating gross hip instability after hip arthroscopy (10 patients). Anterior dislocation occurred in 66.7% of patients, and most injuries occurred with a low-energy mechanism. Common surgical factors cited included unrepaired capsulotomy (77.8%) and iliopsoas release (33.3%), whereas patient factors included female gender (77.8%), acetabular dysplasia (22.2%), and general ligamentous laxity (11.1%). Postoperative restrictions and protocols were variable and inconsistently reported, and their relation to post-arthroscopy instability was difficult to ascertain. This systematic review discussed various patient, surgical, and postoperative risk factors of gross hip instability after arthroscopy. Patient characteristics such as female gender, hip dysplasia, and ligamentous laxity may be risk factors for post-arthroscopy dislocation. Similarly, surgical risk factors for iatrogenic hip instability may include unrepaired capsulotomies and iliopsoas debridement, although the role of capsular closure in iatrogenic instability is not clear. The influences of postoperative restrictions and protocols on dislocation are also unclear in the current literature. Surgeons should be cognizant of these risk factors when performing hip arthroscopy and be mindful that these factors appear to occur in combination. Level IV, systematic review of Level IV studies. Copyright © 2016 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Avoided level crossings in very highly charged ions

DOE PAGES

Beiersdorfer, P.; Scofield, J. H.; Brown, G. V.; ...

2016-05-13

In this paper, we report a systematic measurement of the (2pmore » $$-1\\atop{1/2}$$3d 3/2) J=1 and (2s$$-1\\atop{1/2}$$3p 1/2) J=1 levels in 14 neonlike ions between Ba 46+ and Pb 72+ and document the effects of their avoided crossing near Z = 68. Strong mixing affects the oscillator strengths over a surprisingly wide range of atomic numbers and leads to the vanishing of one transition two atomic numbers below the crossing. The crossing voids the otherwise correct expectation that the (2p$$-1\\atop{1/2}$$3d 3/2) J=1 level energy is only weakly affected by quantum electrodynamics (QED). For about 10 atomic numbers surrounding the crossing, its QED contributions are anomalously large, attaining almost equality to those affecting the (2s$$-1\\atop{1/2}$$3p 1/2) J=1 level. As a result, the accuracy of energy level calculations appears compromised near the crossing.« less

Coordinating Resource Usage through Adaptive Service Provisioning in Wireless Sensor Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fok, Chien-Liang; Roman, Gruia-Catalin; Lu, Chenyang

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) exhibit high levels of network dynamics and consist of devices with limited energy. This results in the need to coordinate applications not only at the functional level, as is traditionally done, but also in terms of resource utilization. In this paper, we present a middleware that does this using adaptive service provisioning. Novel service binding strategies automatically adapt application behavior when opportunities for energy savings surface, and switch providers when the network topology changes. The former is accomplished by providing limited information about the energy consumption associated with using various services, systematically exploiting opportunities for sharing service invocations, and exploiting the broadcast nature of wireless communication in WSNs. The middleware has been implemented and evaluated on two disparate WSN platforms, the TelosB and Imote2. Empirical results show that adaptive service provisioning can enable energy-aware service binding decisions that result in increased energy efficiency and significantly increase service availability, while imposing minimal additional burden on the application, service, and device developers. Two applications, medical patient monitoring and structural health monitoring, demonstrate the middleware's efficacy.

Alternative Opportunistic Alert Diffusion to Support Infrastructure Failure during Disasters

PubMed Central

Mezghani, Farouk; Mitton, Nathalie

2017-01-01

Opportunistic communications present a promising solution for disaster network recovery in emergency situations such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods, where infrastructure might be destroyed. Some recent works in the literature have proposed opportunistic-based disaster recovery solutions, but they have omitted the consideration of mobile devices that come with different network technologies and various initial energy levels. This work presents COPE, an energy-aware Cooperative OPportunistic alErt diffusion scheme for trapped survivors to use during disaster scenarios to report their position and ease their rescue operation. It aims to maintain mobile devices functional for as long as possible for maximum network coverage until reaching proximate rescuers. COPE deals with mobile devices that come with an assortment of networks and aims to perform systematic network interface selection. Furthermore, it considers mobile devices with various energy levels and allows low-energy nodes to hold their charge for longer time with the support of high-energy nodes. A proof-of-concept implementation has been performed to study the doability and efficiency of COPE, and to highlight the lessons learned. PMID:29039770

Study sponsorship and the nutrition research agenda: analysis of randomized controlled trials included in systematic reviews of nutrition interventions to address obesity.

PubMed

Fabbri, Alice; Chartres, Nicholas; Scrinis, Gyorgy; Bero, Lisa A

2017-05-01

To categorize the research topics covered by a sample of randomized controlled trials (RCT) included in systematic reviews of nutrition interventions to address obesity; to describe their funding sources; and to explore the association between funding sources and nutrition research topics. Cross-sectional study. RCT included in Cochrane Reviews of nutrition interventions to address obesity and/or overweight. Two hundred and thirteen RCT from seventeen Cochrane Reviews were included. Funding source and authors' conflicts of interest were disclosed in 82·6 and 29·6 % of the studies, respectively. RCT were more likely to test an intervention to manipulate nutrients in the context of reduced energy intake (44·2 % of studies) than food-level (11·3 %) and dietary pattern-level (0·9 %) interventions. Most of the food industry-sponsored studies focused on interventions involving manipulations of specific nutrients (66·7 %). Only 33·1 % of the industry-funded studies addressed dietary behaviours compared with 66·9 % of the non-industry-funded ones (P=0·002). The level of food processing was poorly considered across all funding sources. The predominance of RCT examining nutrient-specific questions could limit the public health relevance of rigorous evidence available for systematic reviews and dietary guidelines.

Structure and binding energy of the H2S dimer at the CCSD(T) complete basis set limit.

PubMed

Lemke, Kono H

2017-06-21

This study presents results for the binding energy and geometry of the H 2 S dimer which have been computed using Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2, MP4) and coupled cluster (CCSD, CCSD(T)) calculations with basis sets up to aug-cc-pV5Z. Estimates of D e , E ZPE , D o , and dimer geometry have been obtained at each level of theory by taking advantage of the systematic convergence behavior toward the complete basis set (CBS) limit. The CBS limit binding energy values of D e are 1.91 (MP2), 1.75 (MP4), 1.41 (CCSD), and 1.69 kcal/mol (CCSD[T]). The most accurate values for the equilibrium S-S distance r SS (without counterpoise correction) are 4.080 (MP2/aug-cc-pV5Z), 4.131 (MP4/aug-cc-pVQZ), 4.225 (CCSD/aug-cc-pVQZ), and 4.146 Å (CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ). This study also evaluates the effect of counterpoise correction on the H 2 S dimer geometry and binding energy. As regards the structure of (H 2 S) 2 , MPn, CCSD, and CCSD(T) level values of r SS , obtained by performing geometry optimizations on the counterpoise-corrected potential energy surface, converge systematically to CBS limit values of 4.099 (MP2), 4.146 (MP4), 4.233 (CCSD), and 4.167 Å (CCSD(T)). The corresponding CBS limit values of the equilibrium binding energy D e are 1.88 (MP2), 1.76 (MP4), 1.41 (CCSD), and 1.69 kcal/mol (CCSD(T)), the latter in excellent agreement with the measured binding energy value of 1.68 ± 0.02 kcal/mol reported by Ciaffoni et al. [Appl. Phys. B 92, 627 (2008)]. Combining CBS electronic binding energies D e with E ZPE predicted by CCSD(T) vibrational second-order perturbation theory calculations yields D o = 1.08 kcal/mol, which is around 0.6 kcal/mol smaller than the measured value of 1.7 ± 0.3 kcal/mol. Overall, the results presented here demonstrate that the application of high level calculations, in particular CCSD(T), in combination with augmented correlation consistent basis sets provides valuable insight into the structure and energetics of the hydrogen sulfide dimer.

Structure and binding energy of the H2S dimer at the CCSD(T) complete basis set limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemke, Kono H.

2017-06-01

This study presents results for the binding energy and geometry of the H2S dimer which have been computed using Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2, MP4) and coupled cluster (CCSD, CCSD(T)) calculations with basis sets up to aug-cc-pV5Z. Estimates of De, EZPE, Do, and dimer geometry have been obtained at each level of theory by taking advantage of the systematic convergence behavior toward the complete basis set (CBS) limit. The CBS limit binding energy values of De are 1.91 (MP2), 1.75 (MP4), 1.41 (CCSD), and 1.69 kcal/mol (CCSD[T]). The most accurate values for the equilibrium S-S distance rSS (without counterpoise correction) are 4.080 (MP2/aug-cc-pV5Z), 4.131 (MP4/aug-cc-pVQZ), 4.225 (CCSD/aug-cc-pVQZ), and 4.146 Å (CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ). This study also evaluates the effect of counterpoise correction on the H2S dimer geometry and binding energy. As regards the structure of (H2S)2, MPn, CCSD, and CCSD(T) level values of rSS, obtained by performing geometry optimizations on the counterpoise-corrected potential energy surface, converge systematically to CBS limit values of 4.099 (MP2), 4.146 (MP4), 4.233 (CCSD), and 4.167 Å (CCSD(T)). The corresponding CBS limit values of the equilibrium binding energy De are 1.88 (MP2), 1.76 (MP4), 1.41 (CCSD), and 1.69 kcal/mol (CCSD(T)), the latter in excellent agreement with the measured binding energy value of 1.68 ± 0.02 kcal/mol reported by Ciaffoni et al. [Appl. Phys. B 92, 627 (2008)]. Combining CBS electronic binding energies De with EZPE predicted by CCSD(T) vibrational second-order perturbation theory calculations yields Do = 1.08 kcal/mol, which is around 0.6 kcal/mol smaller than the measured value of 1.7 ± 0.3 kcal/mol. Overall, the results presented here demonstrate that the application of high level calculations, in particular CCSD(T), in combination with augmented correlation consistent basis sets provides valuable insight into the structure and energetics of the hydrogen sulfide dimer.

Multi-quasiparticle excitations in145Tb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yong; Zhou, Xiaohong; Zhang, Yuhu; Liu, Minliang; Guo, Yingxiang; Lei, Xiangguo; Hayakawa, T.; Oshima, M.; Toh, T.; Shizuma, T.; Katakura, J.; Hatsukawa, Y.; Matsuda, M.; Kusakari, H.; Sugawara, M.

2004-09-01

High-spin states in145Tb have been populated using the118Sn (32S, 1p4n) reaction at beam energy of 165 MeV. The level scheme of145Tb has been established up to Ex≈7.4 MeV. The level scheme shows characteristics of a spherical or slightly oblate nucleus. Based on the systematic trends of the level structure in the neighboring N=80 isotones, the level structure in145Tb below 2 MeV excitation is well eplained by coupling an h 11/2 valence proton to the even-even144Gd core. Above 2 MeV excitation, most of the yrast levels are interpreted with multi-quasiparticle shell-model configurations.

Obstructive sleep apnea and energy balance regulation: A systematic review.

PubMed

Shechter, Ari

2017-08-01

Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have a reciprocal relationship. Sleep disruptions characteristic of OSA may promote behavioral, metabolic, and/or hormonal changes favoring weight gain and/or difficulty losing weight. The regulation of energy balance (EB), i.e., the relationship between energy intake (EI) and energy expenditure (EE), is complex and multi-factorial, involving food intake, hormonal regulation of hunger/satiety/appetite, and EE via metabolism and physical activity (PA). The current systematic review describes the literature on how OSA affects EB-related parameters. OSA is associated with a hormonal profile characterized by abnormally high leptin and ghrelin levels, which may encourage excess EI. Data on actual measures of food intake are lacking, and not sufficient to make conclusions. Resting metabolic rate appears elevated in OSA vs. Findings on PA are inconsistent, but may indicate a negative relationship with OSA severity that is modulated by daytime sleepiness and body weight. A speculative explanation for the positive EB in OSA is that the increased EE via metabolism induces an overcompensation in the drive for hunger/food intake, which is larger in magnitude than the rise in EI required to re-establish EB. Understanding how OSA affects EB-related parameters can help improve weight loss efforts in these patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Control of retinal isomerization in bacteriorhodopsin in the high-intensity regime

PubMed Central

Florean, Andrei C.; Cardoza, David; White, James L.; Lanyi, J. K.; Sension, Roseanne J.; Bucksbaum, Philip H.

2009-01-01

A learning algorithm was used to manipulate optical pulse shapes and optimize retinal isomerization in bacteriorhodopsin, for excitation levels up to 1.8 × 1016 photons per square centimeter. Below 1/3 the maximum excitation level, the yield was not sensitive to pulse shape. Above this level the learning algorithm found that a Fourier-transform-limited (TL) pulse maximized the 13-cis population. For this optimal pulse the yield increases linearly with intensity well beyond the saturation of the first excited state. To understand these results we performed systematic searches varying the chirp and energy of the pump pulses while monitoring the isomerization yield. The results are interpreted including the influence of 1-photon and multiphoton transitions. The population dynamics in each intermediate conformation and the final branching ratio between the all-trans and 13-cis isomers are modified by changes in the pulse energy and duration. PMID:19564608

Interface Structure of MoO3 on Organic Semiconductors

PubMed Central

White, Robin T.; Thibau, Emmanuel S.; Lu, Zheng-Hong

2016-01-01

We have systematically studied interface structure formed by vapor-phase deposition of typical transition metal oxide MoO3 on organic semiconductors. Eight organic hole transport materials have been used in this study. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to measure the evolution of the physical, chemical and electronic structure of the interfaces at various stages of MoO3 deposition on these organic semiconductor surfaces. For the interface physical structure, it is found that MoO3 diffuses into the underlying organic layer, exhibiting a trend of increasing diffusion with decreasing molecular molar mass. For the interface chemical structure, new carbon and molybdenum core-level states are observed, as a result of interfacial electron transfer from organic semiconductor to MoO3. For the interface electronic structure, energy level alignment is observed in agreement with the universal energy level alignment rule of molecules on metal oxides, despite deposition order inversion. PMID:26880185

Stretched proton-neutron configurations in fp-shell nuclei (II). Systematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Neumann-Cosel, P.; Fister, U.; Jahn, R.; Schenk, P.; Trelle, T. K.; Wenzel, D.; Wienands, U.

1994-03-01

The systematics of the binding energies of stretched proton-neutron configurations ( f{7}/{2}, g{9}/{2}) 8 -, ( p{3}/{2}, g{9}/{2}) 6 -, ( g{9}/{2}, p{3}/{2}) 6- and ( g{9}/{2}) 29 + are studied over a wide range of f p-shell nuclei. The effective proton-neutron interaction energies deduced from the data are nearly constant for ( p{3}/{2}, g{9}/{2}) 6 -and ( g{9}/{2}) 29 + states while the ( f{7}/{2}, g{9}/{2}) 8 - configuration reveals an additional repulsive term proportional to the partial filling of the f{7}/{2} orbit in the target ground state. Two-body matrix elements are extracted. A crude shell model, which predicts that the excitation energy of a stretched state is equal to the sum of the single-particle energies, works well for the 6 - and 9 + states, but fails for the 8 - levels due to neglect of the additional interactions described above. The physics underlying the empirically introduced basic assumptions of the crude shell model is discussed. The binding energies are found to be linearly dependent on the mass number A and the isospin Tz component and are well described by the weak-coupling model of Bansal and French. The derived parameters agree with averaged values of a similar analysis for the single-particle states in the corresponding odd-even neighbours. The data indicate a significant change of the particle-hole energies with closure of the proton f{7}/{2} shell.

Clinically Relevant Outcome Measures Following Limb Osseointegration; Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Al Muderis, Munjed M; Lu, William Y; Li, Jiao Jiao; Kaufman, Kenton; Orendurff, Michael; Highsmith, M Jason; Lunseth, Paul A; Kahle, Jason T

2018-02-01

The current standard of care for an amputee is a socket-based prostheses. An osseointegrated implant (OI) is an alternative for prosthetic attachment. Osseointegration addresses reported problems related to wearing a socket interface, such as skin issues, discomfort, diminished function, quality of life, prosthetic use, and abandonment. The purpose of this report is to systematically review current literature regarding OI to identify and categorize the reported clinically relevant outcome measures, rate the quality of available evidence, and synthesize the findings. A multidisciplinary team used PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methods. Search methodology was based on identifying clinically relevant articles. Three databases were searched: PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Clinical studies with aggregated data reporting at least 1 clinically relevant outcome measure were included. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criterion was used for critical appraisal and recommendations. This review identified 21 clinically relevant observational studies. Outcome measures were categorized into the following 9 categories: vibratory stimulation, complications, biomechanics, economics, patient-reported outcome measures, electromyography, x-ray, physical functional performance, and energy consumption. This systematic review consisted of Level III and IV observational studies. Homogeneous outcome measures with strong psychometric properties across prospective studies do not exist to date. Higher-level, prospective, randomized, long-term, clinically relevant trials are needed to prove efficacy of OI compared with socket prosthetic attachment. Osseointegration was at least equivalent to sockets in most studies. In some cases, it was superior. Osseointegration represents a promising alternative to socket prosthetic attachments for extremity amputees. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Wide-Field Lensing Mass Maps from Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data

DOE PAGES

Chang, C.

2015-07-29

We present a mass map reconstructed from weak gravitational lensing shear measurements over 139 deg 2 from the Dark Energy Survey science verification data. The mass map probes both luminous and dark matter, thus providing a tool for studying cosmology. We also find good agreement between the mass map and the distribution of massive galaxy clusters identified using a red-sequence cluster finder. Potential candidates for superclusters and voids are identified using these maps. We measure the cross-correlation between the mass map and a magnitude-limited foreground galaxy sample and find a detection at the 6.8σ level with 20 arc min smoothing.more » These measurements are consistent with simulated galaxy catalogs based on N-body simulations from a cold dark matter model with a cosmological constant. This suggests low systematics uncertainties in the map. Finally, we summarize our key findings in this Letter; the detailed methodology and tests for systematics are presented in a companion paper.« less

Wide-Field Lensing Mass Maps from Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data.

PubMed

Chang, C; Vikram, V; Jain, B; Bacon, D; Amara, A; Becker, M R; Bernstein, G; Bonnett, C; Bridle, S; Brout, D; Busha, M; Frieman, J; Gaztanaga, E; Hartley, W; Jarvis, M; Kacprzak, T; Kovács, A; Lahav, O; Lin, H; Melchior, P; Peiris, H; Rozo, E; Rykoff, E; Sánchez, C; Sheldon, E; Troxel, M A; Wechsler, R; Zuntz, J; Abbott, T; Abdalla, F B; Allam, S; Annis, J; Bauer, A H; Benoit-Lévy, A; Brooks, D; Buckley-Geer, E; Burke, D L; Capozzi, D; Carnero Rosell, A; Carrasco Kind, M; Castander, F J; Crocce, M; D'Andrea, C B; Desai, S; Diehl, H T; Dietrich, J P; Doel, P; Eifler, T F; Evrard, A E; Fausti Neto, A; Flaugher, B; Fosalba, P; Gruen, D; Gruendl, R A; Gutierrez, G; Honscheid, K; James, D; Kent, S; Kuehn, K; Kuropatkin, N; Maia, M A G; March, M; Martini, P; Merritt, K W; Miller, C J; Miquel, R; Neilsen, E; Nichol, R C; Ogando, R; Plazas, A A; Romer, A K; Roodman, A; Sako, M; Sanchez, E; Sevilla, I; Smith, R C; Soares-Santos, M; Sobreira, F; Suchyta, E; Tarle, G; Thaler, J; Thomas, D; Tucker, D; Walker, A R

2015-07-31

We present a mass map reconstructed from weak gravitational lensing shear measurements over 139  deg2 from the Dark Energy Survey science verification data. The mass map probes both luminous and dark matter, thus providing a tool for studying cosmology. We find good agreement between the mass map and the distribution of massive galaxy clusters identified using a red-sequence cluster finder. Potential candidates for superclusters and voids are identified using these maps. We measure the cross-correlation between the mass map and a magnitude-limited foreground galaxy sample and find a detection at the 6.8σ level with 20 arc min smoothing. These measurements are consistent with simulated galaxy catalogs based on N-body simulations from a cold dark matter model with a cosmological constant. This suggests low systematics uncertainties in the map. We summarize our key findings in this Letter; the detailed methodology and tests for systematics are presented in a companion paper.

Study of nuclear structure of 76-86Sr isotopes in the pn interacting boson model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxena, M.; Gupta, J. B.; Mandal, S.

2015-08-01

The proton neutron interacting boson model (IBM-2) has been used to make a systematic study of Strontium isotopes in this mass region of A ˜ 80 with 38 ≤slant N ≤slant 48 and Z = 38. The three-term Talmi-Otsuka general Hamiltonian in the framework of the neutron proton version of the Interaction boson model was used to perform the calculations. The yrast levels energy are reproduced. The beta and gamma band energy levels also matched well. The reduced transition probabilities were also calculated and were found to be in agreement with the experimental values. In addition, g-factor for the {2}1+ state was evaluated. Possible candidates for mixed symmetry states were also predicted for several nuclei in this isotopic chain.

Energy levels, lifetimes and radiative data of W LV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Xiao-bin; Sun, Rui; Koike, Fumihiro; Murakami, Izumi; Kato, Daiji; Sakaue, Hiroyuki A.; Nakamura, Nobuyuki; Dong, Chen-zhong

2018-01-01

Calculations of energy levels, radiative data and lifetimes are reported for tungsten Ca-like ion (W LV) by using multi-configuration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) method. The GRASP2K package is adopted to carry out a large-scale systematic computation with a restricted active space treatment; the Breit interaction and QED effects are included in subsequent relativistic configuration interaction calculations. The energies and lifetimes of the lowest 119 levels are listed; the main leading configuration of the levels is of the ground state configuration [Ne]3s23p63d2 and the first excited configuration [Ne]3s23p53d3. The wavelengths, radiative rates and oscillator strengths for relatively strong E1, E2, M1, and M2 transitions are listed. Comparisons with earlier experimental and theoretical values are made. The average relative deviations of energy levels from the NIST results and E1 transition wavelengths from the EBIT experimental results have turned to be only 0.20% and 0.13%, respectively. The other present results are in reasonable agreement with available data. These agreements confirm the reliability and accuracy of the current results. The present datasets may help us with the investigation of the electron-electron correlation effects in complex multi-electron highly charged heavy ions and of the diagnosis of tungsten impurity plasmas in fusion science.

CALIBRATED ULTRA FAST IMAGE SIMULATIONS FOR THE DARK ENERGY SURVEY

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

Bruderer, Claudio; Chang, Chihway; Refregier, Alexandre

2016-01-20

Image simulations are becoming increasingly important in understanding the measurement process of the shapes of galaxies for weak lensing and the associated systematic effects. For this purpose we present the first implementation of the Monte Carlo Control Loops (MCCL), a coherent framework for studying systematic effects in weak lensing. It allows us to model and calibrate the shear measurement process using image simulations from the Ultra Fast Image Generator (UFig) and the image analysis software SExtractor. We apply this framework to a subset of the data taken during the Science Verification period (SV) of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). Wemore » calibrate the UFig simulations to be statistically consistent with one of the SV images, which covers ∼0.5 square degrees. We then perform tolerance analyses by perturbing six simulation parameters and study their impact on the shear measurement at the one-point level. This allows us to determine the relative importance of different parameters. For spatially constant systematic errors and point-spread function, the calibration of the simulation reaches the weak lensing precision needed for the DES SV survey area. Furthermore, we find a sensitivity of the shear measurement to the intrinsic ellipticity distribution, and an interplay between the magnitude-size and the pixel value diagnostics in constraining the noise model. This work is the first application of the MCCL framework to data and shows how it can be used to methodically study the impact of systematics on the cosmic shear measurement.« less

Efficacy and acceptability of very low energy diets in overweight and obese people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review with meta-analyses.

PubMed

Rehackova, L; Arnott, B; Araujo-Soares, V; Adamson, A A; Taylor, R; Sniehotta, F F

2016-05-01

To explore the efficacy and acceptability of very low energy diets in overweight or obese adults with Type 2 diabetes. Controlled trials and qualitative studies of individuals with Type 2 diabetes that compared very low energy diets with standard care, minimal interventions, other weight loss interventions, less intensive very low energy diet interventions and very low energy diets with additional components were eligible for inclusion. Meta-analyses of changes in weight, blood glucose levels and attrition rates were performed. Acceptability of very low energy diets was assessed by attrition rates, number and severity of side effects, and by qualitative evaluations of the interventions. Four randomized, five non-randomized controlled trials and no qualitative studies (21 references, 9 studies, 346 participants) were identified. Meta-analyses showed that very low energy diets induced greater weight losses than minimal interventions, standard care or low energy diets at 3 and 6 months. No conclusive evidence for differences in outcomes between very low energy diets and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery was found. Greater differences in energy prescription between intervention and comparator arms were associated with greater differences in weight loss and fasting blood glucose levels at 3 months. Attrition rates did not differ between the very low energy diets and the comparator arms at any measurement point. Very low energy diets are effective in substantial weight loss among people with Type 2 diabetes. Levels of adherence to very low energy diets in controlled studies appear to be high, although details about behaviour support provided are usually poorly described. © 2015 Diabetes UK.

Shockley-Read-Hall recombination in pre-filled and photo-filled intermediate band solar cells

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

Mayani, Maryam Gholami; Reenaas, Turid Worren, E-mail: turid.reenaas@ntnu.no

2014-08-18

In this work, we study how Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination via energy levels in the bandgap, caused by defects or impurities, affects the performance of both photo-filled and pre-filled intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs). For a pre-filled cell, the IB is half-filled in equilibrium, while it is empty for the photo-filled cell in equilibrium. The energy level, density, and capture cross-sections of the defects/impurities are varied systematically. We find that the photo-filled cells are, in general, less efficient than pre-filled cells, except when the defect level is between the conduction band and the IB. In that case, for a range ofmore » light intensities, the photo-filled cell performs better than the pre-filled. When the defect level is at the same energy as the IB, the efficiency is above 82% of the defect-free case, when less than 50% of the states at the IB lead to SRH recombination. This shows that even if SRH recombination via the IB takes place, high efficiencies can be achieved. We also show that band gap optimization can be used to reduce the SRH recombination.« less

High-temperature partition functions, specific heats and spectral radiative properties of diatomic molecules with an improved calculation of energy levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Z.; Zhao, J. M.; Liu, L. H.

2018-05-01

The level energies of diatomic molecules calculated by the frequently used Dunham expansion will become less accurate for high-lying vibrational and rotational levels. In this paper, the potential curves for the lower-lying electronic states with accurate spectroscopic constants are reconstructed using the Rydberg-Klein-Rees (RKR) method, which are extrapolated to the dissociation limits by fitting of the theoretical potentials, and the rest of the potential curves are obtained from the ab-initio results in the literature. Solving the rotational dependence of the radial Schrödinger equation over the obtained potential curves, we determine the rovibrational level energies, which are then used to calculate the equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamic properties of N2, N2+, NO, O2, CN, C2, CO and CO+. The partition functions and the specific heats are systematically validated by available data in the literature. Finally, we calculate the radiative source strengths of diatomic molecules in thermodynamic equilibrium, which agree well with the available values in the literature. The spectral radiative intensities for some diatomic molecules in thermodynamic non-equilibrium are calculated and validated by available experimental data.

THE SPECTRUM OF THORIUM FROM 250 nm TO 5500 nm: RITZ WAVELENGTHS AND OPTIMIZED ENERGY LEVELS

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

Redman, Stephen L.; Nave, Gillian; Sansonetti, Craig J.

2014-03-01

We have made precise observations of a thorium-argon hollow cathode lamp emission spectrum in the region between 350 nm and 1175 nm using a high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer. Our measurements are combined with results from seven previously published thorium line lists to re-optimize the energy levels of neutral, singly, and doubly ionized thorium (Th I, Th II, and Th III). Using the optimized level values, we calculate accurate Ritz wavelengths for 19, 874 thorium lines between 250 nm and 5500 nm (40, 000 cm{sup –1} to 1800 cm{sup –1}). We have also found 102 new thorium energy levels. A systematicmore » analysis of previous measurements in light of our new results allows us to identify and propose corrections for systematic errors in Palmer and Engleman and typographical errors and incorrect classifications in Kerber et al. We also found a large scatter with respect to the thorium line list of Lovis and Pepe. We anticipate that our Ritz wavelengths will lead to improved measurement accuracy for current and future spectrographs that make use of thorium-argon or thorium-neon lamps as calibration standards.« less

Shell-model states with seniority ν = 3 , 5, and 7 in odd- A neutron-rich Sn isotopes

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

Iskra, Ł. W.; Broda, R.; Janssens, R. V. F.

2016-01-01

Excited states with seniority ν=3, 5, and 7 have been investigated in odd neutron-rich Sn119,121,123,125 isotopes produced by fusion-fission of 6.9-MeV/ACa48 beams with Pb208 and U238 targets and by fission of a U238 target bombarded with 6.7-MeV/ANi64 beams. Level schemes have been established up to high spin and excitation energies in excess of 6 MeV, based on multifold gamma-ray coincidence relationships measured with the Gammasphere array. In the analysis, the presence of isomers was exploited to identify gamma rays and propose transition placements using prompt and delayed coincidence techniques. Gamma decays of the known 27/2- isomers were expanded by identifyingmore » new deexcitation paths feeding 23/2+ long-lived states and 21/2+ levels. Competing branches in the decay of 23/2- states toward two 19/2- levels were delineated as well. In Sn119, a new 23/2+ isomer was identified, while a similar 23/2+ long-lived state, proposed earlier in Sn121, has now been confirmed. In both cases, isomeric half-lives were determined with good precision. In the range of ν=3 excitations, the observed transitions linking the various states enabled one to propose with confidence spin-parity assignments for all the observed states. Above the 27/2- isomers, an elaborate structure of negative-parity levels was established reaching the (39/2-), ν=7 states, with tentative spin-parity assignments based on the observed deexcitation paths as well as on general yrast population arguments. In all the isotopes under investigation, strongly populated sequences of positive-parity (35/2+), (31/2+), and (27/2+) states were established, feeding the 23/2+ isomers via cascades of three transitions. In the Sn121,123 isotopes, these sequences also enabled the delineation of higher-lying levels, up to (43/2+) states. In Sn123, a short half-life was determined for the (35/2+) state. Shell-model calculations were carried out for all the odd Sn isotopes, from Sn129 down to Sn119, and the results were found to reproduce the experimental level energies rather well. Nevertheless, some systematic deviations between calculated and experimental energies, especially for positive-parity states, point to the need to improve some of the two-body interactions used in calculations. The computed wave-function amplitudes provide for a fairly transparent interpretation of the observed level structures. The systematics of level energies over the broad A = 117–129 range of Sn isotopes displays a smooth decrease with mass A, and the observed regularity confirms most of the proposed spin-parity assignments. The systematics of the B(E2) reduced transition probabilities extracted for the 23/2+ and 19/2+ isomers is discussed with an emphasis on the close similarity of the observed A dependence with that of the E2 transition rates established for other ν=2, 3, and 4 isomers in the Sn isotopic chain.« less

Modeling and Reduction With Applications to Semiconductor Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-01

smoothies ,” as they kept my energy level high without resorting to coffee (the beverage of choice, it seems, for graduate students). My advisor gave me all...with POC data, and balancing approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 xii LIST OF FIGURES 1.1 General state-space model reduction methodology ...reduction problem, then, is one of finding a systematic methodology within a given mathematical framework to produce an efficient or optimal trade-off of

High accuracy position response calibration method for a micro-channel plate ion detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, R.; Leredde, A.; Bagdasarova, Y.; Fléchard, X.; García, A.; Müller, P.; Knecht, A.; Liénard, E.; Kossin, M.; Sternberg, M. G.; Swanson, H. E.; Zumwalt, D. W.

2016-11-01

We have developed a position response calibration method for a micro-channel plate (MCP) detector with a delay-line anode position readout scheme. Using an in situ calibration mask, an accuracy of 8 μm and a resolution of 85 μm (FWHM) have been achieved for MeV-scale α particles and ions with energies of ∼10 keV. At this level of accuracy, the difference between the MCP position responses to high-energy α particles and low-energy ions is significant. The improved performance of the MCP detector can find applications in many fields of AMO and nuclear physics. In our case, it helps reducing systematic uncertainties in a high-precision nuclear β-decay experiment.

Identifying and analyzing methods for reducing the energy consumption of helicopters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, S. J.; Rosenstein, H. J.

1975-01-01

The results are presented of a study to identify those helicopter technology areas which would result in the largest energy (or fuel) savings when applied to large tandem (100 passenger) civil helicopters in the 1985 time frame. Baseline aircraft using 1975 technology in the areas of powerplant, rotor efficiency, parasite drag and structure were sized to a very short haul mission of 100 N.M. and a short haul mission of 200 N.M. A systematic parametric analysis was then conducted to assess the impact of technology improvements. Projections of the technology levels that could be obtained in the 1985 time frame were made and the resources estimated to achieve them. Based on these data, the highest payoff (lowest energy) helicopter technologies are identified.

Relativistic excited state binding energies and RMS radii of Λ-hypernuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nejad, S. Mohammad Moosavi; Armat, A.

2018-02-01

Using an analytical solution for the relativistic equation of single Λ-hypernuclei in the presence of Woods-Saxon (WS) potential we present, for the first time, an analytical form for the excited state binding energies of 1p, 1d, 1f and 1g shells of a number of hypernuclei. Based on phenomenological analysis of the Λ binding energies in a set of Λ-hypernuclei, the WS potential parameters are obtained phenomenologically for the set of Λ-hypernuclei. Systematic study of the energy levels of single Λ-hypernuclei enables us to extract more detailed information about the Λ-nucleon interaction. We also study the root mean square (RMS) radii of the Λ orbits in the hypernuclear ground states. Our results are presented for several hypernuclei and it is shown that our results for the binding energies are in good agreement with experimental data.

Blade size and weight effects in shovel design.

PubMed

Freivalds, A; Kim, Y J

1990-03-01

The shovel is a basic tool that has undergone only nominal systematic design changes. Although previous studies found shovel-weight and blade-size effects of shovelling, the exact trade-off between the two has not been quantified. Energy expenditure, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion and shovelling performance were measured on five subjects using five shovels with varying blade sizes and weights to move sand. Energy expenditure, normalised to subject weight and load handled, varied quadratically with the blade-size/shovel-weight (B/W) ratio. Minimum energy cost was at B/W = 0.0676 m2/kg, which for an average subject and average load would require an acceptable 5.16 kcal/min of energy expenditure. Subjects, through the ratings of perceived exertion, also strongly preferred the lighter shovels without regard to blade size. Too large a blade or too heavy a shovel increased energy expenditure beyond acceptable levels, while too small a blade reduced efficiency of the shovelling.

Energy Engineering Analysis Program (EEAP), Badger Army Ammunition Plant, Baraboo, Wisconsin: Executive summary. Final report

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

NONE

1983-12-30

The purpose of this study and report is to develop a systematic program of energy consumption reductions in compliance with the stated goals of the Army Facilities Energy Plan (AFEP). This report will: Develop a systematic plan of energy conservation opportunities (ECO`s) that will meet the objectives of the AFEP. Develop a coordinated facility-wide energy study. Prepare DD Form 1391 and Project Development Brochure (PDB`s) and required documentation for feasible projects. Include all practical energy conservation methods and determine economic feasibility in accordance with given guidelines. List and prioritize recommended projects.

Excitation energy shift and size difference of low-energy levels in p -shell Λ hypernuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanada-En'yo, Yoshiko

2018-02-01

Structures of low-lying 0 s -orbit Λ states in p -shell Λ hypernuclei (ZAΛ) are investigated by applying microscopic cluster models for nuclear structure and a single-channel folding potential model for a Λ particle. For A >10 systems, the size reduction of core nuclei is small, and the core polarization effect is regarded as a higher-order perturbation in the Λ binding. The present calculation qualitatively describes the systematic trend of experimental data for excitation energy change from Z-1A to ZAΛ, in A >10 systems. The energy change shows a clear correlation with the nuclear size difference between the ground and excited states. In Li7Λ and Be9Λ, the significant shrinkage of cluster structures occurs consistently with the prediction of other calculations.

Systematic trends in photonic reagent induced reactions in a homologous chemical family.

PubMed

Tibbetts, Katharine Moore; Xing, Xi; Rabitz, Herschel

2013-08-29

The growing use of ultrafast laser pulses to induce chemical reactions prompts consideration of these pulses as "photonic reagents" in analogy to chemical reagents. This work explores the prospect that photonic reagents may affect systematic trends in dissociative ionization reactions of a homologous family of halomethanes, much as systematic outcomes are often observed for reactions between homologous families of chemical reagents and chemical substrates. The experiments in this work with photonic reagents of varying pulse energy and linear spectral chirp reveal systematic correlations between observable ion yields and the following set of natural variables describing the substrate molecules: the ionization energy of the parent molecule, the appearance energy of each fragment ion, and the relative strength of carbon-halogen bonds in molecules containing two different halogens. The results suggest that reactions induced by photonic reagents exhibit systematic behavior analogous to that observed in reactions driven by chemical reagents, which provides a basis to consider empirical "rules" for predicting the outcomes of photonic reagent induced reactions.

Strategies toward High Performance Organic Photovoltaic Cell: Material and Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Bong Gi

The power conversion efficiency of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells has been rapidly improved during the last few years and currently reaches around 10 %. The performance is evenly governed by absorption, exciton diffusion, exciton dissociation, carrier transfer, and collection efficiencies. Establishing a better understanding of OPV device physics combined with the development of new materials for each executive step contributes to this dramatic improvement. This dissertation focuses mainly on material design and development to correlate the intrinsic properties of organic semiconductors and the OPV performance. The introductory Chapter 1 briefly reviews the motivation of OPV research, its working mechanism, and representative organic materials for OPV application. Chapter 2 discusses the modulation of conjugated polymer's (CP's) absorption behavior and an efficient semi-empirical approach to predict CP's energy levels from its constituent monomers' HOMO/LUMO values. A strong acceptor lowered both the HOMO and LUMO levels of the CP, but the LUMO dropped more rapidly which ultimately produced a narrowed band-gap in the electron donating/accepting alternating copolymer system. In addition, the energy level difference between the CP and the constituent monomers converged to a constant value, providing an energy level prediction tool. Chapter 3 illustrates the systematic investigation on the relationship between the molecular structure of an energy harvesting organic dye and the exciton dissociation efficiency. The study showed that the quantum yield decreased as the exciton binding energy increases, and dipole moment direction should be properly oriented in the dye framework in order to improve photo-current generation when used in a dye sensitized photovoltaic device. Chapter 4 demonstrates the ultrasonic-assisted self-assembly of CPs in solution, rapidly and efficiently. Ultrasonication combined with dipolar media accelerated CP's aggregation, and the effect of CP's aggregation on the enhancement of OPV performance by promoting photo-current generation and increasing carrier mobility was systematically investigated. The correlation between the chemical structure of a CP and it aggregation behavior is further described in Chapter 5. To promote CP aggregate, a planar chain conformation was advantageous and CP aggregation improved hole mobility in the OPV device. However, thermally induced CP aggregates caused strong charge recombination, resulting in open circuit voltage drop. In Chapter 6, a novel polymer design principle to enable directed CP alignment is discussed. Regulating chain planarity and preventing massive crystallization of CP achieved by the developed molecular design principle allowed directed CP alignment under small shear flow.

Three-dimensional potential energy surface of selected carbohydrates' CH/π dispersion interactions calculated by high-level quantum mechanical methods.

PubMed

Kozmon, Stanislav; Matuška, Radek; Spiwok, Vojtěch; Koča, Jaroslav

2011-05-09

In this study we present the first systematic computational three-dimensional scan of carbohydrate hydrophobic patches for the ability to interact through CH/π dispersion interactions. The carbohydrates β-d-glucopyranose, β-d-mannopyranose and α-l-fucopyranose were studied in a complex with a benzene molecule, which served as a model of the CH/π interaction in carbohydrate/protein complexes. The 3D relaxed scans were performed at the SCC-DFTB-D level with 3 757 grid points for both carbohydrate hydrophobic sides. The interaction energy of all grid points was recalculated at the DFT-D BP/def2-TZVPP level. The results obtained clearly show highly delimited and separated areas around each CH group, with an interaction energy up to -5.40 kcal mol(-1) . The results also show that with increasing H⋅⋅⋅π distance these delimited areas merge and form one larger region, which covers all hydrogen atoms on that specific carbohydrate side. Simultaneously, the interaction becomes weaker with an energy of -2.5 kcal mol(-1) . All local energy minima were optimized at the DFT-D BP/def2-TZVPP level and the interaction energies of these complexes were refined by use of the high-level ab initio computation at the CCSD(T)/CBS level. Results obtained from the optimization suggest that the CH group hydrogen atoms are not equivalent and the interaction energy at the CCSD(T)/CBS level range from -3.54 to -5.40 kcal mol(-1) . These results also reveal that the optimal H⋅⋅⋅π distance for the CH/π dispersion interaction is approximately (2.310±0.030) Å, and the angle defined as carbon-hydrogen-benzene geometrical centre is (180±30)°. These results reveal that whereas the dispersion interactions with the lowest interaction energies are quite strictly located in space, the slightly higher interaction energy regions adopt a much larger space. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Systematics of g factors of 2{sub 1}{sup +} states in even-even nuclei from Gd to Pt: A microscopic description by the projected shell model

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

Bian, Bao-An; Institute of Low Energy Nuclear Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875; Di, Yao-Min

2007-01-15

The systematics of g factor of the first excited 2{sup +} state vs neutron number N is studied by the projected shell model. The study covers the even-even nuclei of all isotopic chains from Gd to Pt. g factors are calculated by using the many-body wave functions that well reproduce the energy levels and B(E2)s of the ground-state bands. For Gd to W isotopes the characteristic feature of the g factor data along an isotopic chain is described by the present model. Deficiency of the model in the g factor description for the heavier Os and Pt isotopes is discussed.

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

Schultz, Peter A.

For the purposes of making reliable first-principles predictions of defect energies in semiconductors, it is crucial to distinguish between effective-mass-like defects, which cannot be treated accurately with existing supercell methods, and deep defects, for which density functional theory calculations can yield reliable predictions of defect energy levels. The gallium antisite defect GaAs is often associated with the 78/203 meV shallow double acceptor in Ga-rich gallium arsenide. Within a conceptual framework of level patterns, analyses of structure and spin stabilization can be used within a supercell approach to distinguish localized deep defect states from shallow acceptors such as B As. Thismore » systematic approach determines that the gallium antisite supercell results has signatures inconsistent with an effective mass state and cannot be the 78/203 shallow double acceptor. Lastly, the properties of the Ga antisite in GaAs are described, total energy calculations that explicitly map onto asymptotic discrete localized bulk states predict that the Ga antisite is a deep double acceptor and has at least one deep donor state.« less

Observation of the spin-polarized surface state in a noncentrosymmetric superconductor BiPd

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

Neupane, Madhab; Alidoust, Nasser; Hosen, M. Mofazzel

Recently, noncentrosymmetric superconductor BiPd has attracted considerable research interest due to the possibility of hosting topological superconductivity. Here in this paper we report a systematic high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and spin-resolved ARPES study of the normal state electronic and spin properties of BiPd. Our experimental results show the presence of a surface state at higher-binding energy with the location of Dirac point at around 700 meV below the Fermi level. The detailed photon energy, temperature-dependent and spin-resolved ARPES measurements complemented by our first-principles calculations demonstrate the existence of the spin-polarized surface states at high-binding energy. The absence of suchmore » spin-polarized surface states near the Fermi level negates the possibility of a topological superconducting behaviour on the surface. Our direct experimental observation of spin-polarized surface states in BiPd provides critical information that will guide the future search for topological superconductivity in noncentrosymmetric materials.« less

Observation of the spin-polarized surface state in a noncentrosymmetric superconductor BiPd

DOE PAGES

Neupane, Madhab; Alidoust, Nasser; Hosen, M. Mofazzel; ...

2016-11-07

Recently, noncentrosymmetric superconductor BiPd has attracted considerable research interest due to the possibility of hosting topological superconductivity. Here in this paper we report a systematic high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and spin-resolved ARPES study of the normal state electronic and spin properties of BiPd. Our experimental results show the presence of a surface state at higher-binding energy with the location of Dirac point at around 700 meV below the Fermi level. The detailed photon energy, temperature-dependent and spin-resolved ARPES measurements complemented by our first-principles calculations demonstrate the existence of the spin-polarized surface states at high-binding energy. The absence of suchmore » spin-polarized surface states near the Fermi level negates the possibility of a topological superconducting behaviour on the surface. Our direct experimental observation of spin-polarized surface states in BiPd provides critical information that will guide the future search for topological superconductivity in noncentrosymmetric materials.« less

Depth of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Ray Induced Air Shower Maxima Measured by the Telescope Array Black Rock and Long Ridge FADC Fluorescence Detectors and Surface Array in Hybrid Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, R. U.; Abe, M.; Abu-Zayyad, T.; Allen, M.; Azuma, R.; Barcikowski, E.; Belz, J. W.; Bergman, D. R.; Blake, S. A.; Cady, R.; Cheon, B. G.; Chiba, J.; Chikawa, M.; di Matteo, A.; Fujii, T.; Fujita, K.; Fukushima, M.; Furlich, G.; Goto, T.; Hanlon, W.; Hayashi, M.; Hayashi, Y.; Hayashida, N.; Hibino, K.; Honda, K.; Ikeda, D.; Inoue, N.; Ishii, T.; Ishimori, R.; Ito, H.; Ivanov, D.; Jeong, H. M.; Jeong, S. M.; Jui, C. C. H.; Kadota, K.; Kakimoto, F.; Kalashev, O.; Kasahara, K.; Kawai, H.; Kawakami, S.; Kawana, S.; Kawata, K.; Kido, E.; Kim, H. B.; Kim, J. H.; Kim, J. H.; Kishigami, S.; Kitamura, S.; Kitamura, Y.; Kuzmin, V.; Kuznetsov, M.; Kwon, Y. J.; Lee, K. H.; Lubsandorzhiev, B.; Lundquist, J. P.; Machida, K.; Martens, K.; Matsuyama, T.; Matthews, J. N.; Mayta, R.; Minamino, M.; Mukai, K.; Myers, I.; Nagasawa, K.; Nagataki, S.; Nakamura, R.; Nakamura, T.; Nonaka, T.; Oda, H.; Ogio, S.; Ogura, J.; Ohnishi, M.; Ohoka, H.; Okuda, T.; Omura, Y.; Ono, M.; Onogi, R.; Oshima, A.; Ozawa, S.; Park, I. H.; Pshirkov, M. S.; Rodriguez, D. C.; Rubtsov, G.; Ryu, D.; Sagawa, H.; Sahara, R.; Saito, K.; Saito, Y.; Sakaki, N.; Sakurai, N.; Scott, L. M.; Seki, T.; Sekino, K.; Shah, P. D.; Shibata, F.; Shibata, T.; Shimodaira, H.; Shin, B. K.; Shin, H. S.; Smith, J. D.; Sokolsky, P.; Stokes, B. T.; Stratton, S. R.; Stroman, T. A.; Suzawa, T.; Takagi, Y.; Takahashi, Y.; Takamura, M.; Takeda, M.; Takeishi, R.; Taketa, A.; Takita, M.; Tameda, Y.; Tanaka, H.; Tanaka, K.; Tanaka, M.; Thomas, S. B.; Thomson, G. B.; Tinyakov, P.; Tkachev, I.; Tokuno, H.; Tomida, T.; Troitsky, S.; Tsunesada, Y.; Tsutsumi, K.; Uchihori, Y.; Udo, S.; Urban, F.; Wong, T.; Yamamoto, M.; Yamane, R.; Yamaoka, H.; Yamazaki, K.; Yang, J.; Yashiro, K.; Yoneda, Y.; Yoshida, S.; Yoshii, H.; Zhezher, Y.; Zundel, Z.; Telescope Array Collaboration

2018-05-01

The Telescope Array (TA) observatory utilizes fluorescence detectors and surface detectors (SDs) to observe air showers produced by ultra high energy cosmic rays in Earth’s atmosphere. Cosmic-ray events observed in this way are termed hybrid data. The depth of air shower maximum is related to the mass of the primary particle that generates the shower. This paper reports on shower maxima data collected over 8.5 yr using the Black Rock Mesa and Long Ridge fluorescence detectors in conjunction with the array of SDs. We compare the means and standard deviations of the observed {X}\\max distributions with Monte Carlo {X}\\max distributions of unmixed protons, helium, nitrogen, and iron, all generated using the QGSJet II-04 hadronic model. We also perform an unbinned maximum likelihood test of the observed data, which is subjected to variable systematic shifting of the data {X}\\max distributions to allow us to test the full distributions, and compare them to the Monte Carlo to see which elements are not compatible with the observed data. For all energy bins, QGSJet II-04 protons are found to be compatible with TA hybrid data at the 95% confidence level after some systematic {X}\\max shifting of the data. Three other QGSJet II-04 elements are found to be compatible using the same test procedure in an energy range limited to the highest energies where data statistics are sparse.

The Association of Birth Weight and Infant Growth with Energy Balance-Related Behavior – A Systematic Review and Best-Evidence Synthesis of Human Studies

PubMed Central

Chinapaw, Mai J. M.; Jansma, Elise P.; Vrijkotte, Tanja G. M.; Gemke, Reinoud J. B. J.

2017-01-01

Background Suboptimal prenatal and early postnatal growths are associated with obesity in later life, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature that reports on the longitudinal association of (i) birth size or (ii) infant growth with later (i) energy intake, (ii) eating behaviors, (iii) physical activity or (iv) sedentary behavior in humans. Methods A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and The Cochrane Library was conducted to identify relevant publications. We appraised the methodological quality of the studies and synthesized the extracted data through a best-evidence synthesis. Results Data from 41 publications were included. The quality of the studies was high in three papers, moderate in 11 and low in the large majority (n = 27) of papers appraised. Our best-evidence synthesis indicates that there is no evidence for an association of birth weight with later energy intake, eating behavior, physical activity or sedentary behavior. We found moderate evidence for an association of extreme birth weights (at both ends of the spectrum) with lower physical activity levels at a later age. Evidence for the association of infant growth with energy balance-related behavior was generally insufficient. Conclusions We conclude that current evidence does not support an association of early-life growth with energy balance-related behaviors in later life, except for an association of extreme birth weights with later physical activity. PMID:28081150

Restoration of energy level in the early phase of acute pediatric pancreatitis.

PubMed

Mosztbacher, Dóra; Farkas, Nelli; Solymár, Margit; Pár, Gabriella; Bajor, Judit; Szűcs, Ákos; Czimmer, József; Márta, Katalin; Mikó, Alexandra; Rumbus, Zoltán; Varjú, Péter; Hegyi, Péter; Párniczky, Andrea

2017-02-14

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a serious inflammatory disease with rising incidence both in the adult and pediatric populations. It has been shown that mitochondrial injury and energy depletion are the earliest intracellular events in the early phase of AP. Moreover, it has been revealed that restoration of intracellular ATP level restores cellular functions and defends the cells from death. We have recently shown in a systematic review and meta-analysis that early enteral feeding is beneficial in adults; however, no reviews are available concerning the effect of early enteral feeding in pediatric AP. In this minireview, our aim was to systematically analyse the literature on the treatment of acute pediatric pancreatitis. The preferred reporting items for systematic review (PRISMA-P) were followed, and the question was drafted based on participants, intervention, comparison and outcomes: P: patients under the age of twenty-one suffering from acute pancreatitis; I: early enteral nutrition (per os and nasogastric- or nasojejunal tube started within 48 h); C: nil per os therapy; O: length of hospitalization, need for treatment at an intensive care unit, development of severe AP, lung injury (including lung oedema and pleural effusion), white blood cell count and pain score on admission. Altogether, 632 articles (PubMed: 131; EMBASE: 501) were found. After detailed screening of eligible papers, five of them met inclusion criteria. Only retrospective clinical trials were available. Due to insufficient information from the authors, it was only possible to address length of hospitalization as an outcome of the study. Our mini-meta-analysis showed that early enteral nutrition significantly (SD = 0.806, P = 0.034) decreases length of hospitalization compared with nil per os diet in acute pediatric pancreatitis. In this minireview, we clearly show that early enteral nutrition, started within 24-48 h, is beneficial in acute pediatric pancreatitis. Prospective studies and better presentation of research are crucially needed to achieve a higher level of evidence.

Restoration of energy level in the early phase of acute pediatric pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Mosztbacher, Dóra; Farkas, Nelli; Solymár, Margit; Pár, Gabriella; Bajor, Judit; Szűcs, Ákos; Czimmer, József; Márta, Katalin; Mikó, Alexandra; Rumbus, Zoltán; Varjú, Péter; Hegyi, Péter; Párniczky, Andrea

2017-01-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a serious inflammatory disease with rising incidence both in the adult and pediatric populations. It has been shown that mitochondrial injury and energy depletion are the earliest intracellular events in the early phase of AP. Moreover, it has been revealed that restoration of intracellular ATP level restores cellular functions and defends the cells from death. We have recently shown in a systematic review and meta-analysis that early enteral feeding is beneficial in adults; however, no reviews are available concerning the effect of early enteral feeding in pediatric AP. In this minireview, our aim was to systematically analyse the literature on the treatment of acute pediatric pancreatitis. The preferred reporting items for systematic review (PRISMA-P) were followed, and the question was drafted based on participants, intervention, comparison and outcomes: P: patients under the age of twenty-one suffering from acute pancreatitis; I: early enteral nutrition (per os and nasogastric- or nasojejunal tube started within 48 h); C: nil per os therapy; O: length of hospitalization, need for treatment at an intensive care unit, development of severe AP, lung injury (including lung oedema and pleural effusion), white blood cell count and pain score on admission. Altogether, 632 articles (PubMed: 131; EMBASE: 501) were found. After detailed screening of eligible papers, five of them met inclusion criteria. Only retrospective clinical trials were available. Due to insufficient information from the authors, it was only possible to address length of hospitalization as an outcome of the study. Our mini-meta-analysis showed that early enteral nutrition significantly (SD = 0.806, P = 0.034) decreases length of hospitalization compared with nil per os diet in acute pediatric pancreatitis. In this minireview, we clearly show that early enteral nutrition, started within 24-48 h, is beneficial in acute pediatric pancreatitis. Prospective studies and better presentation of research are crucially needed to achieve a higher level of evidence. PMID:28246469

Prediction of core level binding energies in density functional theory: Rigorous definition of initial and final state contributions and implications on the physical meaning of Kohn-Sham energies.

PubMed

Pueyo Bellafont, Noèlia; Bagus, Paul S; Illas, Francesc

2015-06-07

A systematic study of the N(1s) core level binding energies (BE's) in a broad series of molecules is presented employing Hartree-Fock (HF) and the B3LYP, PBE0, and LC-BPBE density functional theory (DFT) based methods with a near HF basis set. The results show that all these methods give reasonably accurate BE's with B3LYP being slightly better than HF but with both PBE0 and LCBPBE being poorer than HF. A rigorous and general decomposition of core level binding energy values into initial and final state contributions to the BE's is proposed that can be used within either HF or DFT methods. The results show that Koopmans' theorem does not hold for the Kohn-Sham eigenvalues. Consequently, Kohn-Sham orbital energies of core orbitals do not provide estimates of the initial state contribution to core level BE's; hence, they cannot be used to decompose initial and final state contributions to BE's. However, when the initial state contribution to DFT BE's is properly defined, the decompositions of initial and final state contributions given by DFT, with several different functionals, are very similar to those obtained with HF. Furthermore, it is shown that the differences of Kohn-Sham orbital energies taken with respect to a common reference do follow the trend of the properly calculated initial state contributions. These conclusions are especially important for condensed phase systems where our results validate the use of band structure calculations to determine initial state contributions to BE shifts.

Hydration of Atmospheric Molecular Clusters: Systematic Configurational Sampling.

PubMed

Kildgaard, Jens; Mikkelsen, Kurt V; Bilde, Merete; Elm, Jonas

2018-05-09

We present a new systematic configurational sampling algorithm for investigating the potential energy surface of hydrated atmospheric molecular clusters. The algo- rithm is based on creating a Fibonacci sphere around each atom in the cluster and adding water molecules to each point in 9 different orientations. To allow the sam- pling of water molecules to existing hydrogen bonds, the cluster is displaced along the hydrogen bond and a water molecule is placed in between in three different ori- entations. Generated redundant structures are eliminated based on minimizing the root mean square distance (RMSD) of different conformers. Initially, the clusters are sampled using the semiempirical PM6 method and subsequently using density func- tional theory (M06-2X and ωB97X-D) with the 6-31++G(d,p) basis set. Applying the developed algorithm we study the hydration of sulfuric acid with up to 15 water molecules. We find that the additions of the first four water molecules "saturate" the sulfuric acid molecule and are more thermodynamically favourable than the addition of water molecule 5-15. Using the large generated set of conformers, we assess the performance of approximate methods (ωB97X-D, M06-2X, PW91 and PW6B95-D3) in calculating the binding energies and assigning the global minimum conformation compared to high level CCSD(T)-F12a/VDZ-F12 reference calculations. The tested DFT functionals systematically overestimates the binding energies compared to cou- pled cluster calculations, and we find that this deficiency can be corrected by a simple scaling factor.

Need for Systematic Retrofit Analysis in Multifamily Buildings

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

Malhotra, Mini; Im, Piljae

2014-01-01

Multifamily housing offers high potential for energy savings through retrofits. A comprehensive energy audit with systematic evaluation of alternative energy measures is one of the key steps to realizing the full energy savings potential. However, this potential often remains unrealized when the selection of measures is (1) based on a one-size-fits-all approach originating from accustomed practices, (2) intended merely to meet code-compliance requirements, and/or (3) influenced by owner renter split incentive. In such cases, the benefits of comprehensive energy auditing are disregarded in view of the apparent difficulty in diagnosing multifamily buildings, evaluating alternative measures, and installing customized sets ofmore » measures. This paper highlights some of the barriers encountered in a multifamily housing retrofit project in Georgia and demonstrates the merits of systematic retrofit analysis by identifying opportunities for higher energy savings and improved comfort and indoor air quality that were missed in this project. The study uses a whole-building energy analysis conducted for a 10-unit, low-rise, multifamily building of a 110-unit apartment complex. The analysis projected a 24% energy savings from the measures installed in the building with a payback period of 10 years. Further analysis with a systematic evaluation of alternative measures showed that without compromising on the objectives of durability, livability, and appearance of the building, energy savings of up to 34% were achievable with a payback period of 7 years. The paper concludes by outlining recommendations that may benefit future retrofit projects by improving the audit process, streamlining tasks, and achieving higher energy savings.« less

Sugars and Dental Caries: Evidence for Setting a Recommended Threshold for Intake123

PubMed Central

Moynihan, Paula

2016-01-01

Dental caries affects ≤80% of the world’s population with almost a quarter of US adults having untreated caries. Dental caries is costly to health care and negatively affects well-being. Dietary free sugars are the most important risk factor for dental caries. The WHO has issued guidelines that recommend intake of free sugars should provide ≤10% of energy intake and suggest further reductions to <5% of energy to protect dental health throughout life. These recommendations were informed by a systematic review of the evidence pertaining to amount of sugars and dental caries risk, which showed evidence of moderate quality from cohort studies that limiting free sugars to ≤10% of energy reduced, but did not eliminate, dental caries. Even low levels of dental caries in children are of concern because caries is a lifelong progressive and cumulative disease. The systematic review therefore explored if there were further benefits to dental health if the intake of free sugars was limited to <5% of energy. Available data were from ecologic studies and, although classified as being of low quality, showed lower dental caries when free sugar intake was <5% of energy compared with when it was >5% but ≤10% of energy. The WHO recommendations are intended for use by policy makers as a benchmark when assessing intake of sugars by populations and as a driving force for policy change. Multiple strategies encompassing both upstream and downstream preventive approaches are now required to translate the recommendations into policy and practice. PMID:26773022

Sugars and Dental Caries: Evidence for Setting a Recommended Threshold for Intake.

PubMed

Moynihan, Paula

2016-01-01

Dental caries affects ≤80% of the world's population with almost a quarter of US adults having untreated caries. Dental caries is costly to health care and negatively affects well-being. Dietary free sugars are the most important risk factor for dental caries. The WHO has issued guidelines that recommend intake of free sugars should provide ≤10% of energy intake and suggest further reductions to <5% of energy to protect dental health throughout life. These recommendations were informed by a systematic review of the evidence pertaining to amount of sugars and dental caries risk, which showed evidence of moderate quality from cohort studies that limiting free sugars to ≤10% of energy reduced, but did not eliminate, dental caries. Even low levels of dental caries in children are of concern because caries is a lifelong progressive and cumulative disease. The systematic review therefore explored if there were further benefits to dental health if the intake of free sugars was limited to <5% of energy. Available data were from ecologic studies and, although classified as being of low quality, showed lower dental caries when free sugar intake was <5% of energy compared with when it was >5% but ≤10% of energy. The WHO recommendations are intended for use by policy makers as a benchmark when assessing intake of sugars by populations and as a driving force for policy change. Multiple strategies encompassing both upstream and downstream preventive approaches are now required to translate the recommendations into policy and practice. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Accurate prediction of bond dissociation energies of large n-alkanes using ONIOM-CCSD(T)/CBS methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Junjun; Ning, Hongbo; Ma, Liuhao; Ren, Wei

2018-05-01

Accurate determination of the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of large alkanes is desirable but practically impossible due to the expensive cost of high-level ab initio methods. We developed a two-layer ONIOM-CCSD(T)/CBS method which treats the high layer with CCSD(T) method and the low layer with DFT method, respectively. The accuracy of this method was validated by comparing the calculated BDEs of n-hexane with that obtained at the CCSD(T)-F12b/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. On this basis, the C-C BDEs of C6-C20 n-alkanes were calculated systematically using the ONIOM [CCSD(T)/CBS(D-T):M06-2x/6-311++G(d,p)] method, showing a good agreement with the data available in the literature.

Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 21

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

Firestone, R.B.

2015-07-15

This evaluation of A = 21 has been updated from previous evaluations published in 2004Fi10, 1998En04, 1990En08, and 1978En02. Coverage includes properties of adopted levels and γ-rays, decay-scheme data (energies, intensities and placement of radiations), and cross reference entries. The following tables continue the tradition of showing the systematic relationships between levels in A = 21. Much of the new data in this evaluations were taken directly from the xundl database, compiled under the direction of Balraj Singh, McMaster University. The evaluator is particularly appreciative of the efforts of the xundl compilers.

Energy Levels, Lifetimes, and Transition Rates for P-like Ions from Cr X to Zn XVI from Large-scale Relativistic Multiconfiguration Calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, K.; Jönsson, P.; Gaigalas, G.; Radžiūtė, L.; Rynkun, P.; Del Zanna, G.; Chen, C. Y.

