Minimization of color shift generated in RGBW quad structure.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hong Chul; Yun, Jae Kyeong; Baek, Heume-Il; Kim, Ki Duk; Oh, Eui Yeol; Chung, In Jae

2005-03-01

The purpose of RGBW Quad Structure Technology is to realize higher brightness than that of normal panel (RGB stripe structure) by adding white sub-pixel to existing RGB stripe structure. However, there is side effect called 'color shift' resulted from increasing brightness. This side effect degrades general color characteristics due to change of 'Hue', 'Brightness' and 'Saturation' as compared with existing RGB stripe structure. Especially, skin-tone colors show a tendency to get darker in contrast to normal panel. We"ve tried to minimize 'color shift' through use of LUT (Look Up Table) for linear arithmetic processing of input data, data bit expansion to 12-bit for minimizing arithmetic tolerance and brightness weight of white sub-pixel on each R, G, B pixel. The objective of this study is to minimize and keep Δu'v' value (we commonly use to represent a color difference), quantitative basis of color difference between RGB stripe structure and RGBW quad structure, below 0.01 level (existing 0.02 or higher) using Macbeth colorchecker that is general reference of color characteristics.

[The correlations of somatic, dermatoglyphic and psychological characteristics in the structure of general human constitution from the standpoint of systemic approach].

PubMed

Negasheva, M A

2008-01-01

669 young men and women aged 16-23 years were examined using a program including the measurements of 40 body, head and face parameters, fingerprinting and determination of personal psychological characteristics. On the basis of the study of the correlations between the different groups of characteristics, the evidence was obtained that supports the concept of a relative autonomy of the morpho-functional systems as an essential condition for the integrity of the organism as a whole. The coefficients of canonical correlation were calculated between the somatic and dermatoglyphic features (R=0.3), somatic sizes and psychological personality characteristics (R=0.4), psychological characteristics and the dermatoglyphic indices (R=0.4). An original model is suggested that describes the correlations of somatic, dermatoglyphic and psychological features in the structure of general human constitution on the basis of statistically significant canonical correlations (revealed by the author) and that takes in consideration the degree of the influence of genetic and social-economic complex of factors (on the basis of the literature data) on the development and formation of the investigated systems of characteristics.

Cartographic generalization of urban street networks based on gravitational field theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Gang; Li, Yongshu; Li, Zheng; Guo, Jiawei

2014-05-01

The automatic generalization of urban street networks is a constant and important aspect of geographical information science. Previous studies show that the dual graph for street-street relationships more accurately reflects the overall morphological properties and importance of streets than do other methods. In this study, we construct a dual graph to represent street-street relationship and propose an approach to generalize street networks based on gravitational field theory. We retain the global structural properties and topological connectivity of an original street network and borrow from gravitational field theory to define the gravitational force between nodes. The concept of multi-order neighbors is introduced and the gravitational force is taken as the measure of the importance contribution between nodes. The importance of a node is defined as the result of the interaction between a given node and its multi-order neighbors. Degree distribution is used to evaluate the level of maintaining the global structure and topological characteristics of a street network and to illustrate the efficiency of the suggested method. Experimental results indicate that the proposed approach can be used in generalizing street networks and retaining their density characteristics, connectivity and global structure.

Do Structural Equity Issues in Middle Schools Lead to Achievement Disparities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Chyrese S.

2012-01-01

Striking statistically significant differences were noted across school ranking conditions in terms of professional teacher preparation, organizational health variables, school leadership characteristics, academic emphasis, and resource support. The general conclusion of this study is that a strong correlation exists between structural equity…

Phenylethynyl reactive diluents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor); Jensen, Brian J. (Inventor); Hergenrother, Paul M. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A composition of matter having a specified general structure is employed to terminate a nucleophilic reagent, resulting in the exclusive production of phenylethynyl terminated reactive oligomers which display unique thermal characteristics. A reactive diluent having a specified general structure is employed to decrease the melt viscosity of a phenylethynyl terminated reactive oligomer and to subsequently react with to provide a thermosetting material of enhanced density. These materials have features which make them attractive candidates for use as composite matrices and adhesives.

Topic Prominence in Chinese EFL Learners' Interlanguage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Shaopeng; Yang, Lianrui

2014-01-01

The present study aims to investigate the general characteristics of topicprominent typological interlanguage development of Chinese learners of English in terms of acquiring subject-prominent English structures from a discourse perspective. Topic structures mainly appear in Chinese discourse in the form of topic chains (Wang, 2002; 2004). The…

Adaptable structural synthesis using advanced analysis and optimization coupled by a computer operating system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, J.; Bhat, R. B.

1979-01-01

A finite element program is linked with a general purpose optimization program in a 'programing system' which includes user supplied codes that contain problem dependent formulations of the design variables, objective function and constraints. The result is a system adaptable to a wide spectrum of structural optimization problems. In a sample of numerical examples, the design variables are the cross-sectional dimensions and the parameters of overall shape geometry, constraints are applied to stresses, displacements, buckling and vibration characteristics, and structural mass is the objective function. Thin-walled, built-up structures and frameworks are included in the sample. Details of the system organization and characteristics of the component programs are given.

Engine dynamic analysis with general nonlinear finite element codes. Part 2: Bearing element implementation overall numerical characteristics and benchmaking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padovan, J.; Adams, M.; Fertis, J.; Zeid, I.; Lam, P.

1982-01-01

Finite element codes are used in modelling rotor-bearing-stator structure common to the turbine industry. Engine dynamic simulation is used by developing strategies which enable the use of available finite element codes. benchmarking the elements developed are benchmarked by incorporation into a general purpose code (ADINA); the numerical characteristics of finite element type rotor-bearing-stator simulations are evaluated through the use of various types of explicit/implicit numerical integration operators. Improving the overall numerical efficiency of the procedure is improved.

Engine dynamic analysis with general nonlinear finite element codes. II - Bearing element implementation, overall numerical characteristics and benchmarking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padovan, J.; Adams, M.; Lam, P.; Fertis, D.; Zeid, I.

1982-01-01

Second-year efforts within a three-year study to develop and extend finite element (FE) methodology to efficiently handle the transient/steady state response of rotor-bearing-stator structure associated with gas turbine engines are outlined. The two main areas aim at (1) implanting the squeeze film damper element into a general purpose FE code for testing and evaluation; and (2) determining the numerical characteristics of the FE-generated rotor-bearing-stator simulation scheme. The governing FE field equations are set out and the solution methodology is presented. The choice of ADINA as the general-purpose FE code is explained, and the numerical operational characteristics of the direct integration approach of FE-generated rotor-bearing-stator simulations is determined, including benchmarking, comparison of explicit vs. implicit methodologies of direct integration, and demonstration problems.

Physical fundamentals of criterial estimation of nitriding technology for parts of friction units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuksenova, L. I.; Gerasimov, S. A.; Lapteva, V. G.; Alekseeva, M. S.

2013-03-01

Characteristics of the structure and properties of surface layers of nitrided structural steels and alloys, which affect the level of surface fracture under friction, are studied. A generalized structural parameter for optimizing the nitriding process and a rapid method for estimating the quality of the surface layer of nitrided parts of friction units are developed.

Determinants of Presence in 3D Virtual Worlds: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chow, Meyrick

2016-01-01

There is a growing body of evidence that feeling present in virtual environments contributes to effective learning. Presence is a psychological state of the user; hence, it is generally agreed that individual differences in user characteristics can lead to different experiences of presence. Despite the fact that user characteristics can play a…

Dynamic characteristics of specialty composite structures with embedded damping layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saravanos, D. A.; Chamis, C. C.

1993-01-01

Damping mechanics for simulating the damped dynamic characteristics in specialty composite structures with compliant interlaminar damping layers are presented. Finite-element based mechanics incorporating a discrete layer (or layer-wise) laminate damping theory are utilized to represent general laminate configurations in terms of lay-up and fiber orientation angles, cross-sectional thickness, shape, and boundary conditions. Evaluations of the method with exact solutions and experimental data illustrate the accuracy of the method. Additional applications investigate the potential for significant damping enhancement in angle-ply composite laminates with cocured interlaminar damping layers.

Preparation of YBa2Cu3O7 High Tc Superconducting Coatings by Plasma Spraying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danroc, J.; Lacombe, J.

The following sections are included: * INTRODUCTION * THE COMPOUND YBa2Cu3O7-δ * Structure * Critical temperature * Critical current density * Phase equilibria in the YBaCuO system * PREPARATION OF YBa2Cu3O7 COATINGS * General organisation of the preparation process * The powder * Hot plasma spraying of YBa2Cu3O7 * The post-spraying thermal treatment * CHARACTERISTICS OF THE YBa2Cu3O7-δ COATINGS * Chemical composition * Crystalline structure * Morphology of the coatings * Electrical and magnetic characteristics * Conclusion * REFERENCES

Band structure engineering strategies of metal oxide semiconductor nanowires and related nanostructures: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piyadasa, Adimali; Wang, Sibo; Gao, Pu-Xian

2017-07-01

The electronic band structure of a solid state semiconductor determines many of its physical and chemical characteristics such as electrical, optical, physicochemical, and catalytic activity. Alteration or modification of the band structure could lead to significant changes in these physical and chemical characteristics, therefore we introduce new mechanisms of creating novel solid state materials with interesting properties. Over the past three decades, research on band structure engineering has allowed development of various methods to modify the band structure of engineered materials. Compared to bulk counterparts, nanostructures generally exhibit higher band structure modulation capabilities due to the quantum confinement effect, prominent surface effect, and higher strain limit. In this review we will discuss various band structure engineering strategies in semiconductor nanowires and other related nanostructures, mostly focusing on metal oxide systems. Several important strategies of band structure modulation are discussed in detail, such as doping, alloying, straining, interface and core-shell nanostructuring.

ePortfolios and Faculty Engagement: Measuring Change through Structured Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ring, Gail; Ramirez, Barbara; Brackett, Bob

2016-01-01

In this paper we examine a faculty development structure that supports general education, specifically ePortfolio, assessment focusing on identifying the characteristics of engaged faculty. It is through this inquiry that we have developed an action plan that includes a system of best practices that can lead to increased faculty engagement.…

The Determinants of State Spending on Higher Education: How Capital Project Funding Differs from General Fund Appropriations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ness, Erik C.; Tandberg, David A.

2013-01-01

Our fixed-effects panel data analysis of state spending on higher education fills a near void of studies examining capital expenditures on higher education. In our study, we found that political characteristics (e.g., interest group activity, organizational structure, and formal powers) largely account for differences between general fund and…

The Diverse Social and Economic Structure of Nonmetropolitan America. Rural Development Research Report No. 49.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bender, Lloyd D.; And Others

Effective rural development planning depends on facts and analysis based, not on rural averages, but on the diverse social and economic structure of rural America. Programs tailored to particular types of rural economies may be more effective than generalized programs. Because of their unique characteristics, government policies and economic…

Variation Principles and Applications in the Study of Cell Structure and Aging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Economos, Angelos C.; Miquel, Jaime; Ballard, Ralph C.; Johnson, John E., Jr.

1981-01-01

In this report we have attempted to show that "some reality lies concealed in biological variation". This "reality" has its principles, laws, mechanisms, and rules, only a few of which we have sketched. A related idea we pursued was that important information may be lost in the process of ignoring frequency distributions of physiological variables (as is customary in experimental physiology and gerontology). We suggested that it may be advantageous to expand one's "statistical field of vision" beyond simple averages +/- standard deviations. Indeed, frequency distribution analysis may make visible some hidden information not evident from a simple qualitative analysis, particularly when the effect of some external factor or condition (e.g., aging, dietary chemicals) is being investigated. This was clearly illustrated by the application of distribution analysis in the study of variation in mouse liver cellular and fine structure, and may be true of fine structural studies in general. In living systems, structure and function interact in a dynamic way; they are "inseparable," unlike in technological systems or machines. Changes in fine structure therefore reflect changes in function. If such changes do not exceed a certain physiologic range, a quantitative analysis of structure will provide valuable information on quantitative changes in function that may not be possible or easy to measure directly. Because there is a large inherent variation in fine structure of cells in a given organ of an individual and among individuals, changes in fine structure can be analyzed only by studying frequency distribution curves of various structural characteristics (dimensions). Simple averages +/- S.D. do not in general reveal all information on the effect of a certain factor, because often this effect is not uniform; on the contrary, this will be apparent from distribution analysis because the form of the curves will be affected. We have also attempted to show in this chapter that similar general statistical principles and mechanisms may be operative in biological and technological systems. Despite the common belief that most biological and technological characteristics of interest have a symmetric bell-shaped (normal or Gaussian) distribution, we have shown that more often than not, distributions tend to be asymmetric and often resemble a so-called log-normal distribution. We saw that at least three general mechanisms may be operative, i.e., nonadditivity of influencing factors, competition among individuals for a common resource, and existence of an "optimum" value for a studied characteristic; more such mechanisms could exist.

Characteristics of the General Physics student population.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, Gary L.

2006-12-01

Are pre-medical students different than the other students in a General physics class? They often appear to be different, based on how often they seek help from the instructor or how nervous they are about 2 points on a lab report. But are these students different in a measurable characteristic? The purpose of this study is to better understand the characteristics of the students in the introductory physics classes. This is the first step toward improving the instruction. By better understanding the students the classroom, the organization and pedagogy can be adjusted to optimize student learning. The characteristics to be investigated during this study are: · student epistemological structure, · student attitudes, · science course preparation prior to this course, · study techniques used, · physics concepts gained during the class · performance in the class. The data will be analyzed to investigate differences between groups. The groups investigated will be major, gender, and traditional/nontraditional students.

Large space structure damping design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pilkey, W. D.; Haviland, J. K.

1983-01-01

Several FORTRAN subroutines and programs were developed which compute complex eigenvalues of a damped system using different approaches, and which rescale mode shapes to unit generalized mass and make rigid bodies orthogonal to each other. An analytical proof of a Minimum Constrained Frequency Criterion (MCFC) for a single damper is presented. A method to minimize the effect of control spill-over for large space structures is proposed. The characteristic equation of an undamped system with a generalized control law is derived using reanalysis theory. This equation can be implemented in computer programs for efficient eigenvalue analysis or control quasi synthesis. Methods to control vibrations in large space structure are reviewed and analyzed. The resulting prototype, using electromagnetic actuator, is described.

Light aircraft crash safety program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, R. G.; Hayduk, R. J.

1974-01-01

NASA is embarked upon research and development tasks aimed at providing the general aviation industry with a reliable crashworthy airframe design technology. The goals of the NASA program are: reliable analytical techniques for predicting the nonlinear behavior of structures; significant design improvements of airframes; and simulated full-scale crash test data. The analytical tools will include both simplified procedures for estimating energy absorption characteristics and more complex computer programs for analysis of general airframe structures under crash loading conditions. The analytical techniques being developed both in-house and under contract are described, and a comparison of some analytical predictions with experimental results is shown.

Algorithms for elasto-plastic-creep postbuckling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padovan, J.; Tovichakchaikul, S.

1984-01-01

This paper considers the development of an improved constrained time stepping scheme which can efficiently and stably handle the pre-post-buckling behavior of general structure subject to high temperature environments. Due to the generality of the scheme, the combined influence of elastic-plastic behavior can be handled in addition to time dependent creep effects. This includes structural problems exhibiting indefinite tangent properties. To illustrate the capability of the procedure, several benchmark problems employing finite element analyses are presented. These demonstrate the numerical efficiency and stability of the scheme. Additionally, the potential influence of complex creep histories on the buckling characteristics is considered.

STARS: An integrated general-purpose finite element structural, aeroelastic, and aeroservoelastic analysis computer program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, Kajal K.

1991-01-01

The details of an integrated general-purpose finite element structural analysis computer program which is also capable of solving complex multidisciplinary problems is presented. Thus, the SOLIDS module of the program possesses an extensive finite element library suitable for modeling most practical problems and is capable of solving statics, vibration, buckling, and dynamic response problems of complex structures, including spinning ones. The aerodynamic module, AERO, enables computation of unsteady aerodynamic forces for both subsonic and supersonic flow for subsequent flutter and divergence analysis of the structure. The associated aeroservoelastic analysis module, ASE, effects aero-structural-control stability analysis yielding frequency responses as well as damping characteristics of the structure. The program is written in standard FORTRAN to run on a wide variety of computers. Extensive graphics, preprocessing, and postprocessing routines are also available pertaining to a number of terminals.

Factor structure of the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) from infertile women attending the Yazd Research and Clinical Center for Infertility.

PubMed

Shayan, Zahra; Pourmovahed, Zahra; Najafipour, Fatemeh; Abdoli, Ali Mohammad; Mohebpour, Fatemeh; Najafipour, Sedighe

2015-12-01

Nowadays, infertility problems have become a social concern, and are associated with multiple psychological and social problems. Also, it affects the interpersonal communication between the individual, familial, and social characteristics. Since women are exposed to stressors of physical, mental, social factors, and treatment of infertility, providing a psychometric screening tool is necessary for disorders of this group. The aim of this study was to determine the factor structure of the general health questionnaire-28 to discover mental disorders in infertile women. In this study, 220 infertile women undergoing treatment of infertility were selected from the Yazd Research and Clinical Center for Infertility with convenience sampling in 2011. After completing the general health questionnaire by the project manager, validity and, reliability of the questionnaire were calculated by confirmatory factor structure and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. Four factors, including anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, depression, and physical symptoms were extracted from the factor structure. 50.12% of the total variance was explained by four factors. The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was obtained 0.90. Analysis of the factor structure and reliability of General Health Questionnaire-28 showed that it is suitable as a screening instrument for assessing general health of infertile women.

Characteristics of communication guidelines that facilitate or impede guideline use: a focus group study

PubMed Central

Veldhuijzen, Wemke; Ram, Paul M; van der Weijden, Trudy; Niemantsverdriet, Susan; van der Vleuten, Cees PM

2007-01-01

Background The quality of doctor-patient communication has a major impact on the quality of medical care. Communication guidelines define best practices for doctor patient communication and are therefore an important tool for improving communication. However, adherence to communication guidelines remains low, despite doctors participating in intensive communication skill training. Implementation research shows that adherence is higher for guidelines in general that are user centred and feasible, which implies that they are consistent with users' opinions, tap into users' existing skills and fit into existing routines. Developers of communication guidelines seem to have been somewhat negligent with regard to user preferences and guideline feasibility. In order to promote the development of user centred and practicable communication guidelines, we elicited user preferences and identified which guideline characteristics facilitate or impede guideline use. Methods Seven focus group interviews were conducted with experienced GPs, communication trainers (GPs and behavioural scientists) and communication learners (GP trainees and medical students) and three focus group interviews with groups of GP trainees only. All interviews were transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Results The participants identified more impeding guideline characteristics than facilitating ones. The most important impeding characteristic was that guidelines do not easily fit into GPs' day-to-day practice. This is due to rigidity and inefficiency of communication guidelines and erroneous assumptions underpinning guideline development. The most important facilitating characteristic was guideline structure. Guidelines that were structured in distinct phases helped users to remain in control of consultations, which was especially useful in complicated consultations. Conclusion Although communication guidelines are generally considered useful, especially for structuring consultations, their usefulness is impaired by lack of flexibility and applicability to practice routines. User centred and feasible guidelines should combine the advantages of helping doctors to structure consultations with flexibility to tailor communication strategies to specific contexts and situations. PMID:17506878

Characteristic-eddy decomposition of turbulence in a channel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moin, Parviz; Moser, Robert D.

1989-01-01

Lumley's proper orthogonal decomposition technique is applied to the turbulent flow in a channel. Coherent structures are extracted by decomposing the velocity field into characteristic eddies with random coefficients. A generalization of the shot-noise expansion is used to determine the characteristic eddies in homogeneous spatial directions. Three different techniques are used to determine the phases of the Fourier coefficients in the expansion: (1) one based on the bispectrum, (2) a spatial compactness requirement, and (3) a functional continuity argument. Similar results are found from each of these techniques.

10 CFR 55.41 - Written examination: Operators.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... coefficients, and poison effects. (2) General design features of the core, including core structure, fuel elements, control rods, core instrumentation, and coolant flow. (3) Mechanical components and design... changes, and operating limitations and reasons for these operating characteristics. (6) Design, components...

10 CFR 55.41 - Written examination: Operators.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... coefficients, and poison effects. (2) General design features of the core, including core structure, fuel elements, control rods, core instrumentation, and coolant flow. (3) Mechanical components and design... changes, and operating limitations and reasons for these operating characteristics. (6) Design, components...

10 CFR 55.41 - Written examination: Operators.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... coefficients, and poison effects. (2) General design features of the core, including core structure, fuel elements, control rods, core instrumentation, and coolant flow. (3) Mechanical components and design... changes, and operating limitations and reasons for these operating characteristics. (6) Design, components...

Generalized Mechanism of Field Emission from Nanostructured Semiconductor Film Cathodes

PubMed Central

Wang, Ru-Zhi; Zhao, Wei; Yan, Hui

2017-01-01

Considering the effect of both the buffer layer and substrate, a series of ultrathin multilayered structure cathodes (UTMC) is constructed to simulate the field emission (FE) process of nanostructured semiconductor film cathodes (NSFCs). We find a generalized FE mechanism of the NSFCs, in which there are three distinct FE modes with the change of the applied field. Our results clearly show significant differences of FE between conventional emitters and nanofilm emitters, which the non-Fowler-Nordheim characteristics and the resonant FE will be inevitable for NSFCs. Moreover, the controllable FE can be realized by fine-tuning the quantum structure of NSFCs. The generalized mechanism of NSFCs presented here may be particularly useful for design high-speed and high-frequency vacuum nano-electronic devices.

Generalized Mechanism of Field Emission from Nanostructured Semiconductor Film Cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ru-Zhi; Zhao, Wei; Yan, Hui

2017-03-01

Considering the effect of both the buffer layer and substrate, a series of ultrathin multilayered structure cathodes (UTMC) is constructed to simulate the field emission (FE) process of nanostructured semiconductor film cathodes (NSFCs). We find a generalized FE mechanism of the NSFCs, in which there are three distinct FE modes with the change of the applied field. Our results clearly show significant differences of FE between conventional emitters and nanofilm emitters, which the non-Fowler-Nordheim characteristics and the resonant FE will be inevitable for NSFCs. Moreover, the controllable FE can be realized by fine-tuning the quantum structure of NSFCs. The generalized mechanism of NSFCs presented here may be particularly useful for design high-speed and high-frequency vacuum nano-electronic devices.

Characteristics of the transmission loss apparatus at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grosveld, F. W.

1983-01-01

A description of the Transmission Loss Apparatus at NASA Langley Research Center, which is specifically designed to accommodate general aviation type aircraft structures, is presented. The measurement methodology, referred to as the Plate Reference Method, is discussed and compared with the classical method as described in the Standard of the American Society for Testing and Materials. This measurement procedure enables reliable and accurate noise transmission loss measurements down to the 50 Hz one-third octave band. The transmission loss characteristics of add-on acoustical treatments, applied to the basic structure, can be established by inclusion of appropriate absorption corrections for the treatment.

Generalized self-adjustment method for statistical mechanics of composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan'kov, A. A.

1997-03-01

A new method is developed for the statistical mechanics of composite materials — the generalized selfadjustment method — which makes it possible to reduce the problem of predicting effective elastic properties of composites with random structures to the solution of two simpler "averaged" problems of an inclusion with transitional layers in a medium with the desired effective elastic properties. The inhomogeneous elastic properties and dimensions of the transitional layers take into account both the "approximate" order of mutual positioning, and also the variation in the dimensions and elastics properties of inclusions through appropriate special averaged indicator functions of the random structure of the composite. A numerical calculation of averaged indicator functions and effective elastic characteristics is performed by the generalized self-adjustment method for a unidirectional fiberglass on the basis of various models of actual random structures in the plane of isotropy.

Sex differences in anthropometric characteristics, motor and cognitive functioning in preschool children at the time of school enrolment.

PubMed

Bala, Gustav; Katić, Ratko

2009-12-01

The study included a sample of 333 preschool children (162 male and 171 female) at the time of school enrolment. Study subjects were recruited from the population of children in kindergartens in the cities of Novi Sad, Sombor, Sremska Mitrovica and Backa Palanka (Province of Voivodina, Serbia). Eight anthropometric variables, seven motor variables and one cognitive variable were analyzed to identify quantitative and qualitative sex differences in anthropometric characteristics, motor and cognitive functioning. Study results showed statistically significant sex differences in anthropometric characteristics and motor abilities in favor of male children, whereas no such difference was recorded in cognitive functioning. Sex differences found in morphological and motor spaces contributed to structuring proper general factors according to space and sex. Somewhat stronger structures were observed in male children. The cognitive aspect of functioning yielded better correlation with motor functioning in female than in male children. Motor functioning correlated better with morphological growth and development in male children, whereas cognitive functioning was relatively independent. These results are not fully in accordance with the current concept of general conditions in preschool children, nor they fully confirm the theory of integral development of children, hence they should be re-examined in future studies. Although these study results cannot be applied to sports practice in general, since we believe that it is too early for preschool children to take up sports and sport competitions, they are relevant for pointing to the need of developing general motor ability and motor behavior in preschool children.

Contemporary seismicity in and around the Yakima Fold and Thrust Belt in eastern Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gomberg, J.; Sherrod, B.; Trautman, M.; Burns, E.; Snyder, Diane

2012-01-01

We examined characteristics of routinely cataloged seismicity from 1970 to the present in and around the Yakima fold‐and‐thrust belt (YFTB) in eastern Washington to determine if the characteristics of contemporary seismicity provide clues about regional‐scale active tectonics or about more localized, near‐surface processes. We employed new structural and hydrologic models of the Columbia River basalts (CRB) and found that one‐third to one‐half of the cataloged earthquakes occur within the CRB and that these CRB earthquakes exhibit significantly more clustered, and swarmlike, behavior than those outside. These results and inferences from published studies led us to hypothesize that clustered seismicity is likely associated with hydrologic changes in the CRB, which hosts the regional aquifer system. While some general features of the regional groundwater system support this hypothesis, seismicity patterns and mapped long‐term changes in groundwater levels and present‐day irrigation neither support nor refute it. Regional tectonic processes and crustal‐scale structures likely influence the distribution of earthquakes both outside and within the CRB as well. We based this inference on qualitatively assessed alignments between the dominant northwest trends in the geologic structure and the seismicity generally and between specific faults and characteristics of the 2009 Wooded Island swarm and aseismic slip, which is the only cluster studied in detail and the most vigorous since regional monitoring began.

[Criteria of quality of structure in rehabilitation units with inpatient treatment].

PubMed

Klein, K; Farin, E; Jäckel, W H; Blatt, O; Schliehe, F

2004-04-01

The structure of a rehabilitation unit is an important feature of the quality of care. Adequate and qualitatively good structures provide the basis for appropriate therapy offers and treatment and eventually, a better health for rehabilitants. The quality of structures is generally recorded without any evaluation of the aspects in particular. The definition of standards is the basis for such an evaluation. The project presented is aimed at the definition of relevant structural standards for rehab units with inpatient treatment for musculoskeletal, cardiac, neurological, gastroenterological, oncological, pneumological and dermatological diseases. Here, the distinction between basal criteria which have to be fulfilled by every rehab unit with inpatient treatment and criteria important for a well-aimed assignment of patients with specific needs ("assignment criteria") should be made. Apart from the documentation of structural attributes, the structural quality of a rehab unit can be described individually as well as in comparison with other units. Relevant structural criteria were defined in expert meetings by means of a modified Delphi-technique with five inquiries. Overall, 199 "basal criteria" and "assignment criteria" were defined. All criteria can be assigned to the two domains general structural characteristics (general characteristics and equipment of rooms; medical/technical equipment; therapy, education, care; staff) and process-related structures (conceptual frames; internal quality management; internal communication and personnel development). The structural standards are applicable to units for musculoskeletal, cardiac, neurological, oncological, gastroenterological, dermatological and pneumological rehabilitation financed by the two main providers of rehabilitation, the statutory pension insurance scheme and the statutory health insurance scheme for all other five indications. The definition of structural standards agreed by experts in a formal consensus process, provides comprehensive and concrete requirements for German rehab units with inpatient medical rehabilitation. If the two main providers of rehabilitation both use the standards this can be regarded as a hallmark on the path to a unitary programme for quality management. The results enable units to analyse their weak points not just on an individual basis but allow also for a comparison between units, along with contributing to optimizing the structural quality of rehab units.

Structures-propulsion interactions and requirements. [large space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coyner, J. V.

1982-01-01

The effects of low-thrust primary propulsion system characteristics on the mass, area, and orbit transfer characteristics of large space systems (LSS) were determined. Three general structural classes of LSS were considered, each with a broad range of diameters and nonstructural surface densities. While transferring the deployed structure from LEO and to GEO, an acceleration range of 0.02 to 0.1 g's was found to maximize deliverable payload based on structural mass impact. After propulsion system parametric analyses considering four propellant combinations produced values for available payload mass, length and volume, a thrust level range which maximizes deliverable LSS diameter was determined corresponding to a structure and propulsion vehicle. The engine start and/or shutdown thrust transients on the last orbit transfer (apogee) burn can impose transient loads which would be greater than the steady-state loads at the burnout acceleration. The effect of the engine thrust transients on the LSS was determined from the dynamic models upon which various engine ramps were imposed.

Analysis of three-dimensional-cavity-backed aperture antennas using a Combined Finite Element Method/Method of Moments/Geometrical Theory of Diffraction technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reddy, C. J.; Deshpande, M. D.; Cockrell, C. R.; Beck, F. B.

1995-01-01

A combined finite element method (FEM) and method of moments (MoM) technique is presented to analyze the radiation characteristics of a cavity-fed aperture in three dimensions. Generalized feed modeling has been done using the modal expansion of fields in the feed structure. Numerical results for some feeding structures such as a rectangular waveguide, circular waveguide, and coaxial line are presented. The method also uses the geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD) to predict the effect of a finite ground plane on radiation characteristics. Input admittance calculations for open radiating structures such as a rectangular waveguide, a circular waveguide, and a coaxial line are shown. Numerical data for a coaxial-fed cavity with finite ground plane are verified with experimental data.

Phenylethynyl terminated reactive oligomer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor); Jensen, Brian J. (Inventor); Hergenrother, Paul M. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A composition of matter having the general structure: ##STR1## (wherein X is F, Cl, or NO.sub.2, and Y is CO, SO.sub.2 or C(CF.sub.3).sub.2) is employed to terminate a nucleophilic reagent, resulting in the exclusive production of phenylethynyl terminated reactive oligomers which display unique thermal characteristics. A reactive diluent having the general structure: ##STR2## (wherein R is any aliphatic or aromatic moiety) is employed to decrease the melt viscosity of a phenylethynyl terminated reactive oligomer and to subsequently react therewith to provide a thermosetting material of enhanced density. These materials have features which make them attractive candidates for use as composite matrices and adhesives.

Building and design defects observed in the residential sector and the types of damage observed in recent earthquakes in Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolga Çöğürcü, M.

2015-01-01

Turkey is situated in a very active earthquake region. In the last century, several earthquakes resulted in thousands of deaths and enormous economic losses. In 1999, the Marmara earthquake had an approximate death toll of more than 20 000, and in 2011, the Van earthquake killed 604 people. In general, Turkish residential buildings have reinforced concrete structural systems. These reinforced concrete structures have several deficiencies, such as low concrete quality, non-seismic steel detailing, and inappropriate structural systems including several architectural irregularities. In this study, the general characteristics of Turkish building stock and the deficiencies observed in structural systems are explained, and illustrative figures are given with reference to Turkish Earthquake Code 2007 (TEC, 2007). The poor concrete quality, lack of lateral or transverse reinforcement in beam-column joints and column confinement zones, high stirrup spacings, under-reinforced columns and over-reinforced beams are the primary causes of failures. Other deficiencies include weak column-stronger beam formations, insufficient seismic joint separations, soft story or weak story irregularities and short columns. Similar construction and design mistakes are also observed in other countries situated on active earthquake belts. Existing buildings still have these undesirable characteristics, so to prepare for future earthquakes, they must be rehabilitated.

Construction and design defects in the residential buildings and observed earthquake damage types in Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cogurcu, M. T.

2015-04-01

Turkey is situated in a very active earthquake region. In the last century, several earthquakes resulted in thousands of deaths and enormous economic losses. In 1999, the Kocaeli earthquake had an approximate death toll of more than 20 000, and in 2011 the Van earthquake killed 604 people. In general, Turkish residential buildings have reinforced concrete structural systems. These reinforced concrete structures have several deficiencies, such as low concrete quality, non-seismic steel detailing and inappropriate structural systems including several architectural irregularities. In this study, the general characteristics of Turkish building stock and the deficiencies observed in structural systems are explained, and illustrative figures are given with reference to the Turkish Earthquake Code 2007. The poor concrete quality, lack of lateral or transverse reinforcement in beam-column joints and column confinement zones, high stirrup spacings, under-reinforced columns and over-reinforced beams are the primary causes of failures. Other deficiencies include weak-column-stronger-beam formations, insufficient seismic joint separations, soft-story or weak-story irregularities and short columns. Similar construction and design mistakes are also observed in other countries situated on active earthquake belts. Existing buildings still have these undesirable characteristics, and so to prepare for future earthquakes they must be rehabilitated.

Study of LTPP laboratory resilient modulus test data and response characteristics.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-10-01

The resilient modulus of every unbound structural layer of the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Specific Pavement and : General Pavement Studies Test Sections is being measured in the laboratory using LTPP test protocol P46. A total of 2,014 : r...

Trend of relations between morphological characteristics and motor abilities in preschool children.

PubMed

Bala, Gustav; Jalsić, Damjan; Katić, Ratko

2009-06-01

Measurements of eight anthropometric characteristics and a battery of seven motor tests were applied in a large sample of 1170 children, 565 boys and 605 girls aged 4 to 7.5 decimal years from preschool institutions in three towns in Vojvodina (Novi Sad, Sombor, and Bacha Palanka). Children were selected according to 0.5 decimal years in the mentioned age range. The status of boys and girls according to seven age categories, age-related differences between boys and girls, as well as the relations between anthropometric characteristics and motor abilities were analyzed by use of intercorrelation matrices and canonical correlation analysis. Generally, significant sex differences were found in anthropometric characteristics, i.e., the values of bone growth in length were higher in boys, while the values of voluminosity and subcutaneous adipose tissue were higher in girls. Concerning the space of motor variables, there were significant differences in functioning of the mechanism of movement structuring, the mechanism of synergetic regulation, and the mechanism of excitation duration control, which reached higher values in boys, whereas the functioning of the mechanism of tonus regulation showed higher values in girls. These differences generated morphological and motor structures in boys and girls according to age groups analyzed whose relations showed variable level of statistical significance. The youngest and oldest ages showed generalness of the canonical factor structure, as well as the highest significance of participation in the common variance of the two spaces of the variables applied. Between the above ages, i.e., between 4 and 7 years, the relation between morphological characteristics and motor abilities in children decreased, followed by gradual increase. It was monitored by the coefficient of determination between the first pairs of canonical factors in each age category, in boys and girls alike. This relation tended to be higher in boys in all analyzed age categories except for the youngest age where a considerably higher relation was recorded between morphological and motor structure in girls. Such a result could be interpreted by the trend and growth/development level of morphological structure, development of motor structure, development of the central nervous system, as well as by physical activity that is more intensive in boys than in girls.

New knitted fabric concepts for denim products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marmaralı, A.; Ertekin, G.; Oğlakcıoğlu, N.; Kertmen, M.; Seçil Aydın, İ.

2017-10-01

“Denim” like knitted fabric is a new trend combining the appearance of woven denim with the knitted structures’ characteristics such as flexibility, softness, wrinkle resistance, user-friendliness, and comfortable. According to the requirements of markets, it can be obviously seen that, this fabric will be a new era for denim industry which can be competitive with woven denim garments. This study presents general information and literature survey about denim production, knitted denim structures and their characteristics.

Efficient computation of PDF-based characteristics from diffusion MR signal.

PubMed

Assemlal, Haz-Edine; Tschumperlé, David; Brun, Luc

2008-01-01

We present a general method for the computation of PDF-based characteristics of the tissue micro-architecture in MR imaging. The approach relies on the approximation of the MR signal by a series expansion based on Spherical Harmonics and Laguerre-Gaussian functions, followed by a simple projection step that is efficiently done in a finite dimensional space. The resulting algorithm is generic, flexible and is able to compute a large set of useful characteristics of the local tissues structure. We illustrate the effectiveness of this approach by showing results on synthetic and real MR datasets acquired in a clinical time-frame.

Stories in Conversation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofer, Roberta Senner

Although conversational stories within one individual's corpus share the same structure, they have features that set them apart from one another. Based on the stories' general characteristics and the way they function in ongoing talk, they can be identified as: (1) durable personal experience narratives (PENs), which are often repeated during the…

Virtual-pulse time integral methodology: A new explicit approach for computational dynamics - Theoretical developments for general nonlinear structural dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Xiaoqin; Tamma, Kumar K.; Sha, Desong

1993-01-01

The present paper describes a new explicit virtual-pulse time integral methodology for nonlinear structural dynamics problems. The purpose of the paper is to provide the theoretical basis of the methodology and to demonstrate applicability of the proposed formulations to nonlinear dynamic structures. Different from the existing numerical methods such as direct time integrations or mode superposition techniques, the proposed methodology offers new perspectives and methodology of development, and possesses several unique and attractive computational characteristics. The methodology is tested and compared with the implicit Newmark method (trapezoidal rule) through a nonlinear softening and hardening spring dynamic models. The numerical results indicate that the proposed explicit virtual-pulse time integral methodology is an excellent alternative for solving general nonlinear dynamic problems.

Extracting the information of coastline shape and its multiple representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ying; Li, Shujun; Tian, Zhen; Chen, Huirong

2007-06-01

According to studying the coastline, a new way of multiple representations is put forward in the paper. That is stimulating human thinking way when they generalized, building the appropriate math model and describing the coastline with graphics, extracting all kinds of the coastline shape information. The coastline automatic generalization will be finished based on the knowledge rules and arithmetic operators. Showing the information of coastline shape by building the curve Douglas binary tree, it can reveal the shape character of coastline not only microcosmically but also macroscopically. Extracting the information of coastline concludes the local characteristic point and its orientation, the curve structure and the topology trait. The curve structure can be divided the single curve and the curve cluster. By confirming the knowledge rules of the coastline generalization, the generalized scale and its shape parameter, the coastline automatic generalization model is established finally. The method of the multiple scale representation of coastline in this paper has some strong points. It is human's thinking mode and can keep the nature character of the curve prototype. The binary tree structure can control the coastline comparability, avoid the self-intersect phenomenon and hold the unanimous topology relationship.

Fracture Characteristics of Two High-Strength, Low-Alloy and Two Stainless Steels

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-01-01

conditions. The effects of hydrogen. and temper. embrittlement on the materials’ behavior when fractured under tensile and fatigue fonditions were... effects of hydrogen- and tomper-embrittlement have a bet, crystal structure, this plane has the type on the materials’ behavior when fractured under...A. Troiano, "The Role of lydrogen and Other Intersiftials high-strength, low-alloy structural steels generally used in the Mechanical Behavior ot

Cascade generalized predictive control strategy for boiler drum level.

PubMed

Xu, Min; Li, Shaoyuan; Cai, Wenjian

2005-07-01

This paper proposes a cascade model predictive control scheme for boiler drum level control. By employing generalized predictive control structures for both inner and outer loops, measured and unmeasured disturbances can be effectively rejected, and drum level at constant load is maintained. In addition, nonminimum phase characteristic and system constraints in both loops can be handled effectively by generalized predictive control algorithms. Simulation results are provided to show that cascade generalized predictive control results in better performance than that of well tuned cascade proportional integral differential controllers. The algorithm has also been implemented to control a 75-MW boiler plant, and the results show an improvement over conventional control schemes.

Generalized Eigenvalues for pairs on heritian matrices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rublein, George

1988-01-01

A study was made of certain special cases of a generalized eigenvalue problem. Let A and B be nxn matrics. One may construct a certain polynomial, P(A,B, lambda) which specializes to the characteristic polynomial of B when A equals I. In particular, when B is hermitian, that characteristic polynomial, P(I,B, lambda) has real roots, and one can ask: are the roots of P(A,B, lambda) real when B is hermitian. We consider the case where A is positive definite and show that when N equals 3, the roots are indeed real. The basic tools needed in the proof are Shur's theorem on majorization for eigenvalues of hermitian matrices and the interlacing theorem for the eigenvalues of a positive definite hermitian matrix and one of its principal (n-1)x(n-1) minors. The method of proof first reduces the general problem to one where the diagonal of B has a certain structure: either diag (B) = diag (1,1,1) or diag (1,1,-1), or else the 2 x 2 principal minors of B are all 1. According as B has one of these three structures, we use an appropriate method to replace A by a positive diagonal matrix. Since it can be easily verified that P(D,B, lambda) has real roots, the result follows. For other configurations of B, a scaling and a continuity argument are used to prove the result in general.

Pre-Language Activities for the Profoundly Mentally Retarded.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poole, Marilyn R.; And Others

Provided are sample lesson plans for a program to develop pre-language skills in profoundly retarded children and adults. Characteristic of the suggested activities is the stimulation of all sensory channels through structured infant-like play activities in five general areas: oral stimulation, sensory arousal, motor stimulation, vocal play, and…

Appearance of gauge structure in simple dynamical systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilczek, F.; Zee, A.

1984-01-01

By generalizing a construction of Berry and Simon, it is shown that non-Abelian gauge fields arise in the adiabatic development of simple quantum mechanical systems. Characteristics of the gauge fields are related to energy splittings, which may be observable in real systems. Similar phenomena are found for suitable classical systems.

Association of Structural Global Brain Network Properties with Intelligence in Normal Aging

PubMed Central

Fischer, Florian U.; Wolf, Dominik; Scheurich, Armin; Fellgiebel, Andreas

2014-01-01

Higher general intelligence attenuates age-associated cognitive decline and the risk of dementia. Thus, intelligence has been associated with cognitive reserve or resilience in normal aging. Neurophysiologically, intelligence is considered as a complex capacity that is dependent on a global cognitive network rather than isolated brain areas. An association of structural as well as functional brain network characteristics with intelligence has already been reported in young adults. We investigated the relationship between global structural brain network properties, general intelligence and age in a group of 43 cognitively healthy elderly, age 60–85 years. Individuals were assessed cross-sectionally using Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) and diffusion-tensor imaging. Structural brain networks were reconstructed individually using deterministic tractography, global network properties (global efficiency, mean shortest path length, and clustering coefficient) were determined by graph theory and correlated to intelligence scores within both age groups. Network properties were significantly correlated to age, whereas no significant correlation to WAIS-R was observed. However, in a subgroup of 15 individuals aged 75 and above, the network properties were significantly correlated to WAIS-R. Our findings suggest that general intelligence and global properties of structural brain networks may not be generally associated in cognitively healthy elderly. However, we provide first evidence of an association between global structural brain network properties and general intelligence in advanced elderly. Intelligence might be affected by age-associated network deterioration only if a certain threshold of structural degeneration is exceeded. Thus, age-associated brain structural changes seem to be partially compensated by the network and the range of this compensation might be a surrogate of cognitive reserve or brain resilience. PMID:24465994

Characteristics of career advisors for general practice--a qualitative study of UK GPs.

PubMed

Thornett, Andrew; Thorley, Judith; Chambers, Ruth

2006-01-01

Career support needs of general practitioners are poorly described in the literature. Semi-structured interviews of 26 practising GPs from two United Kingdom counties. General practitioners believed they would benefit from the provision of career advice and guidance provided by trained peers. They were looking for advisors to whom they could relate and who understood their professional and personal needs, in particular: listening skills, life experience, credibility, protected time, ability to challenge, give careful consideration, trustworthiness, knowledge about GP careers, facilitation skills, and empathy. A strategy put in place in Australia might enable GPs to implement career plans.

Structural and shear characteristics of adsorbed sodium caseinate and monoglyceride mixed monolayers at the air-water interface.

PubMed

Rodríguez Patino, Juan M; Cejudo Fernández, Marta; Carrera Sánchez, Cecilio; Rodríguez Niño, Ma Rosario

2007-09-01

The structural and shear characteristics of mixed monolayers formed by an adsorbed Na-caseinate film and a spread monoglyceride (monopalmitin or monoolein) on the previously adsorbed protein film have been analyzed. Measurements of the surface pressure (pi)-area (A) isotherm and surface shear viscosity (eta(s)) were obtained at 20 degrees C and at pH 7 in a modified Wilhelmy-type film balance. The structural and shear characteristics of the mixed films depend on the surface pressure and on the composition of the mixed film. At surface pressures lower than the equilibrium surface pressure of Na-caseinate (at pipi(e)(CS) have important repercussions on the shear characteristics of the mixed films.

Is the community of fish gill parasites structured in a Neotropical floodplain?

PubMed

Bellay, Sybelle; Takemoto, Ricardo Massato; Oliveira, Edson Fontes

2012-03-01

Sixty-one specimens of the piranha Serrasalmus marginatus Valenciennes, 1837 were analyzed, aiming at assessing the community structure of their gill parasites. The samples were collected in lagoons of the Paraná, Ivinheima and Baia Subsystems within the Upper Paraná River Floodplain (Brazil). Host size and sex had little or no influence on the abundance and prevalence of parasites. The organization of the gill parasite infracommunities of S. marginatus was significantly non-random according to null models and ordination analyses. In general, parasite infrapopulations were not affected by interspecific associations or host characteristics (e.g. size, sex), what highlights the importance of local habitat characteristics to community organization of gill parasites of S. marginatus in the Upper Paraná River Floodplain.

Structural parameters that influence the noise reduction characteristics of typical general aviation materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roskam, J.; Grosveld, F.

1980-01-01

Effect of panel curvature and oblique angle of sound incidence on noise reduction characteristics of an aluminum panel are experimentally investigated. Panel curvature results show significant increase in stiffness with comparable decrease of sound transmission through the panel in the frequency region below the panel/cavity resonance frequency. Noise reduction data have been achieved for aluminum panels with clamped, bonded and riveted edge conditions. These edge conditions are shown to influence noise reduction characteristics of aluminum panels. Experimentally measured noise reduction characteristics of flat aluminum panels with uniaxial and biaxial in-plane stresses are presented and discussed. Results indicate important improvement in noise reduction of these panels in the frequency range below the fundamental panel/cavity resonance frequency.

General Characteristics of the Changes in the Thermal Stability of Proteins and Enzymes After the Chemical Modification of Their Functional Groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutuzova, G. D.; Ugarova, N. N.; Berezin, Ilya V.

1984-11-01

The principal structural and physicochemical factors determining the stability of protein macromolecules in solution and the characteristics of the structure of the proteins from thermophilic microorganisms are examined. The mechanism of the changes in the thermal stability of proteins and enzymes after the chemical modification of their functional side groups and the experimental data concerning the influence of chemical modification on the thermal stability of proteins are analysed. The dependence of the stabilisation effect and of the changes in the structure of protein macromolecules on the degree of modification and on the nature of the modified groups and the groups introduced into proteins in the course of modification (their charge and hydrophobic properties) is demonstrated. The great practical value of the method of chemical modification for the preparation of stabilised forms of biocatalysts is shown in relation to specific examples. The bibliography includes 178 references.