2018-04-01

The fully relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock method is used to compute excitation energies and lifetimes for the 143 lowest states of the 3{s}23{p}3, 3s3p 4, 3{s}23{p}23d, 3s3p 33d, 3p 5, 3{s}23p3{d}2 configurations in P-like ions from Cr X to Zn XVI. Multipole (E1, M1, E2, M2) transition rates, line strengths, oscillator strengths, and branching fractions among these states are also given. Valence–valence and core–valence electron correlation effects are systematically accounted for using large basis function expansions. Computed excitation energies are compared with the NIST ASD and CHIANTI compiled values and previous calculations. The mean average absolute difference, removing obvious outliers, between computed and observed energies for the 41 lowest identified levels in Fe XII, is only 0.057%, implying that the computed energies are accurate enough to aid identification of new emission lines from the Sun and other astrophysical sources. The amount of energy and transition data of high accuracy are significantly increased for several P-like ions of astrophysics interest, where experimental data are still very scarce.

Intermolecular interactions in the condensed phase: Evaluation of semi-empirical quantum mechanical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christensen, Anders S.; Kromann, Jimmy C.; Jensen, Jan H.; Cui, Qiang

2017-10-01

To facilitate further development of approximate quantum mechanical methods for condensed phase applications, we present a new benchmark dataset of intermolecular interaction energies in the solution phase for a set of 15 dimers, each containing one charged monomer. The reference interaction energy in solution is computed via a thermodynamic cycle that integrates dimer binding energy in the gas phase at the coupled cluster level and solute-solvent interaction with density functional theory; the estimated uncertainty of such calculated interaction energy is ±1.5 kcal/mol. The dataset is used to benchmark the performance of a set of semi-empirical quantum mechanical (SQM) methods that include DFTB3-D3, DFTB3/CPE-D3, OM2-D3, PM6-D3, PM6-D3H+, and PM7 as well as the HF-3c method. We find that while all tested SQM methods tend to underestimate binding energies in the gas phase with a root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of 2-5 kcal/mol, they overestimate binding energies in the solution phase with an RMSE of 3-4 kcal/mol, with the exception of DFTB3/CPE-D3 and OM2-D3, for which the systematic deviation is less pronounced. In addition, we find that HF-3c systematically overestimates binding energies in both gas and solution phases. As most approximate QM methods are parametrized and evaluated using data measured or calculated in the gas phase, the dataset represents an important first step toward calibrating QM based methods for application in the condensed phase where polarization and exchange repulsion need to be treated in a balanced fashion.

An efficient energy response model for liquid scintillator detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebanowski, Logan; Wan, Linyan; Ji, Xiangpan; Wang, Zhe; Chen, Shaomin

2018-05-01

Liquid scintillator detectors are playing an increasingly important role in low-energy neutrino experiments. In this article, we describe a generic energy response model of liquid scintillator detectors that provides energy estimations of sub-percent accuracy. This model fits a minimal set of physically-motivated parameters that capture the essential characteristics of scintillator response and that can naturally account for changes in scintillator over time, helping to avoid associated biases or systematic uncertainties. The model employs a one-step calculation and look-up tables, yielding an immediate estimation of energy and an efficient framework for quantifying systematic uncertainties and correlations.

Review of concentrating solar thermal power industry in China: Status quo, problems, trend and countermeasures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Jiajun

2018-01-01

Concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) industry is a strategic emerging industry in China. Its further development is of great significance for promoting the energy revolution, achieving energy saving and emission reduction. In this paper, China’s CSP industry is systematically analysed. First of all, the status quo is elaborated from the perspectives of relevant policies and regulations, market and generation technology development. Secondly, the problems and the underlying reasons of China’s CSP industry are deeply studied. On this basis, the future trends of CSP are expounded on the three levels of policy, market and power generation technology. Finally, a series of feasible countermeasures are put forward, designed to promote the development of CSP industry and the transformation of energy structure.

The hard X-ray spectrum of NGC 5506 as seen by NuSTAR

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

Matt, G.; Balokovi , M.; Marinucci, A.

2015-01-14

NuSTAR observed the bright Compton-thin, narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy, NGC 5506, for about 56 ks. In agreement with past observations, the spectrum is well fitted by a power law with Γ ~ 1.9, a distant reflection component and narrow ionized iron lines. A relativistically blurred reflection component is not required by the data. When an exponential high-energy cutoff is added to the power law, a value of 720more » $$+130\\atop{-190}$$ keV (90 percent confidence level) is found. Even allowing for systematic uncertainties, we find a 3σ lower limit to the high-energy cutoff of 350 keV, the highest lower limit to the cutoff energy found so far in an AGN by NuSTAR.« less

National energy conservation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A set of energy conservation actions that cut across all sectors of the economy were analyzed so that all actions under consideration be analyzed systematically and as a whole. The actions considered were as follows: (1) roll back the price of newly discovered oil, (2) freeze gasoline production for 3 years at 1972 levels, (3) mandate automobile mileage improvements, (4) require industry to improve energy efficiency, (5) require manufacture of household appliances with greater efficiency, (6) force conversion of many power plants from gas and oil to coal. The results showed that considerable gas and oil would be saved by forcing switches to coal. However, the large scale switch to coal was shown to require greatly increased outputs from many other industries that in turn require more energy. It was estimated that nearly 2.5 quads of additional coal were needed to produce these additional requirements. Also, the indirect requirements would create more jobs.

10 CFR 1045.43 - Systematic review for declassification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Systematic review for declassification. 1045.43 Section... Systematic review for declassification. (a) The Secretary shall ensure that RD documents, and the DoD shall... Classification (and with the DoD for FRD) to ensure the systematic review of RD and FRD documents. (c) Review of...

10 CFR 1045.43 - Systematic review for declassification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Systematic review for declassification. 1045.43 Section... Systematic review for declassification. (a) The Secretary shall ensure that RD documents, and the DoD shall... Classification (and with the DoD for FRD) to ensure the systematic review of RD and FRD documents. (c) Review of...

Energy Performance Assessment of Radiant Cooling System through Modeling and Calibration at Component Level

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

Khan, Yasin; Mathur, Jyotirmay; Bhandari, Mahabir S

2016-01-01

The paper describes a case study of an information technology office building with a radiant cooling system and a conventional variable air volume (VAV) system installed side by side so that performancecan be compared. First, a 3D model of the building involving architecture, occupancy, and HVAC operation was developed in EnergyPlus, a simulation tool. Second, a different calibration methodology was applied to develop the base case for assessing the energy saving potential. This paper details the calibration of the whole building energy model to the component level, including lighting, equipment, and HVAC components such as chillers, pumps, cooling towers, fans,more » etc. Also a new methodology for the systematic selection of influence parameter has been developed for the calibration of a simulated model which requires large time for the execution. The error at the whole building level [measured in mean bias error (MBE)] is 0.2%, and the coefficient of variation of root mean square error (CvRMSE) is 3.2%. The total errors in HVAC at the hourly are MBE = 8.7% and CvRMSE = 23.9%, which meet the criteria of ASHRAE 14 (2002) for hourly calibration. Different suggestions have been pointed out to generalize the energy saving of radiant cooling system through the existing building system. So a base case model was developed by using the calibrated model for quantifying the energy saving potential of the radiant cooling system. It was found that a base case radiant cooling system integrated with DOAS can save 28% energy compared with the conventional VAV system.« less

SU-D-BRD-07: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Statistical Process Control Methods to Detect Systematic Errors For Routine Electron Energy Verification

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

Parker, S

2015-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of statistical process control methods to detect systematic errors when using a two dimensional (2D) detector array for routine electron beam energy verification. Methods: Electron beam energy constancy was measured using an aluminum wedge and a 2D diode array on four linear accelerators. Process control limits were established. Measurements were recorded in control charts and compared with both calculated process control limits and TG-142 recommended specification limits. The data was tested for normality, process capability and process acceptability. Additional measurements were recorded while systematic errors were intentionally introduced. Systematic errors included shifts in the alignmentmore » of the wedge, incorrect orientation of the wedge, and incorrect array calibration. Results: Control limits calculated for each beam were smaller than the recommended specification limits. Process capability and process acceptability ratios were greater than one in all cases. All data was normally distributed. Shifts in the alignment of the wedge were most apparent for low energies. The smallest shift (0.5 mm) was detectable using process control limits in some cases, while the largest shift (2 mm) was detectable using specification limits in only one case. The wedge orientation tested did not affect the measurements as this did not affect the thickness of aluminum over the detectors of interest. Array calibration dependence varied with energy and selected array calibration. 6 MeV was the least sensitive to array calibration selection while 16 MeV was the most sensitive. Conclusion: Statistical process control methods demonstrated that the data distribution was normally distributed, the process was capable of meeting specifications, and that the process was centered within the specification limits. Though not all systematic errors were distinguishable from random errors, process control limits increased the ability to detect systematic errors using routine measurement of electron beam energy constancy.« less

Water line positions in the 782-840 nm region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, S.-M.; Chen, B.; Tan, Y.; Wang, J.; Cheng, C.-F.; Liu, A.-W.

2015-10-01

A set of water transitions in the 782-840 nm region, including 38 H216O lines, 12 HD16O lines, and 30 D216O lines, were recorded with a cavity ring-down spectrometer calibrated using precise atomic lines. Absolute frequencies of the lines were determined with an accuracy of about 5 MHz. Systematic shifts were found in the line positions given in the HITRAN database and the upper energy levels given in recent MARVEL studies.

A systematization of spectral data on the methanol molecule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhlyostin, A. Yu.; Voronina, S. S.; Lavrentiev, N. A.; Privezentsev, A. I.; Rodimova, O. B.; Fazliev, A. Z.

2015-11-01

Problems underlying a systematization of spectral data on the methanol molecule are formulated. Data on the energy levels and vacuum wavenumbers acquired from the published literature are presented in the form of information sources imported into the W@DIS information system. Sets of quantum numbers and labels used to describe the CH3OH molecular states are analyzed. The set of labels is different from universally accepted sets. A system of importing the data sources into W@DIS is outlined. The structure of databases characterizing transitions in an isolated CH3OH molecule is introduced and a digital library of the relevant published literature is discussed. A brief description is given of an imported data quality analysis and representation of the results obtained in the form of ontologies for subsequent computer processing.

Interaction at the silicon/transition metal oxide heterojunction interface and its effect on the photovoltaic performance.

PubMed

Liang, Zhimin; Su, Mingze; Zhou, Yangyang; Gong, Li; Zhao, Chuanxi; Chen, Keqiu; Xie, Fangyan; Zhang, Weihong; Chen, Jian; Liu, Pengyi; Xie, Weiguang

2015-11-07

The interfacial reaction and energy level alignment at the Si/transition metal oxide (TMO, including MoO3-x, V2O5-x, WO3-x) heterojunction are systematically investigated. We confirm that the interfacial reaction appears during the thermal deposition of TMO, with the reaction extent increasing from MoO3-x, to V2O5-x, and to WO3-x. The reaction causes the surface oxidation of silicon for faster electron/hole recombination, and the reduction of TMO for effective hole collection. The photovoltaic performance of the Si/TMO heterojunction devices is affected by the interface reaction. MoO3-x are the best hole selecting materials that induce least surface oxidation but strongest reduction. Compared with H-passivation, methyl group passivation is an effective way to reduce the interface reaction and improve the interfacial energy level alignment for better electron and hole collection.

The cybernetics of viability: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nechansky, Helmut

2011-10-01

A three-level approach to viability is developed, considering (1) living systems, (2) a niche, understood as the area within the reach of their actions, and (3) an environment. A systematic analysis of the interrelations between these levels shows that living systems emerge with matter/energy processing systems. These can add controller structures when producing excess energy. A three-sensor controller structure enables a living system to deal with unfavourable and scarce environments. Further evolution of these controller structures offers improved ways to act on niches. Maintaining niches in scarce environments can require technology or economy. So social systems emerge, which are understood as aggregates of living systems. Basic patterns of interactions within social systems are analysed. So the introduction of the notion of the niche into the discussion of viability allows us to explain phenomena ranging from properties of single living systems to societal organization.

Experimental studies of systematic multiple-energy operation at HIMAC synchrotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizushima, K.; Katagiri, K.; Iwata, Y.; Furukawa, T.; Fujimoto, T.; Sato, S.; Hara, Y.; Shirai, T.; Noda, K.

2014-07-01

Multiple-energy synchrotron operation providing carbon-ion beams with various energies has been used for scanned particle therapy at NIRS. An energy range from 430 to 56 MeV/u and about 200 steps within this range are required to vary the Bragg peak position for effective treatment. The treatment also demands the slow extraction of beam with highly reliable properties, such as spill, position and size, for all energies. We propose an approach to generating multiple-energy operation meeting these requirements within a short time. In this approach, the device settings at most energy steps are determined without manual adjustments by using systematic parameter tuning depending on the beam energy. Experimental verification was carried out at the HIMAC synchrotron, and its results proved that this approach can greatly reduce the adjustment period.

An efficient strategy for designing ambipolar organic semiconductor material: Introducing dehydrogenated phosphorus atoms into pentacene core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Xiao-Dan

2017-09-01

The charge transport properties of phosphapentacene (P-PEN) derivatives were systematically explored by theoretical calculation. The dehydrogenated P-PENs have reasonable frontier molecular orbital energy levels to facilitate both electron and hole injection. The reduced reorganization energies of dehydrogenated P-PENs could be intimately connected to the bonding nature of phosphorus atoms. From the idea of homology modeling, the crystal structure of TIPSE-4P-2p is constructed and fully optimized. Fascinatingly, TIPSE-4P-2p shows the intrinsic property of ambipolar transport in both hopping and band models. Thus, introducing dehydrogenated phosphorus atoms into pentacene core could be an efficient strategy for designing ambipolar material.

CONCERNING THE PROBLEM OF THE SYSTEMATIZATION OF $beta$ SPECTRA

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

Seidl, R.

1956-01-01

S>From data on the energy liberated during KB capture or ing BETA decay, the problem of the construction of a shell model of the nucleus is considered. It is proposed at the BETA transition is carried out by the last particle in the shell. The neutron and proton levels are considered individually. It is stated, that on the basis of the data on topes and the values of the nuclear spins. To obtain agreement with the nuclear binding energies and the data on nuclear reactions, it becomes necessary to propose that the transition of each nucleon causes a lowering ofmore » the bottom of the potentisl well of the nucleus.« less

Communication—Analysis of Thick Co-Extruded Cathodes for Higher-Energy-and-Power Lithium-Ion Batteries

DOE PAGES

Cobb, Corie L.; Solberg, Scott E.

2017-04-29

3-dimensional (3D) electrode architectures have been explored as a means to decouple power and energy trade-offs in thick battery electrodes. Limited work has been published which systematically examines the impact of these architectures at the pouch cell level. This paper conducts an analysis on the potential capacity gains that can be realized with thick co-extruded electrodes in a pouch cell. Moreover, our findings show that despite lower active material composition for each cathode layer, the effective gain in thickness and active material loading enables pouch cell capacity gains greater than 10% with a Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) materialsmore » system.« less

Variability in energy cost and walking gait during race walking in competitive race walkers.

PubMed

Brisswalter, J; Fougeron, B; Legros, P

1998-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the variability of energy cost (Cw) and race walking gait after a 3-h walk at the competition pace in race walkers of the same performance level. Nine competitive race walkers were studied. In the same week, after a first test of VO2max determination, each subject completed two submaximal treadmill walks (6 min length, 0% grade, 12 km X h(-1) speed) before and after a 3-h overground test completed at the individual competition speed of the race walker. During the two submaximal tests, subjects were filmed between the 2nd and the 4th min, and physiological parameters were recorded between the 4th and the 6th min. Results showed two trends. On the one hand, we observed a significant and systematic increase in energy cost of walking (mean deltaCw = 8.4%), whereas no variation in the gait kinematics prescribed by the rules of race walking was recorded. On the other hand, this increase in metabolic energy demand was accompanied by variations of different magnitude and direction of stride length, of the excursion of the heel and of the maximal ankle flexion at toe-off among the race walkers. These results indicated that competitive race walkers are able to maintain their walking gait with exercise duration apart from a systematic increase in energy cost. Moreover, in this form of locomotion the effect of fatigue on the gait variability seems to be an individual function of the race walk constraints and the constraints of the performer.

Reference binding energies of transition metal carbides by core-level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy free from Ar+ etching artefacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greczynski, G.; Primetzhofer, D.; Hultman, L.

2018-04-01

We report x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) core level binding energies (BE's) for the widely-applicable groups IVb-VIb transition metal carbides (TMCs) TiC, VC, CrC, ZrC, NbC, MoC, HfC, TaC, and WC. Thin film samples are grown in the same deposition system, by dc magnetron co-sputtering from graphite and respective elemental metal targets in Ar atmosphere. To remove surface contaminations resulting from exposure to air during sample transfer from the growth chamber into the XPS system, layers are either (i) Ar+ ion-etched or (ii) UHV-annealed in situ prior to XPS analyses. High resolution XPS spectra reveal that even gentle etching affects the shape of core level signals, as well as BE values, which are systematically offset by 0.2-0.5 eV towards lower BE. These destructive effects of Ar+ ion etch become more pronounced with increasing the metal atom mass due to an increasing carbon-to-metal sputter yield ratio. Systematic analysis reveals that for each row in the periodic table (3d, 4d, and 5d) C 1s BE increases from left to right indicative of a decreased charge transfer from TM to C atoms, hence bond weakening. Moreover, C 1s BE decreases linearly with increasing carbide/metal melting point ratio. Spectra reported here, acquired from a consistent set of samples in the same instrument, should serve as a reference for true deconvolution of complex XPS cases, including multinary carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides.

Search for 100 MeV to 10 GeV γ-ray lines in the Fermi-LAT data and implications for gravitino dark matter in the μνSSM

DOE PAGES

Albert, Andrea; Gómez-Vargas, Germán A.; Grefe, Michael; ...

2014-10-13

We present that dark matter decay or annihilation may produce monochromatic signals in the γ-ray energy range. In this work we argue that there are strong theoretical motivations for studying these signals in the framework of gravitino dark matter decay and we perform a search for γ-ray spectral lines from 100 MeV to 10 GeV with Fermi-LAT data. In contrast to previous line searches at higher energies, the sensitivity of the present search is dominated by systematic uncertainties across most of the energy range considered. We estimate the size of systematic effects by analysing the flux from a number ofmore » control regions, and include the systematic uncertainties consistently in our fitting procedure. We have not observed any significant signals and present model-independent limits on γ-ray line emission from decaying and annihilating dark matter. We apply the former limits to the case of the gravitino, a well-known dark matter candidate in supersymmetric scenarios. In particular, the R-parity violating ''μ from ν'' Supersymmetric Standard Model μνSSM) is an attractive scenario in which including right-handed neutrinos solves the μ problem of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model while simultaneously explaining the origin of neutrino masses. At the same time, the violation of R-parity renders the gravitino unstable and subject to decay into a photon and a neutrino. Finally, as a consequence of the limits on line emission, μνSSM gravitinos with masses larger than about 5 GeV, or lifetimes smaller than about 1028 s, are excluded at 95% confidence level as dark matter candidates.« less

Tidal and near-inertial peak variations around the diurnal critical latitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Haren, Hans

2005-12-01

Spectra from historic long-term open-ocean moored current meter data between latitudes 0° < |$\\varphi$| < 45° reveal a significant drop in semidiurnal tidal band (D2) energy by ~50% at |$\\varphi$| ~ 25-27°, whilst the peak near the local inertial frequency f is increased by a factor of ~10 up to the level of D2-energy at |$\\varphi$| ~ 28-30°, where f coincides with diurnal frequencies. The increase in f-energy is accompanied by a red-shift of the peak frequency to 0.97 +/- 0.01f, or a poleward spreading of enhanced energy. This contrasts with more common blue-shift. The enhancement may be the result of sub-harmonic instability, as supported by sparse significant bicoherence at half-D2, although i) systematic enhancement of diurnal tidal frequencies, notably M1, was not observed, ii) the latitudes of low D2-energy and high f-energy do not coincide. This may be due to a mix of coupled and independent waves, whilst the poleward trapping of sub-f energy suggests non-traditional effects.

Design of donor-acceptor copolymers for organic photovoltaic materials: a computational study.

PubMed

Turan, Haydar Taylan; Kucur, Oğuzhan; Kahraman, Birce; Salman, Seyhan; Aviyente, Viktorya

2018-01-31

80 different push-pull type organic chromophores which possess Donor-Acceptor (D-A) and Donor-Thiophene-Acceptor-Thiophene (D-T-A-T) structures have been systematically investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) at the B3LYP/6-311G* level. The introduction of thiophene (T) in the chain has allowed us to monitor the effect of π-spacers. Benchmark studies on the methodology have been carried out to predict the HOMO and LUMO energies and optical band gaps of the D-A systems accurately. The HOMO and LUMO energies and transition dipoles are seen to converge for tetrameric oligomers, and the latter have been used as optimal chain length to evaluate various geometrical and optoelectronic properties such as bond length alternations, distortion energies, frontier molecular orbital energies, reorganization energies and excited-state vertical transition of the oligomers. Careful analysis of our findings has allowed us to propose potential donor-acceptor couples to be used in organic photovoltaic cells.

High-energy versus low-energy extracorporeal shock wave therapy for calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder: which is superior? A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Verstraelen, F U; In den Kleef, N J H M; Jansen, L; Morrenhof, J W

2014-09-01

There are several treatment options for calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder. The next step treatment after conservative treatment fails is still a matter of dispute. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been shown to be a good alternative to surgery, but the best treatment intensity remains unknown. High-energy ESWT is much more painful, more expensive, and usually is done in an inpatient setting, whereas low-energy ESWT can be performed in an outpatient setting by a physical therapist. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials was performed to answer two clear research questions: (1) Is there a greater increase in the Constant-Murley score in patients treated with high-energy ESWT compared with those treated with low-energy ESWT by 3 months and by 6 months? (2) Is there a greater chance of complete resorption of the calcifications in patients treated with high-energy ESWT compared with those treated with low-energy ESWT by 3 months and by 6 months? Five relevant electronic online databases, Medline (through PubMed), EMBASE (through OVID), Cinahl (through EBSCO), Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, were systematically searched. We also crosschecked the reference lists of articles and reviews for possible relevant studies. Eligible for inclusion were all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared high-energy ESWT (> 0.28 mJ/mm(2)) with low-energy ESWT (< 0.08 mJ/mm(2)). One author examined titles and abstracts of each identified study to assess study eligibility. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias and study quality. The primary outcome measure, the Constant-Murley score, was assessed by comparing mean functional outcome scores between the groups. Secondary outcomes were assessed using odds ratios, when appropriate data were pooled. Based on this process, five RCTs (359 participants) were included. All five RCTs showed greater improvement in functional outcome (Constant-Murley score) in patients treated with high-energy ESWT compared with patients treated with low-energy ESWT at 3 and 6 months. The 3-month mean difference was 9.88 (95% CI, 9.04-10.72, p < 0.001; 6-month data could not be pooled). Furthermore, high-energy ESWT more often resulted in complete resorption of the deposits at 3 months. The corresponding odds ratio was 3.40 (95% CI, 1.35-8.58) and p = 0.009 (6-month data could not be pooled). When shock wave therapy is chosen, high-energy shock wave therapy is more likely to result in improved Constant-Murley score and resorption of the deposits compared with low-energy therapy. Level I, therapeutic study. See the Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Total cross section for the γd-->π-pp reaction between 380 and 840 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asai, M.; Endo, I.; Harada, M.; Kasai, S.; Niki, K.; Sumi, Y.; Kato, S.; Maruyama, K.; Murata, Y.; Muto, M.; Yoshida, K.; Iwatani, K.; Hasai, H.; Ito, H.; Maki, T.; Rangacharyulu, C.; Shimizu, H.; Wada, Y.

1990-09-01

The total cross section for the γd-->π-pp reaction has been measured for incident photon energies from 380 to 840 MeV in steps of 10 MeV, with the best energy resolution attained so far. A large-acceptance detector was used to observe the reaction products. Overall uncertainties in the deduced cross sections are less than 9% (~4% statistical and ~8% systematic). The results are in excellent agreement with previous bubble chamber measurements and do not show any statistically significant structure which can be interpreted as evidence for the formation of dibaryon resonances. An upper limit at 95% confidence level of σpeakΓ<230 μb MeV is obtained for a resonance in the vicinity of photon energy 700 MeV (mass~2490 MeV).

Rovibrational spectra of ammonia. I. Unprecedented accuracy of a potential energy surface used with nonadiabatic corrections.

PubMed

Huang, Xinchuan; Schwenke, David W; Lee, Timothy J

2011-01-28

In this work, we build upon our previous work on the theoretical spectroscopy of ammonia, NH(3). Compared to our 2008 study, we include more physics in our rovibrational calculations and more experimental data in the refinement procedure, and these enable us to produce a potential energy surface (PES) of unprecedented accuracy. We call this the HSL-2 PES. The additional physics we include is a second-order correction for the breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, and we find it to be critical for improved results. By including experimental data for higher rotational levels in the refinement procedure, we were able to greatly reduce our systematic errors for the rotational dependence of our predictions. These additions together lead to a significantly improved total angular momentum (J) dependence in our computed rovibrational energies. The root-mean-square error between our predictions using the HSL-2 PES and the reliable energy levels from the HITRAN database for J = 0-6 and J = 7∕8 for (14)NH(3) is only 0.015 cm(-1) and 0.020∕0.023 cm(-1), respectively. The root-mean-square errors for the characteristic inversion splittings are approximately 1∕3 smaller than those for energy levels. The root-mean-square error for the 6002 J = 0-8 transition energies is 0.020 cm(-1). Overall, for J = 0-8, the spectroscopic data computed with HSL-2 is roughly an order of magnitude more accurate relative to our previous best ammonia PES (denoted HSL-1). These impressive numbers are eclipsed only by the root-mean-square error between our predictions for purely rotational transition energies of (15)NH(3) and the highly accurate Cologne database (CDMS): 0.00034 cm(-1) (10 MHz), in other words, 2 orders of magnitude smaller. In addition, we identify a deficiency in the (15)NH(3) energy levels determined from a model of the experimental data.

Are children's activity levels determined by their genes or environment? A systematic review of twin studies.

PubMed

Fisher, Abigail; Smith, Lee; van Jaarsveld, Cornelia H M; Sawyer, Alexia; Wardle, Jane

2015-01-01

The importance of physical activity to paediatric health warrants investigation into its determinants. Objective measurement allows a robust examination of genetic and environmental influences on physical activity. To systematically review the evidence on the extent of genetic and environmental influence on children's objectively-measured activity levels from twin studies. Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Health and Psychosocial Instruments and all Ovid Databases. Search terms: "accelerometer" OR "actometer" OR "motion sensor" OR "heart rate monitor" OR "physical activity energy expenditure" AND "twin". Limited to Human, English language and children (0-18 years). Seven sets of analyses were included in the review. Six analyses examined children's daily-life activity and found that the shared environment had a strong influence on activity levels (weighted mean 60%), with a smaller contribution from genetic factors (weighted mean 21%). Two analyses examined short-term, self-directed activity in a standard environment and found a smaller shared environment effect (weighted mean 25%) and a larger genetic estimate (weighted mean 45%). Although genetic influences may be expressed when children have brief opportunities for autonomous activity, activity levels in daily-life are predominantly explained by environmental factors. Future research should aim to identify key environmental drivers of childhood activity.

A predictive biophysical model of translational coupling to coordinate and control protein expression in bacterial operons

PubMed Central

Tian, Tian; Salis, Howard M.

2015-01-01

Natural and engineered genetic systems require the coordinated expression of proteins. In bacteria, translational coupling provides a genetically encoded mechanism to control expression level ratios within multi-cistronic operons. We have developed a sequence-to-function biophysical model of translational coupling to predict expression level ratios in natural operons and to design synthetic operons with desired expression level ratios. To quantitatively measure ribosome re-initiation rates, we designed and characterized 22 bi-cistronic operon variants with systematically modified intergenic distances and upstream translation rates. We then derived a thermodynamic free energy model to calculate de novo initiation rates as a result of ribosome-assisted unfolding of intergenic RNA structures. The complete biophysical model has only five free parameters, but was able to accurately predict downstream translation rates for 120 synthetic bi-cistronic and tri-cistronic operons with rationally designed intergenic regions and systematically increased upstream translation rates. The biophysical model also accurately predicted the translation rates of the nine protein atp operon, compared to ribosome profiling measurements. Altogether, the biophysical model quantitatively predicts how translational coupling controls protein expression levels in synthetic and natural bacterial operons, providing a deeper understanding of an important post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism and offering the ability to rationally engineer operons with desired behaviors. PMID:26117546

The efficacy of low-level laser treatment in reducing pain and swelling after endodontic surgery: a systematic review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moshari, Amirabbas; Vatanpour, Mehdi; Zakershahrak, Mehrsa

2016-03-01

Introduction: LLLT in oral cavity believed to reduce pain after endodontic surgery and wisdom tooth removal, to accelerate wound healing and to have an anti-inflammatory and regenerative effect. The aim of this systematic review therefore was to assess the proof available for the efficacy of low-level laser treatment in reducing pain and swelling after endodontic surgery. Methods: The PubMed service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine was searched with applicable search strategies. No language restriction was applied. The last electronic search was accomplished on August 31, 2015. All randomized clinical trials on the efficiency of low-level laser treatment in reducing pain and swelling after endodontic surgery was considered for the Meta-analysis. Quality consideration of the included randomized clinical trials was appraised according to CONSORT guidelines. Results: Only two randomized clinical trials were attained. These studies clarified that laser treatment could reduce pain and swelling, but the results were not significant. Conclusions: Low-level laser therapy can be advantageous for the reduction of postoperative pain but there is no strong confirmation for its efficiency. Its clinical utility and applicability relating to endodontic surgery, Along with the optimal energy dosage and the number of laser treatments needed after surgery, still, demand further research and experiment.

Effects of Deformation Mode and Strain Level on Grain Boundary Character Distribution of 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Wen; Yang, Sen; Yan, Yinbiao

2018-06-01

In this study, the effects of deformation mode (rolling and tension) and strain level on grain boundary character distribution were systematically investigated in 304 austenitic stainless steel. The experimental results showed that the <110> component parallel to the normal direction orientation and the P(BND) {110}<111> texture were predominant in the rolled specimens and the tensioned ones, respectively. For each mode of deformation, the fraction of low-Σ coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries, especially Σ3 n ( n = 1, 2, 3) boundaries decreased with the increasing strain level after annealing. At a lower strain level, the type of texture played a leading role in grain boundary reconstruction during annealing, and the <110> component parallel to the normal direction orientation facilitated the formation of low-Σ CSL boundaries during annealing compared with the P(BND) texture. However, for a higher strain level, the stored energy became dominant in grain boundary reconstruction during annealing, and a large stored energy was detrimental to the formation of low-Σ CSL boundaries, which resulted in a higher fraction of low-Σ CSL boundaries in the tensioned specimen than that in the rolled one after annealing.

The stabilization mechanism of titanium cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Houqian; Ren, Yun; Hao, Yuhua; Wu, Zhaofeng; Xu, Ning

2015-05-01

A systematic and comparative theoretical study on the stabilization mechanism of titanium cluster has been performed by selecting the clusters Tin (n=3, 4, 5, 7, 13, 15 and 19) as representatives in the framework of density-functional theory. For small clusters Tin (n=3, 4 and 5), the binding energy gain due to spin polarization is substantially larger than that due to structural distortion. For medium clusters Ti13 and Ti15, both have about the same contribution. For Tin (n=4, 5, 13 and 15), when the undistorted high symmetric structure with spin-polarization is changed into the lowest energy structure, the energy level spelling due to distortion fails to reverse the level order of occupied and unoccupied molecular orbital (MO) of two type spin states, the spin configuration remains unchanged. In spin restricted and undistorted high symmetric structure, d orbitals participate in the hybridization in MOs, usually by way of a less distorted manner, and weak bonds are formed. In contrast, d orbitals take part in the formation of MOs in the ground state structure, usually in a distorted manner, and strong covalent metallic bonds are formed.

Discriminating a deep gallium antisite defect from shallow acceptors in GaAs using supercell calculations

DOE PAGES

Schultz, Peter A.

2016-03-01

For the purposes of making reliable first-principles predictions of defect energies in semiconductors, it is crucial to distinguish between effective-mass-like defects, which cannot be treated accurately with existing supercell methods, and deep defects, for which density functional theory calculations can yield reliable predictions of defect energy levels. The gallium antisite defect GaAs is often associated with the 78/203 meV shallow double acceptor in Ga-rich gallium arsenide. Within a conceptual framework of level patterns, analyses of structure and spin stabilization can be used within a supercell approach to distinguish localized deep defect states from shallow acceptors such as B As. Thismore » systematic approach determines that the gallium antisite supercell results has signatures inconsistent with an effective mass state and cannot be the 78/203 shallow double acceptor. Lastly, the properties of the Ga antisite in GaAs are described, total energy calculations that explicitly map onto asymptotic discrete localized bulk states predict that the Ga antisite is a deep double acceptor and has at least one deep donor state.« less

Accuracy of Dual-Energy Virtual Monochromatic CT Numbers: Comparison between the Single-Source Projection-Based and Dual-Source Image-Based Methods.

PubMed

Ueguchi, Takashi; Ogihara, Ryota; Yamada, Sachiko

2018-03-21

To investigate the accuracy of dual-energy virtual monochromatic computed tomography (CT) numbers obtained by two typical hardware and software implementations: the single-source projection-based method and the dual-source image-based method. A phantom with different tissue equivalent inserts was scanned with both single-source and dual-source scanners. A fast kVp-switching feature was used on the single-source scanner, whereas a tin filter was used on the dual-source scanner. Virtual monochromatic CT images of the phantom at energy levels of 60, 100, and 140 keV were obtained by both projection-based (on the single-source scanner) and image-based (on the dual-source scanner) methods. The accuracy of virtual monochromatic CT numbers for all inserts was assessed by comparing measured values to their corresponding true values. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the dependency of measured CT numbers on tissue attenuation, method, and their interaction. Root mean square values of systematic error over all inserts at 60, 100, and 140 keV were approximately 53, 21, and 29 Hounsfield unit (HU) with the single-source projection-based method, and 46, 7, and 6 HU with the dual-source image-based method, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed that the interaction between the attenuation and the method had a statistically significant effect on the measured CT numbers at 100 and 140 keV. There were attenuation-, method-, and energy level-dependent systematic errors in the measured virtual monochromatic CT numbers. CT number reproducibility was comparable between the two scanners, and CT numbers had better accuracy with the dual-source image-based method at 100 and 140 keV. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurements of the atmospheric neutrino flux by Super-Kamiokande: Energy spectra, geomagnetic effects, and solar modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richard, E.; Okumura, K.; Abe, K.; Haga, Y.; Hayato, Y.; Ikeda, M.; Iyogi, K.; Kameda, J.; Kishimoto, Y.; Miura, M.; Moriyama, S.; Nakahata, M.; Nakajima, T.; Nakano, Y.; Nakayama, S.; Orii, A.; Sekiya, H.; Shiozawa, M.; Takeda, A.; Tanaka, H.; Tomura, T.; Wendell, R. A.; Akutsu, R.; Irvine, T.; Kajita, T.; Kaneyuki, K.; Nishimura, Y.; Labarga, L.; Fernandez, P.; Gustafson, J.; Kachulis, C.; Kearns, E.; Raaf, J. L.; Stone, J. L.; Sulak, L. R.; Berkman, S.; Nantais, C. M.; Tanaka, H. A.; Tobayama, S.; Goldhaber, M.; Kropp, W. R.; Mine, S.; Weatherly, P.; Smy, M. B.; Sobel, H. W.; Takhistov, V.; Ganezer, K. S.; Hartfiel, B. L.; Hill, J.; Hong, N.; Kim, J. Y.; Lim, I. T.; Park, R. G.; Himmel, A.; Li, Z.; O'Sullivan, E.; Scholberg, K.; Walter, C. W.; Wongjirad, T.; Ishizuka, T.; Tasaka, S.; Jang, J. S.; Learned, J. G.; Matsuno, S.; Smith, S. N.; Friend, M.; Hasegawa, T.; Ishida, T.; Ishii, T.; Kobayashi, T.; Nakadaira, T.; Nakamura, K.; Oyama, Y.; Sakashita, K.; Sekiguchi, T.; Tsukamoto, T.; Suzuki, A. T.; Takeuchi, Y.; Yano, T.; Cao, S. V.; Hiraki, T.; Hirota, S.; Huang, K.; Kikawa, T.; Minamino, A.; Nakaya, T.; Suzuki, K.; Fukuda, Y.; Choi, K.; Itow, Y.; Suzuki, T.; Mijakowski, P.; Frankiewicz, K.; Hignight, J.; Imber, J.; Jung, C. K.; Li, X.; Palomino, J. L.; Wilking, M. J.; Yanagisawa, C.; Fukuda, D.; Ishino, H.; Kayano, T.; Kibayashi, A.; Koshio, Y.; Mori, T.; Sakuda, M.; Xu, C.; Kuno, Y.; Tacik, R.; Kim, S. B.; Okazawa, H.; Choi, Y.; Nishijima, K.; Koshiba, M.; Totsuka, Y.; Suda, Y.; Yokoyama, M.; Bronner, C.; Hartz, M.; Martens, K.; Marti, Ll.; Suzuki, Y.; Vagins, M. R.; Martin, J. F.; Konaka, A.; Chen, S.; Zhang, Y.; Wilkes, R. J.; Super-Kamiokande Collaboration

2016-09-01

A comprehensive study of the atmospheric neutrino flux in the energy region from sub-GeV up to several TeV using the Super-Kamiokande (SK) water Cherenkov detector is presented in this paper. The energy and azimuthal spectra, and variation over time, of the atmospheric νe+ν¯ e and νμ+ν¯μ fluxes are measured. The energy spectra are obtained using an iterative unfolding method by combining various event topologies with differing energy responses. The azimuthal spectra depending on energy and zenith angle, and their modulation by geomagnetic effects, are also studied. A predicted east-west asymmetry is observed in both the νe and νμ samples at 8.0 σ and 6.0 σ significance, respectively, and an indication that the asymmetry dipole angle changes depending on the zenith angle was seen at the 2.2 σ level. The measured energy and azimuthal spectra are consistent with the current flux models within the estimated systematic uncertainties. A study of the long-term correlation between the atmospheric neutrino flux and the solar magnetic activity cycle is performed, and a weak preference for a correlation was seen at the 1.1 σ level, using SK-I-SK-IV data spanning a 20-year period. For several particularly strong solar activity periods, corresponding to Forbush decrease events, no theoretical prediction is available but a deviation below the typical neutrino event rate is seen at the 2.4 σ level. The seasonal modulation of the neutrino flux is also examined, but the change in flux at the SK site is predicted to be negligible, and, as expected, no evidence for a seasonal correlation is seen.

Physiological effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on energy expenditure for prospective fat oxidation in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kapoor, Mahendra P; Sugita, Masaaki; Fukuzawa, Yoshitaka; Okubo, Tsutomu

2017-05-01

Green tea catechins (GTCs) are known to improve fat oxidation (FOX) during fasted, rested and exercise conditions wherein epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is thought to be the most pharmacologically active and has been studied extensively. From the available data of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on EGCG, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to elucidate whether EGCG consumption indeed increase energy expenditure (EE) and promote FOX. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, JICST, JSTPLUS, and JMEDPLUS and others) and eight RCTs were included. RCTs were reviewed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and methodological quality was assessed. After data extraction, results were aggregated using fixed- and random-effect approaches and expressed to quantify the relationship between the dose of EGCG for respiratory quotient (RQ), EE and rate of FOX to compare the EGCG and placebo treatments. The meta-analysis results of verities of studies in terms of dose and length of duration revealed that EGCG supplementation provided significant mean difference (MD) when compared with placebo for RQ [MD: -0.02; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), -0.04 to 0.00; I 2 =67%; P=.01] and EE [MD: 158.05 kJ/day; 95% CI, 4.72 to 311.38; I 2 =0%; P=.04] in fixed-effect approach. Changes in FOX did not reach the level of statistical significance. Meta-analyses of EGCG influence on the body mass index, waist circumference and total body fat mass (TBFM) were also examined and their impact on the promotion of FOX is reported. Effect of EGCG doses was also systematically reviewed. Finding showed that EGCG intake moderately accelerates EE and reduces RQ. The analyses revealed that the EGCG resulted in difference in RQ and EE but the effect on the other measures of energy metabolism was relatively mild. Possibly, EGCG alone has the potential to increase metabolic rate at 300 mg dose. Collectively, the outcome supports the findings that EGCG has an effect on metabolic parameters. However, the large prospective trials are needed to confirm the findings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of Training and Mentoring Activities Which are Given to The Level of Interest And Capability Industrial Target Group In Adopting SNI ISO 50001

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apriyanti, Dwi; Nugrahanto, Aris Ida; Shrestha, Sanjaya

2018-02-01

Energy consumption in the industrial sector in Indonesia is increasing as a result of population and economic growth. The government is aware of this and seeks the answer to improve industrial competitiveness and increase energy security through energy efficiency programs. Some industries have implemented energy efficiency programs as ad-hoc, but have not applied systematically, so the results are not optimal. Through the cooperation of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), there has been training and mentoring activities for industry on Energy Management System (EnMS) based on SNI ISO 50001. Based on the results of identification through survey conducted to 226 industry that has attended the training and 64 industries that have been trained and received assistance, obtained data that 45% of industries have fully adopted EnMS SNI ISO 50001, 17% industry has adopted a part of EnMS SNI ISO 50001 and 38% industry does not adopt EnMS SNI ISO 50001 altogether.

Ab initio and empirical energy landscapes of (MgF2)n clusters (n = 3, 4).

PubMed

Neelamraju, S; Schön, J C; Doll, K; Jansen, M

2012-01-21

We explore the energy landscape of (MgF(2))(3) on both the empirical and ab initio level using the threshold algorithm. In order to determine the energy landscape and the dynamics of the trimer we investigate not only the stable isomers but also the barriers separating these isomers. Furthermore, we study the probability flows in order to estimate the stability of all the isomers found. We find that there is reasonable qualitative agreement between the ab initio and empirical potential, and important features such as sub-basins and energetic barriers follow similar trends. However, we observe that the energies are systematically different for the less compact clusters, when comparing empirical and ab initio energies. Since the underlying motivation of this work is to identify the possible clusters present in the gas phase during a low-temperature atom beam deposition synthesis of MgF(2), we employ the same procedure to additionally investigate the energy landscape of the tetramer. For this case, however, we use only the empirical potential.

A systematic review of compliance to oral nutritional supplements.

PubMed

Hubbard, Gary P; Elia, Marinos; Holdoway, Anne; Stratton, Rebecca J

2012-06-01

Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) play a key role in the management of malnutrition. This systematic review examined patients' compliance with ONS across healthcare settings and the influence of patient and ONS-related factors. A systematic review identified 46 studies (n = 4328) of ONS in which data on compliance (% of prescribed quantity of ONS consumed) was available. Pooled mean %compliance was assessed overall and according to study design and healthcare setting. Inter-relationships between compliance and ONS-related and patient-related factors, and total energy intake were assessed. Overall mean compliance with ONS was 78% (37%-100%; 67% hospital, 81% community; overall mean ONS intake 433 kcal/d). Percentage compliance was similar in randomised (79%) and non-randomised (77%) trials, with little variation between diagnostic groups. Compliance across a heterogeneous group of unmatched studies was positively associated with higher energy-density ONS and greater ONS and total energy intakes, negatively associated with age, and unrelated to amount or duration of ONS prescription. This systematic review suggests that compliance to ONS is good, especially with higher energy-density ONS, resulting in improvements in patients' total energy intakes that have been linked with clinical benefits. Further research is required to address the compliance and effectiveness of other common methods of oral nutritional support. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Targeting Net Zero Energy for Military Installations (Presentation)

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

Burman, K.

2012-05-01

Targeting Net Zero Energy for Military Installations in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. A net zero energy installation (NZEI) is one that produces as much energy from on-site renewable sources as it consumes. NZEI assessment provides a systematic approach to energy projects.

Accounting for baryonic effects in cosmic shear tomography: Determining a minimal set of nuisance parameters using PCA

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

Eifler, Tim; Krause, Elisabeth; Dodelson, Scott

2014-05-28

Systematic uncertainties that have been subdominant in past large-scale structure (LSS) surveys are likely to exceed statistical uncertainties of current and future LSS data sets, potentially limiting the extraction of cosmological information. Here we present a general framework (PCA marginalization) to consistently incorporate systematic effects into a likelihood analysis. This technique naturally accounts for degeneracies between nuisance parameters and can substantially reduce the dimension of the parameter space that needs to be sampled. As a practical application, we apply PCA marginalization to account for baryonic physics as an uncertainty in cosmic shear tomography. Specifically, we use CosmoLike to run simulatedmore » likelihood analyses on three independent sets of numerical simulations, each covering a wide range of baryonic scenarios differing in cooling, star formation, and feedback mechanisms. We simulate a Stage III (Dark Energy Survey) and Stage IV (Large Synoptic Survey Telescope/Euclid) survey and find a substantial bias in cosmological constraints if baryonic physics is not accounted for. We then show that PCA marginalization (employing at most 3 to 4 nuisance parameters) removes this bias. Our study demonstrates that it is possible to obtain robust, precise constraints on the dark energy equation of state even in the presence of large levels of systematic uncertainty in astrophysical processes. We conclude that the PCA marginalization technique is a powerful, general tool for addressing many of the challenges facing the precision cosmology program.« less

Systematic investigations of low energy Ar ion beam sputtering of Si and Ag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feder, R.; Frost, F.; Neumann, H.; Bundesmann, C.; Rauschenbach, B.

2013-12-01

Ion beam sputter deposition (IBD) delivers some intrinsic features influencing the growing film properties, because ion properties and geometrical process conditions generate different energy and spatial distributions of the sputtered and scattered particles. Even though IBD has been used for decades, the full capabilities are not investigated systematically and specifically used yet. Therefore, a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the correlation between the properties of the ion beam, the generated secondary particles and backscattered ions and the deposited films needs to be done.A vacuum deposition chamber has been set up which allows ion beam sputtering of different targets under variation of geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, position of substrates and analytics in respect to the target) and of ion beam parameters (ion species, ion energy) to perform a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the correlation between the properties of the ion beam, the properties of the sputtered and scattered particles, and the properties of the deposited films. A set of samples was prepared and characterized with respect to selected film properties, such as thickness and surface topography. The experiments indicate a systematic influence of the deposition parameters on the film properties as hypothesized before. Because of this influence, the energy distribution of secondary particles was measured using an energy-selective mass spectrometer. Among others, experiments revealed a high-energetic maximum for backscattered primary ions, which shifts with increasing emission angle to higher energies. Experimental data are compared with Monte Carlo simulations done with the well-known Transport and Range of Ions in Matter, Sputtering version (TRIM.SP) code [J.P. Biersack, W. Eckstein, Appl. Phys. A: Mater. Sci. Process. 34 (1984) 73]. The thicknesses of the films are in good agreement with those calculated from simulated particle fluxes. For the positions of the high-energetic maxima in the energy distribution of the backscattered primary ions, a deviation between simulated and measured data was found, most likely originating in a higher energy loss under experimental conditions than considered in the simulation.

Do ketogenic diets really suppress appetite? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gibson, A A; Seimon, R V; Lee, C M Y; Ayre, J; Franklin, J; Markovic, T P; Caterson, I D; Sainsbury, A

2015-01-01

Very-low-energy diets (VLEDs) and ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets (KLCDs) are two dietary strategies that have been associated with a suppression of appetite. However, the results of clinical trials investigating the effect of ketogenic diets on appetite are inconsistent. To evaluate quantitatively the effect of ketogenic diets on subjective appetite ratings, we conducted a systematic literature search and meta-analysis of studies that assessed appetite with visual analogue scales before (in energy balance) and during (while in ketosis) adherence to VLED or KLCD. Individuals were less hungry and exhibited greater fullness/satiety while adhering to VLED, and individuals adhering to KLCD were less hungry and had a reduced desire to eat. Although these absolute changes in appetite were small, they occurred within the context of energy restriction, which is known to increase appetite in obese people. Thus, the clinical benefit of a ketogenic diet is in preventing an increase in appetite, despite weight loss, although individuals may indeed feel slightly less hungry (or more full or satisfied). Ketosis appears to provide a plausible explanation for this suppression of appetite. Future studies should investigate the minimum level of ketosis required to achieve appetite suppression during ketogenic weight loss diets, as this could enable inclusion of a greater variety of healthy carbohydrate-containing foods into the diet. © 2014 International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO).

Foot orthoses for adults with flexible pes planus: a systematic review.

PubMed

Banwell, Helen A; Mackintosh, Shylie; Thewlis, Dominic

2014-04-05

Foot orthoses are widely used in the management of flexible pes planus, yet the evidence to support this intervention has not been clearly defined. This systematic review aimed to critically appraise the evidence for the use of foot orthoses for flexible pes planus in adults. Electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Web of science, SportDiscus, Embase) were systematically searched in June 2013 for randomised controlled, controlled clinical and repeated measure trials where participants had identified flexible pes planus using a validated and reliable measure of pes planus and the intervention was a rigid or semi-rigid orthoses with the comparison being a no-orthoses (shoes alone or flat non-posted insert) condition. Outcomes of interest were foot pain, rearfoot kinematics, foot kinetics and physical function. Of the 2,211 articles identified by the searches, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria; two were randomised controlled trials, one was a controlled trial and 10 were repeated measure studies. Across the included studies, 59 relevant outcome measures were reported with 17 calculated as statistically significant large or medium effects observed with use of foot orthoses compared to the no orthoses condition (SMD range 1.13 to -4.11). No high level evidence supported the use of foot orthoses for flexible pes planus. There is good to moderate level evidence that foot orthoses improve physical function (medial-lateral sway in standing (level II) and energy cost during walking (level III)). There is low level evidence (level IV) that foot orthoses improve pain, reduce rearfoot eversion, alter loading and impact forces; and reduce rearfoot inversion and eversion moments in flexible pes planus. Well-designed randomised controlled trials that include appropriate sample sizes, clinical cohorts and involve a measure of symptom change are required to determine the efficacy of foot orthoses to manage adult flexible pes planus.

Foot orthoses for adults with flexible pes planus: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Foot orthoses are widely used in the management of flexible pes planus, yet the evidence to support this intervention has not been clearly defined. This systematic review aimed to critically appraise the evidence for the use of foot orthoses for flexible pes planus in adults. Methods Electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Web of science, SportDiscus, Embase) were systematically searched in June 2013 for randomised controlled, controlled clinical and repeated measure trials where participants had identified flexible pes planus using a validated and reliable measure of pes planus and the intervention was a rigid or semi-rigid orthoses with the comparison being a no-orthoses (shoes alone or flat non-posted insert) condition. Outcomes of interest were foot pain, rearfoot kinematics, foot kinetics and physical function. Results Of the 2,211 articles identified by the searches, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria; two were randomised controlled trials, one was a controlled trial and 10 were repeated measure studies. Across the included studies, 59 relevant outcome measures were reported with 17 calculated as statistically significant large or medium effects observed with use of foot orthoses compared to the no orthoses condition (SMD range 1.13 to -4.11). Conclusions No high level evidence supported the use of foot orthoses for flexible pes planus. There is good to moderate level evidence that foot orthoses improve physical function (medial-lateral sway in standing (level II) and energy cost during walking (level III)). There is low level evidence (level IV) that foot orthoses improve pain, reduce rearfoot eversion, alter loading and impact forces; and reduce rearfoot inversion and eversion moments in flexible pes planus. Well-designed randomised controlled trials that include appropriate sample sizes, clinical cohorts and involve a measure of symptom change are required to determine the efficacy of foot orthoses to manage adult flexible pes planus. PMID:24708560

Revised and extended analysis of the eighth spectrum of platinum (Pt VIII)

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

Azarov, Vladimir I., E-mail: vlad_azarov@yahoo.com; Gayasov, Robert R.

2017-05-15

The spectrum of platinum was observed in the 300–2100 Å wavelength region. Grazing and normal incidence VUV spectrographs have been used to record the spectrum. The (5d{sup 3}+5d{sup 2}6s)−5d{sup 2}6p transition array of seven times ionized platinum, Pt VIII, has been investigated. The configurations 5d{sup 3} and 5d{sup 2}6p had been previously studied, and all levels of these configurations (19 and 45 levels, respectively) had been established. The previous analysis was based on 178 classified spectral lines. In the current analysis we have confirmed identification of all previously found levels and all but 10 previously assigned spectral lines, although we havemore » detected a large (up to 35 mÅ) systematic shift in wavelength measurements used in the previous analysis. Based on new wavelength measurements, we have corrected the 5d{sup 3} and 5d{sup 2}6p energy level values (by up to 55 cm{sup −1}) and established for the first time 14 out of 16 theoretically possible 5d{sup 2}6s levels in Pt VIII. The total list of identified lines (including 180 new lines) contains 349 entries. The orthogonal operators technique was used to calculate the level structure and transition probabilities. The energy parameters have been determined by the least squares fit to the observed levels. Calculated transition probability and energy values, as well as LS-compositions obtained from the fitted parameters are presented.« less

Disparities in food habits in Europe: systematic review of educational and occupational differences in the intake of fat.

PubMed

López-Azpiazu, I; Sánchez-Villegas, A; Johansson, L; Petkeviciene, J; Prättälä, R; Martínez-González, M A

2003-10-01

A higher socio-economic level is associated with healthier dietary habits. Nevertheless, socio-economic differences in the intake of fat have not consistently been reported in Europe. The objective of our study was to systematically assess differences in total fat (TF) intake and saturated fat (SF) intake across social groups. Representative samples from nine European countries were used to perform a meta-analysis of surveys between 1985-1999, including both published and nonpublished results. Because important heterogeneity was found and the estimates for TF from Spain and Estonia were different from all others, we calculated the differences in intake excluding these two countries. We found a lower TF intake in the highest (versus the lowest) occupational level both for men (difference: -1.1% of total energy intake; 95% CI: -1.3 to -0.8%) and women (difference: -0.9%; 95% CI: -1.2 to -0.6%) when Estonia and Spain were excluded. European surveys indicate that people in the lowest category of occupation consume more fat and SF than people in the highest category.

Disentangling dark energy and cosmic tests of gravity from weak lensing systematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laszlo, Istvan; Bean, Rachel; Kirk, Donnacha; Bridle, Sarah

2012-06-01

We consider the impact of key astrophysical and measurement systematics on constraints on dark energy and modifications to gravity on cosmic scales. We focus on upcoming photometric ‘stage III’ and ‘stage IV’ large-scale structure surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the Subaru Measurement of Images and Redshifts survey, the Euclid survey, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and Wide Field Infra-Red Space Telescope (WFIRST). We illustrate the different redshift dependencies of gravity modifications compared to intrinsic alignments, the main astrophysical systematic. The way in which systematic uncertainties, such as galaxy bias and intrinsic alignments, are modelled can change dark energy equation-of-state parameter and modified gravity figures of merit by a factor of 4. The inclusion of cross-correlations of cosmic shear and galaxy position measurements helps reduce the loss of constraining power from the lensing shear surveys. When forecasts for Planck cosmic microwave background and stage IV surveys are combined, constraints on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter and modified gravity model are recovered, relative to those from shear data with no systematic uncertainties, provided fewer than 36 free parameters in total are used to describe the galaxy bias and intrinsic alignment models as a function of scale and redshift. While some uncertainty in the intrinsic alignment (IA) model can be tolerated, it is going to be important to be able to parametrize IAs well in order to realize the full potential of upcoming surveys. To facilitate future investigations, we also provide a fitting function for the matter power spectrum arising from the phenomenological modified gravity model we consider.

Performance Modeling of Experimental Laser Lightcrafts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Ten-See; Chen, Yen-Sen; Liu, Jiwen; Myrabo, Leik N.; Mead, Franklin B., Jr.; Turner, Jim (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A computational plasma aerodynamics model is developed to study the performance of a laser propelled Lightcraft. The computational methodology is based on a time-accurate, three-dimensional, finite-difference, chemically reacting, unstructured grid, pressure-based formulation. The underlying physics are added and tested systematically using a building-block approach. The physics modeled include non-equilibrium thermodynamics, non-equilibrium air-plasma finite-rate kinetics, specular ray tracing, laser beam energy absorption and refraction by plasma, non-equilibrium plasma radiation, and plasma resonance. A series of transient computations are performed at several laser pulse energy levels and the simulated physics are discussed and compared with those of tests and literatures. The predicted coupling coefficients for the Lightcraft compared reasonably well with those of tests conducted on a pendulum apparatus.

Optical transitions in highly charged californium ions with high sensitivity to variation of the fine-structure constant.

PubMed

Berengut, J C; Dzuba, V A; Flambaum, V V; Ong, A

2012-08-17

We study electronic transitions in highly charged Cf ions that are within the frequency range of optical lasers and have very high sensitivity to potential variations in the fine-structure constant, α. The transitions are in the optical range despite the large ionization energies because they lie on the level crossing of the 5f and 6p valence orbitals in the thallium isoelectronic sequence. Cf(16+) is a particularly rich ion, having several narrow lines with properties that minimize certain systematic effects. Cf(16+) has very large nuclear charge and large ionization energy, resulting in the largest α sensitivity seen in atomic systems. The lines include positive and negative shifters.

Safety issues in high speed machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1994-05-01

There are several risks related to High-Speed Milling, but they have not been systematically determined or studied so far. Increased loads by high centrifugal forces may result in dramatic hazards. Flying tools or fragments from a tool with high kinetic energy may damage surrounding people, machines and devices. In the project, mechanical risks were evaluated, theoretic values for kinetic energies of rotating tools were calculated, possible damages of the flying objects were determined and terms to eliminate the risks were considered. The noise levels of the High-Speed Machining center owned by the Helsinki University of Technology (HUT) and the Technical Research Center of Finland (VTT) in practical machining situation were measured and the results were compared to those after basic preventive measures were taken.

Nuclear-level densities in the {sup 49}V and {sup 57}Co nuclei on the basis of evaporated-neutron spectra in (p, n) and (d, n) reactions

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

Zhuravlev, B. V., E-mail: zhurav@ippe.ru; Titarenko, N. N.

The spectra of neutrons from the reactions {sup 49}Ti(p, n){sup 49}V and {sup 57}Fe (p, n){sup 57}Co were measured in the range of proton energies between 8 and 11 MeV along with their counterparts from the reactions {sup 48}Ti(d, n){sup 49}V and {sup 56}Fe (d, n){sup 57}Co at the deuteron energies of 2.7 and 3.8 MeV. These measurements were conducted with the aid of a time-of-flight fast-neutron spectrometer on the basis of the EGP-15 pulsed tandem accelerator of the Institute for Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE, Obninsk). An analysis of measured data was performed within the statistical equilibrium and preequilibriummore » models of nuclear reactions. The respective calculations based on the Hauser–Feshbach formalism of statistical theory were carried out with nuclear-level densities given by the generalized superfluid model of the nucleus, the backshifted Fermi-gas model, and the Gilbert–Cameron composite formula. The nuclear-level densities of {sup 49}V and {sup 57}Co and their energy dependences were determined. The results were discussed together with available experimental data and data recommended by model systematics.« less

Tailoring Ion Charge State Distribution in Tetramethyltin Clusters under Influence of Moderate Intensity Picosecond Laser Pulse: Role of Laser Wavelength and Rate of Energy Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Pramod; Das, Soumitra; Vatsa, Rajesh K.

2017-07-01

Systematic manipulation of ionic-outcome in laser-cluster interaction process has been realized for studies carried out on tetramethyltin (TMT) clusters under picosecond laser conditions, determined by choice of laser wavelength and intensity. As a function of laser intensity, TMT clusters exhibit gradual enhancement in overall ionization of its cluster constituents, up to a saturation level of ionization, which was distinct for different wavelengths (266, 355, and 532 nm). Simultaneously, systematic appearance of higher multiply charged atomic ions and shift in relative abundance of multiply charged atomic ions towards higher charge state was observed, using time-of-flight mass spectrometer. At saturation level, multiply charged atomic ions up to (C2+, Sn2+) at 266 nm, (C4+, Sn4+) at 355 nm, and (C4+, Sn6+) at 532 nm were detected. In addition, at 355 nm intra-cluster ion chemistry within the ionized cluster leads to generation of molecular hydrogen ion (H2 +) and triatomic molecular hydrogen ion (H3 +). Generation of multiply charged atomic ions is ascribed to efficient coupling of laser pulse with the cluster media, facilitated by inner-ionized electrons produced within the cluster, at the leading edge of laser pulse. Role of inner-ionized electrons is authenticated by measuring kinetic energy distribution of electrons liberated upon disintegration of excessively ionized cluster, under the influence of picosecond laser pulse.

Observation of e+e-→ηJ/ψ at center-of-mass energy s=4.009GeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ablikim, M.; Achasov, M. N.; Ambrose, D. J.; An, F. F.; An, Q.; An, Z. H.; Bai, J. Z.; Ban, Y.; Becker, J.; Bennett, J. V.; Bertani, M.; Bian, J. M.; Boger, E.; Bondarenko, O.; Boyko, I.; Briere, R. A.; Bytev, V.; Cai, X.; Cakir, O.; Calcaterra, A.; Cao, G. F.; Cetin, S. A.; Chang, J. F.; Chelkov, G.; Chen, G.; Chen, H. S.; Chen, J. C.; Chen, M. L.; Chen, S. J.; Chen, Y. B.; Cheng, H. P.; Chu, Y. P.; Cronin-Hennessy, D.; Dai, H. L.; Dai, J. P.; Dedovich, D.; Deng, Z. Y.; Denig, A.; Denysenko, I.; Destefanis, M.; Ding, W. M.; Ding, Y.; Dong, L. Y.; Dong, M. Y.; Du, S. X.; Fang, J.; Fang, S. S.; Fava, L.; Feldbauer, F.; Feng, C. Q.; Ferroli, R. B.; Fu, C. D.; Fu, J. L.; Gao, Y.; Geng, C.; Goetzen, K.; Gong, W. X.; Gradl, W.; Greco, M.; Gu, M. H.; Gu, Y. T.; Guan, Y. H.; Guo, A. Q.; Guo, L. B.; Guo, Y. P.; Han, Y. L.; Harris, F. A.; He, K. L.; He, M.; He, Z. Y.; Held, T.; Heng, Y. K.; Hou, Z. L.; Hu, H. M.; Hu, J. F.; Hu, T.; Huang, G. M.; Huang, J. S.; Huang, X. T.; Huang, Y. P.; Hussain, T.; Ji, C. S.; Ji, Q.; Ji, X. B.; Ji, X. L.; Jiang, L. L.; Jiang, X. S.; Jiao, J. B.; Jiao, Z.; Jin, D. P.; Jin, S.; Jing, F. F.; Kalantar-Nayestanaki, N.; Kavatsyuk, M.; Kuehn, W.; Lai, W.; Lange, J. S.; Li, C. H.; Li, Cheng; Li, Cui; Li, D. M.; Li, F.; Li, G.; Li, H. B.; Li, J. C.; Li, K.; Li, Lei; Li, Q. J.; Li, S. L.; Li, W. D.; Li, W. G.; Li, X. L.; Li, X. N.; Li, X. Q.; Li, X. R.; Li, Z. B.; Liang, H.; Liang, Y. F.; Liang, Y. T.; Liao, G. R.; Liao, X. T.; Liu, B. J.; Liu, C. L.; Liu, C. X.; Liu, C. Y.; Liu, F. H.; Liu, Fang; Liu, Feng; Liu, H.; Liu, H. B.; Liu, H. H.; Liu, H. M.; Liu, H. W.; Liu, J. P.; Liu, K. Y.; Liu, Kai; Liu, P. L.; Liu, Q.; Liu, S. B.; Liu, X.; Liu, X. H.; Liu, Y. B.; Liu, Z. A.; Liu, Zhiqiang; Liu, Zhiqing; Loehner, H.; Lu, G. R.; Lu, H. J.; Lu, J. G.; Lu, Q. W.; Lu, X. R.; Lu, Y. P.; Luo, C. L.; Luo, M. X.; Luo, T.; Luo, X. L.; Lv, M.; Ma, C. L.; Ma, F. C.; Ma, H. L.; Ma, Q. M.; Ma, S.; Ma, T.; Ma, X. Y.; Ma, Y.; Maas, F. E.; Maggiora, M.; Malik, Q. A.; Mao, Y. J.; Mao, Z. P.; Messchendorp, J. G.; Min, J.; Min, T. J.; Mitchell, R. E.; Mo, X. H.; Morales, C. Morales; Motzko, C.; Muchnoi, N. Yu.; Muramatsu, H.; Nefedov, Y.; Nicholson, C.; Nikolaev, I. B.; Ning, Z.; Olsen, S. L.; Ouyang, Q.; Pacetti, S.; Park, J. W.; Pelizaeus, M.; Peng, H. P.; Peters, K.; Ping, J. L.; Ping, R. G.; Poling, R.; Prencipe, E.; Qi, M.; Qian, S.; Qiao, C. F.; Qin, X. S.; Qin, Y.; Qin, Z. H.; Qiu, J. F.; Rashid, K. H.; Rong, G.; Ruan, X. D.; Sarantsev, A.; Schaefer, B. D.; Schulze, J.; Shao, M.; Shen, C. P.; Shen, X. Y.; Sheng, H. Y.; Shepherd, M. R.; Song, W. M.; Song, X. Y.; Spataro, S.; Spruck, B.; Sun, D. H.; Sun, G. X.; Sun, J. F.; Sun, S. S.; Sun, Y. J.; Sun, Y. Z.; Sun, Z. J.; Sun, Z. T.; Tang, C. J.; Tang, X.; Tapan, I.; Thorndike, E. H.; Toth, D.; Ullrich, M.; Varner, G. S.; Wang, B.; Wang, B. Q.; Wang, K.; Wang, L. L.; Wang, L. S.; Wang, M.; Wang, P.; Wang, P. L.; Wang, Q.; Wang, Q. J.; Wang, S. G.; Wang, X. L.; Wang, Y. D.; Wang, Y. F.; Wang, Y. Q.; Wang, Z.; Wang, Z. G.; Wang, Z. Y.; Wei, D. H.; Weidenkaff, P.; Wen, Q. G.; Wen, S. P.; Werner, M.; Wiedner, U.; Wu, L. H.; Wu, N.; Wu, S. X.; Wu, W.; Wu, Z.; Xia, L. G.; Xiao, Z. J.; Xie, Y. G.; Xiu, Q. L.; Xu, G. F.; Xu, G. M.; Xu, H.; Xu, Q. J.; Xu, X. P.; Xu, Z. R.; Xue, F.; Xue, Z.; Yan, L.; Yan, W. B.; Yan, Y. H.; Yang, H. X.; Yang, Y.; Yang, Y. X.; Ye, H.; Ye, M.; Ye, M. H.; Yu, B. X.; Yu, C. X.; Yu, J. S.; Yu, S. P.; Yuan, C. Z.; Yuan, Y.; Zafar, A. A.; Zallo, A.; Zeng, Y.; Zhang, B. X.; Zhang, B. Y.; Zhang, C. C.; Zhang, D. H.; Zhang, H. H.; Zhang, H. Y.; Zhang, J. Q.; Zhang, J. W.; Zhang, J. Y.; Zhang, J. Z.; Zhang, S. H.; Zhang, X. J.; Zhang, X. Y.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, Y. H.; Zhang, Y. S.; Zhang, Z. P.; Zhang, Z. Y.; Zhao, G.; Zhao, H. S.; Zhao, J. W.; Zhao, K. X.; Zhao, Lei; Zhao, Ling; Zhao, M. G.; Zhao, Q.; Zhao, S. J.; Zhao, T. C.; Zhao, X. H.; Zhao, Y. B.; Zhao, Z. G.; Zhemchugov, A.; Zheng, B.; Zheng, J. P.; Zheng, Y. H.; Zhong, B.; Zhong, J.; Zhou, L.; Zhou, X. K.; Zhou, X. R.; Zhu, C.; Zhu, K.; Zhu, K. J.; Zhu, S. H.; Zhu, X. L.; Zhu, X. W.; Zhu, Y. C.; Zhu, Y. M.; Zhu, Y. S.; Zhu, Z. A.; Zhuang, J.; Zou, B. S.; Zou, J. H.

2012-10-01

Using a 478pb-1 data sample collected with the BESIII detector operating at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider storage ring at a center-of-mass energy of s=4.009GeV, the production of e+e-→ηJ/ψ is observed for the first time with a statistical significance of greater than 10σ. The Born cross section is measured to be (32.1±2.8±1.3)pb, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. Assuming the ηJ/ψ signal is from a hadronic transition of the ψ(4040), the fractional transition rate is determined to be B(ψ(4040)→ηJ/ψ)=(5.2±0.5±0.2±0.5)×10-3, where the first, second, and third errors are statistical, systematic, and the uncertainty from the ψ(4040) resonant parameters, respectively. The production of e+e-→π0J/ψ is searched for, but no significant signal is observed, and B(ψ(4040)→π0J/ψ)<2.8×10-4 is obtained at the 90% confidence level.

Exergaming as a Strategic Tool in the Fight against Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Lamboglia, Carminda Maria Goersch Fontenele; da Silva, Vanina Tereza Barbosa Lopes; de Vasconcelos Filho, José Eurico; Pinheiro, Mônica Helena Neves Pereira; Munguba, Marilene Calderaro da Silva; Silva Júnior, Francisco Valmar Isaias; de Paula, Fernando Alberto Ramirez; da Silva, Carlos Antônio Bruno

2013-01-01

Improper use of electronic media is considered a major contributing factor to childhood obesity. However, exergames, a new generation of active games, have made it possible to combine electronic entertainment with physical exercise. The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the use of exergaming as a strategic tool in the fight against childhood obesity. Information was retrieved from the databases SciELO, LILACS, Pubmed, Ebsco, and Science Direct, using the search words “egames,” “exergames,” “exergaming,” “new generation of video games,” “active video games,” “energy expenditure,” “body composition,” and “physical activity” in English and Portuguese, covering the period January 2008 to April 2012. Nine articles met the inclusion criteria. Exergaming was found to increase physical activity levels, energy expenditure, maximal oxygen uptake, heart rate, and percentage of physical activity engaged in and to reduce waist circumference and sedentary screen time. Thus, exergaming may be considered a highly relevant strategic tool for the adoption of an active and healthy lifestyle and may be useful in the fight against childhood obesity. PMID:24319594

Coupled-cluster based approach for core-level states in condensed phase: Theory and application to different protonated forms of aqueous glycine

DOE PAGES

Sadybekov, Arman; Krylov, Anna I.

2017-07-07

A theoretical approach for calculating core-level states in condensed phase is presented. The approach is based on equation-of-motion coupled-cluster theory (EOMCC) and effective fragment potential (EFP) method. By introducing an approximate treatment of double excitations in the EOM-CCSD (EOM-CC with single and double substitutions) ansatz, we address poor convergence issues that are encountered for the core-level states and significantly reduce computational costs. While the approximations introduce relatively large errors in the absolute values of transition energies, the errors are systematic. Consequently, chemical shifts, changes in ionization energies relative to reference systems, are reproduced reasonably well. By using different protonation formsmore » of solvated glycine as a benchmark system, we show that our protocol is capable of reproducing the experimental chemical shifts with a quantitative accuracy. The results demonstrate that chemical shifts are very sensitive to the solvent interactions and that explicit treatment of solvent, such as EFP, is essential for achieving quantitative accuracy.« less

Coupled-cluster based approach for core-level states in condensed phase: Theory and application to different protonated forms of aqueous glycine

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

Sadybekov, Arman; Krylov, Anna I.

A theoretical approach for calculating core-level states in condensed phase is presented. The approach is based on equation-of-motion coupled-cluster theory (EOMCC) and effective fragment potential (EFP) method. By introducing an approximate treatment of double excitations in the EOM-CCSD (EOM-CC with single and double substitutions) ansatz, we address poor convergence issues that are encountered for the core-level states and significantly reduce computational costs. While the approximations introduce relatively large errors in the absolute values of transition energies, the errors are systematic. Consequently, chemical shifts, changes in ionization energies relative to reference systems, are reproduced reasonably well. By using different protonation formsmore » of solvated glycine as a benchmark system, we show that our protocol is capable of reproducing the experimental chemical shifts with a quantitative accuracy. The results demonstrate that chemical shifts are very sensitive to the solvent interactions and that explicit treatment of solvent, such as EFP, is essential for achieving quantitative accuracy.« less

Energy Savings by Treating Buildings as Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, L. D. Danny

2008-09-01

This paper reviews the opportunities for dramatically reducing energy use in buildings by treating buildings as systems, rather than focusing on device efficiencies. Systems-level considerations are relevant for the operation of heat pumps (where the temperatures at which heat or coldness are distributed are particularly important); the joint or separate provision of heating, cooling, and ventilation; the joint or separate removal of sensible heat and moisture; and in the operation of fluid systems having pumps. Passive heating, cooling, and ventilation, as well as daylighting (use of sunlight for lighting purposes) also require consideration of buildings as systems. In order to achieve the significant (50-75%) energy savings that are possible through a systems approach, the design process itself has to involve a high degree of integration between the architect and various engineering disciplines (structural, mechanical, electrical), and requires the systematic examination and adjustment of alternative designs using computer simulation models.

Energy and electrode consumption analysis of electrocoagulation for the removal of arsenic from underground water.

PubMed

Martínez-Villafañe, J F; Montero-Ocampo, C; García-Lara, A M

2009-12-30

A systematic study of the effect of design and operation conditions of an electrochemical reactor on the treatment time for arsenic (As) electro-removal from underground water (GW) was carried out to analyse the energy and electrode consumption. The effects of four factors--current density, interelectrode distance, electrode area-volume ratio, and liquid motion driving mode--were evaluated. The response variables were the energy and the electrode consumption and the treatment time to reduce the GW residual As concentration to 10 microg L(-1), which is the maximum contaminant level (MCL) established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in drinking water. The results obtained in this study showed that the factor that had the greatest effect on most of the response variables was the liquid motion driving mode. The best residence time was 20s, which favoured low energy consumption (58.78 Wh m(-3)) and low electrode material loss (9.59 g m(-3)).

Design of experiment analysis of CO2 dielectric barrier discharge conditions on CO production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Markus; Ponduri, Srinath; Engeln, Richard; van de Sanden, Richard; Loffhagen, Detlef

2016-09-01

Dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) are frequently used for the generation of CO from CO2 which is of particular interest for syngas production. It has been found by means of fluid modelling in that the CO2 conversion frequency in a CO2 DBD depends linearly on the specific energy input (SEI) while the energy efficiency of CO production is only weakly dependent on the SEI. Here, the same numerical model as in is applied to study systematically the influence of gas pressure, applied voltage amplitude and frequency on the CO2 conversion frequency and the energy efficiency of CO production based on a 2-level 3-factor full factorial experimental design. It is found that the operating conditions of the CO2 DBD for CO production can be chosen to either have an optimal throughput or a better energy efficiency. This work was partly supported by the German Research Foundation within the Collaborative Research Centre Transregio 24.

A Review on Development Practice of Smart Grid Technology in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Liu; Chen, Wei; Zhuang, Bo; Shen, Hongming

2017-05-01

Smart grid has become an inexorable trend of energy and economy development worldwide. Since the development of smart grid was put forward in China in 2009, we have obtained abundant research results and practical experiences as well as extensive attention from international community in this field. This paper reviews the key technologies and demonstration projects on new energy connection forecasts; energy storage; smart substations; disaster prevention and reduction for power transmission lines; flexible DC transmission; distribution automation; distributed generation access and micro grid; smart power consumption; the comprehensive demonstration of power distribution and utilization; smart power dispatching and control systems; and the communication networks and information platforms of China, systematically, on the basis of 5 fields, i.e., renewable energy integration, smart power transmission and transformation, smart power distribution and consumption, smart power dispatching and control systems and information and communication platforms. Meanwhile, it also analyzes and compares with the developmental level of similar technologies abroad, providing an outlook on the future development trends of various technologies.

Systematization of the yields of products of photonuclear reactions on enriched-tin targets at the bremsstrahlung-photon endpoint energy of 4.5 GeV

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

Balabekyan, A. R., E-mail: balabekyan@ysu.a

2008-11-15

Yields of photonuclear-reaction products formed in targets from separated tin isotopes under the effect of beams of bremsstrahlung photons whose endpoint energy is 4.5 GeV were investigated. The systematization performed on this basis revealed an isoscaling character of the behavior of the production yields for various regions of reaction-product masses.

Lifetime of vibrational levels from Fourier grid calculations: RbCs example.

PubMed

Londoño, B E; Mahecha, J; Luc-Koenig, E; Crubellier, A

2011-11-14

We present systematic calculations of the lifetimes of vibrational levels of excited Rb(5s)Cs(6p(1/2)) 0(+) electronic states. We show that a precise description of the variation with the internuclear distance of the transition dipole moment between electronic states is essential. It is also crucial to account precisely for the spin-orbit coupling between the Rb(5s)Cs(6p) A (1)Σ(+) and b (3)Π states. We describe the general trends of the probability of formation of stable molecules in the Rb(5s)Cs(6s) X (1)Σ(+) and a (3)Σ(+) electronic states, through radiative decay from the 0(+)v' levels, together with the branching ratios for the obtention of singlet or triplet molecules, stable with respect to dissociation. Furthermore, this analysis allows us to demonstrate the efficiency of the Mapped Fourier Grid Hamiltonian Representation method (MFGHR) to determine rigorously the energy variation, throughout the continuous part of the spectrum, of the density of an observable connecting bound vibrational levels and continuum states. The resolution in energy can be adapted to the studied problem through a judicious choice of the grid parameters.

Examining the target levels of state renewable portfolio standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helwig, Laurence Douglas

At present 37 U.S. states have passed Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) or have a legislative driven goal that supports investment in renewable energy (RE) technologies. Previous research has identified economic, governmental, ideological and infrastructural characteristics as key predictors of policy adoption and renewable energy deployment efforts (Carley, 2009; Davis & Davis, 2009; Bohn & Lant, 2009; Lyon & Yin, 2010). To date, only a few studies have investigated the target levels of renewable portfolio standards. Carley & Miller (2012) found that policies of differing stringencies were motivated by systematically different factors that included governmental ideology. The purpose of this dissertation is to replicate and expand upon earlier models that predicted RPS adoption and RE deployment efforts by adding regulatory, infrastructural and spatial characteristics to predict RPS target levels. Hypotheses were tested using three alternative measurements of RPS target level strength to determine to what extent a combination of explanatory variables explain variation in policy target levels. Multivariate linear regression and global spatial autocorrelation results indicated that multiple state internal determinants influenced RPS target level including average electricity price, state government ideology and to a lesser extent actual RE potential capacity. In addition, some diffusion effects were found to exist that indicated that states are setting their RPS target levels lower than their neighboring states and a local geo-spatial clustering effect was observed in the target levels for a grouping of northeastern states.

Multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock calculations of energy levels and radiative rates of Fe VII

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang; Xu, Xiaokai; Li, Bowen; Jönsson, Per; Chen, Ximeng

2018-06-01

Detailed calculations are performed for 134 fine-structure levels of the 3p63d2, 3p63d4s, 3p53d3 and 3p63d4p configurations in Fe VII using the multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock (MCDHF) and relativistic configuration interaction (RCI) methods. Important electron correlation effects are systematically accounted for through active space (AS) expansions. Our results compare well with experimental measurements, emphasizing the importance of a careful treatment of electron correlation, and provide some missing data in the NIST atomic database. The data obtained are expected to be useful in astrophysical applications, particularly for the research of the solar coronal plasma.

Landau damping of electrostatic waves in arbitrarily degenerate quantum plasmas

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

Rightley, Shane, E-mail: shane.rightley@colorado.edu; Uzdensky, Dmitri, E-mail: uzdensky@colorado.edu

2016-03-15

We carry out a systematic study of the dispersion relation for linear electrostatic waves in an arbitrarily degenerate quantum electron plasma. We solve for the complex frequency spectrum for arbitrary values of wavenumber k and level of degeneracy μ. Our finding is that for large k and high μ the real part of the frequency ω{sub r} grows linearly with k and scales with μ, only because of the scaling of the Fermi energy. In this regime, the relative Landau damping rate γ/ω{sub r} becomes independent of k and varies inversely with μ. Thus, damping is weak but finite atmore » moderate levels of degeneracy for short wavelengths.« less

Demonstration of Temperature Dependent Energy Migration in Dual-Mode YVO4: Ho3+/Yb3+ Nanocrystals for Low Temperature Thermometry

PubMed Central

Kumar Mahata, Manoj; Koppe, Tristan; Kumar, Kaushal; Hofsäss, Hans; Vetter, Ulrich

2016-01-01

A dual mode rare-earth based vanadate material (YVO4: Ho3+/Yb3+), prepared through ethylene glycol assisted hydrothermal method, demonstrating both downconversion and upconversion, along with systematic investigation of the luminescence spectroscopy within 12–300 K is presented herein. The energy transfer processes have been explored via steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements and explained in terms of rate equation description and temporal evolution below room temperature. The maximum time for energy migration from host to rare earth (Ho3+) increases (0.157 μs to 0.514 μs) with the material’s temperature decreasing from 300 K to 12 K. The mechanism responsible for variation of the transients’ character is discussed through thermalization and non-radiative transitions in the system. More significantly, the temperature of the nanocrystals was determined using not only the thermally equilibrated radiative intra-4f transitions of Ho3+ but also the decay time and rise time of vanadate and Ho3+ energy levels. Our studies show that the material is highly suitable for temperature sensing below room temperature. The maximum relative sensor sensitivity using the rise time of Ho3+ energy level (5F4/5S2) is 1.35% K−1, which is the highest among the known sensitivities for luminescence based thermal probes. PMID:27805060

The connection between water and energy in cities: a review.

PubMed

Kenway, S J; Lant, P A; Priestley, A; Daniels, P

2011-01-01

We have only rudimentary understanding of the complex and pervasive connections between water and energy in cities. As water security now threatens energy and economic security, this is a major omission. Understanding the water-energy nexus is necessary if we want to contribute to solving water and energy issues simultaneously; if we want to stop moving problems from one resource dimension to another. This is particularly relevant in the Australian context where energy use for water supplies is forecast to rapidly escalate, growing around 300% from 2007 levels, by 2030. This paper presents a literature review with an aim of characterising the research to date with a particular focus on cities, the major centres of consumption and growth. It systematically analyses a wide range of papers and summarises the diverse objectives, dimensions, and scale of the research to-date together with knowledge gaps. There are many major gaps. These include energy use associated with water in industrial and commercial operations as well as socio-political perspectives. A major gap is the lack of a unifying theoretical framework and consistent methodology for analysis. This is considered a prerequisite for quantitative trans-city comparisons.

Non-diffusive ignition of a gaseous reactive mixture following time-resolved, spatially distributed energy deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kassoy, D. R.

2014-01-01

Systematic asymptotic methods are applied to the compressible conservation and state equations for a reactive gas, including transport terms, to develop a rational thermomechanical formulation for the ignition of a chemical reaction following time-resolved, spatially distributed thermal energy addition from an external source into a finite volume of gas. A multi-parameter asymptotic analysis is developed for a wide range of energy deposition levels relative to the initial internal energy in the volume when the heating timescale is short compared to the characteristic acoustic timescale of the volume. Below a quantitatively defined threshold for energy addition, a nearly constant volume heating process occurs, with a small but finite internal gas expansion Mach number. Very little added thermal energy is converted to kinetic energy. The gas expelled from the boundary of the hot, high-pressure spot is the source of mechanical disturbances (acoustic and shock waves) that propagate away into the neighbouring unheated gas. When the energy addition reaches the threshold value, the heating process is fully compressible with a substantial internal gas expansion Mach number, the source of blast waves propagating into the unheated environmental gas. This case corresponds to an extremely large non-dimensional hot-spot temperature and pressure. If the former is sufficiently large, a high activation energy chemical reaction is initiated on the short heating timescale. This phenomenon is in contrast to that for more modest levels of energy addition, where a thermal explosion occurs only after the familiar extended ignition delay period for a classical high activation reaction. Transport effects, modulated by an asymptotically small Knudsen number, are shown to be negligible unless a local gradient in temperature, concentration or velocity is exceptionally large.

Evaluation of Hydration Free Energy by Level-Set Variational Implicit-Solvent Model with Coulomb-Field Approximation.

PubMed

Guo, Zuojun; Li, Bo; Dzubiella, Joachim; Cheng, Li-Tien; McCammon, J Andrew; Che, Jianwei

2013-03-12

In this article, we systematically apply a novel implicit-solvent model, the variational implicit-solvent model (VISM) together with the Coulomb-Field Approximation (CFA), to calculate the hydration free energy of a large set of small organic molecules. Because these molecules have been studied in detail by molecular dynamics simulations and other implicit-solvent models, they provide a good benchmark for evaluating the performance of VISM-CFA. With all-atom Amber force field parameters, VISM-CFA is able to reproduce well not only the experimental and MD simulated total hydration free energy but also the polar and nonpolar contributions individually. The correlation between VISM-CFA and experiments is R 2 = 0.763 for the total hydration free energy, with a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 1.83 kcal/mol, and the correlation to results from TIP3P explicit water MD simulations is R 2 = 0.839 with a RMSD = 1.36 kcal/mol. In addition, we demonstrate that VISM captures dewetting phenomena in the p53/MDM2 complex and hydrophobic characteristics in the system. This work demonstrates that the level-set VISM-CFA can be used to study the energetic behavior of realistic molecular systems with complicated geometries in solvation, protein-ligand binding, protein-protein association, and protein folding processes.

Solar Radiation Estimated Through Mesoscale Atmospheric Modeling over Northeast Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Menezes Neto, Otacilio Leandro; Costa, Alexandre Araújo; Ramalho, Fernando Pinto; de Maria, Paulo Henrique Santiago

2009-03-01

The use of renewable energy sources, like solar, wind and biomass is rapidly increasing in recent years, with solar radiation as a particularly abundant energy source over Northeast Brazil. A proper quantitative knowledge of the incoming solar radiation is of great importance for energy planning in Brazil, serving as basis for developing future projects of photovoltaic power plants and solar energy exploitation. This work presents a methodology for mapping the incoming solar radiation at ground level for Northeast Brazil, using a mesoscale atmospheric model (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System—RAMS), calibrated and validated using data from the network of automatic surface stations from the State Foundation for Meteorology and Water Resources from Ceará (Fundação Cearense de Meteorologia e Recursos Hídricos- FUNCEME). The results showed that the model exhibits systematic errors, overestimating surface radiation, but that, after the proper statistical corrections, using a relationship between the model-predicted cloud fraction, the ground-level observed solar radiation and the incoming solar radiation estimated at the top of the atmosphere, a correlation of 0.92 with a confidence interval of 13.5 W/m2 is found for monthly data. Using this methodology, we found an estimate for annual average incoming solar radiation over Ceará of 215 W/m2 (maximum in October: 260 W/m2).

Influence of basis-set size on the X Σ 1 /2 +2 , A Π 1 /2 2 , A Π 3 /2 2 , and B Σ 1 /2 +2 potential-energy curves, A Π 3 /2 2 vibrational energies, and D1 and D2 line shapes of Rb+He

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blank, L. Aaron; Sharma, Amit R.; Weeks, David E.

2018-03-01

The X Σ 1 /2 +2 , A Π 1 /2 2 , A Π 3 /2 2 , and B2Σ1/2 + potential-energy curves for Rb+He are computed at the spin-orbit multireference configuration interaction level of theory using a hierarchy of Gaussian basis sets at the double-zeta (DZ), triple-zeta (TZ), and quadruple-zeta (QZ) levels of valence quality. Counterpoise and Davidson-Silver corrections are employed to remove basis-set superposition error and ameliorate size-consistency error. An extrapolation is performed to obtain a final set of potential-energy curves in the complete basis-set (CBS) limit. This yields four sets of systematically improved X Σ 1 /2 +2 , A Π 1 /2 2 , A Π 3 /2 2 , and B2Σ1/2 + potential-energy curves that are used to compute the A Π 3 /2 2 bound vibrational energies, the position of the D2 blue satellite peak, and the D1 and D2 pressure broadening and shifting coefficients, at the DZ, TZ, QZ, and CBS levels. Results are compared with previous calculations and experimental observation.

Some Enlightenments of "Beautiful Rural Construction" on Rural Energy Policy in Beijing—Applying Informatization Means

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhi, Wang; Kongan, Wu

2018-06-01

"Beautiful rural construction" is a systematic project, rural energy is one of the important contents of its construction. In accordance with the concept of eco-friendly construction, Beijing carried out a thorough "structural adjustment of rural energy optimization," "Earthquake energy-saving projects of rural housing" and other measures. By conventional heating technology research in Beijing 13 counties and 142 villages, we predict the future of rural energy will further the implementation of solar heating, electric heating and other new green energy technologies. It is suggested to establish the "Beijing Rural Information Service Platform" and "Beautiful Rural Information Resource Bank" through the means of informatization, which will greatly strengthen the regulation and control of rural people-land relationship and realize the systematic optimization, making the cities and villages have. Space for human survival and sustainable development.

Toward chemical accuracy in the description of ion-water interactions through many-body representations. Alkali-water dimer potential energy surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riera, Marc; Mardirossian, Narbe; Bajaj, Pushp; Götz, Andreas W.; Paesani, Francesco

2017-10-01

This study presents the extension of the MB-nrg (Many-Body energy) theoretical/computational framework of transferable potential energy functions (PEFs) for molecular simulations of alkali metal ion-water systems. The MB-nrg PEFs are built upon the many-body expansion of the total energy and include the explicit treatment of one-body, two-body, and three-body interactions, with all higher-order contributions described by classical induction. This study focuses on the MB-nrg two-body terms describing the full-dimensional potential energy surfaces of the M+(H2O) dimers, where M+ = Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+. The MB-nrg PEFs are derived entirely from "first principles" calculations carried out at the explicitly correlated coupled-cluster level including single, double, and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)-F12b] for Li+ and Na+ and at the CCSD(T) level for K+, Rb+, and Cs+. The accuracy of the MB-nrg PEFs is systematically assessed through an extensive analysis of interaction energies, structures, and harmonic frequencies for all five M+(H2O) dimers. In all cases, the MB-nrg PEFs are shown to be superior to both polarizable force fields and ab initio models based on density functional theory. As previously demonstrated for halide-water dimers, the MB-nrg PEFs achieve higher accuracy by correctly describing short-range quantum-mechanical effects associated with electron density overlap as well as long-range electrostatic many-body interactions.

The structural, electronic and optical properties of Nd doped ZnO using first-principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Jun-Qing; Zhang, Jian-Min; Chen, Guo-Xiang; Wu, Hua; Yang, Xu

2018-04-01

The density functional theory calculations using general gradient approximation (GGA) applying Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) as correlation functional have been systematically performed to research the formation energy, the electronic structures, band structures, total and partial DOS, and optical properties of Nd doping ZnO with the content from 6.25% to 12.5%. The formation energies are negative for both models, which show that two structures are energetically stable. Nd doping ZnO crystal is found to be a direct band gap semiconductor and Fermi level shifts upward into conduction band, which show the properties of n-type semiconductor. Band structures are more compact after Nd doping ZnO, implying that Nd doping induces the strong interaction between different atoms. Nd doping ZnO crystal presents occupied states at near Fermi level, which mainly comes from the Nd 4f orbital. The calculated optical properties imply that Nd doping causes a red-shift of absorption peaks, and enhances the absorption of the visible light.

Search for Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Anisotropies with Seven Years of Fermi Large Area Telescope Data.

PubMed

Abdollahi, S; Ackermann, M; Ajello, M; Albert, A; Atwood, W B; Baldini, L; Barbiellini, G; Bellazzini, R; Bissaldi, E; Bloom, E D; Bonino, R; Bottacini, E; Brandt, T J; Bruel, P; Buson, S; Caragiulo, M; Cavazzuti, E; Chekhtman, A; Ciprini, S; Costanza, F; Cuoco, A; Cutini, S; D'Ammando, F; de Palma, F; Desiante, R; Digel, S W; Di Lalla, N; Di Mauro, M; Di Venere, L; Donaggio, B; Drell, P S; Favuzzi, C; Focke, W B; Fukazawa, Y; Funk, S; Fusco, P; Gargano, F; Gasparrini, D; Giglietto, N; Giordano, F; Giroletti, M; Green, D; Guiriec, S; Harding, A K; Jogler, T; Jóhannesson, G; Kamae, T; Kuss, M; Larsson, S; Latronico, L; Li, J; Longo, F; Loparco, F; Lubrano, P; Magill, J D; Malyshev, D; Manfreda, A; Mazziotta, M N; Meehan, M; Michelson, P F; Mitthumsiri, W; Mizuno, T; Moiseev, A A; Monzani, M E; Morselli, A; Negro, M; Nuss, E; Ohsugi, T; Omodei, N; Paneque, D; Perkins, J S; Pesce-Rollins, M; Piron, F; Pivato, G; Principe, G; Rainò, S; Rando, R; Razzano, M; Reimer, A; Reimer, O; Sgrò, C; Simone, D; Siskind, E J; Spada, F; Spandre, G; Spinelli, P; Strong, A W; Tajima, H; Thayer, J B; Torres, D F; Troja, E; Vandenbroucke, J; Zaharijas, G; Zimmer, S

2017-03-03

The Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has collected the largest ever sample of high-energy cosmic-ray electron and positron events since the beginning of its operation. Potential anisotropies in the arrival directions of cosmic-ray electrons or positrons could be a signature of the presence of nearby sources. We use almost seven years of data with energies above 42 GeV processed with the Pass 8 reconstruction. The present data sample can probe dipole anisotropies down to a level of 10^{-3}. We take into account systematic effects that could mimic true anisotropies at this level. We present a detailed study of the event selection optimization of the cosmic-ray electrons and positrons to be used for anisotropy searches. Since no significant anisotropies have been detected on any angular scale, we present upper limits on the dipole anisotropy. The present constraints are among the strongest to date probing the presence of nearby young and middle-aged sources.

Slow-Injection Growth of Seeded CdSe/CdS Nanorods with Unity Fluorescence Quantum Yield and Complete Shell to Core Energy Transfer.

PubMed

Coropceanu, Igor; Rossinelli, Aurelio; Caram, Justin R; Freyria, Francesca S; Bawendi, Moungi G

2016-03-22

A two-step process has been developed for growing the shell of CdSe/CdS core/shell nanorods. The method combines an established fast-injection-based step to create the initial elongated shell with a second slow-injection growth that allows for a systematic variation of the shell thickness while maintaining a high degree of monodispersity at the batch level and enhancing the uniformity at the single-nanorod level. The second growth step resulted in nanorods exhibiting a fluorescence quantum yield up to 100% as well as effectively complete energy transfer from the shell to the core. This improvement suggests that the second step is associated with a strong suppression of the nonradiative channels operating both before and after the thermalization of the exciton. This hypothesis is supported by the suppression of a defect band, ubiquitous to CdSe-based nanocrystals after the second growth.

Measurement of the para-hydrogen concentration in the ISIS moderators using neutron transmission and thermal conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanelli, Giovanni; Rudić, Svemir; Zanetti, Matteo; Andreani, Carla; Fernandez-Alonso, Felix; Gorini, Giuseppe; Krzystyniak, Maciej; Škoro, Goran

2018-04-01

We present an experimental study to determine the para-hydrogen concentration in the hydrogen moderators at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source. The experimental characterisation is based on neutron transmission experiments performed on the VESUVIO spectrometer, and thermal conductivity measurements using the TOSCA para-hydrogen rig. A reliable estimation of the level of para-hydrogen concentration in the hydrogen moderators is of crucial importance in the framework of a current project to completely refurbish the first target station at ISIS. Moreover, we report a new measurement of the total neutron cross section for normal hydrogen at 15 K on the broad energy range 3 meV -10 eV suggesting a revision of the most recent nuclear libraries for incident neutron energies lower than 10 meV. Finally, we characterise systematic errors affecting the para-hydrogen level estimation due to conversion from para to ortho hydrogen, as a function of the time a batch of gas spends in every component of our gas panel and apparatus.

Systematization of cross sections for the production of residual nuclei on separated tin isotopes in reactions induced by various-energy protons

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

Balabekyan, A. R., E-mail: balabekyan@ysu.am; Danagulyan, A. S.; Drnoyan, J. R.

2011-05-15

Cross sections for the production of residual nuclei on the isotopes {sup 112,118,120,124}Sn irradiated with 0.66-, 1.0-, 3.65-, and 8.1-GeV proton beams were investigated. A ten-parameter semiempirical formula was used to systematize the cross sections in question. A comparative analysis of parameter values obtained at different proton energies was performed.

Systematics of strength function sum rules

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

Johnson, Calvin W.

2015-08-28

Sum rules provide useful insights into transition strength functions and are often expressed as expectation values of an operator. In this letter I demonstrate that non-energy-weighted transition sum rules have strong secular dependences on the energy of the initial state. Such non-trivial systematics have consequences: the simplification suggested by the generalized Brink–Axel hypothesis, for example, does not hold for most cases, though it weakly holds in at least some cases for electric dipole transitions. Furthermore, I show the systematics can be understood through spectral distribution theory, calculated via traces of operators and of products of operators. Seen through this lens,more » violation of the generalized Brink–Axel hypothesis is unsurprising: one expectssum rules to evolve with excitation energy. Moreover, to lowest order the slope of the secular evolution can be traced to a component of the Hamiltonian being positive (repulsive) or negative (attractive).« less

A systematic review of sub-national food insecurity research in South Africa: Missed opportunities for policy insights.

PubMed

Misselhorn, Alison; Hendriks, Sheryl L

2017-01-01

Food insecurity is an intractable problem in South Africa. The country has a tradition of evidence-based decision making, grounded in the findings of national surveys. However, the rich insights from sub-national surveys remain a largely untapped resource for understandings of the contextual experience of food insecurity. A web-based search identified 169 sub-national food insecurity studies conducted in the post-apartheid period between 1994 and 2014. The systematic review found that the studies used 27 different measures of food insecurity, confounding the comparative analysis of food insecurity at this level. While social grants have brought a measure of poverty relief at household level, unaffordable diets were the root cause of food insecurity. The increasing consumption of cheaper, more available and preferred 'globalised' foods with high energy content and low nutritional value lead to overweight and obesity alongside child stunting. Unless a comparable set of indicators is used in such surveys, they are not able to provide comparable information on the scope and scale of the problem. Policy makers should be engaging with researchers to learn from these studies, while researchers need to share this wealth of sub-national study findings with government to strengthen food security planning, monitoring, and evaluation at all levels.

A systematic review of sub-national food insecurity research in South Africa: Missed opportunities for policy insights

PubMed Central

Misselhorn, Alison

2017-01-01

Food insecurity is an intractable problem in South Africa. The country has a tradition of evidence-based decision making, grounded in the findings of national surveys. However, the rich insights from sub-national surveys remain a largely untapped resource for understandings of the contextual experience of food insecurity. A web-based search identified 169 sub-national food insecurity studies conducted in the post-apartheid period between 1994 and 2014. The systematic review found that the studies used 27 different measures of food insecurity, confounding the comparative analysis of food insecurity at this level. While social grants have brought a measure of poverty relief at household level, unaffordable diets were the root cause of food insecurity. The increasing consumption of cheaper, more available and preferred ‘globalised’ foods with high energy content and low nutritional value lead to overweight and obesity alongside child stunting. Unless a comparable set of indicators is used in such surveys, they are not able to provide comparable information on the scope and scale of the problem. Policy makers should be engaging with researchers to learn from these studies, while researchers need to share this wealth of sub-national study findings with government to strengthen food security planning, monitoring, and evaluation at all levels. PMID:28829787

Interventions designed to reduce sedentary behaviours in young people: a review of reviews.

PubMed

Biddle, Stuart J H; Petrolini, Irene; Pearson, Natalie

2014-02-01

Leisure time is increasingly spent in sedentary pursuits such as screen-viewing (eg, television/DVD viewing and computer use), motorised travel, school/work and sitting-based socialising (eg, social media and chatting). Sedentary screen time, particularly TV, appears to play an important role in the aetiology of obesity due to its co-occurrence with other unhealthy behaviours such as snacking on energy-dense foods, low levels of physical activity and inadequate sleep. More information is needed on how to reduce sedentary behaviours. Most interventions have focused on young people and a number of systematic reviews exist on this topic. To synthesise systematic reviews and meta-analyses of interventions aimed at decreasing sedentary behaviours among children and adolescents. Papers were located from computerised and manual searches. Included articles were English language systematic reviews or meta-analyses of interventions aiming at reducing sedentary behaviour in children (<11 years) and adolescents (12-18 years). Ten papers met the inclusion criteria and were analysed. All reviews concluded some level of effectiveness in reducing time spent in sedentary behaviour. When an effect size was reported, there was a small but significant reduction in sedentary time (highest effect size=-0.29; CI -0.35 to -0.22). Moderator analyses showed a trend favouring interventions with children younger than 6 years. Effective strategies include the involvement of family, behavioural interventions and electronic TV monitoring devices. Results from systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that interventions to reduce children's sedentary behaviour have a small but significant effect. Future research should expand these findings examining interventions targeting different types of sedentary behaviours and the effectiveness of specific behaviour change techniques across different contexts and settings.

Judd-Ofelt analysis and energy transfer processes of Er3+ and Nd3+ doped fluoroaluminate glasses with low phosphate content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Feifei; Zhang, Yu; Hu, Lili; Chen, Danping

2014-12-01

Spectroscopic property and energy transfer processes of singly doped and codoped Er3+ and Nd3+ fluoroaluminate glasses with low phosphate content are systematically analyzed. The absorption spectra of these glasses are tested, and the Judd-Ofelt (J-O) and radiative parameters are discussed based on J-O theory and the parameters changes substantially because of the other codoping ions. As for Nd3+: the main emission bands at 0.9 and 1.05 μm decrease in the codoped sample under the excitation of an 800 nm laser diode from the emission spectra because the Er3+: 4I11/2 level reduces the Nd3+: 4F3/2 level effectively through the energy transfer process Nd3+: 4F3/2 → Er3+: 4I11/2. For Er3+, the emission at 1.5 μm is restrained by codoping with Nd3+ ions from the energy transfer process Er3+: 4I13/2 → Nd3+: 4I15/2. The emission at 2.7 μm is enhanced because the Nd3+ ions deplete the lower level and exert a positive effect on the upper laser level. The microparameters of the energy transfer between the Er3+ and Nd3+ ions are calculated and discussed using Forster-Dexter theory. The energy transfer efficiencies of the Nd3+: 4F3/2 to the Er3+: 4I11/2 and the Er3+: 4I13/2 to the Nd3+: 4I15/2 are 28.8% and 74.5%, respectively. These results indicate that Nd3+ can be an efficient sensitizer for Er3+ to obtain Mid-infrared (Mid-IR) emission and the codoped Er3+/Nd3+ fluoroaluminate glass with low phosphate content is suitable to be used as the fiber optical gain media for 2.7 μm laser generation.

Current level and correlates of traditional cooking energy sources utilization in urban settings in the context of climate change and health, northwest Ethiopia: a case of Debre Markos town.

PubMed

Geremew, Kumlachew; Gedefaw, Molla; Dagnew, Zewdu; Jara, Dube

2014-01-01

Traditional biomass has been the major source of cooking energy for major segment of Ethiopian population for thousands of years. Cognizant of this energy poverty, the Government of Ethiopia has been spending huge sum of money to increase hydroelectric power generating stations. To assess current levels and correlates of traditional cooking energy sources utilization. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches on systematically selected 423 households for quantitative and purposively selected 20 people for qualitative parts. SPSS version 16 for windows was used to analyze the quantitative data. Logistic regression was fitted to assess possible associations and its strength was measured using odds ratio at 95% CI. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The study indicated that 95% of households still use traditional biomass for cooking. Those who were less knowledgeable about negative health and environmental effects of traditional cooking energy sources were seven and six times more likely to utilize them compared with those who were knowledgeable (AOR (95% CI) = 7.56 (1.635, 34.926), AOR (95% CI) = 6.68 (1.80, 24.385), resp.). The most outstanding finding of this study was that people use traditional energy for cooking mainly due to lack of the knowledge and their beliefs about food prepared using traditional energy. That means "...people still believe that food cooked with charcoal is believed to taste delicious than cooked with other means."  The majority of households use traditional biomass for cooking due to lack of knowledge and belief. Therefore, mechanisms should be designed to promote electric energy and to teach the public about health effects of traditional cooking energy source.

Metallic artefact reduction with monoenergetic dual-energy CT: systematic ex vivo evaluation of posterior spinal fusion implants from various vendors and different spine levels.

PubMed

Guggenberger, R; Winklhofer, S; Osterhoff, G; Wanner, G A; Fortunati, M; Andreisek, G; Alkadhi, H; Stolzmann, P

2012-11-01

To evaluate optimal monoenergetic dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) settings for artefact reduction of posterior spinal fusion implants of various vendors and spine levels. Posterior spinal fusion implants of five vendors for cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine were examined ex vivo with single-energy (SE) CT (120 kVp) and DECT (140/100 kVp). Extrapolated monoenergetic DECT images at 64, 69, 88, 105 keV and individually adjusted monoenergy for optimised image quality (OPTkeV) were generated. Two independent radiologists assessed quantitative and qualitative image parameters for each device and spine level. Inter-reader agreements of quantitative and qualitative parameters were high (ICC = 0.81-1.00, κ = 0.54-0.77). HU values of spinal fusion implants were significantly different among vendors (P < 0.001), spine levels (P < 0.01) and among SECT, monoenergetic DECT of 64, 69, 88, 105 keV and OPTkeV (P < 0.01). Image quality was significantly (P < 0.001) different between datasets and improved with higher monoenergies of DECT compared with SECT (V = 0.58, P < 0.001). Artefacts decreased significantly (V = 0.51, P < 0.001) at higher monoenergies. OPTkeV values ranged from 123-141 keV. OPTkeV according to vendor and spine level are presented herein. Monoenergetic DECT provides significantly better image quality and less metallic artefacts from implants than SECT. Use of individual keV values for vendor and spine level is recommended. • Artefacts pose problems for CT following posterior spinal fusion implants. • CT images are interpreted better with monoenergetic extrapolation using dual-energy (DE) CT. • DECT extrapolation improves image quality and reduces metallic artefacts over SECT. • There were considerable differences in monoenergy values among vendors and spine levels. • Use of individualised monoenergy values is indicated for different metallic hardware devices.

Effect of canopy architectural variation on transpiration and thermoregulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linn, R.; Banerjee, T.

2017-12-01

One of the major scientific questions identified by the NGEE - Tropics campaign is the effect of disturbances such as forest fires, vegetation thinning and land use change on carbon, water and energy fluxes. Answers to such questions can help develop effective forest management strategies and shape policies to mitigate damages under natural and anthropogenic climate change. The absence of horizontal and vertical variation of forest canopy structure in current models is a major source of uncertainty in answering these questions. The current work addresses this issue through a bottom up process based modeling approach to systematically investigate the effect of forest canopy architectural variation on plant physiological response as well as canopy level fluxes. A plant biophysics formulation is used which is based on the following principles: (1) a model for the biochemical demand for CO2 as prescribed by photosynthesis models. This model can differentiate between photosynthesis under light-limited and nutrient-limited scenarios. (2) A Fickian mass transfer model including transfer through the laminar boundary layer on leaves that may be subjected to forced or free convection depending upon the mean velocity and the radiation load; (3) an optimal leaf water use strategy that maximizes net carbon gain for a given transpiration rate to describe the stomatal aperture variation; (4) a leaf-level energy balance to accommodate evaporative cooling. Such leaf level processes are coupled to solutions of atmospheric flow through vegetation canopies. In the first test case, different scenarios of top heavy and bottom heavy (vertical) foliage distributions are investigated within a one-dimensional framework where no horizontal heterogeneity of canopy structure is considered. In another test case, different spatial distributions (both horizontal and vertical) of canopy geometry (land use) are considered, where flow solutions using large eddy simulations (LES) are coupled to the aforementioned leaf level physiological model. The systematic differences observed across these simulated scenarios provide a clear insight of disturbance effects of forest-atmosphere interaction.

Students' Energy Understanding Across Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Opitz, S. T.; Neumann, K.; Bernholt, S.; Harms, U.

2017-07-01

Energy is considered both as a disciplinary core idea and as a concept cutting across science disciplines. Most previous approaches studied progressing energy understanding in specific disciplinary contexts, while disregarding the relation of understanding across them. Hence, this study provides a systematic analysis of cross-disciplinary energy learning. On the basis of a cross-sectional study with n = 742 students from grades 6, 8, and 10, we analyze students' progression in understanding energy across biology, chemistry, and physics contexts. The study is guided by three hypothetical scenarios that describe how the connection between energy understanding in the three disciplinary contexts changes across grade levels. These scenarios are compared using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results suggest that, from grade 6 to grade 10, energy understanding in the three disciplinary contexts is highly interrelated, thus indicating a parallel progression of energy understanding in the three disciplinary contexts. In our study, students from grade 6 onwards appeared to have few problems to apply one energy understanding across the three disciplinary contexts. These findings were unexpected, as previous research concluded that students likely face difficulties in connecting energy learning across disciplinary boundaries. Potential reasons for these results and the characteristics of the observed cross-disciplinary energy understanding are discussed in the light of earlier findings and implications for future research, and the teaching of energy as a core idea and a crosscutting concept are addressed.

Extending density functional embedding theory for covalently bonded systems.

PubMed

Yu, Kuang; Carter, Emily A

2017-12-19

Quantum embedding theory aims to provide an efficient solution to obtain accurate electronic energies for systems too large for full-scale, high-level quantum calculations. It adopts a hierarchical approach that divides the total system into a small embedded region and a larger environment, using different levels of theory to describe each part. Previously, we developed a density-based quantum embedding theory called density functional embedding theory (DFET), which achieved considerable success in metals and semiconductors. In this work, we extend DFET into a density-matrix-based nonlocal form, enabling DFET to study the stronger quantum couplings between covalently bonded subsystems. We name this theory density-matrix functional embedding theory (DMFET), and we demonstrate its performance in several test examples that resemble various real applications in both chemistry and biochemistry. DMFET gives excellent results in all cases tested thus far, including predicting isomerization energies, proton transfer energies, and highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gaps for local chromophores. Here, we show that DMFET systematically improves the quality of the results compared with the widely used state-of-the-art methods, such as the simple capped cluster model or the widely used ONIOM method.

Discriminating a deep defect from shallow acceptors in supercell calculations: gallium antisite in GaAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Peter

To make reliable first principles predictions of defect energies in semiconductors, it is crucial to discriminate between effective-mass-like defects--for which existing supercell methods fail--and deep defects--for which density functional theory calculations can yield reliable predictions of defect energy levels. The gallium antisite GaAs is often associated with the 78/203 meV shallow double acceptor in Ga-rich gallium arsenide. Within a framework of level occupation patterns, analyses of structure and spin stabilization can be used within a supercell approach to distinguish localized deep defect states from shallow acceptors such as BAs. This systematic analysis determines that the gallium antisite is inconsistent with a shallow state, and cannot be the 78/203 shallow double acceptor. The properties of the Ga antisite in GaAs are described, predicting that the Ga antisite is a deep double acceptor and has two donor states, one of which might be accidentally shallow. -- Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Company, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Effect of diode low-level lasers on fibroblasts derived from human periodontal tissue: a systematic review of in vitro studies.

PubMed

Ren, Chong; McGrath, Colman; Jin, Lijian; Zhang, Chengfei; Yang, Yanqi

2016-09-01

This study aimed to systematically assess the parameter-specific effects of the diode low-level laser on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs). An extensive search was performed in major electronic databases including PubMed (1997), EMBASE (1947) and Web of Science (1956) and supplemented by hand search of reference lists and relevant laser journals for cell culture studies investigating the effect of diode low-level lasers on HGFs and HPDLFs published from January 1995 to December 2015. A total of 21 studies were included after screening 324 independent records, amongst which eight targeted HPDLFs and 13 focussed on HGFs. The diode low-level laser showed positive effects on promoting fibroblast proliferation and osteogenic differentiation and modulating cellular inflammation via changes in gene expression and the release of growth factors, bone-remodelling markers or inflammatory mediators in a parameter-dependent manner. Repeated irradiations with wavelengths in the red and near-infrared range and at an energy density below 16 J/cm(2) elicited favourable responses. However, considerable variations and weaknesses in the study designs and laser protocols limited the interstudy comparison and clinical transition. Current evidence showed that diode low-level lasers with adequate parameters stimulated the proliferation and modulated the inflammation of fibroblasts derived from human periodontal tissue. However, further in vitro studies with better designs and more appropriate study models and laser parameters are anticipated to provide sound evidence for clinical studies and practice.

Distance measurements from supernovae and dark energy constraints

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

Wang Yun

2009-12-15

Constraints on dark energy from current observational data are sensitive to how distances are measured from Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) data. We find that flux averaging of SNe Ia can be used to test the presence of unknown systematic uncertainties, and yield more robust distance measurements from SNe Ia. We have applied this approach to the nearby+SDSS+ESSENCE+SNLS+HST set of 288 SNe Ia, and the 'Constitution' set of 397 SNe Ia. Combining the SN Ia data with cosmic microwave background anisotropy data from Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe 5 yr observations, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey baryon acoustic oscillation measurements, themore » data of 69 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) , and the Hubble constant measurement from the Hubble Space Telescope project SHOES, we measure the dark energy density function X(z){identical_to}{rho}{sub X}(z)/{rho}{sub X}(0) as a free function of redshift (assumed to be a constant at z>1 or z>1.5). Without the flux averaging of SNe Ia, the combined data using the Constitution set of SNe Ia seem to indicate a deviation from a cosmological constant at {approx}95% confidence level at 0 < or apporx. z < or approx. 0.8; they are consistent with a cosmological constant at {approx}68% confidence level when SNe Ia are flux averaged. The combined data using the nearby+SDSS+ESSENCE+SNLS+HST data set of SNe Ia are consistent with a cosmological constant at 68% confidence level with or without flux averaging of SNe Ia, and give dark energy constraints that are significantly more stringent than that using the Constitution set of SNe Ia. Assuming a flat Universe, dark energy is detected at >98% confidence level for z{<=}0.75 using the combined data with 288 SNe Ia from nearby+SDSS+ESSENCE+SNLS+HST, independent of the assumptions about X(z{>=}1). We quantify dark energy constraints without assuming a flat Universe using the dark energy figure of merit for both X(z) and a dark energy equation-of-state linear in the cosmic scale factor.« less

BRST Exactness of Stress-Energy Tensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyata, Hideo; Sugimoto, Hiroshi

BRST commutators in the topological conformal field theories obtained by twisting N=2 theories are evaluated explicitly. By our systematic calculations of the multiple integrals which contain screening operators, the BRST exactness of the twisted stress-energy tensors is deduced for classical simple Lie algebras and general level k. We can see that the paths of integrations do not affect the result, and further, the N=2 coset theories are obtained by deleting two simple roots with Kac-label 1 from the extended Dynkin diagram; in other words, by not performing the integrations over the variables corresponding to the two simple roots of Kac-Moody algebras. It is also shown that a series of N=1 theories are generated in the same way by deleting one simple root with Kac-label 2.

Performance Modeling of an Experimental Laser Propelled Lightcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Ten-See; Chen, Yen-Sen; Liu, Jiwen; Myrabo, Leik N.; Mead, Franklin B., Jr.

2000-01-01

A computational plasma aerodynamics model is developed to study the performance of an experimental laser propelled lightcraft. The computational methodology is based on a time-accurate, three-dimensional, finite-difference, chemically reacting, unstructured grid, pressure- based formulation. The underlying physics are added and tested systematically using a building-block approach. The physics modeled include non-equilibn'um thermodynamics, non-equilibrium air-plasma finite-rate kinetics, specular ray tracing, laser beam energy absorption and equi refraction by plasma, non-equilibrium plasma radiation, and plasma resonance. A series of transient computations are performed at several laser pulse energy levels and the simulated physics are discussed and compared with those of tests and literature. The predicted coupling coefficients for the lightcraft compared reasonably well with those of tests conducted on a pendulum apparatus.

Surface diffusion in homoepitaxial SrTiO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Chang-Su; Chu, Kanghyun; Song, Jong-Hyun; Yang, Chan-Ho; Charm Lab Team; Nano Spintronics Lab Collaboration

The development of growth techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has facilitated growths of complex oxide thin films at the atomic level .... Systematic studies on surface diffusion process of adatoms using theoretical and experimental methods allow us to understand growth mechanism enabling atomically flat thin film surface. In this presentation, we introduce the synthesis of homoepitaxial SrTiO3 thin films using a PLD equipped with reflection of high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). We determine the surface diffusion time as a function of growth temperature and extract the activation energy of diffusion on the surface by in-situ monitoring the RHEED intensity recovery during the film deposition. From the extracted experimental results, we discuss the microscopic mechanism of the diffusion process

Systematic review of the effect of aerobic and resistance exercise training on systemic brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal BNP expression in heart failure patients.

PubMed

Smart, N A; Steele, M

2010-04-30

BNP and the N-terminal portion (NT-pro-BNP) have emerged as powerful tools in the diagnosis and prognosis of heart failure on acute presentation. The aim of this work was to systematically review the effect of exercise training on BNP and NT-pro-BNP levels in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. A systematic search was conducted of Medline (Ovid) (1950-July 2008), Embase.com (1974-current), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL (1981-current) and Web of Science (2000-current) to identify randomized controlled trials of aerobic and/or resistance exercise training in heart failure patients that measured BNP and/or pro-BNP. Primary outcome measures were changes in BNP and NT-pro-BNP. Secondary outcomes were changes in functional capacity and energy expenditure, measures of study quality were also recorded. Nine randomized controlled studies measuring BNP or NT-pro-BNP met our eligibility criteria. Exercise training had a favourable effect on BNP (mean difference -79 pg/ml 95% C.I. -141 to - 17 pg/ml, P=0.01) and NT-pro-BNP (mean difference -621 pg/ml, 95% C.I. -844 to -398 pg/ml, P=<0.00001). Moreover the trials that showed a significant change in NT-pro-BNP all had a weekly exercise energy expenditure of more than 400 Kcal. Data from nine published studies, suggest exercise training has a favorable effect on BNP and NT-pro-BNP in heart failure patients. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Systematic Methodology for Constructing High-Order Energy-Stable WENO Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamaleev, Nail K.; Carpenter, Mark H.

2008-01-01

A third-order Energy Stable Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (ESWENO) finite difference scheme developed by Yamaleev and Carpenter (AIAA 2008-2876, 2008) was proven to be stable in the energy norm for both continuous and discontinuous solutions of systems of linear hyperbolic equations. Herein, a systematic approach is presented that enables \\energy stable" modifications for existing WENO schemes of any order. The technique is demonstrated by developing a one-parameter family of fifth-order upwind-biased ESWENO schemes; ESWENO schemes up to eighth order are presented in the appendix. New weight functions are also developed that provide (1) formal consistency, (2) much faster convergence for smooth solutions with an arbitrary number of vanishing derivatives, and (3) improved resolution near strong discontinuities.

A Systematic Methodology for Constructing High-Order Energy Stable WENO Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamaleev, Nail K.; Carpenter, Mark H.

2009-01-01

A third-order Energy Stable Weighted Essentially Non{Oscillatory (ESWENO) finite difference scheme developed by Yamaleev and Carpenter [1] was proven to be stable in the energy norm for both continuous and discontinuous solutions of systems of linear hyperbolic equations. Herein, a systematic approach is presented that enables "energy stable" modifications for existing WENO schemes of any order. The technique is demonstrated by developing a one-parameter family of fifth-order upwind-biased ESWENO schemes; ESWENO schemes up to eighth order are presented in the appendix. New weight functions are also developed that provide (1) formal consistency, (2) much faster convergence for smooth solutions with an arbitrary number of vanishing derivatives, and (3) improved resolution near strong discontinuities.

Permissive or Trophic Enteral Nutrition and Full Enteral Nutrition Had Similar Effects on Clinical Outcomes in Intensive Care: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Silva, Camila F A; de Vasconcelos, Simone G; da Silva, Thales A; Silva, Flávia M

2018-01-26

The aim of this study was to systematically review the effect of permissive underfeeding/trophic feeding on the clinical outcomes of critically ill patients. A systematic review of randomized clinical trials to evaluate the mortality, length of stay, and mechanical ventilation duration in patients randomized to either hypocaloric or full-energy enteral nutrition was performed. Data sources included PubMed and Scopus and the reference lists of the articles retrieved. Two independent reviewers participated in all phases of this systematic review as proposed by the Cochrane Handbook, and the review was reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A total of 7 randomized clinical trials that included a total of 1,717 patients were reviewed. Intensive care unit length of stay and mechanical ventilation duration were not statistically different between the intervention and control groups in all randomized clinical trials, and mortality rate was also not different between the groups. In conclusion, hypocaloric enteral nutrition had no significantly different effects on morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients when compared with full-energy nutrition. It is still necessary to determine the safety of this intervention in this group of patients, the optimal amount of energy provided, and the duration of this therapy. © 2018 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Federal Energy Decision Screening (FEDS) process at Fort Drum, New York

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

Dixon, D.R.; Daellenbach, K.K.; Rowley, S.E.

1993-10-01

The federal energy manager has been directed by the Comprehensive Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) to reduce energy consumption by 20% from 1985 levels, by the year 2000. However, the tools and funding to capture this resource in a cost-effective manner have not been provided. In an effort to assist federal agencies in meeting EPAct requirements, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has been tasked by the US Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) to identify, evaluate, and acquire all cost-effective energy projects at selected federal facilities. PNL has developed and applied the Federal Energy Decision Screening (FEDS) methodology at the Fortmore » Drum FORSCOM facility near Watertown, New York. The FEDS methodology is a systematic approach to evaluating energy opportunities that result in a roadmap to significantly reduce energy use in a planned, rational, cost justified fashion over a 5 to 10 year period. At Fort Drum, the net present value (NPV) of the installed cost of all cost-effective energy resource opportunities (EROS) is over $16 million (1992 $). The NPV of the savings associated with this investment is nearly $47 million (1992 $), for an overall NPV of approximately $31 million. By implementing all the cost-effective EROS, Fort Drum will reduce annual energy use by over 230,000 MBtu, or 15%. Annual energy expenditures will decrease by over $2.4 million, or a 20% reduction.« less

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 results: cross-correlation redshifts - methods and systematics characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatti, M.; Vielzeuf, P.; Davis, C.; Cawthon, R.; Rau, M. M.; DeRose, J.; De Vicente, J.; Alarcon, A.; Rozo, E.; Gaztanaga, E.; Hoyle, B.; Miquel, R.; Bernstein, G. M.; Bonnett, C.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Castander, F. J.; Chang, C.; da Costa, L. N.; Gruen, D.; Gschwend, J.; Hartley, W. G.; Lin, H.; MacCrann, N.; Maia, M. A. G.; Ogando, R. L. C.; Roodman, A.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Troxel, M. A.; Wechsler, R. H.; Asorey, J.; Davis, T. M.; Glazebrook, K.; Hinton, S. R.; Lewis, G.; Lidman, C.; Macaulay, E.; Möller, A.; O'Neill, C. R.; Sommer, N. E.; Uddin, S. A.; Yuan, F.; Zhang, B.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Allam, S.; Annis, J.; Bechtol, K.; Brooks, D.; Burke, D. L.; Carollo, D.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Carretero, J.; Cunha, C. E.; D'Andrea, C. B.; DePoy, D. L.; Desai, S.; Eifler, T. F.; Evrard, A. E.; Flaugher, B.; Fosalba, P.; Frieman, J.; García-Bellido, J.; Gerdes, D. W.; Goldstein, D. A.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; Honscheid, K.; Hoormann, J. K.; Jain, B.; James, D. J.; Jarvis, M.; Jeltema, T.; Johnson, M. W. G.; Johnson, M. D.; Krause, E.; Kuehn, K.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuropatkin, N.; Li, T. S.; Lima, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Melchior, P.; Menanteau, F.; Nichol, R. C.; Nord, B.; Plazas, A. A.; Reil, K.; Rykoff, E. S.; Sako, M.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Schubnell, M.; Sheldon, E.; Smith, M.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Tucker, B. E.; Tucker, D. L.; Vikram, V.; Walker, A. R.; Weller, J.; Wester, W.; Wolf, R. C.

2018-06-01

We use numerical simulations to characterize the performance of a clustering-based method to calibrate photometric redshift biases. In particular, we cross-correlate the weak lensing source galaxies from the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 sample with redMaGiC galaxies (luminous red galaxies with secure photometric redshifts) to estimate the redshift distribution of the former sample. The recovered redshift distributions are used to calibrate the photometric redshift bias of standard photo-z methods applied to the same source galaxy sample. We apply the method to two photo-z codes run in our simulated data: Bayesian Photometric Redshift and Directional Neighbourhood Fitting. We characterize the systematic uncertainties of our calibration procedure, and find that these systematic uncertainties dominate our error budget. The dominant systematics are due to our assumption of unevolving bias and clustering across each redshift bin, and to differences between the shapes of the redshift distributions derived by clustering versus photo-zs. The systematic uncertainty in the mean redshift bias of the source galaxy sample is Δz ≲ 0.02, though the precise value depends on the redshift bin under consideration. We discuss possible ways to mitigate the impact of our dominant systematics in future analyses.

Novel dietary intake assessment in populations with poor literacy.

PubMed

Subasinghe, Asvini K; Thrift, Amanda G; Evans, Roger G; Arabshahi, Simin; Suresh, Oduru; Kartik, Kamakshi; Kalyanram, Kartik; Walker, Karen Z

2016-01-01

Cultural and/or environmental barriers make the assessment of dietary intake in rural populations challenging. We aimed to assess the accuracy of a meal recall questionnaire, adapted for use with impoverished South Indian populations living in rural areas. Dietary data collected by recall versus weighed meals were compared. Data were obtained from 45 adults aged 19-85 years, living in rural Andhra Pradesh, who were recruited by convenience sampling. Weighed meal records (WMRs) were conducted in the household by a researcher aided by a trained field worker. The following day, field workers conducted a recall interview with the same participant. Eight life size photographs of portions of South Indian foods were created to aid each participant's recall and a database of nutrients was developed to calculate nutrient intake. Pearson correlations were used to assess the strength of associations between intake of energy and nutrients calculated from meal recalls versus WMRs. Least products regression was conducted to examine fixed and proportional bias. Bland-Altman plots were constructed to measure systematic or differential bias. Significant correlations were observed between estimates for energy and nutrients obtained by the two methods (r2=0.19-0.67, p<0.001). No systematic bias was detected by Bland-Altman plots. Recall method underestimated the intake of protein and fat in a manner proportional to the level of intake. Our culturally adapted meal recall questionnaire provides an accurate measure for assessment of the intake of energy, macronutrients and some micronutrients in rural Indian populations.