Cable in Boston; A Basic Viability Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauben, Jan Ward; And Others

The viability of urban cable television (CATV) as an economic phenomenon is examined via a case study of its feasibility in Boston, a microcosm of general urban environment. To clarify cable's economics, a unitary concept of viability is used in which all local characteristics, cost assumptions, and growth estimates are structured dynamically as a…

Motivations Adultes a la Structuration de la Pensee (Adult Motives for Engaging in Intellectual Effort).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moles, A.; Muller, F.

This study examines and discusses sociological and psychological factors affecting adult motivation (or, in general, lack of motivation) to engage in systematic learning or hard intellectual effort. Characteristics and effects of mass culture are briefly noted. Differing levels of learning and conceptualization are described, ranging from the…

Emotional Expression at Work and at Home: Domain, Status, or Individual Characteristics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lively, Kathryn J.; Powell, Brian

2006-01-01

Using the emotions module of the 1996 General Social Survey, we examine strategies that individuals use to express emotion. We focus on anger, one of the emotions most problematic or potentially disruptive to human interaction. Relying on insights from three theoretical approaches to emotion--the cultural perspective, the structural perspective,…

Rotor systems research aircraft predesign study. Volume 4: Preliminary draft detail specification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, A. N.; Linden, A. W.

1972-01-01

The RSRA requirements are presented in a detail specification format. Coverage of the requirements includes the following headings: (1) aircraft characteristics, (2) general features of design and construction, (3) aerodynamics, (4) structural design criteria, (5) flight control system, (6) propulsion subsystem, and (7) secondary power and distribution subsystem.

The Good Teacher: A Qualitative Analysis of Perceptions of Asian American Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qureshi, Mariam

2013-01-01

This research study examined the general question "What do Asian American parents believe to be important characteristics of an effective elementary teacher?" In order to investigate this question, the researcher used a qualitative research design employing a semi-structured interview which probed into the personal perceptions voiced by…

Distinguishing Continuous and Discrete Approaches to Multilevel Mixture IRT Models: A Model Comparison Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Xiaoshu

2013-01-01

The current study introduced a general modeling framework, multilevel mixture IRT (MMIRT) which detects and describes characteristics of population heterogeneity, while accommodating the hierarchical data structure. In addition to introducing both continuous and discrete approaches to MMIRT, the main focus of the current study was to distinguish…

The Ecological and Population Validity of Reading Interventions for Adolescents: Can Effectiveness Be Generalized?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Deborah K.; McCray Sorrells, Audrey; Cole, Heather A.; Takakawa, Nara N.

2013-01-01

This article examined the ecological and population validity of research on reading interventions for adolescents in Grades 6 through 12. The 26 studies meeting selection criteria were analyzed to determine the characteristics of the students, interventionists, classroom structures, and school environments used, as well as whether there were…

Creep and Fracture Characteristics of Materials and Structures at Elevated Temperatures.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-02-14

plastic analysis, the assumption is further compounded by the fact that four general deformation regions can be identified near the crack front: a) the...CIIII’ HA MICROCOp ’ CHPRT .i -. .. " ... *’.-* -. " .-.’ a * - . , .* ’.- -* ’. .. " . . . i. i-- --. - . . ". " . .’,i2 ." "i i

An International Comparison of the Effects of HRM Practices and Organizational Commitment on Quality of Job Performances among European University Employees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smeenk, Sanne; Teelken, Christine; Eisinga, Rob; Doorewaard, Hans

2008-01-01

Societal developments have forced universities all over Europe to replace their "professional" strategies, structures, and values by organizational characteristics that could be stereotyped as "private sector" features. This trend is known as "managerialism". Since university employees generally stick to professional…

Rural settlements transition (RST) in a suburban area of metropolis: Internal structure perspectives.

PubMed

Ma, Wenqiu; Jiang, Guanghui; Wang, Deqi; Li, Wenqing; Guo, Hongquan; Zheng, Qiuyue

2018-02-15

Rural settlements transition (RST) is one of the most significant indices for understanding the phenomena of rural reconstruction and urban-rural transformation in China. However, a systematic overview of RST is missing, and there is a lack of evidence regarding its characteristics from the internal structure perspectives. In this paper, we systematically explore the RST regarding spatio-temporal change characteristics of internal structure, patterns and impacts on rural environment and development by using practical survey internal land-use data from 2005 to 2015. The results show that the temporal change characteristics of the internal structure of rural settlements demonstrate a tendency for housing land to decrease and other land-use types to increase. The spatial change characteristics reveal that the structure inclines to more complexity and diversity from an exurban area to an urban-rural fringe area. Based on this finding, we identify that rapid development of rural industrialization, more agglomerate and effective industrial land-use, and improved public infrastructure construction are the general RST patterns. Spatially, there exists a physical decay pattern in the exurban area, thereby resulting in the hollowing-out of rural industries and of the population. In addition, the extensive and disorderly pattern in the suburban area causes low efficiency output and serious environmental pollution. The RST pattern in the urban hinterland promoted the "men-environment" compatible development. The study concludes that regional differentiation in patterns and impacts are significant in the process of RST. Future adaptive strategies for rural settlements adjustment should be conducted according to regional characteristics, including socio-economic status, physical geography condition and economic location to improve the rural environmental sustainability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A generalized theory of preferential linking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Haibo; Guo, Jinli; Liu, Xuan; Wang, Xiaofan

2014-12-01

There are diverse mechanisms driving the evolution of social networks. A key open question dealing with understanding their evolution is: How do various preferential linking mechanisms produce networks with different features? In this paper we first empirically study preferential linking phenomena in an evolving online social network, find and validate the linear preference. We propose an analyzable model which captures the real growth process of the network and reveals the underlying mechanism dominating its evolution. Furthermore based on preferential linking we propose a generalized model reproducing the evolution of online social networks, and present unified analytical results describing network characteristics for 27 preference scenarios. We study the mathematical structure of degree distributions and find that within the framework of preferential linking analytical degree distributions can only be the combinations of finite kinds of functions which are related to rational, logarithmic and inverse tangent functions, and extremely complex network structure will emerge even for very simple sublinear preferential linking. This work not only provides a verifiable origin for the emergence of various network characteristics in social networks, but bridges the micro individuals' behaviors and the global organization of social networks.

Sources and characteristics of interior noise in general aviation aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Catherines, J. J.; Jha, S. K.

1976-01-01

A field study was conducted to examine the interior noise characteristics of a general aviation aircraft. The goals were to identify the major noise sources and their relative contribution and to establish the noise transmission paths and their relative importance. Tests were performed on an aircraft operating under stationary conditions on the ground. Results show that the interior noise level of light aircraft is dominated by broadband, low frequencies (below 1,000 Hz). Both the propeller and the engine are dominant sources, however, the contribution from the propeller is significantly more than the engine at its fundamental blade passage frequency. The data suggest that the airborne path is more dominant than the structure-borne path in the transmission of broadband, low frequency noise which apparently results from the exhaust.

Structural and Na-ion conduction characteristics of Na 3PS xSe 4–x

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

Bo, Shou -Hang; Wang, Yan; Ceder, Gerbrand

The recent discovery of the isostructrual cubic Na 3PS 4 and Na 3PSe 4 as fast Na-ion conductors provided a general structural framework for the exploration of new sodium superionic conductors. In this work, we systematically investigated the structures and ionic conduction characteristics of a series of compounds with the general chemical formula of Na 3PS xSe 4–x. Synthesis of Na 3PS 4 under different conditions (e.g., temperature, reaction vessel, mass of the precursors) reveals the reactivity of the precursors with the reaction tubes, producing different polymorphs. X-ray diffraction studies on the solid solution phases Na 3PS xSe 4–x identifiedmore » a tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition with increasing Se concentration. This observation is consistent with the computed stability of the tetragonal and cubic polymorphs, where the energy difference between the two polymorphs becomes very close to zero in Se-rich compositions. Furthermore, ab initio molecular dynamic simulations suggest that the fast Na-ion conduction in Na 3PS xSe 4–x may not be causally related with the symmetry or the composition of these phases. The formation of defects, instead, enables fast Na-ion conduction in this class of materials.« less

Structural and Na-ion conduction characteristics of Na 3 PS x Se 4-x

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

Bo, Shou-Hang; Wang, Yan; Ceder, Gerbrand

The recent discovery of the isostructrual cubic Na 3PS 4 and Na 3PSe 4 as fast Na-ion conductors provided a general structural framework for the exploration of new sodium superionic conductors. In this work, we systematically investigated the structures and ionic conduction characteristics of a series of compounds with the general chemical formula of Na 3PS xSe 4-x. Synthesis of Na 3PS 4 under different conditions (e.g., temperature, reaction vessel, mass of the precursors) reveals the reactivity of the precursors with the reaction tubes, producing different polymorphs. X-ray diffraction studies on the solid solution phases Na 3PS xSe 4-x more » identified a tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition with increasing Se concentration. This observation is consistent with the computed stability of the tetragonal and cubic polymorphs, where the energy difference between the two polymorphs becomes very close to zero in Se-rich compositions. Furthermore, ab initio molecular dynamic simulations suggest that the fast Na-ion conduction in Na 3PS xSe 4-x may not be causally related with the symmetry or the composition of these phases. The formation of defects, instead, enables fast Na-ion conduction in this class of materials.« less

Structural and Na-ion conduction characteristics of Na 3PS xSe 4–x

DOE PAGES

Bo, Shou -Hang; Wang, Yan; Ceder, Gerbrand

2016-05-19

The recent discovery of the isostructrual cubic Na 3PS 4 and Na 3PSe 4 as fast Na-ion conductors provided a general structural framework for the exploration of new sodium superionic conductors. In this work, we systematically investigated the structures and ionic conduction characteristics of a series of compounds with the general chemical formula of Na 3PS xSe 4–x. Synthesis of Na 3PS 4 under different conditions (e.g., temperature, reaction vessel, mass of the precursors) reveals the reactivity of the precursors with the reaction tubes, producing different polymorphs. X-ray diffraction studies on the solid solution phases Na 3PS xSe 4–x identifiedmore » a tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition with increasing Se concentration. This observation is consistent with the computed stability of the tetragonal and cubic polymorphs, where the energy difference between the two polymorphs becomes very close to zero in Se-rich compositions. Furthermore, ab initio molecular dynamic simulations suggest that the fast Na-ion conduction in Na 3PS xSe 4–x may not be causally related with the symmetry or the composition of these phases. The formation of defects, instead, enables fast Na-ion conduction in this class of materials.« less

Analytical and experimental study of vibrations in a gear transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choy, F. K.; Ruan, Y. F.; Zakrajsek, J. J.; Oswald, Fred B.; Coy, J. J.

1991-01-01

An analytical simulation of the dynamics of a gear transmission system is presented and compared to experimental results from a gear noise test rig at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The analytical procedure developed couples the dynamic behaviors of the rotor-bearing-gear system with the response of the gearbox structure. The modal synthesis method is used in solving the overall dynamics of the system. Locally each rotor-gear stage is modeled as an individual rotor-bearing system using the matrix transfer technique. The dynamics of each individual rotor are coupled with other rotor stages through the nonlinear gear mesh forces and with the gearbox structure through bearing support systems. The modal characteristics of the gearbox structure are evaluated using the finite element procedure. A variable time steping integration routine is used to calculate the overall time transient behavior of the system in modal coordinates. The global dynamic behavior of the system is expressed in a generalized coordinate system. Transient and steady state vibrations of the gearbox system are presented in the time and frequency domains. The vibration characteristics of a simple single mesh gear noise test rig is modeled. The numerical simulations are compared to experimental data measured under typical operating conditions. The comparison of system natural frequencies, peak vibration amplitudes, and gear mesh frequencies are generally in good agreement.

Operating characteristics of depression and anxiety disorder phenotype dimensions and trait neuroticism: a theoretical examination of the fear and distress disorders from the Netherlands study of depression and anxiety.

PubMed

Tully, Phillip J; Wardenaar, Klaas J; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2015-03-15

The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) of anhedonic depression and anxious arousal to detect the distress- (major depression, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder) and fear-disorder clusters (i.e. panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia) have not been reported in a large sample. A sample of 2981 persons underwent structured psychiatric interview; n=652 were without lifetime depression and anxiety disorder history. Participants also completed a neuroticism scale (Revised NEO Five Factor Inventory [NEO-FFI]), and the 30-item short adaptation of the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ-D30) measuring anhedonic depression, anxious arousal and general distress. Maximal sensitivity and specificity was determined by the Youden Index and the area-under-the-curve (AUC) in ROC analysis. A total of 2624 completed all measures (age M=42.4 years±13.1, 1760 females [67.1%]), including 1060 (40.4%) persons who met criteria for a distress-disorder, and 973 (37.1%) who met criteria for a fear-disorder. The general distress dimension provided the highest ROC values in the detection of the distress-disorders (AUC=.814, sensitivity=71.95%, specificity=76.34%, positive predictive value=67.33, negative predictive value=80.07). None of the measures provided suitable operating characteristics in the detection of the fear-disorders with specificity values <75%. Over sampling of depression and anxiety disorders may lead to inflated positive- and negative predictive values. The MASQ-D30 general distress dimension showed clinically suitable operating characteristics in the detection of distress-disorders. Neither neuroticism nor the MASQ-D30 dimensions provided suitable operating characteristics in the detection of the fear-disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Defects in High Speed Growth of EFG Silicon Ribbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, C. V. H. N.; Cretella, M. C.

1984-01-01

Silicon ribbons grown by the Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG) technique exhibit a characteristic defect structure typified by twins, dislocations, grain boundaries and silicon carbide inclusions. As growth speed is increased from less than 2.5 cm per minute, the structural details change. The major difference between the ribbons grown at speeds below and above 2.5 cm per minute is in the generation of a cellular structure at the higher growth speeds, observable in the ribbon cross section. The presence of the cross sectional structure leads, in general, to a reduction in cell performance. Models to explain the formation of such a cross sectional structure are presented and discussed.

Simulation and Experimental Investigation of Structural Dynamic Frequency Characteristics Control

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xingwu; Chen, Xuefeng; You, Shangqin; He, Zhengjia; Li, Bing

2012-01-01

In general, mechanical equipment such as cars, airplanes, and machine tools all operate with constant frequency characteristics. These constant working characteristics should be controlled if the dynamic performance of the equipment demands improvement or the dynamic characteristics is intended to change with different working conditions. Active control is a stable and beneficial method for this, but current active control methods mainly focus on vibration control for reducing the vibration amplitudes in the time domain or frequency domain. In this paper, a new method of dynamic frequency characteristics active control (DFCAC) is presented for a flat plate, which can not only accomplish vibration control but also arbitrarily change the dynamic characteristics of the equipment. The proposed DFCAC algorithm is based on a neural network including two parts of the identification implement and the controller. The effectiveness of the DFCAC method is verified by several simulation and experiments, which provide desirable results. PMID:22666072

Simulation and experimental investigation of structural dynamic frequency characteristics control.

PubMed

Zhang, Xingwu; Chen, Xuefeng; You, Shangqin; He, Zhengjia; Li, Bing

2012-01-01

In general, mechanical equipment such as cars, airplanes, and machine tools all operate with constant frequency characteristics. These constant working characteristics should be controlled if the dynamic performance of the equipment demands improvement or the dynamic characteristics is intended to change with different working conditions. Active control is a stable and beneficial method for this, but current active control methods mainly focus on vibration control for reducing the vibration amplitudes in the time domain or frequency domain. In this paper, a new method of dynamic frequency characteristics active control (DFCAC) is presented for a flat plate, which can not only accomplish vibration control but also arbitrarily change the dynamic characteristics of the equipment. The proposed DFCAC algorithm is based on a neural network including two parts of the identification implement and the controller. The effectiveness of the DFCAC method is verified by several simulation and experiments, which provide desirable results.

Fully kinetic simulations of collisionless, mesothermal plasma emission: Macroscopic plume structure and microscopic electron characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yuan; Wang, Joseph

2017-03-01

This paper presents a fully kinetic particle particle-in-cell simulation study on the emission of a collisionless plasma plume consisting of cold beam ions and thermal electrons. Results are presented for both the two-dimensional macroscopic plume structure and the microscopic electron kinetic characteristics. We find that the macroscopic plume structure exhibits several distinctive regions, including an undisturbed core region, an electron cooling expansion region, and an electron isothermal expansion region. The properties of each region are determined by microscopic electron kinetic characteristics. The division between the undisturbed region and the cooling expansion region approximately matches the Mach line generated at the edge of the emission surface, and that between the cooling expansion region and the isothermal expansion region approximately matches the potential well established in the beam. The interactions between electrons and the potential well lead to a new, near-equilibrium state different from the initial distribution for the electrons in the isothermal expansion region. The electron kinetic characteristics in the plume are also very anisotropic. As the electron expansion process is mostly non-equilibrium and anisotropic, the commonly used assumption that the electrons in a collisionless, mesothermal plasma plume may be treated as a single equilibrium fluid in general is not valid.

The FNS-based analyzing the EEG to diagnose the bipolar affective disorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panischev, Yu; Panischeva, S. N.; Demin, S. A.

2015-11-01

Here we demonstrate a capability of method based on the Flicker-Noise Spectroscopy (FNS) in analyzing the manifestation bipolar affective disorder (BAD) in EEG. Generally EEG from BAD patient does not show the visual differences from healthy EEG. Analyzing the behavior of FNS-parameters and the structure of 3D-cross correlators allows to discover the differential characteristics of BAD. The cerebral cortex electric activity of BAD patients have a specific collective dynamics and configuration of the FNS-characteristics in comparison with healthy subjects.

High frequency capacitance-voltage characteristics of thermally grown SiO2 films on beta-SiC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tang, S. M.; Berry, W. B.; Kwor, R.; Zeller, M. V.; Matus, L. G.

1990-01-01

Silicon dioxide films grown under dry and wet oxidation environment on beta-SiC films have been studied. The beta-SiC films had been heteroepitaxially grown on both on-axis and 2-deg off-axis (001) Si substrates. Capacitance-voltage and conductance-voltage characteristics of metal-oxide-semiconductor structures were measured in a frequency range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz. From these measurements, the interface trap density and the effective fixed oxide charge density were observed to be generally lower for off-axis samples.

Unique Features of Halophilic Proteins.

PubMed

Arakawa, Tsutomu; Yamaguchi, Rui; Tokunaga, Hiroko; Tokunaga, Masao

2017-01-01

Proteins from moderate and extreme halophiles have unique characteristics. They are highly acidic and hydrophilic, similar to intrinsically disordered proteins. These characteristics make the halophilic proteins soluble in water and fold reversibly. In addition to reversible folding, the rate of refolding of halophilic proteins from denatured structure is generally slow, often taking several days, for example, for extremely halophilic proteins. This slow folding rate makes the halophilic proteins a novel model system for folding mechanism analysis. High solubility and reversible folding also make the halophilic proteins excellent fusion partners for soluble expression of recombinant proteins.

Research on energy stock market associated network structure based on financial indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Xian; An, Haizhong

2018-01-01

A financial market is a complex system consisting of many interacting units. In general, due to the various types of information exchange within the industry, there is a relationship between the stocks that can reveal their clear structural characteristics. Complex network methods are powerful tools for studying the internal structure and function of the stock market, which allows us to better understand the stock market. Applying complex network methodology, a stock associated network model based on financial indicators is created. Accordingly, we set threshold value and use modularity to detect the community network, and we analyze the network structure and community cluster characteristics of different threshold situations. The study finds that the threshold value of 0.7 is the abrupt change point of the network. At the same time, as the threshold value increases, the independence of the community strengthens. This study provides a method of researching stock market based on the financial indicators, exploring the structural similarity of financial indicators of stocks. Also, it provides guidance for investment and corporate financial management.

Detecting damage in full-scale honeycomb sandwich composite curved fuselage panels through frequency response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leone, Frank A., Jr.; Ozevin, Didem; Mosinyi, Bao; Bakuckas, John G., Jr.; Awerbuch, Jonathan; Lau, Alan; Tan, Tein-Min

2008-03-01

Preliminary tests were conducted using frequency response (FR) characteristics to determine damage initiation and growth in a honeycomb sandwich graphite/epoxy curved panel. This investigation was part of a more general study investigating the damage tolerance characteristics of several such panels subjected to quasi-static internal pressurization combined with hoop and axial loading. The panels were tested at the Full-Scale Aircraft Structural Test Evaluation and Research (FASTER) facility located at the Federal Aviation Administration William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, NJ. The overall program objective was to investigate the damage tolerance characteristics of full-scale composite curved aircraft fuselage panels and the evolution of damage under quasi-static loading up to failure. This paper focuses on one aspect of this comprehensive investigation: the effect of state-of-damage on the characteristics of the frequency response of the subject material. The results presented herein show that recording the frequency response could be used for real-time monitoring of damage growth and in determining damage severity in full-scale composites fuselage aircraft structures.

Features and characterization needs of rubber composite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tabaddor, Farhad

1989-01-01

Some of the major unique features of rubber composite structures are outlined. The features covered are those related to the material properties, but the analytical features are also briefly discussed. It is essential to recognize these features at the planning stage of any long-range analytical, experimental, or application program. The development of a general and comprehensive program which fully accounts for all the important characteristics of tires, under all the relevant modes of operation, may present a prohibitively expensive and impractical task at the near future. There is therefore a need to develop application methodologies which can utilize the less general models, beyond their theoretical limitations and yet with reasonable reliability, by proper mix of analytical, experimental, and testing activities.

Diamond-like phases formed from fullerene-like clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belenkov, E. A.; Greshnyakov, V. A.

2015-11-01

The geometrically optimized structure and properties of thirteen diamond-like carbon phases formed by linking or combining fullerene-like clusters (C4, C6, C8, C12, C16, C24, or C48) have been investigated. Atoms in the structures of these phases are located in crystallographically equivalent positions. The calculations have been performed using the density functional theory in the generalized gradient approximation. The calculated values of the structural characteristics and properties (sublimation energies, bulk moduli, band gaps, X-ray diffraction patterns) of the studied diamond-like phases differ significantly from the corresponding values for cubic diamond.

A general representation scheme for crystalline solids based on Voronoi-tessellation real feature values and atomic property data

PubMed Central

Jalem, Randy; Nakayama, Masanobu; Noda, Yusuke; Le, Tam; Takeuchi, Ichiro; Tateyama, Yoshitaka; Yamazaki, Hisatsugu

2018-01-01

Abstract Increasing attention has been paid to materials informatics approaches that promise efficient and fast discovery and optimization of functional inorganic materials. Technical breakthrough is urgently requested to advance this field and efforts have been made in the development of materials descriptors to encode or represent characteristics of crystalline solids, such as chemical composition, crystal structure, electronic structure, etc. We propose a general representation scheme for crystalline solids that lifts restrictions on atom ordering, cell periodicity, and system cell size based on structural descriptors of directly binned Voronoi-tessellation real feature values and atomic/chemical descriptors based on the electronegativity of elements in the crystal. Comparison was made vs. radial distribution function (RDF) feature vector, in terms of predictive accuracy on density functional theory (DFT) material properties: cohesive energy (CE), density (d), electronic band gap (BG), and decomposition energy (Ed). It was confirmed that the proposed feature vector from Voronoi real value binning generally outperforms the RDF-based one for the prediction of aforementioned properties. Together with electronegativity-based features, Voronoi-tessellation features from a given crystal structure that are derived from second-nearest neighbor information contribute significantly towards prediction. PMID:29707064

A general representation scheme for crystalline solids based on Voronoi-tessellation real feature values and atomic property data.

PubMed

Jalem, Randy; Nakayama, Masanobu; Noda, Yusuke; Le, Tam; Takeuchi, Ichiro; Tateyama, Yoshitaka; Yamazaki, Hisatsugu

2018-01-01

Increasing attention has been paid to materials informatics approaches that promise efficient and fast discovery and optimization of functional inorganic materials. Technical breakthrough is urgently requested to advance this field and efforts have been made in the development of materials descriptors to encode or represent characteristics of crystalline solids, such as chemical composition, crystal structure, electronic structure, etc. We propose a general representation scheme for crystalline solids that lifts restrictions on atom ordering, cell periodicity, and system cell size based on structural descriptors of directly binned Voronoi-tessellation real feature values and atomic/chemical descriptors based on the electronegativity of elements in the crystal. Comparison was made vs. radial distribution function (RDF) feature vector, in terms of predictive accuracy on density functional theory (DFT) material properties: cohesive energy (CE), density ( d ), electronic band gap (BG), and decomposition energy (Ed). It was confirmed that the proposed feature vector from Voronoi real value binning generally outperforms the RDF-based one for the prediction of aforementioned properties. Together with electronegativity-based features, Voronoi-tessellation features from a given crystal structure that are derived from second-nearest neighbor information contribute significantly towards prediction.

Presence of 1/f noise in the temporal structure of psychoacoustic parameters of natural and urban sounds.

PubMed

Yang, Ming; De Coensel, Bert; Kang, Jian

2015-08-01

1/f noise or pink noise, which has been shown to be universal in nature, has also been observed in the temporal envelope of music, speech, and environmental sound. Moreover, the slope of the spectral density of the temporal envelope of music has been shown to correlate well to its pleasing, dull, or chaotic character. In this paper, the temporal structure of a number of instantaneous psychoacoustic parameters of environmental sound is examined in order to investigate whether a 1/f temporal structure appears in various types of sound that are generally preferred by people in everyday life. The results show, to some extent, that different categories of environmental sounds have different temporal structure characteristics. Only a number of urban sounds considered and birdsong, generally, exhibit 1/f behavior on short to medium duration time scales, i.e., from 0.1 s to 10 s, in instantaneous loudness and sharpness, whereas a more chaotic variation is found in birdsong at longer time scales, i.e., of 10 s-200 s. The other sound categories considered exhibit random or monotonic variations in the different time scales. In general, this study shows that a 1/f temporal structure is not necessarily present in environmental sounds that are commonly perceived as pleasant.

Investigation of acoustic and gas dynamic characteristics of strongly swirled turbulent jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasheninnikov, S. Yu; Maslov, VP; Mironov, AK; Toktaliev, PD

2018-03-01

Generalization of the series of experimental and numerical results for properties and characteristics of swirling jets with high swirling intensity W0>1 is considered. These jets are typically used in gas turbine aviation engines for intensification of mixing process and combustion process stabilization. Flow structures in swirling jets and in the near-field are analyzed. It is shown, that, in the main, the flow structure behind the swirling device can be determined by swirling intensity W 0 and acoustic fluctuations field formed far from the jet boundaries. Experimental measurements and numerical simulation of the noise levels of the highly swirling jet are performed using Ffowcs-Williams-Hawkins analogy. Maximum levels of noise axis are observed at angles of 50°-70° from the jet.

Simulation Analysis of Temperature Field in the Heat Transfer Process of Shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Di; Luo, Zhen; Xuan, Wenbo

Sea temperature is the key factors that determines whether shellfish can maintain normal growth development and survival, as protective film, the shell is a very important part of structure of shellfish, so the research of heat transfer characteristics become very important. In this paper, we firstly make a comprehensive analysis on the appearance of the shell, for the next simulation builds a good foundation, and based on the large general finite element analysis software ANSYS, we analyze the thermodynamics of shells, study the effect of the shell thickness and structure on heat transfer time. And through apply different temperature load, analyze the heat transfer characteristics and temperature distribution of the shells, It is expected that the results is useful at the biological heat transfer of shellfish.

Characterization of clay scales forming in Philippine geothermal wells

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

Reyes, A.G.; Cardile, C.M.

1989-01-01

Smectite scales occur in 24 out of the 36 blocked wells located in Tongonan, Palinpinon and Bacon-Manito. These comprise 2-85% of the well scales and form at depths of 33-2620 m, where measured and fluid inclusion temperatures are 40-320{sup 0}C. Most, however, occur below the production casing show where temperatures are {ge}230{sup 0}C, often at depths coinciding with aquifers. The clay scales are compositionally and structurally different from the bentonite used in drilling, which is essentially sodium-rich montmorillonite. The clay deposits are expanding, generally disordered, and combine the characteristics of a montmorillonite, saponite and vermiculite in terms of reaction tomore » cationic exchange treatments, structure and composition. Six types of clay scales are identified, but the predominant one, comprising 60-100% of the clay deposits in a well, is Mg- and Fe-rich and referred to as a vermiculitic species. The crystallinity, degree of disorder, textures, optical characteristics, structure and relative amounts of structural Al, Mg and Fe vary with time, temperature and fluid composition, but not with depth and measured pressure. Despite its variance from bentonite characteristics, one of the dominant suggested mechanisms of clay scale formation uses the drilling mud in the well as a substrate, from which the Mg- and Fe-rich clay evolves.« less

Natural Resource Dependence, Rural Development, and Rural Poverty. Rural Development Research Report Number 48.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deavers, Kenneth L.; Brown, David L.

Rural areas' population growth, location, level of economic activity and social well-being depend less on natural resource endowments than on such factors as transportation, communication, labor force characteristics, and urbanization. General causes of the 1970's urban-to-rural migration included fewer changes in the structure of agriculture,…

The Modernity of Sociocultural Context: Its Influence on the Functioning of the Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephenson, Robert S.

This paper reviews a number of studies which indicated that the sociocultural context wherein the schools function influences a great many school characteristics. The study was based on the general hypothesis that the structure and functioning of the public schools is influenced by the modernity of the sociocultural context which they serve.…

A Decision Structure for Teaching Machines. M.I.T. PRESS Research Monograph, 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smallwood, Richard D.

The problem of enabling a teaching machine to adapt to the individual characteristics of students in presenting course material has been considered--general outlines of computer algorithms and decision criteria have been formulated. It is assumed that there exists both an ordered set of concepts which comprise the material to be learned and, for…

Full field stress/strain analysis : use of Moire and TSA for wood structural assemblies

Treesearch

R. W. Wolfe; R. E. Rowlands; C. H. Lin

1994-01-01

Laboratory and field experiments in wood engineering often rely on different types of devices to measure strain. Each type has certain limitations and characteristics that generally dictate its applicability to wood. Some of the issues related to using traditional strain measurement devices on wood and wood-based materials are discussed in this paper.

Self-Perceived Gains in Communication and Critical Thinking Skills: Are There Disciplinary Differences? AIR 1998 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Guihua; Long, Shawna; Simpson, Mary Ellen

This study sought to identify similarities and differences influencing students' self-perceived gains in communication and critical thinking skills. The study examined students' background characteristics and general college experiences, as well as their experiences in their major field of study. Structural equation modeling was used to examine…

Remarkable features in lattice-parameter ratios of crystals. II. Monoclinic and triclinic crystals.

PubMed

de Gelder, R; Janner, A

2005-06-01

The frequency distributions of monoclinic crystals as a function of the lattice-parameter ratios resemble the corresponding ones of orthorhombic crystals: an exponential component, with more or less pronounced sharp peaks, with in general the most important peak at the ratio value 1. In addition, the distribution as a function of the monoclinic angle beta has a sharp peak at 90 degrees and decreases sensibly at larger angles. Similar behavior is observed for the three triclinic angular parameters alpha, beta and gamma, with characteristic differences between the organic and metal-organic, bio-macromolecular and inorganic crystals, respectively. The general behavior observed for the hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic and triclinic crystals {in the first part of this series [de Gelder & Janner (2005). Acta Cryst. B61, 287-295] and in the present case} is summarized and commented. The data involved represent 366 800 crystals, with lattice parameters taken from the Cambridge Structural Database, CSD (294 400 entries), the Protein Data Bank, PDB (18 800 entries), and the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database, ICSD (53 600 entries). A new general structural principle is suggested.

A decomposition analysis of change in skilled birth attendants, 2003 to 2008, Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys.

PubMed

Bosomprah, Samuel; Aryeetey, Genevieve Cecelia; Nonvignon, Justice; Adanu, Richard M

2014-12-24

The single most critical intervention to improve maternal and neonatal survival is to ensure that a competent health worker with midwifery skills is present at every birth, and transport is available to a referral facility for obstetric care in case of an emergency. This study aims to describe changes in percentage of skilled birth attendants in Ghana and to identify causes of the observed changes as well as the contribution of different categories of mother's characteristics to these changes. This study uses two successive nationally representative household surveys: the 2003 and 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHS). The two datasets have comparable information on household characteristics and skilled attendants at birth at the time of the survey. The 2003 GDHS database includes information on 6,251 households and 3639 live births in the five years preceding the survey, whereas the 2008 GDHS database had information on11, 778 households and 2909 live births in the five years preceding the survey. A decomposition approach was used to explain the observed change in percentage of skilled birth attendants. Random-effects generalized least square regression was used to explore the effect of changes in population structure in respect of the mother's characteristics on percentage of skilled birth attendants over the period. Overall, the data showed absolute gain in the proportion of births attended by a health professional from 47.1% in 2003 to 58.7% in 2008, which represents 21.9% of gap closed to reach universal coverage. The increase in skilled birth attendants was found to be caused by changes in general health behaviour. The gain is regardless of the mother's characteristics. The structural change in the proportion of births in respect of birth order and mother's education had little effect on the change in percentage of skilled birth attendants. Improvement in general health behaviour can potentially contribute to an accelerated increase in proportion of births attended by skilled personnel in Ghana.

Adaptive supervisory control of remote manipulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferrell, W. R.

1977-01-01

The command language by which an operator exerts supervisory control over a general purpose remote manipulator should be designed to accommodate certain characteristics of human performance if there is to be effective communication between the operator and the machine. Some of the ways in which people formulate tasks, use language, learn and make errors are discussed and design implications are drawn. A general approach to command language design is suggested, based on the notion matching the operator's current task schema or context by appropriate program structures or 'frames' in the machine.

Rule Extracting based on MCG with its Application in Helicopter Power Train Fault Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, M.; Hu, N. Q.; Qin, G. J.

2011-07-01

In order to extract decision rules for fault diagnosis from incomplete historical test records for knowledge-based damage assessment of helicopter power train structure. A method that can directly extract the optimal generalized decision rules from incomplete information based on GrC was proposed. Based on semantic analysis of unknown attribute value, the granule was extended to handle incomplete information. Maximum characteristic granule (MCG) was defined based on characteristic relation, and MCG was used to construct the resolution function matrix. The optimal general decision rule was introduced, with the basic equivalent forms of propositional logic, the rules were extracted and reduction from incomplete information table. Combined with a fault diagnosis example of power train, the application approach of the method was present, and the validity of this method in knowledge acquisition was proved.

Sources and characteristics of interior noise in general aviation aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Catherines, J. J.; Jha, S. K.

1976-01-01

A field study has been conducted to examine the interior noise characteristics of a general aviation aircraft. The purposes of the study were to identify the major noise sources and their relative contribution and to establish the noise transmission paths and their relative importance. Tests were performed on an aircraft operating under stationary conditions on the ground. The results show that the interior noise level of light aircraft is dominated by broadband, low frequencies (below 1,000 Hz). Both the propeller and the engine are dominant sources; however, the contribution from the propeller is significantly more than the engine at its fundamental blade passage frequency. The data suggests that the airborne path is more dominant than the structure-borne path in the transmission of broadband, low-frequency noise which apparently results from the exhaust.

Explicit parametric solutions of lattice structures with proper generalized decomposition (PGD) - Applications to the design of 3D-printed architectured materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sibileau, Alberto; Auricchio, Ferdinando; Morganti, Simone; Díez, Pedro

2018-01-01

Architectured materials (or metamaterials) are constituted by a unit-cell with a complex structural design repeated periodically forming a bulk material with emergent mechanical properties. One may obtain specific macro-scale (or bulk) properties in the resulting architectured material by properly designing the unit-cell. Typically, this is stated as an optimal design problem in which the parameters describing the shape and mechanical properties of the unit-cell are selected in order to produce the desired bulk characteristics. This is especially pertinent due to the ease manufacturing of these complex structures with 3D printers. The proper generalized decomposition provides explicit parametic solutions of parametric PDEs. Here, the same ideas are used to obtain parametric solutions of the algebraic equations arising from lattice structural models. Once the explicit parametric solution is available, the optimal design problem is a simple post-process. The same strategy is applied in the numerical illustrations, first to a unit-cell (and then homogenized with periodicity conditions), and in a second phase to the complete structure of a lattice material specimen.

Specialized cell surface structures in cellulolytic bacteria.

PubMed Central

Lamed, R; Naimark, J; Morgenstern, E; Bayer, E A

1987-01-01

The cell surface topology of various gram-negative and -positive, anaerobic and aerobic, mesophilic and thermophilic, cellulolytic and noncellulolytic bacteria was investigated by scanning electron microscopic visualization using cationized ferritin. Characteristic protuberant structures were observed on cells of all cellulolytic strains. These structures appeared to be directly related to the previously described exocellular cellulase-containing polycellulosomes of Clostridium thermocellum YS (E. A. Bayer and R. Lamed, J. Bacteriol. 167:828-836, 1986). Immunochemical evidence and lectin-binding studies suggested a further correlation on the molecular level among cellulolytic bacteria. The results indicate that such cell surface cellulase-containing structures may be of general consequence to the bacterial interaction with and degradation of cellulose. Images PMID:3301817

Growth of copper-zinc and copper-magnesium particles by gas-evaporation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohno, T.

1984-12-01

Fine particles of Cu-Zn and Cu-Mg systems of diameter less than 500 nm were prepared by evaporating the constituent metals simultaneously from two evaporation sources in an atmosphere of argon of 10 to 30 Torr. The composition, crystal structure and habit of the alloy particles were investigated by electron microscopy. The composition of the alloy particles varied depending on the growth zone of metal smoke and almost all phases known in Cu-Zn or Cu-Mg system were found at the same time. The particles with single phase showed generally well-defined crystal habits characteristic of their crystal structures. For the particles with two phases, a fixed lattice relation between the two phases was generally recognized. The formation process of the alloy particles is discussed through these observations.

The first fossil fungus gardens of Isoptera: oldest evidence of symbiotic termite fungiculture (Miocene, Chad basin)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duringer, Philippe; Schuster, Mathieu; Genise, Jorge F.; Likius, Andossa; Mackaye, Hassan Taisso; Vignaud, Patrick; Brunet, Michel

2006-12-01

Higher termites of the subfamily Macrotermitinae (fungus-growing termites) are known to build fungus gardens where a symbiotic fungus ( Termitomyces sp.) is cultivated. The fungus grows on a substrate called fungus comb, a structure built with the termites’ own faeces. Here we present the first fossil fungus combs ever found in the world. They were extracted from 7-million-year-old continental sandstone (Chad basin). Fossilized fungus combs have an ovoid morphology with a more or less flattened concave base and a characteristic general alveolar aspect. Under lens, they display a typical millimetre-scale pelletal structure. The latter, as well as the general shape and alveolar aspect, are similar to the morphology of fungus combs from extant fungus-growing termites.

Evaluating views of lecturers on the consistency of teaching content with teaching approach: traditional versus reform calculus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sevimli, Eyup

2016-08-01

This study aims to evaluate the consistency of teaching content with teaching approaches in calculus on the basis of lecturers' views. In this sense, the structures of the examples given in two commonly used calculus textbooks, both in traditional and reform classrooms, are compared. The content analysis findings show that the examples in both textbooks are presented in a rather formal language and generally highlight procedural knowledge. And, even though the examples in the reform book chosen are structured using multiple representations, only a small number of them incorporated the usage of instructional technology. The lecturers' views which were gathered indicated that, although, on the one hand, the example structures of the traditional textbook largely overlapped with the characteristics of the traditional approach, the example structures of the reform textbook, on the other hand, were found to be inconsistent with the characteristics of the reform approach, especially with regard to its environment and knowledge components. At the end of the paper, some suggestions for further studies are provided for book authors and researchers.

Distributed strain measurement based on long-gauge FBG and delayed transmission/reflection ratiometric reflectometry for dynamic structural deformation monitoring.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Michiko; Igawa, Hirotaka; Kasai, Tokio; Watanabe, Naoyuki

2015-02-10

In this paper, we propose a delayed transmission/reflection ratiometric reflectometry (DTR(3)) scheme using a long-gauge fiber Bragg grating (FBG), which can be used for dynamic structural deformation monitoring of structures of between a few to tens of meters in length, such as airplane wings and helicopter blades. FBG sensors used for multipoint sensing generally employ wavelength division multiplexing techniques utilizing several Bragg central wavelengths; by contrast, the DTR(3) interrogator uses a continuous pulse array based on a pseudorandom number code and a long-gauge FBG utilizing a single Bragg wavelength and composed of simple hardware devices. The DTR(3) scheme can detect distributed strain at a 50 cm spatial resolution using a long-gauge FBG with a 100 Hz sampling rate. We evaluated the strain sensing characteristics of the long-gauge FBG when attached to a 2.5 m aluminum bar and a 5.5 m helicopter blade model, determining these structure natural frequencies in free vibration tests and their distributed strain characteristics in static tests.

Community structural characteristics and the adoption of fluoridation.

PubMed Central

Smith, R A

1981-01-01

A study of community structural characteristics associated with fluoridation outcomes was conducted in 47 communities. A three-part outcome distinction was utilized: communities never having publicly considered the fluoridation issue, those rejecting it, and those accepting it. The independent variables reflect the complexity of the community social and economic structure, social integration, and the centralization of authority. Results of mean comparisons show statistically significant differences between the three outcome types on the independent variables. A series of discriminant analyses provides furtheor evidence of how the independent variables are associated with each outcome type. Non-considering communities are shown to be low in complexity, and high in social integration and the centralization of governmental authority. Rejecters are shown to be high in complexity, but low in social integration and centralized authority. Adopters are relatively high on all three sets of variables. Theretical reasoning is provided to support the hypothesis and why these results are expected. The utility of these results and structural explanations in general are discussed, especially for public/environmental health planning and political activities. PMID:7258427

Changes in children's time with parents: United States, 1981-1997.

PubMed

Sandberg, J F; Hofferth, S L

2001-08-01

In this paper we examine changes in the time American children spent with their parents between 1981 and 1997, and the contribution to these changes made by shifting patterns of female labor force participation, family structure, and parental education. We decompose changes into the parts attributable to changes in demographic characteristics and the parts probably due to changes in behavior. In general, children's time with parents did not decrease over the period; in two-parent families it increased substantially. Population-level changes in demographic characteristics exerted only small direct effects on the time children spent with parents.

Dynamics of driven flow with exclusion in graphenelike structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stinchcombe, R. B.; de Queiroz, S. L. A.

2015-05-01

We present a mean-field theory for the dynamics of driven flow with exclusion in graphenelike structures, and numerically check its predictions. We treat first a specific combination of bond transmissivity rates, where mean field predicts, and numerics to a large extent confirms, that the sublattice structure characteristic of honeycomb networks becomes irrelevant. Dynamics, in the various regions of the phase diagram set by open boundary injection and ejection rates, is then in general identical to that of one-dimensional systems, although some discrepancies remain between mean-field theory and numerical results, in similar ways for both geometries. However, at the critical point for which the characteristic exponent is z =3 /2 in one dimension, the mean-field value z =2 is approached for very large systems with constant (finite) aspect ratio. We also treat a second combination of bond (and boundary) rates where, more typically, sublattice distinction persists. For the two rate combinations, in continuum or late-time limits, respectively, the coupled sets of mean-field dynamical equations become tractable with various techniques and give a two-band spectrum, gapless in the critical phase. While for the second rate combination quantitative discrepancies between mean-field theory and simulations increase for most properties and boundary rates investigated, theory still is qualitatively correct in general, and gives a fairly good quantitative account of features such as the late-time evolution of density profile differences from their steady-state values.

Organizational Context of Human Factors

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

anthroprometric characteristics of humans (reach, strength, etc.); biological limits of vision, hearing, memory; and work-load issues . This paper is in...developments of the .7A organizational analysis field was the generalization that authoritarian structures led to low morale among personnel, and this led to...emphasized participation in decision making, and freedom to criticize practices, would lead to high morale and more output. Embedded in this

Fronto-Parietal gray matter and white matter efficiency differentially predict intelligence in males and females.

PubMed

Ryman, Sephira G; Yeo, Ronald A; Witkiewitz, Katie; Vakhtin, Andrei A; van den Heuvel, Martijn; de Reus, Marcel; Flores, Ranee A; Wertz, Christopher R; Jung, Rex E

2016-11-01

While there are minimal sex differences in overall intelligence, males, on average, have larger total brain volume and corresponding regional brain volumes compared to females, measures that are consistently related to intelligence. Limited research has examined which other brain characteristics may differentially contribute to intelligence in females to facilitate equal performance on intelligence measures. Recent reports of sex differences in the neural characteristics of the brain further highlight the need to differentiate how the structural neural characteristics relate to intellectual ability in males and females. The current study utilized a graph network approach in conjunction with structural equation modeling to examine potential sex differences in the relationship between white matter efficiency, fronto-parietal gray matter volume, and general cognitive ability (GCA). Participants were healthy adults (n = 244) who completed a battery of cognitive testing and underwent structural neuroimaging. Results indicated that in males, a latent factor of fronto-parietal gray matter was significantly related to GCA when controlling for total gray matter volume. In females, white matter efficiency and total gray matter volume were significantly related to GCA, with no specificity of the fronto-parietal gray matter factor over and above total gray matter volume. This work highlights that different neural characteristics across males and females may contribute to performance on intelligence measures. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4006-4016, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Blockage and flow studies of a generalized test apparatus including various wing configurations in the Langley 7-inch Mach 7 Pilot Tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albertson, C. W.

1982-03-01

A 1/12th scale model of the Curved Surface Test Apparatus (CSTA), which will be used to study aerothermal loads and evaluate Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) on a fuselage-type configuration in the Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Structures Tunnel (8 ft HTST), was tested in the Langley 7-Inch Mach 7 Pilot Tunnel. The purpose of the tests was to study the overall flow characteristics and define an envelope for testing the CSTA in the 8 ft HTST. Wings were tested on the scaled CSTA model to select a wing configuration with the most favorable characteristics for conducting TPS evaluations for curved and intersecting surfaces. The results indicate that the CSTA and selected wing configuration can be tested at angles of attack up to 15.5 and 10.5 degrees, respectively. The base pressure for both models was at the expected low level for most test conditions. Results generally indicate that the CSTA and wing configuration will provide a useful test bed for aerothermal pads and thermal structural concept evaluation over a broad range of flow conditions in the 8 ft HTST.

Blockage and flow studies of a generalized test apparatus including various wing configurations in the Langley 7-inch Mach 7 Pilot Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albertson, C. W.

1982-01-01

A 1/12th scale model of the Curved Surface Test Apparatus (CSTA), which will be used to study aerothermal loads and evaluate Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) on a fuselage-type configuration in the Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Structures Tunnel (8 ft HTST), was tested in the Langley 7-Inch Mach 7 Pilot Tunnel. The purpose of the tests was to study the overall flow characteristics and define an envelope for testing the CSTA in the 8 ft HTST. Wings were tested on the scaled CSTA model to select a wing configuration with the most favorable characteristics for conducting TPS evaluations for curved and intersecting surfaces. The results indicate that the CSTA and selected wing configuration can be tested at angles of attack up to 15.5 and 10.5 degrees, respectively. The base pressure for both models was at the expected low level for most test conditions. Results generally indicate that the CSTA and wing configuration will provide a useful test bed for aerothermal pads and thermal structural concept evaluation over a broad range of flow conditions in the 8 ft HTST.

Unified studies of the structure changes and the nuclear reactions in {sup 10}Be

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

Ito, Makoto

2006-08-14

The {alpha}+6He low-energy reactions and the structural changes of 10Be in the microscopic {alpha}+{alpha}+N+N model are studied by the generalized two-center cluster model with the Kohn-Hulthen-Kato variation method. It is found that, in the inelastic scattering to the {alpha}+{sup 6}He(2{sub 1}{sup +}) channel, characteristic enhancements are expected as the results of the parity-dependent non-adiabatic dynamics. The reaction mechanism in breakup of 10Be into the {alpha}+6He continuum is also discussed.