Is scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS) quantitative?

PubMed

Newbury, Dale E; Ritchie, Nicholas W M

2013-01-01

Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS) is a widely applied elemental microanalysis method capable of identifying and quantifying all elements in the periodic table except H, He, and Li. By following the "k-ratio" (unknown/standard) measurement protocol development for electron-excited wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDS), SEM/EDS can achieve accuracy and precision equivalent to WDS and at substantially lower electron dose, even when severe X-ray peak overlaps occur, provided sufficient counts are recorded. Achieving this level of performance is now much more practical with the advent of the high-throughput silicon drift detector energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SDD-EDS). However, three measurement issues continue to diminish the impact of SEM/EDS: (1) In the qualitative analysis (i.e., element identification) that must precede quantitative analysis, at least some current and many legacy software systems are vulnerable to occasional misidentification of major constituent peaks, with the frequency of misidentifications rising significantly for minor and trace constituents. (2) The use of standardless analysis, which is subject to much broader systematic errors, leads to quantitative results that, while useful, do not have sufficient accuracy to solve critical problems, e.g. determining the formula of a compound. (3) EDS spectrometers have such a large volume of acceptance that apparently credible spectra can be obtained from specimens with complex topography that introduce uncontrolled geometric factors that modify X-ray generation and propagation, resulting in very large systematic errors, often a factor of ten or more. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using PS1 and Type Ia Supernovae To Make Most Precise Measurement of Dark Energy To Date

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scolnic, Daniel; Pan-STARRS

2018-01-01

I will review recent results that present optical light curves, redshifts, and classifications for 361 spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia supernovae (SNeIa) discovered by the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) Medium Deep Survey. I will go over improvements to the PS1 SN photometry, astrometry and calibration that reduce the systematic uncertainties in the PS1 SN Ia distances. We combined distances of PS1 SNe with distance estimates of SNIa from SDSS, SNLS, various low-z and HST samples to form the largest combined sample of SN Ia consisting of a total of ~1050 SN Ia ranging from 0.01 < z < 2.3, which we call the ‘Pantheon Sample’. Photometric calibration uncertainties have long dominated the systematic error budget of every major analysis of cosmological parameters with SNIa. Using the PS1 relative calibration, we have reduced these calibration systematics to the point where they are similar in magnitude to the other major sources of known systematic uncertainties: the nature of the intrinsic scatter of SNIa and modeling of selection effects. I will present measurements of dark energy which are now the most precise measurements of dark energy to date.

Energy interventions that facilitate sustainable development and impact health: an overview of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Haby, Michelle M; Chapman, Evelina; Clark, Rachel; Galvão, Luiz A C

2016-04-01

Objective To inform policy by providing an overview of systematic reviews on interventions that facilitate sustainable energy use and have a positive impact on health. Methods Systematic review methods were used to synthesize evidence from multiple systematic reviews and economic evaluations through a comprehensive search of 13 databases and nine websites based on a pre-defined protocol, including clear inclusion criteria. Both grey and peer-reviewed literature published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese during the 17 years from January 1997 - January 2014 was included. To classify as "sustainable," interventions needed to aim to positively impact at least two dimensions of the integrated framework for sustainable development and include measures of health impact. Results Five systematic reviews and one economic evaluation met the inclusion criteria. The most promising interventions that impacted health were electricity for lighting and other uses (developing countries); improved stoves for cooking and health and/or cleaner fuels for cooking (developing countries); and household energy efficiency measures (developed countries). These interventions also had potential environmental and economic impacts. Their cost-effectiveness is not known, nor is their impact on health inequalities. Conclusions What is needed now is careful implementation of interventions where the impacts are likely to be positive but their implementation needs to be rigorously evaluated, including possible adverse impacts. Care needs to be taken not to exacerbate health inequalities and to consider context, human behavior and cultural factors so that the potential health benefits are realized in real-life implementation. Possible impact on health inequalities needs to be considered and measured in future primary studies and systematic reviews.

Sugars, obesity, and cardiovascular disease: results from recent randomized control trials.

PubMed

Rippe, James M; Angelopoulos, Theodore J

2016-11-01

The relationship between sugar consumption and various health-related sequelas is controversial. Some investigators have argued that excessive sugar consumption is associated with increased risk of obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes (T2D), metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and stimulation of reward pathways in the brain potentially causing excessive caloric consumption. These concerns have influenced organizations such as the World Health Organization, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition in England not to exceed 5 % of total energy and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee 2015 to recommend upper limits of sugar consumption not to exceed 10 % of calories. Data from many randomized control trials (RCTs) do not support linkages between sugar consumption at normal levels within the human diet and various adverse metabolic and health-related effects. Fructose and glucose are typically consumed together in roughly equal proportions from high-fructose corn syrup (also known as isoglucose in Europe) or sucrose. The purpose of this review is to present data from recent RCTs and findings from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses related to sugar consumption and its putative health effects. This review evaluates findings from recent randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses into the relationship of sugar consumption and a range of health-related issues including energy-regulating hormones, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and accumulation of liver fat and neurologic responses. Data from these sources do not support linkages between sugar consumption at normal levels within the human diet and various adverse metabolic and health-related effects.

HZETRN radiation transport validation using balloon-based experimental data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warner, James E.; Norman, Ryan B.; Blattnig, Steve R.

2018-05-01

The deterministic radiation transport code HZETRN (High charge (Z) and Energy TRaNsport) was developed by NASA to study the effects of cosmic radiation on astronauts and instrumentation shielded by various materials. This work presents an analysis of computed differential flux from HZETRN compared with measurement data from three balloon-based experiments over a range of atmospheric depths, particle types, and energies. Model uncertainties were quantified using an interval-based validation metric that takes into account measurement uncertainty both in the flux and the energy at which it was measured. Average uncertainty metrics were computed for the entire dataset as well as subsets of the measurements (by experiment, particle type, energy, etc.) to reveal any specific trends of systematic over- or under-prediction by HZETRN. The distribution of individual model uncertainties was also investigated to study the range and dispersion of errors beyond just single scalar and interval metrics. The differential fluxes from HZETRN were generally well-correlated with balloon-based measurements; the median relative model difference across the entire dataset was determined to be 30%. The distribution of model uncertainties, however, revealed that the range of errors was relatively broad, with approximately 30% of the uncertainties exceeding ± 40%. The distribution also indicated that HZETRN systematically under-predicts the measurement dataset as a whole, with approximately 80% of the relative uncertainties having negative values. Instances of systematic bias for subsets of the data were also observed, including a significant underestimation of alpha particles and protons for energies below 2.5 GeV/u. Muons were found to be systematically over-predicted at atmospheric depths deeper than 50 g/cm2 but under-predicted for shallower depths. Furthermore, a systematic under-prediction of alpha particles and protons was observed below the geomagnetic cutoff, suggesting that improvements to the light ion production cross sections in HZETRN should be investigated.

High performance of macro-flexible piezoelectric energy harvester using a 0.3PIN-0.4Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3PbTiO3 flake array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Zhou; Xia, Rongyu; Gai, Linlin; Wang, Xian; Lin, Di; Luo, Haosu; Li, Faxin; Wang, Dong

2016-12-01

Harvesting energy from human motion to power wearable devices using flexible piezoelectric energy harvesters is becoming a hot research topic, since this approach could fix the charging problem related to batteries and would do no harm to the environment. Unlike nano-generators, which have a piezoelectric material thickness at the level of a few nm to a few μm, we present a high-performance macro-flexible piezoelectric energy harvester (MF-PEH) with a piezoelectric material thickness of 45 μm, based on a 0.3PIN-0.4PMN-0.3PT (PIMNT) long flake array with an optimized cut. The piezoelectric properties of (110)-oriented PIMNT were studied as a function of thickness and compared to those of 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3PbTiO3 (PMNT). The electrical properties of this device under different strain and load resistances are studied systematically. The results of our experiment show that under a strain of 0.225%, the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of MF-PEH reach levels as high as 23.2 V and 0.105 mA (at an excitation frequency of 1.1 Hz), respectively, with a maximum electric output power of 245 μW across a piezoelectric materials area of 400 mm2. We have also used the device to harvest mechanical energy from the motion of human knees and charge a battery successfully. Efficient conversion from mechanical energy to electric energy and large output power demonstrate that our MF-PEH is an important complement to flexible energy harvesters and a potential candidate as a self-powered source for wearable low-power electronics.

Randomization of grab-sampling strategies for estimating the annual exposure of U miners to Rn daughters.

PubMed

Borak, T B

1986-04-01

Periodic grab sampling in combination with time-of-occupancy surveys has been the accepted procedure for estimating the annual exposure of underground U miners to Rn daughters. Temporal variations in the concentration of potential alpha energy in the mine generate uncertainties in this process. A system to randomize the selection of locations for measurement is described which can reduce uncertainties and eliminate systematic biases in the data. In general, a sample frequency of 50 measurements per year is sufficient to satisfy the criteria that the annual exposure be determined in working level months to within +/- 50% of the true value with a 95% level of confidence. Suggestions for implementing this randomization scheme are presented.

Spatial variations of the local density of states modified by CDWs in 1 T- TaS2- xSex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasegawa, T.; Yamaguchi, W.; Kim, J.-J.; Wei, W.; Nantoh, M.; Ikuta, H.; Kitazawa, K.; Manivannan, A.; Fujishima, A.; Uchinokura, K.

1994-07-01

Spatial variations of the local density of states (LDOS) near the Fermi level have been observed on the layered dichalcogenides 1 T- TaS2- xSex ( x = 0, 0.2, 2) for the first time. The tunneling spectra on the cleaved surfaces were measured by atomic-site tunneling (AST) spectroscopy technique at room temperature. In 1T-TaS 2, the LDOS was substantially different among the three inequivalent Ta atomic sites induced by the CDW formation. However, the surface electronic structure became homogeneous, as the Se content was increased. By substituting Se for S, the minimum position of the LDOS was systematically shifted to a higher energy side above the Fermi level.

Quantifying systematics from the shear inversion on weak-lensing peak counts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chieh-An; Kilbinger, Martin

2018-06-01

Weak-lensing peak counts provide a straightforward way to constrain cosmology by linking local maxima of the lensing signal to the mass function. Recent applications to data have already been numerous and fruitful. However, the importance of understanding and dealing with systematics increases as data quality reaches an unprecedented level. One of the sources of systematics is the convergence-shear inversion. This effect, inevitable when carrying out a convergence field from observations, is usually neglected by theoretical peak models. Thus, it could have an impact on cosmological results. In this paper, we study the bias from neglecting (mis-modeling) the inversion. Our tests show a small but non-negligible bias. The cosmological dependence of this bias seems to be related to the parameter Σ8 ≡ (Ωm/(1 - α))1 - α(σ8/α)α, where α = 2/3. When this bias propagates to the parameter estimation, we discovered that constraint contours involving the dark energy equation of state can differ by 2σ. Such an effect can be even larger for future high-precision surveys and we argue that the inversion should be properly modeled for theoretical peak models.

Improving Photometric Calibration of Meteor Video Camera Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehlert, Steven; Kingery, Aaron; Suggs, Robert

2016-01-01

We present the results of new calibration tests performed by the NASA Meteoroid Environment Oce (MEO) designed to help quantify and minimize systematic uncertainties in meteor photometry from video camera observations. These systematic uncertainties can be categorized by two main sources: an imperfect understanding of the linearity correction for the MEO's Watec 902H2 Ultimate video cameras and uncertainties in meteor magnitudes arising from transformations between the Watec camera's Sony EX-View HAD bandpass and the bandpasses used to determine reference star magnitudes. To address the rst point, we have measured the linearity response of the MEO's standard meteor video cameras using two independent laboratory tests on eight cameras. Our empirically determined linearity correction is critical for performing accurate photometry at low camera intensity levels. With regards to the second point, we have calculated synthetic magnitudes in the EX bandpass for reference stars. These synthetic magnitudes enable direct calculations of the meteor's photometric ux within the camera band-pass without requiring any assumptions of its spectral energy distribution. Systematic uncertainties in the synthetic magnitudes of individual reference stars are estimated at 0:20 mag, and are limited by the available spectral information in the reference catalogs. These two improvements allow for zero-points accurate to 0:05 ?? 0:10 mag in both ltered and un ltered camera observations with no evidence for lingering systematics.

Effects of Active Video Games on Energy Expenditure in Adults: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Dutta, Nirjhar; Pereira, Mark A

2015-06-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the mean difference in energy expenditure (EE) in healthy adults between playing active video games (AVGs) compared with traditional video games (TVGs) or rest. A systematic search was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, and Academic Search Premier between 1998 and April 2012 for relevant keywords, yielding 15 studies. EE and heart rate (HR) data were extracted, and random effects meta-analysis was performed. EE during AVG play was 1.81 (95% CI, 1.29-2.34; I² = 94.2%) kcal/kg/hr higher, or about 108 kcal higher per hour for a 60-kg person, compared with TVG play. Mean HR was 21 (95% CI, 13.7-28.3; I² = 93.4%) beats higher per minute during AVG play compared with TVG play. There was wide variation in the EE and HR estimates across studies because different games were evaluated. Overall metabolic equivalent associated with AVG play was 2.62 (95% CI, 2.25-3.00; I² = 99.2%), equivalent to a light activity level. Most studies had low risk of bias due to proper study design and use of indirect calorimetry to measure EE. AVGs may be used to replace sedentary screen time (eg, television watching or TVG play) with light activity in healthy adults.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Methodology and Projections for Joint Analysis of Galaxy Clustering, Galaxy Lensing, and CMB Lensing Two-point Functions

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

Giannantonio, T.; et al.

Optical imaging surveys measure both the galaxy density and the gravitational lensing-induced shear fields across the sky. Recently, the Dark Energy Survey (DES) collaboration used a joint fit to two-point correlations between these observables to place tight constraints on cosmology (DES Collaboration et al. 2017). In this work, we develop the methodology to extend the DES Collaboration et al. (2017) analysis to include cross-correlations of the optical survey observables with gravitational lensing of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) as measured by the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Planck. Using simulated analyses, we show how the resulting set of five two-pointmore » functions increases the robustness of the cosmological constraints to systematic errors in galaxy lensing shear calibration. Additionally, we show that contamination of the SPT+Planck CMB lensing map by the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect is a potentially large source of systematic error for two-point function analyses, but show that it can be reduced to acceptable levels in our analysis by masking clusters of galaxies and imposing angular scale cuts on the two-point functions. The methodology developed here will be applied to the analysis of data from the DES, the SPT, and Planck in a companion work.« less

Functionalization of graphene by size and doping control and its optoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Libin; Ji, Rongbin; Tian, Pin; Kong, Jincheng; Xiang, Jinzhong

2017-02-01

Graphene has received intensive attention in recent years because of the special physical and chemical properties. However, up to now graphene has not been widely used in optoelectronic fields yet, which is mainly caused by its semimetal properties. Therefore, changing its properties from semimetal to semiconductor is becoming a focal point. Recently, aiming at tuning the energy band of graphene, we have carried out systematic studies on the preparations of graphene based materials and devices, the CVD growth techniques of monolayer and double layer graphenes have been developed, the large-area doped graphene films have been fabricated to tune the structure-related optical and electrical properties. A novel graphene oxide (GO) preparation method namely "Tang-Lau method" has been invented, the graphene quantum dots growths by microwave assisted hydrothermal method and "Soft-Template method" have been developed, the Cl, S and K doped graphene quantum dots preparations by hydrothermal methods have also been invented. Systematic investigations have been carried out for the effect of preparation parameters on the properties of graphene based materials, the effects of size, doping elements on the energy level of graphene based materials have been explored and discussed. Based on the semiconducting graphene based materials, some novel room temperature photodetectors covering detection wavebands from UV, Vis and NIR have been designed and fabricated.

A systematic benchmark of the ab initio Bethe-Salpeter equation approach for low-lying optical excitations of small organic molecules

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

Bruneval, Fabien; Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720; Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720

2015-06-28

The predictive power of the ab initio Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) approach, rigorously based on many-body Green’s function theory but incorporating information from density functional theory, has already been demonstrated for the optical gaps and spectra of solid-state systems. Interest in photoactive hybrid organic/inorganic systems has recently increased and so has the use of the BSE for computing neutral excitations of organic molecules. However, no systematic benchmarks of the BSE for neutral electronic excitations of organic molecules exist. Here, we study the performance of the BSE for the 28 small molecules in Thiel’s widely used time-dependent density functional theory benchmark setmore » [Schreiber et al., J. Chem. Phys. 128, 134110 (2008)]. We observe that the BSE produces results that depend critically on the mean-field starting point employed in the perturbative approach. We find that this starting point dependence is mainly introduced through the quasiparticle energies obtained at the intermediate GW step and that with a judicious choice of starting mean-field, singlet excitation energies obtained from BSE are in excellent quantitative agreement with higher-level wavefunction methods. The quality of the triplet excitations is slightly less satisfactory.« less

Correction of energy-dependent systematic errors in dual-energy X-ray CT using a basis material coefficients transformation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goh, K. L.; Liew, S. C.; Hasegawa, B. H.

1997-12-01

Computer simulation results from our previous studies showed that energy dependent systematic errors exist in the values of attenuation coefficient synthesized using the basis material decomposition technique with acrylic and aluminum as the basis materials, especially when a high atomic number element (e.g., iodine from radiographic contrast media) was present in the body. The errors were reduced when a basis set was chosen from materials mimicking those found in the phantom. In the present study, we employed a basis material coefficients transformation method to correct for the energy-dependent systematic errors. In this method, the basis material coefficients were first reconstructed using the conventional basis materials (acrylic and aluminum) as the calibration basis set. The coefficients were then numerically transformed to those for a more desirable set materials. The transformation was done at the energies of the low and high energy windows of the X-ray spectrum. With this correction method using acrylic and an iodine-water mixture as our desired basis set, computer simulation results showed that accuracy of better than 2% could be achieved even when iodine was present in the body at a concentration as high as 10% by mass. Simulation work had also been carried out on a more inhomogeneous 2D thorax phantom of the 3D MCAT phantom. The results of the accuracy of quantitation were presented here.

Photoneutron strengths in 26Mg at energies of astrophysical interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

deBoer, R. J.; Best, A.; Görres, J.; Smith, K.; Tan, W.; Wiescher, M.; Raut, R.; Rusev, G.; Tonchev, A. P.; Tornow, W.

2014-05-01

Background: The 22Ne(α,n)25Mg reaction is an important source of neutrons for s-process nucleosynthesis. The neutron production from the reaction is quite sensitive to the low-energy cross section, which is dominated by narrow resonances. The high level density of the 26Mg compound nucleus above the α separation energy prevents simple extrapolations from higher energy and the high Coulomb barrier makes the direct measurements extremely difficult. For this reason, indirect methods must be employed to study the level properties of 26Mg. Purpose: The current measurement utilizes the reaction 26Mg(γ,n)25Mg to probe the level structure of the 26Mg compound nucleus from the neutron-separation energy at 11.093 MeV up to Ex≈ 12 MeV. Methods: The High-Intensity γ-ray Source of the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory was used to bombard a ˜16 g sample of enriched 26Mg oxide and the resulting decay neutrons were detected with an array of nine liquid scintillator detectors. Neutron time-of-flight peaks with corresponding energies as low as ˜50 keV were detected. An efficiency measurement of the detectors was made at the University of Notre Dame's nuclear science laboratory to energies as low as 45 keV. Results: Five resonances were observed at Eγ = 11.150, 11.289, 11.329, 11.506, and 11.749 MeV and their strengths have been extracted. Conclusion:. The resulting strengths at Eγ = 11.289, 11.329, 11.506, and 11.749 MeV are in good agreement with previous measurements. The strength of the resonance at Eγ = 11.150 MeV is somewhat lower than previously measured but is in reasonable agreement when systematic uncertainties are considered. The results are also consistent with those of 25Mg(n,γ)26Mg studies where a comparison shows that many of the resonances observed here are the result of multiple unresolved narrow resonances.

Effect of dynamic surface polarization on the oxidative stability of solvents in nonaqueous Li-O 2 batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khetan, Abhishek; Pitsch, Heinz; Viswanathan, Venkatasubramanian

2017-09-01

Polarization-induced renormalization of the frontier energy levels of interacting molecules and surfaces can cause significant shifts in the excitation and transport behavior of electrons. This phenomenon is crucial in determining the oxidative stability of nonaqueous electrolytes in high-energy density electrochemical systems such as the Li-O2 battery. On the basis of partially self-consistent first-principles Sc G W0 calculations, we systematically study how the electronic energy levels of four commonly used solvent molecules, namely, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethoxyethane (DME), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and acetonitrile (ACN), renormalize when physisorbed on the different stable surfaces of Li2O2 , the main discharge product. Using band level alignment arguments, we propose that the difference between the solvent's highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level and the surface's valence-band maximum (VBM) is a refined metric of oxidative stability. This metric and a previously used descriptor, solvent's gas phase HOMO level, agree quite well for physisorbed cases on pristine surfaces where ACN is oxidatively most stable followed by DME, THF, and DMSO. However, this effect is intrinsically linked to the surface chemistry of the solvent's interaction with the surface states and defects, and depends strongly on their nature. We conclusively show that the propensity of solvent molecules to oxidize will be significantly higher on Li2O2 surfaces with defects as compared to pristine surfaces. This suggests that the oxidative stability of a solvent is dynamic and is a strong function of surface electronic properties. Thus, while gas phase HOMO levels could be used for preliminary solvent candidate screening, a more refined picture of solvent stability requires mapping out the solvent stability as a function of the state of the surface under operating conditions.

Systematic Reviews in Sports Medicine.

PubMed

DiSilvestro, Kevin J; Tjoumakaris, Fotios P; Maltenfort, Mitchell G; Spindler, Kurt P; Freedman, Kevin B

2016-02-01

The number of systematic reviews published in the orthopaedic literature has increased, and these reviews can help guide clinical decision making. However, the quality of these reviews can affect the reader's ability to use the data to arrive at accurate conclusions and make clinical decisions. To evaluate the methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the sports medicine literature to determine whether such reviews should be used to guide treatment decisions. The hypothesis was that many systematic reviews in the orthopaedic sports medicine literature may not follow the appropriate reporting guidelines or methodological criteria recommended for systematic reviews. Systematic review. All clinical sports medicine systematic reviews and meta-analyses from 2009 to 2013 published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM), The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), Arthroscopy, Sports Health, and Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy (KSSTA) were reviewed and evaluated for level of evidence according to the guidelines from the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, for reporting quality according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, and for methodological quality according to the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool. Analysis was performed by year and journal of publication, and the levels of evidence included in the systematic reviews were also analyzed. A total of 200 systematic reviews and meta-analyses were identified over the study period. Of these, 53% included evidence levels 4 and 5 in their analyses, with just 32% including evidence levels 1 and 2 only. There were significant differences in the proportion of articles with high levels of evidence (P < .001) and low levels of evidence (P = .005) by journal. The average PRISMA score was 87% and the average AMSTAR score was 73% among all journals. The average AMSTAR and PRISMA scores were significantly different by journal (P = .002 and .001, respectively) and by year (P = .046 and .019, respectively). Arthroscopy, AJSM, and JBJS all scored higher than Sports Health and KSSTA on the PRISMA and AMSTAR. The average PRISMA score by year varied from 85% to 89%, and the average AMSTAR score varied from 70% to 76%. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in orthopaedics sports medicine literature relied on evidence levels 4 and 5 in 53% of studies over the 5-year study period. Overall, PRISMA and AMSTAR scores are high and may be better than those in other disciplines. Readers need to be conscious of potential shortcomings when reading systematic reviews and using them in practice. © 2015 The Author(s).

Compositional engineering of acceptors for highly efficient bulk heterojunction hybrid organic solar cells.

PubMed

Amber Yousaf, S; Ikram, M; Ali, S

2018-10-01

The wet chemical synthesis of chromium oxide (Cr 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles (NPs) and its application in active layer of inverted bulk heterojunction organic solar cells is documented in this research. Chromium oxide NPs of 10-30 nm size range having a band gap of 2.9 eV were successfully synthesized. These NPs were used in inverted organic solar cells in amalgamation with P3HT:PCBM and PTB7:PCBM polymers. The fabricated hybrid devices improves PCE significantly for P3HT:PCBM and PTB7:PCBM systems. The photophysical energy levels, optoelectrical properties and microscopic images have been systematically studied for the fabricated devices. The introduction of Cr 2 O 3 nanoparticles (NPs) enhances light harvesting and tunes energy levels into improved electrical parameters. A clear red shift and improved absorption have been observed for ternary blended devices compared to that observed with controlled organic solar cells. Apparently, when the amount of NPs in the binary polymer blend exceeds the required optimum level, there is a breakdown of the bulk heterojunction leading to lowering of the optical and electrical performance of the devices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long term effects of neonatal exposure to fluoxetine on energy balance: A systematic review of experimental studies.

PubMed

da L D Barros, Manuella; Manhães-de-Castro, Raul; Alves, Daniele T; Quevedo, Omar Guzmán; Toscano, Ana Elisa; Bonnin, Alexandre; Galindo, Ligia

2018-06-08

Serotonin exerts a modulating function on the development of the central nervous system, including hypothalamic circuits controlling feeding behavior and energy expenditure. Based on the developmental plasticity theory, early disturbances of synaptic availability of serotonin may promote phenotypic adaptations and late disorders of energy balance regulation leading to obesity and associated diseases. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the effects of pharmacological neonatal inhibition of serotonin reuptake by fluoxetine, on parameters related to feeding behavior and energy balance. Literature searches were performed in Medline/PubMed and Lilacs databases, out of which 9726 studies were found. Using predefined protocol and registered on CAMARADES website, 23 studies were included for qualitative synthesis. The internal validity was assessed using the SYRCLE's risk of bias toll. Kappa index was also measured for analyzing the concordance between the reviewers. In addition, the PRISMA statement was used for reporting this systematic review. Most of the included studies demonstrated that neonatal serotonin reuptake inhibition is associated with long term reduced body weight, lower fat mass and higher thermogenic capacity and mitochondrial oxygen consumption in key metabolic tissues. Therefore, experimental fluoxetine exposure during neonatal development may promote long-term changes related to energy balance associated with a lean phenotype. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A systematic methodology for the robust quantification of energy efficiency at wastewater treatment plants featuring Data Envelopment Analysis.

PubMed

Longo, S; Hospido, A; Lema, J M; Mauricio-Iglesias, M

2018-05-10

This article examines the potential benefits of using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) for conducting energy-efficiency assessment of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). WWTPs are characteristically heterogeneous (in size, technology, climate, function …) which limits the correct application of DEA. This paper proposes and describes the Robust Energy Efficiency DEA (REED) in its various stages, a systematic state-of-the-art methodology aimed at including exogenous variables in nonparametric frontier models and especially designed for WWTP operation. In particular, the methodology systematizes the modelling process by presenting an integrated framework for selecting the correct variables and appropriate models, possibly tackling the effect of exogenous factors. As a result, the application of REED improves the quality of the efficiency estimates and hence the significance of benchmarking. For the reader's convenience, this article is presented as a step-by-step guideline to guide the user in the determination of WWTPs energy efficiency from beginning to end. The application and benefits of the developed methodology are demonstrated by a case study related to the comparison of the energy efficiency of a set of 399 WWTPs operating in different countries and under heterogeneous environmental conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

System-size convergence of point defect properties: The case of the silicon vacancy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corsetti, Fabiano; Mostofi, Arash A.

2011-07-01

We present a comprehensive study of the vacancy in bulk silicon in all its charge states from 2+ to 2-, using a supercell approach within plane-wave density-functional theory, and systematically quantify the various contributions to the well-known finite size errors associated with calculating formation energies and stable charge state transition levels of isolated defects with periodic boundary conditions. Furthermore, we find that transition levels converge faster with respect to supercell size when only the Γ-point is sampled in the Brillouin zone, as opposed to a dense k-point sampling. This arises from the fact that defect level at the Γ-point quickly converges to a fixed value which correctly describes the bonding at the defect center. Our calculated transition levels with 1000-atom supercells and Γ-point only sampling are in good agreement with available experimental results. We also demonstrate two simple and accurate approaches for calculating the valence band offsets that are required for computing formation energies of charged defects, one based on a potential averaging scheme and the other using maximally-localized Wannier functions (MLWFs). Finally, we show that MLWFs provide a clear description of the nature of the electronic bonding at the defect center that verifies the canonical Watkins model.

Which Density Functional Should Be Used to Describe Protonated Water Clusters?

PubMed

Shi, Ruili; Huang, Xiaoming; Su, Yan; Lu, Hai-Gang; Li, Si-Dian; Tang, Lingli; Zhao, Jijun

2017-04-27

Protonated water cluster is one of the most important hydrogen-bond network systems. Finding an appropriate DFT method to study the properties of protonated water clusters can substantially improve the economy in computational resources without sacrificing the accuracy compared to high-level methods. Using high-level MP2 and CCSD(T) methods as well as experimental results as benchmark, we systematically examined the effect of seven exchange-correlation GGA functionals (with BLYP, B3LYP, X3LYP, PBE0, PBE1W, M05-2X, and B97-D parametrizations) in describing the geometric parameters, interaction energies, dipole moments, and vibrational properties of protonated water clusters H + (H 2 O) 2-9,12 . The overall performance of all these functionals is acceptable, and each of them has its advantage in certain aspects. X3LYP is the best to describe the interaction energies, and PBE0 and M05-2X are also recommended to investigate interaction energies. PBE0 gives the best anharmonic frequencies, followed by PBE1W, B97-D and BLYP methods. PBE1W, B3LYP, B97-D, and X3LYP can yield better geometries. The capability of B97-D to distinguish the relative energies between isomers is the best among all the seven methods, followed by M05-2X and PBE0.

On the chemical enhancement in SERS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, Lasse

2012-12-01

In Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), the Raman signal of a molecule adsorbed on a metal surface is enhanced by many orders of magnitude. This provides a "finger-print" of molecules which can be used in ultrasensitive sensing devises. Here we present a time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) study of the molecule-surface chemical coupling in SERS. A systematic study of the chemical enhancement (CHEM) of meta-and para-substituted pyridines interacting with a small silver cluster (Ag20) is presented. We find that the magnitude of chemical enhancement is governed to a large extent by the energy difference between the highest occupied energy level (HOMO) of the metal and the lowest unoccupied energy level (LUMO) of the molecule. A two-state approximation shows that the enhancement scales roughly as (ωX/ω¯e)4, where accent="true">ω¯e is an average excitation energy between the HOMO of the metal and the LUMO of the molecule and wX the HOMO-LUMO gap of the free molecule. Furthermore, we demonstrate that it is possible to control the CHEM enhancement by switching a dithienylethene photoswitch from its closed form to its open form. The open form of the photoswitch is found to be the strongest Raman scatterer when adsorbed on the surface whereas the opposite is found for the free molecule. This trend is explained using the simple two-state approximation.

Evolution from quasivibrational to quasirotational structure in 155Tm and yrast 27 /2- to 25 /2- energy anomaly in the A ≈150 mass region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, L.; Wang, S. Y.; Wang, S.; Hua, H.; Zhang, S. Q.; Meng, J.; Bark, R. A.; Wyngaardt, S. M.; Qi, B.; Sun, D. P.; Liu, C.; Li, Z. Q.; Jia, H.; Li, X. Q.; Xu, C.; Li, Z. H.; Sun, J. J.; Zhu, L. H.; Jones, P.; Lawrie, E. A.; Lawrie, J. J.; Wiedeking, M.; Bucher, T. D.; Dinoko, T.; Makhathini, L.; Majola, S. N. T.; Noncolela, S. P.; Shirinda, O.; Gál, J.; Kalinka, G.; Molnár, J.; Nyakó, B. M.; Timár, J.; Juhász, K.; Arogunjo, M.

2018-04-01

Excited states in 155Tm have been populated via the reaction 144Sm(16O, p 4 n )155Tm at a beam energy of 118 MeV. The ground-state band has been extended and a new side band of the ground-state band is identified. E-GOS curves and potential energy surface calculations are employed to discuss the structure evolution of the ground-state band. The newly observed side band in 155Tm is discussed based on the spin/energy systematics. In particular, the phenomenon of seniority inversion is proposed in 155Tm, and a systematic study of this phenomenon in the A ≈150 mass region is performed.

Systematic Uncertainties in High-Energy Hadronic Interaction Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zha, M.; Knapp, J.; Ostapchenko, S.

2003-07-01

Hadronic interaction models for cosmic ray energies are uncertain since our knowledge of hadronic interactions is extrap olated from accelerator experiments at much lower energies. At present most high-energy models are based on Grib ov-Regge theory of multi-Pomeron exchange, which provides a theoretical framework to evaluate cross-sections and particle production. While experimental data constrain some of the model parameters, others are not well determined and are therefore a source of systematic uncertainties. In this paper we evaluate the variation of results obtained with the QGSJET model, when modifying parameters relating to three ma jor sources of uncertainty: the form of the parton structure function, the role of diffractive interactions, and the string hadronisation. Results on inelastic cross sections, on secondary particle production and on the air shower development are discussed.

Elemental composition of solar energetic particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, W. R.; Stone, E. C.; Vogt, R. E.

1984-01-01

The Low Energy Telescopes on the Voyager spacecraft have been used to measure the elemental composition (Z = 2-28) and energy spectra (5-15 MeV per nucleon) of solar energetic particles (SEPs) in seven large flare events. Four flare events were selected which have SEP abundance ratios approximately independent of energy per nucleon. For these selected flare events, SEP composition results may be described by an average composition plus a systematic flare-to-flare deviation about the average. The four-flare average SEP composition is systematically different from the solar composition determined by photospheric spectroscopy. These systematic composition differences are apparently not due to SEP propagation or acceleration effects. In contrast, the four-flare average SEP composition is in agreement with measured solar wind abundances and with a number of recent spectroscopic coronal abundance measurements. These findings suggest that SEPs originate in the corona, and that both SEPs and the solar wind sample a coronal composition which is significantly and persistently different from that measured for the photosphere.

Impacts of biogas projects on agro-ecosystem in rural areas — A case study of Gongcheng

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jin; Chen, Weichao; Chen, Bin

2011-09-01

The rapid growth of agro-ecosystem has been the focus of "New Rural Construction" in China due to intensive energy consumption and environmental pollution in rural areas. As a kind of renewable energy, biogas is helpful for new energy development and plays an important role in the sustainable development of agro-ecosystem in China. To evaluate the effects of biogas on agro-ecosystem from a systematic angle, we discussed the status quo of household biogas and identified its main factors that may have impacts on agro-ecosystem. An indicator framework covering environmental, social and economic aspects was established to quantify the impacts exerted by biogas project on agro-ecosystem. A case study of Gongcheng was then conducted to evaluate the combined impact of biogas project using the proposed indicator framework. Results showed that there was a notable positive effect brought by the application of biogas, and the integrated benefit has been significantly improved by 60.36%, implying that biogas as a substitute energy source can promote the sustainable level of rural areas.

Efficient modulation of optical and electrical properties of X-shaped thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters by substitution.

PubMed

Fan, Jianzhong; Wang, Xin; Lin, Lili; Wang, Chuankui

2016-08-01

A series of X-shaped thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters are systematically studied by first-principles calculations. Effects of the cyano group adding to the acceptor unit and the hydroxyl group adding to the donor part on the optical and electrical properties are analyzed. It is found that both kinds of groups can efficiently increase the emission wavelength to realize full-color emission. Although they play different roles in modulating the energy level of frontier orbitals, the S-T energy gap, the reorganization energy and transfer integral for different molecules, they can efficiently increase the charge transfer rate and reduce the difference of electron transfer rate and hole transfer rate. These results indicate that these designed strategies are efficient to achieve balanced charge transfer rates and modulate emission colors. By analyzing the energy matching between the TADF emitters and three kinds of hosts, the emission spectra of the 3,5-bis(N-carbazolyl)benzene (mcp) and the absorption spectra of most TADF emitters have a large overlap, which provides helpful information in application of these TADF molecules.

Does increased exercise or physical activity alter ad-libitum daily energy intake or macronutrient composition in healthy adults? A systematic review.

PubMed

Donnelly, Joseph E; Herrmann, Stephen D; Lambourne, Kate; Szabo, Amanda N; Honas, Jeffery J; Washburn, Richard A

2014-01-01

The magnitude of the negative energy balance induced by exercise may be reduced due to compensatory increases in energy intake. TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION: Does increased exercise or physical activity alter ad-libitum daily energy intake or macronutrient composition in healthy adults? PubMed and Embase were searched (January 1990-January 2013) for studies that presented data on energy and/or macronutrient intake by level of exercise, physical activity or change in response to exercise. Ninety-nine articles (103 studies) were included. Primary source articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals. Articles that presented data on energy and/or macronutrient intake by level of exercise or physical activity or changes in energy or macronutrient intake in response to acute exercise or exercise training in healthy (non-athlete) adults (mean age 18-64 years). Articles were grouped by study design: cross-sectional, acute/short term, non-randomized, and randomized trials. Considerable heterogeneity existed within study groups for several important study parameters, therefore a meta-analysis was considered inappropriate. Results were synthesized and presented by study design. No effect of physical activity, exercise or exercise training on energy intake was shown in 59% of cross-sectional studies (n = 17), 69% of acute (n = 40), 50% of short-term (n = 10), 92% of non-randomized (n = 12) and 75% of randomized trials (n = 24). Ninety-four percent of acute, 57% of short-term, 100% of non-randomized and 74% of randomized trials found no effect of exercise on macronutrient intake. Forty-six percent of cross-sectional trials found lower fat intake with increased physical activity. The literature is limited by the lack of adequately powered trials of sufficient duration, which have prescribed and measured exercise energy expenditure, or employed adequate assessment methods for energy and macronutrient intake. We found no consistent evidence that increased physical activity or exercise effects energy or macronutrient intake.

1H NMR-based metabonomic study on the effects of Epimedium on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

PubMed

Pan, Sina; Chen, Ali; Han, Zhihui; Wang, Yaling; Lu, Xin; Yang, Yongxia

2016-12-01

Glucocorticoids are widely used in clinical practice for the treatment of many immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, and glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) is the most common type of secondary osteoporosis. Epimedium is one of the most commonly used traditional Chinese medicines for treating osteoporosis. In the present study, we systematically analysed the metabonomic characteristics of GIO model rats and elucidated the therapeutic effect of Epimedium by using a 1 H NMR-based metabonomic approach in conjunction with multivariate data analysis. Rats in treatment and model groups were injected with dexamethasone (0.1mg/kg/day) for 5 weeks. Simultaneously, two treatment groups were orally administered Epimedium (10g/kg/day) or Alendronate (1.2mg/kg/day) for 5 weeks. In GIO model rats, lipid and lactate levels in serum were increased, while creatine/creatinine, PC/GPC, taurine, glycine and β-glucose levels were decreased. In urine, GIO rats had higher levels of phenylacetylglycine but lower levels of 2-oxoglutarate, citrate, creatine/creatinine, taurine, PC/GPC and hippurate than controls. Epimedium reversed the aforementioned metabolic alterations in multiple metabolic pathways involved in energy, lipid, amino acid and phospholipid metabolism and gut microbiota derangement. Our results indicated that Epimedium had significant effects in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. It is concluded that 1 H NMR metabonomics is a useful method for studying the metabolic effects of traditional Chinese medicine from a systematic and holistic view. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systematic Studies of Cosmic-Ray Anisotropy and Energy Spectrum with IceCube and IceTop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNally, Frank

Anisotropy in the cosmic-ray arrival direction distribution has been well documented over a large energy range, but its origin remains largely a mystery. In the TeV to PeV energy range, the galactic magnetic field thoroughly scatters cosmic rays, but anisotropy at the part-per-mille level and smaller persists, potentially carrying information about nearby cosmic-ray accelerators and the galactic magnetic field. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory was the first detector to observe anisotropy at these energies in the Southern sky. This work uses 318 billion cosmic-ray induced muon events, collected between May 2009 and May 2015 from both the in-ice component of IceCube as well as the surface component, IceTop. The observed global anisotropy features large regions of relative excess and deficit, with amplitudes on the order of 10-3. While a decomposition of the arrival direction distribution into spherical harmonics shows that most of the power is contained in the low-multipole (ℓ ≤ 4) moments, higher-multipole components are found to be statistically significant down to an angular scale of less than 10°, approaching the angular resolution of the detector. Above 100TeV, a change in the topology of the arrival direction distribution is observed, and the anisotropy is characterized by a wide relative deficit whose amplitude increases with primary energy up to at least 5PeV, the highest energies currently accessible to IceCube with sufficient event statistics. No time dependence of the large- and small-scale structures is observed in the six-year period covered by this analysis within statistical and systematic uncertainties. Analysis of the energy spectrum and composition in the PeV energy range as a function of sky position is performed with IceTop data over a five-year period using a likelihood-based reconstruction. Both the energy spectrum and the composition distribution are found to be consistent with a single source population over declination bands. This work represents an early attempt at understanding the anisotropy through the study of the spectrum and composition. The high-statistics data set reveals more details on the properties of the anisotropy, potentially able to shed light on the various physical processes responsible for the complex angular structure and energy evolution.

The giant Gamow-Teller resonance states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Toshio

1982-04-01

The mean energy of the giant Gamow-Teller resonance state (GTS) is studied, which is defined by the non-energy-weighted and the linearly energy-weighted sum of the strengths for ΣAi = 1 τi- σi- Using Bohr and Mottelson's hamiltonian with the ξl· σ force, the difference between the mean energies of GTS and the isobaric analog state (IAS) is expressed as E GTS -E IAS,≈ 2<π¦Σ Ai=1ξ il i· σ i¦π>/ (3T 0-4(k τ-k στ) T 0. The observed energy systematics is well explained by kτ- kστ≈ 4/ A MeV . The relationship between the mean energies and the excitation energies of the collective states in the random phase approximation for charge-exchange excitations is discussed in a simple model. From the excitation energy systematics of GTS, the values of kστ and the Migdal parameter g' are estimated to be about k στ = {(16-24)}/{A}MeV and g' = 0.49-0.72 , respectively.

Effect of Clouds on Apertures of Space-based Air Fluorescence Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sokolsky, P.; Krizmanic, J.

2003-01-01

Space-based ultra-high-energy cosmic ray detectors observe fluorescence light from extensive air showers produced by these particles in the troposphere. Clouds can scatter and absorb this light and produce systematic errors in energy determination and spectrum normalization. We study the possibility of using IR remote sensing data from MODIS and GOES satellites to delimit clear areas of the atmosphere. The efficiency for detecting ultra-high-energy cosmic rays whose showers do not intersect clouds is determined for real, night-time cloud scenes. We use the MODIS SST cloud mask product to define clear pixels for cloud scenes along the equator and use the OWL Monte Carlo to generate showers in the cloud scenes. We find the efficiency for cloud-free showers with closest approach of three pixels to a cloudy pixel is 6.5% exclusive of other factors. We conclude that defining a totally cloud-free aperture reduces the sensitivity of space-based fluorescence detectors to unacceptably small levels.

Isoscalar and isovector giant resonances in a self-consistent phonon coupling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyutorovich, N.; Tselyaev, V.; Speth, J.; Krewald, S.; Grümmer, F.; Reinhard, P.-G.

2015-10-01

We present fully self-consistent calculations of isoscalar giant monopole and quadrupole as well as isovector giant dipole resonances in heavy and light nuclei. The description is based on Skyrme energy-density functionals determining the static Hartree-Fock ground state and the excitation spectra within random-phase approximation (RPA) and RPA extended by including the quasiparticle-phonon coupling at the level of the time-blocking approximation (TBA). All matrix elements were derived consistently from the given energy-density functional and calculated without any approximation. As a new feature in these calculations, the single-particle continuum was included thus avoiding the artificial discretization usually implied in RPA and TBA. The step to include phonon coupling in TBA leads to small, but systematic, down shifts of the centroid energies of the giant resonances. These shifts are similar in size for all Skyrme parametrizations investigated here. After all, we demonstrate that one can find Skyrme parametrizations which deliver a good simultaneous reproduction of all three giant resonances within TBA.

Isoelectronic studies of the 5s/sup 2/ /sup 1/S/sub 0/-5s5p/sup 1,3/P/sub J/ intervals in the Cd sequence

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

Curtis, L.J.

1986-02-01

The 5s/sup 2/ /sup 1/S/sub 0/-5s5p/sup 1,3/P/sub J/ energy intervals in the Cd isoelectronic sequence have been investigated through a semiempirical systematization of recent measurements and through the performance of ab initio multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculations. Screening-parameter reductions of the spin-orbit and exchange energies both for the observed data and for the theoretically computed values establish the existence of empirical linearities similar to those exploited earlier for the Be, Mg, and Zn sequences. This permits extrapolative isoelectronic predictions of the relative energies of the 5s5p levels, which can be connected to 5s/sup 2/ using intersinglet intervals obtained from empirically corrected abmore » initio calculations. These linearities have also been examined homologously for the Zn, Cd, and Hg sequences, and common relationships have been found that accurately describe all three of these sequences.« less

Hydrogen atom addition to the surface of graphene nanoflakes: A density functional theory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tachikawa, Hiroto

2017-02-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) provide a 2-dimensional (2D) reaction surface in 3-dimensional (3D) interstellar space and have been utilized as a model of graphene surfaces. In the present study, the reaction of PAHs with atomic hydrogen was investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) to systematically elucidate the binding nature of atomic hydrogen to graphene nanoflakes. PAHs with n = 4-37 were chosen, where n indicates the number of benzene rings. Activation energies of hydrogen addition to the graphene surface were calculated to be 5.2-7.0 kcal/mol at the CAM-B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level, which is almost constant for all PAHs. The binding energies of hydrogen atom were slightly dependent on the size (n): 14.8-28.5 kcal/mol. The absorption spectra showed that a long tail is generated at the low-energy region after hydrogen addition to the graphene surface. The electronic states of hydrogenated graphenes were discussed on the basis of theoretical results.

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

Cobb, Corie L.; Solberg, Scott E.

3-dimensional (3D) electrode architectures have been explored as a means to decouple power and energy trade-offs in thick battery electrodes. Limited work has been published which systematically examines the impact of these architectures at the pouch cell level. This paper conducts an analysis on the potential capacity gains that can be realized with thick co-extruded electrodes in a pouch cell. Moreover, our findings show that despite lower active material composition for each cathode layer, the effective gain in thickness and active material loading enables pouch cell capacity gains greater than 10% with a Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) materialsmore » system.« less

Thermal management of batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbard, H. F.; Chen, C.-C.

Control of the internal temperature during high rate discharge or charge can be a major design problem for large, high energy density battery systems. A systematic approach to the thermal management of such systems is described for different load profiles based on: thermodynamic calculations of internal heat generation; calorimetric measurements of heat flux; analytical and finite difference calculations of the internal temperature distribution; appropriate system designs for heat removal and temperature control. Examples are presented of thermal studies on large lead-acid batteries for electrical utility load levelling and nickel-zinc and lithium-iron sulphide batteries for electric vehicle propulsion.

Energetic consequences of thermal and nonthermal food processing

PubMed Central

Carmody, Rachel N.; Weintraub, Gil S.; Wrangham, Richard W.

2011-01-01

Processing food extensively by thermal and nonthermal techniques is a unique and universal human practice. Food processing increases palatability and edibility and has been argued to increase energy gain. Although energy gain is a well-known effect from cooking starch-rich foods, the idea that cooking meat increases energy gain has never been tested. Moreover, the relative energetic advantages of cooking and nonthermal processing have not been assessed, whether for meat or starch-rich foods. Here, we describe a system for characterizing the energetic effects of cooking and nonthermal food processing. Using mice as a model, we show that cooking substantially increases the energy gained from meat, leading to elevations in body mass that are not attributable to differences in food intake or activity levels. The positive energetic effects of cooking were found to be superior to the effects of pounding in both meat and starch-rich tubers, a conclusion further supported by food preferences in fasted animals. Our results indicate significant contributions from cooking to both modern and ancestral human energy budgets. They also illuminate a weakness in current food labeling practices, which systematically overestimate the caloric potential of poorly processed foods. PMID:22065771

Energetic consequences of thermal and nonthermal food processing.

PubMed

Carmody, Rachel N; Weintraub, Gil S; Wrangham, Richard W

2011-11-29

Processing food extensively by thermal and nonthermal techniques is a unique and universal human practice. Food processing increases palatability and edibility and has been argued to increase energy gain. Although energy gain is a well-known effect from cooking starch-rich foods, the idea that cooking meat increases energy gain has never been tested. Moreover, the relative energetic advantages of cooking and nonthermal processing have not been assessed, whether for meat or starch-rich foods. Here, we describe a system for characterizing the energetic effects of cooking and nonthermal food processing. Using mice as a model, we show that cooking substantially increases the energy gained from meat, leading to elevations in body mass that are not attributable to differences in food intake or activity levels. The positive energetic effects of cooking were found to be superior to the effects of pounding in both meat and starch-rich tubers, a conclusion further supported by food preferences in fasted animals. Our results indicate significant contributions from cooking to both modern and ancestral human energy budgets. They also illuminate a weakness in current food labeling practices, which systematically overestimate the caloric potential of poorly processed foods.

Modulation of sweet preference by the actual and anticipated consequences of eating.

PubMed

Martin, Ashley A; Ferriday, Danielle; Rogers, Peter J; Brunstrom, Jeffrey M

2016-12-01

Previous research has shown that non-human animals exhibit an inverted-U pattern of sweet preference, with consumption increasing across moderate levels of sweetness and then declining for high levels of sweetness. In rodents, this pattern reflects an avoidance of the postingestive effects of consuming energy-dense sugar solutions (conditioned satiation). Here, we examined whether humans also adjust their preferences to compensate for the anticipated energy content/satiating outcomes of consuming sweetened foods. In two experiments (each N = 40), participants were asked to taste and imagine eating small (15 g) and large (250 g) portions of five novel desserts that varied in sweetness. Participants evaluated the desserts' expected satiety, expected satiation, and expected sickliness. A measure of estimated energy content was also derived using a computerized energy compensation test. This procedure was completed before and after consuming a standard lunch. Across both experiments, results confirmed that participants preferred a less sweet dessert when asked to imagine eating a large versus a small portion, and when rating the dessert in a fed versus fasted state. We also obtained evidence that participants anticipated more energy from the sweeter desserts (even in Experiment 2 when half of the participants were informed that the desserts were equated for energy content). However we found only partial evidence for anticipated satiation-expected sickliness was related systematically to increases in sweetness, but expected satiation and expected satiety were only weakly influenced. These findings raise questions about the role of sweetness in the control of food intake (in humans) and the degree to which 'sweet-calorie learning' occurs in complex dietary environments where sweetness may actually be a poor predictor of the energy content of foods. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic Conversion of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes into n-type Thermoelectric Materials by Molecular Dopants

PubMed Central

Nonoguchi, Yoshiyuki; Ohashi, Kenji; Kanazawa, Rui; Ashiba, Koji; Hata, Kenji; Nakagawa, Tetsuya; Adachi, Chihaya; Tanase, Tomoaki; Kawai, Tsuyoshi

2013-01-01

Thermoelectrics is a challenging issue for modern and future energy conversion and recovery technology. Carbon nanotubes are promising active thermoelectic materials owing to their narrow bandgap energy and high charge carrier mobility, and they can be integrated into flexible thermoelectrics that can recover any waste heat. We here report air-stable n-type single walled carbon nanotubes with a variety of weak electron donors in the range of HOMO level between ca. −4.4 eV and ca. −5.6 eV, in which partial uphill electron injection from the dopant to the conduction band of single walled carbon nanotubes is dominant. We display flexible films of the doped single walled carbon nanotubes possessing significantly large thermoelectric effect, which is applicable to flexible ambient thermoelectric modules. PMID:24276090

The DES Science Verification Weak Lensing Shear Catalogs

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

Jarvis, M.

We present weak lensing shear catalogs for 139 square degrees of data taken during the Science Verification (SV) time for the new Dark Energy Camera (DECam) being used for the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We describe our object selection, point spread function estimation and shear measurement procedures using two independent shear pipelines, IM3SHAPE and NGMIX, which produce catalogs of 2.12 million and 3.44 million galaxies respectively. We also detail a set of null tests for the shear measurements and find that they pass the requirements for systematic errors at the level necessary for weak lensing science applications using the SVmore » data. Furthermore, we discuss some of the planned algorithmic improvements that will be necessary to produce sufficiently accurate shear catalogs for the full 5-year DES, which is expected to cover 5000 square degrees.« less

The DES Science Verification Weak Lensing Shear Catalogs

DOE PAGES

Jarvis, M.

2016-05-01

We present weak lensing shear catalogs for 139 square degrees of data taken during the Science Verification (SV) time for the new Dark Energy Camera (DECam) being used for the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We describe our object selection, point spread function estimation and shear measurement procedures using two independent shear pipelines, IM3SHAPE and NGMIX, which produce catalogs of 2.12 million and 3.44 million galaxies respectively. We also detail a set of null tests for the shear measurements and find that they pass the requirements for systematic errors at the level necessary for weak lensing science applications using the SVmore » data. Furthermore, we discuss some of the planned algorithmic improvements that will be necessary to produce sufficiently accurate shear catalogs for the full 5-year DES, which is expected to cover 5000 square degrees.« less

Systematic study of fission barriers of excited superheavy nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheikh, J. A.; Nazarewicz, W.; Pei, J. C.

2009-07-01

A systematic study of fission-barrier dependence on excitation energy has been performed using the self-consistent finite-temperature Hartree-Fock + BCS (FT-HF + BCS) formalism with the SkM* Skyrme energy density functional. The calculations have been carried out for even-even superheavy nuclei with Z ranging between 110 and 124. For an accurate description of fission pathways, the effects of triaxial and reflection-asymmetric degrees of freedom have been fully incorporated. Our survey demonstrates that the dependence of isentropic fission barriers on excitation energy changes rapidly with particle number, pointing to the importance of shell effects even at large excitation energies characteristic of compound nuclei. The fastest decrease of fission barriers with excitation energy is predicted for deformed nuclei around N=164 and spherical nuclei around N=184 that are strongly stabilized by ground-state shell effects. For the nuclei Pu240 and Fm256, which exhibit asymmetric spontaneous fission, our calculations predict a transition to symmetric fission at high excitation energies owing to the thermal quenching of static reflection asymmetric deformations.

Colorful Investigations of Supernovae for WFIRST-AFTA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, Ryan

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are extremely good probes of dark energy, and WFIRST-AFTA is particularly well suited to make the best SN distance measurements possible. For conservative assumptions, the WFIRST SN survey is projected to have twice the impact as its other probes. Considering that Euclid will only have a minimal SN survey, but strong programs for other dark energy probes, the WFIRST SN survey is especially unique and important. With an initial simulation of the WFIRST-AFTA survey, we have determined that the largest statistical and systematic uncertainties are related to SN color. SN distances strongly depend on the precise measurement of SN colors since we must make a dust extinction correction that depends on the observed color. The details of how the correction is applied and the possibility that the correction evolves with redshift combine with potential calibration systematics to limit the current effectiveness of the SN component of WFIRST-AFTA. Here, we propose to support two graduate students to (1) investigate how intrinsic color variations will impact WFIRST-AFTA systematic uncertainties, (2) determine improved methods for reducing the systematic uncertainties related to SN color, and (3) simulate survey strategies incorporating our results to obtain the highest dark energy figure of merit (DE-FoM).

Evidence for minimally invasive therapies in the management of chronic calcific tendinopathy of the rotator cuff: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Louwerens, Jan K G; Sierevelt, Inger N; van Noort, Arthur; van den Bekerom, Michel P J

2014-08-01

This meta-analysis assessed the short-term to midterm effectiveness of minimally invasive treatments in the management of calcifying tendinopathy of the shoulder cuff, a common source of chronic shoulder pain that leads to pain, a decreased active range of motion, and loss of muscular strength. When conservative therapies fail, minimally invasive treatment options can be considered before resulting to surgery. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to conduct this review. A systematic literature search was conducted in May 2013 to identify all studies that examined the short-term to midterm effectiveness of minimally invasive treatments for chronic calcifying tendinopathy. The primary end points were identified as function, pain, and total resorption rates. Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to assess the quality of evidence. Included were 20 studies (1544 participants). Common methodological flaws were related to randomization. In general, there is moderate-quality GRADE evidence that high-energy extracorporeal shockwave therapy has a significant effect on pain relief and functional status compared with other interventions. There is variable-quality GRADE evidence on the efficiency of other interventions. High-energy extracorporeal shockwave therapy is the most thoroughly investigated minimally invasive treatment option in the short-term to midterm and has proven to be a safe and effective treatment. Ultrasound-guided needling is safe but has not been proven to be more effective than an ultrasound-guided subacromial corticosteroid injection in recent level I research, and further research will have to prove its effectiveness. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Theoretical prediction of the mechanistic pathways and kinetics of methylcyclohexane initiated by OH radicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Begum, Saheen Shehnaz; Deka, Ramesh Chandra; Gour, Nand Kishor

2018-06-01

In this manuscript, we have systematically depicted the theoretical prediction of H-absorption from methylcyclohexane initiated by OH radical. For this we have performed dual-level of quantum chemical calculations on the gas-phase reactions between methylcyclohexane (MCH) and OH radical. Geometry optimisation and vibrational frequency calculations have been performed at BHandHLYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory along with energetic calculations at coupled cluster CCSD(T) method using the same basis set. All the stationary points of titled reaction have been located on the potential energy surface. It has also been found that the H-abstraction takes place from -CH site of MCH, which is the minimum energy pathway than others. The rate constant was calculated using canonical transition state theory for MCH with OH radical and is found to be 3.27 × 10-12 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, which is in sound agreement with reported experimental data. The atmospheric lifetime of MCH and branching ratios of the reaction channels are also reported in the manuscript.

Search for Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Anisotropies with Seven Years of Fermi Large Area Telescope Data

DOE PAGES

Abdollahi, S.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; ...

2017-03-01

We present the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope that has collected the largest ever sample of high-energy cosmic-ray electron and positron events since the beginning of its operation. Potential anisotropies in the arrival directions of cosmic-ray electrons or positrons could be a signature of the presence of nearby sources. We use almost seven years of data with energies above 42 GeV processed with the Pass 8 reconstruction. The present data sample can probe dipole anisotropies down to a level of 10 -3. We take into account systematic effects that could mimic true anisotropies at thismore » level. We present a detailed study of the event selection optimization of the cosmic-ray electrons and positrons to be used for anisotropy searches. Since no significant anisotropies have been detected on any angular scale, we present upper limits on the dipole anisotropy. Lastly, the present constraints are among the strongest to date probing the presence of nearby young and middle-aged sources.« less

Systematics of the low-energy pionic double charge exchange in nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Draeger, J.; Bilger, R.; Clement, H.; Cröni, M.; Denz, H.; Gräter, J.; Meier, R.; Pätzold, J.; Schapler, D.; Wagner, G. J.; Wilhelm, O.; Föhl, K.; Schepkin, M.

2000-12-01

The experimental results for the (π+,π-) reaction on nuclei obtained in recent years reveal clear systematic features of this reaction. New data on 7Li, 12C, 16O, and 56Fe supplementing the existing data base are presented. The data on 12C are partly at variance with previous results. The dependence of the cross sections on incident energy, scattering angle, and on the target mass is discussed for transitions leading to the ground state of the final nucleus or to the double isobaric analog state.

High-level spacecraft charging in the low-altitude polar auroral environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gussenhoven, M. S.; Hardy, D. A.; Rich, F.; Burke, W. J.; Yeh, H.-C.

1985-11-01

Regions of intense keV electron precipitation, such as inverted-V structures, at times colocate with ionospheric plasma depletion regions in the high-latitude polar ionosphere. When Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F6 and F7 satellites, at 840 km, enter these regions in darkness, ion signatures of high spacecraft-to-ambient plasma potential differences (several hundred volts negative) are observed with the new SSJ/4 ion detectors. A systematic survey of charging events and the environment in which they occur was made using the DMSP F6 and F7 precipitating ion and electron detectors, the SSIE thermal plasma probes, and the SSM (F7 only) vector magnetometer. The charging events of November 26, 1983, are analyzed in detail since they occurred on both satellites. Critical levels of number flux and average energy for the precipitating electrons, and the threshold density of the thermal ionospheric ions are defined for different levels of spacecraft charging.

Accurate thermochemistry and spectroscopy of the oxygen-protonated sulfur dioxide isomers.

PubMed

Puzzarini, Cristina

2011-12-28

Despite the promising relevance of protonated sulfur dioxide in astrophysical and atmospheric fields, its thermochemical and spectroscopic characterization is very limited. High-level quantum-chemical calculations have shown that the most stable isomer is the cis oxygen-protonated sulfur dioxide, HOSO(+), while the trans form is about 2 kcal mol(-1) less stable; even less stable (by about 42 kcal mol(-1)) is the S-protonated isomer [V. Lattanzi et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2010, 133, 194305]. The enthalpy of formation for the cis- and trans-HOSO(+) is presented, based on the well tested HEAT protocol [A. Tajti et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2004, 121, 11599]. Systematically extrapolated ab initio energies, accounting for electron correlation through coupled cluster theory, including up to single, double, triple and quadruple excitations, have been corrected for core-electron correlation, anharmonic zero-point vibrational energy, diagonal Born-Oppenheimer and scalar relativistic effects. As a byproduct, proton affinity of sulfur dioxide and atomization energies have also been obtained at the same levels of theory. Vibrational and rotational spectroscopic properties have been investigated by means of composite schemes that allow us to account for truncation of basis set as well as core correlation. Where available, for both thermochemistry and spectroscopy, very good agreement with experimental data has been observed.

Spectroscopic detection and analysis of atomic emissions during industrial pulsed laser-drilling of structural aerospace alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bright, Robin Michael

The ability to adequately cool internal gas-turbine engine components in next-generation commercial and military aircraft is of extreme importance to the aerospace industry as the demand for high-efficiency engines continues to push operating temperatures higher. Pulsed laser-drilling is rapidly becoming the preferred method of creating cooling holes in high temperature components due a variety of manufacturing advantages of laser-drilling over conventional hole-drilling techniques. As cooling requirements become more demanding, the impact of drilling conditions on material removal behavior and subsequent effects on hole quality becomes critical. In this work, the development of emission spectroscopy as a method to probe the laser-drilling process is presented and subsequently applied to the study of material behavior of various structural aerospace materials during drilling. Specifically, emitted photons associated with energy level transitions within excited neutral atoms in material ejected during drilling were detected and analyzed. Systematic spectroscopic studies indicated that electron energy level populations and calculated electron temperatures within ejected material are dependent on both laser pulse energy and duration. Local thermal conditions detected by the developed method were related to the characteristics of ejected material during drilling and to final hole quality. Finally, methods of utilizing the observed relationships for spectroscopic process monitoring and control were demonstrated.

First Results on the High Energy Cosmic Ray Electron Spectrum from Fermi Lat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moiseev, Alexander

2009-01-01

This viewgraph presentation addresses energy reconstruction, electron-hadron separation, validation of Monte Carlo with flight data and an assessment of systematic errors from the Fermi Large Area Telescope.

Development of hydropower sustainability assessment method in Malaysia context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turan, Faiz Mohd; Johan, Kartina; Atiqah Omar, Nur

2018-03-01

Nowadays, sustainability is becoming one of the crucial requirement to business success today. This requirement is strongly supported by Bursa Malaysia. In their webpage, they stated that an entire way to business management, incorporating economic, environmental, social and governance considerations alongside financial ones, will serve as a sound business model that supports business continuity and long term value creation for stakeholders and society at large (Bursa Malaysia website, 21th April 2016). This proved that companies need to take sustainability as one of their aspect performance as well as an energy company. Apart from that, energy companies in Malaysia are facing problems as there is still no systematic assessment of sustainability. Before this, Malaysia energy companies assess their large projects based on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) requirement. However, the EIAs mostly covers the environmental issues related to the projects. The EIAs give less attention to the social aspects and economical aspects. In addition, there are still not many companies comply all the three aspects together. So, this study is to help the energy companies to discover the systematic assessment of sustainability. In developing sustainable project, they need to include many criteria that cover the environmental, economic and social aspects at all stages. Thus, the new version of Systematic Sustainability Assessment (SSA) that apply the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) is used as a guideline to achieve sustainability in Malaysia energy companies. This tool will guide the energy company on how to assess the sustainability in their project and see the performance of the project.

Perception of intoxication in a field study of the night-time economy: Blood alcohol concentration, patron characteristics, and event-level predictors.

PubMed

Kaestle, Christine E; Droste, Nicolas; Peacock, Amy; Bruno, Raimondo; Miller, Peter

2018-01-01

Determine the relationship of subjective intoxication to blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and examine whether patron and event-level characteristics modify the relationship of BAC to subjective intoxication. An in-situ systematic random sample of alcohol consumers attending night-time entertainment districts between 10pm and 3am on Friday and Saturday nights in five Australian cities completed a brief interview (n=4628). Participants reported age, sex, and pre-drinking, energy drink, tobacco, illicit stimulant and other illicit drug use that night, and their subjective intoxication and BAC were assessed. Male and female drinkers displayed equally low sensitivity to the impact of alcohol consumption when self-assessing their intoxication (BAC only explained 19% of variance). The marginal effect of BAC was not constant. At low BAC, participants were somewhat sensitive to increases in alcohol consumption, but at higher BAC levels that modest sensitivity dissipated (actual BAC had less impact on self-assessed intoxication). The slope ultimately leveled out to be non-responsive to additional alcohol intake. Staying out late, pre-drinking, and being young introduced biases resulting in higher self-assessed intoxication regardless of actual BAC. Further, both energy drinks and stimulant use modified the association between BAC and perceived intoxication, resulting in more compressed changes in self-assessment as BAC varies up or down, indicating less ability to perceive differences in BAC level. The ability of intoxicated patrons to detect further intoxication is impaired. Co-consumption of energy drinks and/or stimulant drugs is associated with impaired intoxication judgment, creating an additional challenge for the responsible service and consumption of alcohol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutrition therapy during initiation of refeeding in underweight children and adolescent inpatients with anorexia nervosa: a systematic review of the evidence.

PubMed

Rocks, Tetyana; Pelly, Fiona; Wilkinson, Paul

2014-06-01

Restoration of weight and nutritional rehabilitation are recognized as fundamental steps in the therapeutic treatment of children and adolescent inpatients with anorexia nervosa (AN). However, current recommendations on initial energy requirements for this population are inconsistent, with a clear lack of empirical evidence. Thus, the aim of our study was to systematically review, assess, and summarize the available evidence on the effect of differing nutrition therapies prescribed during refeeding on weight restoration in hospitalized children and adolescents (aged 19 years and younger) with diagnosed AN. Searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, Global Health (CABI), PubMed, and the Cochrane database for articles published in English up to May 2012, and complemented by a search of the reference lists of key publications. Seven observational studies investigating a total of 403 inpatients satisfied the inclusion criteria. The range of prescribed energy intakes varied from 1,000 kcal to >1,900 kcal/day with a progressive increase during the course of hospitalization. It appeared that additional tube feeding increased the maximum energy intake and led to greater interim or discharge weight; however, this was also associated with a higher incidence of adverse effects. Overall, the level of available evidence was poor, and therefore consensus on the most effective and safe treatment for weight restoration in inpatient children and adolescents with AN is not currently feasible. Further research on refeeding methods is crucial to establish the best practice approach to treatment of this population. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Morphology and texture of particles along the Spirit rover traverse from sol 450 to sol 745

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yingst, R. A.; Crumpler, L.; Farrand, W. H.; Li, R.; Cabrol, N. A.; Neakrase, L. D.

2008-12-01

We quantified and classified the shape, roundness, size, and texture of 935 loose surface particles along the Spirit rover traverse from sols 450-745 to assess origin, transport, and other alteration mechanisms that altered particles during and after formation. Variation in particle morphologic parameters along traverse is consistent with crossing mapped geologic unit boundaries. Texture is divided into four types: vesicular, smooth and flat-faceted, rough and flat-faceted, and very rough. Sphericity and roundness are intermediate and low, respectively, comparable to particles moved by high-energy transport or to crushed particles. This indicates intermittent, high-energy emplacement or modification of a single lithology, rather than systematic, continuous low-energy abrasion or wear over time. Comparison with particle morphology at other Mars landing sites is consistent with the hypothesis that no secondary systematic transport or wide-scale chemical alteration was active at a significant enough level to alter macromorphology. In particular, particle morphology at the Mars Pathfinder site shows stronger evidence of abrasion than along the Spirit traverse, suggesting Mars Pathfinder particles have undergone abrasion processes that particles in this study area have not. Additionally, morphology indices have correlation coefficients near zero, indicating that a fluvial transport mechanism is likely not responsible for morphology. Morphology and texture are instead related to origin and composition rather than subsequent modification. Morphology and texture support a volcanic origin, possibly without modification, but most likely altered primarily by ballistic impact, implying that the Spirit landing site and traverse may be utilized in the future as a standard site for characterization of impact-derived morphology.

Modern energy efficient technologies of high-rise construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukmanova, Inessa; Golov, Roman

2018-03-01

The paper analyzes modern energy-efficient technologies, both being applied, and only introduced into the application in the construction of high-rise residential buildings. All technologies are systematized by the authors as part of a unified model of "Arrows of Energy-Efficient Technologies", which imply performing energy-saving measures in the design, construction and operation of buildings.

Generalization of the NpNn scheme to nonyrast levels of even-even nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Y. M.; Arima, A.

2003-07-01

In this Brief Report we present the systematics of excitation energies for even-even nuclei in two regions: the 50

Fitting and Phenomenology in Type IA Supernova Cosmology: Generalized Likelihood Analyses for Multiple Evolving Populations and Observations of Near-Infrared Lightcurves Including Host Galaxy Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponder, Kara A.

In the late 1990s, Type Ia supernovae (SNeIa) led to the discovery that the Universe is expanding at an accelerating rate due to dark energy. Since then, many different tracers of acceleration have been used to characterize dark energy, but the source of cosmic acceleration has remained a mystery. To better understand dark energy, future surveys such as the ground-based Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and the space-based Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope will collect thousands of SNeIa to use as a primary dark energy probe. These large surveys will be systematics limited, which makes it imperative for our insight regarding systematics to dramatically increase over the next decade for SNeIa to continue to contribute to precision cosmology. I approach this problem by improving statistical methods in the likelihood analysis and collecting near infrared (NIR) SNeIa with their host galaxies to improve the nearby data set and search for additional systematics. Using more statistically robust methods to account for systematics within the likelihood function can increase accuracy in cosmological parameters with a minimal precision loss. Though a sample of at least 10,000 SNeIa is necessary to confirm multiple populations of SNeIa, the bias in cosmology is ˜ 2 sigma with only 2,500 SNeIa. This work focused on an example systematic (host galaxy correlations), but it can be generalized for any systematic that can be represented by a distribution of multiple Gaussians. The SweetSpot survey gathered 114 low-redshift, NIR SNeIa that will act as a crucial anchor sample for the future high redshift surveys. NIR observations are not as affected by dust contamination, which may lead to increased understanding of systematics seen in optical wavelengths. We obtained spatially resolved spectra for 32 SweetSpot host galaxies to test for local host galaxy correlations. For the first time, we probe global host galaxy correlations with NIR brightnesses from the current literature sample of SNeIa with host galaxy data from publicly available catalogs. We find inconclusive evidence that more massive galaxies host SNeIa that are brighter in the NIR than SNeIa hosted in less massive galaxies.

First observation of rotational structures in Re 168

DOE PAGES

Hartley, D. J.; Janssens, R. V. F.; Riedinger, L. L.; ...

2016-11-30

We assigned first rotational sequences to the odd-odd nucleus 168Re. Coincidence relationships of these structures with rhenium x rays confirm the isotopic assignment, while arguments based on the γ-ray multiplicity (K-fold) distributions observed with the new bands lead to the mass assignment. Configurations for the two bands were determined through analysis of the rotational alignments of the structures and a comparison of the experimental B(M1)/B(E2) ratios with theory. Tentative spin assignments are proposed for the πh 11/2νi 13/2 band, based on energy level systematics for other known sequences in neighboring odd-odd rhenium nuclei, as well as on systematics seen formore » the signature inversion feature that is well known in this region. Furthermore, the spin assignment for the πh 11/2ν(h 9/2/f 7/2) structure provides additional validation of the proposed spins and configurations for isomers in the 176Au → 172Ir → 168Re α-decay chain.« less

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

Hartley, D. J.; Janssens, R. V. F.; Riedinger, L. L.

We assigned first rotational sequences to the odd-odd nucleus 168Re. Coincidence relationships of these structures with rhenium x rays confirm the isotopic assignment, while arguments based on the γ-ray multiplicity (K-fold) distributions observed with the new bands lead to the mass assignment. Configurations for the two bands were determined through analysis of the rotational alignments of the structures and a comparison of the experimental B(M1)/B(E2) ratios with theory. Tentative spin assignments are proposed for the πh 11/2νi 13/2 band, based on energy level systematics for other known sequences in neighboring odd-odd rhenium nuclei, as well as on systematics seen formore » the signature inversion feature that is well known in this region. Furthermore, the spin assignment for the πh 11/2ν(h 9/2/f 7/2) structure provides additional validation of the proposed spins and configurations for isomers in the 176Au → 172Ir → 168Re α-decay chain.« less

Decomposing climate-induced temperature and water effects on the expansion and operation of the US electricity system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Y.; Eurek, K.; Macknick, J.; Steinberg, D. C.; Averyt, K.; Badger, A.; Livneh, B.

2017-12-01

Climate change has the potential to affect the supply and demands of the U.S. power sector. Rising air temperatures can affect the seasonal and total demand for electricity, alter the thermal efficiency of power plants, and lower the maximum capacity of electric transmission lines. Changes in hydrology can affect seasonal and total availability of water used for power plant operations. Prior studies have examined some climate impacts on the electricity sector, but there has been no systematic study quantifying and comparing the importance of these climate-induced effects in isolation and in combination. Here, we perform a systematic assessment using the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) electricity sector model in combination with downscaled climate results from four models in the CMIP5 archive that provide contrasting temperature and precipitation trends for key regions in the U.S. The ReEDS model captures dynamic climate and hydrological resource data .when choosing the cost optimal mix of generation resources necessary to balance supply and demand for electricity. We examine how different climate-induced changes in air temperature and water availability, considered in isolation and in combination, may affect energy and economic outcomes at a regional and national level from the present through 2050. Results indicate that temperature-induced impacts on electricity consumption show consistent trends nationwide across all climate scenarios. Hydrological impacts and variability differ by model and tend to have a minor effect on national electricity trends, but can be important determinants regionally. Taken together, this suggests that isolated climate change impacts on the electricity system depend on the geographic scale of interest - the effect of rising temperatures on demand, which is qualitatively robust to the choice of climate model, largely determines impacts on generation, capacity and cost at the national level, whereas other impact pathways may dominate at regional level.

Effectiveness of Pilates exercise in treating people with chronic low back pain: a systematic review of systematic reviews

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Systematic reviews provide clinical practice recommendations that are based on evaluation of primary evidence. When systematic reviews with the same aims have different conclusions, it is difficult to ascertain which review reported the most credible and robust findings. Methods This study examined five systematic reviews that have investigated the effectiveness of Pilates exercise in people with chronic low back pain. A four-stage process was used to interpret findings of the reviews. This process included comparison of research questions, included primary studies, and the level and quality of evidence of systematic reviews. Two independent reviewers assessed the level of evidence and the methodological quality of systematic reviews, using the National Health and Medical Research Council hierarchy of evidence, and the Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews respectively. Any disagreements were resolved by a third researcher. Results A high level of consensus was achieved between the reviewers. Conflicting findings were reported by the five systematic reviews regarding the effectiveness of Pilates in reducing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. Authors of the systematic reviews included primary studies that did not match their questions in relation to treatment or population characteristics. A total of ten primary studies were identified across five systematic reviews. Only two of the primary studies were included in all of the reviews due to different inclusion criteria relating to publication date and status, definition of Pilates, and methodological quality. The level of evidence of reviews was low due to the methodological design of the primary studies. The methodological quality of reviews varied. Those which conducted a meta-analysis obtained higher scores. Conclusion There is inconclusive evidence that Pilates is effective in reducing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. This is due to the small number and poor methodological quality of primary studies. The Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews provides a useful method of appraising the methodological quality of systematic reviews. Individual item scores, however, should be examined in addition to total scores, so that significant methodological flaws of systematic reviews are not missed, and results are interpreted appropriately. (348 words) PMID:23331384

Effectiveness of Pilates exercise in treating people with chronic low back pain: a systematic review of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Wells, Cherie; Kolt, Gregory S; Marshall, Paul; Hill, Bridget; Bialocerkowski, Andrea

2013-01-19

Systematic reviews provide clinical practice recommendations that are based on evaluation of primary evidence. When systematic reviews with the same aims have different conclusions, it is difficult to ascertain which review reported the most credible and robust findings. This study examined five systematic reviews that have investigated the effectiveness of Pilates exercise in people with chronic low back pain. A four-stage process was used to interpret findings of the reviews. This process included comparison of research questions, included primary studies, and the level and quality of evidence of systematic reviews. Two independent reviewers assessed the level of evidence and the methodological quality of systematic reviews, using the National Health and Medical Research Council hierarchy of evidence, and the Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews respectively. Any disagreements were resolved by a third researcher. A high level of consensus was achieved between the reviewers. Conflicting findings were reported by the five systematic reviews regarding the effectiveness of Pilates in reducing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. Authors of the systematic reviews included primary studies that did not match their questions in relation to treatment or population characteristics. A total of ten primary studies were identified across five systematic reviews. Only two of the primary studies were included in all of the reviews due to different inclusion criteria relating to publication date and status, definition of Pilates, and methodological quality. The level of evidence of reviews was low due to the methodological design of the primary studies. The methodological quality of reviews varied. Those which conducted a meta-analysis obtained higher scores. There is inconclusive evidence that Pilates is effective in reducing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. This is due to the small number and poor methodological quality of primary studies. The Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews provides a useful method of appraising the methodological quality of systematic reviews. Individual item scores, however, should be examined in addition to total scores, so that significant methodological flaws of systematic reviews are not missed, and results are interpreted appropriately. (348 words).

Control of valence and conduction band energies in layered transition metal phosphates via surface functionalization

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

Lentz, Levi C.; Kolb, Brian; Kolpak, Alexie M.

Layered transition metal phosphates and phosphites (TMPs) are a class of 2D materials bound togetherviavan der Waals interactions. Through simple functionalization, band energies can be systematically controlled.

[Metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of suction-assisted lipectomy: Systematic review].

PubMed

Crahay, F-X; Nizet, J L

2016-08-01

Suction-assisted lipectomy is one of the most frequent procedures in plastic surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate whether suction-assisted lipectomy causes changes in the carbohydrates and lipid metabolism and the potential effects on cardiovascular risk factors. We interrogated five databases: Medline, American College of Physicians Journal Club Database, Cochrane central register of controlled trials, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, Database of abstracts of reviews of effects. A systematic review of the literature was performed in order to compare results of randomized controlled trials and observational studies concerning changes in weight, metabolism, endocrinology, inflammatory markers and cardiovascular risk factors after suction-assisted lipectomy. All articles were assessed by criteria from Oxford Center For Evidence Based Medicine (OCEBM). The search resulted in 40 articles: 12 experimental animal studies and 28 human studies. Different metabolic parameters are affected by suction-assited lipectomy. First, all articles point out a decrease of body weight after suction-assisted lipectomy. Weight lost only affects fat mass without any change of lean mass. The potential compensatory growth of visceral fat seems to be counteracted by physical activity. Then, resting energy expenditure seems to be stable or decrease after the surgery. This reduction is significantly related to the decrease of leptin levels and also seems to be counteracted by physical activity. About adipocytokines, leptin level decreases after suction-assisted lipectomy while results are contradictory about adiponectin and resistin levels. However adiponectin seems to tend to increase after surgery. Inflammatory markers seem to increase within first hours after surgery. Then they seem to decrease or remain at the preoperative levels. Fasting insulin level decreases and is linked to the aspirated volume. So insulin sensitivity seems to be improved. Concerning lipid profil, it tends to remain the same or to be improved by suction-assisted lipectomy. In conclusion, regarding all the literature, there is still debate about metabolic effect of suction-assisted lipectomy. Prospective clinical studies are needed to confirm or invalidate some hypotheses. These studies must consider some potential biases as physical activity, diet and medical treatment modifications (statins). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Improving Photometric Calibration of Meteor Video Camera Systems.

PubMed

Ehlert, Steven; Kingery, Aaron; Suggs, Robert

2017-09-01

We present the results of new calibration tests performed by the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office (MEO) designed to help quantify and minimize systematic uncertainties in meteor photometry from video camera observations. These systematic uncertainties can be categorized by two main sources: an imperfect understanding of the linearity correction for the MEO's Watec 902H2 Ultimate video cameras and uncertainties in meteor magnitudes arising from transformations between the Watec camera's Sony EX-View HAD bandpass and the bandpasses used to determine reference star magnitudes. To address the first point, we have measured the linearity response of the MEO's standard meteor video cameras using two independent laboratory tests on eight cameras. Our empirically determined linearity correction is critical for performing accurate photometry at low camera intensity levels. With regards to the second point, we have calculated synthetic magnitudes in the EX bandpass for reference stars. These synthetic magnitudes enable direct calculations of the meteor's photometric flux within the camera band pass without requiring any assumptions of its spectral energy distribution. Systematic uncertainties in the synthetic magnitudes of individual reference stars are estimated at ∼ 0.20 mag, and are limited by the available spectral information in the reference catalogs. These two improvements allow for zero-points accurate to ∼ 0.05 - 0.10 mag in both filtered and unfiltered camera observations with no evidence for lingering systematics. These improvements are essential to accurately measuring photometric masses of individual meteors and source mass indexes.

Improving Photometric Calibration of Meteor Video Camera Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehlert, Steven; Kingery, Aaron; Suggs, Robert

2017-01-01

We present the results of new calibration tests performed by the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office (MEO) designed to help quantify and minimize systematic uncertainties in meteor photometry from video camera observations. These systematic uncertainties can be categorized by two main sources: an imperfect understanding of the linearity correction for the MEO's Watec 902H2 Ultimate video cameras and uncertainties in meteor magnitudes arising from transformations between the Watec camera's Sony EX-View HAD bandpass and the bandpasses used to determine reference star magnitudes. To address the first point, we have measured the linearity response of the MEO's standard meteor video cameras using two independent laboratory tests on eight cameras. Our empirically determined linearity correction is critical for performing accurate photometry at low camera intensity levels. With regards to the second point, we have calculated synthetic magnitudes in the EX bandpass for reference stars. These synthetic magnitudes enable direct calculations of the meteor's photometric flux within the camera bandpass without requiring any assumptions of its spectral energy distribution. Systematic uncertainties in the synthetic magnitudes of individual reference stars are estimated at approx. 0.20 mag, and are limited by the available spectral information in the reference catalogs. These two improvements allow for zero-points accurate to 0.05 - 0.10 mag in both filtered and unfiltered camera observations with no evidence for lingering systematics. These improvements are essential to accurately measuring photometric masses of individual meteors and source mass indexes.

Comparison of effects of long-term low-fat vs high-fat diets on blood lipid levels in overweight or obese patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Schwingshackl, Lukas; Hoffmann, Georg

2013-12-01

Dietary fat plays an important role in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, but long-term (≥12 months) effects of different percentages of fat in the diet on blood lipid levels remain to be established. Our systematic review and meta-analysis focused on randomized controlled trials assessing the long-term effects of low-fat diets compared with diets with high amounts of fat on blood lipid levels. Relevant randomized controlled trials were identified searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Trial Register until March 2013. Thirty-two studies were included in the meta-analysis. Decreases in total cholesterol (weighted mean difference -4.55 mg/dL [-0.12 mmol/L], 95% CI -8.03 to -1.07; P=0.01) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (weighted mean difference -3.11 mg/dL [-0.08 mmol/L], 95% CI -4.51 to -1.71; P<0.0001) were significantly more pronounced following low-fat diets, whereas rise in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (weighted mean difference 2.35 mg/dL [0.06 mmol/L], 95% CI 1.29 to 3.42; P<0.0001) and reduction in triglyceride levels (weighted mean difference -8.38 mg/dL [-0.095 mmol/L], 95% CI -13.50 to -3.25; P=0.001) were more distinct in the high-fat diet groups. Including only hypocaloric diets, the effects of low-fat vs high-fat diets on total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels were abolished. Meta-regression revealed that lower total cholesterol level was associated with lower intakes of saturated fat and higher intakes of polyunsaturated fat, and increases in HDL cholesterol levels were related to higher amounts of total fat largely derived from monounsaturated fat (of either plant or animal origin) in high-fat diets (composition of which was ~17% of total energy content in the form of monounsaturated fatty acids, ~8% of total energy content in the form of polyunsaturated fatty acids), whereas increases in triglyceride levels were associated with higher intakes of carbohydrates. In addition, lower LDL cholesterol level was marginally associated with lower saturated fat intake. The results of our meta-analysis do not allow for an unequivocal recommendation of either low-fat or high-fat diets in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current Level and Correlates of Traditional Cooking Energy Sources Utilization in Urban Settings in the Context of Climate Change and Health, Northwest Ethiopia: A Case of Debre Markos Town

PubMed Central

Geremew, Kumlachew; Gedefaw, Molla; Dagnew, Zewdu; Jara, Dube

2014-01-01

Background. Traditional biomass has been the major source of cooking energy for major segment of Ethiopian population for thousands of years. Cognizant of this energy poverty, the Government of Ethiopia has been spending huge sum of money to increase hydroelectric power generating stations. Objective. To assess current levels and correlates of traditional cooking energy sources utilization. Methods. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches on systematically selected 423 households for quantitative and purposively selected 20 people for qualitative parts. SPSS version 16 for windows was used to analyze the quantitative data. Logistic regression was fitted to assess possible associations and its strength was measured using odds ratio at 95% CI. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Result. The study indicated that 95% of households still use traditional biomass for cooking. Those who were less knowledgeable about negative health and environmental effects of traditional cooking energy sources were seven and six times more likely to utilize them compared with those who were knowledgeable (AOR (95% CI) = 7.56 (1.635, 34.926), AOR (95% CI) = 6.68 (1.80, 24.385), resp.). The most outstanding finding of this study was that people use traditional energy for cooking mainly due to lack of the knowledge and their beliefs about food prepared using traditional energy. That means “…people still believe that food cooked with charcoal is believed to taste delicious than cooked with other means.”  Conclusion. The majority of households use traditional biomass for cooking due to lack of knowledge and belief. Therefore, mechanisms should be designed to promote electric energy and to teach the public about health effects of traditional cooking energy source. PMID:24895591

Improved cloud parameterization for Arctic climate simulations based on satellite data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klaus, Daniel; Dethloff, Klaus; Dorn, Wolfgang; Rinke, Annette

2015-04-01

The defective representation of Arctic cloud processes and properties remains a crucial problem in climate modelling and in reanalysis products. Satellite-based cloud observations (MODIS and CPR/CALIOP) and single-column model simulations (HIRHAM5-SCM) were exploited to evaluate and improve the simulated Arctic cloud cover of the atmospheric regional climate model HIRHAM5. The ECMWF reanalysis dataset 'ERA-Interim' (ERAint) was used for the model initialization, the lateral boundary forcing as well as the dynamical relaxation inside the pan-Arctic domain. HIRHAM5 has a horizontal resolution of 0.25° and uses 40 pressure-based and terrain-following vertical levels. In comparison with the satellite observations, the HIRHAM5 control run (HH5ctrl) systematically overestimates total cloud cover, but to a lesser extent than ERAint. The underestimation of high- and mid-level clouds is strongly outweighed by the overestimation of low-level clouds. Numerous sensitivity studies with HIRHAM5-SCM suggest (1) the parameter tuning, enabling a more efficient Bergeron-Findeisen process, combined with (2) an extension of the prognostic-statistical (PS) cloud scheme, enabling the use of negatively skewed beta distributions. This improved model setup was then used in a corresponding HIRHAM5 sensitivity run (HH5sens). While the simulated high- and mid-level cloud cover is improved only to a limited extent, the large overestimation of low-level clouds can be systematically and significantly reduced, especially over sea ice. Consequently, the multi-year annual mean area average of total cloud cover with respect to sea ice is almost 14% lower than in HH5ctrl. Overall, HH5sens slightly underestimates the observed total cloud cover but shows a halved multi-year annual mean bias of 2.2% relative to CPR/CALIOP at all latitudes north of 60° N. Importantly, HH5sens produces a more realistic ratio between the cloud water and ice content. The considerably improved cloud simulation manifests in a more correct radiative transfer and better energy budget in the atmospheric boundary layer and results also in a more realistic surface energy budget associated with more reasonable turbulent fluxes. All this mitigates the positive temperature, relative humidity and horizontal wind speed biases in the lower model levels.

Seniority number description of potential energy surfaces: Symmetric dissociation of water, N{sub 2}, C{sub 2}, and Be{sub 2}

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

Bytautas, Laimutis; Scuseria, Gustavo E.; Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589

2015-09-07

The present study further explores the concept of the seniority number (Ω) by examining different configuration interaction (CI) truncation strategies in generating compact wave functions in a systematic way. While the role of Ω in addressing static (strong) correlation problem has been addressed in numerous previous studies, the usefulness of seniority number in describing weak (dynamic) correlation has not been investigated in a systematic way. Thus, the overall objective in the present work is to investigate the role of Ω in addressing also dynamic electron correlation in addition to the static correlation. Two systematic CI truncation strategies are compared beyondmore » minimal basis sets and full valence active spaces. One approach is based on the seniority number (defined as the total number of singly occupied orbitals in a determinant) and another is based on an excitation-level limitation. In addition, molecular orbitals are energy-optimized using multiconfigurational-self-consistent-field procedure for all these wave functions. The test cases include the symmetric dissociation of water (6-31G), N{sub 2} (6-31G), C{sub 2} (6-31G), and Be{sub 2} (cc-pVTZ). We find that the potential energy profile for H{sub 2}O dissociation can be reasonably well described using only the Ω = 0 sector of the CI wave function. For the Be{sub 2} case, we show that the full CI potential energy curve (cc-pVTZ) is almost exactly reproduced using either Ω-based (including configurations having up to Ω = 2 in the virtual-orbital-space) or excitation-based (up to single-plus-double-substitutions) selection methods, both out of a full-valence-reference function. Finally, in dissociation cases of N{sub 2} and C{sub 2}, we shall also consider novel hybrid wave functions obtained by a union of a set of CI configurations representing the full valence space and a set of CI configurations where seniority-number restriction is imposed for a complete set (full-valence-space and virtual) of correlated molecular orbitals, simultaneously. We discuss the usefulness of the seniority number concept in addressing both static and dynamic electron correlation problems along dissociation paths.« less

Efficacy and safety of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for orthopedic conditions: a systematic review on studies listed in the PEDro database

PubMed Central

Schmitz, Christoph; Császár, Nikolaus B. M.; Milz, Stefan; Schieker, Matthias; Maffulli, Nicola; Rompe, Jan-Dirk; Furia, John P.

2015-01-01

Background Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is an effective and safe non-invasive treatment option for tendon and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Sources of data This systematic review used data derived from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro; www.pedro.org.au, 23 October 2015, date last accessed). Areas of agreement ESWT is effective and safe. An optimum treatment protocol for ESWT appears to be three treatment sessions at 1-week intervals, with 2000 impulses per session and the highest energy flux density the patient can tolerate. Areas of controversy The distinction between radial ESWT as ‘low-energy ESWT’ and focused ESWT as ‘high-energy ESWT’ is not correct and should be abandoned. Growing points There is no scientific evidence in favour of either radial ESWT or focused ESWT with respect to treatment outcome. Areas timely for developing research Future randomized controlled trials should primarily address systematic tests of the aforementioned optimum treatment protocol and direct comparisons between radial and focused ESWT. PMID:26585999

The Effect of Low Carbohydrate Diets on Fertility Hormones and Outcomes in Overweight and Obese Women: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

McGrice, Melanie; Porter, Judi

2017-01-01

(1) Background: Medical interventions including assisted reproductive technologies have improved fertility outcomes for many sub-fertile couples. Increasing research interest has investigated the effect of low carbohydrate diets, with or without energy restriction. We aimed to systematically review the published literature to determine the extent to which low carbohydrate diets can affect fertility outcomes; (2) Methods: The review protocol was registered prospectively with Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (registration number CRD42016042669) and followed Preferred Reporting Items For Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Infertile women were the population of interest, the intervention was low carbohydrate diets (less than 45% total energy from carbohydrates), compared to usual diet (with or without co-treatments). Four databases were searched from date of commencement until April 2016; a supplementary Google scholar search was also undertaken. Title and abstract, then full text review, were undertaken independently and in duplicate. Reference lists of included studies and relevant systematic reviews were checked to ensure that all relevant studies were identified for inclusion. Quality assessment was undertaken independently by both authors using the Quality Criteria Checklist for Primary Research. Outcome measures were improved fertility outcomes defined by an improvement in reproductive hormones, ovulation rates and/or pregnancy rates; (3) Results: Seven studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the evidence synthesis. Interventions were diverse and included a combination of low carbohydrate diets with energy deficit or other co-treatments. Study quality was rated as positive for six studies, suggesting a low risk of bias, with one study rated as neutral. Of the six studies which reported changes in reproductive hormones, five reported significant improvements post intervention; (4) Conclusion: The findings of these studies suggest that low carbohydrate diets warrant further research to determine their effect. These randomised controlled trials should consider the effect of carbohydrates (with or without energy deficit) on hormonal and fertility outcomes. PMID:28264433

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Cross-Correlation Redshifts - Methods and Systematics Characterization

DOE PAGES

Gatti, M.

2018-02-22

We use numerical simulations to characterize the performance of a clustering-based method to calibrate photometric redshift biases. In particular, we cross-correlate the weak lensing (WL) source galaxies from the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 (DES Y1) sample with redMaGiC galaxies (luminous red galaxies with secure photometric red- shifts) to estimate the redshift distribution of the former sample. The recovered redshift distributions are used to calibrate the photometric redshift bias of standard photo-z methods applied to the same source galaxy sample. We also apply the method to three photo-z codes run in our simulated data: Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ), Directional Neighborhoodmore » Fitting (DNF), and Random Forest-based photo-z (RF). We characterize the systematic uncertainties of our calibration procedure, and find that these systematic uncertainties dominate our error budget. The dominant systematics are due to our assumption of unevolving bias and clustering across each redshift bin, and to differences between the shapes of the redshift distributions derived by clustering vs photo-z's. The systematic uncertainty in the mean redshift bias of the source galaxy sample is z ≲ 0.02, though the precise value depends on the redshift bin under consideration. Here, we discuss possible ways to mitigate the impact of our dominant systematics in future analyses.« less

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Cross-Correlation Redshifts - Methods and Systematics Characterization

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

Gatti, M.

We use numerical simulations to characterize the performance of a clustering-based method to calibrate photometric redshift biases. In particular, we cross-correlate the weak lensing (WL) source galaxies from the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 (DES Y1) sample with redMaGiC galaxies (luminous red galaxies with secure photometric red- shifts) to estimate the redshift distribution of the former sample. The recovered redshift distributions are used to calibrate the photometric redshift bias of standard photo-z methods applied to the same source galaxy sample. We also apply the method to three photo-z codes run in our simulated data: Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ), Directional Neighborhoodmore » Fitting (DNF), and Random Forest-based photo-z (RF). We characterize the systematic uncertainties of our calibration procedure, and find that these systematic uncertainties dominate our error budget. The dominant systematics are due to our assumption of unevolving bias and clustering across each redshift bin, and to differences between the shapes of the redshift distributions derived by clustering vs photo-z's. The systematic uncertainty in the mean redshift bias of the source galaxy sample is z ≲ 0.02, though the precise value depends on the redshift bin under consideration. Here, we discuss possible ways to mitigate the impact of our dominant systematics in future analyses.« less

Stochastic acceleration of electrons. I - Effects of collisions in solar flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, Russell J.; Petrosian, Vahe

1992-01-01

Stochastic acceleration of thermal electrons to nonrelativistic energies is studied under solar flare conditions. We show that, in turbulent regions, electron-whistler wave interactions can result in the acceleration of electrons in times comparable to or shorter than the Coulomb collision time. The kinetic equation describing the evolution of the electron energy distribution including stochastic acceleration by whistlers and energy loss via Coulomb interactions is solved for an initial thermal electron energy spectrum. In general, the shape of the resulting electron distributions are characterized by the energy E(c) where systematic energy gain by turbulence equals energy loss due to Coulomb collisions. For energies less than E(c), the spectra are steep (quasi-thermal) whereas above E(c), the spectra are power laws. We find that hard X-ray spectra computed using the electron distributions obtained from our numerical simulations are able to explain the complex spectral shapes and variations observed in impulsive hard X-ray bursts. In particular, we show that the gradual steepening observed by Lin et al. (1981) could be due to a systematic increase in the density of the plasma (due to evaporation) and the increasing importance of collisions instead of the appearance of a superhot thermal component.

Mapping extragalactic dark matter annihilation with galaxy surveys: A systematic study of stacked group searches

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

Lisanti, Mariangela; Mishra-Sharma, Siddharth; Rodd, Nicholas L.

Dark matter in the halos surrounding galaxy groups and clusters can annihilate to high-energy photons. Recent advancements in the construction of galaxy group catalogs provide many thousands of potential extragalactic targets for dark matter. In this paper, we outline a procedure to infer the dark matter signal associated with a given galaxy group. Applying this procedure to a catalog of sources, one can create a full-sky map of the brightest extragalactic dark matter targets in the nearby Universe (z≲0.03), supplementing sources of dark matter annihilation from within the local group. As with searches for dark matter in dwarf galaxies, thesemore » extragalactic targets can be stacked together to enhance the signals associated with dark matter. We validate this procedure on mock Fermi gamma-ray data sets using a galaxy catalog constructed from the DarkSky N-body cosmological simulation and demonstrate that the limits are robust, at O(1) levels, to systematic uncertainties on halo mass and concentration. We also quantify other sources of systematic uncertainty arising from the analysis and modeling assumptions. Lastly, our results suggest that a stacking analysis using galaxy group catalogs provides a powerful opportunity to discover extragalactic dark matter and complements existing studies of Milky Way dwarf galaxies.« less

Mapping extragalactic dark matter annihilation with galaxy surveys: A systematic study of stacked group searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisanti, Mariangela; Mishra-Sharma, Siddharth; Rodd, Nicholas L.; Safdi, Benjamin R.; Wechsler, Risa H.

2018-03-01

Dark matter in the halos surrounding galaxy groups and clusters can annihilate to high-energy photons. Recent advancements in the construction of galaxy group catalogs provide many thousands of potential extragalactic targets for dark matter. In this paper, we outline a procedure to infer the dark matter signal associated with a given galaxy group. Applying this procedure to a catalog of sources, one can create a full-sky map of the brightest extragalactic dark matter targets in the nearby Universe (z ≲0.03 ), supplementing sources of dark matter annihilation from within the local group. As with searches for dark matter in dwarf galaxies, these extragalactic targets can be stacked together to enhance the signals associated with dark matter. We validate this procedure on mock Fermi gamma-ray data sets using a galaxy catalog constructed from the DarkSky N -body cosmological simulation and demonstrate that the limits are robust, at O (1 ) levels, to systematic uncertainties on halo mass and concentration. We also quantify other sources of systematic uncertainty arising from the analysis and modeling assumptions. Our results suggest that a stacking analysis using galaxy group catalogs provides a powerful opportunity to discover extragalactic dark matter and complements existing studies of Milky Way dwarf galaxies.

Mapping extragalactic dark matter annihilation with galaxy surveys: A systematic study of stacked group searches

DOE PAGES

Lisanti, Mariangela; Mishra-Sharma, Siddharth; Rodd, Nicholas L.; ...

2018-03-09

Dark matter in the halos surrounding galaxy groups and clusters can annihilate to high-energy photons. Recent advancements in the construction of galaxy group catalogs provide many thousands of potential extragalactic targets for dark matter. In this paper, we outline a procedure to infer the dark matter signal associated with a given galaxy group. Applying this procedure to a catalog of sources, one can create a full-sky map of the brightest extragalactic dark matter targets in the nearby Universe (z≲0.03), supplementing sources of dark matter annihilation from within the local group. As with searches for dark matter in dwarf galaxies, thesemore » extragalactic targets can be stacked together to enhance the signals associated with dark matter. We validate this procedure on mock Fermi gamma-ray data sets using a galaxy catalog constructed from the DarkSky N-body cosmological simulation and demonstrate that the limits are robust, at O(1) levels, to systematic uncertainties on halo mass and concentration. We also quantify other sources of systematic uncertainty arising from the analysis and modeling assumptions. Lastly, our results suggest that a stacking analysis using galaxy group catalogs provides a powerful opportunity to discover extragalactic dark matter and complements existing studies of Milky Way dwarf galaxies.« less

Measurement of high-energy neutron flux above ground utilizing a spallation based multiplicity technique

DOE PAGES

Roecker, Caleb; Bernstein, Adam; Marleau, Peter; ...

2016-11-14

Cosmogenic high-energy neutrons are a ubiquitous, difficult to shield, poorly measured background. Above ground the high-energy neutron energy-dependent flux has been measured, with significantly varying results. Below ground, high-energy neutron fluxes are largely unmeasured. Here we present a reconstruction algorithm to unfold the incident neutron energy-dependent flux measured using the Multiplicity and Recoil Spectrometer (MARS), simulated test cases to verify the algorithm, and provide a new measurement of the above ground high-energy neutron energy-dependent flux with a detailed systematic uncertainty analysis. Uncertainty estimates are provided based upon the measurement statistics, the incident angular distribution, the surrounding environment of the Montemore » Carlo model, and the MARS triggering efficiency. Quantified systematic uncertainty is dominated by the assumed incident neutron angular distribution and surrounding environment of the Monte Carlo model. The energy-dependent neutron flux between 90 MeV and 400 MeV is reported. Between 90 MeV and 250 MeV the MARS results are comparable to previous Bonner sphere measurements. Over the total energy regime measured, the MARS result are located within the span of previous measurements. Lastly, these results demonstrate the feasibility of future below ground measurements with MARS.« less

Measurement of high-energy neutron flux above ground utilizing a spallation based multiplicity technique

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

Roecker, Caleb; Bernstein, Adam; Marleau, Peter

Cosmogenic high-energy neutrons are a ubiquitous, difficult to shield, poorly measured background. Above ground the high-energy neutron energy-dependent flux has been measured, with significantly varying results. Below ground, high-energy neutron fluxes are largely unmeasured. Here we present a reconstruction algorithm to unfold the incident neutron energy-dependent flux measured using the Multiplicity and Recoil Spectrometer (MARS), simulated test cases to verify the algorithm, and provide a new measurement of the above ground high-energy neutron energy-dependent flux with a detailed systematic uncertainty analysis. Uncertainty estimates are provided based upon the measurement statistics, the incident angular distribution, the surrounding environment of the Montemore » Carlo model, and the MARS triggering efficiency. Quantified systematic uncertainty is dominated by the assumed incident neutron angular distribution and surrounding environment of the Monte Carlo model. The energy-dependent neutron flux between 90 MeV and 400 MeV is reported. Between 90 MeV and 250 MeV the MARS results are comparable to previous Bonner sphere measurements. Over the total energy regime measured, the MARS result are located within the span of previous measurements. Lastly, these results demonstrate the feasibility of future below ground measurements with MARS.« less

Playground Designs to Increase Physical Activity Levels during School Recess: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Escalante, Yolanda; García-Hermoso, Antonio; Backx, Karianne; Saavedra, Jose M.

2014-01-01

School recess provides a major opportunity to increase children's physical activity levels. Various studies have described strategies to increase levels of physical activity. The purpose of this systematic review is therefore to examine the interventions proposed as forms of increasing children's physical activity levels during recess. A…

No Cost – Low Cost Compressed Air System Optimization in Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dharma, A.; Budiarsa, N.; Watiniasih, N.; Antara, N. G.

2018-04-01

Energy conservation is a systematic, integrated of effort, in order to preserve energy sources and improve energy utilization efficiency. Utilization of energy in efficient manner without reducing the energy usage it must. Energy conservation efforts are applied at all stages of utilization, from utilization of energy resources to final, using efficient technology, and cultivating an energy-efficient lifestyle. The most common way is to promote energy efficiency in the industry on end use and overcome barriers to achieve such efficiency by using system energy optimization programs. The facts show that energy saving efforts in the process usually only focus on replacing tools and not an overall system improvement effort. In this research, a framework of sustainable energy reduction work in companies that have or have not implemented energy management system (EnMS) will be conducted a systematic technical approach in evaluating accurately a compressed-air system and potential optimization through observation, measurement and verification environmental conditions and processes, then processing the physical quantities of systems such as air flow, pressure and electrical power energy at any given time measured using comparative analysis methods in this industry, to provide the potential savings of energy saving is greater than the component approach, with no cost to the lowest cost (no cost - low cost). The process of evaluating energy utilization and energy saving opportunities will provide recommendations for increasing efficiency in the industry and reducing CO2 emissions and improving environmental quality.

Triplet energy differences and the low lying structure of 62Ga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, T. W.; Bentley, M. A.; Clark, R. M.; Davies, P. J.; Bader, V. M.; Baugher, T.; Bazin, D.; Beausang, C. W.; Berryman, J. S.; Bruce, A. M.; Campbell, C. M.; Crawford, H. L.; Cromaz, M.; Fallon, P.; Gade, A.; Henderson, J.; Iwasaki, H.; Jenkins, D. G.; Lee, I. Y.; Lemasson, A.; Lenzi, S. M.; Macchiavelli, A. O.; Napoli, D. R.; Nichols, A. J.; Paschalis, S.; Petri, M.; Recchia, F.; Rissanen, J.; Simpson, E. C.; Stroberg, S. R.; Wadsworth, R.; Weisshaar, D.; Wiens, A.; Walz, C.

2015-08-01

Background: Triplet energy differences (TED) can be studied to yield information on isospin-non-conserving interactions in nuclei. Purpose: The systematic behavior of triplet energy differences (TED) of T =1 , Jπ=2+ states is examined. The A =62 isobar is identified as having a TED value that deviates significantly from an otherwise very consistent trend. This deviation can be attributed to the tentative assignments of the pertinent states in 62Ga and 62Ge . Methods: An in-beam γ -ray spectroscopy experiment was performed to identify excited states in 62Ga using Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking In-Beam Nuclear Array with the S800 spectrometer at NSCL using a two-nucleon knockout approach. Cross-section calculations for the knockout process and shell-model calculations have been performed to interpret the population and decay properties observed. Results: Using the systematics as a guide, a candidate for the transition from the T =1 , 2+ state is identified. However, previous work has identified similar states with different Jπ assignments. Cross-section calculations indicate that the relevant T =1 , 2+ state should be one of the states directly populated in this reaction. Conclusions: As spins and parities were not measurable, it is concluded that an unambiguous identification of the first T =1 , 2+ state is required to reconcile our understanding of TED systematics.

Independent Circadian and Sleep/Wake Regulation of Adipokines and Glucose in Humans

PubMed Central

Shea, Steven A.; Hilton, Michael F.; Orlova, Christine; Ayers, R. Timothy; Mantzoros, Christos S.

2010-01-01

Leptin and adiponectin play important physiological roles in regulating appetite, food intake, and energy balance and have pathophysiological roles in obesity and anorexia nervosa. To assess the relative contributions of day/night patterns in behaviors (sleep/wake cycle and food intake) and of the endogenous circadian pacemaker on observed day/night patterns of adipokines, in six healthy subjects we measured circulating leptin, soluble leptin receptor, adiponectin, glucose, and insulin levels throughout a constant routine protocol (38 h of wakefulness with constant posture, temperature, and dim light, as well as identical snacks every 2 h) and throughout sleep and fasting periods before and after the constant routine. There were significant endogenous circadian rhythms in leptin, glucose, and insulin, with peaks around the usual time of awakening. Sleep/fasting resulted in additional systematic decreases in leptin, glucose, and insulin, whereas wakefulness/food intake resulted in a systematic increase in leptin. Thus, the day/night pattern in leptin is likely caused by combined effects from the endogenous circadian pacemaker and day/night patterns in behaviors. Our data imply that alterations in the sleep/wake schedule would lead to an increased daily range in circulating leptin, with lowest leptin upon awakening, which, by influencing food intake and energy balance, could be implicated in the increased prevalence of obesity in the shift work population. PMID:15687326

Measurement of the scintillation time spectra and pulse-shape discrimination of low-energy β and nuclear recoils in liquid argon with DEAP-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amaudruz, P.-A.; Batygov, M.; Beltran, B.; Bonatt, J.; Boudjemline, K.; Boulay, M. G.; Broerman, B.; Bueno, J. F.; Butcher, A.; Cai, B.; Caldwell, T.; Chen, M.; Chouinard, R.; Cleveland, B. T.; Cranshaw, D.; Dering, K.; Duncan, F.; Fatemighomi, N.; Ford, R.; Gagnon, R.; Giampa, P.; Giuliani, F.; Gold, M.; Golovko, V. V.; Gorel, P.; Grace, E.; Graham, K.; Grant, D. R.; Hakobyan, R.; Hallin, A. L.; Hamstra, M.; Harvey, P.; Hearns, C.; Hofgartner, J.; Jillings, C. J.; Kuźniak, M.; Lawson, I.; La Zia, F.; Li, O.; Lidgard, J. J.; Liimatainen, P.; Lippincott, W. H.; Mathew, R.; McDonald, A. B.; McElroy, T.; McFarlane, K.; McKinsey, D. N.; Mehdiyev, R.; Monroe, J.; Muir, A.; Nantais, C.; Nicolics, K.; Nikkel, J.; Noble, A. J.; O'Dwyer, E.; Olsen, K.; Ouellet, C.; Pasuthip, P.; Peeters, S. J. M.; Pollmann, T.; Rau, W.; Retière, F.; Ronquest, M.; Seeburn, N.; Skensved, P.; Smith, B.; Sonley, T.; Tang, J.; Vázquez-Jáuregui, E.; Veloce, L.; Walding, J.; Ward, M.

2016-12-01

The DEAP-1 low-background liquid argon detector was used to measure scintillation pulse shapes of electron and nuclear recoil events and to demonstrate the feasibility of pulse-shape discrimination down to an electron-equivalent energy of 20 keVee. In the surface dataset using a triple-coincidence tag we found the fraction of β events that are misidentified as nuclear recoils to be < 1.4 ×10-7 (90% C.L.) for energies between 43-86 keVee and for a nuclear recoil acceptance of at least 90%, with 4% systematic uncertainty on the absolute energy scale. The discrimination measurement on surface was limited by nuclear recoils induced by cosmic-ray generated neutrons. This was improved by moving the detector to the SNOLAB underground laboratory, where the reduced background rate allowed the same measurement to be done with only a double-coincidence tag. The combined data set contains 1.23 × 108 events. One of those, in the underground data set, is in the nuclear-recoil region of interest. Taking into account the expected background of 0.48 events coming from random pileup, the resulting upper limit on the level of electronic recoil contamination is < 2.7 ×10-8 (90% C.L.) between 44-89 keVee and for a nuclear recoil acceptance of at least 90%, with 6% systematic uncertainty on the absolute energy scale. We developed a general mathematical framework to describe pulse-shape-discrimination parameter distributions and used it to build an analytical model of the distributions observed in DEAP-1. Using this model, we project a misidentification fraction of approximately 10-10 for an electron-equivalent energy threshold of 15 keVee for a detector with 8 PE/keVee light yield. This reduction enables a search for spin-independent scattering of WIMPs from 1000 kg of liquid argon with a WIMP-nucleon cross-section sensitivity of 10-46 cm2, assuming negligible contribution from nuclear recoil backgrounds.

A systematic and feasible method for computing nuclear contributions to electrical properties of polyatomic molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luis, Josep M.; Duran, Miquel; Andrés, José L.

1997-08-01

An analytic method to evaluate nuclear contributions to electrical properties of polyatomic molecules is presented. Such contributions control changes induced by an electric field on equilibrium geometry (nuclear relaxation contribution) and vibrational motion (vibrational contribution) of a molecular system. Expressions to compute the nuclear contributions have been derived from a power series expansion of the potential energy. These contributions to the electrical properties are given in terms of energy derivatives with respect to normal coordinates, electric field intensity or both. Only one calculation of such derivatives at the field-free equilibrium geometry is required. To show the useful efficiency of the analytical evaluation of electrical properties (the so-called AEEP method), results for calculations on water and pyridine at the SCF/TZ2P and the MP2/TZ2P levels of theory are reported. The results obtained are compared with previous theoretical calculations and with experimental values.

Determining the band alignment of TbAs:GaAs and TbAs:In 0.53Ga 0.47As

DOE PAGES

Bomberger, Cory C.; Vanderhoef, Laura R.; Rahman, Abdur; ...

2015-09-10

Here, we propose and systematically justify a band structure for TbAs nanoparticles in GaAs and In 0.53Ga 0.47As host matrices. Moreover, fluence-dependent optical-pump terahertz-probe measurements suggest the TbAs nanoparticles have a band gap and provide information on the carrier dynamics, which are determined by the band alignment. Spectrophotometry measurements provide the energy of optical transitions in the nanocomposite systems and reveal a large blue shift in the absorption energy when the host matrix is changed from In 0.53Ga 0.47As to GaAs. Finally, Hall data provides the approximate Fermi level in each system. From this data, we deduce that the TbAs:GaAsmore » system forms a type I (straddling) heterojunction and the TbAs:In 0.53Ga 0.47As system forms a type II (staggered) heterojunction.« less

Two novel blue phosphorescent host materials containing phenothiazine-5,5-dioxide structure derivatives

PubMed Central

Xie, Feng-Ming; Ou, Qingdong; Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Jiang-Kun; Dai, Guo-Liang

2018-01-01

Two novel D–A bipolar blue phosphorescent host materials based on phenothiazine-5,5-dioxide: 3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-10-ethyl-10H-phenothiazine-5,5-dioxide (CEPDO) and 10-butyl-3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-10H-phenothiazine-5,5-dioxide (CBPDO) were synthesized and characterized. The photophysical, electrochemical and thermal properties were systematically investigated. CEPDO and CBPDO not only have a high triplet energy but also show a bipolar behavior. Moreover, their fluorescence emission peaks are in the blue fluorescence region at 408 nm and the fluorescence quantum efficiency (Φ) of CEPDO and CBPDO were 62.5% and 59.7%, respectively. Both CEPDO and CBPDO showed very high thermal stability with decomposition temperatures (T d) of 409 and 396 °C as well as suitable HOMO and LUMO energy levels. This preferable performance suggests that CEPDO and CBPDO are alternative bipolar host materials for the PhOLEDs. PMID:29765467

First-principles study of intrinsic defects in formamidinium lead triiodide perovskite solar cell absorbers.

PubMed

Liu, Na; Yam, ChiYung

2018-03-07

As an alternative to methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI 3 ), formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI 3 ) perovskites have recently attracted significant attention because of their higher stability and smaller band gaps. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we investigate systematically the intrinsic defects in FAPbI 3 . While methylammonium (MA)-related defects MA I and I MA in MAPbI 3 have high formation energies, we found that formamidinium (FA)-related defects V FA , FA I and I FA in FAPbI 3 have much lower formation energies. Antisites FA I and I FA create deep levels in the band gap, and they can act as recombination centers and result in reduced carrier lifetimes and low open circuit voltages in FAPbI 3 -based photovoltaic devices. We further demonstrate that through cation mixing of MA and FA in perovskites the formation of these defects can be substantially suppressed.

Understanding SO2 Capture by Ionic Liquids.

PubMed

Mondal, Anirban; Balasubramanian, Sundaram

2016-05-19

Ionic liquids have generated interest for efficient SO2 absorption due to their low vapor pressure and versatility. In this work, a systematic investigation of the structure, thermodynamics, and dynamics of SO2 absorption by ionic liquids has been carried out through quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. MP2 level calculations of several ion pairs complexed with SO2 reveal its preferential interaction with the anion. Results of condensed phase MD simulations of SO2-IL mixtures manifested the essential role of both cations and anions in the solvation of SO2, where the solute is surrounded by the "cage" formed by the cations (primarily its alkyl tail) through dispersion interactions. These structural effects of gas absorption are substantiated by calculated Gibbs free energy of solvation; the dissolution is demonstrated to be enthalpy driven. The entropic loss of SO2 absorption in ionic liquids with a larger anion such as [NTf2](-) has been quantified and has been attributed to the conformational restriction of the anion imposed by its interaction with SO2. SO2 loading IL decreases its shear viscosity and enhances the electrical conductivity. This systematic study provides a molecular level understanding which can aid the design of task-specific ILs as electrolytes for efficient SO2 absorption.

Outcomes associated with the use of microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees among individuals with unilateral transfemoral limb loss: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sawers, Andrew B; Hafner, Brian J

2013-01-01

Microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees (MPKs) have been developed as an alternative to non-microprocessor-controlled knees (NMPKs) to address challenges facing individuals with lower-limb loss. A body of scientific literature comparing MPKs and NMPKs exists but has yet to be critically appraised. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to examine outcomes associated with the use of these interventions among individuals with transfemoral limb loss. A search of biomedical databases identified 241 publications, of which 27 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were reviewed for methodological quality and content. We developed 28 empirical evidence statements (EESs) in 9 outcome categories (metabolic energy expenditure, activity, cognitive demand, gait mechanics, environmental obstacle negotiation, safety, preference and satisfaction, economics, and health and quality of life) based on findings in the literature. The level of evidence supporting these EESs varied due to quantity, quality, and consistency of the results. EESs supported by a moderate level of evidence that noted significant differences between MPKs and NMPKs were derived in five of the nine outcome categories. The results from this review suggest that evidence exists to inform clinical practice and that additional research is needed to confirm existing evidence and better understand outcomes associated with the use of NMPKs and MPKs.

Nuclear level densities in {sup 47}V, {sup 48}V, {sup 49}V, {sup 53}Mn, and {sup 54}Mn from neutron evaporation spectra

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

Zhuravlev, B. V., E-mail: zhurav@ippe.ru; Lychagin, A. A.; Titarenko, N. N.

The spectra of neutrons from the (p, n) reactions on {sup 47}Ti, {sup 48}Ti, {sup 49}Ti, {sup 53}Cr, and {sup 54}Cr nuclei were measured in the proton-energy range 7-11 MeV. The measurements were performed with the aid of a fast-neutron spectrometer by the time-of-flight method over the base of the EGP-15 tandem accelerator of the Institute for Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE, Obninsk). Owing to a high resolution and a high stability of the time-of-flight spectrometer used, low-lying discrete levels could be identified reliably along with a continuum section of neutron spectra. An analysis of measured data was performed withinmore » the statistical equilibrium and preequilibrium models of nuclear reactions. The relevant calculations were performed by using the exact formalism of Hauser-Feshbach statistical theory supplemented with the generalized model of a superfluid nucleus, the back-shifted Fermi gas model, and the Gilbert-Cameron composite formula for the nuclear level density. The nuclear level densities for {sup 47}V, {sup 48}V, {sup 49}V, {sup 53}Mn, and {sup 54}Mn were determined along with their energy dependences and model parameters. The results are discussed together with available experimental data and recommendations of model systematics.« less

Energy Portfolio Assessment Tool (EPAT): Sustainable Energy Planning Using the WEF Nexus Approach - Texas Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mroue, A. M.

2017-12-01

The future energy portfolio at the national and subnational levels should consider its impact on water resources and environment. Although energy resources are the main contributors to the national economic growth, these resources must not exploit other primary natural resources. A study of the connections between energy and natural systems, such as water, environment and land is required prior to proceeding to energy development. Policy makers are in need of a tool quantifying the interlinkages across energy, water and the environment, while demonstrating the consequent trade-offs across the nexus systems. The Energy Portfolio Assessment Tool (EPAT) is a tool that enables the policy maker to create different energy portfolio scenarios with various energy and electricity sources, and evaluate the scenario's sustainability environmentally and economically. The Water-Energy-Food nexus systematic approach is the foundation of the EPAT framework. The research evaluates the impact of the current and projected Texas energy portfolios on water and the environment, taking into consideration energy production, electricity generation and policy change. The three scenarios to be assessed include EIA projections for energy production, and EIA projections for electricity generation with and without the Clean Power Plan (CPP). Each scenario is accompanied by tradeoffs across water, land, emissions, energy revenue and electricity cost. The CPP succeeds in mitigating the emissions of the electricity portfolio, but leads to an increase in water consumption and land use. The cost of electricity generation is almost identical with and without environmental conservation. Revenue from energy production increased, but results are majorly influenced by commodity price. Therefore, conservation policies should move from the silo to the nexus mentality to avoid unintended consequences as improving one part of the nexus could end up worsening the other parts.

Comparison of different source calculations in two-nucleon channel at large quark mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazaki, Takeshi; Ishikawa, Ken-ichi; Kuramashi, Yoshinobu

2018-03-01

We investigate a systematic error coming from higher excited state contributions in the energy shift of light nucleus in the two-nucleon channel by comparing two different source calculations with the exponential and wall sources. Since it is hard to obtain a clear signal of the wall source correlation function in a plateau region, we employ a large quark mass as the pion mass is 0.8 GeV in quenched QCD. We discuss the systematic error in the spin-triplet channel of the two-nucleon system, and the volume dependence of the energy shift.

Do intermittent diets provide physiological benefits over continuous diets for weight loss? A systematic review of clinical trials.

PubMed

Seimon, Radhika V; Roekenes, Jessica A; Zibellini, Jessica; Zhu, Benjamin; Gibson, Alice A; Hills, Andrew P; Wood, Rachel E; King, Neil A; Byrne, Nuala M; Sainsbury, Amanda

2015-12-15

Energy restriction induces physiological effects that hinder further weight loss. Thus, deliberate periods of energy balance during weight loss interventions may attenuate these adaptive responses to energy restriction and thereby increase the efficiency of weight loss (i.e. the amount of weight or fat lost per unit of energy deficit). To address this possibility, we systematically searched MEDLINE, PreMEDLINE, PubMed and Cinahl and reviewed adaptive responses to energy restriction in 40 publications involving humans of any age or body mass index that had undergone a diet involving intermittent energy restriction, 12 with direct comparison to continuous energy restriction. Included publications needed to measure one or more of body weight, body mass index, or body composition before and at the end of energy restriction. 31 of the 40 publications involved 'intermittent fasting' of 1-7-day periods of severe energy restriction. While intermittent fasting appears to produce similar effects to continuous energy restriction to reduce body weight, fat mass, fat-free mass and improve glucose homeostasis, and may reduce appetite, it does not appear to attenuate other adaptive responses to energy restriction or improve weight loss efficiency, albeit most of the reviewed publications were not powered to assess these outcomes. Intermittent fasting thus represents a valid--albeit apparently not superior--option to continuous energy restriction for weight loss. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

QED Effects in Molecules: Test on Rotational Quantum States of H2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salumbides, E. J.; Dickenson, G. D.; Ivanov, T. I.; Ubachs, W.

2011-07-01

Quantum electrodynamic effects have been systematically tested in the progression of rotational quantum states in the XΣg+1, v=0 vibronic ground state of molecular hydrogen. High-precision Doppler-free spectroscopy of the EFΣg+1-XΣg+1 (0,0) band was performed with 0.005cm-1 accuracy on rotationally hot H2 (with rotational quantum states J up to 16). QED and relativistic contributions to rotational level energies as high as 0.13cm-1 are extracted, and are in perfect agreement with recent calculations of QED and high-order relativistic effects for the H2 ground state.

Toward Millimagnitude Photometric Calibration (Abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dose, E.

2014-12-01

(Abstract only) Asteroid roation, exoplanet transits, and similar measurements will increasingly call for photometric precisions better than about 10 millimagnitudes, often between nights and ideally between distant observers. The present work applies detailed spectral simulations to test popular photometric calibration practices, and to test new extensions of these practices. Using 107 synthetic spectra of stars of diverse colors, detailed atmospheric transmission spectra computed by solar-energy software, realistic spectra of popular astronomy gear, and the option of three sources of noise added at realistic millimagnitude levels, we find that certain adjustments to current calibration practices can help remove small systematic errors, especially for imperfect filters, high airmasses, and possibly passing thin cirrus clouds.

Spectral structure of electron antineutrinos from nuclear reactors.

PubMed

Dwyer, D A; Langford, T J

2015-01-09

Recent measurements of the positron energy spectrum obtained from inverse beta decay interactions of reactor electron antineutrinos show an excess in the 4 to 6 MeV region relative to current predictions. First-principles calculations of fission and beta decay processes within a typical pressurized water reactor core identify prominent fission daughter isotopes as a possible origin for this excess. These calculations also predict percent-level substructures in the antineutrino spectrum due to Coulomb effects in beta decay. Precise measurement of these substructures can elucidate the nuclear processes occurring within reactors. These substructures can be a systematic issue for measurements utilizing the detailed spectral shape.

Opportunities for using wood and biofibers for energy, chemical feedstocks, and structural applications

Treesearch

J. E. Winandy; R. S. Williams; A. W. Rudie; R. J. Ross

2008-01-01

This chapter describes 'integrated biomass technologies', a systematic approach for maximizing value, performance, resource sustainability, and profitability in the agriculture and forest products industries. The fundamental principles of integrated biomass technologies provide a global roadmap to a bio-based economy based on the systematic use of many less-...