Fundamentals of biomechanics in tissue engineering of bone.

PubMed

Athanasiou, K A; Zhu, C; Lanctot, D R; Agrawal, C M; Wang, X

2000-08-01

The objective of this review is to provide basic information pertaining to biomechanical aspects of bone as they relate to tissue engineering. The review is written for the general tissue engineering reader, who may not have a biomechanical engineering background. To this end, biomechanical characteristics and properties of normal and repair cortical and cancellous bone are presented. Also, this chapter intends to describe basic structure-function relationships of these two types of bone. Special emphasis is placed on salient classical and modern testing methods, with both material and structural properties described.

Active monitoring as cognitive control of grinders design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flizikowski, Jozef B.; Mrozinski, Adam; Tomporowski, Andrzej

2017-03-01

A general monitoring methodology applicable to plastics recyclates grinding processes development for energy engineering, has been presented in this work. The method includes two beings: mathematical aiding an invention and working of a novelty. The common set is composed of characteristics, structure, relationships of knowledge about states and transformations, effectiveness and progress of the devices and machinery engineering, e.g. breaking up in the energy-materials recycling process. This innovations theory is identified by the valuation, estimation, testing and creative archiving the elaborated character and structure of the invention and grinders construction development.

Deep melting reveals liquid structural memory and anomalous ferromagnetism in bismuth.

PubMed

Shu, Yu; Yu, Dongli; Hu, Wentao; Wang, Yanbin; Shen, Guoyin; Kono, Yoshio; Xu, Bo; He, Julong; Liu, Zhongyuan; Tian, Yongjun

2017-03-28

As an archetypal semimetal with complex and anisotropic Fermi surface and unusual electric properties (e.g., high electrical resistance, large magnetoresistance, and giant Hall effect), bismuth (Bi) has played a critical role in metal physics. In general, Bi displays diamagnetism with a high volumetric susceptibility ([Formula: see text]10 -4 ). Here, we report unusual ferromagnetism in bulk Bi samples recovered from a molten state at pressures of 1.4-2.5 GPa and temperatures above [Formula: see text]1,250 K. The ferromagnetism is associated with a surprising structural memory effect in the molten state. On heating, low-temperature Bi liquid (L) transforms to a more randomly disordered high-temperature liquid (L') around 1,250 K. By cooling from above 1,250 K, certain structural characteristics of liquid L' are preserved in L. Bi clusters with characteristics of the liquid L' motifs are further preserved through solidification into the Bi-II phase across the pressure-independent melting curve, which may be responsible for the observed ferromagnetism.

Application and Mechanics Analysis of Multi-Function Construction Platforms in Prefabricated-Concrete Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Meihua; Li, Rongshuai; Zhang, Wenze

2017-11-01

Multi-function construction platforms (MCPs) as an “old construction technology, new application” of the building facade construction equipment, its efforts to reduce labour intensity, improve labour productivity, ensure construction safety, shorten the duration of construction and other aspects of the effect are significant. In this study, the functional analysis of the multi-function construction platforms is carried out in the construction of the assembly building. Based on the general finite element software ANSYS, the static calculation and dynamic characteristics analysis of the MCPs structure are analysed, the simplified finite element model is constructed, and the selection of the unit, the processing and solution of boundary are under discussion and research. The maximum deformation value, the maximum stress value and the structural dynamic characteristic model are obtained. The dangerous parts of the platform structure are analysed, too. Multiple types of MCPs under engineering construction conditions are calculated, so as to put forward the rationalization suggestions for engineering application of the MCPs.

Deep melting reveals liquid structural memory and anomalous ferromagnetism in bismuth

PubMed Central

Shu, Yu; Yu, Dongli; Hu, Wentao; Wang, Yanbin; Shen, Guoyin; Kono, Yoshio; Xu, Bo; He, Julong; Liu, Zhongyuan; Tian, Yongjun

2017-01-01

As an archetypal semimetal with complex and anisotropic Fermi surface and unusual electric properties (e.g., high electrical resistance, large magnetoresistance, and giant Hall effect), bismuth (Bi) has played a critical role in metal physics. In general, Bi displays diamagnetism with a high volumetric susceptibility (∼10−4). Here, we report unusual ferromagnetism in bulk Bi samples recovered from a molten state at pressures of 1.4–2.5 GPa and temperatures above ∼1,250 K. The ferromagnetism is associated with a surprising structural memory effect in the molten state. On heating, low-temperature Bi liquid (L) transforms to a more randomly disordered high-temperature liquid (L′) around 1,250 K. By cooling from above 1,250 K, certain structural characteristics of liquid L′ are preserved in L. Bi clusters with characteristics of the liquid L′ motifs are further preserved through solidification into the Bi-II phase across the pressure-independent melting curve, which may be responsible for the observed ferromagnetism. PMID:28289195

Do we Underestimate the Importance of Leaf Size in Plant Economics? Disproportional Scaling of Support Costs Within the Spectrum of Leaf Physiognomy

PubMed Central

Niinemets, Ülo; Portsmuth, Angelika; Tena, David; Tobias, Mari; Matesanz, Silvia; Valladares, Fernando

2007-01-01

Background Broad scaling relationships between leaf size and function do not take into account that leaves of different size may contain different fractions of support in petiole and mid-rib. Methods The fractions of leaf biomass in petiole, mid-rib and lamina, and the differences in chemistry and structure among mid-ribs, petioles and laminas were investigated in 122 species of contrasting leaf size, life form and climatic distribution to determine the extent to which differences in support modify whole-lamina and whole-leaf structural and chemical characteristics, and the extent to which size-dependent support investments are affected by plant life form and site climate. Key Results For the entire data set, leaf fresh mass varied over five orders of magnitude. The percentage of dry mass in mid-rib increased strongly with lamina size, reaching more than 40 % in the largest laminas. The whole-leaf percentage of mid-rib and petiole increased with leaf size, and the overall support investment was more than 60 % in the largest leaves. Fractional support investments were generally larger in herbaceous than in woody species and tended to be lower in Mediterranean than in cool temperate and tropical plants. Mid-ribs and petioles had lower N and C percentages, and lower dry to fresh mass ratio, but greater density (mass per unit volume) than laminas. N percentage of lamina without mid-rib was up to 40 % higher in the largest leaves than the total-lamina (lamina and mid-rib) N percentage, and up to 60 % higher than whole-leaf N percentage, while lamina density calculated without mid-rib was up to 80 % less than that with the mid-rib. For all leaf compartments, N percentage was negatively associated with density and dry to fresh mass ratio, while C percentage was positively linked to these characteristics, reflecting the overall inverse scaling between structural and physiological characteristics. However, the correlations between N and C percentages and structural characteristics differed among mid-ribs, petioles and laminas, implying that the mass-weighted average leaf N and C percentage, density, and dry to fresh mass ratio can have different functional values depending on the importance of within-leaf support investments. Conclusions These data demonstrate that variation in leaf size is associated with major changes in within-leaf support investments and in large modifications in integrated leaf chemical and structural characteristics. These size-dependent alterations can importantly affect general leaf structure vs. function scaling relationships. These data further demonstrate important life-form effects on and climatic differentiation in foliage support costs. PMID:17586597

Normal personality characteristics in schizophrenia: a review of the literature involving the FFM.

PubMed

Dinzeo, Thomas J; Docherty, Nancy M

2007-05-01

Schizophrenia is generally viewed as a disruption of normal functioning because of an underlying core illness. A number of theorists have speculated that this core illness may unilaterally disrupt normal personality functioning. However, recent data suggests that the relationship may be more complex and reciprocal than previously conceptualized. Furthermore, basic personality characteristics appear to be associated with numerous clinical phenomena. This article reviews the empirical literature pertaining to normal personality characteristics [structured around the five-factor model (FFM) of personality] in individuals with schizophrenia. Evidence suggests that certain personality characteristics may be uniquely related to the etiology of psychosis, as well as symptom severity, occupational functioning, cigarette smoking, substance use and violent behavior, social isolation, and suicidality in patients with schizophrenia. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Job characteristics, flow, and performance: the moderating role of conscientiousness.

PubMed

Demerouti, Evangelia

2006-07-01

The present article aims to show the importance of positive work-related experiences within occupational health psychology by examining the relationship between flow at work (i.e., absorption, work enjoyment, and intrinsic work motivation) and job performance. On the basis of the literature, it was hypothesized that (a) motivating job characteristics are positively related to flow at work and (b) conscientiousness moderates the relationship between flow and other ratings of (in-role and out-of-role) performance. The hypotheses were tested on a sample of 113 employees from several occupations. Results of moderated structural equation modeling analyses generally supported the hypotheses. Motivating job characteristics were predictive of flow, and flow predicted in-role and extra-role performance, for only conscientious employees.

Correlations of RMT characteristic polynomials and integrability: Hermitean matrices

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

Osipov, Vladimir Al., E-mail: Vladimir.Osipov@uni-due.d; Kanzieper, Eugene, E-mail: Eugene.Kanzieper@hit.ac.i; Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100

Integrable theory is formulated for correlation functions of characteristic polynomials associated with invariant non-Gaussian ensembles of Hermitean random matrices. By embedding the correlation functions of interest into a more general theory of {tau} functions, we (i) identify a zoo of hierarchical relations satisfied by {tau} functions in an abstract infinite-dimensional space and (ii) present a technology to translate these relations into hierarchically structured nonlinear differential equations describing the correlation functions of characteristic polynomials in the physical, spectral space. Implications of this formalism for fermionic, bosonic, and supersymmetric variations of zero-dimensional replica field theories are discussed at length. A particular emphasismore » is placed on the phenomenon of fermionic-bosonic factorisation of random-matrix-theory correlation functions.« less

Fixed mesh refinement in the characteristic formulation of general relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barreto, W.; de Oliveira, H. P.; Rodriguez-Mueller, B.

2017-08-01

We implement a spatially fixed mesh refinement under spherical symmetry for the characteristic formulation of General Relativity. The Courant-Friedrich-Levy condition lets us deploy an adaptive resolution in (retarded-like) time, even for the nonlinear regime. As test cases, we replicate the main features of the gravitational critical behavior and the spacetime structure at null infinity using the Bondi mass and the News function. Additionally, we obtain the global energy conservation for an extreme situation, i.e. in the threshold of the black hole formation. In principle, the calibrated code can be used in conjunction with an ADM 3+1 code to confirm the critical behavior recently reported in the gravitational collapse of a massless scalar field in an asymptotic anti-de Sitter spacetime. For the scenarios studied, the fixed mesh refinement offers improved runtime and results comparable to code without mesh refinement.

Impact of surface nanostructure on ice nucleation.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiang-Xiong; Chen, Min; Fu, Ming

2014-09-28

Nucleation of water on solid surface can be promoted noticeably when the lattice parameter of a surface matches well with the ice structure. However, the characteristic length of the surface lattice reported is generally less than 0.5 nm and is hardly tunable. In this paper, we show that a surface with nanoscale roughness can also remarkably promote ice nucleation if the characteristic length of the surface structure matches well with the ice crystal. A series of surfaces composed of periodic grooves with same depth but different widths are constructed in molecular dynamics simulations. Water cylinders are placed on the constructed surfaces and frozen at constant undercooling. The nucleation rates of the water cylinders are calculated in the simulation using the mean first-passage time method and then used to measure the nucleation promotion ability of the surfaces. Results suggest that the nucleation behavior of the supercooled water is significantly sensitive to the width of the groove. When the width of the groove matches well with the specific lengths of the ice crystal structure, the nucleation can be promoted remarkably. If the width does not match with the ice crystal, this kind of promotion disappears and the nucleation rate is even smaller than that on the smooth surface. Simulations also indicate that even when water molecules are adsorbed onto the surface structure in high-humidity environment, the solid surface can provide promising anti-icing ability as long as the characteristic length of the surface structure is carefully designed to avoid geometric match.

Vertical and Horizontal Analysis of Crustal Structure of Southeastern Mediterranean and the Egyptian Coastal Zone, from Bouguer and Satellite Mission Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleh, Salah

2016-07-01

The present Tectonic system of Southeastern Mediterranean is driven by the collision of the African and Eurasian plates, the Arabian Eurasian convergence and the displacement of the Anatolian Aegean microplate, which generally represents the characteristic of lithospheric structure of the region. In the scope of this study, Bouguer and the satellite gravity (satellite altimetry) anomalies of southeastern Mediterranean and North Eastern part of Egypt were used for investigating the lithospheric structures. Second order trend analyses were applied firstly to Bouguer and satellite altimetry data for examining the characteristic of the anomaly. Later, the vertical and horizontal derivatives applications were applied to the same data. Generally, the purpose of the applying derivative methods is determining the vertical and horizontal borders of the structure. According to the results of derivatives maps, the study area could mainly divided into important four tectonic subzones depending on basement and Moho depth maps. These subzones are distributed from south to the north as: Nile delta-northern Sinai zone, north Egyptian coastal zone, Levantine basin zone and northern thrusting (Cyprus and its surroundings) zone. These zones are separated from each other by horizontal tectonic boundaries and/or near-vertical faults that display the block-faulting tectonic style of this belt. Finally, the gravity studies were evaluated together with the seismic activity of the region. Consequently, the geodynamical structure of the region is examined with the previous studies done in the region. Thus, the current study indicates that satellite gravity mission data is a valuable source of data in understanding the tectonic boundary behavior of the studied region and that satellite gravity data is an important modern source of data in the geodynamical studies.

Taguchi-generalized regression neural network micro-screening for physical and sensory characteristics of bread.

PubMed

Besseris, George J

2018-03-01

Generalized regression neural networks (GRNN) may act as crowdsourcing cognitive agents to screen small, dense and complex datasets. The concurrent screening and optimization of several complex physical and sensory traits of bread is developed using a structured Taguchi-type micro-mining technique. A novel product outlook is offered to industrial operations to cover separate aspects of smart product design, engineering and marketing. Four controlling factors were selected to be modulated directly on a modern production line: 1) the dough weight, 2) the proofing time, 3) the baking time, and 4) the oven zone temperatures. Concentrated experimental recipes were programmed using the Taguchi-type L 9 (3 4 ) OA-sampler to detect potentially non-linear multi-response tendencies. The fused behavior of the master-ranked bread characteristics behavior was smart sampled with GRNN-crowdsourcing and robust analysis. It was found that the combination of the oven zone temperatures to play a highly influential role in all investigated scenarios. Moreover, the oven zone temperatures and the dough weight appeared to be instrumental when attempting to synchronously adjusting all four physical characteristics. The optimal oven-zone temperature setting for concurrent screening-and-optimization was found to be 270-240 °C. The optimized (median) responses for loaf weight, moisture, height, width, color, flavor, crumb structure, softness, and elasticity are: 782 g, 34.8 %, 9.36 cm, 10.41 cm, 6.6, 7.2, 7.6, 7.3, and 7.0, respectively.

A semi-empirical model relating micro structure to acoustic properties of bimodal porous material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosanenzadeh, Shahrzad Ghaffari; Doutres, Olivier; Naguib, Hani E.; Park, Chul B.; Atalla, Noureddine

2015-01-01

Complex morphology of open cell porous media makes it difficult to link microstructural parameters and acoustic behavior of these materials. While morphology determines the overall sound absorption and noise damping effectiveness of a porous structure, little is known on the influence of microstructural configuration on the macroscopic properties. In the present research, a novel bimodal porous structure was designed and developed solely for modeling purposes. For the developed porous structure, it is possible to have direct control on morphological parameters and avoid complications raised by intricate pore geometries. A semi-empirical model is developed to relate microstructural parameters to macroscopic characteristics of porous material using precise characterization results based on the designed bimodal porous structures. This model specifically links macroscopic parameters including static airflow resistivity ( σ ) , thermal characteristic length ( Λ ' ) , viscous characteristic length ( Λ ) , and dynamic tortuosity ( α ∞ ) to microstructural factors such as cell wall thickness ( 2 t ) and reticulation rate ( R w ) . The developed model makes it possible to design the morphology of porous media to achieve optimum sound absorption performance based on the application in hand. This study makes the base for understanding the role of microstructural geometry and morphological factors on the overall macroscopic parameters of porous materials specifically for acoustic capabilities. The next step is to include other microstructural parameters as well to generalize the developed model. In the present paper, pore size was kept constant for eight categories of bimodal foams to study the effect of secondary porous structure on macroscopic properties and overall acoustic behavior of porous media.

Extracting and shaping the light of OLED devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riedel, Daniel; Dlugosch, Julian; Wehlus, Thomas; Brabec, Christoph

2015-09-01

Before the market entry of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) into the field of general illumination can occur, limitations in lifetime, luminous efficacy and cost must be overcome. Additional requirements for OLEDs used for general illumination may be imposed by workplace glare reduction requirements, which demand limited luminance for high viewing angles. These requirements contrast with the typical lambertian emission characteristics of OLEDs, which result in the same luminance levels for all emission angles. As a consequence, without additional measures glare reduction could limit the maximum possible luminance of lambertian OLEDs to relatively low levels. However, high luminance levels are still desirable in order to obtain high light output. We are presenting solutions to overcome this dilemma. Therefore this work is focused on light-shaping structures for OLEDs with an internal light extraction layer. Simulations of beam-shaping structures and shapes are presented, followed by experimental measurements to verify the simulations of the most promising structures. An investigation of the loss channels has been carried out and the overall optical system efficiency was evaluated for all structures. The most promising light shaping structures achieve system efficiencies up to 80%. Finally, a general illumination application scenario has been simulated. The number of OLEDs needed to illuminate an office room has been deduced from this scenario. By using light-shaping structures for OLEDs, the number of OLEDs needed to reach the mandatory illuminance level for a workplace environment can be reduced to one third compared to lambertian OLEDs.

Electron acoustic nonlinear structures in planetary magnetospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, K. H.; Qureshi, M. N. S.; Masood, W.; Shah, H. A.

2018-04-01

In this paper, we have studied linear and nonlinear propagation of electron acoustic waves (EAWs) comprising cold and hot populations in which the ions form the neutralizing background. The hot electrons have been assumed to follow the generalized ( r , q ) distribution which has the advantage that it mimics most of the distribution functions observed in space plasmas. Interestingly, it has been found that unlike Maxwellian and kappa distributions, the electron acoustic waves admit not only rarefactive structures but also allow the formation of compressive solitary structures for generalized ( r , q ) distribution. It has been found that the flatness parameter r , tail parameter q , and the nonlinear propagation velocity u affect the propagation characteristics of nonlinear EAWs. Using the plasmas parameters, typically found in Saturn's magnetosphere and the Earth's auroral region, where two populations of electrons and electron acoustic solitary waves (EASWs) have been observed, we have given an estimate of the scale lengths over which these nonlinear waves are expected to form and how the size of these structures would vary with the change in the shape of the distribution function and with the change of the plasma parameters.

Characteristic operator functions for quantum input-plant-output models and coherent control

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

Gough, John E.

We introduce the characteristic operator as the generalization of the usual concept of a transfer function of linear input-plant-output systems to arbitrary quantum nonlinear Markovian input-output models. This is intended as a tool in the characterization of quantum feedback control systems that fits in with the general theory of networks. The definition exploits the linearity of noise differentials in both the plant Heisenberg equations of motion and the differential form of the input-output relations. Mathematically, the characteristic operator is a matrix of dimension equal to the number of outputs times the number of inputs (which must coincide), but with entriesmore » that are operators of the plant system. In this sense, the characteristic operator retains details of the effective plant dynamical structure and is an essentially quantum object. We illustrate the relevance to model reduction and simplification definition by showing that the convergence of the characteristic operator in adiabatic elimination limit models requires the same conditions and assumptions appearing in the work on limit quantum stochastic differential theorems of Bouten and Silberfarb [Commun. Math. Phys. 283, 491-505 (2008)]. This approach also shows in a natural way that the limit coefficients of the quantum stochastic differential equations in adiabatic elimination problems arise algebraically as Schur complements and amounts to a model reduction where the fast degrees of freedom are decoupled from the slow ones and eliminated.« less

The variability, structure and energy conversion of the northern hemisphere traveling waves simulated in a Mars general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huiqun; Toigo, Anthony D.

2016-06-01

Investigations of the variability, structure and energetics of the m = 1-3 traveling waves in the northern hemisphere of Mars are conducted with the MarsWRF general circulation model. Using a simple, annually repeatable dust scenario, the model reproduces many general characteristics of the observed traveling waves. The simulated m = 1 and m = 3 traveling waves show large differences in terms of their structures and energetics. For each representative wave mode, the geopotential signature maximizes at a higher altitude than the temperature signature, and the wave energetics suggests a mixed baroclinic-barotropic nature. There is a large contrast in wave energetics between the near-surface and higher altitudes, as well as between the lower latitudes and higher latitudes at high altitudes. Both barotropic and baroclinic conversions can act as either sources or sinks of eddy kinetic energy. Band-pass filtered transient eddies exhibit strong zonal variations in eddy kinetic energy and various energy transfer terms. Transient eddies are mainly interacting with the time mean flow. However, there appear to be non-negligible wave-wave interactions associated with wave mode transitions. These interactions include those between traveling waves and thermal tides and those among traveling waves.

Factorial Invariance of an Integrated Measure of Classroom Sense of Community in Face-to-Face and Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, YoonJung; Hathcoat, John D.; Bridges, Stacey L.; Mathew, Susan; Bang, Hyeyoung

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to develop a more integrated measure of classroom sense of community (SOC) while testing factorial invariance of the measurement structure across face-to-face and online courses. We incorporated two existing SOC measures to capture both context-specific and context-general characteristics of SOC and developed an…

"I Just Want The Credit!"--Perceived Instrumentality as the Main Characteristic of Boys' Motivation in a Grade 11 Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nieswandt, Martina; Shanahan, Marie-Claire

2008-01-01

This case study examines the motivational structure of a group of male students (n = 10) in a grade 11 General Science class at an independent single-sex school. We approach the concept of motivation through the integration of three different theoretical approaches: sociocultural theory, future time perspective and achievement goal theory. This…

Reproducing the nonlinear dynamic behavior of a structured beam with a generalized continuum model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vila, J.; Fernández-Sáez, J.; Zaera, R.

2018-04-01

In this paper we study the coupled axial-transverse nonlinear vibrations of a kind of one dimensional structured solids by application of the so called Inertia Gradient Nonlinear continuum model. To show the accuracy of this axiomatic model, previously proposed by the authors, its predictions are compared with numeric results from a previously defined finite discrete chain of lumped masses and springs, for several number of particles. A continualization of the discrete model equations based on Taylor series allowed us to set equivalent values of the mechanical properties in both discrete and axiomatic continuum models. Contrary to the classical continuum model, the inertia gradient nonlinear continuum model used herein is able to capture scale effects, which arise for modes in which the wavelength is comparable to the characteristic distance of the structured solid. The main conclusion of the work is that the proposed generalized continuum model captures the scale effects in both linear and nonlinear regimes, reproducing the behavior of the 1D nonlinear discrete model adequately.

A general strategy for hybrid thin film fabrication and transfer onto arbitrary substrates.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Magan, John J; Blau, Werner J

2014-04-28

The development of thin film-based structures/devices often requires thin films to be transferred onto arbitrary substrates/surfaces. Controllable and non-destructive transfer method, although highly desired, remains quite challenging. Here we report a general method for fabrication and transfer of hybrid (ultra)thin films. The proposed solution-based in-situ transfer method shows not only its robust ability for thin film transfer onto arbitrary substrates but also its highly controlled and non-destructive characteristic. With a hole structure as the support, fully-stretched free-standing thin film is prepared. The successful transfer to a curved surface demonstrates the possibility for production of thin film-coated complex optical components. Ultrathin (35 nm) hybrid film transferred onto PET (50 μm thick) shows high transparency (>90% in visible range), conductivity (1.54 × 10(4) S/m), and flexibility (radius of curvature down to mm scale). The reported transfer method would provide a powerful route towards complex thin film-based structures/devices.

A General Strategy for Hybrid Thin Film Fabrication and Transfer onto Arbitrary Substrates

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yong; Magan, John J.; Blau, Werner J.

2014-01-01

The development of thin film-based structures/devices often requires thin films to be transferred onto arbitrary substrates/surfaces. Controllable and non-destructive transfer method, although highly desired, remains quite challenging. Here we report a general method for fabrication and transfer of hybrid (ultra)thin films. The proposed solution-based in-situ transfer method shows not only its robust ability for thin film transfer onto arbitrary substrates but also its highly controlled and non-destructive characteristic. With a hole structure as the support, fully-stretched free-standing thin film is prepared. The successful transfer to a curved surface demonstrates the possibility for production of thin film-coated complex optical components. Ultrathin (35 nm) hybrid film transferred onto PET (50 μm thick) shows high transparency (>90% in visible range), conductivity (1.54 × 104 S/m), and flexibility (radius of curvature down to mm scale). The reported transfer method would provide a powerful route towards complex thin film-based structures/devices. PMID:24769689

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION Multi-component generalizations of the CH equation: geometrical aspects, peakons and numerical examples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holm, D. D.; Ivanov, R. I.

2010-12-01

The Lax pair formulation of the two-component Camassa-Holm equation (CH2) is generalized to produce an integrable multi-component family, CH(n, k), of equations with n components and 1 <= |k| <= n velocities. All of the members of the CH(n, k) family show fluid-dynamics properties with coherent solitons following particle characteristics. We determine their Lie-Poisson Hamiltonian structures and give numerical examples of their soliton solution behaviour. We concentrate on the CH(2, k) family with one or two velocities, including the CH(2, -1) equation in the Dym position of the CH2 hierarchy. A brief discussion of the CH(3, 1) system reveals the underlying graded Lie-algebraic structure of the Hamiltonian formulation for CH(n, k) when n >= 3. Fondly recalling our late friend Jerry Marsden.

Development of an integrated BEM approach for hot fluid structure interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dargush, Gary F.; Banerjee, Prasanta K.; Dunn, Michael G.

1988-01-01

Significant progress was made toward the goal of developing a general purpose boundary element method for hot fluid-structure interaction. For the solid phase, a boundary-only formulation was developed and implemented for uncoupled transient thermoelasticity in two dimensions. The elimination of volume discretization not only drastically reduces required modeling effort, but also permits unconstrained variation of the through-the-thickness temperature distribution. Meanwhile, for the fluids, fundamental solutions were derived for transient incompressible and compressible flow in the absence of the convective terms. Boundary element formulations were developed and described. For the incompressible case, the necessary kernal functions, under transient and steady-state conditions, were derived and fully implemented into a general purpose, multi-region boundary element code. Several examples were examined to study the suitability and convergence characteristics of the various algorithms.

Analytical Calculation of Sensing Parameters on Carbon Nanotube Based Gas Sensors

PubMed Central

Akbari, Elnaz; Buntat, Zolkafle; Ahmad, Mohd Hafizi; Enzevaee, Aria; Yousof, Rubiyah; Iqbal, Syed Muhammad Zafar; Ahmadi, Mohammad Taghi.; Sidik, Muhammad Abu Bakar; Karimi, Hediyeh

2014-01-01

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are generally nano-scale tubes comprising a network of carbon atoms in a cylindrical setting that compared with silicon counterparts present outstanding characteristics such as high mechanical strength, high sensing capability and large surface-to-volume ratio. These characteristics, in addition to the fact that CNTs experience changes in their electrical conductance when exposed to different gases, make them appropriate candidates for use in sensing/measuring applications such as gas detection devices. In this research, a model for a Field Effect Transistor (FET)-based structure has been developed as a platform for a gas detection sensor in which the CNT conductance change resulting from the chemical reaction between NH3 and CNT has been employed to model the sensing mechanism with proposed sensing parameters. The research implements the same FET-based structure as in the work of Peng et al. on nanotube-based NH3 gas detection. With respect to this conductance change, the I–V characteristic of the CNT is investigated. Finally, a comparative study shows satisfactory agreement between the proposed model and the experimental data from the mentioned research. PMID:24658617

The fuzzy oil drop model, based on hydrophobicity density distribution, generalizes the influence of water environment on protein structure and function.

PubMed

Banach, Mateusz; Konieczny, Leszek; Roterman, Irena

2014-10-21

In this paper we show that the fuzzy oil drop model represents a general framework for describing the generation of hydrophobic cores in proteins and thus provides insight into the influence of the water environment upon protein structure and stability. The model has been successfully applied in the study of a wide range of proteins, however this paper focuses specifically on domains representing immunoglobulin-like folds. Here we provide evidence that immunoglobulin-like domains, despite being structurally similar, differ with respect to their participation in the generation of hydrophobic core. It is shown that β-structural fragments in β-barrels participate in hydrophobic core formation in a highly differentiated manner. Quantitatively measured participation in core formation helps explain the variable stability of proteins and is shown to be related to their biological properties. This also includes the known tendency of immunoglobulin domains to form amyloids, as shown using transthyretin to reveal the clear relation between amyloidogenic properties and structural characteristics based on the fuzzy oil drop model. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of multi tuned liquid dampers with slat screens for reducing dynamic responses of structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, T. P.; Pham, D. T.; Ngo, K. T.

2018-04-01

Reducing vibration in structures under lateral load always attracts many researchers in during pastime, hence the mainly purpose of paper analyzes effectiveness of multiple-tuned liquid dampers for reducing dynamic responses of structures under ground acceleration of earthquakes. In this study, the multi-tuned liquid damper with slat screens (M-TLDWSS) is considered in detail for analyzing dynamic response of multi-degrees of freedom structure due to earthquake, which is more different previous studies. Then, the general equation of motion of the structure and M-TLDWSS under ground acceleration of earthquake is established based on dynamic balance of principle and solved by numerical method in the time domain. The effects of characteristic parameters of M-TLDWSS on dynamic response of the structure are investigated. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that the M-TLDWSS has significantly effectiveness for reducing dynamic response of the structure.

Instability-driven frequency decoupling between structure dynamics and wake fluctuations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Yaqing; Kim, Jin-Tae; Chamorro, Leonardo P.

2018-04-01

Flow-induced dynamics of flexible structures is, in general, significantly modulated by periodic vortex shedding. Experiments and numerical simulations suggest that the frequencies associated with the dominant motions of structures are highly coupled with those of the wake under low-turbulence uniform flow. Here we present experimental evidence that demonstrates a significant decoupling between the dynamics of simple structures and wake fluctuations for various geometries, Reynolds numbers, and mass ratios. High-resolution particle tracking velocimetry and hot-wire anemometry are used to quantitatively characterize the dynamics of the structures and wake fluctuations; a complementary planar particle image velocimetry measurement is conducted to illustrate distinctive flow patterns. Results show that for structures with directional stiffness, von Kármán vortex shedding might dominate the wake of bodies governed by natural-frequency motion. This phenomenon can be a consequence of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, where the structural characteristics of the body dominate the oscillations.

Ordinary planetary systems - Architecture and formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levy, E. H.

1993-01-01

Today we believe ordinary planetary systems to be an unremarkable consequence of star formation. The solar system, so far the only confidently known example in the universe of a planetary system, displays a set of striking structural regularities. These structural regularities provide fossil clues about the conditions and mechanisms that gave rise to the planets. The formation of our planetary system, as well as its general characteristics, resulted from the physical environment in the disk-shaped nebula that accompanied the birth of the sun. Observations of contemporary star formation indicate that the very conditions and mechanisms thought to have produced our own planetary system are widely associated with the birth of stars elsewhere. Consequently, it is reasonable to believe that planetary systems occur commonly, at least in association with single, sunlike stars. Moreover, it is reasonable to believe that many planetary systems have gross characteristics resembling those of our own solar system.

Random blebbing motion: A simple model linking cell structural properties to migration characteristics.

PubMed

Woolley, Thomas E; Gaffney, Eamonn A; Goriely, Alain

2017-07-01

If the plasma membrane of a cell is able to delaminate locally from its actin cortex, a cellular bleb can be produced. Blebs are pressure-driven protrusions, which are noteworthy for their ability to produce cellular motion. Starting from a general continuum mechanics description, we restrict ourselves to considering cell and bleb shapes that maintain approximately spherical forms. From this assumption, we obtain a tractable algebraic system for bleb formation. By including cell-substrate adhesions, we can model blebbing cell motility. Further, by considering mechanically isolated blebbing events, which are randomly distributed over the cell, we can derive equations linking the macroscopic migration characteristics to the microscopic structural parameters of the cell. This multiscale modeling framework is then used to provide parameter estimates, which are in agreement with current experimental data. In summary, the construction of the mathematical model provides testable relationships between the bleb size and cell motility.

Environmental risk perception, environmental concern and propensity to participate in organic farming programmes.

PubMed

Toma, Luiza; Mathijs, Erik

2007-04-01

This paper aims to identify the factors underlying farmers' propensity to participate in organic farming programmes in a Romanian rural region that confronts non-point source pollution. For this, we employ structural equation modelling with latent variables using a specific data set collected through an agri-environmental farm survey in 2001. The model includes one 'behavioural intention' latent variable ('propensity to participate in organic farming programmes') and five 'attitude' and 'socio-economic' latent variables ('socio-demographic characteristics', 'economic characteristics', 'agri-environmental information access', 'environmental risk perception' and 'general environmental concern'). The results indicate that, overall, the model has an adequate fit to the data. All loadings are statistically significant, supporting the theoretical basis for assignment of indicators for each latent variable. The significance tests for the structural model parameters show 'environmental risk perception' as the strongest determinant of farmers' propensity to participate in organic farming programmes.

Nonlinear metallogeny and the depths of the earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shcheglov, A. D.; Govorov, I. N.

This book is concerned with the basic relations regarding a new approach in the field of knowledge of metallogenesis, taking into account the complex character of the mutual dependence between ore deposits, the structure of the earth's crust, and depth relations. The principles of nonlinear metallogeny are examined, giving attention to the development of the metallogenic science during the past few years, the formation of the concept 'nonlinear metallogeny', the main aspects of nonlinear metallogeny, the origin of the ore deposits and the characteristics of ore formations in the mantle, the parallel manifestation of ore-forming processes in the crust, sedimentary-hydrothermal ore formations and their place in nonlinear metallogeny, and various types of rock and ore formations. The structure, composition, and metalliferous characteristics found at various depth zones of the tectonosphere are discussed along with the geochemical and metallogenic heterogeneity in the mantle. General questions of nonlinear metallogeny are also investigated.

Therapist turnover and new program sustainability in mental health clinics as a function of organizational culture, climate, and service structure.

PubMed

Glisson, Charles; Schoenwald, Sonja K; Kelleher, Kelly; Landsverk, John; Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton; Mayberg, Stephen; Green, Philip

2008-03-01

The present study incorporates organizational theory and organizational characteristics in examining issues related to the successful implementation of mental health services. Following the theoretical foundations of socio-technical and cultural models of organizational effectiveness, organizational climate, culture, legal and service structures, and workforce characteristics are examined as correlates of therapist turnover and new program sustainability in a nationwide sample of mental health clinics. Results of General Linear Modeling (GLM) with the organization as the unit of analysis revealed that organizations with the best climates as measured by the Organizational Social Context (OSC) profiling system, had annual turnover rates (10%) that were less than half the rates found in organizations with the worst climates (22%). In addition, organizations with the best culture profiles sustained new treatment or service programs over twice as long (50 vs. 24 months) as organizations with the worst cultures. Finally, clinics with separate children's services units had higher turnover rates than clinics that served adults and children within the same unit. The findings suggest that strategies to support the implementation of new mental health treatments and services should attend to organizational culture and climate, and to the compatibility of organizational service structures with the demand characteristics of treatments.

Correlation of finite-element structural dynamic analysis with measured free vibration characteristics for a full-scale helicopter fuselage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenigsberg, I. J.; Dean, M. W.; Malatino, R.

1974-01-01

The correlation achieved with each program provides the material for a discussion of modeling techniques developed for general application to finite-element dynamic analyses of helicopter airframes. Included are the selection of static and dynamic degrees of freedom, cockpit structural modeling, and the extent of flexible-frame modeling in the transmission support region and in the vicinity of large cut-outs. The sensitivity of predicted results to these modeling assumptions are discussed. Both the Sikorsky Finite-Element Airframe Vibration analysis Program (FRAN/Vibration Analysis) and the NASA Structural Analysis Program (NASTRAN) have been correlated with data taken in full-scale vibration tests of a modified CH-53A helicopter.

A comparison of the structure and flow characteristics of the upper troposphere and stratosphere of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adler, R. F.

1974-01-01

The general circulations of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are compared with regard to the upper troposphere and stratosphere using atmospheric structure obtained from satellite, multi-channel radiance data. Specifically, the data are from the Satellite Infrared Spectrometer (SIRS) instrument aboard the Nimbus 3 spacecraft. The inter-hemispheric comparisons are based on two months of data (one summer month and one winter month) in each hemisphere. Topics studied include: mean meridional circulation in the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere; magnitude and distribution of tropospheric eddy heat flux; magnitudes of energy cycle components; and the relation of vortex structure to the breakdown climatology of the Antarctic stratospheric polar vortex.

Structure of disordered gold-polymer thin films using small angle x-ray scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teixeira, F. S.; Salvadori, M. C.; Cattani, M.; Brown, I. G.

2010-11-01

We have investigated the structure of disordered gold-polymer thin films using small angle x-ray scattering and compared the results with the predictions of a theoretical model based on two approaches—a structure form factor approach and the generalized Porod law. The films are formed of polymer-embedded gold nanoclusters and were fabricated by very low energy gold ion implantation into polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The composite films span (with dose variation) the transition from electrically insulating to electrically conducting regimes, a range of interest fundamentally and technologically. We find excellent agreement with theory and show that the PMMA-Au films have monodispersive or polydispersive characteristics depending on the implanted ion dose.

Perceiving environmental structure from optical motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lappin, Joseph S.

1991-01-01

Generally speaking, one of the most important sources of optical information about environmental structure is known to be the deforming optical patterns produced by the movements of the observer (pilot) or environmental objects. As an observer moves through a rigid environment, the projected optical patterns of environmental objects are systematically transformed according to their orientations and positions in 3D space relative to those of the observer. The detailed characteristics of these deforming optical patterns carry information about the 3D structure of the objects and about their locations and orientations relative to those of the observer. The specific geometrical properties of moving images that may constitute visually detected information about the shapes and locations of environmental objects is examined.

Hydraulic and separation characteristics of an industrial gas centrifuge calculated with neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butov, Vladimir; Timchenko, Sergey; Ushakov, Ivan; Golovkov, Nikita; Poberezhnikov, Andrey

2018-03-01

Single gas centrifuge (GC) is generally used for the separation of binary mixtures of isotopes. Processes taking place within the centrifuge are complex and non-linear. Their characteristics can change over time with long-term operation due to wear of the main structural elements of the GC construction. The paper is devoted to the determination of basic operation parameters of the centrifuge with the help of neural networks. We have developed a method for determining the parameters of the industrial GC operation by processing statistical data. In this work, we have constructed a neural network that is capable of determining the main hydraulic and separation characteristics of the gas centrifuge, depending on the geometric dimensions of the gas centrifuge, load value, and rotor speed.

Geologic coal assessment: The interface with economics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Attanasi, E.D.

2001-01-01

Geologic resource assessments describe the location, general characteristics, and estimated volumes of resources, whether in situ or technically recoverable. Such compilations are only an initial step in economic resource evaluation. This paper identifies, by examples from the Illinois and Appalachian basins, the salient features of a geologic assessment that assure its usefulness to downstream economic analysis. Assessments should be in sufficient detail to allocate resources to production units (mines or wells). Coal assessments should include the spatial distribution of coal bed characteristics and the ability to allocate parts of the resource to specific mining technologies. For coal bed gas assessment, the production well recoveries and well deliverability characteristics must be preserved and the risk structure should be specified so dryholes and noncommercial well costs are recovered by commercially successful wells. ?? 2001 International Association for Mathematical Geology.

A computer program for the calculation of the flow field in supersonic mixed-compression inlets at angle of attack using the three-dimensional method of characteristics with discrete shock wave fitting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vadyak, J.; Hoffman, J. D.; Bishop, A. R.

1978-01-01

The calculation procedure is based on the method of characteristics for steady three-dimensional flow. The bow shock wave and the internal shock wave system were computed using a discrete shock wave fitting procedure. The general structure of the computer program is discussed, and a brief description of each subroutine is given. All program input parameters are defined, and a brief discussion on interpretation of the output is provided. A number of sample cases, complete with data deck listings, are presented.

On the estimation variance for the specific Euler-Poincaré characteristic of random networks.

PubMed

Tscheschel, A; Stoyan, D

2003-07-01

The specific Euler number is an important topological characteristic in many applications. It is considered here for the case of random networks, which may appear in microscopy either as primary objects of investigation or as secondary objects describing in an approximate way other structures such as, for example, porous media. For random networks there is a simple and natural estimator of the specific Euler number. For its estimation variance, a simple Poisson approximation is given. It is based on the general exact formula for the estimation variance. In two examples of quite different nature and topology application of the formulas is demonstrated.

Photo interpretation key to Michigan land cover/use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Enslin, W. R.; Hudson, W. D.; Lusch, D. P.

1983-01-01

A set of photo interpretation keys is presented to provide a structured approach to the identification of land cover/use categories as specified in the Michigan Resource Inventory Act. The designated categories are urban and; built up lands; agricultural lands; forest land; nonforested land; water bodies; wetlands; and barren land. The keys were developed for use with medium scale (1:20,000 to 1:24,000) color infrared aerial photography. Although each key is generalized in that it relies only upon the most distinguishing photo characteristics in separating the various land cover/use categories, additional interpretation characteristics, distinguishing features and background material are given.

Plasticity in variation of xylem and phloem cell characteristics of Norway spruce under different local conditions

PubMed Central

Gričar, Jožica; Prislan, Peter; de Luis, Martin; Gryc, Vladimír; Hacurová, Jana; Vavrčík, Hanuš; Čufar, Katarina

2015-01-01

There is limited information on intra-annual plasticity of secondary tissues of tree species growing under different environmental conditions. To increase the knowledge about the plasticity of secondary growth, which allows trees to adapt to specific local climatic regimes, we examined climate–radial growth relationships of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.] from three contrasting locations in the temperate climatic zone by analyzing tree-ring widths for the period 1932–2010, and cell characteristics in xylem and phloem increments formed in the years 2009–2011. Variation in the structure of xylem and phloem increments clearly shows that plasticity in seasonal dynamics of cambial cell production and cell differentiation exists on xylem and phloem sides. Anatomical characteristics of xylem and phloem cells are predominantly site-specific characteristics, because they varied among sites but were fairly uniform among years in trees from the same site. Xylem and phloem tissues formed in the first part of the growing season seemed to be more stable in structure, indicating their priority over latewood and late phloem for tree performance. Long-term climate and radial growth analyses revealed that growth was in general less dependent on precipitation than on temperature; however, growth sensitivity to local conditions differed among the sites. Only partial dependence of radial growth of spruce on climatic factors on the selected sites confirms its strategy to adapt the structure of wood and phloem increments to function optimally in local conditions. PMID:26442044

Comorbidity of Psychiatric and Personality Disorders in First Suicide Attempters

PubMed Central

Rao, K. Nagaraja; Kulkarni, Ranganath R.; Begum, Shamshad

2013-01-01

Background: Attempted suicide is a common clinical problem in a general hospital setting. It has a serious clinical and socio-economical impact too. Aims: To study the psychosocial, psychiatric, and personality profile of the first suicide attempters in a general hospital. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional, hospital-based, descriptive study. Materials and Methods: All the consecutive cases of first suicide attempt (n=100) treated in a general hospital were studied to know the clinical profile. Variables related to socio-demographic characteristics, family background, suicide characteristics, psychiatric morbidity, and comorbidity were analyzed. Risk-Rescue rating was applied to know the medical seriousness of the suicide attempt. Presumptive stressful life event scale was utilized to calculate life events score. Structured clinical interview (MINI Plus) and semi-structured clinical interview (IPDE) were used for axis-I and axis-II (personality) diagnoses. The results were analyzed using appropriate statistical measures. Results: Family history of psychiatric illnesses (31%) and suicide (11%) were noted. Insecticides and pesticides were the most common agents (71%) employed to attempt suicide. Interpersonal difficulties (46%) were the most frequent stressor. Overall medical seriousness of the suicide attempt was of moderate lethality. 93% of the suicide attempters had at least one axis-I and/or axis-II psychiatric disorder. Most common diagnostic categories were mood disorders, adjustment disorders, and substance-related disorders, with axis-I disorders (89%), personality disorders (52%), and comorbidity of psychiatric disorders (51.6%). Conclusion: Individuals who made first suicide attempt were young adults, had lower educational achievement; overall seriousness of the suicide attempt was of moderate lethality, high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity, personality disorders, and comorbidity, and had sought medical help from general practitioners. PMID:23833346

Automation of aggregate characterization using laser profiling and digital image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyoungkwan

2002-08-01

Particle morphological properties such as size, shape, angularity, and texture are key properties that are frequently used to characterize aggregates. The characteristics of aggregates are crucial to the strength, durability, and serviceability of the structure in which they are used. Thus, it is important to select aggregates that have proper characteristics for each specific application. Use of improper aggregate can cause rapid deterioration or even failure of the structure. The current standard aggregate test methods are generally labor-intensive, time-consuming, and subject to human errors. Moreover, important properties of aggregates may not be captured by the standard methods due to a lack of an objective way of quantifying critical aggregate properties. Increased quality expectations of products along with recent technological advances in information technology are motivating new developments to provide fast and accurate aggregate characterization. The resulting information can enable a real time quality control of aggregate production as well as lead to better design and construction methods of portland cement concrete and hot mix asphalt. This dissertation presents a system to measure various morphological characteristics of construction aggregates effectively. Automatic measurement of various particle properties is of great interest because it has the potential to solve such problems in manual measurements as subjectivity, labor intensity, and slow speed. The main efforts of this research are placed on three-dimensional (3D) laser profiling, particle segmentation algorithms, particle measurement algorithms, and generalized particle descriptors. First, true 3D data of aggregate particles obtained by laser profiling are transformed into digital images. Second, a segmentation algorithm and a particle measurement algorithm are developed to separate particles and process each particle data individually with the aid of various kinds of digital image technologies. Finally, in order to provide a generalized, quantitative, and representative way to characterize aggregate particles, 3D particle descriptors are developed using the multi-resolution analysis feature of wavelet transforms. Verification tests show that this approach could characterize various aggregate properties in a fast, accurate, and reliable way. When implemented, this ability to automatically analyze multiple characteristics of an aggregate sample is expected to provide not only economic but also intangible strategic gains.

Giant pulsar glitches in full general relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sourie, A.; Chamel, N.; Novak, J.; Oertel, M.

2017-12-01

We present recent numerical simulations of giant pulsar glitches, as observed in the emblematic Vela pulsar, based on a two-fluid model, including for the first time all general-relativistic effects and realistic equations of state. In particular, we focus on modelling the vortex-mediated transfer of angular momentum that takes place during the spin-up stage from the neutron superfluid to the charged particles through dissipative mutual friction forces. Taking general relativity into account does not only modify the structure of the star but also leads to a new coupling between the fluids arising from frame-dragging effects. As a consequence, general relativity can strongly affect the global dynamics of pulsar glitches : the errors on the value of the characteristic rise time incurred by using Newtonian gravity are thus found to be as large as ˜ 40 % for the models considered.

The Experience of Cognitive Intrusion of Pain: scale development and validation

PubMed Central

Attridge, Nina; Crombez, Geert; Van Ryckeghem, Dimitri; Keogh, Edmund; Eccleston, Christopher

2015-01-01

Abstract Patients with chronic pain often report their cognition to be impaired by pain, and this observation has been supported by numerous studies measuring the effects of pain on cognitive task performance. Furthermore, cognitive intrusion by pain has been identified as one of 3 components of pain anxiety, alongside general distress and fear of pain. Although cognitive intrusion is a critical characteristic of pain, no specific measure designed to capture its effects exists. In 3 studies, we describe the initial development and validation of a new measure of pain interruption: the Experience of Cognitive Intrusion of Pain (ECIP) scale. In study 1, the ECIP scale was administered to a general population sample to assess its structure and construct validity. In study 2, the factor structure of the ECIP scale was confirmed in a large general population sample experiencing no pain, acute pain, or chronic pain. In study 3, we examined the predictive value of the ECIP scale in pain-related disability in fibromyalgia patients. The ECIP scale scores followed a normal distribution with good variance in a general population sample. The scale had high internal reliability and a clear 1-component structure. It differentiated between chronic pain and control groups, and it was a significant predictor of pain-related disability over and above pain intensity. Repairing attentional interruption from pain may become a novel target for pain management interventions, both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic. PMID:26067388

Improving stability and strength characteristics of framed structures with nonlinear behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pezeshk, Shahram

1990-01-01

In this paper an optimal design procedure is introduced to improve the overall performance of nonlinear framed structures. The design methodology presented here is a multiple-objective optimization procedure whose objective functions involve the buckling eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the structure. A constant volume with bounds on the design variables is used in conjunction with an optimality criterion approach. The method provides a general tool for solving complex design problems and generally leads to structures with better limit strength and stability. Many algorithms have been developed to improve the limit strength of structures. In most applications geometrically linear analysis is employed with the consequence that overall strength of the design is overestimated. Directly optimizing the limit load of the structure would require a full nonlinear analysis at each iteration which would be prohibitively expensive. The objective of this paper is to develop an algorithm that can improve the limit-load of geometrically nonlinear framed structures while avoiding the nonlinear analysis. One of the novelties of the new design methodology is its ability to efficiently model and design structures under multiple loading conditions. These loading conditions can be different factored loads or any kind of loads that can be applied to the structure simultaneously or independently. Attention is focused on optimal design of space framed structures. Three-dimensional design problems are more complicated to carry out, but they yield insight into real behavior of the structure and can help avoiding some of the problems that might appear in planar design procedure such as the need for out-of-plane buckling constraint. Although researchers in the field of structural engineering generally agree that optimum design of three-dimension building frames especially in the seismic regions would be beneficial, methods have been slow to emerge. Most of the research in this area has dealt with the optimization of truss and plane frame structures.

Microstructure Development in Electron Beam-Melted Inconel 718 and Associated Tensile Properties

DOE PAGES

Kirka, M. M.; Unocic, K. A.; Raghavan, N.; ...

2016-02-12

During the electron beam melting (EBM) process, builds occur at temperatures in excess of 800°C for nickel-base superalloys such as Inconel 718. When coupled with the temporal differences between the start and end of a build, a top-to-bottom microstructure gradient forms. Characterized in this study is the microstructure gradient and associated tensile property gradient that are common to all EBM Inconel 718 builds. From the characteristic microstructure elements observed in EBM Inconel 718 material, the microstructure gradient can be classified into three distinct regions. Region 1 (top of a build) and is comprised of a cored dendritic structure that includesmore » carbides and Laves phase within the interdendritic regions. Region 2 is an intermediate transition zone characterized by a diffuse dendritic structure, dissolution of the Laves phase, and precipitation of δ needle networks within the interdendritic regions. The bulk structure (Region 3) is comprised of a columnar grain structure lacking dendritic characteristics with δ networks having precipitated within the grain interiors. Mechanically at both 20°C and 650° C, the yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation at failure exhibit the general trend of increasing with increasing build height.« less

Microporous structure with layered interstitial surface treatment, and method and apparatus for preparation thereof

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koontz, Steven L. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A microporous structure with layered interstitial surface treatments, and method and apparatus for preparation thereof is presented. The structure is prepared by sequentially subjecting a uniformly surface-treated structure to atomic oxygen treatment to remove an outer layer of surface treatment to a generally uniform depth, and then surface treating the so exposed layer with another surface treating agent. The atomic oxygen/surface treatment steps may optionally be repeated, each successive time to a lesser depth, to produce a microporous structure having multilayered surface treatments. The apparatus employs at least one side arm from a main atomic oxygen-containing chamber. The side arm has characteristic relaxation times such that a uniform atomic oxygen dose rate is delivered to a specimen positioned transversely in the side arm spaced from the main gas chamber.

Microporous structure with layered interstitial surface treatment, and method and apparatus for preparation thereof

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koontz, Steven L. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A microporous structure with layered interstitial surface treatments, and the method and apparatus for its preparation are disclosed. The structure is prepared by sequentially subjecting a uniformly surface treated structure to atomic oxygen treatment to remove an outer layer of surface treatment to a generally uniform depth, and then surface treating the so exposed layer with another surface treating agent. The atomic oxygen/surface treatment steps may optionally be repeated, each successive time to a lesser depth, to produce a microporous structure having multilayered surface treatments. The apparatus employs at least one side arm from a main oxygen-containing chamber. The side arm has characteristic relaxation times such that a uniform atomic oxygen dose rate is delivered to a specimen positioned transversely in the side arm spaced from the main gas chamber.

46 CFR 160.001-2 - General characteristics of life preservers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false General characteristics of life preservers. 160.001-2..., CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Life Preservers, General § 160.001-2 General characteristics of life preservers. (a) A life preserver must be of such construction...

46 CFR 160.001-2 - General characteristics of life preservers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false General characteristics of life preservers. 160.001-2..., CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Life Preservers, General § 160.001-2 General characteristics of life preservers. (a) A life preserver must be of such construction...

46 CFR 160.001-2 - General characteristics of life preservers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false General characteristics of life preservers. 160.001-2..., CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Life Preservers, General § 160.001-2 General characteristics of life preservers. (a) A life preserver must be of such construction...

46 CFR 160.001-2 - General characteristics of life preservers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false General characteristics of life preservers. 160.001-2..., CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Life Preservers, General § 160.001-2 General characteristics of life preservers. (a) A life preserver must be of such construction...

46 CFR 160.001-2 - General characteristics of life preservers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false General characteristics of life preservers. 160.001-2..., CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Life Preservers, General § 160.001-2 General characteristics of life preservers. (a) A life preserver must be of such construction...

Full equations utilities (FEQUTL) model for the approximation of hydraulic characteristics of open channels and control structures during unsteady flow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Franz, Delbert D.; Melching, Charles S.

1997-01-01

The Full EQuations UTiLities (FEQUTL) model is a computer program for computation of tables that list the hydraulic characteristics of open channels and control structures as a function of upstream and downstream depths; these tables facilitate the simulation of unsteady flow in a stream system with the Full Equations (FEQ) model. Simulation of unsteady flow requires many iterations for each time period computed. Thus, computation of hydraulic characteristics during the simulations is impractical, and preparation of function tables and application of table look-up procedures facilitates simulation of unsteady flow. Three general types of function tables are computed: one-dimensional tables that relate hydraulic characteristics to upstream flow depth, two-dimensional tables that relate flow through control structures to upstream and downstream flow depth, and three-dimensional tables that relate flow through gated structures to upstream and downstream flow depth and gate setting. For open-channel reaches, six types of one-dimensional function tables contain different combinations of the top width of flow, area, first moment of area with respect to the water surface, conveyance, flux coefficients, and correction coefficients for channel curvilinearity. For hydraulic control structures, one type of one-dimensional function table contains relations between flow and upstream depth, and two types of two-dimensional function tables contain relations among flow and upstream and downstream flow depths. For hydraulic control structures with gates, a three-dimensional function table lists the system of two-dimensional tables that contain the relations among flow and upstream and downstream flow depths that correspond to different gate openings. Hydraulic control structures for which function tables containing flow relations are prepared in FEQUTL include expansions, contractions, bridges, culverts, embankments, weirs, closed conduits (circular, rectangular, and pipe-arch shapes), dam failures, floodways, and underflow gates (sluice and tainter gates). The theory for computation of the hydraulic characteristics is presented for open channels and for each hydraulic control structure. For the hydraulic control structures, the theory is developed from the results of experimental tests of flow through the structure for different upstream and downstream flow depths. These tests were done to describe flow hydraulics for a single, steady-flow design condition and, thus, do not provide complete information on flow transitions (for example, between free- and submerged-weir flow) that may result in simulation of unsteady flow. Therefore, new procedures are developed to approximate the hydraulics of flow transitions for culverts, embankments, weirs, and underflow gates.

Brief Report: Psychological Characteristics of Less Severe Forms of Eating Disorders: An Epidemiological Study among 259 Female Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotrufo, Paolo; Gnisci, Augusto; Caputo, Immacolata

2005-01-01

We screened a sample of 259 female students, aged 17-20 years old, by means of the Eating Disorder Inventory 2 (EDI 2) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Those students identified to be at risk for an eating disorder underwent a semi-structured interview to provide a diagnosis according to DSM-IV criteria. We also considered the…

Neurologic manifestations of electrolyte disturbances.

PubMed

Riggs, Jack E

2002-02-01

Electrolyte disturbances occur commonly and are associated with a variety of characteristic neurologic manifestations involving both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Electrolyte disturbances are essentially always secondary processes. Effective management requires identification and treatment of the underlying primary disorder. Since neurological symptoms of electrolyte disorders are generally functional rather than structural, the neurologic manifestations of electrolyte disturbances are typically reversible. The neurologic manifestations of serum sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium disturbances are reviewed.

Structures to Resist the Effects of Accidental Explosions

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-11-01

Mott, R.I., A Theory of Fragmentation, Army Operational Research Group Memorandun, 113-AC-6427, Great Britain, 1943. 77. Non -Nuclear Weapons Effects...58.1. General Elements which protect non -sensitive explosives may be designed for controlled post-failure fragments with a substantial cost savings...6-49.3.2. Platform Characteristics A platform for group mounted systems offers great flexibility in controlling the center of gravity of the

Magnetic tape user guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, A. B.; Lee, L. L.

1985-01-01

This User Guide provides a general introduction to the structure, use, and handling of magnetic tapes at Langley Research Center (LaRC). The topics covered are tape terminology, physical characteristics, error prevention and detection, and creating, using, and maintaining tapes. Supplementary documentation is referenced where it might be helpful. The documentation is included for the tape utility programs, BLOCK, UNBLOCK, and TAPEDMP, which are available at the Central Scientific Computing Complex at LaRC.

Graph characterization via Ihara coefficients.

PubMed

Ren, Peng; Wilson, Richard C; Hancock, Edwin R

2011-02-01

The novel contributions of this paper are twofold. First, we demonstrate how to characterize unweighted graphs in a permutation-invariant manner using the polynomial coefficients from the Ihara zeta function, i.e., the Ihara coefficients. Second, we generalize the definition of the Ihara coefficients to edge-weighted graphs. For an unweighted graph, the Ihara zeta function is the reciprocal of a quasi characteristic polynomial of the adjacency matrix of the associated oriented line graph. Since the Ihara zeta function has poles that give rise to infinities, the most convenient numerically stable representation is to work with the coefficients of the quasi characteristic polynomial. Moreover, the polynomial coefficients are invariant to vertex order permutations and also convey information concerning the cycle structure of the graph. To generalize the representation to edge-weighted graphs, we make use of the reduced Bartholdi zeta function. We prove that the computation of the Ihara coefficients for unweighted graphs is a special case of our proposed method for unit edge weights. We also present a spectral analysis of the Ihara coefficients and indicate their advantages over other graph spectral methods. We apply the proposed graph characterization method to capturing graph-class structure and clustering graphs. Experimental results reveal that the Ihara coefficients are more effective than methods based on Laplacian spectra.

Analysis of the Governance Structures in Japan's Biosphere Reserves: Perspectives from Bottom-Up and Multilevel Characteristics.

PubMed

Tanaka, Toshinori; Wakamatsu, Nobuhiko

2018-01-01

This paper analyzes the governance structures of Biosphere Reserves (BRs) in Japan by focusing on six criteria that elucidate the main characteristics therein: general information (nomination process, year of designation, size, and population), legal frameworks, stakeholder identification, and decision-making processes (number of municipalities and role of consociation), administrative institutions (human resources, budgetary situation, and expense distribution), executed BR implementation activities, and participatory/collaborative frameworks. This research consists of a literature review, a questionnaire administered to the secretariats of seven existing BRs and follow-up interviews. Three main characteristics of BRs were identified. First, a responsible local government(s) is nominated to manage the BR rather than the central government. Consequently, BR implementation in Japan is led by those municipalities that have strong motivations for regional development using the BR concept. Second, two types of BR governance structures exist in Japan: the single municipality type and the multi-municipality type. All BRs have so called Kyougikai, a consociation for decision-making, consultation and/or collaboration among stakeholders. In the single municipality structure, the consociation includes diverse actors from private and community sectors, while in the multi-municipality structure, consociations are based in more diplomatic settings and only include members of the public sector. Third, gaps between pre/post-Seville BR implementation sites were identified. The motivations for the formation of pre-Seville BRs, which were designated in 1980 in a top-down fashion prior to an awareness of BRs, varied greatly from those BRs nominated by municipalities after 2010. The authors identified fewer administrative resources and activities associated with the pre-Seville sites.

Analysis of the Governance Structures in Japan's Biosphere Reserves: Perspectives from Bottom-Up and Multilevel Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Toshinori; Wakamatsu, Nobuhiko

2018-01-01

This paper analyzes the governance structures of Biosphere Reserves (BRs) in Japan by focusing on six criteria that elucidate the main characteristics therein: general information (nomination process, year of designation, size, and population), legal frameworks, stakeholder identification, and decision-making processes (number of municipalities and role of consociation), administrative institutions (human resources, budgetary situation, and expense distribution), executed BR implementation activities, and participatory/collaborative frameworks. This research consists of a literature review, a questionnaire administered to the secretariats of seven existing BRs and follow-up interviews. Three main characteristics of BRs were identified. First, a responsible local government(s) is nominated to manage the BR rather than the central government. Consequently, BR implementation in Japan is led by those municipalities that have strong motivations for regional development using the BR concept. Second, two types of BR governance structures exist in Japan: the single municipality type and the multi-municipality type. All BRs have so called Kyougikai, a consociation for decision-making, consultation and/or collaboration among stakeholders. In the single municipality structure, the consociation includes diverse actors from private and community sectors, while in the multi-municipality structure, consociations are based in more diplomatic settings and only include members of the public sector. Third, gaps between pre/post-Seville BR implementation sites were identified. The motivations for the formation of pre-Seville BRs, which were designated in 1980 in a top-down fashion prior to an awareness of BRs, varied greatly from those BRs nominated by municipalities after 2010. The authors identified fewer administrative resources and activities associated with the pre-Seville sites.

Wrinkle ridge-upland scarp transitions: Implications for the mechanical properties of the deformed materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watters, Thomas R.; Tuttle, Michael J.; Simpson, Debra

1991-01-01

Wrinkle ridge-upland scarp transitions are structures that occur at the contact between smooth plains material and highlands or uplands materials on the Moon and Mars. In the smooth plains material the structures have a morphology typical of wrinkle ridges, interpreted to be the result of a combination of folding and thrust faulting. Where the structures extend into the uplands, a distinct change in the morphology occurs. The generally asymmetric cross sectional geometry characteristics of wrinkle ridges becomes that of a one-sided, often lobate scarp. The scarp is indistinguishable from other highland/upland scarps, interpreted to be the result of reverse or thrust faulting. Although these structures are rare, they provide important insight into the mechanical properties of deformed materials. These insights are discussed.

Season-modulated responses of Neotropical bats to forest fragmentation.

PubMed

Ferreira, Diogo F; Rocha, Ricardo; López-Baucells, Adrià; Farneda, Fábio Z; Carreiras, João M B; Palmeirim, Jorge M; Meyer, Christoph F J

2017-06-01

Seasonality causes fluctuations in resource availability, affecting the presence and abundance of animal species. The impacts of these oscillations on wildlife populations can be exacerbated by habitat fragmentation. We assessed differences in bat species abundance between the wet and dry season in a fragmented landscape in the Central Amazon characterized by primary forest fragments embedded in a secondary forest matrix. We also evaluated whether the relative importance of local vegetation structure versus landscape characteristics (composition and configuration) in shaping bat abundance patterns varied between seasons. Our working hypotheses were that abundance responses are species as well as season specific, and that in the wet season, local vegetation structure is a stronger determinant of bat abundance than landscape-scale attributes. Generalized linear mixed-effects models in combination with hierarchical partitioning revealed that relationships between species abundances and local vegetation structure and landscape characteristics were both season specific and scale dependent. Overall, landscape characteristics were more important than local vegetation characteristics, suggesting that landscape structure is likely to play an even more important role in landscapes with higher fragment-matrix contrast. Responses varied between frugivores and animalivores. In the dry season, frugivores responded more to compositional metrics, whereas during the wet season, local and configurational metrics were more important. Animalivores showed similar patterns in both seasons, responding to the same group of metrics in both seasons. Differences in responses likely reflect seasonal differences in the phenology of flowering and fruiting between primary and secondary forests, which affected the foraging behavior and habitat use of bats. Management actions should encompass multiscale approaches to account for the idiosyncratic responses of species to seasonal variation in resource abundance and consequently to local and landscape scale attributes.

Impact of strain on electronic and transport properties of 6 nm hydrogenated germanane nano-ribbon channel double gate field effect transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meher Abhinav, E.; Sundararaj, Anuraj; Gopalakrishnan, Chandrasekaran; Kasmir Raja, S. V.; Chokhra, Saurabh

2017-11-01

In this work, chair like fully hydrogenated germanane (CGeH) nano-ribbon 6 nm short channel double gate field effect transistor (DG-FET) has been modeled and the impact of strain on the I-V characteristics of CGeH channel has been examined. The bond lengths, binding and formation energies of various hydrogenated geometries of buckled germanane channel were calculated using local density approximation (LDA) with Perdew-Zunger (PZ) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA) with Perdew Burke Ernzerhof (PBE) parameterization. From four various geometries, chair like structure is found to be more stable compared to boat like obtuse, stiruup structure and table like structure. The bandgap versus width, bandgap versus strain characteristics and I-V characteristics had been analyzed at room temperature using density functional theory (DFT). Using self consistent calculation it was observed that the electronic properties of nano-ribbon is independent of length and band structure, but dependent on edge type, strain [Uni-axial (ɛ xx ), bi-axial (ɛ xx   =  ɛ yy )] and width of the ribbon. The strain engineered hydrogenated germanane (GeH) showed wide direct bandgap (2.3 eV) which could help to build low noise electronic devices that operates at high frequencies. The observed bi-axial compression has high impact on the device transport characteristics with peak to valley ratio (PVR) of 2.14 and 380% increase in peak current compared to pristine CGeH device. The observed strain in CGeH DG-FET could facilitate in designing novel multiple-logic memory devices due to multiple negative differential resistance (NDR) regions.

Solving a meiotic LEGO puzzle: transverse filaments and the assembly of the synaptonemal complex in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Hawley, R Scott

2011-10-01

The structure of the meiosis-specific synaptonemal complex, which is perhaps the central visible characteristic of meiotic prophase, has been a matter of intense interest for decades. Although a general picture of the interactions between the transverse filament proteins that create this structure has emerged from studies in a variety of organisms, a recent analysis of synaptonemal complex structure in Caenorhabditis elegans by Schild-Prüfert et al. (2011) has provided the clearest picture of the structure of the architecture of a synaptonemal complex to date. Although the transverse filaments of the worm synaptonemal complex are assembled differently then those observed in yeast, mammalian, and Drosophila synaptonemal complexes, a comparison of the four assemblies shows that achieving the overall basic structure of the synaptonemal complex is far more crucial than conserving the structures of the individual transverse filaments.

Implementation of Integrated Service Networks under the Quebec Mental Health Reform: Facilitators and Barriers associated with Different Territorial Profiles.

PubMed

Fleury, Marie-Josée; Grenier, Guy; Vallée, Catherine; Aubé, Denise; Farand, Lambert

2017-03-10

This study evaluates implementation of the Quebec Mental Health Reform (2005-2015), which promoted the development of integrated service networks, in 11 local service networks organized into four territorial groups according to socio-demographic characteristics and mental health services offered. Data were collected from documents concerning networks; structured questionnaires completed by 90 managers and by 16 respondent-psychiatrists; and semi-structured interviews with 102 network stakeholders. Factors associated with implementation and integration were organized according to: 1) reform characteristics; 2) implementation context; 3) organizational characteristics; and 4) integration strategies. While local networks were in a process of development and expansion, none were fully integrated at the time of the study. Facilitators and barriers to implementation and integration were primarily associated with organizational characteristics. Integration was best achieved in larger networks including a general hospital with a psychiatric department, followed by networks with a psychiatric hospital. Formalized integration strategies such as service agreements, liaison officers, and joint training reduced some barriers to implementation in networks experiencing less favourable conditions. Strategies for the implementation of healthcare reform and integrated service networks should include sustained support and training in best-practices, adequate performance indicators and resources, formalized integration strategies to improve network coordination and suitable initiatives to promote staff retention.

Combined expert system/neural networks method for process fault diagnosis

DOEpatents

Reifman, Jaques; Wei, Thomas Y. C.

1995-01-01

A two-level hierarchical approach for process fault diagnosis is an operating system employs a function-oriented approach at a first level and a component characteristic-oriented approach at a second level, where the decision-making procedure is structured in order of decreasing intelligence with increasing precision. At the first level, the diagnostic method is general and has knowledge of the overall process including a wide variety of plant transients and the functional behavior of the process components. An expert system classifies malfunctions by function to narrow the diagnostic focus to a particular set of possible faulty components that could be responsible for the detected functional misbehavior of the operating system. At the second level, the diagnostic method limits its scope to component malfunctions, using more detailed knowledge of component characteristics. Trained artificial neural networks are used to further narrow the diagnosis and to uniquely identify the faulty component by classifying the abnormal condition data as a failure of one of the hypothesized components through component characteristics. Once an anomaly is detected, the hierarchical structure is used to successively narrow the diagnostic focus from a function misbehavior, i.e., a function oriented approach, until the fault can be determined, i.e., a component characteristic-oriented approach.

Combined expert system/neural networks method for process fault diagnosis

DOEpatents

Reifman, J.; Wei, T.Y.C.

1995-08-15

A two-level hierarchical approach for process fault diagnosis of an operating system employs a function-oriented approach at a first level and a component characteristic-oriented approach at a second level, where the decision-making procedure is structured in order of decreasing intelligence with increasing precision. At the first level, the diagnostic method is general and has knowledge of the overall process including a wide variety of plant transients and the functional behavior of the process components. An expert system classifies malfunctions by function to narrow the diagnostic focus to a particular set of possible faulty components that could be responsible for the detected functional misbehavior of the operating system. At the second level, the diagnostic method limits its scope to component malfunctions, using more detailed knowledge of component characteristics. Trained artificial neural networks are used to further narrow the diagnosis and to uniquely identify the faulty component by classifying the abnormal condition data as a failure of one of the hypothesized components through component characteristics. Once an anomaly is detected, the hierarchical structure is used to successively narrow the diagnostic focus from a function misbehavior, i.e., a function oriented approach, until the fault can be determined, i.e., a component characteristic-oriented approach. 9 figs.

Post-acute rehabilitation care for older people in community hospitals and general hospitals--philosophies of care and patients' and caregivers' reported experiences: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Small, Neil; Green, John; Spink, Joanna; Forster, Anne; Young, John

2009-01-01

This article contrasts community hospital and general hospital philosophies of care and examines how they relate to patients' and caregivers' experiences. Semi-structured interviews with 42 staff were used to produce care setting vignettes in six community hospitals and four general hospitals in the midlands and north of England. The vignettes were used with 26 patients and 10 caregivers in semi-structured interviews. Community hospital and general hospital staff identified shared understandings of requirements for post-acute rehabilitation care for older people. Distinctive features were: general hospital--medical efficiency, helping patients get better, high standard of care, need for stimulation; community hospital--home-like setting, quiet, calm ambience, good views, orientated to elderly people, encouragement of social interaction, involvement of relatives in care. In the main there was symmetry between staff aspirations and patients' experience. However some concepts used and assumptions made by staff were not recognised by patients. These were characteristically reframed in patients' answers as if they were discussing subjective dimensions of care. There was patient and caregiver preference for the home-like environment of community hospitals. In care of older people, where the focus is rehabilitation, patient preferences are particularly pertinent and should be considered alongside clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Effects of non-structural components and soil-structure interaction on the seismic response of framed structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditommaso, Rocco; Auletta, Gianluca; Iacovino, Chiara; Nigro, Antonella; Carlo Ponzo, Felice

2017-04-01

In this paper, several nonlinear numerical models of reinforced concrete framed structures have been defined in order to evaluate the effects of non-structural elements and soil-structure interaction on the elastic dynamic behaviour of buildings. In the last few years, many and various studies have highlighted the significant effects derived from the interaction between structural and non-structural components on the main dynamic characteristics of a building. Usually, structural and non-structural elements act together, adding both masses and stiffness. The presence of infill panels is generally neglected in the design process of structural elements, although these elements can significantly increase the lateral stiffness of a structure leading to a modification in the dynamic properties. Particularly, at the Damage Limit State (where an elastic behaviour is expected), soil-structure interaction effects and non-structural elements may further affect the elastic natural period of buildings, changing the spectral accelerations compared with those provided by seismic codes in case of static analyses. In this work, a parametric study has been performed in order to evaluate the elastic fundamental period of vibration of buildings as a function of structural morphology (height, plan area, ratio between plan dimensions), infills presence and distribution and soil characteristics. Acknowledgements This study was partially funded by the Italian Department of Civil Protection within the project DPC-RELUIS 2016 - RS4 ''Seismic observatory of structures and health monitoring'' and by the "Centre of Integrated Geomorphology for the Mediterranean Area - CGIAM" within the Framework Agreement with the University of Basilicata "Study, Research and Experimentation in the Field of Analysis and Monitoring of Seismic Vulnerability of Strategic and Relevant Buildings for the purposes of Civil Protection and Development of Innovative Strategies of Seismic Reinforcement".

ComDim for explorative multi-block data analysis of Cantal-type cheeses: Effects of salts, gentle heating and ripening.

PubMed

Loudiyi, M; Rutledge, D N; Aït-Kaddour, A

2018-10-30

Common Dimension (ComDim) chemometrics method for multi-block data analysis was employed to evaluate the impact of different added salts and ripening times on physicochemical, color, dynamic low amplitude oscillatory rheology, texture profile, and molecular structure (fluorescence and MIR spectroscopies) of five Cantal-type cheeses. Firstly, Independent Components Analysis (ICA) was applied separately on fluorescence and MIR spectra in order to extract the relevant signal source and the associated proportions related to molecular structure characteristics. ComDim was then applied on the 31 data tables corresponding to the proportion of ICA signals obtained for spectral methods and the global analysis of cheeses by the other techniques. The ComDim results indicated that generally cheeses made with 50% NaCl or with 75:25% NaCl/KCl exhibit the equivalent characteristics in structural, textural, meltability and color properties. The proposed methodology demonstrates the applicability of ComDim for the characterization of samples when different techniques describe the same samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Short-term wind speed prediction based on the wavelet transformation and Adaboost neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hai, Zhou; Xiang, Zhu; Haijian, Shao; Ji, Wu

2018-03-01

The operation of the power grid will be affected inevitably with the increasing scale of wind farm due to the inherent randomness and uncertainty, so the accurate wind speed forecasting is critical for the stability of the grid operation. Typically, the traditional forecasting method does not take into account the frequency characteristics of wind speed, which cannot reflect the nature of the wind speed signal changes result from the low generality ability of the model structure. AdaBoost neural network in combination with the multi-resolution and multi-scale decomposition of wind speed is proposed to design the model structure in order to improve the forecasting accuracy and generality ability. The experimental evaluation using the data from a real wind farm in Jiangsu province is given to demonstrate the proposed strategy can improve the robust and accuracy of the forecasted variable.

Rich magneto-absorption spectra of AAB-stacked trilayer graphene.

PubMed

Do, Thi-Nga; Shih, Po-Hsin; Chang, Cheng-Peng; Lin, Chiun-Yan; Lin, Ming-Fa

2016-06-29

A generalized tight-binding model is developed to investigate the feature-rich magneto-optical properties of AAB-stacked trilayer graphene. Three intragroup and six intergroup inter-Landau-level (inter-LL) optical excitations largely enrich magneto-absorption peaks. In general, the former are much higher than the latter, depending on the phases and amplitudes of LL wavefunctions. The absorption spectra exhibit single- or twin-peak structures which are determined by quantum modes, LL energy spectra and Fermion distribution. The splitting LLs, with different localization centers (2/6 and 4/6 positions in a unit cell), can generate very distinct absorption spectra. There exist extra single peaks because of LL anti-crossings. AAB, AAA, ABA, and ABC stackings considerably differ from one another in terms of the inter-LL category, frequency, intensity, and structure of absorption peaks. The main characteristics of LL wavefunctions and energy spectra and the Fermi-Dirac function are responsible for the configuration-enriched magneto-optical spectra.

Optimization techniques applied to passive measures for in-orbit spacecraft survivability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mog, Robert A.; Price, D. Marvin

1991-01-01

Spacecraft designers have always been concerned about the effects of meteoroid impacts on mission safety. The engineering solution to this problem has generally been to erect a bumper or shield placed outboard from the spacecraft wall to disrupt/deflect the incoming projectiles. Spacecraft designers have a number of tools at their disposal to aid in the design process. These include hypervelocity impact testing, analytic impact predictors, and hydrodynamic codes. Analytic impact predictors generally provide the best quick-look estimate of design tradeoffs. The most complete way to determine the characteristics of an analytic impact predictor is through optimization of the protective structures design problem formulated with the predictor of interest. Space Station Freedom protective structures design insight is provided through the coupling of design/material requirements, hypervelocity impact phenomenology, meteoroid and space debris environment sensitivities, optimization techniques and operations research strategies, and mission scenarios. Major results are presented.

Dependence of credit spread and macro-conditions based on an alterable structure model.

PubMed

Xie, Yun; Tian, Yixiang; Xiao, Zhuang; Zhou, Xiangyun

2018-01-01

The fat-tail financial data and cyclical financial market makes it difficult for the fixed structure model based on Gaussian distribution to characterize the dynamics of corporate bonds spreads. Using a flexible structure model based on generalized error distribution, this paper focuses on the impact of macro-level factors on the spreads of corporate bonds in China. It is found that in China's corporate bonds market, macroeconomic conditions have obvious structural transformational effects on bonds spreads, and their structural features remain stable with the downgrade of bonds ratings. The impact of macroeconomic conditions on spreads is significant for different structures, and the differences between the structures increase as ratings decline. For different structures, the persistent characteristics of bonds spreads are obviously stronger than those of recursive ones, which suggest an obvious speculation in bonds market. It is also found that the structure switching of bonds with different ratings is not synchronous, which indicates the shift of investment between different grades of bonds.

Dependence of credit spread and macro-conditions based on an alterable structure model

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The fat-tail financial data and cyclical financial market makes it difficult for the fixed structure model based on Gaussian distribution to characterize the dynamics of corporate bonds spreads. Using a flexible structure model based on generalized error distribution, this paper focuses on the impact of macro-level factors on the spreads of corporate bonds in China. It is found that in China's corporate bonds market, macroeconomic conditions have obvious structural transformational effects on bonds spreads, and their structural features remain stable with the downgrade of bonds ratings. The impact of macroeconomic conditions on spreads is significant for different structures, and the differences between the structures increase as ratings decline. For different structures, the persistent characteristics of bonds spreads are obviously stronger than those of recursive ones, which suggest an obvious speculation in bonds market. It is also found that the structure switching of bonds with different ratings is not synchronous, which indicates the shift of investment between different grades of bonds. PMID:29723295

Modeling Learning in Doubly Multilevel Binary Longitudinal Data Using Generalized Linear Mixed Models: An Application to Measuring and Explaining Word Learning.

PubMed

Cho, Sun-Joo; Goodwin, Amanda P

2016-04-01

When word learning is supported by instruction in experimental studies for adolescents, word knowledge outcomes tend to be collected from complex data structure, such as multiple aspects of word knowledge, multilevel reader data, multilevel item data, longitudinal design, and multiple groups. This study illustrates how generalized linear mixed models can be used to measure and explain word learning for data having such complexity. Results from this application provide deeper understanding of word knowledge than could be attained from simpler models and show that word knowledge is multidimensional and depends on word characteristics and instructional contexts.

Asymmetric (1+1)-dimensional hydrodynamics in high-energy collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bialas, A.; Peschanski, R.

2011-05-01

The possibility that particle production in high-energy collisions is a result of two asymmetric hydrodynamic flows is investigated using the Khalatnikov form of the (1+1)-dimensional approximation of hydrodynamic equations. The general solution is discussed and applied to the physically appealing “generalized in-out cascade” where the space-time and energy-momentum rapidities are equal at initial temperature but boost invariance is not imposed. It is demonstrated that the two-bump structure of the entropy density, characteristic of the asymmetric input, changes easily into a single broad maximum compatible with data on particle production in symmetric processes. A possible microscopic QCD interpretation of asymmetric hydrodynamics is proposed.

Numerical Hydrodynamics in General Relativity.

PubMed

Font, José A

2000-01-01

The current status of numerical solutions for the equations of ideal general relativistic hydrodynamics is reviewed. Different formulations of the equations are presented, with special mention of conservative and hyperbolic formulations well-adapted to advanced numerical methods. A representative sample of available numerical schemes is discussed and particular emphasis is paid to solution procedures based on schemes exploiting the characteristic structure of the equations through linearized Riemann solvers. A comprehensive summary of relevant astrophysical simulations in strong gravitational fields, including gravitational collapse, accretion onto black holes and evolution of neutron stars, is also presented. Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.12942/lrr-2000-2.

Stiffness modeling of compliant parallel mechanisms and applications in the performance analysis of a decoupled parallel compliant stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yao; Li, Tie-Min; Wang, Li-Ping

2015-09-01

This paper investigates the stiffness modeling of compliant parallel mechanism (CPM) based on the matrix method. First, the general compliance matrix of a serial flexure chain is derived. The stiffness modeling of CPMs is next discussed in detail, considering the relative positions of the applied load and the selected displacement output point. The derived stiffness models have simple and explicit forms, and the input, output, and coupling stiffness matrices of the CPM can easily be obtained. The proposed analytical model is applied to the stiffness modeling and performance analysis of an XY parallel compliant stage with input and output decoupling characteristics. Then, the key geometrical parameters of the stage are optimized to obtain the minimum input decoupling degree. Finally, a prototype of the compliant stage is developed and its input axial stiffness, coupling characteristics, positioning resolution, and circular contouring performance are tested. The results demonstrate the excellent performance of the compliant stage and verify the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical model. The general stiffness models provided in this paper will be helpful for performance analysis, especially in determining coupling characteristics, and the structure optimization of the CPM.

Low attendance at structured education for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: General practice characteristics and individual patient factors predict uptake.

PubMed

Winkley, Kirsty; Stahl, Daniel; Chamley, Mark; Stopford, Rosanna; Boughdady, Monica; Thomas, Stephen; Amiel, Stephanie A; Forbes, Angus; Ismail, Khalida

2016-01-01

The aims were to determine the association between individual and neighbourhood factors and attendance at structured education amongst people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Multi-level analysis of questionnaire data from a prospective cohort of adults newly diagnosed T2DM. Setting was primary care, London, UK. Main outcome was attendance at structured education within 2 years. Of 1790 people recruited, attendance data were available for 1626 (91%). Only 22.4% (n=365/1626) attended education. Attendance was independently associated with female gender (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.05-1.46), lower HbA1c (OR 0.98 mmol/mol 95% CI 0.97-0.99) and non-smoker status (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.07-1.55). General practice covariates, achievement of primary care targets for glycaemic control (OR 1.05, 95% C.I. 1.01-1.08) and recording of retinal screening (OR 0.96, 95% C.I. 0.93-0.99) were independently associated with attendance but unexplained general practice clustering accounted for 17% of the variance. Education uptake is low amongst people with new onset T2DM. Attenders are more likely to be female, non-smokers with better HbA1c. General practices achieving glycaemic targets are more likely to have patients who attend education. Strategies are needed to improve attendance at structured diabetes education particularly amongst hard to reach groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide comparison of ferritin family from Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya, and Viruses: its distribution, characteristic motif, and phylogenetic relationship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Lina; Xie, Ting; Hu, Qingqing; Deng, Changyan; Zheng, Rong; Chen, Wanping

2015-10-01

Ferritins are highly conserved proteins that are widely distributed in various species from archaea to humans. The ubiquitous characteristic of these proteins reflects the pivotal contribution of ferritins to the safe storage and timely delivery of iron to achieve iron homeostasis. This study investigated the ferritin genes in 248 genomes from various species, including viruses, archaea, bacteria, and eukarya. The distribution comparison suggests that mammals and eudicots possess abundant ferritin genes, whereas fungi contain very few ferritin genes. Archaea and bacteria show considerable numbers of ferritin genes. Generally, prokaryotes possess three types of ferritin (the typical ferritin, bacterioferritin, and DNA-binding protein from starved cell), whereas eukaryotes have various subunit types of ferritin, thereby indicating the individuation of the ferritin family during evolution. The characteristic motif analysis of ferritins suggested that all key residues specifying the unique structural motifs of ferritin are highly conserved across three domains of life. Meanwhile, the characteristic motifs were also distinguishable between ferritin groups, especially phytoferritins, which show a plant-specific motif. The phylogenetic analyses show that ferritins within the same subfamily or subunits are generally clustered together. The phylogenetic relationships among ferritin members suggest that both gene duplication and horizontal transfer contribute to the wide variety of ferritins, and their possible evolutionary scenario was also proposed. The results contribute to a better understanding of the distribution, characteristic motif, and evolutionary relationship of the ferritin family.

Fish assemblage structure and habitat associations in a large western river system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, C.D.; Quist, Michael C.; Hardy, R. S.

2016-01-01

Longitudinal gradients of fish assemblage and habitat structure were investigated in the Kootenai River of northern Idaho. A total of 43 500-m river reaches was sampled repeatedly with several techniques (boat-mounted electrofishing, hoop nets and benthic trawls) in the summers of 2012 and 2013. Differences in habitat and fish assemblage structure were apparent along the longitudinal gradient of the Kootenai River. Habitat characteristics (e.g. depth, substrate composition and water velocity) were related to fish assemblage structure in three different geomorphic river sections. Upper river sections were characterized by native salmonids (e.g. mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni), whereas native cyprinids (peamouth Mylocheilus caurinus, northern pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis) and non-native fishes (pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, yellow perch Perca flavescens) were common in the downstream section. Overall, a general pattern of species addition from upstream to downstream sections was discovered and is likely related to increased habitat complexity and additions of non-native species in downstream sections. Assemblage structure of the upper sections were similar, but were both dissimilar to the lower section of the Kootenai River. Species-specific hurdle regressions indicated the relationships among habitat characteristics and the predicted probability of occurrence and relative abundance varied by species. Understanding fish assemblage structure in relation to habitat could improve conservation efforts of rare fishes and improve management of coldwater river systems.

How the structure of Wikipedia articles influences user navigation.

PubMed

Lamprecht, Daniel; Lerman, Kristina; Helic, Denis; Strohmaier, Markus

2017-01-02

In this work we study how people navigate the information network of Wikipedia and investigate (i) free-form navigation by studying all clicks within the English Wikipedia over an entire month and (ii) goal-directed Wikipedia navigation by analyzing wikigames, where users are challenged to retrieve articles by following links. To study how the organization of Wikipedia articles in terms of layout and links affects navigation behavior, we first investigate the characteristics of the structural organization and of hyperlinks in Wikipedia and then evaluate link selection models based on article structure and other potential influences in navigation, such as the generality of an article's topic. In free-form Wikipedia navigation, covering all Wikipedia usage scenarios, we find that click choices can be best modeled by a bias towards article structure, such as a tendency to click links located in the lead section. For the goal-directed navigation of wikigames, our findings confirm the zoom-out and the homing-in phases identified by previous work, where users are guided by generality at first and textual similarity to the target later. However, our interpretation of the link selection models accentuates that article structure is the best explanation for the navigation paths in all except these initial and final stages. Overall, we find evidence that users more frequently click on links that are located close to the top of an article. The structure of Wikipedia articles, which places links to more general concepts near the top, supports navigation by allowing users to quickly find the better-connected articles that facilitate navigation. Our results highlight the importance of article structure and link position in Wikipedia navigation and suggest that better organization of information can help make information networks more navigable.

How the structure of Wikipedia articles influences user navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamprecht, Daniel; Lerman, Kristina; Helic, Denis; Strohmaier, Markus

2017-01-01

In this work we study how people navigate the information network of Wikipedia and investigate (i) free-form navigation by studying all clicks within the English Wikipedia over an entire month and (ii) goal-directed Wikipedia navigation by analyzing wikigames, where users are challenged to retrieve articles by following links. To study how the organization of Wikipedia articles in terms of layout and links affects navigation behavior, we first investigate the characteristics of the structural organization and of hyperlinks in Wikipedia and then evaluate link selection models based on article structure and other potential influences in navigation, such as the generality of an article's topic. In free-form Wikipedia navigation, covering all Wikipedia usage scenarios, we find that click choices can be best modeled by a bias towards article structure, such as a tendency to click links located in the lead section. For the goal-directed navigation of wikigames, our findings confirm the zoom-out and the homing-in phases identified by previous work, where users are guided by generality at first and textual similarity to the target later. However, our interpretation of the link selection models accentuates that article structure is the best explanation for the navigation paths in all except these initial and final stages. Overall, we find evidence that users more frequently click on links that are located close to the top of an article. The structure of Wikipedia articles, which places links to more general concepts near the top, supports navigation by allowing users to quickly find the better-connected articles that facilitate navigation. Our results highlight the importance of article structure and link position in Wikipedia navigation and suggest that better organization of information can help make information networks more navigable.

How the structure of Wikipedia articles influences user navigation

PubMed Central

Lamprecht, Daniel; Lerman, Kristina; Helic, Denis; Strohmaier, Markus

2017-01-01

In this work we study how people navigate the information network of Wikipedia and investigate (i) free-form navigation by studying all clicks within the English Wikipedia over an entire month and (ii) goal-directed Wikipedia navigation by analyzing wikigames, where users are challenged to retrieve articles by following links. To study how the organization of Wikipedia articles in terms of layout and links affects navigation behavior, we first investigate the characteristics of the structural organization and of hyperlinks in Wikipedia and then evaluate link selection models based on article structure and other potential influences in navigation, such as the generality of an article's topic. In free-form Wikipedia navigation, covering all Wikipedia usage scenarios, we find that click choices can be best modeled by a bias towards article structure, such as a tendency to click links located in the lead section. For the goal-directed navigation of wikigames, our findings confirm the zoom-out and the homing-in phases identified by previous work, where users are guided by generality at first and textual similarity to the target later. However, our interpretation of the link selection models accentuates that article structure is the best explanation for the navigation paths in all except these initial and final stages. Overall, we find evidence that users more frequently click on links that are located close to the top of an article. The structure of Wikipedia articles, which places links to more general concepts near the top, supports navigation by allowing users to quickly find the better-connected articles that facilitate navigation. Our results highlight the importance of article structure and link position in Wikipedia navigation and suggest that better organization of information can help make information networks more navigable. PMID:28670171

The chemical structure of highly aromatic humic acids in three volcanic ash soils as determined by dipolar dephasing NMR studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatcher, P.G.; Schnitzer, M.; Vassallo, A.M.; Wilson, M.A.

1989-01-01

Dipolar dephasing 13C NMR studies of three highly aromatic humic acids, one from a modern soil and two from paleosols, have permitted the determination of the degree of aromatic substitution. From these data and the normal solid-state 13C NMR data we have been able to develop a model for the average chemical structure of these humic acids that generally correlates well with permanganate oxidation data. The models depict these humic acids as benzene di- and tricarboxylic acids interconnected by biphenyl linkages. An increasing degree of substitution is observed with increasing geologic age. These structures may be characteristic of the resistant aromatic part of the "core" of humic substances that survives degradation. ?? 1989.

Synthetic Modeling of A Geothermal System Using Audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) and Magnetotelluric (MT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mega Saputra, Rifki; Widodo

2017-04-01

Indonesia has 40% of the world’s potential geothermal resources with estimated capacity of 28,910 MW. Generally, the characteristic of the geothermal system in Indonesia is liquid-dominated systems, which driven by volcanic activities. In geothermal exploration, electromagnetic methods are used to map structures that could host potential reservoirs and source rocks. We want to know the responses of a geothermal system using synthetic data of Audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) and Magnetotelluric (MT). Due to frequency range, AMT and MT data can resolve the shallow and deeper structure, respectively. 1-D models have been performed using AMT and MT data. The results indicate that AMT and MT data give detailed conductivity distribution of geothermal structure.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Structure and Ion Transport in the Ce1 - x Gd x O2 - δ|YSZ Heterosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galin, M. Z.; Ivanov-Schitz, A. K.; Mazo, G. N.

2018-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulation has been used to develop a realistic atomistic model of two-layer Ce1 - x Gd x O2 - δ|YSZ heterosystem. It is shown that Ce1 - x Gd x O2 - δ and YSZ layers (about 15 and 16 Å thick, respectively) retain their crystal structure on the whole. The main structural distortions are found to occur near the Ce1 - x Gd x O2 - δ|YSZ geometric interface, within a narrow interfacial region of few angstroms thick. Both the generalized diffusion characteristics of the system as a whole and the oxygen diffusion coefficients in the layers are calculated, and the diffusion activation energies are determined.

Seismic Reflection Characteristic and Structure Unit Division of Nanwei Uplift in the Nansha Waters, South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, L.; Zhan, W.; Yao, Y.

2016-12-01

Nanwei uplift is located in the continent-ocean transition zone at the southern margin of the South China Sea (SCS). It has the structural characteristics in typical passive margin models. Attributed to squeezing action, the anticline and faulted anticline structure were well developed since Oligocene. The development of organic reef and marine mudstone deposit indicated the drifting and subsidence stage. In this area, the structural evolution is not only related to the dynamic systems of rifting, basin spreading and expansion ending, but also to the collisions between different plates. Meanwhile, a large number of continental margin rifting basins with rich oil and gas resources developed in Nanwei uplift. It is meaningful to analyze the characteristics of seismic reflection waves. Also, two main structural unit were divided for studying the special structures and stratigraphic features in this paper. Two high-resolution single-channel seismic Line Nan-1 and Line Nan-2 in the Nansha Waters, acquired by the trial vessel "Shiyan 2" of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology in 2013, is interpreted and analyzed in this study. The profiles show that there are a lot of normal fault half-garben systems and depressions in NE direction. Five seismic interfaces have been distinguished, named T0,T3,T4,T5 and Tg respectively. It corresponds to different regional unconformities in different geological age which indicated the characteristics of regional tectonics. On the basis of tectonic shape and previous geophysical data, it is believed that the Nanwei uplift zone is mainly composed of two structural units, the southern subsidence belt and northern buried volcanic uplift belt. The general range of zoning is also discussed in this paper. It is considered that the buried volcanic uplift belt mainly involved the marginal area along the southern ocean basin from 63-72 km wide in SE direction, the neighboring subsidence belt in rifting stage is parallel to the buried volcanic uplift belt with 57.5-128 km wide. In addition, the epicenter distributions of sporadic and larger than 4 magnitude earthquakes suggest that the entire Nanwei uplift is still a relatively stable tectonic activity zone, the crustal stability is good.