Measurement of Systematic effects in the UCN τ neutron lifetime experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callahan, Nathan; UCNtau Collaboration

2017-09-01

The UCN τ experiment at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCe) measures the neutron β decay lifetime (τn) by trapping Ultracold Neutrons (UCN) in a magneto-gravitational trap. UCN are confined from below by magnetic fields and above by gravity. UCN are loaded into the trap, held for times on the order of τn, and counted. Several systematic effects can potentially shift the measured τn including heating and other losses of UCN during storage, insufficient removal of UCN with energies above the traping potential, and phase space evolution of UCN during storage which can cause changes in detection efficiency. The UCN τ collaboration has put limits on these systematic effects via measurements in the 2016-2017 run cycle at LANSCE. For the first two effects, a limit is placed by searching for high-energy UCN at the end of storage. A limit is placed on the effects of phase space evolution by comparing arrival time distributions for UCN under different conditions. Data from the 2016-2017 run cycle and systematic limits derived from it will be discussed.

Physics of systematic frequency variations in hydrogen masers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mattison, Edward M.

1990-01-01

The frequency stability of hydrogen masers for intervals longer that 10(exp 4) seconds is limited at present by systematic processes. Researchers discuss the physics of frequency-determining mechanisms internal to the maser that are susceptible to systematic variations, and the connections between these internal mechanisms and external environmental factors. Based upon estimates of the magnitudes of systematic effects, they find that the primary internal mechanisms currently limiting long-term maser frequency stability are cavity pulling, at the level parts in 10(exp 15) per day, and wall shift variations, at the level of parts in 10(exp 16) to parts in 10(exp 15) per day. They discuss strategies for reducing systematic frequency variations.

Physics of systematic frequency variations in hydrogen masers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mattison, Edward M.

1992-01-01

The frequency stability of hydrogen masers for intervals longer than 10 exp 4 s is currently limited by systematic processes. The physics of frequency-determining mechanisms internal to the maser that are susceptible to systematic variations, and the connections between these internal mechanisms and external environmental factors are discussed. From estimates of the magnitudes of systematic effects, it is found that the primary internal mechanisms limiting long-term maser frequency stability are cavity pulling, at the level of parts in 1015 per day, and wall shift variations, at the level of parts in 10 exp 16 to parts in 10 exp 15 per day. Strategies for reducing systematic frequency variations are discussed.

Outburst of GX304-1 Monitored with INTEGRAL: Positive Correlation Between the Cyclotron Line Energy and Flux

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klochkov, D.; Doroshenko, V.; Santangelo, A.; Staubert, R.; Ferrigno, C.; Kretschmar, P.; Caballero, I.; Wilms, J.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Pottschmidt, I.;

Thermal stability of deep level defects induced by high energy proton irradiation in n-type GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z.; Farzana, E.; Sun, W. Y.; Chen, J.; Zhang, E. X.; Fleetwood, D. M.; Schrimpf, R. D.; McSkimming, B.; Kyle, E. C. H.; Speck, J. S.; Arehart, A. R.; Ringel, S. A.

2015-10-01

The impact of annealing of proton irradiation-induced defects in n-type GaN devices has been systematically investigated using deep level transient and optical spectroscopies. Moderate temperature annealing (>200-250 °C) causes significant reduction in the concentration of nearly all irradiation-induced traps. While the decreased concentration of previously identified N and Ga vacancy related levels at EC - 0.13 eV, 0.16 eV, and 2.50 eV generally followed a first-order reaction model with activation energies matching theoretical values for NI and VGa diffusion, irradiation-induced traps at EC - 0.72 eV, 1.25 eV, and 3.28 eV all decrease in concentration in a gradual manner, suggesting a more complex reduction mechanism. Slight increases in concentration are observed for the N-vacancy related levels at EC - 0.20 eV and 0.25 eV, which may be due to the reconfiguration of other N-vacancy related defects. Finally, the observed reduction in concentrations of the states at EC - 1.25 and EC - 3.28 eV as a function of annealing temperature closely tracks the detailed recovery behavior of the background carrier concentration as a function of annealing temperature. As a result, it is suggested that these two levels are likely to be responsible for the underlying carrier compensation effect that causes the observation of carrier removal in proton-irradiated n-GaN.

Energy loss of ions by electric-field fluctuations in a magnetized plasma.

PubMed

Nersisyan, Hrachya B; Deutsch, Claude

2011-06-01

The results of a theoretical investigation of the energy loss of charged particles in a magnetized classical plasma due to the electric-field fluctuations are reported. The energy loss for a test particle is calculated through the linear-response theory. At vanishing magnetic field, the electric-field fluctuations lead to an energy gain of the charged particle for all velocities. It has been shown that in the presence of strong magnetic field, this effect occurs only at low velocities. In the case of high velocities, the test particle systematically loses its energy due to the interaction with a stochastic electric field. The net effect of the fluctuations is the systematic reduction of the total energy loss (i.e., the sum of the polarization and stochastic energy losses) at vanishing magnetic field and reduction or enhancement at strong field, depending on the velocity of the particle. It is found that the energy loss of the slow heavy ion contains an anomalous term that depends logarithmically on the projectile mass. The physical origin of this anomalous term is the coupling between the cyclotron motion of the plasma electrons and the long-wavelength, low-frequency fluctuations produced by the projectile ion. This effect may strongly enhance the stochastic energy gain of the particle.

On the Energy and Momentum of an Accelerated Charged Particle and the Sources of Radiation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eriksen, Erik; Gron, Oyvind

2007-01-01

We give a systematic development of the theory of the radiation field of an accelerated charged particle with reference to an inertial reference frame in flat spacetime. Special emphasis is given to the role of the Schott energy and momentum in the energy-momentum balance of the charge and its field. It is shown that the energy of the radiation…

High Power Efficiency Solution-Processed Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Using Exciplex-Type Host with a Turn-on Voltage Approaching the Theoretical Limit.

PubMed

Ban, Xinxin; Sun, Kaiyong; Sun, Yueming; Huang, Bin; Ye, Shanghui; Yang, Min; Jiang, Wei

2015-11-18

Three solution-processable exciplex-type host materials were successfully designed and characterized by equal molar blending hole transporting molecules with a newly synthesized electron transporting material, which possesses high thermal stability and good film-forming ability through a spin-coating technique. The excited-state dynamics and the structure-property relationships were systematically investigated. By gradually deepening the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level of electron-donating components, the triplet energy of exciplex hosts were increased from 2.64 to 3.10 eV. Low temperature phosphorescence spectra demonstrated that the excessively high triplet energy of exciplex would induce a serious energy leakage from the complex state to the constituting molecule. Furthermore, the low energy electromer state, which only exists under the electroexcitation, was found as another possible channel for energy loss in exciplex-based phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In particular, as quenching of the exciplex-state and the triplet exciton were largely eliminated, solution-processed blue phosphorescence OLEDs using the exciplex-type host achieved an extremely low turn-on voltage of 2.7 eV and record-high power efficiency of 22.5 lm W(-1), which were among the highest values in the devices with identical structure.

A systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of eating rate on energy intake and hunger.

PubMed

Robinson, Eric; Almiron-Roig, Eva; Rutters, Femke; de Graaf, Cees; Forde, Ciarán G; Tudur Smith, Catrin; Nolan, Sarah J; Jebb, Susan A

2014-07-01

Reductions in eating rate are recommended to prevent and treat obesity; yet, the relation between eating rate and energy intake has not been systematically reviewed, with studies producing mixed results. Our main objective was to examine how experimentally manipulated differences in eating rate influence concurrent energy intake and subjective hunger ratings. We systematically reviewed studies that experimentally manipulated eating rate and measured concurrent food intake, self-reported hunger, or both. We combined effect estimates from studies by using inverse variance meta-analysis, calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) in food intake between fast and slow eating rate conditions. Twenty-two studies were eligible for inclusion. Evidence indicated that a slower eating rate was associated with lower energy intake in comparison to a faster eating rate (random-effects SMD: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.65; P < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis indicated that the effect was consistent regardless of the type of manipulation used to alter eating rate, although there was a large amount of heterogeneity between studies. There was no significant relation between eating rate and hunger at the end of the meal or up to 3.5 h later. Evidence to date supports the notion that eating rate affects energy intake. Research is needed to identify effective interventions to reduce eating rate that can be adopted in everyday life to help limit excess consumption. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

[Ionization energies and infrared spectra studies of histidine using density functional theory].

PubMed

Hu, Qiong; Wang, Guo-Ying; Liu, Gang; Ou, Jia-Ming; Wang, Rui-Li

2010-05-01

Histidines provide axial ligands to the primary electron donors in photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) and play an important role in the protein environments of these donors. In this paper the authors present a systematic study of ionization energies and vibrational properties of histidine using hybrid density functional theory (DFT). All calculations were undertaken by using B3LYP method in combination with four basis sets: 6-31G(d), 6-31G(df, p), 6-31+G(d) and 6-311+G(2d, 2p) with the aim to investigate how the basis sets influence the calculation results. To investigate solvent effects and gain a detailed understanding of marker bands of histidine, the ionization energies of histidine and the vibrational frequencies of histidine which are unlabeled and 13C, 15N, and 2H labeled in the gas phase, CCl4, protein environment, THF and water solution, which span a wide range of dielectric constant, were also calculated. Our results showed that: (1) The main geometry parameters of histidine were impacted by basis sets and mediums, and C2-N3 and N3-C4 bond of imidazole ring of histidine side chain display the maximum bond lengths in the gas phase; (2) single point energies and frequencies calculated were decreased while ionization energies increased with the increasing level of basis sets and diffuse function applied in the same solvent; (3) with the same computational method, the higher the dielectric constant of the solvent used, the lower the ionization energy and vibrational frequency and the higher the intensity obtained. In addition, calculated ionization energy in the gas phase and marker bands of histidine as well as frequency shift upon 13C and 15N labeling at the computationally more expensive 6-311+G(2d, 2p) level are in good agreement with experimental observations available in literatures. All calculations indicated that the results calculated by using higher level basis set with diffuse function were more accurate and closer to the experimental value. In conclusion, the results provide useful information for the further studies of the functional and vibrational properties of chlorophyll-a ligated to histidine residue in photosynthetic reaction center.

The Human Blood Metabolome-Transcriptome Interface

PubMed Central

Schramm, Katharina; Adamski, Jerzy; Gieger, Christian; Herder, Christian; Carstensen, Maren; Peters, Annette; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Roden, Michael; Strauch, Konstantin; Suhre, Karsten; Kastenmüller, Gabi; Prokisch, Holger; Theis, Fabian J.

2015-01-01

Biological systems consist of multiple organizational levels all densely interacting with each other to ensure function and flexibility of the system. Simultaneous analysis of cross-sectional multi-omics data from large population studies is a powerful tool to comprehensively characterize the underlying molecular mechanisms on a physiological scale. In this study, we systematically analyzed the relationship between fasting serum metabolomics and whole blood transcriptomics data from 712 individuals of the German KORA F4 cohort. Correlation-based analysis identified 1,109 significant associations between 522 transcripts and 114 metabolites summarized in an integrated network, the ‘human blood metabolome-transcriptome interface’ (BMTI). Bidirectional causality analysis using Mendelian randomization did not yield any statistically significant causal associations between transcripts and metabolites. A knowledge-based interpretation and integration with a genome-scale human metabolic reconstruction revealed systematic signatures of signaling, transport and metabolic processes, i.e. metabolic reactions mainly belonging to lipid, energy and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, the construction of a network based on functional categories illustrated the cross-talk between the biological layers at a pathway level. Using a transcription factor binding site enrichment analysis, this pathway cross-talk was further confirmed at a regulatory level. Finally, we demonstrated how the constructed networks can be used to gain novel insights into molecular mechanisms associated to intermediate clinical traits. Overall, our results demonstrate the utility of a multi-omics integrative approach to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying both normal physiology and disease. PMID:26086077

Predictive data-based exposition of 5s5p{sup 1,3}P{sub 1} lifetimes in the Cd isoelectronic sequence

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

Curtis, L. J.; Matulioniene, R.; Ellis, D. G.

2000-11-01

Experimental and theoretical values for the lifetimes of the 5s5p{sup 1}P{sub 1} and {sup 3}P{sub 1} levels in the Cd isoelectronic sequence are examined in the context of a data-based isoelectronic systematization. Lifetime and energy-level data are combined to account for the effects of intermediate coupling, thereby reducing the data to a regular and slowly varying parametric mapping. This empirically characterizes small contributions due to spin-other-orbit interaction, spin dependences of the radial wave functions, and configuration interaction, and yields accurate interpolative and extrapolative predictions. Multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock calculations are used to verify the regularity of these trends, and to examine themore » extent to which they can be extrapolated to high nuclear charge.« less

Biological effects of exposure to static electric fields in humans and vertebrates: a systematic review.

PubMed

Petri, Anne-Kathrin; Schmiedchen, Kristina; Stunder, Dominik; Dechent, Dagmar; Kraus, Thomas; Bailey, William H; Driessen, Sarah

2017-04-17

High-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines are the technology of choice for the transport of large amounts of energy over long distances. The operation of these lines produces static electric fields (EF), but the data reviewed in previous assessments were not sufficient to assess the need for any environmental limit. The aim of this systematic review was to update the current state of research and to evaluate biological effects of static EF. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) recommendations, we collected and evaluated experimental and epidemiological studies examining biological effects of exposure to static EF in humans (n = 8) and vertebrates (n = 40). There is good evidence that humans and animals are able to perceive the presence of static EF at sufficiently high levels. Hair movements caused by electrostatic forces may play a major role in this perception. A large number of studies reported responses of animals (e.g., altered metabolic, immunologic or developmental parameters) to a broad range of static EF strengths as well, but these responses are likely secondary physiological responses to sensory stimulation. Furthermore, the quality of many of the studies reporting physiological responses is poor, which raises concerns about confounding. The weight of the evidence from the literature reviewed did not indicate that static EF have adverse biological effects in humans or animals. The evidence strongly supported the role of superficial sensory stimulation of hair and skin as the basis for perception of the field, as well as reported indirect behavioral and physiological responses. Physical considerations also preclude any direct effect of static EF on internal physiology, and reports that some physiological processes are affected in minor ways may be explained by other factors. While this literature does not support a level of concern about biological effects of exposure to static EF, the conditions that affect thresholds for human detection and possible annoyance at suprathreshold levels should be investigated.

A systematic optimization for graphene-based supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deuk Lee, Sung; Lee, Han Sung; Kim, Jin Young; Jeong, Jaesik; Kahng, Yung Ho

2017-08-01

Increasing the energy-storage density for supercapacitors is critical for their applications. Many researchers have attempted to identify optimal candidate component materials to achieve this goal, but investigations into systematically optimizing their mixing rate for maximizing the performance of each candidate material have been insufficient, which hinders the progress in their technology. In this study, we employ a statistically systematic method to determine the optimum mixing ratio of three components that constitute graphene-based supercapacitor electrodes: reduced graphene oxide (rGO), acetylene black (AB), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). By using the extreme-vertices design, the optimized proportion is determined to be (rGO: AB: PVDF  =  0.95: 0.00: 0.05). The corresponding energy-storage density increases by a factor of 2 compared with that of non-optimized electrodes. Electrochemical and microscopic analyses are performed to determine the reason for the performance improvements.

Effects of dietary protein intake on body composition changes after weight loss in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Kim, Jung Eun; O’Connor, Lauren E.; Sands, Laura P.; Slebodnik, Mary B.

2016-01-01

Context: The impact of dietary protein on body composition changes after older adults purposefully lose weight requires systematic evaluation. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effects of protein intake (<25% vs ≥25% of energy intake or 1.0 g/kg/d) on energy restriction–induced changes in body mass, lean mass, and fat mass in adults older than 50 years. Data Sources: PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched using the keywords “dietary proteins,” “body composition,” “skeletal muscle,” and “muscle strength.” Study Selection: Two researchers independently screened 1542 abstracts. Data Extraction: Information was extracted from 24 articles. Data Synthesis: Twenty randomized control trials met the inclusion criteria. Conclusion: Older adults retained more lean mass and lost more fat mass during weight loss when consuming higher protein diets. PMID:26883880

Statistical properties of excited nuclei in the mass range 47 Less-Than-Or-Slanted-Equal-To A Less-Than-Or-Slanted-Equal-To 59

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

Zhuravlev, B. V., E-mail: zhurav@ippe.ru; Lychagin, A. A., E-mail: Lychagin1@yandex.ru; Titarenko, N. N.

Level densities and their energy dependences for nuclei in the mass range of 47 {<=} A {<=} 59 were determined from the results obtained by measuring neutron-evaporation spectra in respective (p, n) reactions. The spectra of neutrons originating from the (p, n) reactions on {sup 47}Ti, {sup 48}Ti, {sup 49}Ti, {sup 53}Cr, {sup 54}Cr, {sup 57}Fe, and {sup 59}Co nuclei were measured in the proton-energy range of 7-11 MeV. These measurements were performed with the aid of a fast-neutron spectrometer by the time-of-flight method over the base of the EGP-15 pulsed tandem accelerator installed at the Institute for Physics andmore » Power Engineering (Obninsk, Russia). A high resolution of the spectrometer and its stability in the time of flight made it possible to identify reliably discrete low-lying levels along with the continuum part of neutron spectra. Our measured data were analyzed within the statistical equilibrium and preequilibrium models of nuclear reactions. The respective calculations were performed with the aid of the Hauser-Feshbach formalismof statistical theory supplemented with the generalized model of a superfluid nucleus, the back-shifted Fermi gas model, and the Gilbert-Cameron composite formula for nuclear level densities. Nuclear level densities for {sup 47}V, {sup 48}V, {sup 49}V, {sup 53}Mn, {sup 54}Mn, {sup 57}Co, and {sup 59}Ni and their energy dependences were determined. The results are discussed and compared with available experimental data and with recommendations of model-based systematics.« less

Hypoxanthine is a checkpoint stress metabolite in colonic epithelial energy modulation and barrier function.

PubMed

Lee, J Scott; Wang, Ruth X; Alexeev, Erica E; Lanis, Jordi M; Battista, Kayla D; Glover, Louise E; Colgan, Sean P

2018-04-20

Intestinal epithelial cells form a selectively permeable barrier to protect colon tissues from luminal microbiota and antigens and to mediate nutrient, fluid, and waste flux in the intestinal tract. Dysregulation of the epithelial cell barrier coincides with profound shifts in metabolic energy, especially in the colon, which exists in an energetically depleting state of physiological hypoxia. However, studies that systematically examine energy flux and adenylate metabolism during intestinal epithelial barrier development and restoration after disruption are lacking. Here, to delineate barrier-related energy flux, we developed an HPLC-based profiling method to track changes in energy flux and adenylate metabolites during barrier development and restoration. Cultured epithelia exhibited pooling of phosphocreatine and maintained ATP during barrier development. EDTA-induced epithelial barrier disruption revealed that hypoxanthine levels correlated with barrier resistance. Further studies uncovered that hypoxanthine supplementation improves barrier function and wound healing and that hypoxanthine appears to do so by increasing intracellular ATP, which improved cytoskeletal G- to F-actin polymerization. Hypoxanthine supplementation increased the adenylate energy charge in the murine colon, indicating potential to regulate adenylate energy charge-mediated metabolism in intestinal epithelial cells. Moreover, experiments in a murine colitis model disclosed that hypoxanthine loss during active inflammation correlates with markers of disease severity. In summary, our results indicate that hypoxanthine modulates energy metabolism in intestinal epithelial cells and is critical for intestinal barrier function. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Application of the Interacting Quantum Atoms Approach to the S66 and Ionic-Hydrogen-Bond Datasets for Noncovalent Interactions.

PubMed

Suárez, Dimas; Díaz, Natalia; Francisco, Evelio; Martín Pendás, Angel

2018-04-17

The interacting quantum atoms (IQA) method can assess, systematically and in great detail, the strength and physics of both covalent and noncovalent interactions. The lack of a pair density in density functional theory (DFT), which precludes the direct IQA decomposition of the characteristic exchange-correlation energy, has been recently overcome by means of a scaling technique, which can largely expand the applicability of the method. To better assess the utility of the augmented IQA methodology to derive quantum chemical decompositions at the atomic and molecular levels, we report the results of Hartree-Fock (HF) and DFT calculations on the complexes included in the S66 and the ionic H-bond databases of benchmark geometry and binding energies. For all structures, we perform single-point and geometry optimizations using HF and selected DFT methods with triple-ζ basis sets followed by full IQA calculations. Pairwise dispersion energies are accounted for by the D3 method. We analyze the goodness of the HF-D3 and DFT-D3 binding energies, the magnitude of numerical errors, the fragment and atomic distribution of formation energies, etc. It is shown that fragment-based IQA decomposes the formation energies in comparable terms to those of perturbative approaches and that the atomic IQA energies hold the promise of rigorously quantifying atomic and group energy contributions in larger biomolecular systems. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Systematic Review and Quantitative Meta-Analysis of Oxytocin's Effects on Feeding.

PubMed

Leslie, Monica; Silva, Paulo; Paloyelis, Yannis; Blevins, James; Treasure, Janet

2018-02-26

Oxytocin's anorexigenic effects have been widely documented and accepted; however, no paper has yet used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines to compile previous findings in a single systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis. The current paper aimed to identify published and unpublished studies examining the effects of oxytocin on energy intake in animals and humans, and the factors that moderate this effect. Web of Science, Pub Med, and Ovid were searched for published and unpublished studies reporting the effects of oxytocin on energy intake in wild-type animals and in humans, when administered in the absence of other active drugs or surgery. 2049 articles were identified through the original systematic literature search, from which 54 articles were identified as relevant for inclusion in this review. An additional 3 relevant articles were identified in a later update of the literature search. Overall, a single-dose of oxytocin was found to reduce feeding in animals. Despite several individual studies which found that this effect persists to the end of the third week of chronic administration in rodent models, overall, this anorexigenic effect did not hold in the meta-analyses testing the effects of chronic administration. There was no overall effect of oxytocin on energy intake in humans, although a trend was identified for oxytocin to reduce consumption of solid foods. Oxytocin reduces energy intake when administered as a single dose. Oxytocin can inhibit feeding over two- to three-week periods in rodent models. These effects typically do not persist beyond the third week of treatment. The anorexigenic effect of oxytocin is moderated by pregnant status, dose, method of administration, and diet composition. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Catalyzing Gender Equality-Focused Clean Energy Development in West Africa

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

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) partnered with the Clean Energy Solutions Center (Solutions Center), the African Development Bank and other institutions to develop a Situation Analysis of Energy and Gender Issues in ECOWAS Member States. Through a systematic approach to assess interlinked gender and energy issues in the region, the report puts forth a number of key findings. This brochure highlights ECREEE's partnership with the Solutions Center and key findings from the report.

Efficacy of treatment of trochanteric bursitis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Lustenberger, David P; Ng, Vincent Y; Best, Thomas M; Ellis, Thomas J

2011-09-01

Trochanteric bursitis (TB) is a self-limiting disorder in the majority of patients and typically responds to conservative measures. However, multiple courses of nonoperative treatment or surgical intervention may be necessary in refractory cases. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment of TB. A literature search in the PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and ISI Web of Knowledge databases was performed for all English language studies up to April 2010. Terms combined in a Boolean search were greater trochanteric pain syndrome, trochanteric bursitis, trochanteric, bursitis, surgery, therapy, drug therapy, physical therapy, rehabilitation, injection, Z-plasty, Z-lengthening, aspiration, bursectomy, bursoscopy, osteotomy, and tendon repair. All studies directly involving the treatment of TB were reviewed by 2 authors and selected for further analysis. Expert opinion and review articles were excluded, as well as case series with fewer than 5 patients. Twenty-four articles were identified. According to the system described by Wright et al, 2 studies, each with multiple arms, qualified as level I evidence, 1 as level II, 1 as level III, and the rest as level IV. More than 950 cases were included. The authors extracted data regarding the type of intervention, level of evidence, mean age of patients, patient gender, number of hips in the study, symptom duration before the study, mean number of injections before the study, prior hip surgeries, patient satisfaction, length of follow-up, baseline scores, and follow-up scores for the visual analog scale (VAS) and Harris Hip Scores (HHS). Symptom resolution and the ability to return to activity ranged from 49% to 100% with corticosteroid injection as the primary treatment modality with and without multimodal conservative therapy. Two comparative studies (levels II and III) found low-energy shock-wave therapy (SWT) to be superior to other nonoperative modalities. Multiple surgical options for persistent TB have been reported, including bursectomy (n = 2), longitudinal release of the iliotibial band (n = 2), proximal or distal Z-plasty (n = 4), osteotomy (n = 1), and repair of gluteus medius tears (n = 4). Efficacy among surgical techniques varied depending on the clinical outcome measure, but all were superior to corticosteroid therapy and physical therapy according to the VAS and HHS in both comparison studies and between studies. This systematic review found that traditional nonoperative treatment helped most patients, SWT was a good alternative, and surgery was effective in refractory cases.

Colloidal paradigm in supercapattery electrode systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kunfeng; Xue, Dongfeng

2018-01-01

Among decades of development, electrochemical energy storage systems are now sorely in need of a new design paradigm at the nano size and ion level to satisfy the higher energy and power demands. In this review paper, we introduce a new colloidal electrode paradigm for supercapattery that integrates multiple-scale forms of matter, i.e. ion clusters, colloidal ions, and nanosized materials, into one colloid system, coupled with multiple interactions, i.e. electrostatic, van der Waals forces, and chemical bonding, thus leading to the formation of many redox reactive centers. This colloidal electrode not only keeps the original ionic nature in colloidal materials, but also creates a new attribute of high electroactivity. Colloidal supercapattery is a perfect application example of the novel colloidal electrode, leading to higher specific capacitance than traditional electrode materials. The high electroactivity of the colloidal electrode mainly comes from the contribution of exposed reactive centers, owing to the confinement effect of carbon and a binder matrix. Systematic and thorough research on the colloidal system will significantly promote the development of fundamental science and the progress of advanced energy storage technology.

Search for new physics in a precise 20F beta spectrum shape measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

George, Elizabeth; Voytas, Paul; Chuna, Thomas; Naviliat-Cuncic, Oscar; Gade, Alexandra; Hughes, Max; Huyan, Xueying; Liddick, Sean; Minamisono, Kei; Paulauskas, Stanley; Weisshaar, Dirk; Ban, Gilles; Flechard, Xavier; Lienard, Etienne

2015-10-01

We are carrying out a measurement of the shape of the energy spectrum of β particles from 20F decay. We aim to achieve a relative precision below 3%, representing an order of magnitude improvement compared to previous experiments. This level of precision will enable a test of the so-called strong form of the conserved vector current (CVC) hypothesis, and should also enable us to place competitive limits on the contributions of exotic tensor couplings in beta decay. In order to control systematic effects, we are using a technique that takes advantage of high energy radioactive beams at the NSCL to implant the decaying nuclei in a scintillation detector deep enough that the emitted beta particles cannot escape. The β-particle energy is measured with the implantation detector after switching off the beam implantation. Ancillary detectors are used to tag the 1.633-MeV γ-rays following the β decay for coincidence measurements in order to reduce backgrounds. We will give an overview and report on the status of the experiment.

Exotic ferromagnetism in the two-dimensional quantum material C3N

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wen-Cheng; Li, Wei; Liu, Xiaosong

2018-04-01

The search for and study of exotic quantum states in novel low-dimensional quantum materials have triggered extensive research in recent years. Here, we systematically study the electronic and magnetic structures in the newly discovered two-dimensional quantum material C3N within the framework of density functional theory. The calculations demonstrate that C3N is an indirect-band semiconductor with an energy gap of 0.38 eV, which is in good agreement with experimental observations. Interestingly, we find van Hove singularities located at energies near the Fermi level, which is half that of graphene. Thus, the Fermi energy easily approaches that of the singularities, driving the system to ferromagnetism, under charge carrier injection, such as electric field gating or hydrogen doping. These findings not only demonstrate that the emergence of magnetism stems from the itinerant electron mechanism rather than the effects of local magnetic impurities, but also open a new avenue to designing field-effect transistor devices for possible realization of an insulator-ferromagnet transition by tuning an external electric field.

Neutral and charged excitations in carbon fullerenes from first-principles many-body theories

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

Tiago, Murilo L; Kent, Paul R; Hood, Randolph Q.

2008-01-01

We use first-principles many-body theories to investigate the low energy excitations of the carbon fullerenes C_20, C_24, C_50, C_60, C_70, and C_80. Properties are calculated via the GW-Bethe-Salpeter Equation (GW-BSE) and diffusion Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods. At a lower level of theoretical complexity, we also calculate these properties using static and time-dependent density-functional theory. We critically compare these theories and assess their accuracy against available experimental data. The first ionization potentials are consistently well reproduced and are similar for all the fullerenes and methods studied. The electron affinities and first triplet excitation energies show substantial method and geometry dependence.more » Compared to available experiment, GW-BSE underestimates excitation energies by approximately 0.3 eV while QMC overestimates them by approximately 0.5 eV. We show the GW-BSE errors result primarily from a systematic overestimation of the electron affinities, while the QMC errors likely result from nodal error in both ground and excited state calculations.« less

Rovibrational spectroscopy using a kinetic energy operator in Eckart frame and the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) approach

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

Sadri, Keyvan, E-mail: keyvan.sadri@pci.uni-heidelberg.de; Meyer, Hans-Dieter, E-mail: hans-dieter.meyer@pci.uni-heidelberg.de; Lauvergnat, David, E-mail: david.lauvergnat@u-psud.fr

2014-09-21

For computational rovibrational spectroscopy the choice of the frame is critical for an approximate separation of overall rotation from internal motions. To minimize the coupling between internal coordinates and rotation, Eckart proposed a condition [“Some studies concerning rotating axes and polyatomic molecules,” Phys. Rev. 47, 552–558 (1935)] and a frame that fulfills this condition is hence called an Eckart frame. A method is developed to introduce in a systematic way the Eckart frame for the expression of the kinetic energy operator (KEO) in the polyspherical approach. The computed energy levels of a water molecule are compared with those obtained usingmore » a KEO in the standard definition of the Body-fixed frame of the polyspherical approach. The KEO in the Eckart frame leads to a faster convergence especially for large J states and vibrationally excited states. To provide an example with more degrees of freedom, rotational states of the vibrational ground state of the trans nitrous acid (HONO) are also investigated.« less

Energetics of the April 2000 magnetic superstorm observed by DMSP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, William J.; Huang, Cheryl Y.; Rich, Frederick J.

2006-01-01

During the late main phase of the April 6, 2000 storm with Dst approaching -300 nT, four Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites encountered repeated episodes of intense field-aligned currents whose magnetic perturbations exceeded 1300 nT, corresponding to |J∥| > 1 A/m. They had relatively fast rise times (˜5 min) and lasted for ˜20 min. The large magnetic perturbations occurred within the expanded auroral oval at magnetic latitudes below 60°. From Poynting-flux calculations we estimate that during each event several hundred tera-Joules of energy that dissipates in the mid-latitude ionosphere and thermosphere. Ground magnetometers at auroral and middle latitudes detected weak fluctuations that were incommensurate with magnetic perturbations observations at DMSP altitudes. Observed discrepancies between ground and satellite magnetometer measurements suggest that under storm conditions operational models systematically underestimate the level of electromagnetic energy available to the ionosphere thermosphere. We demonstrate a transmission-line model for M-I coupling that allows calculations of this electromagnetic energy input with no a priori knowledge of ionospheric conductances.

Control of quasi-monoenergetic electron beams from laser-plasma accelerators by adjusting shock density profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Hai-En; Swanson, Kelly K.; Lehe, Remi; Barber, Sam K.; Isono, Fumika; Otero, Jorge G.; Liu, Xinyao; Mao, Hann-Shin; Steinke, Sven; Tilborg, Jeroen Van; Geddes, Cameron G. R.; Leemans, Wim

2017-10-01

High-level control of a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) using a shock injector was demonstrated by systematically varying the shock injector profile, including the shock angle, up-ramp width and shock position. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation explored how variations in the shock profile impacted the injection process and confirmed results obtained through acceleration experiments. These results establish that, by adjusting shock position, up-ramp, and angle, beam energy, energy spread, and pointing can be controlled. As a result, e-beam were highly tunable from 25 to 300 MeV with <8% energy spread, 1.5 mrad divergence and <1 mrad pointing fluctuation. This highly controllable LPA represents an ideal and compact beam source for the ongoing MeV Thomson photon experiments. Set-up and initial experimental design on a newly constructed one hundred TW laser system will be presented. This work is supported by the US DOE under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, and by the US DOE National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D (NA22).

Systematic variation in the temperature dependence of physiological and ecological traits.

PubMed

Dell, Anthony I; Pawar, Samraat; Savage, Van M

2011-06-28

To understand the effects of temperature on biological systems, we compile, organize, and analyze a database of 1,072 thermal responses for microbes, plants, and animals. The unprecedented diversity of traits (n = 112), species (n = 309), body sizes (15 orders of magnitude), and habitats (all major biomes) in our database allows us to quantify novel features of the temperature response of biological traits. In particular, analysis of the rising component of within-species (intraspecific) responses reveals that 87% are fit well by the Boltzmann-Arrhenius model. The mean activation energy for these rises is 0.66 ± 0.05 eV, similar to the reported across-species (interspecific) value of 0.65 eV. However, systematic variation in the distribution of rise activation energies is evident, including previously unrecognized right skewness around a median of 0.55 eV. This skewness exists across levels of organization, taxa, trophic groups, and habitats, and it is partially explained by prey having increased trait performance at lower temperatures relative to predators, suggesting a thermal version of the life-dinner principle-stronger selection on running for your life than running for your dinner. For unimodal responses, habitat (marine, freshwater, and terrestrial) largely explains the mean temperature at which trait values are optimal but not variation around the mean. The distribution of activation energies for trait falls has a mean of 1.15 ± 0.39 eV (significantly higher than rises) and is also right-skewed. Our results highlight generalities and deviations in the thermal response of biological traits and help to provide a basis to predict better how biological systems, from cells to communities, respond to temperature change.

Systematic variation in the temperature dependence of physiological and ecological traits

PubMed Central

Dell, Anthony I.; Pawar, Samraat; Savage, Van M.

2011-01-01

To understand the effects of temperature on biological systems, we compile, organize, and analyze a database of 1,072 thermal responses for microbes, plants, and animals. The unprecedented diversity of traits (n = 112), species (n = 309), body sizes (15 orders of magnitude), and habitats (all major biomes) in our database allows us to quantify novel features of the temperature response of biological traits. In particular, analysis of the rising component of within-species (intraspecific) responses reveals that 87% are fit well by the Boltzmann–Arrhenius model. The mean activation energy for these rises is 0.66 ± 0.05 eV, similar to the reported across-species (interspecific) value of 0.65 eV. However, systematic variation in the distribution of rise activation energies is evident, including previously unrecognized right skewness around a median of 0.55 eV. This skewness exists across levels of organization, taxa, trophic groups, and habitats, and it is partially explained by prey having increased trait performance at lower temperatures relative to predators, suggesting a thermal version of the life-dinner principle—stronger selection on running for your life than running for your dinner. For unimodal responses, habitat (marine, freshwater, and terrestrial) largely explains the mean temperature at which trait values are optimal but not variation around the mean. The distribution of activation energies for trait falls has a mean of 1.15 ± 0.39 eV (significantly higher than rises) and is also right-skewed. Our results highlight generalities and deviations in the thermal response of biological traits and help to provide a basis to predict better how biological systems, from cells to communities, respond to temperature change. PMID:21606358

Free Energy Perturbation Calculation of Relative Binding Free Energy between Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies and the gp120 Glycoprotein of HIV-1.

PubMed

Clark, Anthony J; Gindin, Tatyana; Zhang, Baoshan; Wang, Lingle; Abel, Robert; Murret, Colleen S; Xu, Fang; Bao, Amy; Lu, Nina J; Zhou, Tongqing; Kwong, Peter D; Shapiro, Lawrence; Honig, Barry; Friesner, Richard A

2017-04-07

Direct calculation of relative binding affinities between antibodies and antigens is a long-sought goal. However, despite substantial efforts, no generally applicable computational method has been described. Here, we describe a systematic free energy perturbation (FEP) protocol and calculate the binding affinities between the gp120 envelope glycoprotein of HIV-1 and three broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) of the VRC01 class. The protocol has been adapted from successful studies of small molecules to address the challenges associated with modeling protein-protein interactions. Specifically, we built homology models of the three antibody-gp120 complexes, extended the sampling times for large bulky residues, incorporated the modeling of glycans on the surface of gp120, and utilized continuum solvent-based loop prediction protocols to improve sampling. We present three experimental surface plasmon resonance data sets, in which antibody residues in the antibody/gp120 interface were systematically mutated to alanine. The RMS error in the large set (55 total cases) of FEP tests as compared to these experiments, 0.68kcal/mol, is near experimental accuracy, and it compares favorably with the results obtained from a simpler, empirical methodology. The correlation coefficient for the combined data set including residues with glycan contacts, R 2 =0.49, should be sufficient to guide the choice of residues for antibody optimization projects, assuming that this level of accuracy can be realized in prospective prediction. More generally, these results are encouraging with regard to the possibility of using an FEP approach to calculate the magnitude of protein-protein binding affinities. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Energy and Human Affairs: The Power of Systematic Decision Making. Student Handbook. Experimental Edition, 1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Don E., Ed.

This module is designed to guide a class in analyzing and investigating energy attitudes and questions. It includes methods for establishing discussions and a classroom communication system. Sources and procedures for information gathering are suggested. Another section provides a broad overview of the energy situation with descriptions of present…

Developmental Growth in Students' Concept of Energy: Analysis of Selected Items from the TIMSS Database

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Xiufeng; McKeough, Anne

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a model of students' energy concept development. Applying Case's (1985, 1992) structural theory of cognitive development, we hypothesized that students' concept of energy undergoes a series of transitions, corresponding to systematic increases in working memory capacity. The US national sample from the Third…

Does Increased Exercise or Physical Activity Alter Ad-Libitum Daily Energy Intake or Macronutrient Composition in Healthy Adults? A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Donnelly, Joseph E.; Herrmann, Stephen D.; Lambourne, Kate; Szabo, Amanda N.; Honas, Jeffery J.; Washburn, Richard A.

2014-01-01

Background The magnitude of the negative energy balance induced by exercise may be reduced due to compensatory increases in energy intake. Objective To address the question: Does increased exercise or physical activity alter ad-libitum daily energy intake or macronutrient composition in healthy adults? Data Sources PubMed and Embase were searched (January 1990–January 2013) for studies that presented data on energy and/or macronutrient intake by level of exercise, physical activity or change in response to exercise. Ninety-nine articles (103 studies) were included. Study Eligibility Criteria Primary source articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals. Articles that presented data on energy and/or macronutrient intake by level of exercise or physical activity or changes in energy or macronutrient intake in response to acute exercise or exercise training in healthy (non-athlete) adults (mean age 18–64 years). Study Appraisal and Synthesis Methods Articles were grouped by study design: cross-sectional, acute/short term, non-randomized, and randomized trials. Considerable heterogeneity existed within study groups for several important study parameters, therefore a meta-analysis was considered inappropriate. Results were synthesized and presented by study design. Results No effect of physical activity, exercise or exercise training on energy intake was shown in 59% of cross-sectional studies (n = 17), 69% of acute (n = 40), 50% of short-term (n = 10), 92% of non-randomized (n = 12) and 75% of randomized trials (n = 24). Ninety-four percent of acute, 57% of short-term, 100% of non-randomized and 74% of randomized trials found no effect of exercise on macronutrient intake. Forty-six percent of cross-sectional trials found lower fat intake with increased physical activity. Limitations The literature is limited by the lack of adequately powered trials of sufficient duration, which have prescribed and measured exercise energy expenditure, or employed adequate assessment methods for energy and macronutrient intake. Conclusions We found no consistent evidence that increased physical activity or exercise effects energy or macronutrient intake. PMID:24454704

Pairwise additivity of energy components in protein-ligand binding: The HIV II protease-Indinavir case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ucisik, Melek N.; Dashti, Danial S.; Faver, John C.; Merz, Kenneth M.

2011-08-01

An energy expansion (binding energy decomposition into n-body interaction terms for n ≥ 2) to express the receptor-ligand binding energy for the fragmented HIV II protease-Indinavir system is described to address the role of cooperativity in ligand binding. The outcome of this energy expansion is compared to the total receptor-ligand binding energy at the Hartree-Fock, density functional theory, and semiempirical levels of theory. We find that the sum of the pairwise interaction energies approximates the total binding energy to ˜82% for HF and to >95% for both the M06-L density functional and PM6-DH2 semiempirical method. The contribution of the three-body interactions amounts to 18.7%, 3.8%, and 1.4% for HF, M06-L, and PM6-DH2, respectively. We find that the expansion can be safely truncated after n = 3. That is, the contribution of the interactions involving more than three parties to the total binding energy of Indinavir to the HIV II protease receptor is negligible. Overall, we find that the two-body terms represent a good approximation to the total binding energy of the system, which points to pairwise additivity in the present case. This basic principle of pairwise additivity is utilized in fragment-based drug design approaches and our results support its continued use. The present results can also aid in the validation of non-bonded terms contained within common force fields and in the correction of systematic errors in physics-based score functions.

Factors affecting the energy cost of level running at submaximal speed.

PubMed

Lacour, Jean-René; Bourdin, Muriel

2015-04-01

Metabolic measurement is still the criterion for investigation of the efficiency of mechanical work and for analysis of endurance performance in running. Metabolic demand may be expressed either as the energy spent per unit distance (energy cost of running, C r) or as energy demand at a given running speed (running economy). Systematic studies showed a range of costs of about 20 % between runners. Factors affecting C r include body dimensions: body mass and leg architecture, mostly calcaneal tuberosity length, responsible for 60-80 % of the variability. Children show a higher C r than adults. Higher resting metabolism and lower leg length/stature ratio are the main putative factors responsible for the difference. Elastic energy storage and reuse also contribute to the variability of C r. The increase in C r with increasing running speed due to increase in mechanical work is blunted till 6-7 m s(-1) by the increase in vertical stiffness and the decrease in ground contact time. Fatigue induced by prolonged or intense running is associated with up to 10 % increased C r; the contribution of metabolic and biomechanical factors remains unclear. Women show a C r similar to men of similar body mass, despite differences in gait pattern. The superiority of black African runners is presumably related to their leg architecture and better elastic energy storage and reuse.

High-energy extracorporeal shock-wave therapy for treating chronic calcific tendinitis of the shoulder: a systematic review.

PubMed

Bannuru, Raveendhara R; Flavin, Nina E; Vaysbrot, Elizaveta; Harvey, William; McAlindon, Timothy

2014-04-15

Calcific and noncalcific tendinitis of the shoulder can be unresponsive to conventional therapies. Extracorporeal shock-wave therapy (ESWT) has been suggested as an alternative treatment. To assess the efficacy of ESWT in patients with calcific and noncalcific tendinitis. MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched up to 1 November 2013. Randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) comparing high-energy versus low-energy ESWT or placebo for treatment of calcific or noncalcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Outcome measures included pain (visual analogue scale score), functional assessment (Constant-Murley score), and resolution of calcifications. Three independent reviewers abstracted data and determined eligibility and quality by consensus. Twenty-eight RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Studies were heterogeneous. Twenty RCTs compared ESWT energy levels and placebo and consistently showed that high-energy ESWT was significantly better than placebo in decreasing pain and improving function and resorption of calcifications in calcific tendinitis. No significant difference was found between ESWT and placebo in treatment of noncalcific tendinitis. The number of RCTs was small, and the studies were heterogeneous. High-energy ESWT is effective for improving pain and shoulder function in chronic calcific shoulder tendinitis and can result in complete resolution of calcifications. This therapy may be underutilized for a condition that can be difficult to manage. None.

Systematic assignment of thermodynamic constraints in metabolic network models

PubMed Central

Kümmel, Anne; Panke, Sven; Heinemann, Matthias

2006-01-01

Background The availability of genome sequences for many organisms enabled the reconstruction of several genome-scale metabolic network models. Currently, significant efforts are put into the automated reconstruction of such models. For this, several computational tools have been developed that particularly assist in identifying and compiling the organism-specific lists of metabolic reactions. In contrast, the last step of the model reconstruction process, which is the definition of the thermodynamic constraints in terms of reaction directionalities, still needs to be done manually. No computational method exists that allows for an automated and systematic assignment of reaction directions in genome-scale models. Results We present an algorithm that – based on thermodynamics, network topology and heuristic rules – automatically assigns reaction directions in metabolic models such that the reaction network is thermodynamically feasible with respect to the production of energy equivalents. It first exploits all available experimentally derived Gibbs energies of formation to identify irreversible reactions. As these thermodynamic data are not available for all metabolites, in a next step, further reaction directions are assigned on the basis of network topology considerations and thermodynamics-based heuristic rules. Briefly, the algorithm identifies reaction subsets from the metabolic network that are able to convert low-energy co-substrates into their high-energy counterparts and thus net produce energy. Our algorithm aims at disabling such thermodynamically infeasible cyclic operation of reaction subnetworks by assigning reaction directions based on a set of thermodynamics-derived heuristic rules. We demonstrate our algorithm on a genome-scale metabolic model of E. coli. The introduced systematic direction assignment yielded 130 irreversible reactions (out of 920 total reactions), which corresponds to about 70% of all irreversible reactions that are required to disable thermodynamically infeasible energy production. Conclusion Although not being fully comprehensive, our algorithm for systematic reaction direction assignment could define a significant number of irreversible reactions automatically with low computational effort. We envision that the presented algorithm is a valuable part of a computational framework that assists the automated reconstruction of genome-scale metabolic models. PMID:17123434

Measurement of Hadronic Event Shapes and Jet Substructure in Proton-Proton Collisions at 7.0 TeV Center-of-Mass Energy with the ATLAS Detector at the Large Hadron Collider

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

Miller, David Wilkins

2012-03-20

This thesis presents the first measurement of 6 hadronic event shapes in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of {radical}s = 7 TeV using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Results are presented at the particle-level, permitting comparisons to multiple Monte Carlo event generator tools. Numerous tools and techniques that enable detailed analysis of the hadronic final state at high luminosity are described. The approaches presented utilize the dual strengths of the ATLAS calorimeter and tracking systems to provide high resolution and robust measurements of the hadronic jets that constitute both a background and a signal throughout ATLASmore » physics analyses. The study of the hadronic final state is then extended to jet substructure, where the energy flow and topology within individual jets is studied at the detector level and techniques for estimating systematic uncertainties for such measurements are commissioned in the first data. These first substructure measurements in ATLAS include the jet mass and sub-jet multiplicity as well as those concerned with multi-body hadronic decays and color flow within jets. Finally, the first boosted hadronic object observed at the LHC - the decay of the top quark to a single jet - is presented.« less

Operations Optimization of Hybrid Energy Systems under Variable Markets

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

Chen, Jun; Garcia, Humberto E.

Hybrid energy systems (HES) have been proposed to be an important element to enable increasing penetration of clean energy. This paper investigates the operations flexibility of HES, and develops a methodology for operations optimization to maximize its economic value based on predicted renewable generation and market information. The proposed operations optimizer allows systematic control of energy conversion for maximal economic value, and is illustrated by numerical results.

DLVO interaction energies between hollow spherical particles and collector surfaces

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The surface element integration technique was used to systematically study Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) interaction energies/forces between hollow spherical particles (HPs) and a planar surface or two intercepting half planes under different ionic strength conditions. The inner and outer ...

Review of Comprehensive Evaluation Methods for Power Quality and Its Trend in New Generation Energy System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ruihua; Wang, Rong; Liu, Qunying; Yang, Li; Xi, Chuan; Wang, Wei; Li, Lingzhou; Zhao, Zhoufang; Zhou, Ying

2018-02-01

With China’s new energy generation grid connected capacity being in the forefront of the world and the uncertainty of new energy sources, such as wind energy and solar energy, it is be of great significance to study scientific and comprehensive assessment of power quality. On the foundation of analysizing the current power quality index systematically and objectively, the new energy grid power quality analysis method and comprehensive evaluation method, this paper tentatively explored the trend of the new generation of energy system power quality comprehensive evaluation.

Capacity for conducting systematic reviews in low- and middle-income countries: a rapid appraisal.

PubMed

Oliver, Sandy; Bangpan, Mukdarut; Stansfield, Claire; Stewart, Ruth

2015-04-26

Systematic reviews of research are increasingly recognised as important for informing decisions across policy sectors and for setting priorities for research. Although reviews draw on international research, the host institutions and countries can focus attention on their own priorities. The uneven capacity for conducting research around the world raises questions about the capacity for conducting systematic reviews. A rapid appraisal was conducted of current capacity and capacity strengthening activities for conducting systematic reviews in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A systems approach to analysis considered the capacity of individuals nested within the larger units of research teams, institutions that fund, support, and/or conduct systematic reviews, and systems that support systematic reviewing internationally. International systematic review networks, and their support organisations, are dominated by members from high-income countries. The largest network comprising a skilled workforce and established centres is the Cochrane Collaboration. Other networks, although smaller, provide support for systematic reviews addressing questions beyond effective clinical practice which require a broader range of methods. Capacity constraints were apparent at the levels of individuals, review teams, organisations, and system wide. Constraints at each level limited the capacity at levels nested within them. Skills training for individuals had limited utility if not allied to opportunities for review teams to practice the skills. Skills development was further constrained by language barriers, lack of support from academic organisations, and the limitations of wider systems for communication and knowledge management. All networks hosted some activities for strengthening the capacities of individuals and teams, although these were usually independent of core academic programmes and traditional career progression. Even rarer were efforts to increase demand for systematic reviews and to strengthen links between producers and potential users of systematic reviews. Limited capacity for conducting systematic reviews within LMICs presents a major technical and social challenge to advancing their health systems. Effective capacity in LMICs can be spread through investing effort at multiple levels simultaneously, supported by countries (predominantly high-income countries) with established skills and experience.

The Role of Fructose, Sucrose and High-fructose Corn Syrup in Diabetes.

PubMed

Cozma, Adrian I; Sievenpiper, John L

2014-02-01

Concerns are growing regarding the role of dietary sugars in the development of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, including diabetes. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and sucrose are the most important dietary sweeteners. Both HFCS and sucrose have overlapping metabolic actions with adverse effects attributed to their fructose moiety. Ecological studies have linked the rise in fructose availability with the increases in obesity and diabetes worldwide. This link has been largely underpinned by animal models and select human trials of fructose overfeeding at high levels of exposure. Although prospective cohort studies have shown significant associations comparing the highest with the lowest levels of intake sugar-sweetened beverages, these associations are small, do not hold at moderate levels of intake and are subject to collinearity effects from related dietary and lifestyle factors. Most systematic reviews and meta-analyses from controlled feeding trials have shown that fructose-containing sugars in isocaloric exchange for other carbohydrates do not show evidence of harm and, in the case of fructose, may even have advantages for glycaemic control, especially at small doses. Nevertheless, trials in which fructose-containing sugars supplement diets with excess energy have shown adverse effects, effects that appear more attributable to the excess energy than the sugar. There is no unequivocal evidence that fructose intake at moderate doses is directly related with adverse metabolic effects, although there is potentially cause for concern where fructose is provided at high doses or contributes excess energy to diets. Further investigation is warranted due to the significant knowledge gaps and weaknesses in existing research.

The Role of Fructose, Sucrose and High-fructose Corn Syrup in Diabetes

PubMed Central

Cozma, Adrian I

2014-01-01

Abstract Concerns are growing regarding the role of dietary sugars in the development of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, including diabetes. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and sucrose are the most important dietary sweeteners. Both HFCS and sucrose have overlapping metabolic actions with adverse effects attributed to their fructose moiety. Ecological studies have linked the rise in fructose availability with the increases in obesity and diabetes worldwide. This link has been largely underpinned by animal models and select human trials of fructose overfeeding at high levels of exposure. Although prospective cohort studies have shown significant associations comparing the highest with the lowest levels of intake sugar-sweetened beverages, these associations are small, do not hold at moderate levels of intake and are subject to collinearity effects from related dietary and lifestyle factors. Most systematic reviews and meta-analyses from controlled feeding trials have shown that fructose-containing sugars in isocaloric exchange for other carbohydrates do not show evidence of harm and, in the case of fructose, may even have advantages for glycaemic control, especially at small doses. Nevertheless, trials in which fructose-containing sugars supplement diets with excess energy have shown adverse effects, effects that appear more attributable to the excess energy than the sugar. There is no unequivocal evidence that fructose intake at moderate doses is directly related with adverse metabolic effects, although there is potentially cause for concern where fructose is provided at high doses or contributes excess energy to diets. Further investigation is warranted due to the significant knowledge gaps and weaknesses in existing research. PMID:29872464

Self-cleaning poly(dimethylsiloxane) film with functional micro/nano hierarchical structures.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Sheng; Zhu, Fu-Yun; Han, Meng-Di; Sun, Xu-Ming; Peng, Xu-Hua; Zhang, Hai-Xia

2013-08-27

This paper reports a novel single-step wafer-level fabrication of superhydrophobic micro/nano dual-scale (MNDS) poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) films. The MNDS PDMS films were replicated directly from an ultralow-surface-energy silicon substrate at high temperature without any surfactant coating, achieving high precision. An improved deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process with enhanced passivation steps was proposed to easily realize the ultralow-surface-energy MNDS silicon substrate and also utilized as a post-treatment process to strengthen the hydrophobicity of the MNDS PDMS film. The chemical modification of this enhanced passivation step to the surface energy has been studied by density functional theory, which is also the first investigation of C4F8 plasma treatment at molecular level by using first-principle calculations. From the results of a systematic study on the effect of key process parameters (i.e., baking temperature and time) on PDMS replication, insight into the interaction of hierarchical multiscale structures of polymeric materials during the micro/nano integrated fabrication process is experimentally obtained for the first time. Finite element simulation has been employed to illustrate this new phenomenon. Additionally, hierarchical PDMS pyramid arrays and V-shaped grooves have been developed and are intended for applications as functional structures for a light-absorption coating layer and directional transport of liquid droplets, respectively. This stable, self-cleaning PDMS film with functional micro/nano hierarchical structures, which is fabricated through a wafer-level single-step fabrication process using a reusable silicon mold, shows attractive potential for future applications in micro/nanodevices, especially in micro/nanofluidics.

Role of negative emotion in communication about CO2 risks.

PubMed

Meijnders, A L; Midden, C J; Wilke, H A

2001-10-01

This article describes how the effectiveness of risk communication is determined by the interaction between emotional and informative elements. An experiment is described that examined the role of negative emotion in communication about CO2 risks. This experiment was based on the elaboration likelihood model and the related heuristic systematic model of attitude formation. The results indicated that inducing fear of CO2 risks leads to systematic processing of information about energy conservation as a risk-reducing strategy. In turn, this results in more favorable attitudes toward energy conservation if strong arguments are provided. Individual differences in concern seem to have similar effects.

Investigation of 14-15 MeV ( n, t) Reaction Cross-sections by Using New Evaluated Empirical and Semi-empirical Systematic Formulas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tel, E.; Aydın, A.; Kaplan, A.; Şarer, B.

2008-09-01

In the hybrid reactor, tritium self-sufficiency must be maintained for a commercial power plant. For self-sustaining (D-T) fusion driver tritium breeding ratio should be greater than 1.05. Working out the systematics of ( n, t) reaction cross-sections are of great importance for the definition of the excitation function character for the given reaction taking place on various nuclei at energies up to 20 MeV. In this study we have investigated asymmetry term effect for the ( n, t) reaction cross-sections at 14-15 neutron incident energy. It has been discussed the odd-even effect and the pairing effect considering binding energy systematic of the nuclear shell model for the new experimental data and new cross-sections formulas ( n, t) reactions developed by Tel et al. We have determined a different parameter groups by the classification of nuclei into even-even, even-odd and odd-even for ( n, t) reactions cross-sections. The obtained empirical and semi-empirical formulas by fitting two parameter for ( n, t) reactions were given. All calculated results have been compared with the experimental data and the other semi-empirical formulas.

Numerical study of metal oxide hetero-junction solar cells with defects and interface states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Le; Shao, Guosheng; Luo, J. K.

2013-05-01

Further to our previous work on ideal metal oxide (MO) hetero-junction solar cells, a systematic simulation has been carried out to investigate the effects of defects and interface states on the cells. Two structures of the window/absorber (WA) and window/absorber/voltage-enhancer (WAV) were modelled with defect concentration, defect energy level, interface state (ISt) density and ISt energy level as parameters. The simulation showed that the defects in the window layer and the voltage-enhancer layer have very limited effects on the performance of the cells, but those in the absorption layer have profound effects on the cell performance. The interface states at the W/A interface have a limited effect on the performance even for a density up to 1013 cm-2, while those at the A/V interface cause the solar cell to deteriorate severely even at a low density of lower than 1 × 1011 cm-2. It also showed that the back surface field (BSF) induced by band gap off-set in the WAV structure loses its function when defects with a modest concentration exist in the absorption layer and does not improve the open voltage at all.

Investigations on the effects of the Stark splitting on the fluorescence behaviors in Yb3+-doped silicate, tellurite, germanate, and phosphate glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Liaolin; Xia, Yu; Shen, Xiao; Yang, Runlan; Wei, Wei

2018-01-01

In this work, we systematically studied the spectroscopic characteristics of Yb3+ doped germanate, phosphate, silicate, and tellurite glasses. The emission peak beyond 976 nm showed irregular shift from 1001 nm to 1023 nm when Yb3+ in different glass matrices. It was associated with the Stark splitting of 2F7/2 and the emission intensities ratio between the transition from the lowest Stark splitting energy level of 2F5/2 to the Stark splitting energy levels of 2F7/2, e to b and that of e to d. Larger Stark splitting of 2F7/2 results in the red-shift of the near infrared emission band at room temperature and larger ratio results in the blue-shift of emission band. The fluorescence lifetimes of Yb3+ doped germanate, phosphate, silicate, and tellurite glasses were measured to be 0.94, 0.82, 1.51, and 0.66 ms, respectively. The fluorescence lifetime was associated with the reabsorption of Yb3+, which larger absorption cross section at the emission band results in larger reabsorption, then leads to the shorter near infrared fluorescence lifetime.

Atomistic modeling trap-assisted tunneling in hole tunnel field effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Pengyu; Huang, Jun Z.; Povolotskyi, Michael; Sarangapani, Prasad; Valencia-Zapata, Gustavo A.; Kubis, Tillmann; Rodwell, Mark J. W.; Klimeck, Gerhard

2018-05-01

Tunnel Field Effect Transistors (FETs) have the potential to achieve steep Subthreshold Swing (S.S.) below 60 mV/dec, but their S.S. could be limited by trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) due to interface traps. In this paper, the effect of trap energy and location on OFF-current (IOFF) of tunnel FETs is evaluated systematically using an atomistic trap level representation in a full quantum transport simulation. Trap energy levels close to band edges cause the highest leakage. Wave function penetration into the surrounding oxide increases the TAT current. To estimate the effects of multiple traps, we assume that the traps themselves do not interact with each other and as a whole do not modify the electrostatic potential dramatically. Within that model limitation, this numerical metrology study points to the critical importance of TAT in the IOFF in tunnel FETs. The model shows that for Dit higher than 1012/(cm2 eV) IO F F is critically increased with a degraded IO N/IO F F ratio of the tunnel FET. In order to have an IO N/IO F F ratio higher than 104, the acceptable Dit near Ev should be controlled to no larger than 1012/(cm2 eV) .

Purinergic System Dysfunction in Mood Disorders: A Key Target for Developing Improved Therapeutics

PubMed Central

Ortiz, Robin; Ulrich, Henning; Zarate, Carlos A; Machado-Vieira, Rodrigo

2014-01-01

Uric acid and purines (such as adenosine) regulate mood, sleep, activity, appetite, cognition, memory, convulsive threshold, social interaction, drive, and impulsivity. A link between purinergic dysfunction and mood disorders was first proposed a century ago. Interestingly, a recent nationwide population-based study showed elevated risk of gout in subjects with bipolar disorder (BD), and a recent meta-analysis and systematic review of placebo-controlled trials of adjuvant purinergic modulators confirmed their benefits in bipolar mania. Uric acid may modulate energy and activity levels, with higher levels associated with higher energy and BD spectrum. Several recent genetic studies suggest that the purinergic system particularly the modulation of P1 and P2 receptor subtypes—plays a role in mood disorders, lending credence to this model. Nucleotide concentrations can be measured using brain spectroscopy, and ligands for in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of adenosine (P1) receptors have been developed, thus allowing potential target engagement studies. This review discusses the key role of the purinergic system in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Focusing on this promising therapeutic target may lead to the development of therapies with antidepressant, mood stabilization, and cognitive effects. PMID:25445063

Comprehensive evaluation on low-carbon development of coal enterprise groups.

PubMed

Wang, Bang-Jun; Wu, Yan-Fang; Zhao, Jia-Lu

2017-12-19

Scientifically evaluating the level of low-carbon development in terms of theoretical and practical significance is extremely important to coal enterprise groups for implementing national energy-related systems. This assessment can assist in building institutional mechanisms that are conducive for the economic development of coal business cycle and energy conservation as well as promoting the healthy development of coal enterprises to realize coal scientific development and resource utilization. First, by adopting systematic analysis method, this study builds low-carbon development evaluation index system for coal enterprise groups. Second, to determine the weight serving as guideline and criteria of the index, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied using integrated linear weighted sum method to evaluate the level of low-carbon development of coal enterprise groups. Evaluation is also performed by coal enterprise groups, and the process comprises field analysis and evaluation. Finally, industrial policies are proposed regarding the development of low-carbon coal conglomerate strategies and measures. This study aims mainly to guide the low-carbon development of coal enterprise groups, solve the problem of coal mining and the destruction of ecological environment, support the conservation of raw materials and various resources, and achieve the sustainable development of the coal industry.

Evidence for the Thermal Sunyaev Zeldovich Effect Associated with Quasar Feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crichton, Devin; Gralla, Megan B.; Hall, Kirsten; Marriage, Tobias A.; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Battaglia, Nick; Bond, J. Richard; Devlin, Mark J.; Hill, J. Colin; Hilton, Matt;

Effect of low-level laser therapy on pain levels in patients with temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review

PubMed Central

MAIA, Mila Leite de Moraes; BONJARDIM, Leonardo Rigoldi; QUINTANS, Jullyana de Souza Siqueira; RIBEIRO, Maria Amália Gonzaga; MAIA, Luiz Guilherme Martins; CONTI, Paulo César Rodrigues

2012-01-01

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are characterized by the presence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and/or masticatory muscle pain and dysfunction. Low-level laser is presented as an adjuvant therapeutic modality for the treatment of TMD, especially when the presence of inflammatory pain is suspected. Objective To systematically review studies that investigated the effect of low level laser therapy (LLLT) on the pain levels in individuals with TMD. Material and Methods The databases Scopus, embase, ebsco and PubMed were reviewed from January/2003 to October/2010 with the following keywords: laser therapy, low-level laser therapy, temporomandibular joint disorders, temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome, temporomandibular joint, temporomandibular, facial pain and arthralgia, with the inclusion criteria for intervention studies in humans. exclusion criteria adopted were intervention studies in animals, studies that were not written in english, Spanish or Portuguese, theses, monographs, and abstracts presented in scientific events. Results After a careful review, 14 studies fit the criteria for inclusion, of which, 12 used a placebo group. As for the protocol for laser application, the energy density used ranged from 0.9 to 105 J/cm2, while the power density ranged from 9.8 to 500 mW. The number of sessions varied from 1 to 20 and the frequency of applications ranged from daily for 10 days to 1 time per week for 4 weeks. A reduction in pain levels was reported in 13 studies, with 9 of these occurring only in the experimental group, and 4 studies reporting pain relief for both the experimental group and for the placebo. Conclusion Most papers showed that LLLT seemed to be effective in reducing pain from TMD. However, the heterogeneity of the standardization regarding the parameters of laser calls for caution in interpretation of these results. Thus, it is necessary to conduct further research in order to obtain a consensus regarding the best application protocol for pain relief in patients with TMD. PMID:23329239

Hadronic Contribution to Muon g-2 with Systematic Error Correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, D. H.; Worstell, W. A.