Integrating patient empowerment as an essential characteristic of the discipline of general practice/family medicine.

PubMed

Mola, Ernesto; De Bonis, Judith A; Giancane, Raffaele

2008-01-01

Efforts to improve the quality of healthcare for patients with chronic conditions have resulted in growing evidence supporting the inclusion of patient empowerment as a key ingredient of care. In 2002, WONCA Europe issued the European Definition of General Practice/Family Medicine, which is currently considered the point of reference for European health institutions and general medical practice. Patient empowerment does not appear among the 11 characteristics of the discipline. The aim of this study is to show that many characteristics of general practice are already oriented towards patient empowerment. Therefore, promoting patient empowerment and self-management should be included as a characteristic of the discipline. The following investigation was conducted: analysing the concept and approach to empowerment as applied to healthcare in the literature; examining whether aspects of empowerment are already part of general medical practice; and identifying reasons why the European definition of general practice/family medicine should contain empowerment as a characteristic of the discipline. General practice/family medicine is the most suitable setting for promoting patient empowerment, because many of its characteristics are already oriented towards encouraging it and because its widespread presence can ensure the generalization of empowerment promotion and self-management education to the totality of patients and communities. "Promoting patient empowerment and self-management" should be considered one of the essential characteristics of general practice/family medicine and should be included in its definition.

The financial performance of rural hospitals and implications for elimination of the Critical Access Hospital program.

PubMed

Holmes, George M; Pink, George H; Friedman, Sarah A

2013-01-01

To compare the financial performance of rural hospitals with Medicare payment provisions to those paid under prospective payment and to estimate the financial consequences of elimination of the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program. Financial data for 2004-2010 were collected from the Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) for rural hospitals. HCRIS data were used to calculate measures of the profitability, liquidity, capital structure, and financial strength of rural hospitals. Linear mixed models accounted for the method of Medicare reimbursement, time trends, hospital, and market characteristics. Simulations were used to estimate profitability of CAHs if they reverted to prospective payment. CAHs generally had lower unadjusted financial performance than other types of rural hospitals, but after adjustment for hospital characteristics, CAHs had generally higher financial performance. Special payment provisions by Medicare to rural hospitals are important determinants of financial performance. In particular, the financial condition of CAHs would be worse if they were paid under prospective payment. © 2012 National Rural Health Association.

Physical and mechanical properties of icebergs

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

Gammon, P.H.; Bobby, W.; Gagnon, R.E.

1983-05-01

Physical and mechanical characteristics of iceberg ice were studied from samples collected near the shores of eastern Newfoundland. Although the physical characteristics show considerable diversity, iceberg ice has some common features and is generally porous, lacks significant concentrations of dissolved materials, contains internal cracks and has an irregular interlocking grain structure. A review of mechanical testing of ice was carried out and an experimental setup was devised to reduce effects of improper contact between specimen and loading apparatus. Uniaxial compressive strength for iceberg ice was determined and compared with that for lake ice. The strength of iceberg ice was highermore » than that of lake ice but Young's Modulus for lake ice was higher.« less

Activity Cycles in Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hathaway, David H.

2009-01-01

Starspots and stellar activity can be detected in other stars using high precision photometric and spectrometric measurements. These observations have provided some surprises (starspots at the poles - sunspots are rarely seen poleward of 40 degrees) but more importantly they reveal behaviors that constrain our models of solar-stellar magnetic dynamos. The observations reveal variations in cycle characteristics that depend upon the stellar structure, convection zone dynamics, and rotation rate. In general, the more rapidly rotating stars are more active. However, for stars like the Sun, some are found to be inactive while nearly identical stars are found to be very active indicating that periods like the Sun's Maunder Minimum (an inactive period from 1645 to 1715) are characteristic of Sun-like stars.

Objective and Social Factors as Determinants of Task Perceptions and Responses: An Integrative Framework and Empirical Investigation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-11-01

1976p Sims & Szilagyi , 1976), and field experiments (of., Orpen, 1979). Most studies have found results generally supportive of the theory, although...179-198. . .. . . . . 34 Sims, Henry P., Jr., and Andrew D. Szilagyi 1976 "Job characteristic relationshipsi Individual and structural moderators...Maryland College Park, MD 20742 Dr. H. Wallace Sinaiko Program Director, Manpower Research and Advisory Services Smithsonian Institution 801 N. Pitt

[[Findings of a report on the population structure of rural market towns

PubMed

1985-07-29

This report concerns a survey on the characteristics of the population of four villages in Shunji county, located near Beijing, China. The survey, which was carried out in 1984, covered 12,652 individuals. The results show that the population of adult age is increasing and that a general trend toward demographic aging can be identified. The sex ratio is particularly high in the working ages. Fertility is currently below replacement level.

Data Report for the 1988 Ontario-New York-New England Seismic Refraction Experiment: Three-Component Profiles

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-23

Geophysical Data Center in Boulder, Colorado, and tapes are available from: U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 325...and structural characteristics of the North American continent were formed primarily during the closing of the prowo-Atlantic Ocean from the early...collision that is generally referred to as the Appalachian Orogeny. The theory that the Appalachian Orogen consists of several microplates accreted during

Papillary Architecture and Functional Characterization of Mucosubstances in the Sheep Tongue.

PubMed

Erdoğan, Serkan; Sağsöz, Hakan

2018-04-30

This research aimed to reveal the general morphology and topographic distribution of lingual papillae, epithelial characteristics, mucosal structure, and glands with their mucin content in the sheep tongue, with consideration of species-specific characteristics. The tongues of ten sheep were analyzed for this purpose. Filiform and fungiform papillae existed within the borders of the ventral surface of the lingual apex. The majority of the filiform papillae had multiple secondary projections. Fungiform papillae were also seen on the lingual torus among lenticular papillae, as well as 6 to 10 circumvallate papillae arranged on its caudal border. The species-specific details of the general anatomical structure of the tongue were determined and, in general, the papillary organization in the sheep was similar to goats, while the papillary organization also was similar to features with deer species, specifically the filiform papilla from the mechanical papillae and fungiform papilla from the gustatory papillae. Neutral and weak sulfated mucins and N-acetyl sialomucins were located in seromucous glands, salivary duct epithelium and von Ebner's glands. Carboxylated acid mucins and N-acetyl sialomucins were not present in seromucous and von Ebner's glands. In seromucous glands, MUC1, MUC5AC and MUC6 localized only in epithelial cells of ducts, whereas MUC2 localized in both glandular and ductal epithelial cells. All MUCs were present in both von Ebner's glands and salivary ducts. We showed that this mucin composition, may serve as a physical barrier in the initial section of the digestive system. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Influences of Hospital Nurses' perceived reciprocity and Emotional Labor on Quality of Nursing Service and Intent to Leave].

PubMed

Lee, Mi Aie; Kim, Eunjeong

2016-06-01

This study was performed to investigate the relationship among reciprocity, emotional labor, nursing service quality and intent to leave, and to identify factors influencing nursing service quality and intent to leave. This study was a cross-sectional survey. Participants were 300 nurses working at five general hospitals in two provincial cities in Gyeongsang Province, Korea. From May 1 to June 30, 2014, data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS/PC ver 20.0 programs. There were relationships between reciprocity and nursing service quality, and intent to leave, and between emotional labor and intent to leave. Participants' general characteristics, reciprocity and emotional labor explained 48.4% of variance in nursing service quality and participants' general characteristics and these two independent variables explained 31.9% of intent to leave. These findings indicate that from the perception of hospital nurses, reciprocity and emotional labor are both very important factors to improve the quality of nursing service and decrease the intent to leave. So nursing managers should try to develop various personnel management programs focused on human emotions, and create a mutual respectable organizational culture and work environment.

Permutation entropy with vector embedding delays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, Douglas J.; Kane, Deb M.

2017-12-01

Permutation entropy (PE) is a statistic used widely for the detection of structure within a time series. Embedding delay times at which the PE is reduced are characteristic timescales for which such structure exists. Here, a generalized scheme is investigated where embedding delays are represented by vectors rather than scalars, permitting PE to be calculated over a (D -1 ) -dimensional space, where D is the embedding dimension. This scheme is applied to numerically generated noise, sine wave and logistic map series, and experimental data sets taken from a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser exhibiting temporally localized pulse structures within the round-trip time of the laser cavity. Results are visualized as PE maps as a function of embedding delay, with low PE values indicating combinations of embedding delays where correlation structure is present. It is demonstrated that vector embedding delays enable identification of structure that is ambiguous or masked, when the embedding delay is constrained to scalar form.

[Classification of organisms and structuralism in biology].

PubMed

Vasil'eva, L I

2001-01-01

Structuralism in biology is the oldest trend oriented to the search for natural "laws of forms" comparable with laws of growth of crystal, was revived at the end of 20th century on the basis of structuralist thought in socio-humanitarian sciences. The development of principal ideas of the linguistic structuralism in some aspects is similar to that of biological systematics, especially concerning the relationships between "system" and "evolution". However, apart from this general similarity, biological structuralism is strongly focused on familiar problems of the origin of diversity in nature. In their striving for the renovation of existing views, biological structuralists oppose the neo-darwinism emphasizing the existence of "law of forms", that are independent on heredity and genetic "determinism". The trend to develop so-called "rational taxonomy" is also characteristic of biological structuralism but this attempt failed being connected neither with Darwin's historicism nor with Plato's typology.

Spontaneously amplified homochiral organic-inorganic nano-helix complexes via self-proliferation.

PubMed

Zhai, Halei; Quan, Yan; Li, Li; Liu, Xiang-Yang; Xu, Xurong; Tang, Ruikang

2013-04-07

Most spiral coiled biomaterials in nature, such as gastropod shells, are homochiral, and the favoured chiral feature can be precisely inherited. This inspired us that selected material structures, including chirality, could be specifically replicated into the self-similar populations; however, a physicochemical understanding of the material-based heritage is unknown. We study the homochirality by using calcium phosphate mineralization in the presence of racemic amphiphilic molecules and biological protein. The organic-inorganic hybrid materials with spiral coiling characteristics are produced at the nanoscale. The resulted helixes are chiral with the left- and right-handed characteristics, which are agglomerated hierarchically to from clusters and networks. It is interesting that each cluster or network is homochiral so that the enantiomorphs can be separated readily. Actually, each homochiral architecture is evolved from an original chiral helix, demonstrating the heritage of the matrix chirality during the material proliferation under a racemic condition. By using the Ginzburg-Landaue expression we find that the chiral recognition in the organic-inorganic hybrid formation may be determined by a spontaneous chiral separation and immobilization of asymmetric amphiphilic molecules on the mineral surface, which transferred the structural information from the mother matrix to the descendants by an energetic control. This study shows how biomolecules guide the selective amplification of chiral materials via spontaneous self-replication. Such a strategy can be applied generally in the design and production of artificial materials with self-similar structure characteristics.

{alpha}+{sup 6,8}He resonant scattering and exotic structures in {sup 10,12}Be

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

Ito, Makoto; Itagaki, Naoyuki

2008-05-21

The {alpha}+{sup 6}He low-energy reactions and the structural changes of {sup 10}Be in the microscopic {alpha}+{alpha}+2N model are studied by the generalized two-center cluster model with the Kohn-Hulthen-Kato variation method. It is found that, in the inelastic scattering to the {alpha}+{sup 6}He(2{sub 1}{sup +}) channel, characteristic enhancements are expected as the results of the parity-dependent non-adiabatic dynamics. The similar method is applied to the resonant scattering of {alpha}+{sup 8}He, and the coupling with the compound configurations of {alpha}+{alpha}+4N are discussed.

Wine and grape tannin interactions with salivary proteins and their impact on astringency: a review of current research.

PubMed

McRae, Jacqui M; Kennedy, James A

2011-03-11

Astringency is an important characteristic of red wine quality. The sensation is generally thought to be produced by the interaction of wine tannins with salivary proteins and the subsequent aggregation and precipitation of protein-tannin complexes. The importance of wine astringency for marketability has led to a wealth of research on the causes of astringency and how tannins impact the quality of the sensation, particularly with respect to tannin structure. Ultimately, the understanding of how tannin structure impacts astringency will allow the controlled manipulation of tannins via such methods as micro-oxygenation or fining to improve the quality of wines.

Cognitive predictors of a common multitasking ability: Contributions from working memory, attention control, and fluid intelligence.

PubMed

Redick, Thomas S; Shipstead, Zach; Meier, Matthew E; Montroy, Janelle J; Hicks, Kenny L; Unsworth, Nash; Kane, Michael J; Hambrick, D Zachary; Engle, Randall W

2016-11-01

Previous research has identified several cognitive abilities that are important for multitasking, but few studies have attempted to measure a general multitasking ability using a diverse set of multitasks. In the final dataset, 534 young adult subjects completed measures of working memory (WM), attention control, fluid intelligence, and multitasking. Correlations, hierarchical regression analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, structural equation models, and relative weight analyses revealed several key findings. First, although the complex tasks used to assess multitasking differed greatly in their task characteristics and demands, a coherent construct specific to multitasking ability was identified. Second, the cognitive ability predictors accounted for substantial variance in the general multitasking construct, with WM and fluid intelligence accounting for the most multitasking variance compared to attention control. Third, the magnitude of the relationships among the cognitive abilities and multitasking varied as a function of the complexity and structure of the various multitasks assessed. Finally, structural equation models based on a multifaceted model of WM indicated that attention control and capacity fully mediated the WM and multitasking relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Concorde noise-induced building vibrations: John F. Kennedy International Airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayes, W. H.; Stephens, D. G.; Deloach, R.; Cawthorn, J. M.; Holmes, H. K.; Lewis, R. B.; Holliday, B. G.; Ward, D. W.; Miller, W. T.

1978-01-01

Outdoor and indoor noise levels resulting from aircraft flyovers and certain nonaircraft events were recorded at eight homesites and a school along with the associated vibration levels in the walls, windows, and floors at these test sites. Limited subjective tests were conducted to examine the human detection and annoyance thresholds for building vibration and rattle caused by aircraft noise. Both vibration and rattle were detected subjectively in several houses for some operations of both the Concorde and subsonic aircraft. Seated subjects more readily detected floor vibrations than wall or window vibrations. Aircraft noise generally caused more window vibrations than common nonaircraft events such as walking and closing doors. Nonaircraft events and aircraft flyovers resulted in comparable wall vibration levels, while floor vibrations were generally greater for nonaircraft events than for aircraft flyovers. The relationship between structural vibration and aircraft noise is linear, with vibration levels being accurately predicted from overall sound pressure levels (OASPL) measured near the structure. Relatively high levels of structural vibration measured during Concorde operations are due more to higher OASPL levels than to unique Concorde-source characteristics.

Damage assessment of RC buildings subjected to the different strong motion duration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mortezaei, Alireza; mohajer Tabrizi, Mohsen

2015-07-01

An earthquake has three important characteristics; namely, amplitude, frequency content and duration. Amplitude and frequency content have a direct impact but not necessarily the sole cause of structural damage. Regarding the duration, some researchers show a high correlation between strong motion duration and structural damage whereas some others find no relation. This paper focuses on the ground motion durations characterized by Arias Intensity (AI). High duration may increase the damage state of structure for the damage accumulation. This paper investigates the response time histories (acceleration, velocity and displacement) of RC buildings under the different strong motion durations. Generally, eight earthquake records were selected from different soil type, and these records were grouped according to their PGA and frequency ranges. Maximum plastic rotation and drift response was chosen as damage indicator. In general, there was a positive correlation between strong motion duration and damage; however, in some PGA and frequency ranges input motions with shorter durations might cause more damage than the input motions with longer durations. In soft soils, input motions with longer durations caused more damage than the input motions with shorter durations.

Quantitative historical analysis uncovers a single dimension of complexity that structures global variation in human social organization

PubMed Central

Turchin, Peter; Currie, Thomas E.; Whitehouse, Harvey; François, Pieter; Feeney, Kevin; Mullins, Daniel; Hoyer, Daniel; Collins, Christina; Grohmann, Stephanie; Mendel-Gleason, Gavin; Turner, Edward; Dupeyron, Agathe; Cioni, Enrico; Reddish, Jenny; Levine, Jill; Jordan, Greine; Brandl, Eva; Williams, Alice; Cesaretti, Rudolf; Krueger, Marta; Ceccarelli, Alessandro; Figliulo-Rosswurm, Joe; Tuan, Po-Ju; Peregrine, Peter; Marciniak, Arkadiusz; Preiser-Kapeller, Johannes; Kradin, Nikolay; Korotayev, Andrey; Palmisano, Alessio; Baker, David; Bidmead, Julye; Bol, Peter; Christian, David; Cook, Connie; Covey, Alan; Feinman, Gary; Júlíusson, Árni Daníel; Kristinsson, Axel; Miksic, John; Mostern, Ruth; Petrie, Cameron; Rudiak-Gould, Peter; ter Haar, Barend; Wallace, Vesna; Mair, Victor; Xie, Liye; Baines, John; Bridges, Elizabeth; Manning, Joseph; Lockhart, Bruce; Bogaard, Amy; Spencer, Charles

2018-01-01

Do human societies from around the world exhibit similarities in the way that they are structured, and show commonalities in the ways that they have evolved? These are long-standing questions that have proven difficult to answer. To test between competing hypotheses, we constructed a massive repository of historical and archaeological information known as “Seshat: Global History Databank.” We systematically coded data on 414 societies from 30 regions around the world spanning the last 10,000 years. We were able to capture information on 51 variables reflecting nine characteristics of human societies, such as social scale, economy, features of governance, and information systems. Our analyses revealed that these different characteristics show strong relationships with each other and that a single principal component captures around three-quarters of the observed variation. Furthermore, we found that different characteristics of social complexity are highly predictable across different world regions. These results suggest that key aspects of social organization are functionally related and do indeed coevolve in predictable ways. Our findings highlight the power of the sciences and humanities working together to rigorously test hypotheses about general rules that may have shaped human history. PMID:29269395

Conceptualizing and communicating ecological river restoration: Chapter 2

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacobson, Robert B.; Berkley, Jim

2011-01-01

We present a general conceptual model for communicating aspects of river restoration and management. The model is generic and adaptable to most riverine settings, independent of size. The model has separate categories of natural and social-economic drivers, and management actions are envisioned as modifiers of naturally dynamic systems. The model includes a decision-making structure in which managers, stakeholders, and scientists interact to define management objectives and performance evaluation. The model depicts a stress to the riverine ecosystem as either (1) deviation in the regimes (flow, sediment, temperature, light, biogeochemical, and genetic) by altering the frequency, magnitude, duration, timing, or rate of change of the fluxes or (2) imposition of a hard structural constraint on channel form. Restoration is depicted as naturalization of those regimes or removal of the constraint. The model recognizes the importance of river history in conditioning future responses. Three hierarchical tiers of essential ecosystem characteristics (EECs) illustrate how management actions typically propagate through physical/chemical processes to habitat to biotic responses. Uncertainty and expense in modeling or measuring responses increase in moving from tiers 1 to 3. Social-economic characteristics are shown in a parallel structure that emphasizes the need to quantify trade-offs between ecological and social-economic systems. Performance measures for EECs are also hierarchical, showing that selection of measures depend on participants’ willingness to accept uncertainty. The general form is of an adaptive management loop in which the performance measures are compared to reference conditions or success criteria and the information is fed back into the decision-making process.

Automated identification of complementarity determining regions (CDRs) reveals peculiar characteristics of CDRs and B cell epitopes.

PubMed

Ofran, Yanay; Schlessinger, Avner; Rost, Burkhard

2008-11-01

Exact identification of complementarity determining regions (CDRs) is crucial for understanding and manipulating antigenic interactions. One way to do this is by marking residues on the antibody that interact with B cell epitopes on the antigen. This, of course, requires identification of B cell epitopes, which could be done by marking residues on the antigen that bind to CDRs, thus requiring identification of CDRs. To circumvent this vicious circle, existing tools for identifying CDRs are based on sequence analysis or general biophysical principles. Often, these tools, which are based on partial data, fail to agree on the boundaries of the CDRs. Herein we present an automated procedure for identifying CDRs and B cell epitopes using consensus structural regions that interact with the antigens in all known antibody-protein complexes. Consequently, we provide the first comprehensive analysis of all CDR-epitope complexes of known three-dimensional structure. The CDRs we identify only partially overlap with the regions suggested by existing methods. We found that the general physicochemical properties of both CDRs and B cell epitopes are rather peculiar. In particular, only four amino acids account for most of the sequence of CDRs, and several types of amino acids almost never appear in them. The secondary structure content and the conservation of B cell epitopes are found to be different than previously thought. These characteristics of CDRs and epitopes may be instrumental in choosing which residues to mutate in experimental search for epitopes. They may also assist in computational design of antibodies and in predicting B cell epitopes.

A meta-analysis of lesser prairie-chicken nesting and brood-rearing habitats: implications for habitat management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hagen, Christian A.; Grisham, Blake A.; Boal, Clint W.; Haukos, David A.

2013-01-01

The distribution and range of lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) has been reduced by >90% since European settlement of the Great Plains of North America. Currently, lesser prairie-chickens occupy 3 general vegetation communities: sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia), sand shinnery oak (Quercus havardii), and mixed-grass prairies juxtaposed with Conservation Reserve Program grasslands. As a candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act, there is a need for a synthesis that characterizes habitat structure rangewide. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of vegetation characteristics at nest sites and brood habitats to determine whether there was an overall effect (Hedges' d) of habitat selection and to estimate average (95% CI) habitat characteristics at use sites. We estimated effect sizes (di) from the difference between use (nests and brood sites) and random sampling sites for each study (n = 14), and derived an overall effect size (d++). There was a general effect for habitat selection as evidenced by low levels of variation in effect sizes across studies and regions. There was a small to medium effect (d++) = 0.20-0.82) of selection for greater vertical structure (visual obstruction) by nesting females in both vegetation communities, and selection against bare ground (d++ = 0.20-0.58). Females with broods exhibited less selectivity for habitat components except for vertical structure. The variation of d++ was greater during nesting than brooding periods, signifying a seasonal shift in habitat use, and perhaps a greater range of tolerance for brood-rearing habitat. The overall estimates of vegetation cover were consistent with those provided in management guidelines for the species.

Surface Structure and Wetting Characteristics of Collembola Cuticles

PubMed Central

Gundersen, Håkon; Leinaas, Hans Petter; Thaulow, Christian

2014-01-01

The cuticles of the arthropods Collembola (springtails) are known to be superhydrophobic, displaying such properties as water-repellence and plastron formation; overhanging surface structures have been suggested as the source of these properties. Superhydrophobicity is closely related to surface structuring and other surfaces with overhanging structures have been shown to possess robust superhydrophobic properties. In effort to correlate the wetting performance and surface structuring of the cuticles, from both a technical and evolutionary point of view, we investigated a selection of Collembola species including species from several families and covering habitats ranging from aquatic to very dry. The observed contact angles of wetting was in general larger than those predicted by the conventional models. Not all the studied Collembola were found to have superhydrophobic properties, indicating that superhydrophobicity is common, but not a universal trait in Collembola. Overhanging structures were found in some, but not all Collembola species with superhydrophobic cuticles; which leads to the conclusion that there is no direct link between overhanging surface structures and superhydrophobicity in Collembola. PMID:24498281

Dissecting the relationship between protein structure and sequence variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahmoradi, Amir; Wilke, Claus; Wilke Lab Team

2015-03-01

Over the past decade several independent works have shown that some structural properties of proteins are capable of predicting protein evolution. The strength and significance of these structure-sequence relations, however, appear to vary widely among different proteins, with absolute correlation strengths ranging from 0 . 1 to 0 . 8 . Here we present the results from a comprehensive search for the potential biophysical and structural determinants of protein evolution by studying more than 200 structural and evolutionary properties in a dataset of 209 monomeric enzymes. We discuss the main protein characteristics responsible for the general patterns of protein evolution, and identify sequence divergence as the main determinant of the strengths of virtually all structure-evolution relationships, explaining ~ 10 - 30 % of observed variation in sequence-structure relations. In addition to sequence divergence, we identify several protein structural properties that are moderately but significantly coupled with the strength of sequence-structure relations. In particular, proteins with more homogeneous back-bone hydrogen bond energies, large fractions of helical secondary structures and low fraction of beta sheets tend to have the strongest sequence-structure relation. BEACON-NSF center for the study of evolution in action.

Netball team members, but not hobby group members, distinguish team characteristics from group characteristics.

PubMed

Stillman, Jennifer A; Fletcher, Richard B; Carr, Stuart C

2007-04-01

Research on groups is often applied to sport teams, and research on teams is often applied to groups. This study investigates the extent to which individuals have distinct schemas for groups and teams. A list of team and group characteristics was generated from 250 individuals, for use in this and related research. Questions about teams versus groups carry an a priori implication that differences exist; therefore, list items were presented to new participants and were analyzed using signal detection theory, which can accommodate a finding of no detectable difference between a nominated category and similar items. Participants were 30 members from each of the following: netball teams, the general public, and hobby groups. Analysis revealed few features that set groups apart from teams; however, teams were perceived as more structured and demanding, requiring commitment and effort toward shared goals. Team and group characteristics were more clearly defined to team members than they were to other participant groups. The research has implications for coaches and practitioners.

A new general circulation model of Jupiter's atmosphere based on the UKMO Unified Model: Three-dimensional evolution of isolated vortices and zonal jets in mid-latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazaki, Y. H.; Skeet, D. R.; Read, P. L.

2004-04-01

We have been developing a new three-dimensional general circulation model for the stratosphere and troposphere of Jupiter based on the dynamical core of a portable version of the Unified Model of the UK Meteorological Office. Being one of the leading terrestrial GCMs, employed for operational weather forecasting and climate research, the Unified Model has been thoroughly tested and performance tuned for both vector and parallel computers. It is formulated as a generalized form of the standard primitive equations to handle a thick atmosphere, using a scaled pressure as the vertical coordinate. It is able to accurately simulate the dynamics of a three-dimensional fully compressible atmosphere on the whole or a part of a spherical shell at high spatial resolution in all three directions. Using the current version of the GCM, we examine the characteristics of the Jovian winds in idealized configurations based on the observed vertical structure of temperature. Our initial focus is on the evolution of isolated eddies in the mid-latitudes. Following a brief theoretical investigation of the vertical structure of the atmosphere, limited-area cyclic channel domains are used to numerically investigate the nonlinear evolution of the mid-latitude winds. First, the evolution of deep and shallow cyclones and anticyclones are tested in the atmosphere at rest to identify a preferred horizontal and vertical structure of the vortices. Then, the dependency of the migration characteristics of the vortices are investigated against modelling parameters to find that it is most sensitive to the horizontal diffusion. We also examine the hydrodynamical stability of observed subtropical jets in both northern and southern hemispheres in the three-dimensional nonlinear model as initial value problems. In both cases, it was found that the prominent jets are unstable at various scales and that vorteces of various sizes are generated including those comparable to the White Ovals and the Great Red Spot.

Effects of spatial resolution and landscape structure on land cover characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wenli

This dissertation addressed problems in scaling, problems that are among the main challenges in remote sensing. The principal objective of the research was to investigate the effects of changing spatial scale on the representation of land cover. A second objective was to determine the relationship between such effects, characteristics of landscape structure and scaling procedures. Four research issues related to spatial scaling were examined. They included: (1) the upscaling of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI); (2) the effects of spatial scale on indices of landscape structure; (3) the representation of land cover databases at different spatial scales; and (4) the relationships between landscape indices and land cover area estimations. The overall bias resulting from non-linearity of NDVI in relation to spatial resolution is generally insignificant as compared to other factors such as influences of aerosols and water vapor. The bias is, however, related to land surface characteristics. Significant errors may be introduced in heterogeneous areas where different land cover types exhibit strong spectral contrast. Spatially upscaled SPOT and TM NDVIs have information content comparable with the AVHRR-derived NDVI. Indices of landscape structure and spatial resolution are generally related, but the exact forms of the relationships are subject to changes in other factors including the basic patch unit constituting a landscape and the proportional area of foreground land cover under consideration. The extent of agreement between spatially aggregated coarse resolution land cover datasets and full resolution datasets changes with the properties of the original datasets, including the pixel size and class definition. There are close relationships between landscape structure and class areas estimated from spatially aggregated land cover databases. The relationships, however, do not permit extension from one area to another. Inversion calibration across different geographic/ecological areas is, therefore, not feasible. Different rules govern the land cover area changes across resolutions when different upscaling methods are used. Special attention should be given to comparison between land cover maps derived using different methods.

Identifying factors associated with experiences of coronary heart disease patients receiving structured chronic care and counselling in European primary care

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Primary care for chronic illness varies across European healthcare systems. In patients suffering from coronary heart disease (CHD), factors associated with patients’ experiences of receiving structured chronic care and counselling at the patient and practice level were investigated. Methods In an observational study comprising 140 general practices from five European countries (Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom), 30 patients with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) per practice were chosen at random to partake in this research. Patients were provided with a questionnaire and the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC-5A) - instrument. Practice characteristics were assessed through a practice questionnaire and face to face interviews. Data were aggregated to obtain two practice scores representing quality management and CHD care, respectively. A hierarchical multilevel analysis was performed to examine the impact of patient and practice characteristics on PACIC scores. Results The final sample included 1745 CHD-patients from 131 general practices with a mean age of 67.8 (SD 9.9) years. The overall PACIC score was 2.84 (95%CI: 2.79; 2.89) and the 5A score reflecting structured lifestyle counselling was 2.75 (95% CI: 2.69; 2.79). At the patient level, male gender, more frequent practice contact and fewer related or unrelated conditions were associated with higher PACIC scores. At the practice level, performance scores reflecting quality management (p = 0.013) and CHD care (p = 0.009) were associated with improved assessment of the structured chronic care and counselling received. Conclusions Patients’ perceived quality of care varies. However, good practice management and organisation of care were positively reflected in patients’ assessments of receiving structured chronic illness care. This highlights the importance of integrating patient experiences into quality measurements to provide feedback to health care professionals. PMID:22838403

46 CFR 10.201 - General characteristics of the merchant mariner credential.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false General characteristics of the merchant mariner credential. 10.201 Section 10.201 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE... § 10.201 General characteristics of the merchant mariner credential. (a) A merchant mariner credential...

Characteristics of the postcounseling reproductive decision-making process: an explorative study.

PubMed

Frets, P G; Verhage, F; Niermeijer, M F

1991-09-01

An in-depth, recorded interview of 30 couples 2-3 years after genetic counseling explored the characteristics of the postcounseling decision-making process, including the role of guilt feelings towards the proband. The study concerned couples with an affected child, sib, or spouse. Results were evaluated by 2 to 4 judges. In contrast to other studies, a generally unstructured decision-making process was found whereby guilt feelings played a significant role in more than half the couples. Guilt feelings were more predominant in couples with an affected sib than in those with an affected spouse. Lack of structure did not seem to complicate the decision-making process. Therefore, authors do not advocate promotion of structuring the decision-making process. Genetic counselors might focus on understanding counselees' feelings concerning the reproductive decision. Acceptance of apparently irrational considerations is particularly important, because these feelings indicate the influence of unconscious motives. Another important aspect of supporting counselees is to understand the role played by guilt feelings toward parents or an affected sib.

Harmonic analyses of stream temperatures in the Upper Colorado River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steele, T.D.

1985-01-01

Harmonic analyses were made for available daily water-temperature records for 36 measurement sites on major streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin and for 14 measurement sites on streams in the Piceance structural basin. Generally (88 percent of the station years analyzed), more than 80 percent of the annual variability of temperatures of streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin was explained by the simple-harmonic function. Significant trends were determined for 6 of the 26 site records having 8 years or more record. In most cases, these trends resulted from construction and operation of upstream surface-water impoundments occurring during the period of record. Regional analysis of water-temperature characteristics at the 14 streamflow sites in the Piceance structural basin indicated similarities in water-temperature characteristics for a small range of measurement-site elevations. Evaluation of information content of the daily records indicated that less-than-daily measurement intervals should be considered, resulting in substantial savings in measurement and data-processing costs. (USGS)

The quality of life, mental health, and perceived stigma of leprosy patients in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Tsutsumi, Atsuro; Izutsu, Takashi; Islam, Akramul Md; Maksuda, A N; Kato, Hiroshi; Wakai, Susumu

2007-06-01

The present study aims to determine the quality of life (QOL) and general mental health of leprosy patients compared with the general population, and evaluate contributing factors such as socio-economic characteristics and perceived stigma. A total of 189 patients (160 outpatients, 29 inpatients) and 200 controls without leprosy or other chronic diseases were selected from Dhaka district, Bangladesh, using stratified random sampling. A Bangladeshi version of a structured questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics-the Bangla version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)-was used to assess QOL; a Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) was used to evaluate general mental health; the Barthel Index to control activities of daily living (ADL); and the authors' Perceived Stigma Questionnaire was used to assess perceived stigma of patients with leprosy. Medical records were examined to evaluate disability grades and impairment. QOL and general mental health scores of leprosy patients were worse than those of the general population. Multiple regression analysis revealed that factors potentially contributing to the deteriorated QOL of leprosy patients were the presence of perceived stigma, fewer years of education, the presence of deformities, and a lower annual income. Perceived stigma showed the greatest association with adverse QOL. We conclude that there is an urgent need for interventions sensitive to the effects of perceived stigma, gender, and medical conditions to improve the QOL and mental health of Bangladeshi leprosy patients.

Application of far-infrared spectroscopy to the structural identification of protein materials.

PubMed

Han, Yanchen; Ling, Shengjie; Qi, Zeming; Shao, Zhengzhong; Chen, Xin

2018-05-03

Although far-infrared (IR) spectroscopy has been shown to be a powerful tool to determine peptide structure and to detect structural transitions in peptides, it has been overlooked in the characterization of proteins. Herein, we used far-IR spectroscopy to monitor the structure of four abundant non-bioactive proteins, namely, soybean protein isolate (SPI), pea protein isolate (PPI) and two types of silk fibroins (SFs), domestic Bombyx mori and wild Antheraea pernyi. The two globular proteins SPI and PPI result in broad and weak far-IR bands (between 50 and 700 cm-1), in agreement with those of some other bioactive globular proteins previously studied (lysozyme, myoglobin, hemoglobin, etc.) that generally only have random amino acid sequences. Interestingly, the two SFs, which are characterized by a structure composed of highly repetitive motifs, show several sharp far-IR characteristic absorption peaks. Moreover, some of these characteristic peaks (such as the peaks at 260 and 428 cm-1 in B. mori, and the peaks at 245 and 448 cm-1 in A. pernyi) are sensitive to conformational changes; hence, they can be directly used to monitor conformational transitions in SFs. Furthermore, since SF absorption bands clearly differ from those of globular proteins and different SFs even show distinct adsorption bands, far-IR spectroscopy can be applied to distinguish and determine the specific SF component within protein blends.

A note on local BRST cohomology of Yang-Mills type theories with free Abelian factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnich, Glenn; Boulanger, Nicolas

2018-05-01

We extend previous work on antifield dependent local Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) cohomology for matter coupled gauge theories of Yang-Mills type to the case of gauge groups that involve free Abelian factors. More precisely, we first investigate in a model independent way how the dynamics enters the computation of the cohomology for a general class of Lagrangians in general spacetime dimensions. We then discuss explicit solutions in the case of specific models. Our analysis has implications for the structure of characteristic cohomology and for consistent deformations of the classical models, as well as for divergences/counterterms and for gauge anomalies that may appear during perturbative quantization.

VoxelMages: a general-purpose graphical interface for designing geometries and processing DICOM images for PENELOPE.

PubMed

Giménez-Alventosa, V; Ballester, F; Vijande, J

2016-12-01

The design and construction of geometries for Monte Carlo calculations is an error-prone, time-consuming, and complex step in simulations describing particle interactions and transport in the field of medical physics. The software VoxelMages has been developed to help the user in this task. It allows to design complex geometries and to process DICOM image files for simulations with the general-purpose Monte Carlo code PENELOPE in an easy and straightforward way. VoxelMages also allows to import DICOM-RT structure contour information as delivered by a treatment planning system. Its main characteristics, usage and performance benchmarking are described in detail. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wind loading on solar concentrators: Some general considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roschke, E. J.

1984-01-01

A survey was completed to examine the problems and complications arising from wind loading on solar concentrators. Wind loading is site specific and has an important bearing on the design, cost, performance, operation and maintenance, safety, survival, and replacement of solar collecting systems. Emphasis herein is on paraboloidal, two-axis tracking systems. Thermal receiver problems also are discussed. Wind characteristics are discussed from a general point of view. Current methods for determining design wind speed are reviewed. Aerodynamic coefficients are defined and illustrative examples are presented. Wind tunnel testing is discussed, and environmental wind tunnels are reviewed. Recent results on heliostat arrays are reviewed as well. Aeroelasticity in relation to structural design is discussed briefly.

Steady properly-banked turns of turbojet-propelled airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miele, Angelo

1955-01-01

The problem of a jet-propelled airplane held in a steady turn is treated both in the very general case and also in the particular case when the polar curve can be approximated by a parabola. Once the general solution has been obtained, some typical maneuvers are next studied such as, the turn of maximum bank, of maximum angular velocity, and of minimum radius of curvature. After a brief comparison is made between the turning characteristics of conventional airplanes and jet airplanes, and after the effect of compressibility upon the turn is examined, the effects of the salient aerodynamic and structural parameters upon the behavior of the plane in curvilinear flight are summarized in the conclusions.

Development of a transition pathway model using three traditional variables to describe the main structural characteristics of a forest stand type, size, and density

Treesearch

Chad Larson

2006-01-01

The Central Hardwood Region is a unique forest region in the United States, encompassing 340 million acres of land, of which 100 million acres are forested (Parker 1993). The region contains one-fourth of the U.S. population, with approximately 90 percent of the land in private ownership (Parker 1993). In general, private forested lands in the Central Hardwood Region...

Fusion of small unilamellar vesicles induced by a serum albumin fragment of molecular weight 9000.

PubMed

Garcia, L A; Araújo, P S; Chaimovich, H

1984-05-16

A peptide (P-9) comprising amino acids 307 to 385 of bovine serum albumin induced the fusion of small unilamellar vesicles of phosphatidylcholine at low pH. Upon acidification P-9 exhibited a ultraviolet differential spectrum characteristic of hydrophilic exposure of chromophores. This conformational change, and the structure of P-9 composed of three amphiphilic helixes , suggested a general working hypothesis for the description of protein-induced membrane fusion.

Microscopic Mechanism of Doping-Induced Kinetically Constrained Crystallization in Phase-Change Materials.

PubMed

Lee, Tae Hoon; Loke, Desmond; Elliott, Stephen R

2015-10-07

A comprehensive microscopic mechanism of doping-induced kinetically constrained crystallization in phase-change materials is provided by investigating structural and dynamical dopant characteristics via ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The information gained from this study may provide a basis for a fast screening of dopant species for electronic memory devices, or for understanding the general physics involved in the crystallization of doped glasses. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The planets of the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marov, M. Y.

1986-01-01

This book is intended both for the lay person and the would-be scientist. The planets are discussed with a comparision of their basic natural features: mechanical characteristics and parameters of movement, surfaces, inner structure, physical properties of the atmosphere and meteorology. Also general problems of planetary cosmogony, thermal history and climatic evolution are considered briefly. The book is based on Soviet and foreign material, data from spacecraft, Earth optical and radio astronomical measurements and also data obtained from theoretical models.

Stability of a Premixed Flame in Stagnation-Point Flow Against General Disturbance

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

Tien and Matalon 1990; Dixon-Lewis 1991) aimed at understanding the structure and burning characteristics of laminar flames. Results of these studies...upstream, the flow field is the classical stagnation-point flow characterized by the strain rate e. The flame, which separates the burned products from the...fresh unburned mixture, is considered thin and is therefore represented by the surface O(x,y,z,t) - 0, where * > 0 is the burned gas region. The flame

Structure of energy consumption and improving open-pit dump truck efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koptev, V. Yu; Kopteva, A. V.

2017-10-01

This paper studies the dynamics of the improvement of wheel type transport vehicles environmental and energy performance in open-pit mines. The paper discloses characteristics of the gas turbine engine with capacity of 1250 hp, mounted on tanks, and technical-economic calculations, confirming reasonability of their use in open-pit dump trucks with the 120 …130-ton loading capacity. The general layout scheme of mechanical transmission with the gas turbine engine is shown.

Morphofunctional characteristics of the foot in patients with diabetes mellitus and diabetic neuropathy.

PubMed

García-Álvarez, Yolanda; Lázaro-Martínez, José Luis; García-Morales, Esther; Cecilia-Matilla, Almudena; Aragón-Sánchez, Javier; Carabantes-Alarcón, David

2013-01-01

To determine the structural and biomechanical characteristics associated with the conditions diabetes mellitus and diabetic neuropathy. Observational study of 788 patients conducted between February 2007 and February 2009, which included subjects with and without diabetes mellitus who had no active ulcer at enrollment. Demographic variables and the general and specific history of diabetes mellitus were recorded. The patient's foot type according to the Foot Posture Index, joint mobility and deformity were recorded. No associations were found between the different foot types (neutral, pronated and supinated) and the structural and demographic variables at a general level, except for the pronated foot that was associated with a higher body mass index, longer suffering from diabetes and the presence of neuropathy [p<0.001, OR (95% CI): 6.017 (4.198-8.624); p<0.001, OR (95% CI): 1.710 (1.266-2.309); p=0.010, OR (95% CI): 0.759 (0.615-0.937), respectively]. The confluence of risk factors such as neuropathy, body mass index, duration of diabetes and limited joint mobility in patients with diabetes mellitus and pronated foot may be a high-risk anthropometric pattern for developing associated complications such as Charcot foot. A prospective analysis of these patients is required to define the risk for developing Charcot neuroarthropathy. Copyright © 2013 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attribute of trace fossils of Laisong flysch sediments, Manipur, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khaidem, Kumar S.; Rajkumar, Hemanta S.; Soibam, Ibotombi

2015-07-01

The depositional basin in which the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene Laisong flysch sediments Barail Group, Manipur region (Indo-Myanmar ranges) have been deposited is generally considered to be of deep marine environment. However, field observation indicates the presence of many shallow environment signature characteristics of marginal to sublittoral marine settings, in addition to the general occurrence of deep marine turbidites. To address this aspect, ichnological analyses of the Laisong Formation has been attempted for elucidating palaeoenvironmental setting prevalent during the deposition of these sediments. Presence of 36 ichnospecies belonging to 33 ichnogenera has so far been identified. The ichnospecies may be grouped into different ichnofacies such as Skolithos-Cruziana mixed ichnofacies, Cruziana ichnofacies, Skolithos ichnofacies, Zoophycos ichnofacies, Nereites ichnofacies and Teredolites ichnofacies which decrease in abundance in this order of sequence with Skolithos-Cruziana mixed ichnofacies being the most dominant. The above-mentioned ichnofacies are found associated with sedimentary structures such as large sole marks, parallel laminations, massive and structureless beds, rip-up clasts, etc., which are characteristics of submarine fan deposits below the storm wave base and current ripples, herringbone structures, hummocky cross stratifications, pot casts, rain prints, etc., that marked shallow marginal marine setting such as tidal flats, deltas and shoreface. With such observations it is very likely that the Laisong sediments were formed in a tectonically active basin with varied bathymetric ranges indicating alternate transgressive and regressive nature.

Exploring Alternative Characteristic Curve Approaches to Linking Parameter Estimates from the Generalized Partial Credit Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, James S.; Bao, Han; Huang, Chun-Wei; Gagne, Phill

Characteristic curve approaches for linking parameters from the generalized partial credit model were examined for cases in which common (anchor) items are calibrated separately in two groups. Three of these approaches are simple extensions of the test characteristic curve (TCC), item characteristic curve (ICC), and operating characteristic curve…

Parental Divorce, Parental Religious Characteristics, and Religious Outcomes in Adulthood.

PubMed

Uecker, Jeremy E; Ellison, Christopher G

2012-12-01

Parental divorce has been linked to religious outcomes in adulthood. Previous research has not adequately accounted for parental religious characteristics or subsequent family context, namely whether one's custodial parent remarries. Using pooled data from three waves of the General Social Survey, we examine the relationships among parental divorce, subsequent family structure, and religiosity in adulthood. Growing up in a single-parent family-but not a stepparent family-is positively associated with religious disaffiliation and religious switching and negatively associated with regular religious attendance. Accounting for parental religious characteristics, however, explains sizable proportions of these relationships. Accounting for parental religious affiliation and attendance, growing up with a single parent does not significantly affect religious attendance. Parental religiosity also moderates the relationship between growing up with a single parent and religious attendance: being raised in a single-parent home has a negative effect on religious attendance among adults who had two religiously involved parents.

State-of-the-Art Review on the Characteristics of Surfactants and Foam from Foam Concrete Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Sritam Swapnadarshi; Gandhi, Indu Siva Ranjani; Khwairakpam, Selija

2018-06-01

Foam concrete finds application in many areas, generally as a function of its relatively lightweight and its beneficial properties in terms of reduction in dead load on structure, excellent thermal insulation and contribution to energy conservation. For production of foam concrete with desired properties, stable and good quality foam is the key requirement. It is to be noted that the selection of surfactant and foam production parameters play a vital role in the properties of foam which in turn affects the properties of foam concrete. However, the literature available on the influence of characteristics of foaming agent and foam on the properties of foam concrete are rather limited. Hence, a more systematic research is needed in this direction. The focus of this work is to provide a review on characteristics of surfactant (foaming agent) and foam for use in foam concrete production.

State-of-the-Art Review on the Characteristics of Surfactants and Foam from Foam Concrete Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Sritam Swapnadarshi; Gandhi, Indu Siva Ranjani; Khwairakpam, Selija

2018-02-01

Foam concrete finds application in many areas, generally as a function of its relatively lightweight and its beneficial properties in terms of reduction in dead load on structure, excellent thermal insulation and contribution to energy conservation. For production of foam concrete with desired properties, stable and good quality foam is the key requirement. It is to be noted that the selection of surfactant and foam production parameters play a vital role in the properties of foam which in turn affects the properties of foam concrete. However, the literature available on the influence of characteristics of foaming agent and foam on the properties of foam concrete are rather limited. Hence, a more systematic research is needed in this direction. The focus of this work is to provide a review on characteristics of surfactant (foaming agent) and foam for use in foam concrete production.

Nilpotent Quantum Mechanics: Analogues and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcer, Peter; Rowlands, Peter

2017-07-01

The most significant characteristic of nilpotent quantum mechanics is that the quantum system (fermion state) and its environment (vacuum) are, in mathematical terms, mirror images of each other. So a change in one automatically leads to corresponding changes in the other. We have used this characteristic as a model for self-organization, which has applications well beyond quantum physics. The nilpotent structure has also been identified as being constructed from two commutative vector spaces. This construction has a number of identifiable characteristics which we can expect to find in systems where self-organization is dominant, and a case presented after the publication of a paper by us on ‘The ‘Logic’ of Self-Organizing Systems’,1 in the organization of the neurons in the visual cortex. We expect to find many more complex systems where our general principles, based, by analogy, on nilpotent quantum mechanics, will apply.

Parental Divorce, Parental Religious Characteristics, and Religious Outcomes in Adulthood

PubMed Central

Uecker, Jeremy E.; Ellison, Christopher G.

2013-01-01

Parental divorce has been linked to religious outcomes in adulthood. Previous research has not adequately accounted for parental religious characteristics or subsequent family context, namely whether one’s custodial parent remarries. Using pooled data from three waves of the General Social Survey, we examine the relationships among parental divorce, subsequent family structure, and religiosity in adulthood. Growing up in a single-parent family—but not a stepparent family—is positively associated with religious disaffiliation and religious switching and negatively associated with regular religious attendance. Accounting for parental religious characteristics, however, explains sizable proportions of these relationships. Accounting for parental religious affiliation and attendance, growing up with a single parent does not significantly affect religious attendance. Parental religiosity also moderates the relationship between growing up with a single parent and religious attendance: being raised in a single-parent home has a negative effect on religious attendance among adults who had two religiously involved parents. PMID:23357965

Communication: The simplified generalized entropy theory of glass-formation in polymer melts.

PubMed

Freed, Karl F

2015-08-07

While a wide range of non-trivial predictions of the generalized entropy theory (GET) of glass-formation in polymer melts agree with a large number of observed universal and non-universal properties of these glass-formers and even for the dependence of these properties on monomer molecular structure, the huge mathematical complexity of the theory precludes its extension to describe, for instance, the perplexing, complex behavior observed for technologically important polymer films with thickness below ∼100 nm and for which a fundamental molecular theory is lacking for the structural relaxation. The present communication describes a hugely simplified version of the theory, called the simplified generalized entropy theory (SGET) that provides one component necessary for devising a theory for the structural relaxation of thin polymer films and thereby supplements the first required ingredient, the recently developed Flory-Huggins level theory for the thermodynamic properties of thin polymer films, before the concluding third step of combining all the components into the SGET for thin polymer films. Comparisons between the predictions of the SGET and the full GET for the four characteristic temperatures of glass-formation provide good agreement for a highly non-trivial model system of polymer melts with chains of the structure of poly(n-α olefins) systems where the GET has produced good agreement with experiment. The comparisons consider values of the relative backbone and side group stiffnesses such that the glass transition temperature decreases as the amount of excess free volume diminishes, contrary to general expectations but in accord with observations for poly(n-alkyl methacrylates). Moreover, the SGET is sufficiently concise to enable its discussion in a standard course on statistical mechanics or polymer physics.

Communication: The simplified generalized entropy theory of glass-formation in polymer melts

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

Freed, Karl F.

2015-08-07

While a wide range of non-trivial predictions of the generalized entropy theory (GET) of glass-formation in polymer melts agree with a large number of observed universal and non-universal properties of these glass-formers and even for the dependence of these properties on monomer molecular structure, the huge mathematical complexity of the theory precludes its extension to describe, for instance, the perplexing, complex behavior observed for technologically important polymer films with thickness below ∼100 nm and for which a fundamental molecular theory is lacking for the structural relaxation. The present communication describes a hugely simplified version of the theory, called the simplifiedmore » generalized entropy theory (SGET) that provides one component necessary for devising a theory for the structural relaxation of thin polymer films and thereby supplements the first required ingredient, the recently developed Flory-Huggins level theory for the thermodynamic properties of thin polymer films, before the concluding third step of combining all the components into the SGET for thin polymer films. Comparisons between the predictions of the SGET and the full GET for the four characteristic temperatures of glass-formation provide good agreement for a highly non-trivial model system of polymer melts with chains of the structure of poly(n-α olefins) systems where the GET has produced good agreement with experiment. The comparisons consider values of the relative backbone and side group stiffnesses such that the glass transition temperature decreases as the amount of excess free volume diminishes, contrary to general expectations but in accord with observations for poly(n-alkyl methacrylates). Moreover, the SGET is sufficiently concise to enable its discussion in a standard course on statistical mechanics or polymer physics.« less

An Adaptive Defect Weighted Sampling Algorithm to Design Pseudoknotted RNA Secondary Structures

PubMed Central

Zandi, Kasra; Butler, Gregory; Kharma, Nawwaf

2016-01-01

Computational design of RNA sequences that fold into targeted secondary structures has many applications in biomedicine, nanotechnology and synthetic biology. An RNA molecule is made of different types of secondary structure elements and an important RNA element named pseudoknot plays a key role in stabilizing the functional form of the molecule. However, due to the computational complexities associated with characterizing pseudoknotted RNA structures, most of the existing RNA sequence designer algorithms generally ignore this important structural element and therefore limit their applications. In this paper we present a new algorithm to design RNA sequences for pseudoknotted secondary structures. We use NUPACK as the folding algorithm to compute the equilibrium characteristics of the pseudoknotted RNAs, and describe a new adaptive defect weighted sampling algorithm named Enzymer to design low ensemble defect RNA sequences for targeted secondary structures including pseudoknots. We used a biological data set of 201 pseudoknotted structures from the Pseudobase library to benchmark the performance of our algorithm. We compared the quality characteristics of the RNA sequences we designed by Enzymer with the results obtained from the state of the art MODENA and antaRNA. Our results show our method succeeds more frequently than MODENA and antaRNA do, and generates sequences that have lower ensemble defect, lower probability defect and higher thermostability. Finally by using Enzymer and by constraining the design to a naturally occurring and highly conserved Hammerhead motif, we designed 8 sequences for a pseudoknotted cis-acting Hammerhead ribozyme. Enzymer is available for download at https://bitbucket.org/casraz/enzymer. PMID:27499762

Ecological limit functions relating fish community response to hydrologic departures of the ecological flow regime in the Tennessee River basin, United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knight, Rodney R.; Murphy, Jennifer C.; Wolfe, William J.; Saylor, Charles F.; Wales, Amy K.

2014-01-01

Ecological limit functions relating streamflow and aquatic ecosystems remain elusive despite decades of research. We investigated functional relationships between species richness and changes in streamflow characteristics at 662 fish sampling sites in the Tennessee River basin. Our approach included the following: (1) a brief summary of relevant literature on functional relations between fish and streamflow, (2) the development of ecological limit functions that describe the strongest discernible relationships between fish species richness and streamflow characteristics, (3) the evaluation of proposed definitions of hydrologic reference conditions, and (4) an investigation of the internal structures of wedge-shaped distributions underlying ecological limit functions.Twenty-one ecological limit functions were developed across three ecoregions that relate the species richness of 11 fish groups and departures from hydrologic reference conditions using multivariate and quantile regression methods. Each negatively sloped function is described using up to four streamflow characteristics expressed in terms of cumulative departure from hydrologic reference conditions. Negative slopes indicate increased departure results in decreased species richness.Sites with the highest measured fish species richness generally had near-reference hydrologic conditions for a given ecoregion. Hydrology did not generally differ between sites with the highest and lowest fish species richness, indicating that other environmental factors likely limit species richness at sites with reference hydrology.Use of ecological limit functions to make decisions regarding proposed hydrologic regime changes, although commonly presented as a management tool, is not as straightforward or informative as often assumed. We contend that statistical evaluation of the internal wedge structure below limit functions may provide a probabilistic understanding of how aquatic ecology is influenced by altered hydrology and may serve as the basis for evaluating the potential effect of proposed hydrologic changes.

Generalized interpretation scheme for arbitrary HR InSAR image pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boldt, Markus; Thiele, Antje; Schulz, Karsten

2013-10-01

Land cover classification of remote sensing imagery is an important topic of research. For example, different applications require precise and fast information about the land cover of the imaged scenery (e.g., disaster management and change detection). Focusing on high resolution (HR) spaceborne remote sensing imagery, the user has the choice between passive and active sensor systems. Passive systems, such as multispectral sensors, have the disadvantage of being dependent from weather influences (fog, dust, clouds, etc.) and time of day, since they work in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Here, active systems like Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) provide improved capabilities. As an interactive method analyzing HR InSAR image pairs, the CovAmCohTM method was introduced in former studies. CovAmCoh represents the joint analysis of locality (coefficient of variation - Cov), backscatter (amplitude - Am) and temporal stability (coherence - Coh). It delivers information on physical backscatter characteristics of imaged scene objects or structures and provides the opportunity to detect different classes of land cover (e.g., urban, rural, infrastructure and activity areas). As example, railway tracks are easily distinguishable from other infrastructure due to their characteristic bluish coloring caused by the gravel between the sleepers. In consequence, imaged objects or structures have a characteristic appearance in CovAmCoh images which allows the development of classification rules. In this paper, a generalized interpretation scheme for arbitrary InSAR image pairs using the CovAmCoh method is proposed. This scheme bases on analyzing the information content of typical CovAmCoh imagery using the semisupervised k-means clustering. It is shown that eight classes model the main local information content of CovAmCoh images sufficiently and can be used as basis for a classification scheme.

Management of asthma in Australian general practice: care is still not in line with clinical practice guidelines.

PubMed

Barton, Christopher; Proudfoot, Judith; Amoroso, Cheryl; Ramsay, Emmae; Holton, Christine; Bubner, Tanya; Harris, Mark; Beilby, Justin

2009-06-01

We investigated the quality of primary care asthma management in a sample of Australian general practices. 247 general practitioners (GPs) from 97 practices completed a structured interview about management of asthma, diabetes and hypertension/heart disease. A further structured interview with the senior practice principal and practice manager was used to collect information about practice capacity for chronic disease management. Just under half of GPs (47%) had access to an asthma register and the majority (76%) had access to spirometry in their practice. In terms of routine management of asthma, 12% of GPs reported using spirometry routinely, 13% routinely reviewed written asthma action plans, 27% routinely provided education about trigger factors, 30% routinely reviewed inhaler technique, 24% routinely assessed asthma severity, and 29% routinely assessed physical activity. Practice characteristics such as practice size (p=1.0) and locality (rural/metropolitan) (p=0.7) did not predict quality of asthma management nor did indicators of practice capacity including Business maturity, IT/IM maturity, Multidisciplinary teamwork, and Clinical linkages. Gaps remain in the provision of evidence-based care for patients with asthma in general practice. Markers of practice capacity measured here were not associated with guideline-based respiratory care within practices.

Recurrence Quantification of Fractal Structures

PubMed Central

Webber, Charles L.

2012-01-01

By definition, fractal structures possess recurrent patterns. At different levels repeating patterns can be visualized at higher magnifications. The purpose of this chapter is threefold. First, general characteristics of dynamical systems are addressed from a theoretical mathematical perspective. Second, qualitative and quantitative recurrence analyses are reviewed in brief, but the reader is directed to other sources for explicit details. Third, example mathematical systems that generate strange attractors are explicitly defined, giving the reader the ability to reproduce the rich dynamics of continuous chaotic flows or discrete chaotic iterations. The challenge is then posited for the reader to study for themselves the recurrent structuring of these different dynamics. With a firm appreciation of the power of recurrence analysis, the reader will be prepared to turn their sights on real-world systems (physiological, psychological, mechanical, etc.). PMID:23060808

Classification framework for partially observed dynamical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yuan; Tino, Peter; Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira

2017-04-01

We present a general framework for classifying partially observed dynamical systems based on the idea of learning in the model space. In contrast to the existing approaches using point estimates of model parameters to represent individual data items, we employ posterior distributions over model parameters, thus taking into account in a principled manner the uncertainty due to both the generative (observational and/or dynamic noise) and observation (sampling in time) processes. We evaluate the framework on two test beds: a biological pathway model and a stochastic double-well system. Crucially, we show that the classification performance is not impaired when the model structure used for inferring posterior distributions is much more simple than the observation-generating model structure, provided the reduced-complexity inferential model structure captures the essential characteristics needed for the given classification task.

Review on Material Synthesis and Characterization of Sodium (Na) Super-Ionic Conductor (NASICON)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimpa, M. I.; Mayzan, M. Z. H.; Yabagi, J. A.; Nmaya, M. M.; Isah, K. U.; Agam, M. A.

2018-04-01

Sodium (Na) Super Ionic Conductor (NASICON) has general formula Na1+ x Zr2P3- xSi x O12 (0 ≤x ≤ 3) derived from its parent compound, sodium zirconium phosphate NaZr2(PO4)3 (NZP) which belong to a rhombohedral crystal structure. This material consists of three-dimensional structure with interesting features such as low thermal expansion coefficient, thermal stability, gas sensor and nuclear waste immobilization that make it viable for industrial applications. Current study presents comprehensive studies on the synthesis and essential characteristics required to understand the theory behind the mechanism that justifies the study of NASICON structure and its application such as lithium ion rechargeable battery, gas sensor, and nuclear waste immobilization and so on.

Expressions for the spherical-wave-structure function based on a bump spectrum model for the index of refraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Christina E.; Andrews, Larry C.

1991-07-01

New spectra models have recently been developed for the spatial power spectra of temperature and refractive index fluctuations in the atmospheric boundary layer showing the characteristic 'bump' just prior to the dissipation ranges. Theoretical work involving these new models has led to new expressions for the phase structure function associated with a plane optical wave, although most experimental work has involved spherical waves. Following techniques similar to those used for the plane wave analysis, new expressions valid in geometrical and diffraction regimes are developed here for the phase structure function of a spherical optical wave propagating through clear-air atmospheric turbulence. Useful asymptotic formulas for small separation distances and the inertial subrange are derived from these general expressions.

Generalized characteristic ratios assignment for commensurate fractional order systems with one zero.

PubMed

Tabatabaei, Mohammad

2017-07-01

In this paper, a new method for determination of the desired characteristic equation and zero location of commensurate fractional order systems is presented. The concept of the characteristic ratio is extended for zero-including commensurate fractional order systems. The generalized version of characteristic ratios is defined such that the time-scaling property of characteristic ratios is also preserved. The monotonicity of the magnitude frequency response is employed to assign the generalized characteristic ratios for commensurate fractional order transfer functions with one zero. A simple pattern for characteristic ratios is proposed to reach a non-overshooting step response. Then, the proposed pattern is revisited to reach a low overshoot (say for example 2%) step response. Finally, zero-including controllers such as fractional order PI or lag (lead) controllers are designed using generalized characteristic ratios assignment method. Numerical simulations are provided to show the efficiency of the so designed controllers. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixed time integration methods for transient thermal analysis of structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, W. K.

1982-01-01

The computational methods used to predict and optimize the thermal structural behavior of aerospace vehicle structures are reviewed. In general, two classes of algorithms, implicit and explicit, are used in transient thermal analysis of structures. Each of these two methods has its own merits. Due to the different time scales of the mechanical and thermal responses, the selection of a time integration method can be a different yet critical factor in the efficient solution of such problems. Therefore mixed time integration methods for transient thermal analysis of structures are being developed. The computer implementation aspects and numerical evaluation of these mixed time implicit-explicit algorithms in thermal analysis of structures are presented. A computationally useful method of estimating the critical time step for linear quadrilateral element is also given. Numerical tests confirm the stability criterion and accuracy characteristics of the methods. The superiority of these mixed time methods to the fully implicit method or the fully explicit method is also demonstrated.

Mixed time integration methods for transient thermal analysis of structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, W. K.

1983-01-01

The computational methods used to predict and optimize the thermal-structural behavior of aerospace vehicle structures are reviewed. In general, two classes of algorithms, implicit and explicit, are used in transient thermal analysis of structures. Each of these two methods has its own merits. Due to the different time scales of the mechanical and thermal responses, the selection of a time integration method can be a difficult yet critical factor in the efficient solution of such problems. Therefore mixed time integration methods for transient thermal analysis of structures are being developed. The computer implementation aspects and numerical evaluation of these mixed time implicit-explicit algorithms in thermal analysis of structures are presented. A computationally-useful method of estimating the critical time step for linear quadrilateral element is also given. Numerical tests confirm the stability criterion and accuracy characteristics of the methods. The superiority of these mixed time methods to the fully implicit method or the fully explicit method is also demonstrated.

Structural characteristics of gels prepared from sonohydrolysis and conventional hydrolysis of TEOS: an emphasis on the mass fractal as determined from the pore size distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollet, D. R.; Torres, R. R.; Donatti, D. A.; Ibañez Ruiz, A.

2005-11-01

Silica gels were preparated from fixed proportion mixtures of tetraethoxysilane, water and hydrocloric acid, using either ultrasound stimulation (US) or conventional method (CO) in the hydrolysis step of the process. Wet gels were obtained with the same silica volume concentration and density. According to small-angle X-ray scattering, the structure of the wet gels can be described as mass fractal structures with mass fractal dimension D = 2.20 in a length scale = 7.9 nm, in the case of wet gels US, and D = 2.26 in a length scale = 6.9 nm, in the case of wet gels CO. The mass fractal characteristics of the wet gels US and CO account for the different structures evolved in the drying of the gels US and CO in the obtaining of xerogels and aerogels. The pore structure of the dried gels was studied by nitrogen adsorption as a function of the temperature. Aerogels (US and CO) present high porosity with pore size distribution (PSD) curves in the mesopore region while xerogels (US and CO) present minor porosity with PSD curves mainly in the micropore region. The dried gels US (aerogels and xerogels) generally present pore volume and specific surface area greater than the dried gels CO. The mass fractal structure of the aerogels has been studied from an approach based on the PSD curves exclusively.

Crashworthiness of Aluminium Tubes; Part 2: Improvement of Hydroforming Operation to Increase Absorption Energy

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

D'Amours, Guillaume; Rahem, Ahmed; Mayer, Robert

2007-05-17

The motivation to reduce overall vehicle weight within the automotive sector drives the substitution of lightweight materials such as aluminium alloys for structural components. Such a substitution requires a significant amount of development to manufacture structurally parts such that the energy absorption characteristics are not sacrificed in the event of crash. The effects of the manufacturing processes on the crash performance of automotive structural components must be better understood to ensure improved crashworthiness. This paper presents results of an experimental and numerical investigation of the crash response and energy absorption properties of impacted hydroformed aluminium alloy tubes. Crash experiments onmore » hydroformed tubes were performed using a deceleration sled test at the General Motors Technical Center. Results from axial crush testing showed that an important parameter that influences the energy absorption characteristics during crash was the thickness reduction caused by circumferential expansion of the tube during hydroforming. It was found that that the energy absorption decreased as the corner radius decreased, which results because of increased thinning. Sensitivity studies of end feeding parameters, such as end feed level and profile, were carried out to evaluate their impact on the energy absorption of the aluminium tubes.« less

Application of Structured Light System Technique for Authentication of Wooden Panel Paintings.

PubMed

Buchón-Moragues, Fernando; Bravo, José María; Ferri, Marcelino; Redondo, Javier; Sánchez-Pérez, Juan Vicente

2016-06-14

This paper presents a new application of photogrammetric techniques for protecting cultural heritage. The accuracy of the method and the fact that it can be used to carry out different tests without contact between the sample and the instruments can make this technique very useful for authenticating and cataloging artworks. The application focuses on the field of pictorial artworks, and wooden panel paintings in particular. In these works, the orography formed by the brushstrokes can be easily digitalized using a photogrammetric technique, called Structured Light System, with submillimeter accuracy. Thus, some of the physical characteristics of the brushstrokes, like minimum and maximum heights or slopes become a fingerprint of the painting. We explain in detail the general principles of the Structured Light System Technique and the specific characteristics of the commercial set-up used in this work. Some experiments are carried out on a sample painted by us to check the accuracy limits of the technique and to propose some tests that can help to stablish a methodology for authentication purposes. Finally, some preliminary results obtained on a real pictorial artwork are presented, providing geometrical information of its metric features as an example of the possibilities of this application.

Crashworthiness of Aluminium Tubes; Part 2: Improvement of Hydroforming Operation to Increase Absorption Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Amours, Guillaume; Rahem, Ahmed; Mayer, Robert; Williams, Bruce; Worswick, Michael

2007-05-01

The motivation to reduce overall vehicle weight within the automotive sector drives the substitution of lightweight materials such as aluminium alloys for structural components. Such a substitution requires a significant amount of development to manufacture structurally parts such that the energy absorption characteristics are not sacrificed in the event of crash. The effects of the manufacturing processes on the crash performance of automotive structural components must be better understood to ensure improved crashworthiness. This paper presents results of an experimental and numerical investigation of the crash response and energy absorption properties of impacted hydroformed aluminium alloy tubes. Crash experiments on hydroformed tubes were performed using a deceleration sled test at the General Motors Technical Center. Results from axial crush testing showed that an important parameter that influences the energy absorption characteristics during crash was the thickness reduction caused by circumferential expansion of the tube during hydroforming. It was found that that the energy absorption decreased as the corner radius decreased, which results because of increased thinning. Sensitivity studies of end feeding parameters, such as end feed level and profile, were carried out to evaluate their impact on the energy absorption of the aluminium tubes.

Application of Structured Light System Technique for Authentication of Wooden Panel Paintings

PubMed Central

Buchón-Moragues, Fernando; Bravo, José María; Ferri, Marcelino; Redondo, Javier; Sánchez-Pérez, Juan Vicente

2016-01-01

This paper presents a new application of photogrammetric techniques for protecting cultural heritage. The accuracy of the method and the fact that it can be used to carry out different tests without contact between the sample and the instruments can make this technique very useful for authenticating and cataloging artworks. The application focuses on the field of pictorial artworks, and wooden panel paintings in particular. In these works, the orography formed by the brushstrokes can be easily digitalized using a photogrammetric technique, called Structured Light System, with submillimeter accuracy. Thus, some of the physical characteristics of the brushstrokes, like minimum and maximum heights or slopes become a fingerprint of the painting. We explain in detail the general principles of the Structured Light System Technique and the specific characteristics of the commercial set-up used in this work. Some experiments are carried out on a sample painted by us to check the accuracy limits of the technique and to propose some tests that can help to stablish a methodology for authentication purposes. Finally, some preliminary results obtained on a real pictorial artwork are presented, providing geometrical information of its metric features as an example of the possibilities of this application. PMID:27314353

Elastin as a self-organizing biomaterial: use of recombinantly expressed human elastin polypeptides as a model for investigations of structure and self-assembly of elastin.

PubMed

Keeley, Fred W; Bellingham, Catherine M; Woodhouse, Kimberley A

2002-02-28

Elastin is the major extracellular matrix protein of large arteries such as the aorta, imparting characteristics of extensibility and elastic recoil. Once laid down in tissues, polymeric elastin is not subject to turnover, but is able to sustain its mechanical resilience through thousands of millions of cycles of extension and recoil. Elastin consists of ca. 36 domains with alternating hydrophobic and cross-linking characteristics. It has been suggested that these hydrophobic domains, predominantly containing glycine, proline, leucine and valine, often occurring in tandemly repeated sequences, are responsible for the ability of elastin to align monomeric chains for covalent cross-linking. We have shown that small, recombinantly expressed polypeptides based on sequences of human elastin contain sufficient information to self-organize into fibrillar structures and promote the formation of lysine-derived cross-links. These cross-linked polypeptides can also be fabricated into membrane structures that have solubility and mechanical properties reminiscent of native insoluble elastin. Understanding the basis of the self-organizational ability of elastin-based polypeptides may provide important clues for the general design of self-assembling biomaterials.

Complete Structure of an Epithelial Keratin Dimer: Implications for Intermediate Filament Assembly.

PubMed

Bray, David J; Walsh, Tiffany R; Noro, Massimo G; Notman, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Keratins are cytoskeletal proteins that hierarchically arrange into filaments, starting with the dimer sub-unit. They are integral to the structural support of cells, in skin, hair and nails. In skin, keratin is thought to play a critical role in conferring the barrier properties and elasticity of skin. In general, the keratin dimer is broadly described by a tri-domain structure: a head, a central rod and a tail. As yet, no atomistic-scale picture of the entire dimer structure exists; this information is pivotal for establishing molecular-level connections between structure and function in intermediate filament proteins. The roles of the head and tail domains in facilitating keratin filament assembly and function remain as open questions. To address these, we report results of molecular dynamics simulations of the entire epithelial human K1/K10 keratin dimer. Our findings comprise: (1) the first three-dimensional structural models of the complete dimer unit, comprising of the head, rod and tail domains; (2) new insights into the chirality of the rod-domain twist gained from analysis of the full domain structure; (3) evidence for tri-subdomain partitioning in the head and tail domains; and, (4) identification of the residue characteristics that mediate non-covalent contact between the chains in the dimer. Our findings are immediately applicable to other epithelial keratins, such as K8/K18 and K5/K14, and to intermediate filament proteins in general.

Early warning systems for the management of chronic heart failure: a systematic literature review of cost-effectiveness models.

PubMed

Albuquerque De Almeida, Fernando; Al, Maiwenn; Koymans, Ron; Caliskan, Kadir; Kerstens, Ankie; Severens, Johan L

2018-04-01

Describing the general and methodological characteristics of decision-analytical models used in the economic evaluation of early warning systems for the management of chronic heart failure patients and performing a quality assessment of their methodological characteristics is expected to provide concise and useful insight to inform the future development of decision-analytical models in the field of heart failure management. Areas covered: The literature on decision-analytical models for the economic evaluation of early warning systems for the management of chronic heart failure patients was systematically reviewed. Nine electronic databases were searched through the combination of synonyms for heart failure and sensitive filters for cost-effectiveness and early warning systems. Expert commentary: The retrieved models show some variability with regards to their general study characteristics. Overall, they display satisfactory methodological quality, even though some points could be improved, namely on the consideration and discussion of any competing theories regarding model structure and disease progression, identification of key parameters and the use of expert opinion, and uncertainty analyses. A comprehensive definition of early warning systems and further research under this label should be pursued. To improve the transparency of economic evaluation publications, authors should make available detailed technical information regarding the published models.

Specific Features of Pressure-Fluctuation Fields in the Vicinity of a Forward-Facing Step-Backward-Facing Step Configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golubev, A. Yu.

2018-01-01

A computational model of inhomogeneous pressure-fluctuation fields in the vicinity of a forward-facing step-backward-facing step configuration taking into account the high degree of their mutual correlation (global correlation) is generalized from experimental data. It is shown that when determining the characteristics of pressure fluctuations that act on an elastic structure, the global correlation is represented by an additional inhomogeneous field. It is demonstrated that a high degree of correlation may lead to a significant change in the main characteristics of the pressure-fluctuation field in the wake behind the configuration. This is taken into consideration in the model by correcting the local properties of this field.

Iterative generalized time-frequency reassignment for planetary gearbox fault diagnosis under nonstationary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaowang; Feng, Zhipeng

2016-12-01

Planetary gearboxes are widely used in many sorts of machinery, for its large transmission ratio and high load bearing capacity in a compact structure. Their fault diagnosis relies on effective identification of fault characteristic frequencies. However, in addition to the vibration complexity caused by intricate mechanical kinematics, volatile external conditions result in time-varying running speed and/or load, and therefore nonstationary vibration signals. This usually leads to time-varying complex fault characteristics, and adds difficulty to planetary gearbox fault diagnosis. Time-frequency analysis is an effective approach to extracting the frequency components and their time variation of nonstationary signals. Nevertheless, the commonly used time-frequency analysis methods suffer from poor time-frequency resolution as well as outer and inner interferences, which hinder accurate identification of time-varying fault characteristic frequencies. Although time-frequency reassignment improves the time-frequency readability, it is essentially subject to the constraints of mono-component and symmetric time-frequency distribution about true instantaneous frequency. Hence, it is still susceptible to erroneous energy reallocation or even generates pseudo interferences, particularly for multi-component signals of highly nonlinear instantaneous frequency. In this paper, to overcome the limitations of time-frequency reassignment, we propose an improvement with fine time-frequency resolution and free from interferences for highly nonstationary multi-component signals, by exploiting the merits of iterative generalized demodulation. The signal is firstly decomposed into mono-components of constant frequency by iterative generalized demodulation. Time-frequency reassignment is then applied to each generalized demodulated mono-component, obtaining a fine time-frequency distribution. Finally, the time-frequency distribution of each signal component is restored and superposed to get the time-frequency distribution of original signal. The proposed method is validated using both numerical simulated and lab experimental planetary gearbox vibration signals. The time-varying gear fault symptoms are successfully extracted, showing effectiveness of the proposed iterative generalized time-frequency reassignment method in planetary gearbox fault diagnosis under nonstationary conditions.

In Vitro Phytotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity of Selected Flavonoids

PubMed Central

De Martino, Laura; Mencherini, Teresa; Mancini, Emilia; Aquino, Rita Patrizia; De Almeida, Luiz Fernando Rolim; De Feo, Vincenzo

2012-01-01

The knowledge of flavonoids involved in plant-plant interactions and their mechanisms of action are poor and, moreover, the structural characteristics required for these biological activities are scarcely known. The objective of this work was to study the possible in vitro phytotoxic effects of 27 flavonoids on the germination and early radical growth of Raphanus sativus L. and Lepidium sativum L., with the aim to evaluate the possible structure/activity relationship. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of the same compounds was also evaluated. Generally, in response to various tested flavonoids, germination was only slightly affected, whereas significant differences were observed in the activity of the various tested flavonoids against radical elongation. DPPH test confirms the antioxidant activity of luteolin, quercetin, catechol, morin, and catechin. The biological activity recorded is discussed in relation to the structure of compounds and their capability to interact with cell structures and physiology. No correlation was found between phytotoxic and antioxidant activities. PMID:22754304

Atomically precise edge chlorination of nanographenes and its application in graphene nanoribbons

PubMed Central

Tan, Yuan-Zhi; Yang, Bo; Parvez, Khaled; Narita, Akimitsu; Osella, Silvio; Beljonne, David; Feng, Xinliang; Müllen, Klaus

2013-01-01

Chemical functionalization is one of the most powerful and widely used strategies to control the properties of nanomaterials, particularly in the field of graphene. However, the ill-defined structure of the present functionalized graphene inhibits atomically precise structural characterization and structure-correlated property modulation. Here we present a general edge chlorination protocol for atomically precise functionalization of nanographenes at different scales from 1.2 to 3.4 nm and its application in graphene nanoribbons. The well-defined edge chlorination is unambiguously confirmed by X-ray single-crystal analysis, which also discloses the characteristic non-planar molecular shape and detailed bond lengths of chlorinated nanographenes. Chlorinated nanographenes and graphene nanoribbons manifest enhanced solution processability associated with decreases in the optical band gap and frontier molecular orbital energy levels, exemplifying the structure-correlated property modulation by precise edge chlorination. PMID:24212200

A revised version of the transfer matrix method to analyze one-dimensional structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nitzsche, F.

1983-01-01

A new and general method to analyze both free and forced vibration characteristics of one-dimensional structures is discussed in this paper. This scheme links for the first time the classical transfer matrix method with the recently developed integrating matrix technique to integrate systems of differential equations. Two alternative approaches to the problem are presented. The first is based upon the lumped parameter model to account for the inertia properties of the structure. The second releases that constraint allowing a more precise description of the physical system. The free vibration of a straight uniform beam under different support conditions is analyzed to test the accuracy of the two models. Finally some results for the free vibration of a 12th order system representing a curved, rotating beam prove that the present method is conveniently extended to more complicated structural dynamics problems.

Lump waves and breather waves for a (3+1)-dimensional generalized Kadomtsev-Petviashvili Benjamin-Bona-Mahony equation for an offshore structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Ying; Tian, Bo; Wu, Xiao-Yu; Yin, Hui-Min; Zhang, Chen-Rong

2018-04-01

In this paper, we investigate a (3+1)-dimensional generalized Kadomtsev-Petviashvili Benjamin-Bona-Mahony equation, which describes the fluid flow in the case of an offshore structure. By virtue of the Hirota method and symbolic computation, bilinear forms, the lump-wave and breather-wave solutions are derived. Propagation characteristics and interaction of lump waves and breather waves are graphically discussed. Amplitudes and locations of the lump waves, amplitudes and periods of the breather waves all vary with the wavelengths in the three spatial directions, ratio of the wave amplitude to the depth of water, or product of the depth of water and the relative wavelength along the main direction of propagation. Of the interactions between the lump waves and solitons, there exist two different cases: (i) the energy is transferred from the lump wave to the soliton; (ii) the energy is transferred from the soliton to the lump wave.

Mindful attention and awareness: relationships with psychopathology and emotion regulation.

PubMed

Gregório, Sónia; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2013-01-01

The growing interest in mindfulness from the scientific community has originated several self-report measures of this psychological construct. The Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS) is a self-report measure of mindfulness at a trait-level. This paper aims at exploring MAAS psychometric characteristics and validating it for the Portuguese population. The first two studies replicate some of the original author's statistical procedures in two different samples from the Portuguese general community population, in particular confirmatory factor analyses. Results from both analyses confirmed the scale single-factor structure and indicated a very good reliability. Moreover, cross-validation statistics showed that this single-factor structure is valid for different respondents from the general community population. In the third study the Portuguese version of the MAAS was found to have good convergent and discriminant validities. Overall the findings support the psychometric validity of the Portuguese version of MAAS and suggest this is a reliable self-report measure of trait-mindfulness, a central construct in Clinical Psychology research and intervention fields.

State-of-the-Art Study for High-speed Deceleration and Stabilization Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, W. C.; Lau, R. A.

1966-01-01

Documented aerodynamic deployable decelerator performance data above Mach 1. 0 is presented. The state of the art of drag and stability characteristics for reentry and recovery applications is defined for a wide range of decelerator configurations. Structural and material data and other design information also are presented. Emphasis is given to presentation of basic aero, thermal, and structural design data, which points out basic problem areas and voids in existing technology. The basic problems and voids include supersonic "buzzing" of towed porous decelerators in the wake of the forebody, the complete lack of dynamic stability data, and the general lack of aerothermal data at speeds above Mach 5.

Constrained hierarchical least square nonlinear equation solvers. [for indefinite stiffness and large structural deformations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padovan, J.; Lackney, J.

1986-01-01

The current paper develops a constrained hierarchical least square nonlinear equation solver. The procedure can handle the response behavior of systems which possess indefinite tangent stiffness characteristics. Due to the generality of the scheme, this can be achieved at various hierarchical application levels. For instance, in the case of finite element simulations, various combinations of either degree of freedom, nodal, elemental, substructural, and global level iterations are possible. Overall, this enables a solution methodology which is highly stable and storage efficient. To demonstrate the capability of the constrained hierarchical least square methodology, benchmarking examples are presented which treat structure exhibiting highly nonlinear pre- and postbuckling behavior wherein several indefinite stiffness transitions occur.

Inertial Frames Without the Relativity Principle: Breaking Lorentz Symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baccetti, Valentina; Tate, Kyle; Visser, Matt

2015-01-01

We investigate inertial frames in the absence of Lorentz invariance, reconsidering the usual group structure implied by the relativity principle. We abandon the relativity principle, discarding the group structure for the transformations between inertial frames, while requiring these transformations to be at least linear (to preserve homogeneity). In theories with a preferred frame (aether), the set of transformations between inertial frames forms a groupoid/pseudogroup instead of a group, a characteristic essential to evading the von Ignatowsky theorems. In order to understand the dynamics, we also demonstrate that the transformation rules for energy and momentum are in general affine. We finally focus on one specific and compelling model implementing a minimalist violation of Lorentz invariance.

Dynamic characteristics and simplified numerical methods of an all-vertical-piled wharf in offshore deep water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hua-qing; Sun, Xi-ping; Wang, Yuan-zhan; Yin, Ji-long; Wang, Chao-yang

2015-10-01

There has been a growing trend in the development of offshore deep-water ports in China. For such deep sea projects, all-vertical-piled wharves are suitable structures and generally located in open waters, greatly affected by wave action. Currently, no systematic studies or simplified numerical methods are available for deriving the dynamic characteristics and dynamic responses of all-vertical-piled wharves under wave cyclic loads. In this article, we compare the dynamic characteristics of an all-vertical-piled wharf with those of a traditional inshore high-piled wharf through numerical analysis; our research reveals that the vibration period of an all-vertical-piled wharf under cyclic loading is longer than that of an inshore high-piled wharf and is much closer to the period of the loading wave. Therefore, dynamic calculation and analysis should be conducted when designing and calculating the characteristics of an all-vertical-piled wharf. We establish a dynamic finite element model to examine the dynamic response of an all-vertical-piled wharf under wave cyclic loads and compare the results with those under wave equivalent static load; the comparison indicates that dynamic amplification of the structure is evident when the wave dynamic load effect is taken into account. Furthermore, a simplified dynamic numerical method for calculating the dynamic response of an all-vertical-piled wharf is established based on the P-Y curve. Compared with finite element analysis, the simplified method is more convenient to use and applicable to large structural deformation while considering the soil non-linearity. We confirmed that the simplified method has acceptable accuracy and can be used in engineering applications.

Functional morphology of comminuting feeding structures of Trichodactylus borellianus (Brachyura, Decapoda, Trichodactylidae), an omnivorous freshwater crab.

PubMed

Carvalho, Débora de Azevedo; Viozzi, Maria Florencia; Collins, Pablo Agustín; Williner, Verónica

2017-07-01

Crustaceans exhibit great diversity of feeding structures with morphological traits that are useful to infer the general trophic habits of species. In this study, we analyzed the functional morphology of comminuting feeding structures (mandibles, chelipeds, gastric mill) of the freshwater crab Trichodactylus borellianus directly related with the food fragmentation. The heterochely and mechanical advantage (MA) of the chelae were also studied. In both analyses, we considered the relationship between morphology and the natural diet. We expected to find a consistent relation between feeding habits and morphological traits. In general, we found simple structures armed with uniform setal systems and feeding appendages without pronounced teeth or spines. Mandibles have primarily cutting functions, helping with the food anchoring and fragmentation with mandibular palps armed with pappose setae. Chelipeds were covered with spines and simple setae. Adult males exhibited right-handedness with high MA of the major chelae. The ingested, relatively large pieces of food are finally chewed by a gastric mill equipped with sharp cusps characteristic of decapods with low ingestion of crude fiber material. The morphology of the feeding apparatus revealed that it is well adapted to an omnivorous diet, being able to cope with dietary changes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Which organizational characteristics are associated with increased management of depression using antidepressants in US nursing homes?

PubMed

Lapane, Kate L; Hughes, Carmel M

2004-10-01

There is universal agreement that organizational characteristics of nursing facilities can and do influence the quality of care and resident outcomes. This study evaluated the relation between organizational characteristics and management of depression using antidepressants. This was a cross-sectional study of Medicare/Medicaid certified nursing homes in 6 states in 2000. We studied 87,907 residents with depression in 2,128 facilities. Minimum Data Set (MDS) provided information regarding use of antidepressants and resident factors. On-line Survey and Certification of Automated Records (OSCAR) provided facility characteristics information including structural, resource, and staffing levels. Adjusted estimates of organizational effects on antidepressant drug use were derived from generalized estimating equations. Increased treatment of depression with antidepressants was associated with facilities with a higher percentage of residents from payer sources other than Medicare/Medicaid (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.06) and more professional nursing staff (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.05-1.26). Decreased treatment tended to be related to larger homes (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.68-0.84) or if the home employed full-time physicians (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78-0.96). Once the decision to treat was made, treatment with tricyclics tended to be inversely related to larger homes, for-profit facilities, and homes with more Medicare residents. Facilities that are required to be more fiscally conservative, be it larger facilities with fewer private pay patients or for profit facilities, have lower rates of pharmacologic treatment. Resource and structural characteristics influence the type of antidepressant being prescribed; resident characteristics may not be the over-riding factor in prescribing.

How Staphylococcus aureus biofilms develop their characteristic structure

PubMed Central

Periasamy, Saravanan; Joo, Hwang-Soo; Duong, Anthony C.; Bach, Thanh-Huy L.; Tan, Vee Y.; Chatterjee, Som S.; Cheung, Gordon Y. C.; Otto, Michael

2012-01-01

Biofilms cause significant problems in the environment and during the treatment of infections. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying biofilm formation are poorly understood. There is a particular lack of knowledge about biofilm maturation processes, such as biofilm structuring and detachment, which are deemed crucial for the maintenance of biofilm viability and the dissemination of cells from a biofilm. Here, we identify the phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) surfactant peptides as key biofilm structuring factors in the premier biofilm-forming pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. We provide evidence that all known PSM classes participate in structuring and detachment processes. Specifically, absence of PSMs in isogenic S. aureus psm deletion mutants led to strongly impaired formation of biofilm channels, abolishment of the characteristic waves of biofilm detachment and regrowth, and loss of control of biofilm expansion. In contrast, induced expression of psm loci in preformed biofilms promoted those processes. Furthermore, PSMs facilitated dissemination from an infected catheter in a mouse model of biofilm-associated infection. Moreover, formation of the biofilm structure was linked to strongly variable, quorum sensing-controlled PSM expression in biofilm microenvironments, whereas overall PSM production remained constant to ascertain biofilm homeostasis. Our study describes a mechanism of biofilm structuring in molecular detail, and the general principle (i.e., quorum-sensing controlled expression of surfactants) seems to be conserved in several bacteria, despite the divergence of the respective biofilm-structuring surfactants. These findings provide a deeper understanding of biofilm development processes, which represents an important basis for strategies to interfere with biofilm formation in the environment and human disease. PMID:22232686

Automatic Event Detection in Search for Inter-Moss Loops in IRIS Si IV Slit-Jaw Images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fayock, Brian; Winebarger, Amy R.; De Pontieu, Bart

2015-01-01

The high-resolution capabilities of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrometer (IRIS) mission have allowed the exploration of the finer details of the solar magnetic structure from the chromosphere to the lower corona that have previously been unresolved. Of particular interest to us are the relatively short-lived, low-lying magnetic loops that have foot points in neighboring moss regions. These inter-moss loops have also appeared in several AIA pass bands, which are generally associated with temperatures that are at least an order of magnitude higher than that of the Si IV emission seen in the 1400 angstrom pass band of IRIS. While the emission lines seen in these pass bands can be associated with a range of temperatures, the simultaneous appearance of these loops in IRIS 1400 and AIA 171, 193, and 211 suggest that they are not in ionization equilibrium. To study these structures in detail, we have developed a series of algorithms to automatically detect signal brightening or events on a pixel-by-pixel basis and group them together as structures for each of the above data sets. These algorithms have successfully picked out all activity fitting certain adjustable criteria. The resulting groups of events are then statistically analyzed to determine which characteristics can be used to distinguish the inter-moss loops from all other structures. While a few characteristic histograms reveal that manually selected inter-moss loops lie outside the norm, a combination of several characteristics will need to be used to determine the statistical likelihood that a group of events be categorized automatically as a loop of interest. The goal of this project is to be able to automatically pick out inter-moss loops from an entire data set and calculate the characteristics that have previously been determined manually, such as length, intensity, and lifetime. We will discuss the algorithms, preliminary results, and current progress of automatic characterization.

Theoretical studies on structural, magnetic, and spintronic characteristics of sandwiched Eu(n)COT(n+1) (n = 1-4) clusters.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiuyun; Ng, Man-Fai; Wang, Yanbiao; Wang, Jinlan; Yang, Shuo-Wang

2009-09-22

Europium (Eu)-cyclootetatrene (COT = C(8)H(8)) multidecker clusters (Eu(n)COT(n+1), n = 1-4) are studied by relativistic density functional theory calculations. These clusters are found to be thermodynamically stable with freely rotatable COT rings, and their total magnetic moments (MMs) increase linearly along with the number of Eu atoms. Each Eu atom contributes about 7 mu(B) to the cluster. Meanwhile, the internal COT rings have little MM contribution while the external COT rings have about 1 mu(B) MM aligned in opposite direction to that of the Eu atoms. The total MM of the Eu(n)COT(n+1) clusters can thus be generalized as 7n - 2 mu(B) where n is the number of Eu atoms. Besides, the ground states of these clusters are ferromagnetic and energetically competitive with the antiferromagnetic states, meaning that their spin states are very unstable, especially for larger clusters. More importantly, we uncover an interesting bonding characteristic of these clusters in which the interior ionic structure is capped by two hybrid covalent-ionic terminals. We suggest that such a characteristic makes the Eu(n)COT(n+1) clusters extremely stable. Finally, we reveal that for the positively charged clusters, the hybrid covalent-ionic terminals will tip further toward the interior part of the clusters to form deeper covalent-ionic caps. In contrast, the negatively charged clusters turn to pure ionic structures.

Dynamic bending of bionic flexible body driven by pneumatic artificial muscles(PAMs) for spinning gait of quadruped robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Jingtao; Yu, Huangying; Wang, Tianmiao

2016-01-01

The body of quadruped robot is generally developed with the rigid structure. The mobility of quadruped robot depends on the mechanical properties of the body mechanism. It is difficult for quadruped robot with rigid structure to achieve better mobility walking or running in the unstructured environment. A kind of bionic flexible body mechanism for quadruped robot is proposed, which is composed of one bionic spine and four pneumatic artificial muscles(PAMs). This kind of body imitates the four-legged creatures' kinematical structure and physical properties, which has the characteristic of changeable stiffness, lightweight, flexible and better bionics. The kinematics of body bending is derived, and the coordinated movement between the flexible body and legs is analyzed. The relationship between the body bending angle and the PAM length is obtained. The dynamics of the body bending is derived by the floating coordinate method and Lagrangian method, and the driving force of PAM is determined. The experiment of body bending is conducted, and the dynamic bending characteristic of bionic flexible body is evaluated. Experimental results show that the bending angle of the bionic flexible body can reach 18°. An innovation body mechanism for quadruped robot is proposed, which has the characteristic of flexibility and achieve bending by changing gas pressure of PAMs. The coordinated movement of the body and legs can achieve spinning gait in order to improve the mobility of quadruped robot.

SPECIAL ISSUE ON OPTICAL PROCESSING OF INFORMATION: Transducers of physical fields based on two-channel coaxial optical fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busurin, V. I.; Brazhnikova, T. Yu; Korobkov, V. V.; Prokhorov, N. I.

1995-10-01

An analysis is made of a general basic configuration and of the transfer function of a fibre-optic transducer based on controlled coupling in a multilayer two-channel coaxial optical fibre. The influence of the structure parameters and of external factors on the errors of a sensitive element in such a transducer is considered. The results are given of an investigation of the characteristics of a number of transducers constructed in accordance with the basic configuration.

Innovation in the Face of Adversity: Major-General Sir Percy Hobart and the 79th Armoured Division (British)

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-06

to employ these varied formations, the only characteristic in common being their “armoured,” or more accurately, mechanized, structures. The core ...rocket-fired mine-clearing charges, a newly developed technology of the period, and precursors to the systems still in use today. One such system ...dustbin,” partly due to its ungainly appearance and flight , but also due to the smoke, dust and rubble created on the receiving end. Another

Application of Finite Element Method to Analyze Inflatable Waveguide Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deshpande, M. D.

1998-01-01

A Finite Element Method (FEM) is presented to determine propagation characteristics of deformed inflatable rectangular waveguide. Various deformations that might be present in an inflatable waveguide are analyzed using the FEM. The FEM procedure and the code developed here are so general that they can be used for any other deformations that are not considered in this report. The code is validated by applying the present code to rectangular waveguide without any deformations and comparing the numerical results with earlier published results.

Phase transitions in the (Ni,Zn)TiF 6 · 6H 2O system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichti, R. L.; Jan, I.-Yuan; Casey, K. G.

1989-02-01

Measurements of the transformation rates and the characteristic temperatures of the trigonal ≡ monoclinic structural change in (Ni 1- xZn x)TiF 6 · 6H 2O show a double transition up to x = 0.5. The relationships between the phase changes generally observed in the ABF 6 · 6H 2O system and the internal motions of the octahedral ionic complexes are discussed, and a phase diagram for the mixed nickel/zinc fluorotitanate is established.

Justification of system of assessment of ecological safety degree of housing construction objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kankhva, Vadim

2017-10-01

In article characteristics and properties of competitiveness of housing construction objects are investigated, criteria and points of national systems of ecological building’s standardization are structured, the compliance assessment form on stages of life cycle of a capital construction project is developed. The main indicators of level of ecological safety considering requirements of the international ISO standards 9000 and ISO 14000 and which are based on the basic principles of general quality management (TQM) are presented.