1996-05-01

We have performed a new evaluation of the hadronic contribution to a_μ=(g-2)/2 of the muon with explicit correlations of systematic errors among the experimental data on σ( e^+e^- → hadrons ). Our result for the lowest order hadronic vacuum polarization contribution is a_μ^hvp = 701.7(7.6)(13.4) × 10-10 where the total systematic error contributions from below and above √s = 1.4 GeV are (12.5) × 10-10 and (4.8) × 10-10 respectively. Therefore new measurements on σ( e^+e^- → hadrons ) below 1.4 GeV in Novosibirsk, Russia can significantly reduce the total error on a_μ^hvp. This contrasts with a previous evaluation which indicated that the dominant error is due to the energy region above 1.4 GeV. The latter analysis correlated systematic errors at each energy point separately but not across energy ranges as we have done. Combination with higher order hadronic contributions is required for a new measurement of a_μ at Brookhaven National Laboratory to be sensitive to electroweak and possibly supergravity and muon substructure effects. Our analysis may also be applied to calculations of hadronic contributions to the running of α(s) at √s= M_Z, the hyperfine structure of muonium, and the running of sin^2 θW in Møller scattering. The analysis of the new Novosibirsk data will also be given.

The effect of balanced protein energy supplementation in undernourished pregnant women and child physical growth in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Stevens, Briony; Buettner, Petra; Watt, Kerrianne; Clough, Alan; Brimblecombe, Julie; Judd, Jenni

2015-10-01

The beneficial effect of balanced protein energy supplementation during pregnancy on subsequent child growth is unclear and may depend upon the mother entering pregnancy adequately nourished or undernourished. Systematic reviews to-date have included studies from high-, middle- and low-income countries. However, the effect of balanced protein energy supplementation should not be generalised. This review assesses the effect of balanced protein energy supplementation in undernourished pregnant women from low- and middle-income countries on child growth. A systematic review of articles published in English (1970-2015) was conducted via MEDLINE, Scopus, the Cochrane Register and hand searching. Only peer-reviewed experimental studies analysing the effects of balanced protein energy supplementation in undernourished pregnant women from low- and middle-income countries with measures of physical growth as the primary outcome were included. Two reviewers independently assessed full-text articles against inclusion criteria. Validity of eligible studies was ascertained using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (EPHPP QAT). In total, seven studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies reported on birthweight, five on birth length, three on birth head circumference, and one on longer-term growth. Standardised mean differences were calculated using a random-effects meta-analysis. Balanced protein energy supplementation significantly improved birthweight (seven randomised controlled trials, n = 2367; d = 0.20, 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.38, P = 0.02). No significant benefit was observed on birth length or birth head circumference. Impact of intervention could not be determined for longer-term physical growth due to limited evidence. Additional research is required in low- and middle-income countries to identify impacts on longer-term infant growth. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

QCD Precision Measurements and Structure Function Extraction at a High Statistics, High Energy Neutrino Scattering Experiment:. NuSOnG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, T.; Batra, P.; Bugel, L.; Camilleri, L.; Conrad, J. M.; de Gouvêa, A.; Fisher, P. H.; Formaggio, J. A.; Jenkins, J.; Karagiorgi, G.; Kobilarcik, T. R.; Kopp, S.; Kyle, G.; Loinaz, W. A.; Mason, D. A.; Milner, R.; Moore, R.; Morfín, J. G.; Nakamura, M.; Naples, D.; Nienaber, P.; Olness, F. I.; Owens, J. F.; Pate, S. F.; Pronin, A.; Seligman, W. G.; Shaevitz, M. H.; Schellman, H.; Schienbein, I.; Syphers, M. J.; Tait, T. M. P.; Takeuchi, T.; Tan, C. Y.; van de Water, R. G.; Yamamoto, R. K.; Yu, J. Y.

We extend the physics case for a new high-energy, ultra-high statistics neutrino scattering experiment, NuSOnG (Neutrino Scattering On Glass) to address a variety of issues including precision QCD measurements, extraction of structure functions, and the derived Parton Distribution Functions (PDF's). This experiment uses a Tevatron-based neutrino beam to obtain a sample of Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) events which is over two orders of magnitude larger than past samples. We outline an innovative method for fitting the structure functions using a parametrized energy shift which yields reduced systematic uncertainties. High statistics measurements, in combination with improved systematics, will enable NuSOnG to perform discerning tests of fundamental Standard Model parameters as we search for deviations which may hint of "Beyond the Standard Model" physics.

Microscopically based energy density functionals for nuclei using the density matrix expansion. II. Full optimization and validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarro Pérez, R.; Schunck, N.; Dyhdalo, A.; Furnstahl, R. J.; Bogner, S. K.

2018-05-01

Background: Energy density functional methods provide a generic framework to compute properties of atomic nuclei starting from models of nuclear potentials and the rules of quantum mechanics. Until now, the overwhelming majority of functionals have been constructed either from empirical nuclear potentials such as the Skyrme or Gogny forces, or from systematic gradient-like expansions in the spirit of the density functional theory for atoms. Purpose: We seek to obtain a usable form of the nuclear energy density functional that is rooted in the modern theory of nuclear forces. We thus consider a functional obtained from the density matrix expansion of local nuclear potentials from chiral effective field theory. We propose a parametrization of this functional carefully calibrated and validated on selected ground-state properties that is suitable for large-scale calculations of nuclear properties. Methods: Our energy functional comprises two main components. The first component is a non-local functional of the density and corresponds to the direct part (Hartree term) of the expectation value of local chiral potentials on a Slater determinant. Contributions to the mean field and the energy of this term are computed by expanding the spatial, finite-range components of the chiral potential onto Gaussian functions. The second component is a local functional of the density and is obtained by applying the density matrix expansion to the exchange part (Fock term) of the expectation value of the local chiral potential. We apply the UNEDF2 optimization protocol to determine the coupling constants of this energy functional. Results: We obtain a set of microscopically constrained functionals for local chiral potentials from leading order up to next-to-next-to-leading order with and without three-body forces and contributions from Δ excitations. These functionals are validated on the calculation of nuclear and neutron matter, nuclear mass tables, single-particle shell structure in closed-shell nuclei, and the fission barrier of 240Pu. Quantitatively, they perform noticeably better than the more phenomenological Skyrme functionals. Conclusions: The inclusion of higher-order terms in the chiral perturbation expansion seems to produce a systematic improvement in predicting nuclear binding energies while the impact on other observables is not really significant. This result is especially promising since all the fits have been performed at the single-reference level of the energy density functional approach, where important collective correlations such as center-of-mass correction, rotational correction, or zero-point vibrational energies have not been taken into account yet.

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

Makovec, Nikola Michel

Although the standard model of particle physics agrees perfectly with experimental data, it is unlikely the final theory describing particles and their interactions. New phenomena has been searched in the jets and missing transverse energy topology. Such phenomena may be due to the pair production of leptoquarks decaying into a quark and a neutrino or the pair production of stops decaying into a charm and a neutralino which is assumed to be the lightest supersymmetric particle. These searches have been performed with the D0 detector at hadronic collider TeVatron with a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV. This kindmore » of search needs a good understanding of the jet energy calibration. The determination of the relative jet energy scale has allowed them to reduce the systematic uncertainties on the jet energy measurement when comparing the data and the simulation. Moreover a new method has been developed in order to correct simulated jets for the differences observed in the jet energy scale, the jet energy resolution and the jet reconstruction efficiency between the data and the simulation. The data analysis, performed with an integrated luminosity of 310 pb -1, has not observed any excess. This result is interpreted in terms of limit on the mass of the particles: leptoquarks with a mass smaller than 136 GeV and stops with a mass smaller than 131 GeV, for a neutralino mass equal to 46 GeV, are excluded with 95% confidence level.« less

Astrosat/LAXPC Reveals the High-energy Variability of GRS 1915+105 in the X Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, J. S.; Misra, Ranjeev; Verdhan Chauhan, Jai; Agrawal, P. C.; Antia, H. M.; Pahari, Mayukh; Dedhia, Dhiraj; Katoch, Tilak; Madhwani, P.; Manchanda, R. K.; Paul, B.; Shah, Parag; Ishwara-Chandra, C. H.

2016-12-01

We present the first quick look analysis of data from nine AstroSat's Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) observations of GRS 1915+105 during 2016 March when the source had the characteristics of being in the Radio-quiet χ class. We find that a simple empirical model of a disk blackbody emission, with Comptonization and a broad Gaussian Iron line can fit the time-averaged 3-80 keV spectrum with a systematic uncertainty of 1.5% and a background flux uncertainty of 4%. A simple dead time corrected Poisson noise level spectrum matches well with the observed high-frequency power spectra till 50 kHz and as expected the data show no significant high-frequency (\\gt 20 {Hz}) features. Energy dependent power spectra reveal a strong low-frequency (2-8 Hz) quasi-periodic oscillation and its harmonic along with broadband noise. The QPO frequency changes rapidly with flux (nearly 4 Hz in ˜5 hr). With increasing QPO frequency, an excess noise component appears significantly in the high-energy regime (\\gt 8 keV). At the QPO frequencies, the time-lag as a function of energy has a non-monotonic behavior such that the lags decrease with energy till about 15-20 keV and then increase for higher energies. These first-look results benchmark the performance of LAXPC at high energies and confirms that its data can be used for more sophisticated analysis such as flux or frequency-resolved spectro-timing studies.

Consumers’ perceptions of energy use and energy savings: A literature review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesic, Vedran; Bruine de Bruin, Wändi; Davis, Matthew C.; Krishnamurti, Tamar; Azevedo, Inês M. L.

2018-03-01

Background. Policy makers and program managers need to better understand consumers’ perceptions of their energy use and savings to design effective strategies for promoting energy savings. Methods. We reviewed 14 studies from the emerging interdisciplinary literature examining consumers’ perceptions electricity use by specific appliances, and potential savings. Results. We find that: (1) electricity use is often overestimated for low-energy consuming appliances, and underestimated for high-energy consuming appliances; (2) curtailment strategies are typically preferred over energy efficiency strategies; (3) consumers lack information about how much electricity can be saved through specific strategies; (4) consumers use heuristics for assessing the electricity use of specific appliances, with some indication that more accurate judgments are made among consumers with higher numeracy and stronger pro-environmental attitudes. However, design differences between studies, such as variations in reference points, reporting units and assessed time periods, may affect consumers’ reported perceptions. Moreover, studies differ with regard to whether accuracy of perceptions was evaluated through comparisons with general estimates of actual use, self-reported use, household-level meter readings, or real-time smart meter readings. Conclusion. Although emerging findings are promising, systematic variations in the measurement of perceived and actual electricity use are potential cause for concern. We propose avenues for future research, so as to better understand, and possibly inform, consumers’ perceptions of their electricity use. Ultimately, this literature will have implications for the design of effective electricity feedback for consumers, and related policies.

Enhanced Carbon Diffusion in Austenitic Stainless Steel Carburized at Low Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernst, F.; Avishai, A.; Kahn, H.; Gu, X.; Michal, G. M.; Heuer, A. H.

2009-08-01

Austenitic stainless steel AISI 316L was carburized by a novel, low-temperature gas-phase process. Using a calibrated scanning Auger microprobe (SAM) analysis of cross-sectional specimens under dynamic sputtering, we determined the fraction-depth profile of carbon. The profile is concave—very different from the shape expected for concentration-independent diffusion—and indicates a carbide-free solid solution with carbon levels up to 15 at. pct and a case depth of ≈30 μm. A Boltzmann-Matano analysis with a careful evaluation of the stochastic and potential systematic errors indicates that increasing levels of carbon significantly enhance carbon diffusion. For the highest carbon level observed (15 at. pct), the carbon diffusion coefficient is more than two orders of magnitude larger than in dilute solution. The most likely explanation for this strong increase is that carbon-induced local expansion of metal-metal atom distances, observed as an expansion of the lattice parameter, reduces the activation energy for carbon diffusion.

High-Level Ab Initio Calculations of Intermolecular Interactions: Heavy Main-Group Element π-Interactions.

PubMed

Krasowska, Małgorzata; Schneider, Wolfgang B; Mehring, Michael; Auer, Alexander A

2018-05-02

This work reports high-level ab initio calculations and a detailed analysis on the nature of intermolecular interactions of heavy main-group element compounds and π systems. For this purpose we have chosen a set of benchmark molecules of the form MR 3 , in which M=As, Sb, or Bi, and R=CH 3 , OCH 3 , or Cl. Several methods for the description of weak intermolecular interactions are benchmarked including DFT-D, DFT-SAPT, MP2, and high-level coupled cluster methods in the DLPNO-CCSD(T) approximation. Using local energy decomposition (LED) and an analysis of the electron density, details of the nature of this interaction are unraveled. The results yield insight into the nature of dispersion and donor-acceptor interactions in this type of system, including systematic trends in the periodic table, and also provide a benchmark for dispersion interactions in heavy main-group element compounds. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermodynamically consistent coarse graining of biocatalysts beyond Michaelis–Menten

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wachtel, Artur; Rao, Riccardo; Esposito, Massimiliano

2018-04-01

Starting from the detailed catalytic mechanism of a biocatalyst we provide a coarse-graining procedure which, by construction, is thermodynamically consistent. This procedure provides stoichiometries, reaction fluxes (rate laws), and reaction forces (Gibbs energies of reaction) for the coarse-grained level. It can treat active transporters and molecular machines, and thus extends the applicability of ideas that originated in enzyme kinetics. Our results lay the foundations for systematic studies of the thermodynamics of large-scale biochemical reaction networks. Moreover, we identify the conditions under which a relation between one-way fluxes and forces holds at the coarse-grained level as it holds at the detailed level. In doing so, we clarify the speculations and broad claims made in the literature about such a general flux–force relation. As a further consequence we show that, in contrast to common belief, the second law of thermodynamics does not require the currents and the forces of biochemical reaction networks to be always aligned.

On the high energy proton spectrum measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellsworth, R. W.; Ito, A.; Macfall, J.; Siohan, F.; Streitmatter, R. E.; Tonwar, S. C.; Vishwanath, P. R.; Yodh, G. B.; Balasubrahmanyan, V. K.

1977-01-01

The steepening of the proton spectrum beyond 1000 GeV and the rise in inelastic cross sections between 20 and 600 GeV observed by the PROTON-1-2-3 satellite experiments were explained by systematic effects of energy dependent albedo (backscatter) from the calorimeter.

Theoretical insight of adsorption thermodynamics of multifunctional molecules on metal surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loffreda, David

2006-05-01

Adsorption thermodynamics based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations are exposed for the interaction of several multifunctional molecules with Pt and Au(1 1 0)-(1 × 2) surfaces. The Gibbs free adsorption energy explicitly depends on the adsorption internal energy, which is derived from DFT adsorption energy, and the vibrational entropy change during the chemisorption process. Zero-point energy (ZPE) corrections have been systematically applied to the adsorption energy. Moreover the vibrational entropy change has been computed on the basis of DFT harmonic frequencies (gas and adsorbed phases, clean surfaces), which have been extended to all the adsorbate vibrations and the metallic surface phonons. The phase diagrams plotted in realistic conditions of temperature (from 100 to 400 K) and pressure (0.15 atm) show that the ZPE corrected adsorption energy is the main contribution. When strong chemisorption is considered on the Pt surface, the multifunctional molecules are adsorbed on the surface in the considered temperature range. In contrast for weak chemisorption on the Au surface, the thermodynamic results should be held cautiously. The systematic errors of the model (choice of the functional, configurational entropy and vibrational entropy) make difficult the prediction of the adsorption-desorption phase boundaries.

Malnutrition in childhood cancer patients: a review on its prevalence and possible causes.

PubMed

Brinksma, Aeltsje; Huizinga, Gea; Sulkers, Esther; Kamps, Willem; Roodbol, Petrie; Tissing, Wim

2012-08-01

To perform a systematic literature review for critical evaluation of prevalence and factors contributing to malnutrition in childhood cancer. A systematic search resulting in 46 suitable articles. Due to lack of uniform criteria and adequate studies, the prevalence rates of malnutrition can only be estimated. Based on strengths and weaknesses of included references, prevalence rates are estimated to be 0-10% for leukemia, 20-50% for neuroblastoma, and 0-30% for other malignancies. Whether energy deficiency or inflammation contributed to malnutrition could not be confirmed because the occurrence of energy deficit (low energy intake, increased metabolic rate) or inflammation (related to cachexia) was not convincing. Also, a relationship between these factors and malnutrition was not studied. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine which children are at risk of malnutrition, and to investigate the impact of energy deficiency and inflammation on the nutritional status and body composition of childhood cancer patients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematics of isotopic production cross sections from interactions of relativistic 40Ca in hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, C.-X.; Albergo, S.; Caccia, Z.; Costa, S.; Crawford, H. J.; Cronqvist, M.; Engelage, J.; Greiner, L.; Guzik, T. G.; Insolia, A.; Knott, C. N.; Lindstrom, P. J.; McMahon, M.; Mitchell, J. W.; Potenza, R.; Russo, G. V.; Soutoul, A.; Testard, O.; Tull, C. E.; Tuvé, C.; Waddington, C. J.; Webber, W. R.; Wefel, J. P.

1997-09-01

The isotopic production cross sections for 40Ca projectiles at 357, 565, and 763 MeV/nucleon interacting in a liquid hydrogen target have been measured by the Transport Collaboration at the LBL HISS facility. The systematics of these cross sections are studied, and the results indicate that nuclear structure effects are present in the isotope production process during the relativistic collisions. The newly measured cross sections are also compared with those predicted by semiempirical and parametric formulas, but the predictions do not fully describe the systematics such as the energy dependence. The consequences of the cross section systematics in galactic cosmic ray studies are also discussed.

The bivalve Placuna (Indoplacuna) miocenica from the Middle Miocene of Siwa Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt: Systematic paleontology, paleoecology, and taphonomic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Sabbagh, Ahmed M.; El Hedeny, Magdy M.; Rashwan, Mohammed A.; Abdel Aal, Abdel Aal A.

2016-04-01

The present study investigated the epifaunal, free lying bivalve Placuna (Indoplacuna) miocenica (Fuchs, 1883) encountered in the Middle Miocene Marmarica Formation of Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt, in terms of systematic paleontology, paleoecology and taphonomy. Well to moderately preserved shells of this species were collected from three sections. They have been found embedded in sandy, marly and chalky limestones. Although they are extremely thin and fragile, they occurred as complete disarticulated and articulated valves. Specimens of P. (I.) miocenica are highly accumulated in the north Siwa section forming a coquinoid band (30 cm thick). In addition, they are generally distributed sporadically in different stratigraphic levels within the three studied sequences. Taphonomic observations indicated that these shells were affected by encrustation, bioerosion, disarticulation, fragmentation and abrasion. Moreover, valves of this species suffered minor chipping along their fragile margins. The occurrence of the studied species associated with oysters and other benthic faunal assemblages within carbonate sediments revealed shallow, low energy, warm and intertidal environments with periods of relatively agitated conditions.

Systematic study of GeSn heterostructure-based light-emitting diodes towards mid-infrared applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yiyin; Dou, Wei; Du, Wei; Pham, Thach; Ghetmiri, Seyed Amir; Al-Kabi, Sattar; Mosleh, Aboozar; Alher, Murtadha; Margetis, Joe; Tolle, John; Sun, Greg; Soref, Richard; Li, Baohua; Mortazavi, Mansour; Naseem, Hameed; Yu, Shui-Qing

2016-07-01

Temperature-dependent characteristics of GeSn light-emitting diodes with Sn composition up to 9.2% have been systematically studied. Such diodes were based on Ge/GeSn/Ge double heterostructures (DHS) that were grown directly on a Si substrate via a chemical vapor deposition system. Both photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra have been characterized at temperatures from 300 to 77 K. Based on our theoretical calculation, all GeSn alloys in this study are indirect bandgap materials. However, due to the small energy separation between direct and indirect bandgap, and the fact that radiative recombination rate greater than non-radiative, the emissions are mainly from the direct Γ-valley to valence band transitions. The electroluminescence emissions under current injection levels from 102 to 357 A/cm2 were investigated at 300 K. The monotonic increase of the integrated electroluminescence intensity was observed for each sample. Moreover, the electronic band structures of the DHS were discussed. Despite the indirect GeSn bandgap owing to the compressive strain, type-I band alignment was achieved with the barrier heights ranging from 11 to 47 meV.

Systematic study of α preformation probability of nuclear isomeric and ground states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiao-Dong; Wu, Xi-Jun; Zheng, Bo; Xiang, Dong; Guo, Ping; Li, Xiao-Hua

2017-01-01

In this paper, based on the two-potential approach combining with the isospin dependent nuclear potential, we systematically compare the α preformation probabilities of odd-A nuclei between nuclear isomeric states and ground states. The results indicate that during the process of α particle preforming, the low lying nuclear isomeric states are similar to ground states. Meanwhile, in the framework of single nucleon energy level structure, we find that for nuclei with nucleon number below the magic numbers, the α preformation probabilities of high-spin states seem to be larger than low ones. For nuclei with nucleon number above the magic numbers, the α preformation probabilities of isomeric states are larger than those of ground states. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (11205083), Construct Program of Key Discipline in Hunan Province, Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hunan Province, China (15A159), Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, China (2015JJ3103, 2015JJ2123), Innovation Group of Nuclear and Particle Physics in USC, Hunan Provincial Innovation Foundation for Postgraduate (CX2015B398)

Effects of dietary fibre on subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Wanders, A J; van den Borne, J J G C; de Graaf, C; Hulshof, T; Jonathan, M C; Kristensen, M; Mars, M; Schols, H A; Feskens, E J M

2011-09-01

Dietary fibres are believed to reduce subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight. However, different types of dietary fibre may affect these outcomes differently. The aim of this review was to systematically investigate the available literature on the relationship between dietary fibre types, appetite, acute and long-term energy intake, and body weight. Fibres were grouped according to chemical structure and physicochemical properties (viscosity, solubility and fermentability). Effect rates were calculated as the proportion of all fibre-control comparisons that reduced appetite (n = 58 comparisons), acute energy intake (n = 26), long-term energy intake (n = 38) or body weight (n = 66). For appetite, acute energy intake, long-term energy intake and body weight, there were clear differences in effect rates depending on chemical structure. Interestingly, fibres characterized as being more viscous (e.g. pectins, β-glucans and guar gum) reduced appetite more often than those less viscous fibres (59% vs. 14%), which also applied to acute energy intake (69% vs. 30%). Overall, effects on energy intake and body weight were relatively small, and distinct dose-response relationships were not observed. Short- and long-term effects of dietary fibres appear to differ and multiple mechanisms relating to their different physicochemical properties seem to interplay. This warrants further exploration. © 2011 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2011 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Energy and institution size

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Why do institutions grow? Despite nearly a century of scientific effort, there remains little consensus on this topic. This paper offers a new approach that focuses on energy consumption. A systematic relation exists between institution size and energy consumption per capita: as energy consumption increases, institutions become larger. I hypothesize that this relation results from the interplay between technological scale and human biological limitations. I also show how a simple stochastic model can be used to link energy consumption with firm dynamics. PMID:28178339

Sci—Fri PM: Dosimetry—05: Megavoltage electron backscatter: EGSnrc results versus 21 experiments

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

Ali, E. S. M.; The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, Ottawa; Buchenberg, W.

2014-08-15

The accuracy of electron backscatter calculations at megavoltage energies is important for many medical physics applications. In this study, EGSnrc calculations of megavoltage electron backscatter (1–22 MeV) are performed and compared to the data from 21 experiments published between 1954 and 1993 for 25 single elements with atomic numbers from 3 to 92. Typical experimental uncertainties are 15%. For EGSnrc simulations, an ideal detector is assumed, and the most accurate electron physics options are employed, for a combined statistical and systematic uncertainty of 3%. The quantities compared are the backscatter coefficient and the energy spectra (in the backward hemisphere andmore » at specific detector locations). For the backscatter coefficient, the overall agreement is within ±2% in the absolute value of the backscatter coefficient (in per cent), and within 11% of the individual backscatter values. EGSnrc results are systematically on the higher end of the spread of the experimental data, which could be partially from systematic experimental errors discussed in the literature. For the energy spectra, reasonable agreement between simulations and experiments is observed, although there are significant variations in the experimental data. At the lower end of the spectra, simulations are higher than some experimental data, which could be due to reduced experimental sensitivity to lower energy electrons and/or over-estimation by EGSnrc for backscattered secondary electrons. In conclusion, overall good agreement is observed between EGSnrc backscatter calculations and experimental measurements for megavoltage electrons. There is a need for high quality experimental data for the energy spectra of backscattered electrons.« less

Short-term intermittent energy restriction interventions for weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Harris, L; McGarty, A; Hutchison, L; Ells, L; Hankey, C

2018-01-01

This systematic review synthesized the available evidence on the effect of short-term periods of intermittent energy restriction (weekly intermittent energy restriction; ≥7-d energy restriction) in comparison with usual care (daily continuous energy restriction), in the treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. Six electronic databases were searched from inception to October 2016. Only randomized controlled trials of interventions (≥12 weeks) in adults with overweight and obesity were included. Five studies were included in this review. Weekly intermittent energy restriction periods ranged from an energy intake between 1757 and 6276 kJ/d -1 . The mean duration of the interventions was 26 (range 14 to 48) weeks. Meta-analysis demonstrated no significant difference in weight loss between weekly intermittent energy restriction and continuous energy restriction post-intervention (weighted mean difference: -1.36 [-3.23, 0.51], p = 0.15) and at follow-up (weighted mean difference: -0.82 [-3.76, 2.11], p = 0.58). Both interventions achieved comparable weight loss of >5 kg and therefore were associated with clinical benefits to health. The findings support the use of weekly intermittent energy restriction as an alternative option for the treatment of obesity. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support the long-term sustainable effects of weekly intermittent energy restriction on weight management. © 2017 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity.

Systematically convergent basis sets for transition metals. I. All-electron correlation consistent basis sets for the 3d elements Sc-Zn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balabanov, Nikolai B.; Peterson, Kirk A.

2005-08-01

Sequences of basis sets that systematically converge towards the complete basis set (CBS) limit have been developed for the first-row transition metal elements Sc-Zn. Two families of basis sets, nonrelativistic and Douglas-Kroll-Hess (-DK) relativistic, are presented that range in quality from triple-ζ to quintuple-ζ. Separate sets are developed for the description of valence (3d4s) electron correlation (cc-pVnZ and cc-pVnZ-DK; n =T,Q, 5) and valence plus outer-core (3s3p3d4s) correlation (cc-pwCVnZ and cc-pwCVnZ-DK; n =T,Q, 5), as well as these sets augmented by additional diffuse functions for the description of negative ions and weak interactions (aug-cc-pVnZ and aug-cc-pVnZ-DK). Extensive benchmark calculations at the coupled cluster level of theory are presented for atomic excitation energies, ionization potentials, and electron affinities, as well as molecular calculations on selected hydrides (TiH, MnH, CuH) and other diatomics (TiF, Cu2). In addition to observing systematic convergence towards the CBS limits, both 3s3p electron correlation and scalar relativity are calculated to strongly impact many of the atomic and molecular properties investigated for these first-row transition metal species.

A methodology and decision support tool for informing state-level bioenergy policymaking: New Jersey biofuels as a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brennan-Tonetta, Margaret

This dissertation seeks to provide key information and a decision support tool that states can use to support long-term goals of fossil fuel displacement and greenhouse gas reductions. The research yields three outcomes: (1) A methodology that allows for a comprehensive and consistent inventory and assessment of bioenergy feedstocks in terms of type, quantity, and energy potential. Development of a standardized methodology for consistent inventorying of biomass resources fosters research and business development of promising technologies that are compatible with the state's biomass resource base. (2) A unique interactive decision support tool that allows for systematic bioenergy analysis and evaluation of policy alternatives through the generation of biomass inventory and energy potential data for a wide variety of feedstocks and applicable technologies, using New Jersey as a case study. Development of a database that can assess the major components of a bioenergy system in one tool allows for easy evaluation of technology, feedstock and policy options. The methodology and decision support tool is applicable to other states and regions (with location specific modifications), thus contributing to the achievement of state and federal goals of renewable energy utilization. (3) Development of policy recommendations based on the results of the decision support tool that will help to guide New Jersey into a sustainable renewable energy future. The database developed in this research represents the first ever assessment of bioenergy potential for New Jersey. It can serve as a foundation for future research and modifications that could increase its power as a more robust policy analysis tool. As such, the current database is not able to perform analysis of tradeoffs across broad policy objectives such as economic development vs. CO2 emissions, or energy independence vs. source reduction of solid waste. Instead, it operates one level below that with comparisons of kWh or GGE generated by different feedstock/technology combinations at the state and county level. Modification of the model to incorporate factors that will enable the analysis of broader energy policy issues as those mentioned above, are recommended for future research efforts.

Range and Energy Straggling in Ion Beam Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, John W.; Tai, Hsiang

2000-01-01

A first-order approximation to the range and energy straggling of ion beams is given as a normal distribution for which the standard deviation is estimated from the fluctuations in energy loss events. The standard deviation is calculated by assuming scattering from free electrons with a long range cutoff parameter that depends on the mean excitation energy of the medium. The present formalism is derived by extrapolating Payne's formalism to low energy by systematic energy scaling and to greater depths of penetration by a second-order perturbation. Limited comparisons are made with experimental data.

Is flat fielding safe for precision CCD astronomy?

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

Baumer, Michael; Davis, Christopher P.; Roodman, Aaron

The ambitious goals of precision cosmology with wide-field optical surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) demand precision CCD astronomy as their foundation. This in turn requires an understanding of previously uncharacterized sources of systematic error in CCD sensors, many of which manifest themselves as static effective variations in pixel area. Such variation renders a critical assumption behind the traditional procedure of flat fielding—that a sensor's pixels comprise a uniform grid—invalid. In this work, we present a method to infer a curl-free model of a sensor's underlying pixel grid from flat-field images,more » incorporating the superposition of all electrostatic sensor effects—both known and unknown—present in flat-field data. We use these pixel grid models to estimate the overall impact of sensor systematics on photometry, astrometry, and PSF shape measurements in a representative sensor from the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) and a prototype LSST sensor. Applying the method to DECam data recovers known significant sensor effects for which corrections are currently being developed within DES. For an LSST prototype CCD with pixel-response non-uniformity (PRNU) of 0.4%, we find the impact of "improper" flat fielding on these observables is negligible in nominal .7'' seeing conditions. Furthermore, these errors scale linearly with the PRNU, so for future LSST production sensors, which may have larger PRNU, our method provides a way to assess whether pixel-level calibration beyond flat fielding will be required.« less

Is flat fielding safe for precision CCD astronomy?

DOE PAGES

Baumer, Michael; Davis, Christopher P.; Roodman, Aaron

2017-07-06

The ambitious goals of precision cosmology with wide-field optical surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) demand precision CCD astronomy as their foundation. This in turn requires an understanding of previously uncharacterized sources of systematic error in CCD sensors, many of which manifest themselves as static effective variations in pixel area. Such variation renders a critical assumption behind the traditional procedure of flat fielding—that a sensor's pixels comprise a uniform grid—invalid. In this work, we present a method to infer a curl-free model of a sensor's underlying pixel grid from flat-field images,more » incorporating the superposition of all electrostatic sensor effects—both known and unknown—present in flat-field data. We use these pixel grid models to estimate the overall impact of sensor systematics on photometry, astrometry, and PSF shape measurements in a representative sensor from the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) and a prototype LSST sensor. Applying the method to DECam data recovers known significant sensor effects for which corrections are currently being developed within DES. For an LSST prototype CCD with pixel-response non-uniformity (PRNU) of 0.4%, we find the impact of "improper" flat fielding on these observables is negligible in nominal .7'' seeing conditions. Furthermore, these errors scale linearly with the PRNU, so for future LSST production sensors, which may have larger PRNU, our method provides a way to assess whether pixel-level calibration beyond flat fielding will be required.« less

Spectroscopy and high-spin structure of 210Fr: Isomerism and potential evidence for configuration mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margerin, V.; Lane, G. J.; Dracoulis, G. D.; Palalani, N.; Smith, M. L.; Stuchbery, A. E.

2016-06-01

The structure of 210Fr has been established up to an excitation energy of ˜5.5 MeV and spins of ˜25 ℏ , via time-correlated γ -ray spectroscopy and using the 197Au(18O,5 n )210Fr reaction with pulsed beams at an energy of 97 MeV. A significantly different level scheme has been obtained compared to previous publications. Several isomers are reported here, including a Jπ=(23) +,τ =686 (9 ) -ns state at 4417 keV and a 10-, 29.8(11)-ns state at 1113 keV. The former isomer has been associated with the π (h9/2 3i13/2 2) ν (p1/2 -2f5/2 -1) configuration and decays via proposed E 3 transitions with strengths of 8.4(3) and 21.2(8) W.u. There are only very few known cases of a high-spin isomer decaying via two parallel E 3 transitions. Indeed, this is not seen in other Fr nuclei, and consequently these strengths differ from related decays in the neighboring isotopes. However, by examining the systematics of E 3 transitions in trans-lead nuclei, we suggest that the weaker of the two transitions decays to a mixed 20- state. Systematics of the 10- isomer are also discussed. Comparisons are made between the observed spectrum of states and those predicted from semiempirical shell-model calculations.

High-efficiency Resonant rf Spin Rotator with Broad Phase Space Acceptance for Pulsed Polarized Cold Neutron Beams

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

Seo, P. -N.; Barron-Palos, L.; Bowman, J. D.

2008-01-01

High precision fundamental neutron physics experiments have been proposed for the intense pulsed spallation neutron beams at JSNS, LANSCE, and SNS to test the standard model and search for new physics. Certain systematic effects in some of these experiments have to be controlled at the few ppb level. The NPD Gamma experiment, a search for the small parity-violating {gamma}-ray asymmetry A{sub Y} in polarized cold neutron capture on parahydrogen, is one example. For the NPD Gamma experiment we developed a radio-frequency resonant spin rotator to reverse the neutron polarization in a 9.5 cm x 9.5 cm pulsed cold neutron beammore » with high efficiency over a broad cold neutron energy range. The effect of the spin reversal by the rotator on the neutron beam phase space is compared qualitatively to rf neutron spin flippers based on adiabatic fast passage. We discuss the design of the spin rotator and describe two types of transmission-based neutron spin-flip efficiency measurements where the neutron beam was both polarized and analyzed by optically polarized {sup 3}He neutron spin filters. The efficiency of the spin rotator was measured at LANSCE to be 98.8 {+-} 0.5% for neutron energies from 3 to 20 meV over the full phase space of the beam. Systematic effects that the rf spin rotator introduces to the NPD Gamma experiment are considered.« less

Sequence stratigraphy of the Monterey Formation, Santa Barbara County: Integration of physical, chemical, and biofacies data from outcrop and subsurface

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

Bohacs, K.M.

1990-05-01

Deep basinal rocks of the Monterey Formation can be allocated to different depositional environments based on an integration of bedding, facies stacking patterns, lithology, biofacies, and inorganic and organic chemistry. These rocks show evidence of systematic changes in depositional environments that can be related to eustatic sea level change and basin evolution. Even deep-basinal environments are affected by changing sea level through changes in circulation patterns and intensities nutrient budgets and dispersal patterns, and location and intensity of the oceanic oxygen minimum. The sequence-stratigraphic framework was constructed based on the physical expression of the outcrop strata and confirmed by typingmore » the outcrop sections to an integrated well-log/seismic grid through outcrop gamma-ray-spectral profiles. Interpretation of a sequence boundary was based on increased proportions of hemipelagic facies, evidence of increased bottom-energy levels above the boundary, and local erosion and relief on the surface. The proportion of shallower water and reworked dinoflagellates increased to a local maximum above the boundary, Downlap surfaces exhibited increased proportions of pelagic facies around the surface, evidence of decreased bottom-energy levels and terrigenous sedimentation rates, and little or no significant erosion on the surface. The proportion of deeper water dinoflagellates increased to a local maximum at or near the downlap surface; there was no evidence of reworked individuals. The detailed sequence-stratigraphic framework makes it possible to the rock properties to genetic processes for construction of predictive models.« less

Multifunctional Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Conjugated Polymers with Perylene Bisimide Side Chains.

PubMed

Li, Cheng; Yu, Changshi; Lai, Wenbin; Liang, Shijie; Jiang, Xudong; Feng, Guitao; Zhang, Jianqi; Xu, Yunhua; Li, Weiwei

2017-11-24

Two conjugated polymers based on diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) in the main chain with different content of perylene bisimide (PBI) side chains are developed. The influence of PBI side chain on the photovoltaic performance of these DPP-based conjugated polymers is systematically investigated. This study suggests that the PBI side chains can not only alter the absorption spectrum and energy level but also enhance the crystallinity of conjugated polymers. As a result, such polymers can act as electron donor, electron acceptor, and single-component active layer in organic solar cells. These findings provide a new guideline for the future molecular design of multifunctional conjugated polymers. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Semiempirical studies of atomic structure. Progress report, 1 July 1984-1 January 1985

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

Curtis, L.J.

1985-01-01

Through the acquisition and systematization of empirical data, remarkably precise methods for predicting excitation energies, transition wavelengths, transition probabilities, level lifetimes, ionization potentials, core polarizabilities, and core penetrabilities have been and are being developed and applied. Although the data base for heavy, highly ionized atoms is still sparse, much new information has become available since this program was begun in 1980. The purpose of the project is to perform needed measurements and to utilize the available data through parametrized extrapolations and interpolations along isoelectronic, homologous, and Rydberg sequences to provide predictions for large classes of quantities with a precision thatmore » is sharpened by subsequent measurements.« less

Optimal atomic structure of amorphous silicon obtained from density functional theory calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedersen, Andreas; Pizzagalli, Laurent; Jónsson, Hannes

2017-06-01

Atomic structure of amorphous silicon consistent with several reported experimental measurements has been obtained from annealing simulations using electron density functional theory calculations and a systematic removal of weakly bound atoms. The excess energy and density with respect to the crystal are well reproduced in addition to radial distribution function, angular distribution functions, and vibrational density of states. No atom in the optimal configuration is locally in a crystalline environment as deduced by ring analysis and common neighbor analysis, but coordination defects are present at a level of 1%-2%. The simulated samples provide structural models of this archetypal disordered covalent material without preconceived notion of the atomic ordering or fitting to experimental data.

The effect of infrapatellar fat pad resection on outcomes post-total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review.

PubMed

White, L; Holyoak, R; Sant, J; Hartnell, N; Mullan, J

2016-05-01

The infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) is resected in approximately 88 % of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgeries. The aim of this review is to investigate the impact of the IPFP resection on clinical outcomes post-TKA. A systematic search of five major databases for all relevant articles published until May, 2015 was conducted. Studies comparing the effect of IPFP resection and preservation on outcomes post-TKA were included. Each study was then assessed individually for level of evidence and risk of bias. Studies were then grouped into post-operative outcomes and given a level of evidence ranking based on the collective strength of evidence. The systematic review identified ten studies suitable for inclusion, with a total of 10,163 patients. Within these ten studies, six post-operative outcomes were identified; knee pain, vascularisation of the patella, range of motion (ROM), patella tendon length/patella infera, wound complications and patient satisfaction. Moderate evidence increased knee pain with IPFP resection post-TKA was found. Conflicting evidence was found for patella vascularisation and patellar tendon length post-TKA. Moderate evidence for no difference in ROM was found. One low quality study was found for wound complications and patient satisfaction. This systematic review is limited by the lack of level one randomised controlled trials (RCTs). There is however moderate level evidence that IPFP resection increases post-operative knee pain. Further level one RCTs are required to produce evidence-based guidelines regarding IPFP resection. Systematic Review Level of Evidence: 3.

Intergenerational Energy Balance Interventions: A Systematic Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Mark; Studts, Christina R.; Bardach, Shoshana H.; Bersamin, Andrea; Schoenberg, Nancy E.

2011-01-01

Many nations have witnessed a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity and overweight across their population. Recognizing the influence of the household environment on energy balance has led many researchers to suggest that intergenerational interventions hold promise for addressing this epidemic. Yet few comprehensive reviews of…

10 CFR 7.14 - Public information on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Public information on advisory committees. 7.14 Section 7.14 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 7.14 Public information on advisory committees. (a) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall maintain systematic information on the nature...

10 CFR 7.14 - Public information on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Public information on advisory committees. 7.14 Section 7.14 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 7.14 Public information on advisory committees. (a) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall maintain systematic information on the nature...

10 CFR 7.14 - Public information on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Public information on advisory committees. 7.14 Section 7.14 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 7.14 Public information on advisory committees. (a) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall maintain systematic information on the nature...

10 CFR 7.14 - Public information on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Public information on advisory committees. 7.14 Section 7.14 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 7.14 Public information on advisory committees. (a) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall maintain systematic information on the nature...

10 CFR 7.14 - Public information on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Public information on advisory committees. 7.14 Section 7.14 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEES § 7.14 Public information on advisory committees. (a) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall maintain systematic information on the nature...

Gender differences in the impact of population-level alcohol policy interventions: evidence synthesis of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Niamh; Angus, Kathryn; Emslie, Carol; Shipton, Deborah; Bauld, Linda

2016-10-01

Consistent review-level evidence supports the effectiveness of population-level alcohol policies in reducing alcohol-related harms. Such policies interact with well-established social, cultural and biological differences in how men and women perceive, relate to and use alcohol, and with wider inequalities, in ways which may give rise to gender differences in policy effectiveness. This paper aimed to examine the extent to which gender-specific data and analyses were considered in, and are available from, systematic reviews of population-level alcohol policy interventions, and where possible, to conduct a narrative synthesis of relevant data. A prior systematic 'review of reviews' of population level alcohol interventions 2002-2012 was updated to May 2014, all gender-relevant data extracted, and the level and quality of gender reporting assessed. A narrative synthesis of extracted findings was conducted. Sixty-three systematic reviews, covering ten policy areas, were included. Five reviews (8%) consistently provided information on baseline participation by gender for each individual study in the review and twenty-nine (46%) reported some gender-specific information on the impact of the policies under consideration. Specific findings include evidence of possible gender differences in the impact of and exposure to alcohol marketing, and a failure to consider potential unintended consequences and harm to others in most reviews. Gender is poorly reported in systematic reviews of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm, hindering assessment of the intended and unintended effects of such policies on women and men. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Comparative analysis of the Corynebacterium glutamicum transcriptome in response to changes in dissolved oxygen levels.

PubMed

Liu, Xiuxia; Yang, Sun; Wang, Fen; Dai, Xiaofeng; Yang, Yankun; Bai, Zhonghu

2017-02-01

The dissolved oxygen (DO) level of a culture of Corynebacterium glutamicum (C. glutamicum) in a bioreactor has a significant impact on the cellular redox potential and the distribution of energy and metabolites. In this study, to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of DO on the metabolism of C. glutamicum, we sought to systematically explore the influence of different DO concentrations on genetic regulation and metabolism through transcriptomic analysis. The results revealed that after 20 h of fermentation, oxygen limitation enhanced the glucose metabolism, pyruvate metabolism and carbon overflow, and restricted NAD + availability. A high oxygen supply enhanced the TCA cycle and reduced glyoxylate metabolism. Several key genes involved in response of C. glutamicum to different oxygen concentrations were examined, which provided suggestions for target site modifications in developing optimized oxygen supply strategies. These data provided new insights into the relationship between oxygen supply and metabolism of C. glutamicum.

Density-of-state oscillation of quasiparticle excitation in the spin density wave phase of (TMTSF)2ClO4.

PubMed

Uji, S; Kimata, M; Moriyama, S; Yamada, J; Graf, D; Brooks, J S

2010-12-31

Systematic measurements of the magnetocaloric effect, heat capacity, and magnetic torque under a high magnetic field up to 35 T are performed in the spin density wave (SDW) phase of a quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor (TMTSF)2ClO4. In the SDW phase above 26 T, where the quantum Hall effect is broken, rapid oscillations (ROs) in these thermodynamic quantities are observed, which provides clear evidence of the density-of-state (DOS) oscillation near the Fermi level. The resistance is semiconducting and the heat capacity divided by temperature is extrapolated to zero at 0 K in the SDW phase, showing that all the energy bands are gapped, and there is no DOS at the Fermi level. The results show that the ROs are ascribed to the DOS oscillation of the quasiparticle excitation.

Level density and mechanism of deuteron-induced reactions on Fe 54 , 56 , 58

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

Ramirez, A. P. D.; Voinov, A. V.; Grimes, S. M.

Here, deuteron elastic cross sections, as well as neutron, proton, and α-particle emission spectra, from d+ 54,56,58Fe reactions have been measured with deuteron beam energies of 5, 7, and 9 MeV. Optical model parameters have been tested against our experimental data. The fraction of total reaction cross section responsible for the formation of compound nuclei has been deduced from the angular distributions. The degree of discrepancy between calculated and experimental compound cross sections was found to increase with increasing neutron number. The nuclear level densities of the residual nuclei 55Co, 57Co, 55Fe, 57Fe, 52Mn, and 54Mn have been deduced frommore » the compound double differential cross sections. The Gilbert-Cameron model with Iljinov parameter systematics [A. S. Iljinov and M. V. Mebel, Nucl. Phys. A 543, 517 (1992)] was found to have a good agreement with our results.« less

Plans for a sensitivity analysis of bridge-scour computations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunn, David D.; Smith, Peter N.

1993-01-01

Plans for an analysis of the sensitivity of Level 2 bridge-scour computations are described. Cross-section data from 15 bridge sites in Texas are modified to reflect four levels of field effort ranging from no field surveys to complete surveys. Data from United States Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps will be used to supplement incomplete field surveys. The cross sections are used to compute the water-surface profile through each bridge for several T-year recurrence-interval design discharges. The effect of determining the downstream energy grade-line slope from topographic maps is investigated by systematically varying the starting slope of each profile. The water-surface profile analyses are then used to compute potential scour resulting from each of the design discharges. The planned results will be presented in the form of exceedance-probability versus scour-depth plots with the maximum and minimum scour depths at each T-year discharge presented as error bars.

Photovoltaic array: Power conditioner interface characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, C. C.; Hill, G. M.; Ross, R. G., Jr.

1982-01-01

The electrical output (power, current, and voltage) of flat plate solar arrays changes constantly, due primarily to changes in cell temperature and irradiance level. As a result, array loads such as dc-to-ac power conditioners must be capable of accommodating widely varying input levels while maintaining operation at or near the maximum power point of the array. The array operating characteristics and extreme output limits necessary for the systematic design of array load interfaces under a wide variety of climatic conditions are studied. A number of interface parameters are examined, including optimum operating voltage, voltage energy, maximum power and current limits, and maximum open circuit voltage. The effect of array degradation and I-V curve fill factor or the array power conditioner interface is also discussed. Results are presented as normalized ratios of power conditioner parameters to array parameters, making the results universally applicable to a wide variety of system sizes, sites, and operating modes.

Level density and mechanism of deuteron-induced reactions on Fe 54 , 56 , 58

DOE PAGES

Ramirez, A. P. D.; Voinov, A. V.; Grimes, S. M.; ...

2015-07-06

Here, deuteron elastic cross sections, as well as neutron, proton, and α-particle emission spectra, from d+ 54,56,58Fe reactions have been measured with deuteron beam energies of 5, 7, and 9 MeV. Optical model parameters have been tested against our experimental data. The fraction of total reaction cross section responsible for the formation of compound nuclei has been deduced from the angular distributions. The degree of discrepancy between calculated and experimental compound cross sections was found to increase with increasing neutron number. The nuclear level densities of the residual nuclei 55Co, 57Co, 55Fe, 57Fe, 52Mn, and 54Mn have been deduced frommore » the compound double differential cross sections. The Gilbert-Cameron model with Iljinov parameter systematics [A. S. Iljinov and M. V. Mebel, Nucl. Phys. A 543, 517 (1992)] was found to have a good agreement with our results.« less

Orientation independence of heterojunction-band offsets at GaAs-AlAs heterointerfaces characterized by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirakawa, K.; Hashimoto, Y.; Ikoma, T.

1990-12-01

We systematically studied the orientation and the growth sequence dependence of the valence-band offset ΔEv at the lattice-matched common anion GaAs-AlAs interfaces. High quality GaAs-AlAs heterojunctions were carefully grown on GaAs substrates with three major orientations, namely, (100), (110), and (111)B. The core level energy distance ΔECL between Ga 3d and Al 2p levels was measured by in situ x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. ΔECL is found to be independent of the substrate orientation and the growth sequence, which clearly indicates the face independence of ΔEv. This result suggests that the band lineup at lattice-matched isovalent semiconductor heterojunctions is determined by the bulk properties of the constituent materials. ΔEv is determined to be 0.44 ± 0.05 eV.

Measurement of the cosmic microwave background spectrum by the COBE FIRAS instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mather, J. C.; Cheng, E. S.; Cottingham, D. A.; Eplee, R. E., Jr.; Fixsen, D. J.; Hewagama, T.; Isaacman, R. B.; Jensen, K. A.; Meyer, S. S.; Noerdlinger, P. D.

1994-01-01

The cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) has a blackbody spectrum within 3.4 x 10(exp -8) ergs/sq cm/s/sr cm over the frequency range from 2 to 20/cm (5-0.5 mm). These measurements, derived from the Far-Infrared Absolute Spectrophotomer (FIRAS) instrument on the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite, imply stringent limits on energy release in the early universe after t approximately 1 year and redshift z approximately 3 x 10(exp 6). The deviations are less than 0.30% of the peak brightness, with an rms value of 0.01%, and the dimensionless cosmological distortion parameters are limited to the absolute value of y is less than 2.5 x 10(exp -5) and the absolute value of mu is less than 3.3 x 10(exp -4) (95% confidence level). The temperature of the CMBR is 2.726 +/- 0.010 K (95% confidence level systematic).

New insights from cluster analysis methods for RNA secondary structure prediction

PubMed Central

Rogers, Emily; Heitsch, Christine

2016-01-01

A widening gap exists between the best practices for RNA secondary structure prediction developed by computational researchers and the methods used in practice by experimentalists. Minimum free energy (MFE) predictions, although broadly used, are outperformed by methods which sample from the Boltzmann distribution and data mine the results. In particular, moving beyond the single structure prediction paradigm yields substantial gains in accuracy. Furthermore, the largest improvements in accuracy and precision come from viewing secondary structures not at the base pair level but at lower granularity/higher abstraction. This suggests that random errors affecting precision and systematic ones affecting accuracy are both reduced by this “fuzzier” view of secondary structures. Thus experimentalists who are willing to adopt a more rigorous, multilayered approach to secondary structure prediction by iterating through these levels of granularity will be much better able to capture fundamental aspects of RNA base pairing. PMID:26971529

Forecasting Optimal Solar Energy Supply in Jiangsu Province (China): A Systematic Approach Using Hybrid of Weather and Energy Forecast Models

PubMed Central

Zhao, Xiuli; Yiranbon, Ethel

2014-01-01

The idea of aggregating information is clearly recognizable in the daily lives of all entities whether as individuals or as a group, since time immemorial corporate organizations, governments, and individuals as economic agents aggregate information to formulate decisions. Energy planning represents an investment-decision problem where information needs to be aggregated from credible sources to predict both demand and supply of energy. To do this there are varying methods ranging from the use of portfolio theory to managing risk and maximizing portfolio performance under a variety of unpredictable economic outcomes. The future demand for energy and need to use solar energy in order to avoid future energy crisis in Jiangsu province in China require energy planners in the province to abandon their reliance on traditional, “least-cost,” and stand-alone technology cost estimates and instead evaluate conventional and renewable energy supply on the basis of a hybrid of optimization models in order to ensure effective and reliable supply. Our task in this research is to propose measures towards addressing optimal solar energy forecasting by employing a systematic optimization approach based on a hybrid of weather and energy forecast models. After giving an overview of the sustainable energy issues in China, we have reviewed and classified the various models that existing studies have used to predict the influences of the weather influences and the output of solar energy production units. Further, we evaluate the performance of an exemplary ensemble model which combines the forecast output of two popular statistical prediction methods using a dynamic weighting factor. PMID:24511292

Forecasting optimal solar energy supply in Jiangsu Province (China): a systematic approach using hybrid of weather and energy forecast models.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiuli; Asante Antwi, Henry; Yiranbon, Ethel

2014-01-01

The idea of aggregating information is clearly recognizable in the daily lives of all entities whether as individuals or as a group, since time immemorial corporate organizations, governments, and individuals as economic agents aggregate information to formulate decisions. Energy planning represents an investment-decision problem where information needs to be aggregated from credible sources to predict both demand and supply of energy. To do this there are varying methods ranging from the use of portfolio theory to managing risk and maximizing portfolio performance under a variety of unpredictable economic outcomes. The future demand for energy and need to use solar energy in order to avoid future energy crisis in Jiangsu province in China require energy planners in the province to abandon their reliance on traditional, "least-cost," and stand-alone technology cost estimates and instead evaluate conventional and renewable energy supply on the basis of a hybrid of optimization models in order to ensure effective and reliable supply. Our task in this research is to propose measures towards addressing optimal solar energy forecasting by employing a systematic optimization approach based on a hybrid of weather and energy forecast models. After giving an overview of the sustainable energy issues in China, we have reviewed and classified the various models that existing studies have used to predict the influences of the weather influences and the output of solar energy production units. Further, we evaluate the performance of an exemplary ensemble model which combines the forecast output of two popular statistical prediction methods using a dynamic weighting factor.

Cosmological parameter estimation from CMB and X-ray cluster after Planck

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jian-Wei; Cai, Rong-Gen; Guo, Zong-Kuan; Hu, Bin

2014-05-01

We investigate constraints on cosmological parameters in three 8-parameter models with the summed neutrino mass as a free parameter, by a joint analysis of CCCP X-ray cluster data, the newly released Planck CMB data as well as some external data sets including baryon acoustic oscillation measurements from the 6dFGS, SDSS DR7 and BOSS DR9 surveys, and Hubble Space Telescope H0 measurement. We find that the combined data strongly favor a non-zero neutrino masses at more than 3σ confidence level in these non-vanilla models. Allowing the CMB lensing amplitude AL to vary, we find AL > 1 at 3σ confidence level. For dark energy with a constant equation of state w, we obtain w < -1 at 3σ confidence level. The estimate of the matter power spectrum amplitude σ8 is discrepant with the Planck value at 2σ confidence level, which reflects some tension between X-ray cluster data and Planck data in these non-vanilla models. The tension can be alleviated by adding a 9% systematic shift in the cluster mass function.

High spin states of 141Pm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyya, Sarmishtha; Chanda, Somen; Bhattacharjee, Tumpa; Basu, Swapan Kumar; Bhowmik, R. K.; Muralithar, S.; Singh, R. P.; Ghugre, S. S.

2004-01-01

The high spin states in the N=80 odd- A141Pm nucleus have been investigated by in-beam γ-spectroscopic techniques following the reaction 133Cs( 12C, 4n) 141Pm at E=65 MeV using a modest γ detector array, consisting of seven Compton-suppressed high purity germanium detectors and a multiplicity ball of 14 bismuth germanate elements. Thirty new γ rays have been assigned to 141Pm on the basis of γ-ray singles and γγ-coincidence data. The level scheme of 141Pm has been extended upto an excitation energy of 5.2 MeV and spin {35}/{2}ℏ and 16 new levels have been proposed. Spin-parity assignments for most of the newly proposed levels have been made on the basis of the deduced directional correlation orientation ratios for strong transitions. The meanlives of a few excited states have been determined from the pulsed beam- γγ coincidence data using the generalised centroid-shift method. The level structure is discussed in the light of known systematics of neighbouring N=80 isotonic nuclei.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Weak Lensing Mass Calibration of redMaPPer Galaxy Clusters

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

McClintock, T.; et al.

We constrain the mass--richness scaling relation of redMaPPer galaxy clusters identified in the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 data using weak gravitational lensing. We split clusters intomore » $$4\\times3$$ bins of richness $$\\lambda$$ and redshift $z$ for $$\\lambda\\geq20$$ and $$0.2 \\leq z \\leq 0.65$$ and measure the mean masses of these bins using their stacked weak lensing signal. By modeling the scaling relation as $$\\langle M_{\\rm 200m}|\\lambda,z\\rangle = M_0 (\\lambda/40)^F ((1+z)/1.35)^G$$, we constrain the normalization of the scaling relation at the 5.0 per cent level as $$M_0 = [3.081 \\pm 0.075 ({\\rm stat}) \\pm 0.133 ({\\rm sys})] \\cdot 10^{14}\\ {\\rm M}_\\odot$$ at $$\\lambda=40$$ and $z=0.35$. The richness scaling index is constrained to be $$F=1.356 \\pm 0.051\\ ({\\rm stat})\\pm 0.008\\ ({\\rm sys})$$ and the redshift scaling index $$G=-0.30\\pm 0.30\\ ({\\rm stat})\\pm 0.06\\ ({\\rm sys})$$. These are the tightest measurements of the normalization and richness scaling index made to date. We use a semi-analytic covariance matrix to characterize the statistical errors in the recovered weak lensing profiles. Our analysis accounts for the following sources of systematic error: shear and photometric redshift errors, cluster miscentering, cluster member dilution of the source sample, systematic uncertainties in the modeling of the halo--mass correlation function, halo triaxiality, and projection effects. We discuss prospects for reducing this systematic error budget, which dominates the uncertainty on $$M_0$$. Our result is in excellent agreement with, but has significantly smaller uncertainties than, previous measurements in the literature, and augurs well for the power of the DES cluster survey as a tool for precision cosmology and upcoming galaxy surveys such as LSST, Euclid and WFIRST.« less

Effects of systematic nursing instruction on a low-phosphorus diet, serum phosphorus level and pruritus of patients on haemodialysis.

PubMed

Cheng, Ting-Yin; Tarng, Der-Cherng; Liao, Yuan-Mei; Lin, Pi-Chu

2017-02-01

To investigate the effectiveness of systematic nursing instruction on a low-phosphorus diet, serum phosphorus level and pruritus of haemodialysis patients. A high number of end-stage renal disease patients on haemodialysis are bothered by pruritus. Hyperphosphataemia was reported to be related to pruritus. An experimental design was applied. Ninety-four patients who received haemodialysis between September 2013 and December 2013 at a medical centre in Taipei, Taiwan, were recruited. An experimental group received individual systematic nursing instruction by the investigator through a nursing instruction pamphlet and reminder card for taking medication. A control group received traditional nursing instruction. The pruritus, blood phosphorus level and five-day diet records were evaluated before and after intervention. The experimental group had a low-phosphorus diet intake compared with the control group (p < 0·001). A significant difference in serum phosphorus level was observed between the experimental and control groups (p = 0·002). Incidence of pruritus was lower in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0·001). A systematic nursing instruction included using a pamphlet, pictures and reminder cards, the patients' blood phosphorus levels decreased, the patients consumed more low-phosphorus food, and pruritus decreased. This study recommends that clinical nursing staff include systematic nursing instruction as a routine practice for dialysis patients. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A theoretical study of hydrogen complexes of the XH-pi type between propyne and HF, HCL or HCN.

PubMed

Tavares, Alessandra M; da Silva, Washington L V; Lopes, Kelson C; Ventura, Elizete; Araújo, Regiane C M U; do Monte, Silmar A; da Silva, João Bosco P; Ramos, Mozart N

2006-05-15

The present manuscript reports a systematic investigation of the basis set dependence of some properties of hydrogen-bonded (pi type) complexes formed by propyne and a HX molecule, where X=F, Cl and CN. The calculations have been performed at Hartree-Fock, MP2 and B3LYP levels. Geometries, H-bond energies and vibrational have been considered. The more pronounced effects on the structural parameters of the isolated molecules, as a result of complexation, are verified on RCtriple bondC and HX bond lengths. As compared to double-zeta (6-31G**), triple-zeta (6-311G**) basis set leads to an increase of RCtriple bondC bond distance, at all three computational levels. In the case where diffuse functions are added to both hydrogen and 'heavy' atoms, the effect is more pronounced. The propyne-HX structural parameters are quite similar to the corresponding parameters of acetylene-HX complexes, at all levels. The largest difference is obtained for hydrogen bond distance, RH, with a smaller value for propyne-HX complex, indicating a stronger bond. Concerning the electronic properties, the results yield the following ordering for H-bond energies, DeltaE: propynecdots, three dots, centeredHF>propynecdots, three dots, centeredHCl>propynecdots, three dots, centeredHCN. It is also important to point out that the inclusion of BSSE and zero-point energies (ZPE) corrections cause significant changes on DeltaE. The smaller effect of ZPE is obtained for propynecdots, three dots, centeredHCN at HF/6-311++G** level, while the greatest difference is obtained at MP2/6-31G** level for propynecdots, three dots, centeredHF system. Concerning the IR vibrational it was obtained that larger shift can be associated with stronger hydrogen bonds. The more pronounced effect on the normal modes of the isolated molecule after the complexation is obtained for HX stretching frequency, which is shifted downward.

A theoretical study of hydrogen complexes of the X sbnd H-π type between propyne and HF, HCL or HCN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavares, Alessandra M.; da Silva, Washington L. V.; Lopes, Kelson C.; Ventura, Elizete; Araújo, Regiane C. M. U.; do Monte, Silmar A.; da Silva, João Bosco P.; Ramos, Mozart N.

2006-05-01

The present manuscript reports a systematic investigation of the basis set dependence of some properties of hydrogen-bonded (π type) complexes formed by propyne and a HX molecule, where X = F, Cl and CN. The calculations have been performed at Hartree-Fock, MP2 and B3LYP levels. Geometries, H-bond energies and vibrational have been considered. The more pronounced effects on the structural parameters of the isolated molecules, as a result of complexation, are verified on RC tbnd C and HX bond lengths. As compared to double-ζ (6-31G **), triple-ζ (6-311G **) basis set leads to an increase of RC tbnd C bond distance, at all three computational levels. In the case where diffuse functions are added to both hydrogen and 'heavy' atoms, the effect is more pronounced. The propyne-HX structural parameters are quite similar to the corresponding parameters of acetylene-HX complexes, at all levels. The largest difference is obtained for hydrogen bond distance, RH, with a smaller value for propyne-HX complex, indicating a stronger bond. Concerning the electronic properties, the results yield the following ordering for H-bond energies, Δ E: propyne⋯HF > propyne⋯HCl > propyne⋯HCN. It is also important to point out that the inclusion of BSSE and zero-point energies (ZPE) corrections cause significant changes on Δ E. The smaller effect of ZPE is obtained for propyne⋯HCN at HF/6-311++G ** level, while the greatest difference is obtained at MP2/6-31G ** level for propyne⋯HF system. Concerning the IR vibrational it was obtained that larger shift can be associated with stronger hydrogen bonds. The more pronounced effect on the normal modes of the isolated molecule after the complexation is obtained for H sbnd X stretching frequency, which is shifted downward.