Reflecting on the structure of soil classification systems: insights from a proposal for integrating subsoil data into soil information systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dondeyne, Stefaan; Juilleret, Jérôme; Vancampenhout, Karen; Deckers, Jozef; Hissler, Christophe

2017-04-01

Classification of soils in both World Reference Base for soil resources (WRB) and Soil Taxonomy hinges on the identification of diagnostic horizons and characteristics. However as these features often occur within the first 100 cm, these classification systems convey little information on subsoil characteristics. An integrated knowledge of the soil, soil-to-substratum and deeper substratum continuum is required when dealing with environmental issues such as vegetation ecology, water quality or the Critical Zone in general. Therefore, we recently proposed a classification system of the subsolum complementing current soil classification systems. By reflecting on the structure of the subsoil classification system which is inspired by WRB, we aim at fostering a discussion on some potential future developments of WRB. For classifying the subsolum we define Regolite, Saprolite, Saprock and Bedrock as four Subsolum Reference Groups each corresponding to different weathering stages of the subsoil. Principal qualifiers can be used to categorize intergrades of these Subsoil Reference Groups while morphologic and lithologic characteristics can be presented with supplementary qualifiers. We argue that adopting a low hierarchical structure - akin to WRB and in contrast to a strong hierarchical structure as in Soil Taxonomy - offers the advantage of having an open classification system avoiding the need for a priori knowledge of all possible combinations which may be encountered in the field. Just as in WRB we also propose to use principal and supplementary qualifiers as a second level of classification. However, in contrast to WRB we propose to reserve the principal qualifiers for intergrades and to regroup the supplementary qualifiers into thematic categories (morphologic or lithologic). Structuring the qualifiers in this manner should facilitate the integration and handling of both soil and subsoil classification units into soil information systems and calls for paying attention to these structural issues in future developments of WRB.

Magnetic Helicity of Alfven Simple Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webb, Gary M.; Hu, Q.; Dasgupta, B.; Zank, G. P.; Roberts, D.

2010-01-01

The magnetic helicity of fully nonlinear, multi-dimensional Alfven simple waves are investigated, by using relative helicity formulae and also by using an approach involving poloidal and toroidal decomposition of the magnetic field and magnetic vector potential. Different methods to calculate the magnetic vector potential are used, including the homotopy and Biot-Savart formulas. Two basic Alfven modes are identified: (a) the plane 1D Alfven simple wave given in standard texts, in which the Alfven wave propagates along the z-axis, with wave phase varphi=k_0(z-lambda t), where k_0 is the wave number and lambda is the group velocity of the wave, and (b)\\ the generalized Barnes (1976) simple Alfven wave in which the wave normal {bf n} moves in a circle in the xy-plane perpendicular to the mean field, which is directed along the z-axis. The plane Alfven wave (a) is analogous to the slab Alfven mode and the generalized Barnes solution (b) is analogous to the 2D mode in Alfvenic, incompressible turbulence. The helicity characteristics of these two basic Alfven modes are distinct. The helicity characteristics of more general multi-dimensional simple Alfven waves are also investigated. Applications to nonlinear Aifvenic fluctuations and structures observed in the solar wind are discussed.

Stigmatising attitudes towards people with mental disorders: a comparison of Australian health professionals with the general community.

PubMed

Reavley, Nicola J; Mackinnon, Andrew J; Morgan, Amy J; Jorm, Anthony F

2014-05-01

The aim of this paper was to explore attitudes towards people with mental disorders among Australian health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists and general practitioners (GPs)) and to compare their attitudes with members of the general community. The study involved a postal survey of 518 GPs, 506 psychiatrists and 498 clinical psychologists and a telephone survey of 6019 members of the general community. Participants were given a case vignette describing a person with either depression, depression with suicidal thoughts, early schizophrenia, chronic schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or social phobia and two questionnaires to assess stigmatising attitudes (the Depression Stigma Scale and the Social Distance Scale). Exploratory structural equation modelling was used to elucidate the structure of stigma as measured by the two scales, to establish dimensions of stigma and to compare patterns of association according to gender, age, vignette and professional grouping. The measurement characteristics of stigmatising attitudes in health professionals were found to be comparable to those in members of the general community in social distance and also in personal and perceived attitude stigma, with each forming distinct dimensions and each comprising 'Weak-not-sick' and 'Dangerous/unpredictable' components. Among health professionals, female gender, age and being a GP were associated with higher scores on the personal stigma scales. Mental health professionals had lower scores on the personal 'Weak-not-sick' and 'Dangerous/unpredictable' scales than members of the general community, while there were no significant differences in the desire for social distance between health professionals and the general community. While mental health professionals have less stigmatising attitudes than the general public, the greater beliefs in dangerousness and personal weakness by GPs should be addressed.

Temporal structure of thermal inversions in Łeba (Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czarnecka, Małgorzata; Nidzgorska-Lencewicz, Jadwiga; Rawicki, Kacper

2018-03-01

This study presents the detailed characteristics of thermal inversions based on a 10-year aerological measurement series (2005-2014) conducted in Łeba (Poland). The analyses included surface-based inversions (SBIs) and elevated inversions (ELIs) in the atmospheric layer up to 3000 m. In the case of SBIs, this layer extended directly from the ground level to an altitude above which the air temperature decreases with altitude, whereas for ELIs, which have a base above ground level, only the lowermost inversion layer was taken into consideration. The results of the monthly and seasonal variations in the selected parameters for air temperature inversions (thickness—ΔZ, strength—ΔT, base—ZB) were analysed separately at night-time (00 UTC) and daytime (12 UTC). The thermal structure of the boundary layer up to 3000 m was primarily determined by ELIs, which occurred at a frequency of approximately 70% at both times during the 24-h period. The SBIs showed a pronounced temporal structure that occurred every second night throughout the year and from April to September, with a frequency similar to that of the ELI (approximately 60%). The worst vertical air exchange conditions, which resulted from the simultaneous occurrence of SBIs and ELIs, were found in 30% of nights from April to October. Elevated inversions generally formed in a layer from approximately 820 to 1200 m, which was the lowermost ELI in winter and the highest ELI in summer; however, in all seasons, the lowest base height was characteristic of daytime inversions. Both surface-based and elevated inversion layers were distinguished by comparable thicknesses, particularly for those occurring at night-time (generally within the range of 150-200 m). From November to March, greater thicknesses were identified in ELIs with lower occurrences, whereas SBIs were identified in the remaining months of the year.

The characteristics of gas hydrates occurring in natural environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, H.; Moudrakovski, I.; Udachin, K.; Enright, G.; Ratcliffe, C.; Ripmeester, J.

2009-12-01

In the past few years, extensive analyses have been carried out for characterizing the natural gas hydrate samples from Cascadia, offshore Vancouver Island; Mallik, Mackenzie Delta; Mount Elbert, Alaska North Slope; Nankai Trough, offshore Japan; Japan Sea and offshore India. With the results obtained, it is possible to give a general picture of the characteristics of gas hydrates occurring in natural environment. Gas hydrate can occur in sediments of various types, from sands to clay, although it is preferentially enriched in sediments of certain types, for example coarse sands and fine volcanic ash. Most of the gas hydrates in sediments are invisible, occurring in the pores of the sediments, while some hydrates are visible, appearing as massive, nodular, planar, vein-like forms and occurring around the seafloor, in the fractures related to fault systems, or any other large spaces available in sediments. Although methane is the main component of most of the natural gas hydrates, C2 to C7 hydrocarbons have been recognized in hydrates, sometimes even in significant amounts. Shallow marine gas hydrates have been found generally to contain minor amounts of hydrogen sulfide. Gas hydrate samples with complex gas compositions have been found to have heterogeneous distributions in composition, which might reflect changes in the composition of the available gas in the surrounding environment. Depending on the gas compositions, the structure type of a natural gas hydrate can be structure I, II or H. For structure I methane hydrate, the large cages are almost fully occupied by methane molecules, while the small cages are only partly occupied. Methane hydrates occurring in different environments have been identified with almost the same crystallographic parameters.

The evolution of nursing in Australian general practice: a comparative analysis of workforce surveys ten years on.

PubMed

Halcomb, Elizabeth J; Salamonson, Yenna; Davidson, Patricia M; Kaur, Rajneesh; Young, Samantha Am

2014-03-25

Nursing in Australian general practice has grown rapidly over the last decade in response to government initiatives to strengthen primary care. There are limited data about how this expansion has impacted on the nursing role, scope of practice and workforce characteristics. This study aimed to describe the current demographic and employment characteristics of Australian nurses working in general practice and explore trends in their role over time. In the nascence of the expansion of the role of nurses in Australian general practice (2003-2004) a national survey was undertaken to describe nurse demographics, clinical roles and competencies. This survey was repeated in 2009-2010 and comparative analysis of the datasets undertaken to explore workforce changes over time. Two hundred eighty four nurses employed in general practice completed the first survey (2003/04) and 235 completed the second survey (2009/10). Significantly more participants in Study 2 were undertaking follow-up of pathology results, physical assessment and disease specific health education. There was also a statistically significant increase in the participants who felt that further education/training would augment their confidence in all clinical tasks (p < 0.001). Whilst the impact of legal implications as a barrier to the nurses' role in general practice decreased between the two time points, more participants perceived lack of space, job descriptions, confidence to negotiate with general practitioners and personal desire to enhance their role as barriers. Access to education and training as a facilitator to nursing role expansion increased between the two studies. The level of optimism of participants for the future of the nurses' role in general practice was slightly decreased over time. This study has identified that some of the structural barriers to nursing in Australian general practice have been addressed over time. However, it also identifies continuing barriers that impact practice nurse role development. Understanding and addressing these issues is vital to optimise the effectiveness of the primary care nursing workforce.

Use of high-resolution satellite images for detection of geological structures related to Central Andes geothermal field, Chile.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benavides-Rivas, C. L.; Soto-Pinto, C. A.; Arellano-Baeza, A. A.

2014-12-01

Central valley and the border with Argentina in the center, and in the fault system Liquiñe-Ofqui in the South of the country. High resolution images from the LANDSAT 8 satellite have been used to delineate the geological structures related to the potential geothermal reservoirs located at the northern end of the Southern Volcanic Zone of Chile. It was done by applying the lineament extraction technique, using the ADALGEO software, developed by [Soto et al., 2013]. These structures have been compared with the distribution of main geological structures obtained in the field. It was found that the lineament density increases in the areas of the major heat flux indicating that the lineament analysis could be a power tool for the detection of faults and joint zones associated to the geothermal fields. A lineament is generally defined as a straight or slightly curved feature in the landscape visible satellite image as an aligned sequence of pixel intensity contrast compared to the background. The system features extracted from satellite images is not identical to the geological lineaments that are generally determined by ground surveys, however, generally reflects the structure of faults and fractures in the crust. A temporal sequence of eight Landsat multispectral images of Central Andes geothermal field, located in VI region de Chile, was used to study changes in the configuration of the lineaments during 2011. The presence of minerals with silicification, epidotization, and albitization, which are typical for geothrmal reservoirs, was also identified, using their spectral characteristics, and subsequently corroborated in the field. Both lineament analysis and spectral analysis gave similar location of the reservoir, which increases reliability of the results.

Habitat use by Swainson's Warblers in a managed bottomland forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Somershoe, S.G.; Hudman, S.P.; Chandler, C.R.

2003-01-01

The Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) is a locally distributed and relatively uncommon Neotropical migrant songbird that breeds in the bottomland forests of the southeastern United States and spends the nonbreeding season in the Caribbean Basin. Populations of Swainson's Warblers have declined during recent decades as bottomland forests have come under increasingly intensive management and large areas have been converted to other land uses. We examined the habitat around song perches used by male Swainson's Warblers at Big Hammock Wildlife Management Area, a managed bottomland forest along the Altamaha River in Tattnall County, Georgia. We quantified 20 features of habitat structure in areas occupied by Swainson's Warblers (occupied plots) and two sets of controls: unoccupied plots adjacent to occupied plots (adjacent control plots) and unoccupied plots throughout the management area (general control plots). Occupied plots and adjacent control plots both differed in structure from the general control plots. We detected no significant differences, however, in vegetation structure between occupied plots and adjacent control plots. General control plots tended to have a greater number of trees, greater basal area, and a complete canopy, whereas occupied and adjacent control plots had high densities of small stems, cane, herbaceous ground cover, and leaf litter; this latter pattern is typical of documented Swainson's Warbler breeding habitat. Lack of significant differences in vegetation structure may be due to great variation in habitat structure around song perches, small sample size, or scarcity of Swainson's Warblers. Future research should focus on quantifying habitat characteristics around nest sites, song perches, and feeding areas. Our results suggest that management of bottomland habitats by thinning forests and encouraging regeneration of canebrakes is needed for successful conservation of Swainson's Warblers.

Pattern recognition tool based on complex network-based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casanova, Dalcimar; Backes, André Ricardo; Martinez Bruno, Odemir

2013-02-01

This work proposed a generalization of the method proposed by the authors: 'A complex network-based approach for boundary shape analysis'. Instead of modelling a contour into a graph and use complex networks rules to characterize it, here, we generalize the technique. This way, the work proposes a mathematical tool for characterization signals, curves and set of points. To evaluate the pattern description power of the proposal, an experiment of plat identification based on leaf veins image are conducted. Leaf vein is a taxon characteristic used to plant identification proposes, and one of its characteristics is that these structures are complex, and difficult to be represented as a signal or curves and this way to be analyzed in a classical pattern recognition approach. Here, we model the veins as a set of points and model as graphs. As features, we use the degree and joint degree measurements in a dynamic evolution. The results demonstrates that the technique has a good power of discrimination and can be used for plant identification, as well as other complex pattern recognition tasks.

Dysfunctional illness perception and illness behaviour associated with high somatic symptom severity and low quality of life in general hospital outpatients in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Yaoyin; Fritzsche, Kurt; Leonhart, Rainer; Zhao, Xudong; Zhang, Lan; Wei, Jing; Yang, Jianzhong; Wirsching, Michael; Nater-Mewes, Ricarda; Larisch, Astrid; Schaefert, Rainer

2014-09-01

In primary care populations in Western countries, high somatic symptom severity (SSS) and low quality of life (QoL) are associated with adverse psychobehavioural characteristics. This study assessed the relationship between SSS, QoL and psychobehavioural characteristics in Chinese general hospital outpatients. This multicentre cross-sectional study enrolled 404 patients from 10 outpatient departments, including Neurology, Gastroenterology, Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM] and Psychosomatic Medicine departments, in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Kunming. A structured interview was used to assess the cognitive, affective and behavioural features associated with somatic complaints, independent of their origin. Several standard instruments were used to assess SSS, emotional distress and health-related QoL. Patients who reported low SSS (PHQ-15<10, n=203, SOM-) were compared to patients who reported high SSS (PHQ-15≥10, n=201, SOM+). As compared to SOM- patients, SOM+ patients showed significantly more frequently adverse psychobehavioural characteristics in all questions of the interview. In hierarchical linear regression analyses adjusted for anxiety, depression, gender and medical conditions (SSS additionally for doctor visits), high SSS was significantly associated with "catastrophising" and "illness vulnerability"; low physical QoL was associated with "avoidance of physical activities" and "disuse of body parts"; low mental QoL was associated with "need for immediate medical help." In accordance with the results from Western countries, high SSS was associated with negative illness and self-perception, low physical QoL with avoidance behaviour, and low mental QoL with reassurance seeking in Chinese general hospital outpatients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sleep Architecture Relates to Daytime Affect and Somatic Complaints in Clinically Anxious but Not Healthy Children.

PubMed

Palmer, Cara A; Alfano, Candice A

2017-01-01

It is increasingly clear that seminal sleep-affective relationships begin to take root in childhood, yet studies exploring how nighttime sleep characteristics relate to daytime affective symptoms, both in clinical and healthy populations of children, are lacking. The current study sought to explore these relationships by investigating whether trait-like and/or daily reports of affective and somatic symptoms of children with generalized anxiety disorder and matched controls relate to sleep architecture. Sixty-six children (ages 7-11; 54.4% female; 56.1% Caucasian; 18.2% biracial; 6.1% African American; 3% Asian; 16.7% Hispanic) participated including 29 with primary generalized anxiety disorder (without comorbid depression) and 37 healthy controls matched on age and race/ethnicity. Participants underwent structured diagnostic assessments including child-report measures and subsequently reported on their negative affect and somatic symptoms over the course of 1 week. Children also completed 1 night of polysomnography. Among children with generalized anxiety disorder only, greater amounts of slow wave sleep corresponded with less negative affect, and greater amounts of rapid eye movement sleep was related to more somatic complaints across the week. Similarly, for trait-like measures, more rapid eye movement sleep and shorter latency to rapid eye movement sleep were related to greater depressive symptoms in the anxious group only. The current findings suggest that physiologic sleep characteristics may contribute in direct ways to the symptom profiles of clinically anxious children. The functional relevance of such findings (e.g., how specific sleep characteristics serve to either increase or reduce long-term risk) is a vital direction for future research.

Compression-recovery model of absorptive glass mat (AGM) separator guided by X-ray micro-computed tomography analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kameswara Rao, P. V.; Rawal, Amit; Kumar, Vijay; Rajput, Krishn Gopal

2017-10-01

Absorptive glass mat (AGM) separators play a key role in enhancing the cycle life of the valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries by maintaining the elastic characteristics under a defined level of compression force with the plates of the electrodes. Inevitably, there are inherent challenges to maintain the required level of compression characteristics of AGM separators during the charge and discharge of the battery. Herein, we report a three-dimensional (3D) analytical model for predicting the compression-recovery behavior of AGM separators by formulating a direct relationship with the constituent fiber and structural parameters. The analytical model of compression-recovery behavior of AGM separators has successfully included the fiber slippage criterion and internal friction losses. The presented work uses, for the first time, 3D data of fiber orientation from X-ray micro-computed tomography, for predicting the compression-recovery behavior of AGM separators. A comparison has been made between the theoretical and experimental results of compression-recovery behavior of AGM samples with defined fiber orientation characteristics. In general, the theory agreed reasonably well with the experimental results of AGM samples in both dry and wet states. Through theoretical modeling, fiber volume fraction was established as one of the key structural parameters that modulates the compression hysteresis of an AGM separator.

Quantitative historical analysis uncovers a single dimension of complexity that structures global variation in human social organization.

PubMed

Turchin, Peter; Currie, Thomas E; Whitehouse, Harvey; François, Pieter; Feeney, Kevin; Mullins, Daniel; Hoyer, Daniel; Collins, Christina; Grohmann, Stephanie; Savage, Patrick; Mendel-Gleason, Gavin; Turner, Edward; Dupeyron, Agathe; Cioni, Enrico; Reddish, Jenny; Levine, Jill; Jordan, Greine; Brandl, Eva; Williams, Alice; Cesaretti, Rudolf; Krueger, Marta; Ceccarelli, Alessandro; Figliulo-Rosswurm, Joe; Tuan, Po-Ju; Peregrine, Peter; Marciniak, Arkadiusz; Preiser-Kapeller, Johannes; Kradin, Nikolay; Korotayev, Andrey; Palmisano, Alessio; Baker, David; Bidmead, Julye; Bol, Peter; Christian, David; Cook, Connie; Covey, Alan; Feinman, Gary; Júlíusson, Árni Daníel; Kristinsson, Axel; Miksic, John; Mostern, Ruth; Petrie, Cameron; Rudiak-Gould, Peter; Ter Haar, Barend; Wallace, Vesna; Mair, Victor; Xie, Liye; Baines, John; Bridges, Elizabeth; Manning, Joseph; Lockhart, Bruce; Bogaard, Amy; Spencer, Charles

2018-01-09

Do human societies from around the world exhibit similarities in the way that they are structured, and show commonalities in the ways that they have evolved? These are long-standing questions that have proven difficult to answer. To test between competing hypotheses, we constructed a massive repository of historical and archaeological information known as "Seshat: Global History Databank." We systematically coded data on 414 societies from 30 regions around the world spanning the last 10,000 years. We were able to capture information on 51 variables reflecting nine characteristics of human societies, such as social scale, economy, features of governance, and information systems. Our analyses revealed that these different characteristics show strong relationships with each other and that a single principal component captures around three-quarters of the observed variation. Furthermore, we found that different characteristics of social complexity are highly predictable across different world regions. These results suggest that key aspects of social organization are functionally related and do indeed coevolve in predictable ways. Our findings highlight the power of the sciences and humanities working together to rigorously test hypotheses about general rules that may have shaped human history. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Comparison of impulsive and nonimpulsive suicide attempt patients treated in the emergency departments of four general hospitals in Shenyang, China.

PubMed

Wei, Shengnan; Liu, Li; Bi, Bo; Li, Haiyan; Hou, Jinglin; Chen, Wei; Tan, Shanyong; Chen, Xu; Jia, Xiaoju; Dong, Guanghui; Qin, Xiaoxia

2013-01-01

The aim of the current study was to compare the sociodemographic and psychological characteristics of impulsive suicide attempters with those of nonimpulsive suicide attempters in the emergency departments of general hospitals in Shenyang, China. A total of 239 consecutive suicide attempters, who were treated in the emergency departments of four randomly selected general hospitals from Shenyang city, were evaluated by the following measurements: a detailed structured questionnaire, Beck Suicide Ideation Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, a quality of life scale and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders. The patients were categorized as "impulsive suicide attempts" (≤ 2 h) and "nonimpulsive suicide attempts" (> 2 h) based on the hours it takes for a patient to consider suicide before acting, and the characteristics of the two groups of patients were compared. One hundred seven (44.8%) patients were categorized as impulsive attempters. Compared to nonimpulsive suicide attempters, the impulsive suicide attempters had significantly more self-rescue ideation, their motive was more likely to threaten or express anger at others, and they scored much lower on the intensity of suicidal ideation and depression but higher on life quality; they also had a lower prevalence of psychiatric diagnosis but a higher rate of substance-related disorders. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the following independent predictors of impulsive suicide attempts among suicide attempters: having religious beliefs [odds ratio (OR)=4.435, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.545-12.736], a lower score on the Suicide Ideation Scale (OR=0.952, 95% CI=0.936-0.969) and a lower score on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (OR=0.949, 95% CI=0.911-0.989). The characteristics of impulsive suicide attempters differed significantly with those of nonimpulsive suicide attempters in emergency departments of urban China. It is important to develop different kinds of interventions for the two types of suicide attempters to prevent more future suicide attempts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Peri-Elastodynamic Simulations of Guided Ultrasonic Waves in Plate-Like Structure with Surface Mounted PZT.

PubMed

Patra, Subir; Ahmed, Hossain; Banerjee, Sourav

2018-01-18

Peridynamic based elastodynamic computation tool named Peri-elastodynamics is proposed herein to simulate the three-dimensional (3D) Lamb wave modes in materials for the first time. Peri-elastodynamics is a nonlocal meshless approach which is a scale-independent generalized technique to visualize the acoustic and ultrasonic waves in plate-like structure, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and nanodevices for their respective characterization. In this article, the characteristics of the fundamental Lamb wave modes are simulated in a sample plate-like structure. Lamb wave modes are generated using a surface mounted piezoelectric (PZT) transducer which is actuated from the top surface. The proposed generalized Peri-elastodynamics method is not only capable of simulating two dimensional (2D) in plane wave under plane strain condition formulated previously but also capable of accurately simulating the out of plane Symmetric and Antisymmetric Lamb wave modes in plate like structures in 3D. For structural health monitoring (SHM) of plate-like structures and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of MEMS devices, it is necessary to simulate the 3D wave-damage interaction scenarios and visualize the different wave features due to damages. Hence, in addition, to simulating the guided ultrasonic wave modes in pristine material, Lamb waves were also simulated in a damaged plate. The accuracy of the proposed technique is verified by comparing the modes generated in the plate and the mode shapes across the thickness of the plate with theoretical wave analysis.

Structural synthesis: Precursor and catalyst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmit, L. A.

1984-01-01

More than twenty five years have elapsed since it was recognized that a rather general class of structural design optimization tasks could be properly posed as an inequality constrained minimization problem. It is suggested that, independent of primary discipline area, it will be useful to think about: (1) posing design problems in terms of an objective function and inequality constraints; (2) generating design oriented approximate analysis methods (giving special attention to behavior sensitivity analysis); (3) distinguishing between decisions that lead to an analysis model and those that lead to a design model; (4) finding ways to generate a sequence of approximate design optimization problems that capture the essential characteristics of the primary problem, while still having an explicit algebraic form that is matched to one or more of the established optimization algorithms; (5) examining the potential of optimum design sensitivity analysis to facilitate quantitative trade-off studies as well as participation in multilevel design activities. It should be kept in mind that multilevel methods are inherently well suited to a parallel mode of operation in computer terms or to a division of labor between task groups in organizational terms. Based on structural experience with multilevel methods general guidelines are suggested.

Complex Intelligent Systems: Juxtaposition of Foundational Notions and a Research Agenda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelepithis, Petros A.

2001-11-01

The cardinality of the class, C , of complex intelligent systems, i.e., systems of intelligent systems and their resources, is steadily increasing. Such an increase, whether designed, sometimes changes significantly and fundamentally, the structure of C . Recently,the study of members of C and its structure comes under a variety of multidisciplinary headings the most prominent of which include General Systems Theory, Complexity Science, Artificial Life, and Cybernetics. Their common characteristic is the quest for a unified theory of a certain class of systems like a living system or an organisation. So far, the only candidate for a general theory of intelligent systems is Newell's Soar. To my knowledge there is presently no candidate theory of C except Newell's claimed extensibility of Soar. This paper juxtaposes the elements of Newell's conceptual basis with those of an alternative conceptual framework based on the thesis that communication and understanding are the primary processes shaping the structure of C and its members. It is patently obvious that a research agenda for the study of C can be extremely varied and long. The third section of this paper presents a highly selective research agenda that aims to provoke discussion among complexity theory scientists.

Anesthetic Agents of Plant Origin: A Review of Phytochemicals with Anesthetic Activity.

PubMed

Tsuchiya, Hironori

2017-08-18

The majority of currently used anesthetic agents are derived from or associated with natural products, especially plants, as evidenced by cocaine that was isolated from coca ( Erythroxylum coca , Erythroxylaceae) and became a prototype of modern local anesthetics and by thymol and eugenol contained in thyme ( Thymus vulgaris , Lamiaceae) and clove ( Syzygium aromaticum , Myrtaceae), respectively, both of which are structurally and mechanistically similar to intravenous phenolic anesthetics. This paper reviews different classes of phytochemicals with the anesthetic activity and their characteristic molecular structures that could be lead compounds for anesthetics and anesthesia-related drugs. Phytochemicals in research papers published between 1996 and 2016 were retrieved from the point of view of well-known modes of anesthetic action, that is, the mechanistic interactions with Na⁺ channels, γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors, N -methyl-d-aspartate receptors and lipid membranes. The searched phytochemicals include terpenoids, alkaloids and flavonoids because they have been frequently reported to possess local anesthetic, general anesthetic, antinociceptive, analgesic or sedative property. Clinical applicability of phytochemicals to local and general anesthesia is discussed by referring to animal in vivo experiments and human pre-clinical trials. This review will give structural suggestions for novel anesthetic agents of plant origin.

A General Reversible Hereditary Constitutive Model. Part 1; Theoretical Developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saleeb, A. F.; Arnold, S. M.

1997-01-01

Using an internal-variable formalism as a starting point, we describe the viscoelastic extension of a previously-developed viscoplasticity formulation of the complete potential structure type. It is mainly motivated by experimental evidence for the presence of rate/time effects in the so-called quasilinear, reversible, material response range. Several possible generalizations are described, in the general format of hereditary-integral representations for non-equilibrium, stress-type, state variables, both for isotropic as well as anisotropic materials. In particular, thorough discussions are given on the important issues of thermodynamic admissibility requirements for such general descriptions, resulting in a set of explicit mathematical constraints on the associated kernel (relaxation and creep compliance) functions. In addition, a number of explicit, integrated forms are derived, under stress and strain control to facilitate the parametric and qualitative response characteristic studies reported here, as well as to help identify critical factors in the actual experimental characterizations from test data that will be reported in Part II.

Understanding "revolving door" patients in general practice: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Williamson, Andrea E; Mullen, Kenneth; Wilson, Philip

2014-02-13

'Revolving door' patients in general practice are repeatedly removed from general practitioners' (GP) lists. This paper reports a qualitative portion of the first mixed methods study of these marginalised patients. We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with six practitioner services staff and six GPs in Scotland, utilizing Charmazian grounded theory to characterise 'revolving door' patients and their impact from professionals' perspectives. 'Revolving door' patients were reported as having three necessary characteristics; they had unreasonable expectations, exhibited inappropriate behaviours and had unmet health needs. A range of boundary breaches were reported too when 'revolving door' patients interacted with NHS staff. We utilise the 'sensitising concepts' of legitimacy by drawing on literature about 'good and bad' patients and 'dirty work designations.' We relate these to the core work of general practice and explore the role that medical and moral schemas have in how health service professionals understand and work with 'revolving door' patients. We suggest this may have wider relevance for the problem doctor patient relationship literature.

Towards revealing the structure of bacterial inclusion bodies

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Protein aggregation is a widely observed phenomenon in human diseases, biopharmaceutical production, and biological research. Protein aggregates are generally classified as highly ordered, such as amyloid fibrils, or amorphous, such as bacterial inclusion bodies. Amyloid fibrils are elongated filaments with diameters of 6–12 nm, they are comprised of residue-specific cross-β structure, and display characteristic properties, such as binding with amyloid-specific dyes. Amyloid fibrils are associated with dozens of human pathological conditions, including Alzheimer disease and prion diseases. Distinguished from amyloid fibrils, bacterial inclusion bodies display apparent amorphous morphology. Inclusion bodies are formed during high-level recombinant protein production, and formation of inclusion bodies is a major concern in biotechnology. Despite of the distinctive morphological difference, bacterial inclusion bodies have been found to have some amyloid-like properties, suggesting that they might contain structures similar to amyloid-like fibrils. Recent structural data further support this hypothesis, and this review summarizes the latest progress towards revealing the structural details of bacterial inclusion bodies. PMID:19806034

Towards revealing the structure of bacterial inclusion bodies.

PubMed

Wang, Lei

2009-01-01

Protein aggregation is a widely observed phenomenon in human diseases, biopharmaceutical production, and biological research. Protein aggregates are generally classified as highly ordered, such as amyloid fibrils, or amorphous, such as bacterial inclusion bodies. Amyloid fibrils are elongated filaments with diameters of 6-12 nm, they are comprised of residue-specific cross-beta structure, and display characteristic properties, such as binding with amyloid-specific dyes. Amyloid fibrils are associated with dozens of human pathological conditions, including Alzheimer disease and prion diseases. Distinguished from amyloid fibrils, bacterial inclusion bodies display apparent amorphous morphology. Inclusion bodies are formed during high-level recombinant protein production, and formation of inclusion bodies is a major concern in biotechnology. Despite of the distinctive morphological difference, bacterial inclusion bodies have been found to have some amyloid-like properties, suggesting that they might contain structures similar to amyloid-like fibrils. Recent structural data further support this hypothesis, and this review summarizes the latest progress towards revealing the structural details of bacterial inclusion bodies.

Two-component gravitating systems and the red giant-like structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fujimoto, Masayuki Y.; Tomisaka, Kohji

1992-01-01

The present study investigates the equilibria and evolution of gravitating systems composed of two components by approximating their equations of states to polytropes. The structures are explored in hydrostatic equilibrium systematically under the condition that two components interact with each other only through gravity. The systems are found to be characterized by four parameters, the ratio of central densities and the ratio of central thermal energies per unit mass, and the polytropic indices of two components. If the central density is much higher, the structure is little affected by the presence of the other component. If the difference in the central thermal energies is smaller than specified by beta-cri, the system adopts an equilibrium configuration for any mass ratio. Two-component systems necessarily evolve to have the red giantlike structure if one component suffers cooling faster than the other. It is concluded that the red giant structure is a general characteristic of gravitating systems for which there is an appropriate mechanism to decouple the constituent into the hotter and cooler components.

[Analysis of Conformational Features of Watson-Crick Duplex Fragments by Molecular Mechanics and Quantum Mechanics Methods].

PubMed

Poltev, V I; Anisimov, V M; Sanchez, C; Deriabina, A; Gonzalez, E; Garcia, D; Rivas, F; Polteva, N A

2016-01-01

It is generally accepted that the important characteristic features of the Watson-Crick duplex originate from the molecular structure of its subunits. However, it still remains to elucidate what properties of each subunit are responsible for the significant characteristic features of the DNA structure. The computations of desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complexes with Na-ions using density functional theory revealed a pivotal role of DNA conformational properties of single-chain minimal fragments in the development of unique features of the Watson-Crick duplex. We found that directionality of the sugar-phosphate backbone and the preferable ranges of its torsion angles, combined with the difference between purines and pyrimidines. in ring bases, define the dependence of three-dimensional structure of the Watson-Crick duplex on nucleotide base sequence. In this work, we extended these density functional theory computations to the minimal' fragments of DNA duplex, complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complexes with Na-ions. Using several computational methods and various functionals, we performed a search for energy minima of BI-conformation for complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complexes with different nucleoside sequences. Two sequences are optimized using ab initio method at the MP2/6-31++G** level of theory. The analysis of torsion angles, sugar ring puckering and mutual base positions of optimized structures demonstrates that the conformational characteristic features of complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complexes with Na-ions remain within BI ranges and become closer to the corresponding characteristic features of the Watson-Crick duplex crystals. Qualitatively, the main characteristic features of each studied complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complex remain invariant when different computational methods are used, although the quantitative values of some conformational parameters could vary lying within the limits typical for the corresponding family. We observe that popular functionals in density functional theory calculations lead to the overestimated distances between base pairs, while MP2 computations and the newer complex functionals produce the structures that have too close atom-atom contacts. A detailed study of some complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphate complexes with Na-ions highlights the existence of several energy minima corresponding to BI-conformations, in other words, the complexity of the relief pattern of the potential energy surface of complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphate complexes. This accounts for variability of conformational parameters of duplex fragments with the same base sequence. Popular molecular mechanics force fields AMBER and CHARMM reproduce most of the conformational characteristics of desoxydinucleoside monophosphates and their complementary complexes with Na-ions but fail to reproduce some details of the dependence of the Watson-Crick duplex conformation on the nucleotide sequence.

Physicochemical characteristics of structurally determined metabolite-protein and drug-protein binding events with respect to binding specificity.

PubMed

Korkuć, Paula; Walther, Dirk

2015-01-01

To better understand and ultimately predict both the metabolic activities as well as the signaling functions of metabolites, a detailed understanding of the physical interactions of metabolites with proteins is highly desirable. Focusing in particular on protein binding specificity vs. promiscuity, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the physicochemical properties of compound-protein binding events as reported in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). We compared the molecular and structural characteristics obtained for metabolites to those of the well-studied interactions of drug compounds with proteins. Promiscuously binding metabolites and drugs are characterized by low molecular weight and high structural flexibility. Unlike reported for drug compounds, low rather than high hydrophobicity appears associated, albeit weakly, with promiscuous binding for the metabolite set investigated in this study. Across several physicochemical properties, drug compounds exhibit characteristic binding propensities that are distinguishable from those associated with metabolites. Prediction of target diversity and compound promiscuity using physicochemical properties was possible at modest accuracy levels only, but was consistently better for drugs than for metabolites. Compound properties capturing structural flexibility and hydrogen-bond formation descriptors proved most informative in PLS-based prediction models. With regard to diversity of enzymatic activities of the respective metabolite target enzymes, the metabolites benzylsuccinate, hypoxanthine, trimethylamine N-oxide, oleoylglycerol, and resorcinol showed very narrow process involvement, while glycine, imidazole, tryptophan, succinate, and glutathione were identified to possess broad enzymatic reaction scopes. Promiscuous metabolites were found to mainly serve as general energy currency compounds, but were identified to also be involved in signaling processes and to appear in diverse organismal systems (digestive and nervous system) suggesting specific molecular and physiological roles of promiscuous metabolites.

Physicochemical characteristics of structurally determined metabolite-protein and drug-protein binding events with respect to binding specificity

PubMed Central

Korkuć, Paula; Walther, Dirk

2015-01-01

To better understand and ultimately predict both the metabolic activities as well as the signaling functions of metabolites, a detailed understanding of the physical interactions of metabolites with proteins is highly desirable. Focusing in particular on protein binding specificity vs. promiscuity, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the physicochemical properties of compound-protein binding events as reported in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). We compared the molecular and structural characteristics obtained for metabolites to those of the well-studied interactions of drug compounds with proteins. Promiscuously binding metabolites and drugs are characterized by low molecular weight and high structural flexibility. Unlike reported for drug compounds, low rather than high hydrophobicity appears associated, albeit weakly, with promiscuous binding for the metabolite set investigated in this study. Across several physicochemical properties, drug compounds exhibit characteristic binding propensities that are distinguishable from those associated with metabolites. Prediction of target diversity and compound promiscuity using physicochemical properties was possible at modest accuracy levels only, but was consistently better for drugs than for metabolites. Compound properties capturing structural flexibility and hydrogen-bond formation descriptors proved most informative in PLS-based prediction models. With regard to diversity of enzymatic activities of the respective metabolite target enzymes, the metabolites benzylsuccinate, hypoxanthine, trimethylamine N-oxide, oleoylglycerol, and resorcinol showed very narrow process involvement, while glycine, imidazole, tryptophan, succinate, and glutathione were identified to possess broad enzymatic reaction scopes. Promiscuous metabolites were found to mainly serve as general energy currency compounds, but were identified to also be involved in signaling processes and to appear in diverse organismal systems (digestive and nervous system) suggesting specific molecular and physiological roles of promiscuous metabolites. PMID:26442281

Fuzzy control for nonlinear structure with semi-active friction damper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Da-Hai; Li, Hong-Nan

2007-04-01

The implementation of semi-active friction damper for vibration mitigation of seismic structure generally requires an efficient control strategy. In this paper, the fuzzy logic based on Takagi-Sugeno model is proposed for controlling a semi-active friction damper that is installed on a nonlinear building subjected to strong earthquakes. The continuous Bouc-Wen hysteretic model for the stiffness is used to describe nonlinear characteristic of the building. The optimal sliding force with friction damper is determined by nonlinear time history analysis under normal earthquakes. The Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy logic model is employed to adjust the clamping force acted on the friction damper according to the semi-active control strategy. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is very efficient in reducing the peak inter-story drift and acceleration of the nonlinear building structure under earthquake excitations.

Structure-based control of complex networks with nonlinear dynamics.

PubMed

Zañudo, Jorge Gomez Tejeda; Yang, Gang; Albert, Réka

2017-07-11

What can we learn about controlling a system solely from its underlying network structure? Here we adapt a recently developed framework for control of networks governed by a broad class of nonlinear dynamics that includes the major dynamic models of biological, technological, and social processes. This feedback-based framework provides realizable node overrides that steer a system toward any of its natural long-term dynamic behaviors, regardless of the specific functional forms and system parameters. We use this framework on several real networks, identify the topological characteristics that underlie the predicted node overrides, and compare its predictions to those of structural controllability in control theory. Finally, we demonstrate this framework's applicability in dynamic models of gene regulatory networks and identify nodes whose override is necessary for control in the general case but not in specific model instances.

The process and organizational characteristics of memory clinics in Israel in 2007.

PubMed

Werner, Perla; Goldstein, Dovrat; Heinik, Jeremia

2009-01-01

We previously described the characteristics and activities of 25 memory clinics in Israel in 1998 using a mail survey. Questionnaires assessing the administrative structure of the clinics, patient characteristics, processes and methods used, and outcomes of the assessment were mailed again in 2007 to 35 memory clinics. Overall, the general operating characteristics of the clinics in 2007 were found to be similar to those reported in the previous survey conducted in 1998. The assessment process in 2007 was shorter than in 1998 (mean time=1.92 and 3.12 h, respectively), although both surveys were based on an interdisciplinary team, including a physician, a nurse and a social worker. However, in 2007 the teams were more wide-ranging. A wider variety of instruments were reported in the more recent survey. Most of the clinics in both surveys reported that family members were involved at all stages of the assessment. Medication treatment was the main outcome reported by the clinics in both surveys. There has been a development in the process and organizational characteristics of memory clinics in Israel over the years, probably as a consequence of the development of knowledge in the area of cognitive deterioration.

Intersubband surface plasmon polaritons in all-semiconductor planar plasmonic resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ZałuŻny, M.

2018-01-01

We theoretically discuss properties of intersubband surface plasmon polaritons (ISPPs) supported by the system consisting of a multiple quantum well (MQW) slab embedded into planar resonator with highly doped semiconducting claddings playing the role of cavity mirrors. Symmetric structures, where the MQW slab occupies the whole space between the claddings and asymmetric structures, where the MQW occupy only half of the space between mirrors, are considered. We focus mainly on the nearly degenerate structures where intersubband frequency is close to frequency of the surface plasmon of the mirrors. The ISPP characteristics are calculated numerically using a semiclassical approach based on the transfer matrix formalism and the effective-medium approximation. The claddings are described by the lossless Drude model. The possibility of engineering the dispersion of the ISPP branches is demonstrated. In particular, for certain parameters of the asymmetric structures we observe the formation of the multimode ISPP branches with two zero group velocity points. We show that the properties of the ISPP branches are reasonably well interpreted employing quasiparticle picture provided that the concept of the mode overlap factor is generalized, taking into account the dispersive character of the mirrors. In addition to this, we demonstrate that the lossless dispersion characteristics of the ISPP branches obtained in the paper are consistent with the angle-resolved reflection-absorption spectra of the GaAlAs-based realistic plasmonic resonators.

Reconstruction of the in-plane mode shape of a rotating tire with a continuous scanning measurement using the Hilbert-Huang transform.

PubMed

Lee, Jongsuh; Wang, Semyung; Pluymers, Bert; Desmet, Wim; Kindt, Peter

2015-02-01

Generally, the dynamic characteristics (natural frequency, damping, and mode shape) of a structure can be estimated by experimental modal analysis. Among these dynamic characteristics, mode shape requires multiple measurements of the structure at different positions, which increases the experimental cost and time. Recently, the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) method has been introduced to extract mode-shape information from a continuous measurement, which requires vibration measurements from one position to another position continuously with a non-contact sensor. In this research study, an effort has been made to estimate the mode shapes of a rolling tire with a single measurement instead of using the conventional experimental setup (i.e., measurement of the vibration of a rolling tire at multiple positions similar to the case of a non-rotating structure), which is used to estimate the dynamic behavior of a rolling tire. For this purpose, HHT, which was used in the continuous measurement of a non-rotating structure in previous research studies, has been used for the case of a rotating system in this study. Ambiguous mode combinations can occur in this rotating system, and therefore, a method to overcome this ambiguity is proposed in this study. In addition, the specific phenomenon for a rotating system is introduced, and the effect of this phenomenon with regard to the obtained results through HHT is investigated.

Out-of-pocket expenditures for pharmaceuticals: lessons from the Austrian household budget survey.

PubMed

Sanwald, Alice; Theurl, Engelbert

2017-05-01

Paying pharmaceuticals out of pocket is an important source of financing pharmaceutical consumption. Only limited empirical knowledge is available on the determinants of these expenditures. In this article we analyze which characteristics of private households influence out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenditure (OOPPE) in Austria. We use cross-sectional information on OOPPE and household characteristics provided by the Austrian household budget survey 2009/10. We split pharmaceutical expenditures into the two components prescription fees and over-the-counter (OTC) expenditures. To adjust for the specific characteristics of the data, we compare different econometric approaches: a two-part model, hurdle model, generalized linear model and zero-inflated negative binomial regression model. The finally selected econometric approaches give a quite consistent picture. The probability of expenditures of both types is strongly influenced by the household structure. It increases with age, doctoral visits and the presence of a female householder. The education level and income only increase the probability of OTC pharmaceuticals. The level of OTC expenditures remains widely unexplained while the household structure and age influence the expenditures for prescription fees. Insurance characteristics of private households, either private or public, play a minor role in explaining the expenditure levels in all specifications. This refers to a homogeneous and comprehensive provision of pharmaceuticals in the public part of the Austrian health care system. The article gives useful insights into the determinants of pharmaceutical expenditures of private households and supplements the previous research that focuses on the individual level.

Economic impact of dental hygienists on solo dental practices.

PubMed

Lazar, Vickie F; Guay, Albert H; Beazoglou, Tryfon J

2012-08-01

The fact that a significant percentage of dentists employ dental hygienists raises an important question: Are dental practices that utilize a dental hygienist structurally and operationally different from practices that do not? This article explores differences among dental practices that operate with and without dental hygienists. Using data from the American Dental Association's 2003 Survey of Dental Practice, a random sample survey of U.S. dentists, descriptive statistics were used to compare selected characteristics of solo general practitioners with and without dental hygienists. Multivariate regression analysis was used to estimate the effect of dental hygienists on the gross billings and net incomes of solo general practitioners. Differences in practice characteristics--such as hours spent in the practice and hours spent treating patients, wait time for a recall visit, number of operatories, square feet of office space, net income, and gross billings--were found between solo general practitioners who had dental hygienists and those who did not. Solo general practitioners with dental hygienists had higher gross billings. Higher gross billings would be expected, as would higher expenses. However, net incomes of those with dental hygienists were also higher. In contrast, the mean waiting time for a recall visit was higher among dentists who employed dental hygienists. Depending on personal preferences, availability of qualified personnel, etc., dentists who do not employ dental hygienists but have been contemplating that path may want to further research the benefits and opportunities that may be realized.

Quiet short-haul research aircraft familiarization document, revision 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eppel, J. C.

1981-01-01

The design features and general characteristics of the Quiet Short Haul Research Aircraft are described. Aerodynamic characteristics and performance are discussed based on predictions and early flight test data. Principle airplane systems, including the airborne data acquisition system, are also described. The aircraft was designed and built to fulfill the need for a national research facility to explore the use of upper surface blowing, propulsive lift technology in providing short takeoff and landing capability, and perform advanced experiments in various technical disciplines such as aerodynamics, propulsion, stability and control, handling qualities, avionics and flight control systems, trailing vortex phenomena, acoustics, structure and loads, operating systems, human factors, and airworthiness/certification criteria. An unusually austere approach using experimental shop practices resulted in a low cost and high research capability.

Quiet short-haul research aircraft familiarization document. [STOL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccracken, R. C.

1979-01-01

The design features and general characteristics of the NASA Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft are described. Aerodynamic characteristics and performance are discussed based on predictions and early flight-test data. Principle airplane systems, including the airborne data-acquisition system, are also described. The aircraft was designed and built to fulfill the need for a national research facility to explore the use of upper surface-blowing propulsive-lift technology in providing short takeoff and landing capability, and perform advanced experiments in various technical disciplines such as aerodynamics, propulsion, stability and control, handling qualities, avionics and flight-control systems, trailing-vortex phenomena, acoustics, structure and loads, operating systems, human factors, and airworthiness/certification criteria. An unusually austere approach using experimental shop practices resulted in a low cost and high research capability.

Research on Antiphonic Characteristic of AlMg10-SiC Ultralight Composite Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusu, O.; Rusu, I.

2018-06-01

The paper presents the results on the absorption sound testing of an ultralight cellular composite material AlMg10-SiC, obtained by sputtering method. We have chosen this type of material because its microstructure generally comprises open cells (and relatively few semi-open cells), evenly distributed in the material, a structure that, at least theoretically, has a favorable behavior in relation to sound damping. The tests were performed on three types of samples, namely P11 – AlMg10 – 5%SiC, P12 – AlMg10 – 10%SiC şi P13 – AlMg10 – 15%SiC. The 15% SiC (P13) cellular material sample has the best sound-absorbing characteristics and the highest practical absorption degree.