Determination of Carrier Polarity in Fowler-Nordheim Tunneling and Evidence of Fermi Level Pinning at the Hexagonal Boron Nitride/Metal Interface.

PubMed

Hattori, Yoshiaki; Taniguchi, Takashi; Watanabe, Kenji; Nagashio, Kosuke

2018-04-11

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is an important insulating substrate for two-dimensional (2D) heterostructure devices and possesses high dielectric strength comparable to SiO 2 . Here, we report two clear differences in their physical properties. The first one is the occurrence of Fermi level pinning at the metal/h-BN interface, unlike that at the metal/SiO 2 interface. The second one is that the carrier of Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling through h-BN is a hole, which is opposite to an electron in the case of SiO 2 . These unique characteristics are verified by I- V measurements in the graphene/h-BN/metal heterostructure device with the aid of a numerical simulation, where the barrier height of graphene can be modulated by a back gate voltage owing to its low density of states. Furthermore, from a systematic investigation using a variety of metals, it is confirmed that the hole F-N tunneling current is a general characteristic because the Fermi levels of metals are pinned in the small energy range around ∼3.5 eV from the top of the conduction band of h-BN, with a pinning factor of 0.30. The accurate energy band alignment at the h-BN/metal interface provides practical knowledge for 2D heterostructure devices.

Monitoring the levels of important nutrients in the food supply.

PubMed

Neal, B; Sacks, G; Swinburn, B; Vandevijvere, S; Dunford, E; Snowdon, W; Webster, J; Barquera, S; Friel, S; Hawkes, C; Kelly, B; Kumanyika, S; L'Abbé, M; Lee, A; Lobstein, T; Ma, J; Macmullan, J; Mohan, S; Monteiro, C; Rayner, M; Sanders, D; Walker, C

2013-10-01

A food supply that delivers energy-dense products with high levels of salt, saturated fats and trans fats, in large portion sizes, is a major cause of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The highly processed foods produced by large food corporations are primary drivers of increases in consumption of these adverse nutrients. The objective of this paper is to present an approach to monitoring food composition that can both document the extent of the problem and underpin novel actions to address it. The monitoring approach seeks to systematically collect information on high-level contextual factors influencing food composition and assess the energy density, salt, saturated fat, trans fats and portion sizes of highly processed foods for sale in retail outlets (with a focus on supermarkets and quick-service restaurants). Regular surveys of food composition are proposed across geographies and over time using a pragmatic, standardized methodology. Surveys have already been undertaken in several high- and middle-income countries, and the trends have been valuable in informing policy approaches. The purpose of collecting data is not to exhaustively document the composition of all foods in the food supply in each country, but rather to provide information to support governments, industry and communities to develop and enact strategies to curb food-related NCDs. © 2013 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Relationship of salivary and plasma cortisol levels in preterm infants: results of a prospective observational study and systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Maas, Christoph; Ringwald, Christine; Weber, Karin; Engel, Corinna; Poets, Christian F; Binder, Gerhard; Bassler, Dirk

2014-01-01

(1) To investigate the relationship of salivary and plasma cortisol levels in preterm infants with a focus on the usability of salivary cortisol in diagnostic work-up of infants at risk of adrenal insufficiency. (2) To perform a systematic review addressing this question. Clinical study: We conducted a prospective observational single-center study in preterm infants. We analyzed plasma and saliva cortisol concentrations by enzyme immunoassay. Correlation analysis was used to determine the relation between salivary and plasma cortisol levels and the agreement of the measurement methods was analyzed according to Bland-Altman. Systematic review: A systematic literature search (PubMed and Embase) on the relationship of salivary and plasma cortisol levels in neonates was performed in November 2012. Clinical study: We enrolled 58 preterm infants (median (interquartile range) gestational age at birth was 31.4 (28.1-32.7) weeks, birth weight 1,340 (974-1,745) g, respectively). Correlation analyses revealed a relationship of plasma cortisol and salivary cortisol levels. Rank correlation coefficient was 0.6. Estimating plasma cortisol levels based on measured salivary cortisol levels showed poor agreement of the two methods for determining plasma cortisol levels (direct and via salivary cortisol). Sensitivity and specificity of salivary cortisol for the detection of adrenal insufficiency were 0.66 and 0.62, respectively. Systematic review: Six studies in preterm infants and term neonates depicting the correlation of salivary and plasma cortisol were identified with a range of saliva-plasma correlation coefficients from 0.44 to 0.83. Substitution of plasma cortisol by salivary cortisol determination cannot be recommended in preterm infants because of unsatisfactory agreement between methods.

The Nab Spectrometer, Precision Field Mapping, and Associated Systematic Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fry, Jason; Nab Collaboration

2017-09-01

The Nab experiment will make precision measurements of a, the e- ν correlation parameter, and b, the Fierz interference term, in neutron beta decay, aiming to deliver an independent determination of the ratio λ =GA /GV to sensitively test CKM unitarity. Nab utilizes a novel, long asymmetric spectrometer to measure the proton TOF and electron energy. We extract a from the slope of the measured TOF distribution for different electron energies. A reliable relation of the measured proton TOF to a requires detailed knowledge of the effective proton pathlength, which in turn imposes further requirements on the precision of the magnetic fields in the Nab spectrometer. The Nab spectrometer, magnetometry, and associated systematics will be discussed.

Measurements of Radiative Capture Cross Sections at Big Bang Energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Masaomi; Fukuda, Mitsunori; Tanaka, Yutaro; Du, Hang; Ohnishi, Kousuke; Yagi, Shoichi; Sugihara, Takanobu; Hori, Taichi; Nakamura, Shoken; Yanagihara, Rikuto; Matsuta, Kensaku; Mihara, Mototsugu; Nishimura, Daiki; Iwakiri, Shuichi; Kambayashi, Shohei; Kunimatsu, Shota; Sakakibara, Hikaru; Yamaoka, Shintaro

We measured d(p, γ )3He cross sections at ECM = 0.12, 0.19, 0.44, and 0.57 MeV. In this energy region, available experimental values are systematically smaller than the recent calculation, so that additional experiments are desired for understanding the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. The experiment was performed by bombarding proton beams to the D2 gas target with the 5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator at Osaka University. The experimental d(p, γ )3He cross sections of the present study are systematically larger than previous data. On the other hand, recent theoretical results by Marcucci et al. are in good agreement with present experimental results.

The simultaneous mass and energy evaporation (SM2E) model.

PubMed

Choudhary, Rehan; Klauda, Jeffery B

2016-01-01

In this article, the Simultaneous Mass and Energy Evaporation (SM2E) model is presented. The SM2E model is based on theoretical models for mass and energy transfer. The theoretical models systematically under or over predicted at various flow conditions: laminar, transition, and turbulent. These models were harmonized with experimental measurements to eliminate systematic under or over predictions; a total of 113 measured evaporation rates were used. The SM2E model can be used to estimate evaporation rates for pure liquids as well as liquid mixtures at laminar, transition, and turbulent flow conditions. However, due to limited availability of evaporation data, the model has so far only been tested against data for pure liquids and binary mixtures. The model can take evaporative cooling into account and when the temperature of the evaporating liquid or liquid mixture is known (e.g., isothermal evaporation), the SM2E model reduces to a mass transfer-only model.

Ab initio study of structural and mechanical property of solid molecular hydrogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Yingting; Yang, Li; Yang, Tianle; Nie, Jinlan; Peng, Shuming; Long, Xinggui; Zu, Xiaotao; Du, Jincheng

2015-06-01

Ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) were performed to investigate the structural and the elastic properties of solid molecular hydrogens (H2). The influence of molecular axes of H2 on structural relative stabilities of hexagonal close-packed (hcp) and face-centered cubic (fcc) structured hydrogen molecular crystals were systematically investigated. Our results indicate that for hcp structures, disordered hydrogen molecule structure is more stable, while for fcc structures, Pa3 hydrogen molecular crystal is most stable. The cohesive energy of fcc H2 crystal was found to be lower than hcp. The mechanical properties of fcc and hcp hydrogen molecular crystals were obtained, with results consistent with previous theoretical calculations. In addition, the effects of zero point energy (ZPE) and van der Waals (vdW) correction on the cohesive energy and the stability of hydrogen molecular crystals were systematically studied and discussed.

Systematic Effect for an Ultralong Cycle Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

PubMed

Wu, Feng; Ye, Yusheng; Chen, Renjie; Qian, Ji; Zhao, Teng; Li, Li; Li, Wenhui

2015-11-11

Rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are attractive candidates for energy storage devices because they have five times the theoretical energy storage of state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. The main problems plaguing Li-S batteries are poor cycle life and limited rate capability, caused by the insulating nature of S and the shuttle effect associated with the dissolution of intermediate lithium polysulfides. Here, we report the use of biocell-inspired polydopamine (PD) as a coating agent on both the cathode and separator to address these problems (the "systematic effects"). The PD-modified cathode and separator play key roles in facilitating ion diffusion and keeping the cathode structure stable, leading to uniform lithium deposition and a solid electrolyte interphase. As a result, an ultralong cycle performance of more than 3000 cycles, with a capacity fade of only 0.018% per cycle, was achieved at 2 C. It is believed that the systematic modification of the cathode and separator for Li-S batteries is a new strategy for practical applications.

Power politics: National energy strategies of the nuclear newly independent states of Armenia, Lithuania and Ukraine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabonis-Chafee, Theresa Marie

The successor states of Armenia, Lithuania and Ukraine arrived at independence facing extraordinary challenges in their energy sectors. Each state was a net importer, heavily dependent on cheap energy supplies, mostly from Russia. Each state also inherited a nuclear power complex over which it had not previously exercised full control. In the time period 1991--1996, each state attempted to impose coherence on the energy sector, selecting a new course for the pieces it had inherited from a much larger, highly integrated energy structure. Each state attempted to craft national energy policies in the midst of severe supply shocks and price shocks. Each state developed institutions to govern its nuclear power sector. The states' challenges were made even greater by the fact that they had few political or economic structures necessary for energy management, and sought to create those structures at the same time. This dissertation is a systematic, non-quantitative examination of how each state's energy policies developed during the 1991--1996 time period. The theoretical premise of the analysis (drawn from Statist realism) is that systemic variables---regional climate and energy vulnerability---provide the best explanations for the resulting energy policy decisions. The dependent variable is defined as creation and reform of energy institutions. The independent variables include domestic climate, regional climate, energy vulnerability and transnational assistance. All three states adopted rhetoric and legislation declaring energy a strategic sector. The evidence suggests that two of the states, Armenia and Lithuania, which faced tense regional climates and high levels of energy vulnerability, succeeded in actually treating energy strategically, approaching energy as a matter of national security or "high politics." The third state, Ukraine, failed to do so. The evidence presented suggests that the systemic variables (regional climate and energy vulnerability) provided a more favorable environment for Ukraine, one in which the state attempted reform of the sector, but not as a concerted national security issue.

Balloon measurements of cosmic ray muon spectra in the atmosphere along with those of primary protons and helium nuclei over midlatitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellotti, R.; Cafagna, F.; Circella, M.; de Marzo, C. N.; Golden, R. L.; Stochaj, S. J.; de Pascale, M. P.; Morselli, A.; Picozza, P.; Stephens, S. A.; Hof, M.; Menn, W.; Simon, M.; Mitchell, J. W.; Ormes, J. F.; Streitmatter, R. E.; Finetti, N.; Grimani, C.; Papini, P.; Piccardi, S.; Spillantini, P.; Basini, G.; Ricci, M.

1999-09-01

We report here the measurements of the energy spectra of atmospheric muons and of the parent cosmic ray primary proton and helium nuclei in a single experiment. These were carried out using the MASS superconducting spectrometer in a balloon flight experiment in 1991. The relevance of these results to the atmospheric neutrino anomaly is emphasized. In particular, this approach allows uncertainties caused by the level of solar modulation, the geomagnetic cut-off of the primaries and possible experimental systematics, to be decoupled in the comparison of calculated fluxes of muons to measured muon fluxes. The muon observations cover the momentum and depth ranges of 0.3-40 GeV/c and 5-886 g/cm2, respectively. A comparison of these results with those obtained in a previous experiment by the same collaboration using a similar apparatus allows us to search for differences due to the different experimental conditions at low energy and to check for the overall normalization between the two measurements. The proton and helium primary measurements cover the rigidity range from 3 to 100 GV, in which both the solar modulation and the geomagnetic cut-off affect the energy spectra at low energies. From the observed low-energy helium spectrum, the geomagnetic transmission function at mid-latitude has been determined.

Towards a Learning Progression of Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumann, Knut; Viering, Tobias; Boone, William J.; Fischer, Hans E.

2013-01-01

This article presents an empirical study on an initial learning progression of energy, a concept of central importance to the understanding of science. Learning progressions have been suggested as one vehicle to support the systematic and successful teaching of core science concepts. Ideally, a learning progression will provide teachers with a…

Genetic Diversity and Genome Complexity of Sugarcane

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) as a C4 plant, is one of the most efficient crops in converting solar energy into chemical energy. Sugarcane cultivar improvement programs have not yet systematically utilized the most of the genetic sources of yield potential and resistance to stresses that may exist in t...

Experimental demonstration of plasmon enhanced energy transfer rate in NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Lu, Dawei; Mao, Chenchen; Cho, Suehyun K.; Ahn, Sungmo; Park, Wounjhang

2016-01-01

Energy transfer upconversion (ETU) is known to be the most efficient frequency upconversion mechanism. Surface plasmon can further enhance the upconversion process, opening doors to many applications. However, ETU is a complex process involving competing transitions between multiple energy levels and it has been difficult to precisely determine the enhancement mechanisms. In this paper, we report a systematic study on the dynamics of the ETU process in NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanoparticles deposited on plasmonic nanograting structure. From the transient near-infrared photoluminescence under various excitation power densities, we observed faster energy transfer rates under stronger excitation conditions until it reached saturation where the highest internal upconversion efficiency was achieved. The experimental data were analyzed using the complete set of rate equations. The internal upconversion efficiency was found to be 56% and 36%, respectively, with and without the plasmonic nanograting. We also analyzed the transient green emission and found that it is determined by the infrared transition rate. To our knowledge, this is the first report of experimentally measured internal upconversion efficiency in plasmon enhanced upconversion material. Our work decouples the internal upconversion efficiency from the overall upconverted luminescence efficiency, allowing more targeted engineering for efficiency improvement. PMID:26739230

Effects of microsolvation on a SN2 reaction: indirect atomistic dynamics and weakened suppression of reactivity.

PubMed

Yang, Li; Liu, Xu; Zhang, Jiaxu; Xie, Jing

2017-04-12

Systematic studies of microsolvation in the gas phase have enriched our knowledge of solvent effects. Here, the dynamics of a prototype S N 2 reaction of a hydrated fluoride ion with methyl iodide is uncovered employing direct dynamics simulations that show strikingly distinct features from those determined for an unsolvated system. An indirect scattering is found to prevail, which occurs dominantly by forming hydrated F - (H 2 O)-HCH 2 I and F - (H 2 O)-CH 3 I pre-reaction complexes at low energies, but proceeds through their water-free counterparts at higher energies. This finding is in strong contrast to a general evolution from indirect to direct dynamics with enhancing energy for the unsolvated substitution reactions, and this discrepancy is understood by the substantial steric hindrance introduced by a water molecule. As established in experiments, solvation suppresses the reactivity, whereas we find that this depression is remarkably frustrated upon raising the energy given that collision-induced dehydration essentially diminishes the water block for reactive collisions. The present study sheds light on how solute-solvent interactions affect the underlying dynamics at a deeper atomic level, thereby promoting our understanding of the fundamental solvent effects on chemical reactions in solution.

Parity Violation in Proton-Proton Scattering at Intermediate Energies

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Yuan, V.; Frauenfelder, H.; Harper, R. W.; Bowman, J. D.; Carlini, R.; MacArthur, D. W.; Mischke, R. E.; Nagle, D. E.; Talaga, R. L.; McDonald, A. B.

1986-05-01

Results of a measurement of parity nonconservation in the anti p-p total cross sections at 800-MeV are presented. The dependence of transmission on beam properties and correction for systematic errors are discussed. The measured longitudinal asymmetry is A{sub L} = (+2.4 +- 1.1(statistical) +- 0.1(systematic)) x 10{sup -7}. A proposed experiment at 230 MeV is discussed.

Optimal surveys for weak-lensing tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amara, Adam; Réfrégier, Alexandre

2007-11-01

Weak-lensing surveys provide a powerful probe of dark energy through the measurement of the mass distribution of the local Universe. A number of ground-based and space-based surveys are being planned for this purpose. Here, we study the optimal strategy for these future surveys using the joint constraints on the equation-of-state parameter wn and its evolution wa as a figure of merit by considering power spectrum tomography. For this purpose, we first consider an `ideal' survey which is both wide and deep and exempt from systematics. We find that such a survey has great potential for dark energy studies, reaching 1σ precisions of 1 and 10 per cent on the two parameters, respectively. We then study the relative impact of various limitations by degrading this ideal survey. In particular, we consider the effect of sky coverage, survey depth, shape measurement systematics, photometric redshift systematics and uncertainties in the non-linear power spectrum predictions. We find that, for a given observing time, it is always advantageous to choose a wide rather than a deep survey geometry. We also find that the dark energy constraints from power spectrum tomography are robust to photometric redshift errors and catastrophic failures, if a spectroscopic calibration sample of 104-105 galaxies are available. The impact of these systematics is small compared to the limitations that come from potential uncertainties in the power spectrum, due to shear measurement and theoretical errors. To help the planning of future surveys, we summarize our results with comprehensive scaling relations which avoid the need for full Fisher matrix calculations.

Excited state electron affinity calculations for aluminum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussein, Adnan Yousif

2017-08-01

Excited states of negative aluminum ion are reviewed, and calculations of electron affinities of the states (3s^23p^2)^1D and (3s3p^3){^5}{S}° relative to the (3s^23p)^2P° and (3s3p^2)^4P respectively of the neutral aluminum atom are reported in the framework of nonrelativistic configuration interaction (CI) method. A priori selected CI (SCI) with truncation energy error (Bunge in J Chem Phys 125:014107, 2006) and CI by parts (Bunge and Carbó-Dorca in J Chem Phys 125:014108, 2006) are used to approximate the valence nonrelativistic energy. Systematic studies of convergence of electron affinity with respect to the CI excitation level are reported. The calculated value of the electron affinity for ^1D state is 78.675(3) meV. Detailed Calculations on the ^5S°c state reveals that is 1216.8166(3) meV below the ^4P state.

Spectroscopic and electric properties of the LiCs molecule: a coupled cluster study including higher excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sørensen, L. K.; Fleig, T.; Olsen, J.

2009-08-01

Aimed at obtaining complete and highly accurate potential energy surfaces for molecules containing heavy elements, we present a new general-order coupled cluster method which can be applied in the framework of the spin-free Dirac formalism. As an initial application we present a systematic study of electron correlation and relativistic effects on the spectroscopic and electric properties of the LiCs molecule in its electronic ground state. In particular, we closely investigate the importance of excitations higher than coupled cluster doubles, spin-free and spin-dependent relativistic effects and the correlation of outer-core electrons on the equilibrium bond length, the harmonic vibrational frequency, the dissociation energy, the dipole moment and the static electric dipole polarizability. We demonstrate that our new implementation allows for highly accurate calculations not only in the bonding region but also along the complete potential curve. The quality of our results is demonstrated by a vibrational analysis where an almost complete set of vibrational levels has been calculated accurately.

Mechanical Balance Laws for Boussinesq Models of Surface Water Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Alfatih; Kalisch, Henrik

2012-06-01

Depth-integrated long-wave models, such as the shallow-water and Boussinesq equations, are standard fare in the study of small amplitude surface waves in shallow water. While the shallow-water theory features conservation of mass, momentum and energy for smooth solutions, mechanical balance equations are not widely used in Boussinesq scaling, and it appears that the expressions for many of these quantities are not known. This work presents a systematic derivation of mass, momentum and energy densities and fluxes associated with a general family of Boussinesq systems. The derivation is based on a reconstruction of the velocity field and the pressure in the fluid column below the free surface, and the derivation of differential balance equations which are of the same asymptotic validity as the evolution equations. It is shown that all these mechanical quantities can be expressed in terms of the principal dependent variables of the Boussinesq system: the surface excursion η and the horizontal velocity w at a given level in the fluid.

Efficient photodegradation of methylthioninium chloride dye in aqueous using barium tungstate nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AlShehri, Saad M.; Ahmed, Jahangeer; Ahamad, Tansir; Almaswari, Basheer M.; Khan, Aslam

2017-08-01

BaWO4 nanoparticles were successfully used as the photocatalysts in the degradation of methylthioninium chloride (MTC) dye at different pH levels of aqueous solution. Pure phase of barium tungstate (BaWO4) nanoparticles was synthesized by modified molten salt process at 500 °C for 6 h. Structural and morphological characterizations of BaWO4 nanoparticles (average particle size of 40 nm) were studied in details using powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR, Raman, energy-dispersive, electron microscopic, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. Direct band gap energy of BaWO4 nanoparticles was found to be 3.06 eV from the UV-visible absorption spectroscopy followed by Tauc's model. Photocatalytic properties of the nanoparticles were also investigated systematically for the degradation of MTC dye solution in various mediums. BaWO4 nanoparticles claim the significant enhancement of the photocatalytic degradation of aqueous MTC dye to non-hazardous inorganic constitutes under alkaline, neutral, and acidic mediums. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Theoretical evaluation of a continues-wave Ho3+:BaY2F8 laser with mid-infrared emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rong, Kepeng; Cai, He; An, Guofei; Han, Juhong; Yu, Hang; Wang, Shunyan; Yu, Qiang; Wu, Peng; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Hongyuan; Wang, You

2018-01-01

In this paper, we build a theoretical model to study a continues-wave (CW) Ho3+:BaY2F8 laser by considering both energy transfer up-conversion (ETU) and cross relaxation (CR) processes. The influences of the pump power, reflectance of an output coupler (OC), and crystal length on the output features are systematically analyzed for an end-pumped configuration, respectively. We also investigate how the processes of ETU and CR in the energy-level system affect the output of a Ho3+:BaY2F8 laser by use of the kinetic evaluation. The simulation results show that the optical-to-optical efficiency can be promoted by adjusting the parameters such as the reflectance of an output coupler, crystal length, and pump power. It has been theoretically demonstrated that the threshold of a Ho3+:BaY2F8 laser is very high for the lasing operation in a CW mode.

Electronic structure of Fe- vs. Ru-based dye molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Phillip S.; Cook, Peter L.; Zegkinoglou, Ioannis; García-Lastra, J. M.; Rubio, Angel; Ruther, Rose E.; Hamers, Robert J.; Himpsel, F. J.

2013-01-01

In order to explore whether Ru can be replaced by inexpensive Fe in dye molecules for solar cells, the differences in the electronic structure of Fe- and Ru-based dyes are investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and first-principles calculations. Molecules with the metal in a sixfold, octahedral N cage, such as tris(bipyridines) and tris(phenanthrolines), exhibit a systematic downward shift of the N 1s-to-π* transition when Ru is replaced by Fe. This shift is explained by an extra transfer of negative charge from the metal to the N ligands in the case of Fe, which reduces the binding energy of the N 1s core level. The C 1s-to-π* transitions show the opposite trend, with an increase in the transition energy when replacing Ru by Fe. Molecules with the metal in a fourfold, planar N cage (porphyrins) exhibit a more complex behavior due to a subtle competition between the crystal field, axial ligands, and the 2+ vs. 3+ oxidation states.

Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of neutron matter with chiral three-body forces

DOE PAGES

Tews, I.; Gandolfi, Stefano; Gezerlis, A.; ...

2016-02-02

Chiral effective field theory (EFT) enables a systematic description of low-energy hadronic interactions with controlled theoretical uncertainties. For strongly interacting systems, quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods provide some of the most accurate solutions, but they require as input local potentials. We have recently constructed local chiral nucleon-nucleon (NN) interactions up to next-to-next-to-leading order (N 2LO). Chiral EFT naturally predicts consistent many-body forces. In this paper, we consider the leading chiral three-nucleon (3N) interactions in local form. These are included in auxiliary field diffusion Monte Carlo (AFDMC) simulations. We present results for the equation of state of neutron matter and formore » the energies and radii of neutron drops. Specifically, we study the regulator dependence at the Hartree-Fock level and in AFDMC and find that present local regulators lead to less repulsion from 3N forces compared to the usual nonlocal regulators.« less

50W CW output power and 12mJ pulses from a quasi-2-level Yb:YAG ceramic rod laser end-pumped at the 969nm zero-phonon line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fries, Christian; Weitz, Marco; Theobald, Christian; v. Löwis of Menar, Patric; Bartschke, Jürgen; L'huillier, Johannes A.

2015-02-01

With the advent of high power and narrow bandwidth 969 nm pump diodes, direct pumping into the upper laser level of Yb:YAG and hence quasi-2-level lasers became possible. Pumping directly into the emitting level leads to higher quantum efficiency and reduction of non-radiative decay. Consequently, thermal load, thermal lensing and risk of fracture are reduced significantly. Moreover pump saturation and thermal population of uninvolved energy-levels in ground and excited states are benefical for a homogenous distribution of the pump beam as well as the reduction of reabsorption loss compared to 3-level systems, which allows for high-power DPSS lasers. Beside continuous-wave (cw) operation, nanosecond pulses with a repetition rate between 1 and 5 kHz are an attractive alternative to flashlamp-pumped systems (10-100 Hz) in various measurement applications that require higher data acquisition rates because of new faster detectors. Based on measurements of the absorption and a detailed numerical model for pump beam distribution, including beam propagation and saturation factors, power-scaling of a ceramic rod Yb:YAG oscillator was possible. Finally a cw output power of 50 W with 33 % pump efficiency at 1030 nm has been demonstrated (M2 < 1.2). Nanosecond pulses have been produced by cavity-dumping of this system. The cavity-dumped setup allowed for 3-10 ns pulses with a pulse energy of 12.5 mJ at 1 kHz (M2 < 1.1). In order to achieve these results a systematic experimental and numerical investigation on gain dynamics and the identification of different stable operating regimes has been carried out.

Sustainable prevention of obesity through integrated strategies: The SPOTLIGHT project's conceptual framework and design.

PubMed

Lakerveld, Jeroen; Brug, Johannes; Bot, Sandra; Teixeira, Pedro J; Rutter, Harry; Woodward, Euan; Samdal, Oddrun; Stockley, Lynn; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; van Assema, Patricia; Robertson, Aileen; Lobstein, Tim; Oppert, Jean-Michel; Adány, Róza; Nijpels, Giel

2012-09-17

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Europe is high. It is a major cause of the overall rates of many of the main chronic (or non communicable) diseases in this region and is characterized by an unequal socio-economic distribution within the population. Obesity is largely determined by modifiable lifestyle behaviours such as low physical activity levels, sedentary behaviour and consumption of energy dense diets. It is increasingly being recognised that effective responses must go beyond interventions that only focus on a specific individual, social or environmental level and instead embrace system-based multi-level intervention approaches that address both the individual and environment. The EU-funded project "sustainable prevention of obesity through integrated strategies" (SPOTLIGHT) aims to increase and combine knowledge on the wide range of determinants of obesity in a systematic way, and to identify multi-level intervention approaches that are strong in terms of Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM). SPOTLIGHT comprises a series of systematic reviews on: individual-level predictors of success in behaviour change obesity interventions; social and physical environmental determinants of obesity; and on the RE-AIM of multi-level interventions. An interactive web-atlas of currently running multi-level interventions will be developed, and enhancing and impeding factors for implementation will be described. At the neighbourhood level, these elements will inform the development of methods to assess obesogenicity of diverse environments, using remote imaging techniques linked to geographic information systems. The validity of these methods will be evaluated using data from surveys of health and lifestyles of adults residing in the neighbourhoods surveyed. At both the micro- and macro-levels (national and international) the different physical, economical, political and socio-cultural elements will be assessed. SPOTLIGHT offers the potential to develop approaches that combine an understanding of the obesogenicity of environments in Europe, and thus how they can be improved, with an appreciation of the individual factors that explain why people respond differently to such environments. Its findings will inform governmental authorities and professionals, academics, NGOs and private sector stakeholders engaged in the development and implementation of policies to tackle the obesity epidemic in Europe.

As a Matter of Force—Systematic Biases in Idealized Turbulence Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grete, Philipp; O’Shea, Brian W.; Beckwith, Kris

2018-05-01

Many astrophysical systems encompass very large dynamical ranges in space and time, which are not accessible by direct numerical simulations. Thus, idealized subvolumes are often used to study small-scale effects including the dynamics of turbulence. These turbulent boxes require an artificial driving in order to mimic energy injection from large-scale processes. In this Letter, we show and quantify how the autocorrelation time of the driving and its normalization systematically change the properties of an isothermal compressible magnetohydrodynamic flow in the sub- and supersonic regime and affect astrophysical observations such as Faraday rotation. For example, we find that δ-in-time forcing with a constant energy injection leads to a steeper slope in kinetic energy spectrum and less-efficient small-scale dynamo action. In general, we show that shorter autocorrelation times require more power in the acceleration field, which results in more power in compressive modes that weaken the anticorrelation between density and magnetic field strength. Thus, derived observables, such as the line-of-sight (LOS) magnetic field from rotation measures, are systematically biased by the driving mechanism. We argue that δ-in-time forcing is unrealistic and numerically unresolved, and conclude that special care needs to be taken in interpreting observational results based on the use of idealized simulations.

Probing the kinetic energy-release dynamics of H-atom products from the gas-phase reaction of O(3P) with vinyl radical C2H3.

PubMed

Jang, Su-Chan; Choi, Jong-Ho

2014-11-21

The gas-phase radical-radical reaction dynamics of ground-state atomic oxygen O((3)P) with vinyl radicals C2H3 has been studied by combining the results of vacuum-ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy in a crossed beam configuration with ab initio calculations. The two radical reactants O((3)P) and C2H3 were produced by photolysis of NO2 and supersonic flash pyrolysis of C2H3I, respectively. Doppler profile analysis of the kinetic energy release of the nascent H-atom products from the title reaction O((3)P) + C2H3→ H((2)S) + CH2CO (ketene) revealed that the average translational energy of the products and the average fraction of the total available energy were 7.03 ± 0.30 kcal mol(-1) and 7.2%. The empirical data combined with CBS-QB3 level ab initio theory and statistical calculations demonstrated that the title oxygen-hydrogen exchange reaction is a major reaction channel, through an addition-elimination mechanism involving the formation of a short-lived, dynamical complex on the doublet potential energy surface. On the basis of systematic comparison with several exchange reactions of hydrocarbon radicals, the observed kinetic energy release can be explained in terms of the weak impulse at the moment of decomposition in the loose transition state with a product-like geometry and a small reverse barrier along the exit channel.

Analysis of context factors in compulsory and incentive strategies for improving attraction and retention of health workers in rural and remote areas: a systematic review.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoyun; Dou, Lixia; Zhang, Huan; Sun, Yang; Yuan, Beibei

2015-07-21

Current literature systematically reports that interventions to attract and retain health workers in underserved areas need to be context specific but rarely defines what that means. In this systematic review, we try to summarize and analyse context factors influencing the implementation of interventions to attract and retain rural health workers. We searched online databases, relevant websites and reference lists of selected literature to identify studies on compulsory rural service programmes and financial incentives. Forty studies were selected. Information regarding context factors at macro, meso and micro levels was extracted and synthesized. Macro-level context factors include political, economic and social factors. Meso-level factors include health system factors such as maldistribution of health workers, growing private sector, decentralization and health financing. Micro-level factors refer to the policy implementation process including funding sources, administrative agency, legislation process, monitoring and evaluation. Macro-, meso- and micro-level context factors can play different roles in agenda setting, policy formulation and implementation of health interventions to attract and retain rural health workers. These factors should be systematically considered in the different stages of policy process and evaluation.

Individualized Levels System and Systematic Stimulus Pairing to Reduce Multiply Controlled Aggression of a Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Randall, Kayla R; Lambert, Joseph M; Matthews, Mary P; Houchins-Juarez, Nealetta J

2018-05-01

Research has shown that physical aggression is common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Interventions for multiply controlled aggression may be complex and difficult to implement with fidelity. As a result, the probability of treatment efficacy for this class of behavior may suffer. We designed an individualized levels system to reduce the physical aggression of an 11-year-old female with ASD. We then employed a systematic stimulus pairing procedure to facilitate generalization. Results suggest individualized levels systems can suppress multiply controlled aggression and that systematic stimulus pairing is an effective way to transfer treatment effects from trained therapists to caregivers.

Determination of the mean solid-liquid interface energy of pivalic acid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, N. B.; Gliksman, M. E.

1989-01-01

A high-confidence solid-liquid interfacial energy is determined for an anisotropic material. A coaxial composite having a cylindrical specimen chamber geometry provides a thermal gradient with an axial heating wire. The surface energy is derived from measurements of grain boundary groove shapes. Applying this method to pivalic acid, a surface energy of 2.84 erg/sq cm was determined with a total systematic and random error less than 10 percent. The value of interfacial energy corresponds to 24 percent of the latent heat of fusion per molecule.

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

Raugei, Simone; DuBois, Daniel L.; Rousseau, Roger J.

Rational design of molecular catalysts requires a systematic approach to designing ligands with specific functionality and precisely tailored electronic and steric properties. It then becomes possible to devise computer protocols to predict accurately the required properties and ultimately to design catalysts by computer. In this account we first review how thermodynamic properties such as oxidation-reduction potentials (E0), acidities (pKa), and hydride donor abilities (ΔGH-) form the basis for a systematic design of molecular catalysts for reactions that are critical for a secure energy future (hydrogen evolution and oxidation, oxygen and nitrogen reduction, and carbon dioxide reduction). We highlight how densitymore » functional theory allows us to determine and predict these properties within “chemical” accuracy (~ 0.06 eV for redox potentials, ~ 1 pKa unit for pKa values, and ~ 1.5 kcal/mol for hydricities). These quantities determine free energy maps and profiles associated with catalytic cycles, i.e. the relative energies of intermediates, and help us distinguish between desirable and high-energy pathways and mechanisms. Good catalysts have flat profiles that avoid high activation barriers due to low and high energy intermediates. We illustrate how the criterion of a flat energy profile lends itself to the prediction of design points by computer for optimum catalysts. This research was carried out in the Center for Molecular Electro-catalysis, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is operated for the DOE by Battelle.« less

The Quality of Systematic Reviews in Head and Neck Microsurgery: A Perspective from Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology.

PubMed

Sun, Beatrice J; Tijerina, Jonathan; Nazerali, Rahim S; Lee, Gordon K

2018-05-01

In recent years, there has been a push to publish higher level of evidence studies in medicine, particularly in plastic surgery. Well-conducted systematic reviews are considered the strongest level of evidence in medicine, recently becoming the key process indicators for quality delivery. A varying quality of systematic reviews, however, has led to concerns of their validity in clinical decision-making. We perform a quality analysis of systematic reviews published in head and neck microsurgery by the surgical specialties of plastic surgery and otolaryngology. An evaluation of systematic reviews published on microsurgery in 13 high-impact surgical journals was conducted by searching PubMed and Scopus. Two authors independently performed searches, screened for eligibility, and extracted data from included articles. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion and consensus. Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) criteria were used to assess methodological quality. The initial database search retrieved 166 articles. After removing duplicates, screening titles and abstracts, 26 articles remained for full text review. Seven did not focus on head and neck microsurgery and were further excluded, leaving 19 systematic reviews for final analysis. Of those, 10 systematic reviews were published by otolaryngology, and 9 were published by plastic surgery. Median AMSTAR score was 8 for otolaryngology, 7 for plastic surgery, and 8 overall, reflecting "fair to good" quality. The number of systematic reviews on head and neck microsurgery markedly increased over time. Of note, both the AMSTAR score and the number of systematic reviews published by plastic surgery have steadily increased from 2014 to 2016, whereas those published by otolaryngology have remained relatively stable since 2010. Our review shows a trend toward publishing more systematic reviews. The increasing quantity and quality of systematic reviews published by plastic surgeons indicates recognition in the need for higher levels of evidence in plastic surgery, as well as growing interest and advances in microsurgery. Given these trends, familiarity with quality assessment guidelines, such as AMSTAR, will remain important in providing a basis for building relevant value-based quality measures.

Too much sitting and all-cause mortality: is there a causal link?

PubMed

Biddle, Stuart J H; Bennie, Jason A; Bauman, Adrian E; Chau, Josephine Y; Dunstan, David; Owen, Neville; Stamatakis, Emmanuel; van Uffelen, Jannique G Z

2016-07-26

Sedentary behaviours (time spent sitting, with low energy expenditure) are associated with deleterious health outcomes, including all-cause mortality. Whether this association can be considered causal has yet to be established. Using systematic reviews and primary studies from those reviews, we drew upon Bradford Hill's criteria to consider the likelihood that sedentary behaviour in epidemiological studies is likely to be causally related to all-cause (premature) mortality. Searches for systematic reviews on sedentary behaviours and all-cause mortality yielded 386 records which, when judged against eligibility criteria, left eight reviews (addressing 17 primary studies) for analysis. Exposure measures included self-reported total sitting time, TV viewing time, and screen time. Studies included comparisons of a low-sedentary reference group with several higher sedentary categories, or compared the highest versus lowest sedentary behaviour groups. We employed four Bradford Hill criteria: strength of association, consistency, temporality, and dose-response. Evidence supporting causality at the level of each systematic review and primary study was judged using a traffic light system depicting green for causal evidence, amber for mixed or inconclusive evidence, and red for no evidence for causality (either evidence of no effect or no evidence reported). The eight systematic reviews showed evidence for consistency (7 green) and temporality (6 green), and some evidence for strength of association (4 green). There was no evidence for a dose-response relationship (5 red). Five reviews were rated green overall. Twelve (67 %) of the primary studies were rated green, with evidence for strength and temporality. There is reasonable evidence for a likely causal relationship between sedentary behaviour and all-cause mortality based on the epidemiological criteria of strength of association, consistency of effect, and temporality.

The association of flavored milk consumption with milk and energy intake, and obesity: A systematic review.

PubMed

Patel, Anisha I; Moghadam, Sepideh Dibay; Freedman, Michael; Hazari, Aakash; Fang, Min-Lin; Allen, Isabel E

2018-06-01

Taxes on sugary drinks are being implemented to prevent chronic diseases. Sugar-sweetened milk has been exempt from such policies because of its nutritional value. This systematic review sought to examine whether flavored milk consumption was associated with milk and energy intake, and obesity among children. A search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the grey literature was conducted for peer-reviewed publications published before June 6, 2016 that met the following criteria: 1) English-language publications 2) studies of children ages 1 to 18 years, 3) controlled experimental, cohort, case-control, systematic reviews, or meta-analysis studies 4) dependent variable: flavored milk consumption 5) independent variable: weight, weight gain, weight change, body mass index, metabolic syndrome, waist circumference, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, serum glucose, calories, sugar, or milk consumed. Of 3978 studies identified, 13 met inclusion criteria. Ten studies were experimental and three were longitudinal cohort studies. Eleven studies found that flavored milk increased overall milk intake, five of seven studies that examined energy intake showed that flavored milk increased energy intake, and one of three studies that assessed obesity outcomes demonstrated an increase in weight gain with flavored milk consumption. Only one study was a randomized controlled trial, most studies had high bias, and over half were industry-funded or did not disclose funding. Although flavoring milk may increase milk intake, added sugars may promote increased energy intake. More data regarding flavored milk's impact on health is needed to inform its role in sugary drink policies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Orbital structure in oscillating galactic potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terzić, Balša; Kandrup, Henry E.

2004-01-01

Subjecting a galactic potential to (possibly damped) nearly periodic, time-dependent variations can lead to large numbers of chaotic orbits experiencing systematic changes in energy, and the resulting chaotic phase mixing could play an important role in explaining such phenomena as violent relaxation. This paper focuses on the simplest case of spherically symmetric potentials subjected to strictly periodic driving with the aim of understanding precisely why orbits become chaotic and under what circumstances they will exhibit systematic changes in energy. Four unperturbed potentials V0(r) were considered, each subjected to a time dependence of the form V(r, t) =V0(r)(1 +m0 sinωt). In each case, the orbits divide clearly into regular and chaotic, distinctions which appear absolute. In particular, transitions from regularity to chaos are seemingly impossible. Over finite time intervals, chaotic orbits subdivide into what can be termed `sticky' chaotic orbits, which exhibit no large-scale secular changes in energy and remain trapped in the phase-space region where they started; and `wildly' chaotic orbits, which do exhibit systematic drifts in energy as the orbits diffuse to different phase-space regions. This latter distinction is not absolute, transitions corresponding apparently to orbits penetrating a `leaky' phase-space barrier. The three different orbit types can be identified simply in terms of the frequencies for which their Fourier spectra have the most power. An examination of the statistical properties of orbit ensembles as a function of driving frequency ω allows us to identify the specific resonances that determine orbital structure. Attention focuses also on how, for fixed amplitude m0, such quantities as the mean energy shift, the relative measure of chaotic orbits and the mean value of the largest Lyapunov exponent vary with driving frequency ω and how, for fixed ω, the same quantities depend on m0.

On the accuracy of the MB-pol many-body potential for water: Interaction energies, vibrational frequencies, and classical thermodynamic and dynamical properties from clusters to liquid water and ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Sandeep K.; Straight, Shelby C.; Bajaj, Pushp; Huy Pham, C.; Riera, Marc; Moberg, Daniel R.; Morales, Miguel A.; Knight, Chris; Götz, Andreas W.; Paesani, Francesco

2016-11-01

The MB-pol many-body potential has recently emerged as an accurate molecular model for water simulations from the gas to the condensed phase. In this study, the accuracy of MB-pol is systematically assessed across the three phases of water through extensive comparisons with experimental data and high-level ab initio calculations. Individual many-body contributions to the interaction energies as well as vibrational spectra of water clusters calculated with MB-pol are in excellent agreement with reference data obtained at the coupled cluster level. Several structural, thermodynamic, and dynamical properties of the liquid phase at atmospheric pressure are investigated through classical molecular dynamics simulations as a function of temperature. The structural properties of the liquid phase are in nearly quantitative agreement with X-ray diffraction data available over the temperature range from 268 to 368 K. The analysis of other thermodynamic and dynamical quantities emphasizes the importance of explicitly including nuclear quantum effects in the simulations, especially at low temperature, for a physically correct description of the properties of liquid water. Furthermore, both densities and lattice energies of several ice phases are also correctly reproduced by MB-pol. Following a recent study of DFT models for water, a score is assigned to each computed property, which demonstrates the high and, in many respects, unprecedented accuracy of MB-pol in representing all three phases of water.

The Role of Charge Balance and Excited State Levels on Device Performance of Exciplex-based Phosphorescent Organic Light Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Lee, Sangyeob; Koo, Hyun; Kwon, Ohyun; Jae Park, Young; Choi, Hyeonho; Lee, Kwan; Ahn, Byungmin; Min Park, Young

2017-09-20

The design of novel exciplex-forming co-host materials provides new opportunities to achieve high device performance of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), including high efficiency, low driving voltage and low efficiency roll-off. Here, we report a comprehensive study of exciplex-forming co-host system in OLEDs including the change of co-host materials, mixing composition of exciplex in the device to improve the performance. We investigate various exciplex systems using 5-(3-4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)phenyl-3,9-diphenyl-9H-carbazole, 5-(3-4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)phenyl)-9-phenyl-9H-3,9'-bicarbazole, and 2-(3-(6,9-diphenyl-9H-carbazol-4-yl)phenyl)-4-phenylbenzo[4,5]thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine, as electron transporting (ET: electron acceptor) hosts and 9,9'-dipenyl-9H, 9'H-3,3'-bicarbazole and 9-([1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)-9'-phenyl-9H,9'H-3,3'-bicarbazole as hole transporting (HT: electron donor) hosts. As a result, a very high current efficiency of 105.1 cd/A at 10 3  cd/m 2 and an extremely long device lifetime of 739 hrs (t 95 : time after 5% decrease of luminance) are achieved which is one of the best performance in OLEDs. Systematic approach, controlling mixing ratio of HT to ET host materials is suggested to select the component of two host system using energy band matching and charge balance optimization method. Furthermore, our analysis on exciton stability also reveal that lifetime of OLEDs have close relationship with two parameters; singlet energy level difference of HT and ET host and difference of singlet and triplet energy level in exciplex.

Li4 Ti5 O12 Anode: Structural Design from Material to Electrode and the Construction of Energy Storage Devices.

PubMed

Chen, Zhijie; Li, Honsen; Wu, Langyuan; Lu, Xiaoxia; Zhang, Xiaogang

2018-03-01

Spinel Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , known as a zero-strain material, is capable to be a competent anode material for promising applications in state-of-art electrochemical energy storage devices (EESDs). Compared with commercial graphite, spinel Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 offers a high operating potential of ∼1.55 V vs Li/Li + , negligible volume expansion during Li + intercalation process and excellent thermal stability, leading to high safety and favorable cyclability. Despite the merits of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 been presented, there still remains the issue of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 suffering from poor electronic conductivity, manifesting disadvantageous rate performance. Typically, a material modification process of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 will be proposed to overcome such an issue. However, the previous reports have made few investigations and achievements to analyze the subsequent processes after a material modification process. In this review, we attempt to put considerable interest in complete device design and assembly process with its material structure design (or modification process), electrode structure design and device construction design. Moreover, we have systematically concluded a series of representative design schemes, which can be divided into three major categories involving: (1) nanostructures design, conductive material coating process and doping process on material level; (2) self-supporting or flexible electrode structure design on electrode level; (3) rational assembling of lithium ion full cell or lithium ion capacitor on device level. We believe that these rational designs can give an advanced performance for Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -based energy storage device and deliver a deep inspiration. © 2018 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Controllability of the Coulomb charging energy in close-packed nanoparticle arrays.

PubMed

Duan, Chao; Wang, Ying; Sun, Jinling; Guan, Changrong; Grunder, Sergio; Mayor, Marcel; Peng, Lianmao; Liao, Jianhui

2013-11-07

We studied the electronic transport properties of metal nanoparticle arrays, particularly focused on the Coulomb charging energy. By comparison, we confirmed that it is more reasonable to estimate the Coulomb charging energy using the activation energy from the temperature-dependent zero-voltage conductance. Based on this, we systematically and comprehensively investigated the parameters that could be used to tune the Coulomb charging energy in nanoparticle arrays. We found that four parameters, including the particle core size, the inter-particle distance, the nearest neighboring number, and the dielectric constant of ligand molecules, could significantly tune the Coulomb charging energy.

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Autism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saghazadeh, Amene; Rezaei, Nima

2017-01-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Altered blood BDNF levels have been frequently identified in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). There are however wide discrepancies in the evidence. Therefore, we performed the present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at…

Skylight energy balance analysis procedure

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

Dietz, P.S.; Murdoch, J.B.; Pokoski, J.L.

1981-10-01

This paper provides a systematic method for calculating the total, net differential energy balance observed when sections of the roof of a building are replaced with skylights. Among the topics discussed are the effect of solar gains, dome and curb conduction heat transfers, equivalent roof area heat transfers, infiltration heat transfers, artificial lighting energy requirements, and illumination savings from skylights. The paper also provides much of the supplementary information needed to complete these energy calculations. This information appears in the form of appendices, tables, and graphs. 9 refs.

Degradation spectra and ionization yields of electrons in gases

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

Inokuti, M.; Douthat, D.A.; Rau, A.R.P.

1975-01-01

Progress in the microscopic theory of electron degradation in gases by Platzman, Fano, and co-workers is outlined. The theory consists of (1) the cataloging of all major inelastic-collision cross sections for electrons (including secondary-electron energy distribution in a single ionizing collision) and (2) the evaluation of cumulative consequences of individual electron collisions for the electrons themselves as well as for target molecules. For assessing the data consistency and reliability and extrapolating the data to the unexplored ranges of variables (such as electron energy), a series of plots devised by Platzman are very powerful. Electron degradation spectra were obtained through numericalmore » solution of the Spencer--Fano equation for all electron energies down to the first ionization thresholds for a few examples such as He and Ne. The systematics of the solutions resulted in the recognition of approximate scaling properties of the degradation spectra for different initial electron energies and pointed to new methods of more efficient treatment. Systematics of the ionization yields and their energy dependence on the initial electron energy were also recognized. Finally, the Spencer--Fano equation for the degradation spectra and the Fowler equation for the ionization and other yields are tightly linked with each other by a set of variational principles. (52 references, 7 figures) (DLC)« less

Do systematic reviews address community healthcare professionals' wound care uncertainties? Results from evidence mapping in wound care.

PubMed

Christie, Janice; Gray, Trish A; Dumville, Jo C; Cullum, Nicky A

2018-01-01

Complex wounds such as leg and foot ulcers are common, resource intensive and have negative impacts on patients' wellbeing. Evidence-based decision-making, substantiated by high quality evidence such as from systematic reviews, is widely advocated for improving patient care and healthcare efficiency. Consequently, we set out to classify and map the extent to which up-to-date systematic reviews containing robust evidence exist for wound care uncertainties prioritised by community-based healthcare professionals. We asked healthcare professionals to prioritise uncertainties based on complex wound care decisions, and then classified 28 uncertainties according to the type and level of decision. For each uncertainty, we searched for relevant systematic reviews. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts of reviews against the following criteria: meeting an a priori definition of a systematic review, sufficiently addressing the uncertainty, published during or after 2012, and identifying high quality research evidence. The most common uncertainty type was 'interventions' 24/28 (85%); the majority concerned wound level decisions 15/28 (53%) however, service delivery level decisions (10/28) were given highest priority. Overall, we found 162 potentially relevant reviews of which 57 (35%) were not systematic reviews. Of 106 systematic reviews, only 28 were relevant to an uncertainty and 18 of these were published within the preceding five years; none identified high quality research evidence. Despite the growing volume of published primary research, healthcare professionals delivering wound care have important clinical uncertainties which are not addressed by up-to-date systematic reviews containing high certainty evidence. These are high priority topics requiring new research and systematic reviews which are regularly updated. To reduce clinical and research waste, we recommend systematic reviewers and researchers make greater efforts to ensure that research addresses important clinical uncertainties and is of sufficient rigour to inform practice.

A systematic review of the effect of oral glucocorticoids on energy intake, appetite, and body weight in humans.

PubMed

Berthon, Bronwyn S; MacDonald-Wicks, Lesley K; Wood, Lisa G

2014-03-01

Obesity is a serious risk factor for chronic disease, and commonly prescribed oral glucocorticoids (OCS) may be contributing to the prevalence of obesity. The objective of this review was to assess the impact of OCS on obesity in humans through effects on body weight (BW), energy intake, appetite, and body composition. An electronic search of English language peer-reviewed studies from 1973 up to March 2012 was conducted using Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Original studies that addressed the effects of OCS on appetite, energy intake, BW, or body composition in adults were considered eligible. Data from 21 studies with objectively measured outcomes were extracted and assessed for quality using standardized tools. The publication year varied from 1986 to 2013, and the sample size, from 6 to 189. Energy intake was measured in 6 studies; BW, in 19 studies; energy expenditure, in 3 studies; body composition, in 6 studies; and appetite was evaluated in 3 studies. Short-term oral glucocorticoid therapy may result in small increases in energy intake but does not appear to result in increased BW, possibly due to an increase in energy expenditure. Long-term therapy may result in clinically significant weight gain. Within-subject variation due to metabolism and physical activity levels confounds the relationship. A dose-response relationship of oral glucocorticoid therapy on energy intake, appetite, BW, or body composition was not found. Additional well-designed, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials that use standardized doses of OCS and assess the effects on appetite, energy intake, BW, and composition are strongly justified to confirm the findings of this review. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing the complexity of interventions within systematic reviews: development, content and use of a new tool (iCAT_SR).

PubMed

Lewin, Simon; Hendry, Maggie; Chandler, Jackie; Oxman, Andrew D; Michie, Susan; Shepperd, Sasha; Reeves, Barnaby C; Tugwell, Peter; Hannes, Karin; Rehfuess, Eva A; Welch, Vivien; Mckenzie, Joanne E; Burford, Belinda; Petkovic, Jennifer; Anderson, Laurie M; Harris, Janet; Noyes, Jane

2017-04-26

Health interventions fall along a spectrum from simple to more complex. There is wide interest in methods for reviewing 'complex interventions', but few transparent approaches for assessing intervention complexity in systematic reviews. Such assessments may assist review authors in, for example, systematically describing interventions and developing logic models. This paper describes the development and application of the intervention Complexity Assessment Tool for Systematic Reviews (iCAT_SR), a new tool to assess and categorise levels of intervention complexity in systematic reviews. We developed the iCAT_SR by adapting and extending an existing complexity assessment tool for randomized trials. We undertook this adaptation using a consensus approach in which possible complexity dimensions were circulated for feedback to a panel of methodologists with expertise in complex interventions and systematic reviews. Based on these inputs, we developed a draft version of the tool. We then invited a second round of feedback from the panel and a wider group of systematic reviewers. This informed further refinement of the tool. The tool comprises ten dimensions: (1) the number of active components in the intervention; (2) the number of behaviours of recipients to which the intervention is directed; (3) the range and number of organizational levels targeted by the intervention; (4) the degree of tailoring intended or flexibility permitted across sites or individuals in applying or implementing the intervention; (5) the level of skill required by those delivering the intervention; (6) the level of skill required by those receiving the intervention; (7) the degree of interaction between intervention components; (8) the degree to which the effects of the intervention are context dependent; (9) the degree to which the effects of the interventions are changed by recipient or provider factors; (10) and the nature of the causal pathway between intervention and outcome. Dimensions 1-6 are considered 'core' dimensions. Dimensions 7-10 are optional and may not be useful for all interventions. The iCAT_SR tool facilitates more in-depth, systematic assessment of the complexity of interventions in systematic reviews and can assist in undertaking reviews and interpreting review findings. Further testing of the tool is now needed.

Tunneling Spectra of a Quasifreestanding Graphene Monolayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Si-Yu; Bai, Ke-Ke; Zuo, Wei-Jie; Liu, Yi-Wen; Fu, Zhong-Qiu; Wang, Wen-Xiao; Zhang, Yu; Yin, Long-Jing; Qiao, Jia-Bin; He, Lin

2018-05-01

Considering the great success of scanning-tunneling-microscopy (STM) studies of graphene in the past ten years, it is quite surprising to notice that there is still a fundamental contradiction in the reported tunneling spectra of the quasifreestanding graphene monolayer. Many groups observed "V -shaped" spectra with linearly vanishing density of states at the Dirac point, whereas others reported spectra with a gap of ±60 meV pinned to the Fermi level in the quasifreestanding graphene monolayer. Here, we systematically study the two contradicting tunneling spectra of the quasifreestanding graphene monolayer on various substrates in the presence of different magnetic fields and demonstrate that both spectra are the "correct" spectra. However, the V -shaped spectrum exhibits only the contribution of the low-energy Dirac fermions, whereas the gapped spectrum is contributed by both the low-energy Dirac fermions and the high-energy nearly free-electron states due to the existence of the inelastic tunneling process. Our results indicate that interaction with substrates plays a vital role in affecting the spectra of graphene. We also show that it is possible to switch the tunneling spectra between the two distinct features at the nanoscale through voltage pulses applied to the STM tip.

2D/2D graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) heterojunction nanocomposites for photocatalysis: Why does face-to-face interface matter?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ong, Wee-Jun

2017-04-01

In recent years, two-dimensional (2D) graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has elicited interdisciplinary research fascination among the scientific communities due to its attractive properties such as appropriate band structures, visible-light absorption, and high chemical and thermal stability. At present, research aiming at engineering 2D g-C3N4 photocatalysts at an atomic and molecular level in conquering the global energy demand and environmental pollution has been thriving. In this review, the cutting-edge research progress on the 2D/2D g-C3N4-based hybrid nanoarchitectures will be systematically highlighted with a specific emphasis on a multitude of photocatalytic applications, not only in waste degradation for pollution alleviation, but also in renewable energy production (e.g. water splitting and carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction). By reviewing the substantial developments on this hot research platform, it is envisioned that the review will shed light and pave a new prospect for constructing high photocatalytic performance of 2D/2D g-C3N4-based system, which could also be extended to other related energy fields, namely solar cells, supercapacitors and electrocatalysis.

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

PubMed

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

2017-05-05

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

General Trends of Dihedral Conformational Transitions in a Globular Protein

PubMed Central

Miao, Yinglong; Baudry, Jerome; Smith, Jeremy C.; McCammon, J. Andrew

2017-01-01

Dihedral conformational transitions are analyzed systematically in a model globular protein, cytochrome P450cam, to examine their structural and chemical dependences through combined conventional molecular dynamics (cMD), accelerated molecular dynamics (aMD) and Adaptive Biasing Force (ABF) simulations. The aMD simulations are performed at two acceleration levels, using dihedral and dual boost, respectively. In comparison with cMD, aMD samples protein dihedral transitions ~2 times faster on average using dihedral boost, and ~3.5 times faster using dual boost. In the protein backbone, significantly higher dihedral transition rates are observed in the Bend, Coil and Turn flexible regions, followed by the β bridge and β sheet, and then the helices. Moreover, protein sidechains of greater length exhibit higher transition rates on average in the aMD-enhanced sampling. Sidechains of the same length (particularly Nχ = 2) exhibit decreasing transition rates with residues when going from hydrophobic to polar, then charged and aromatic chemical types. The reduction of dihedral transition rates is found to be correlated with increasing energy barriers as identified through ABF free energy calculations. These general trends of dihedral conformational transitions provide important insights into the hierarchical dynamics and complex free energy landscapes of functional proteins. PMID:26799251

Molecular Orbital Principles of Oxygen-Redox Battery Electrodes.

PubMed

Okubo, Masashi; Yamada, Atsuo

2017-10-25

Lithium-ion batteries are key energy-storage devices for a sustainable society. The most widely used positive electrode materials are LiMO 2 (M: transition metal), in which a redox reaction of M occurs in association with Li + (de)intercalation. Recent developments of Li-excess transition-metal oxides, which deliver a large capacity of more than 200 mAh/g using an extra redox reaction of oxygen, introduce new possibilities for designing higher energy density lithium-ion batteries. For better engineering using this fascinating new chemistry, it is necessary to achieve a full understanding of the reaction mechanism by gaining knowledge on the chemical state of oxygen. In this review, a summary of the recent advances in oxygen-redox battery electrodes is provided, followed by a systematic demonstration of the overall electronic structures based on molecular orbitals with a focus on the local coordination environment around oxygen. We show that a π-type molecular orbital plays an important role in stabilizing the oxidized oxygen that emerges upon the charging process. Molecular orbital principles are convenient for an atomic-level understanding of how reversible oxygen-redox reactions occur in bulk, providing a solid foundation toward improved oxygen-redox positive electrode materials for high energy-density batteries.

Different behaviors in the transformation of PATP adsorbed on Ag or Au nanoparticles investigated by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy - A study of the effects from laser energy and annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jian-Fang; Luo, Shi-Yi; Liu, Guo-Kun

2015-05-01

In order to explore the key role of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and active 3O2 for the chemical transformation to 4,4-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) from p-aminothiophenol (PATP) adsorbed on Ag or Au NPs, we systematically investigated the laser wavelength and temperature dependent surface-enhanced Raman spectra of PATP capped Ag and Au NPs. DMAB can be easily observed at the 514.5 nm laser for Ag NPs but at the 632.8 nm laser for Au NPs, indicating that a suitable energy level is necessary for the formation of DMAB. The tendency is consistent with the wavelength dependent SPR properties of Ag or Au NPs accordingly. With the energy provided by annealing, the transformation of PATP to DMAB is much easier on Ag NPs at a lower temperature, and more DMAB can be observed at the same temperature, compared to the case of Au NPs under the same condition. It is mainly due to the active 3O2 on Ag surfaces could be more easily formed than that on Au surfaces.

Enhanced electron emission from coated metal targets: Effect of surface thickness on performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madas, Saibabu; Mishra, S. K.; Upadhyay Kahaly, Mousumi

2018-03-01

In this work, we establish an analytical formalism to address the temperature dependent electron emission from a metallic target with thin coating, operating at a finite temperature. Taking into account three dimensional parabolic energy dispersion for the target (base) material and suitable thickness dependent energy dispersion for the coating layer, Fermi Dirac statistics of electron energy distribution and Fowler's mechanism of the electron emission, we discuss the dependence of the emission flux on the physical properties such as the Fermi level, work function, thickness of the coating material, and operating temperature. Our systematic estimation of how the thickness of coating affects the emission current demonstrates superior emission characteristics for thin coating layer at high temperature (above 1000 K), whereas in low temperature regime, a better response is expected from thicker coating layer. This underlying fundamental behavior appears to be essentially identical for all configurations when work function of the coating layer is lower than that of the bulk target work function. The analysis and predictions could be useful in designing new coated materials with suitable thickness for applications in the field of thin film devices and field emitters.

Nitrate supplementation improves physical performance specifically in non-athletes during prolonged open-ended tests: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Campos, Helton O; Drummond, Lucas R; Rodrigues, Quezia T; Machado, Frederico S M; Pires, Washington; Wanner, Samuel P; Coimbra, Cândido C

2018-03-01

Nitrate (NO3 -) is an ergogenic nutritional supplement that is widely used to improve physical performance. However, the effectiveness of NO3 - supplementation has not been systematically investigated in individuals with different physical fitness levels. The present study analysed whether different fitness levels (non-athletes v. athletes or classification of performance levels), duration of the test used to measure performance (short v. long duration) and the test protocol (time trials v. open-ended tests v. graded-exercise tests) influence the effects of NO3 - supplementation on performance. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted and reported according to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. A systematic search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus and ProQuest, was performed in August 2017. On the basis of the search and inclusion criteria, fifty-four and fifty-three placebo-controlled studies evaluating the effects of NO3 - supplementation on performance in humans were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. NO3 - supplementation was ergogenic in non-athletes (mean effect size (ES) 0·25; 95 % CI 0·11, 0·38), particularly in evaluations of performance using long-duration open-ended tests (ES 0·47; 95 % CI 0·23, 0·71). In contrast, NO3 - supplementation did not enhance the performance of athletes (ES 0·04; 95 % CI -0·05, 0·15). After objectively classifying the participants into different performance levels, the frequency of trials showing ergogenic effects in individuals classified at lower levels was higher than that in individuals classified at higher levels. Thus, the present study indicates that dietary NO3 - supplementation improves physical performance in non-athletes, particularly during long-duration open-ended tests.