Individual differences in children's innovative problem-solving are not predicted by divergent thinking or executive functions

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Recent studies of children's tool innovation have revealed that there is variation in children's success in middle-childhood. In two individual differences studies, we sought to identify personal characteristics that might predict success on an innovation task. In Study 1, we found that although measures of divergent thinking were related to each other they did not predict innovation success. In Study 2, we measured executive functioning including: inhibition, working memory, attentional flexibility and ill-structured problem-solving. None of these measures predicted innovation, but, innovation was predicted by children's performance on a receptive vocabulary scale that may function as a proxy for general intelligence. We did not find evidence that children's innovation was predicted by specific personal characteristics. PMID:26926280

Territory and nest site selection patterns by Grasshopper Sparrows in southeastern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruth, Janet M.; Skagen, Susan K.

2017-01-01

Grassland bird populations are showing some of the greatest rates of decline of any North American birds, prompting measures to protect and improve important habitat. We assessed how vegetation structure and composition, habitat features often targeted for management, affected territory and nest site selection by Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus) in southeastern Arizona. To identify features important to males establishing territories, we compared vegetation characteristics of known territories and random samples on 2 sites over 5 years. We examined habitat selection patterns of females by comparing characteristics of nest sites with territories over 3 years. Males selected territories in areas of sparser vegetation structure and more tall shrubs (>2 m) than random plots on the site with low shrub densities. Males did not select territories based on the proportion of exotic grasses. Females generally located nest sites in areas with lower small shrub (1–2 m tall) densities than territories overall when possible and preferentially selected native grasses for nest construction. Whether habitat selection was apparent depended upon the range of vegetation structure that was available. We identified an upper threshold above which grass structure seemed to be too high and dense for Grasshopper Sparrows. Our results suggest that some management that reduces vegetative structure may benefit this species in desert grasslands at the nest and territory scale. However, we did not assess initial male habitat selection at a broader landscape scale where their selection patterns may be different and could be influenced by vegetation density and structure outside the range of values sampled in this study.

28 CFR 544.82 - General program characteristics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... certificates—approved general education, occupation training, recreation, adult continuing education and social... EDUCATION Education, Training and Leisure-Time Program Standards § 544.82 General program characteristics. (a) The Supervisor of Education shall assure that the following minimum criteria are met for the...

28 CFR 544.82 - General program characteristics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... certificates—approved general education, occupation training, recreation, adult continuing education and social... EDUCATION Education, Training and Leisure-Time Program Standards § 544.82 General program characteristics. (a) The Supervisor of Education shall assure that the following minimum criteria are met for the...

28 CFR 544.82 - General program characteristics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... certificates—approved general education, occupation training, recreation, adult continuing education and social... EDUCATION Education, Training and Leisure-Time Program Standards § 544.82 General program characteristics. (a) The Supervisor of Education shall assure that the following minimum criteria are met for the...

28 CFR 544.82 - General program characteristics.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... certificates—approved general education, occupation training, recreation, adult continuing education and social... EDUCATION Education, Training and Leisure-Time Program Standards § 544.82 General program characteristics. (a) The Supervisor of Education shall assure that the following minimum criteria are met for the...

A multi-ion generalized transport model of the polar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demars, H. G.; Schunk, R. W.

1994-01-01

The higher-order generalizations of the equations of standard hydrodynamics, known collectively as generalized transport theories, have been used since the early 1980s to describe the terrestrial polar wind. Inherent in the structure of generalized transport theories is the ability to describe not only interparticle collisions but also certain non-Maxwellian processes, such as heat flow and viscous stress, that are characteristic of any plasma flow that is not collision dominated. Because the polar wind exhibits a transition from collision-dominated to collisionless flow, generalized transport theories possess advantages for polar wind modeling not shared by either collision-dominated models (such as standard hydrodynamics) or collisionless models (such as those based on solving the collisionless Boltzmann equation). In general, previous polar wind models have used generalized transport equations to describe electrons and only one species of ion (H(+)). If other ion species were included in the models at all, it was in a simplified or semiempirical manner. The model described in this paper is the first polar wind model that uses a generalized transport theory (bi-Maxwellian-based 16-moment theory) to describe all of the species, both major and minor, in the polar wind plasma. In the model, electrons and three ion species (H(+), He(+), O(+)) are assumed to be major and several ion species are assumed to be minor (NO(+), Fe(+), O(++)). For all species, a complete 16-moment transport formulation is used, so that profiles of density, drift velocity, parallel and perpendicular temperatures, and the field-aligned parallel and perpendicular energy flows are obtained. In the results presented here, emphasis is placed on describing those constituents of the polar wind that have received little attention in past studies. In particular, characteristic solutions are presented for supersonic H(+) outflow and for both supersonic and subsonic outflows of the major ion He(+). Solutions are also presented for various minor ions, both atomic and molecular and both singly and multiply charged.

Vertical amplitude phase structure of a low-frequency acoustic field in shallow water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, G. N.; Lebedev, O. V.; Stepanov, A. N.

2016-11-01

We obtain in integral and analytic form the relations for calculating the amplitude and phase characteristics of an interference structure of orthogonal projections of the oscillation velocity vector in shallow water. For different frequencies and receiver depths, we numerically study the source depth dependences of the effective phase velocities of an equivalent plane wave, the orthogonal projections of the sound pressure phase gradient, and the projections of the oscillation velocity vector. We establish that at low frequencies in zones of interference maxima, independently of source depth, weakly varying effective phase velocity values are observed, which exceed the sound velocity in water by 5-12%. We show that the angles of arrival of the equivalent plane wave and the oscillation velocity vector in the general case differ; however, they virtually coincide in the zone of the interference maximum of the sound pressure under the condition that the horizontal projections of the oscillation velocity appreciably exceed the value of the vertical projection. We give recommendations on using the sound field characteristics in zones with maximum values for solving rangefinding and signal-detection problems.

Wind load effects on high rise buildings in Peninsular Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nizamani, Z.; Thang, K. C.; Haider, B.; Shariff, M.

2018-04-01

Wind is a randomly varying dynamic phenomenon composed of a multitude of eddies of varying sizes and rotational characteristics along a general stream of air moving relative to the ground. These eddies give wind its gustiness, creating fluctuation and results in a complex flow characteristics. The wind vector at any point can be regarded as the sum of mean wind vector and the fluctuation components. These components not only vary with height but also dependant on the approach terrain and topography. Prevailing wind exerts pressure onto the structural surfaces. The effects of wind pressure in the form of shear and bending moments are found to be a major problem in structural failure. This study aims to study the effects of wind load on a fifteen-storey high rise building using EN 1991-1-4 code and MS1553:2002. The simulation results showed that by increasing the wind speed, the storey resultant forces, namely storey shear and storey moment increases significantly. Furthermore, simulation results according to EN 1991-1-4 yield higher values compared to the simulation results according to MS1553:2002.

Comparison of main-shock and aftershock fragility curves developed for New Zealand and US buildings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Uma, S.R.; Ryu, H.; Luco, N.; Liel, A.B.; Raghunandan, M.

2011-01-01

Seismic risk assessment involves the development of fragility functions to express the relationship between ground motion intensity and damage potential. In evaluating the risk associated with the building inventory in a region, it is essential to capture 'actual' characteristics of the buildings and group them so that 'generic building types' can be generated for further analysis of their damage potential. Variations in building characteristics across regions/countries largely influence the resulting fragility functions, such that building models are unsuitable to be adopted for risk assessment in any other region where a different set of building is present. In this paper, for a given building type (represented in terms of height and structural system), typical New Zealand and US building models are considered to illustrate the differences in structural model parameters and their effects on resulting fragility functions for a set of main-shocks and aftershocks. From this study, the general conclusion is that the methodology and assumptions used to derive basic capacity curve parameters have a considerable influence on fragility curves.

Modes of fossil preservation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schopf, J.M.

1975-01-01

The processes of geologic preservation are important for understanding the organisms represented by fossils. Some fossil differences are due to basic differences in organization of animals and plants, but the interpretation of fossils has also tended to be influenced by modes of preservation. Four modes of preservation generally can be distinguished: (1) Cellular permineralization ("petrifaction") preserves anatomical detail, and, occasionally, even cytologic structures. (2) Coalified compression, best illustrated by structures from coal but characteristic of many plant fossils in shale, preserves anatomical details in distorted form and produces surface replicas (impressions) on enclosing matrix. (3) Authigenic preservation replicates surface form or outline (molds and casts) prior to distortion by compression and, depending on cementation and timing, may intergrade with fossils that have been subject to compression. (4) Duripartic (hard part) preservation is characteristic of fossil skeletal remains, predominantly animal. Molds, pseudomorphs, or casts may form as bulk replacements following dissolution of the original fossil material, usually by leaching. Classification of the kinds of preservation in fossils will aid in identifying the processes responsible for modifying the fossil remains of both animals and plants. ?? 1975.

Intelligent modelling of bioprocesses: a comparison of structured and unstructured approaches.

PubMed

Hodgson, Benjamin J; Taylor, Christopher N; Ushio, Misti; Leigh, J R; Kalganova, Tatiana; Baganz, Frank

2004-12-01

This contribution moves in the direction of answering some general questions about the most effective and useful ways of modelling bioprocesses. We investigate the characteristics of models that are good at extrapolating. We trained three fully predictive models with different representational structures (differential equations, differential equations with inheritance of rates and a network of reactions) on Saccharopolyspora erythraea shake flask fermentation data using genetic programming. The models were then tested on unseen data outside the range of the training data and the resulting performances were compared. It was found that constrained models with mathematical forms analogous to internal mass balancing and stoichiometric relations were superior to flexible unconstrained models, even though no a priori knowledge of this fermentation was used.

Aeroelastic analysis for propellers - mathematical formulations and program user's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bielawa, R. L.; Johnson, S. A.; Chi, R. M.; Gangwani, S. T.

1983-01-01

Mathematical development is presented for a specialized propeller dedicated version of the G400 rotor aeroelastic analysis. The G400PROP analysis simulates aeroelastic characteristics particular to propellers such as structural sweep, aerodynamic sweep and high subsonic unsteady airloads (both stalled and unstalled). Formulations are presented for these expanded propeller related methodologies. Results of limited application of the analysis to realistic blade configurations and operating conditions which include stable and unstable stall flutter test conditions are given. Sections included for enhanced program user efficiency and expanded utilization include descriptions of: (1) the structuring of the G400PROP FORTRAN coding; (2) the required input data; and (3) the output results. General information to facilitate operation and improve efficiency is also provided.

Strain-Based Damage Determination Using Finite Element Analysis for Structural Health Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hochhalter, Jacob D.; Krishnamurthy, Thiagaraja; Aguilo, Miguel A.

2016-01-01

A damage determination method is presented that relies on in-service strain sensor measurements. The method employs a gradient-based optimization procedure combined with the finite element method for solution to the forward problem. It is demonstrated that strains, measured at a limited number of sensors, can be used to accurately determine the location, size, and orientation of damage. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the general procedure. This work is motivated by the need to provide structural health management systems with a real-time damage characterization. The damage cases investigated herein are characteristic of point-source damage, which can attain critical size during flight. The procedure described can be used to provide prognosis tools with the current damage configuration.

Analytical Approach to Large Deformation Problems of Frame Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohtsuki, Atsumi; Ellyin, Fernand

In elements used as flexible linking devices and structures, the main characteristic is a fairly large deformation without exceeding the elastic limit of the material. This property is of both analytical and technological interests. Previous studies of large deformation have been generally concerned with a single member (e.g. a cantilever beam, a simply supported beam, etc.). However, there are very few large deformation studies of assembled members such as frames. This paper deals with a square frame with rigid joints, loaded diagonally in either tension or compression by a pair of opposite forces. Analytical solutions for large deformation are obtained in terms of elliptic integrals, and are compared with the experimental data. The agreement is found to be fairly close.

Metocean Data Needs Assessment for U.S. Offshore Wind Energy

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

Bailey, Bruce H.; Filippelli, Matthew; Baker, Matthew

2015-01-01

A potential barrier to developing offshore wind energy in the United States is the general lack of accurate information in most offshore areas about the wind resource characteristics and external metocean design conditions at the heights and depths relevant to wind turbines and their associated structures and components. Knowledge of these conditions enables specification of the appropriate design basis for wind turbine structures and components so they can withstand the loads expected over a project’s lifetime. Human safety, vessel navigation, and project construction and maintenance activities are equally tied to the metocean environment. Currently, metocean data is sparse in potentialmore » development areas and even when available, does not include the detail or quality required to make informed decisions.« less

Characterizing Covalently Sidewall-Functionalized SWCNTs by using 1H NMR Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Nelson, Donna J.; Kumar, Ravi

2013-01-01

Unambiguous evidence for covalent sidewall functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) has been a difficult task, especially for nanomaterials in which slight differences in functionality structure produce significant changes in molecular characteristics. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provides clear information about the structural skeleton of molecules attached to SWCNTs. In order to establish the generality of proton NMR as an analytical technique for characterizing covalently functionalized SWCNTs, we have obtained and analyzed proton NMR data of SWCNT-substituted benzenes across a variety of para substituents. Trends obtained for differences in proton NMR chemical shifts and the impact of o-, p-, and m-directing effects of electrophilic aromatic substituents on phenyl groups covalently bonded to SWCNTs are discussed. PMID:24009779

Filament cooling and condensation in a sheared magnetic field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Hoven, Gerard

1990-01-01

Thermal instability driven by optically thin radiation in the corona is believed to initiate the formation of solar filaments. The fact that filaments are observed generally to separate regions of opposite, line-of-sight, magnetic polarity in the differentially rotating photosphere suggests that filament formation requires the presence of a highly sheared magnetic field. The coupled energetics and dynamics of the most important condensation modes, those due to perpendicular thermal conduction at short wavelengths are discussed. Linear structure in the sheared field and their growth rates is described, and 2D, nonlinear, MHD simulations of the evolution of these modes in a force-free field are conducted. The simulations achieve the fine thermal structures, minimum temperatures and maximum densities characteristic of observed solar filaments.

Distributed meandering waveguides (DMWs) for novel photonic circuits (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dag, Ceren B.; Anil, Mehmet Ali; Serpengüzel, Ali

2017-05-01

Meandering waveguide distributed feedback structures are novel integrated photonic lightwave and microwave circuit elements. Meandering waveguide distributed feedback structures with a variety of spectral responses can be designed for a variety of lightwave and microwave circuit element functions. Distributed meandering waveguide (DMW) structures [1] show a variety of spectral behaviors with respect to the number of meandering loop mirrors (MLMs) [2] used in their composition as well as their internal coupling constants (Cs). DMW spectral behaviors include Fano resonances, coupled resonator induced transparency (CRIT), notch, add-drop, comb, and hitless filters. What makes the DMW special is the self-coupling property intrinsic to the DMW's nature. The basic example of DMW's nature is motivated through the analogy between the so-called symmetric meandering resonator (SMR), which consists of two coupled MLMs, and the resonator enhanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer (REMZI) [3]. A SMR shows the same spectral characteristics of Fano resonances with its self-coupling property, similar to the single, distributed and binary self coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) resonators [4]. So far DMWs have been studied for their electric field intensity, phase [5] and phasor responses [6]. The spectral analysis is performed using the coupled electric field analysis and the generalization of single meandering loop mirrors to multiple meandering distributed feedback structures is performed with the transfer matrix method. The building block of the meandering waveguide structures, the meandering loop mirror (MLM), is the integrated analogue of the fiber optic loop mirrors. The meandering resonator (MR) is composed of two uncoupled MLM's. The meandering distributed feedback (MDFB) structure is the DFB of the MLM. The symmetric MR (SMR) is composed of two coupled MLM's, and has the characteristics of a Fano resonator in the general case, and tunable power divider or tunable hitless filter in special cases. The antisymmetric MR (AMR) is composed of two coupled MLM's. The AMR has the characteristics of an add-drop filter in the general case, and coupled resonator induced transparency (CRIT) filter in a special case. The symmetric MDFB (SMDFB) is composed of multiple coupled MLM's. The antisymmetric MDFB (AMDFB) is composed of multiple coupled MLM's. The SMDFB and AMDFB can be utilized as band-pass, Fano, or Lorentzian filters, or Rabi splitters. Distributed meandering waveguide elements with extremely rich spectral and phase responses can be designed with creative combinations of distributed meandering waveguides structures for various novel photonic circuits. References [1 ] C. B. Dağ, M. A. Anıl, and A. Serpengüzel, "Meandering Waveguide Distributed Feedback Lightwave Circuits," J. Lightwave Technol, vol. 33, no. 9, pp. 1691-1702, May 2015. [2] N. J. Doran and D. Wood, "Nonlinear-optical loop mirror," Opt. Lett. vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 56-58, Jan. 1988. [3] L. Zhou and A. W. Poon, "Fano resonance-based electrically reconfigurable add-drop filters in silicon microring resonator-coupled Mach-Zehnder interferometers," Opt. Lett. vol. 32, no. 7, pp. 781-783, Apr. 2007. [4] Z. Zou, L. Zhou, X. Sun, J. Xie, H. Zhu, L. Lu, X. Li, and J. Chen, "Tunable two-stage self-coupled optical waveguide resonators," Opt. Lett. vol. 38, no. 8, pp. 1215-1217, Apr. 2013. [5] C. B. Dağ, M. A. Anıl, and A. Serpengüzel, "Novel distributed feedback lightwave circuit elements," in Proc. SPIE, San Francisco, 2015, vol. 9366, p. 93660A. [6] C. B. Dağ, M. A. Anıl, and A. Serpengüzel, "Meandering Waveguide Distributed Feedback Lightwave Elements: Phasor Diagram Analysis," in Proc. PIERS, Prague, 1986-1990 (2015).

An Overview of Structural Characteristics in Problematic Video Game Playing.

PubMed

Griffiths, Mark D; Nuyens, Filip

2017-01-01

There are many different factors involved in how and why people develop problems with video game playing. One such set of factors concerns the structural characteristics of video games (i.e., the structure, elements, and components of the video games themselves). Much of the research examining the structural characteristics of video games was initially based on research and theorizing from the gambling studies field. The present review briefly overviews the key papers in the field to date. The paper examines a number of areas including (i) similarities in structural characteristics of gambling and video gaming, (ii) structural characteristics in video games, (iii) narrative and flow in video games, (iv) structural characteristic taxonomies for video games, and (v) video game structural characteristics and game design ethics. Many of the studies carried out to date are small-scale, and comprise self-selected convenience samples (typically using self-report surveys or non-ecologically valid laboratory experiments). Based on the small amount of empirical data, it appears that structural features that take a long time to achieve in-game are the ones most associated with problematic video game play (e.g., earning experience points, managing in-game resources, mastering the video game, getting 100% in-game). The study of video games from a structural characteristic perspective is of benefit to many different stakeholders including academic researchers, video game players, and video game designers, as well as those interested in prevention and policymaking by making the games more socially responsible. It is important that researchers understand and recognize the psycho-social effects and impacts that the structural characteristics of video games can have on players, both positive and negative.

A Concept for the Use and Integration of Super-Conducting Magnets in Structural Systems in General and Maglev Guideway Mega-Structures in Particular

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ussery, Wilfred T.; MacCalla, Eric; MacCalla, Johnetta; Elnimeiri, Mahjoub; Goldsmith, Myron; Polk, Sharon Madison; Jenkins, Mozella; Bragg, Robert H.

1996-01-01

Recent breakthroughs in several different fields now make it possible to incorporate the use of superconducting magnets in structures in ways which enhance the performance of structural members or components of structural systems in general and Maglev guideway mega-structures in particular. The building of structural systems which connect appropriately scaled superconducting magnets with the post-tensioned tensile components of beams, girders, or columns would, if coupled with 'state of the art' structure monitoring, feedback and control systems, and advanced computer software, constitute a distinct new generation of structures that would possess the unique characteristic of being heuristic and demand or live-load responsive. The holistic integration of powerful superconducting magnets in structures so that they do actual structural work, creates a class of 'technologically endowed' structures that, in part - literally substitute superconductive electric power and magnetism for concrete and steel. The research and development engineering, and architectural design issues associated with such 'technologically endowed' structural system can now be conceptualized, designed, computer simulates built and tested. The Maglev guideway mega-structure delineated herein incorporates these concepts, and is designed for operation in the median strip of U.S. Interstate Highway 5 from San Diego to Seattle an Vancouver, and possibly on to Fairbanks, Alaska. This system also fits in the median strip of U.S. Interstate Highway 55 and 95 North-South, and 80 and 10, East-West. As a Western Region 'Peace Dividend' project, it could become a National or Bi-National research, design and build, super turnkey project that would create thousands of jobs by applying superconducting, material science, electronic aerospace and other defense industry technologies to a multi-vehicle, multi-use Maglev guideway megastructure that integrates urban mass transit Lower Speed (0-100 mph), High Speed (100-200 mph), Super Speed (200-400 mph), and Hypersonic evacuated tube (400-10,000 mph) Maglev systems.

Multivariate analysis of scale-dependent associations between bats and landscape structure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gorresen, P.M.; Willig, M.R.; Strauss, R.E.

2005-01-01

The assessment of biotic responses to habitat disturbance and fragmentation generally has been limited to analyses at a single spatial scale. Furthermore, methods to compare responses between scales have lacked the ability to discriminate among patterns related to the identity, strength, or direction of associations of biotic variables with landscape attributes. We present an examination of the relationship of population- and community-level characteristics of phyllostomid bats with habitat features that were measured at multiple spatial scales in Atlantic rain forest of eastern Paraguay. We used a matrix of partial correlations between each biotic response variable (i.e., species abundance, species richness, and evenness) and a suite of landscape characteristics to represent the multifaceted associations of bats with spatial structure. Correlation matrices can correspond based on either the strength (i.e., magnitude) or direction (i.e., sign) of association. Therefore, a simulation model independently evaluated correspondence in the magnitude and sign of correlations among scales, and results were combined via a meta-analysis to provide an overall test of significance. Our approach detected both species-specific differences in response to landscape structure and scale dependence in those responses. This matrix-simulation approach has broad applicability to ecological situations in which multiple intercorrelated factors contribute to patterns in space or time. ?? 2005 by the Ecological Society of America.

Mechanisms of heterogeneous crystal growth in atomic systems: insights from computer simulations.

PubMed

Gulam Razul, M S; Hendry, J G; Kusalik, P G

2005-11-22

In this paper we analyze the atomic-level structure of solid/liquid interfaces of Lennard-Jones fcc systems. The 001, 011, and 111 faces are examined during steady-state growth and melting of these crystals. The mechanisms of crystallization and melting are explored using averaged configurations generated during these steady-state runs, where subsequent tagging and labeling of particles at the interface provide many insights into the detailed atomic behavior at the freezing and melting interfaces. The interfaces are generally found to be rough and we observe the structure of freezing and melting interfaces to be very similar. Large structural fluctuations with solidlike and liquidlike characteristics are apparent in both the freezing and melting interfaces. The behavior at the interface observed under either growth or melting conditions reflects a competition between ordering and disordering processes. In addition, we observe atom hopping that imparts liquidlike characteristics to the solid side of the interfaces for all three crystal faces. Solid order is observed to extend as rough, three-dimensional protuberances through the interface, particularly for the 001 and 011 faces. We are also able to reconcile our different measures for the interfacial width and address the onset of asymmetry in the growth rates at high rates of crystal growth/melting.

Reefs happen

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinzie, R. A.; Buddemeier, R.W.

1996-01-01

Corals and coral reefs confront us with a variety of paradoxes in terms of their responses to global change. The species appear evolutionarily long-lived and stable, and combinations of organisms recur and persist at levels ranging from endosymbiosis to palaeocommunity structure. The fact that these organisms and communities occupy a seemingly precarious environment near the common interface of land, sea, and air suggests that they possess powerful adaptive and acclimative mechanisms, and the special characteristics associated with their range of reproductive options, their modular (colonial) form, and their symbiotic associations provide multiple pathways for adaptation. At the same time, they are widely considered to be vulnerable to anthropogenic stresses, and to show signs of deterioration on a global scale. Interest in corals is further enhanced by their unique position with regard to the carbon cycle, with inorganic and organic carbon metabolisms that are of comparable magnitudes. The durable limestone structures they create modify the shallow-water environment, and their mineral skeletons preserve in their isotopic, chemical, and structural characteristics records of past environmental conditions. Whether as survivors, recorders, or victims, their relationship to global change is fascinating and instructive. This paper provides a general background and context for the specific papers that make up this topical issue of Global Change Biology. ?? 1996 Blackwell Science Ltd.

Peptides containing internal residues of pyroglutamic acid: proton NMR characteristics

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

Khan, S.A.

1986-05-01

The proton NMR characteristics of internal pyroglutamic acid (Glp; 5-oxoproline) residues in seven tripeptides of the general structure Boc-Xxx-Glp-Yyy-NH/sub 2/ were studied. In general, the chemical shifts of several diagnostic protons moved downfield on going from the Glu-containing peptides (Boc-Xxx-Glu-Yyy-NH/sub 2/) to the corresponding Glp-containing peptides. The C-2 proton of the Xxx residue was shifted by about 1.1 ppm. The N-2 proton of the Yyy residue was shifted by about 0.5 ppm. The C-2 proton of the Glx residue itself was shifted by about 0.5 ppm. One of the Glx C-3 protons was also shifted by about 0.5 ppm, butmore » the other remained essentially unchanged. Finally, the Glx C-4 protons were shifted by about 0.3 ppm. Internal Glu residues are readily converted chemically into internal Glp residues. This conversion also occurs as a side reaction during HP cleavage of the protecting group from Glu(OBzl) residues. The spontaneous fragmentation of serum proteins C3, C4 and lambda/sub 2/-macroglobulin under denaturing conditions is probably due to regioselective hydrolysis of an internal Glp residue formed in each of these proteins upon denaturation. These proton NMR characteristics may be useful in establishing the presence of internal Glp residues in synthetic and natural peptides.« less

Chicago's Spanish-Speaking Population: Selected Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Dept. of Development and Planning, IL.

Based on selected data from the 1970 census, this report provides a general description of Chicago's Spanish-speaking population's: (1) general population characteristics; (2) age and family characteristics; (3) income; (4) labor force characteristics; (5) education; and (6) housing. Using the Census Bureau's definition of Spanish speaking (all…

Bridge Structure Deformation Prediction Based on GNSS Data Using Kalman-ARIMA-GARCH Model

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaoqing; Wang, Yu

2018-01-01

Bridges are an essential part of the ground transportation system. Health monitoring is fundamentally important for the safety and service life of bridges. A large amount of structural information is obtained from various sensors using sensing technology, and the data processing has become a challenging issue. To improve the prediction accuracy of bridge structure deformation based on data mining and to accurately evaluate the time-varying characteristics of bridge structure performance evolution, this paper proposes a new method for bridge structure deformation prediction, which integrates the Kalman filter, autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA), and generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH). Firstly, the raw deformation data is directly pre-processed using the Kalman filter to reduce the noise. After that, the linear recursive ARIMA model is established to analyze and predict the structure deformation. Finally, the nonlinear recursive GARCH model is introduced to further improve the accuracy of the prediction. Simulation results based on measured sensor data from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) deformation monitoring system demonstrated that: (1) the Kalman filter is capable of denoising the bridge deformation monitoring data; (2) the prediction accuracy of the proposed Kalman-ARIMA-GARCH model is satisfactory, where the mean absolute error increases only from 3.402 mm to 5.847 mm with the increment of the prediction step; and (3) in comparision to the Kalman-ARIMA model, the Kalman-ARIMA-GARCH model results in superior prediction accuracy as it includes partial nonlinear characteristics (heteroscedasticity); the mean absolute error of five-step prediction using the proposed model is improved by 10.12%. This paper provides a new way for structural behavior prediction based on data processing, which can lay a foundation for the early warning of bridge health monitoring system based on sensor data using sensing technology. PMID:29351254

Bridge Structure Deformation Prediction Based on GNSS Data Using Kalman-ARIMA-GARCH Model.

PubMed

Xin, Jingzhou; Zhou, Jianting; Yang, Simon X; Li, Xiaoqing; Wang, Yu

2018-01-19

Bridges are an essential part of the ground transportation system. Health monitoring is fundamentally important for the safety and service life of bridges. A large amount of structural information is obtained from various sensors using sensing technology, and the data processing has become a challenging issue. To improve the prediction accuracy of bridge structure deformation based on data mining and to accurately evaluate the time-varying characteristics of bridge structure performance evolution, this paper proposes a new method for bridge structure deformation prediction, which integrates the Kalman filter, autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA), and generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH). Firstly, the raw deformation data is directly pre-processed using the Kalman filter to reduce the noise. After that, the linear recursive ARIMA model is established to analyze and predict the structure deformation. Finally, the nonlinear recursive GARCH model is introduced to further improve the accuracy of the prediction. Simulation results based on measured sensor data from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) deformation monitoring system demonstrated that: (1) the Kalman filter is capable of denoising the bridge deformation monitoring data; (2) the prediction accuracy of the proposed Kalman-ARIMA-GARCH model is satisfactory, where the mean absolute error increases only from 3.402 mm to 5.847 mm with the increment of the prediction step; and (3) in comparision to the Kalman-ARIMA model, the Kalman-ARIMA-GARCH model results in superior prediction accuracy as it includes partial nonlinear characteristics (heteroscedasticity); the mean absolute error of five-step prediction using the proposed model is improved by 10.12%. This paper provides a new way for structural behavior prediction based on data processing, which can lay a foundation for the early warning of bridge health monitoring system based on sensor data using sensing technology.

Multifractal characteristics of multiparticle production in heavy-ion collisions at SPS energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Shaista; Ahmad, Shakeel

Entropy, dimensions and other multifractal characteristics of multiplicity distributions of relativistic charged hadrons produced in ion-ion collisions at SPS energies are investigated. The analysis of the experimental data is carried out in terms of phase space bin-size dependence of multiplicity distributions following the Takagi’s approach. Yet another method is also followed to study the multifractality which, is not related to the bin-width and (or) the detector resolution, rather involves multiplicity distribution of charged particles in full phase space in terms of information entropy and its generalization, Rényi’s order-q information entropy. The findings reveal the presence of multifractal structure — a remarkable property of the fluctuations. Nearly constant values of multifractal specific heat “c” estimated by the two different methods of analysis followed indicate that the parameter “c” may be used as a universal characteristic of the particle production in high energy collisions. The results obtained from the analysis of the experimental data agree well with the predictions of Monte Carlo model AMPT.

An analysis of the inpatient charge and length of stay for patients with joint diseases in Korea: specialty versus small general hospitals.

PubMed

Kim, Sun Jung; Park, Eun-Cheol; Jang, Sung In; Lee, Minjee; Kim, Tae Hyun

2013-11-01

In 2011, the Korean government designated hospitals with certain structural characteristics as specialty hospitals. This study compared the inpatient charges and length of stay of patients with joint diseases treated at these specialty hospitals with those of patients treated at small general hospitals. In addition, the study investigated whether the designation of certain hospitals as specialty hospitals had an effect on inpatient charges and length of stay. Multi-level models were used to perform regression analyses on inpatient claims data (N=268,809) for 2010-2012 because of the hierarchical structure of the data. The inpatient charge at specialty hospitals was 19% greater than that at small general hospitals, but the length of stay was 21% shorter. After adjusting for patient and hospital level confounders, specialty hospitals had a higher inpatient charge (34.6%) and a reduced length of stay (31.7%). However, the effect of specialty hospital designation on inpatient charge (2.7% higher) and length of stay (2.3% longer) was relatively smaller. Among the patient characteristics, female gender, age, and severity of illness were positively associated with inpatient charge and length of stay. In terms of location, hospitals in metropolitan area had higher inpatient charges (5.5%), but much shorter length of stay (-14%). Several structural factors, such as occupancy rate, bed size, number of outpatients and nurses were positively associated with both inpatient charges and length of stay. However, number of specialists was positively associated with inpatient charges, but negatively associated with length of stay. In sum, this study found that specialty hospitals treating joint diseases tend to incur higher charges but produce shorter length of stay, compared to their counterparts. Specialty hospitals' overcharging behaviors, although shorter length of stay, suggest that policy makers could introduce bundled payments for the joint procedures. To promote a successful specialty hospital system, a broader discussion and investigation that includes quality measures as well as real cost of care should be initiated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Construct validity of the abbreviated mental test in older medical inpatients.

PubMed

Antonelli Incalzi, R; Cesari, M; Pedone, C; Carosella, L; Carbonin, P U

2003-01-01

To evaluate validity and internal structure of the Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT), and to assess the dependence of the internal structure upon the characteristics of the patients examined. Cross-sectional examination using data from the Italian Group of Pharmacoepidemiology in the Elderly (GIFA) database. Twenty-four acute care wards of Geriatrics or General Medicine. Two thousand eight hundred and eight patients consecutively admitted over a 4-month period. Demographic characteristics, functional status, medical conditions and performance on AMT were collected at discharge. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the AMT <7 versus a diagnosis of dementia made according to DSM-III-R criteria were computed. The internal structure of AMT was assessed by principal component analysis. The analysis was performed on the whole population and stratified for age (<65, 65-80 and >80 years), gender, education (<6 or >5 years) and presence of congestive heart failure (CHF). AMT achieved high sensitivity (81%), specificity (84%) and negative predictive value (99%), but a low positive predictive value of 25%. The principal component analysis isolated two components: the former component represents the orientation to time and space and explains 45% of AMT variance; the latter is linked to memory and attention and explains 13% of variance. Comparable results were obtained after stratification by age, gender or education. In patients with CHF, only 48.3% of the cumulative variance was explained; the factor accounting for most (34.6%) of the variance explained was mainly related to the three items assessing memory. AMT >6 rules out dementia very reliably, whereas AMT <7 requires a second level cognitive assessment to confirm dementia. AMT is bidimensional and maintains the same internal structure across classes defined by selected social and demographic characteristics, but not in CHF patients. It is likely that its internal structure depends on the type of patients. The use of a sum-score could conceal some part of the information provided by the AMT. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Structural and Functional Characteristics of the Social Networks of People with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Asselt-Goverts, A. E.; Embregts, P. J. C. M.; Hendriks, A. H. C.

2013-01-01

In the research on people with intellectual disabilities and their social networks, the functional characteristics of their networks have been examined less often than the structural characteristics. Research on the structural characteristics of their networks is also usually restricted to the size and composition of the networks, moreover, with…

Invasion complexity at large spatial scales is an emergent property of interactions among landscape characteristics and invader traits

PubMed Central

Jordan, Nicholas R.; Forester, James D.

2018-01-01

Invasion potential should be part of the evaluation of candidate species for any species introduction. However, estimating invasion risks remains a challenging problem, particularly in complex landscapes. Certain plant traits are generally considered to increase invasive potential and there is an understanding that landscapes influence invasions dynamics, but little research has been done to explore how those drivers of invasions interact. We evaluate the relative roles of, and potential interactions between, plant invasiveness traits and landscape characteristics on invasions with a case study using a model parameterized for the potentially invasive biomass crop, Miscanthus × giganteus. Using that model we simulate invasions on 1000 real landscapes to evaluate how landscape characteristics, including both composition and spatial structure, affect invasion outcomes. We conducted replicate simulations with differing strengths of plant invasiveness traits (dispersal ability, establishment ability, population growth rate, and the ability to utilize dispersal corridors) to evaluate how the importance of landscape characteristics for predicting invasion patterns changes depending on the invader details. Analysis of simulations showed that the presence of highly suitable habitat (e.g., grasslands) is generally the strongest determinant of invasion dynamics but that there are also more subtle interactions between landscapes and invader traits. These effects can also vary between different aspects of invasion dynamics (short vs. long time scales and population size vs. spatial extent). These results illustrate that invasions are complex emergent processes with multiple drivers and effective management needs to reflect the ecology of the species of interest and the particular goals or risks for which efforts need to be optimized. PMID:29771923

Nature of size effects in compact models of field effect transistors

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

Torkhov, N. A., E-mail: trkf@mail.ru; Scientific-Research Institute of Semiconductor Devices, Tomsk 634050; Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics, Tomsk 634050

Investigations have shown that in the local approximation (for sizes L < 100 μm), AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures satisfy to all properties of chaotic systems and can be described in the language of fractal geometry of fractional dimensions. For such objects, values of their electrophysical characteristics depend on the linear sizes of the examined regions, which explain the presence of the so-called size effects—dependences of the electrophysical and instrumental characteristics on the linear sizes of the active elements of semiconductor devices. In the present work, a relationship has been established for the linear model parameters of themore » equivalent circuit elements of internal transistors with fractal geometry of the heteroepitaxial structure manifested through a dependence of its relative electrophysical characteristics on the linear sizes of the examined surface areas. For the HEMTs, this implies dependences of their relative static (A/mm, mA/V/mm, Ω/mm, etc.) and microwave characteristics (W/mm) on the width d of the sink-source channel and on the number of sections n that leads to a nonlinear dependence of the retrieved parameter values of equivalent circuit elements of linear internal transistor models on n and d. Thus, it has been demonstrated that the size effects in semiconductors determined by the fractal geometry must be taken into account when investigating the properties of semiconductor objects on the levels less than the local approximation limit and designing and manufacturing field effect transistors. In general, the suggested approach allows a complex of problems to be solved on designing, optimizing, and retrieving the parameters of equivalent circuits of linear and nonlinear models of not only field effect transistors but also any arbitrary semiconductor devices with nonlinear instrumental characteristics.« less

The forced vibration of one-dimensional multi-coupled periodic structures: An application to finite element analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mead, Denys J.

2009-01-01

A general theory for the forced vibration of multi-coupled one-dimensional periodic structures is presented as a sequel to a much earlier general theory for free vibration. Starting from the dynamic stiffness matrix of a single multi-coupled periodic element, it derives matrix equations for the magnitudes of the characteristic free waves excited in the whole structure by prescribed harmonic forces and/or displacements acting at a single periodic junction. The semi-infinite periodic system excited at its end is first analysed to provide the basis for analysing doubly infinite and finite periodic systems. In each case, total responses are found by considering just one periodic element. An already-known method of reducing the size of the computational problem is reexamined, expanded and extended in detail, involving reduction of the dynamic stiffness matrix of the periodic element through a wave-coordinate transformation. Use of the theory is illustrated in a combined periodic structure+finite element analysis of the forced harmonic in-plane motion of a uniform flat plate. Excellent agreement between the computed low-frequency responses and those predicted by simple engineering theories validates the detailed formulations of the paper. The primary purpose of the paper is not towards a specific application but to present a systematic and coherent forced vibration theory, carefully linked with the existing free-wave theory.

Synthesis, crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analyses of two new Salen type nickel/sodium heteronuclear complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahlooji, Niloofar; Behzad, Mahdi; Tarahhomi, Atekeh; Maroney, Michael; Rudbari, Hadi Amiri; Bruno, Giuseppe; Ghanbari, Bahram

2016-04-01

Two new heteronuclear Nickel(II)/Sodium(I) complexes of a side-off compartmental Schiff base ligand were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods. Crystal structures of both of the complexes were also obtained. The Schiff base ligand was synthesized from the condensation of meso-1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethylenediamine with 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde. In both of the complexes the Ni(II) ion is coordinated to the inner N2O2 coordination sphere with square-planar geometry and the Na(I) ion is coordinated to the outer O2 O2‧ coordination sphere. In Complex (1) with general formula [Ni(L)Na(CH3OH)(ClO4)] the sodium ion is seven coordinated while in (2) with general formula [{Ni(L)Na(OH2)}2(μ-Ni(CN)4)] the sodium ion is six coordinated. Intermolecular interactions in two studied complexes were analyzed using 3D Hirshfeld surfaces and corresponding 2D fingerprint plots. This analysis showed that the H … H and C … H/H … C contacts for both structures (altogether 67.5% of total Hirshfeld surface area for (1) and 77.6% for (2)) and the O … H/H … O (24.2%) for (1) and the N … H/H … N (8.1%) contacts for (2) were the characteristic intermolecular contacts in the related crystal structures.

1QCY17 Saltstone waste characterization analysis

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

Johnson, F. C.

2017-07-25

In the first quarter of calendar year 2017, a salt solution sample was collected from Tank 50 on January 16, 2017 in order to meet South Carolina (SC) Regulation 61-107.19 Part I C, “Solid Waste Management: Solid Waste Landfills and Structural Fill – General Requirements” and the Saltstone Disposal Facility Class 3 Landfill Permit. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was requested to prepare and ship saltstone samples to a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified laboratory to perform the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and subsequent characterization.

A genetic algorithm for optimization of neural network capable of learning to search for food in a maze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budilova, E. V.; Terekhin, A. T.; Chepurnov, S. A.

1994-09-01

A hypothetical neural scheme is proposed that ensures efficient decision making by an animal searching for food in a maze. Only the general structure of the network is fixed; its quantitative characteristics are found by numerical optimization that simulates the process of natural selection. Selection is aimed at maximization of the expected number of descendants, which is directly related to the energy stored during the reproductive cycle. The main parameters to be optimized are the increments of the interneuronal links and the working-memory constants.

Selected Demographic Characteristics of the U.S. Hispanic Population and of Hispanic Subgroups. A Report Prepared by the Congressional Research Service for the Subcommittee on Census and Population of the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, U.S. House of Representatives. 99th Congress, 2d Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Congressional Research Service.

The report compares U.S. Hispanic subgroups with regard to five demographic statistics: (1) Geographic Distribution: the greatest number of Hispanics are found in Texas, California, New York and Florida. (2) Age Structure and Fertility: Hispanics are generally younger than the U.S. population, except for Cubans who are usually older. Mexicans have…

Changing culture in the home health setting: strategies for success.

PubMed

Boan, David

2006-01-01

Organizational culture is generally defined as the internal attributes of the staff, such as their values, beliefs, and attitudes. Although technically accurate as a definition, personal attributes defy direct intervention, leading some to question whether it is possible to change culture. It is proposed that it is possible to change the personal internal attributes that define organizational culture by changing the characteristic structures and behaviors of the organization that shape those attributes. This model, called the Quality Capability Model, creates an approach to culture change that accommodates the unique features of home health.

[The present study situation and application prospect of nail analysis for abused drugs].

PubMed

Chen, Hang; Xiang, Ping; Shen, Min

2010-10-01

In forensic toxicology analysis, various types of biological samples have their own special characteristics and scope of applications. In this article, the physiological structure of nails, methods for collecting and pre-processing samples, and for analyzing some poisons and drugs in the nails are reviewed with details. This paper introduces the influence factors of drug abuse of the nails. The prospects of its further applications are concluded based on the research results. Nails, as an unconventional bio-sample without general application, show great potential and advantages in forensic toxicology.

Construction of the TH-GEM detector components for metrology of low energy ionizing radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, N. F.; Silva, T. F.; Castro, M. C.; Natal da Luz, H.; Caldas, L. V. E.

2018-03-01

The Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detector was originally proposed as a position sensitive detector to determine trajectories of particles prevenient from high-energy collisions. In order to study the potential of TH-GEM type detectors in dosimetric applications for low energy X-rays, specifically for the mammography standard qualities, it was proposed to construct a prototype with characteristics suitable for such use. In this work the general, structural and material parameters applicable to the necessary conditions were defined, establishing the process of construction of the components of a prototype.

Ostertagia circumcincta: isolation of a partial cDNA encoding an unusual member of the mitochondrial processing peptidase subfamily of M16 metallopeptidases.

PubMed

Walker, J; Tait, A

1997-11-01

A reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was used to isolate an Ostertagia circumcincta partial cDNA encoding a protein with general primary sequence features characteristic of members of the mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP) subfamily of M16 metallopeptidases. The structural relationships of the predicted protein (Oc MPPX) with MPP subfamily proteins from other species (including the model free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans) were examined, and Northern analysis confirmed the expression of the Oc mppx gene in adult nematodes.

A mixed model framework for teratology studies.

PubMed

Braeken, Johan; Tuerlinckx, Francis

2009-10-01

A mixed model framework is presented to model the characteristic multivariate binary anomaly data as provided in some teratology studies. The key features of the model are the incorporation of covariate effects, a flexible random effects distribution by means of a finite mixture, and the application of copula functions to better account for the relation structure of the anomalies. The framework is motivated by data of the Boston Anticonvulsant Teratogenesis study and offers an integrated approach to investigate substantive questions, concerning general and anomaly-specific exposure effects of covariates, interrelations between anomalies, and objective diagnostic measurement.

[The health system of Dominican Republic].

PubMed

Rathe, Magdalena; Moliné, Alejandro

2011-01-01

This paper describes the health conditions in Dominican Republic and the characteristics of the Dominican health system, including its structure and coverage, its financial sources, the health expenditure, the physical, material and human resources available, the stewardship functions developed by the Ministry of Public Health and the generation of health information. The participation of health care users in the operation and evaluation of the system and the most recent policy innovations, including the new General Health Law, the new Social Security Law and the Decennial Health Plan are also discussed.

Acoustic metamaterials with broadband and wide-angle impedance matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chenkai; Luo, Jie; Lai, Yun

2018-04-01

We propose a general approach to design broadband and wide-angle impedance-matched acoustic metamaterials. Such an unusual acoustic impedance matching characteristic can be well explained by using a spatially dispersive effective medium theory. For demonstrations, we used silicone rubber, which has a huge impedance contrast with water, to design one- and two-dimensional acoustic structures which are almost perfectly impedance matched to water for a wide range of incident angles and in a broad frequency band. Our work opens up an approach to realize extraordinary acoustic impedance matching properties via metamaterial-design techniques.

Airborne Intelligent Display (AID) Phase I Software Description,

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-24

Board Computer Characteristics 10 3.0 SOFTWARE GENERAL DESCRIPTION 13 3.1 Overview 13 3.2 System Software 14 3.2.1 System Startup 14 3.2.1.1 Initial...3 A-2 Task States A-4 A-3 Task Program Structure A-6 A-4 Task States and State Change Mechanisms A-7 A-5 Computing Return Addresses: RUNADR, SLPADR A...techniques. 2.2 Design Approach The stated objectives were met by: 1. distributing the processing load among multiple Z80 single-board computers (SBC’s). This

Assessment of Specific Characteristics of Abnormal General Movements: Does It Enhance the Prediction of Cerebral Palsy?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamer, Elisa G.; Bos, Arend F.; Hadders-Algra, Mijna

2011-01-01

Aim: Abnormal general movements at around 3 months corrected age indicate a high risk of cerebral palsy (CP). We aimed to determine whether specific movement characteristics can improve the predictive power of definitely abnormal general movements. Method: Video recordings of 46 infants with definitely abnormal general movements at 9 to 13 weeks…

Engineering of the function of diamond-like carbon binding peptides through structural design.

PubMed

Gabryelczyk, Bartosz; Szilvay, Géza R; Singh, Vivek K; Mikkilä, Joona; Kostiainen, Mauri A; Koskinen, Jari; Linder, Markus B

2015-02-09

The use of phage display to select material-specific peptides provides a general route towards modification and functionalization of surfaces and interfaces. However, a rational structural engineering of the peptides for optimal affinity is typically not feasible because of insufficient structure-function understanding. Here, we investigate the influence of multivalency of diamond-like carbon (DLC) binding peptides on binding characteristics. We show that facile linking of peptides together using different lengths of spacers and multivalency leads to a tuning of affinity and kinetics. Notably, increased length of spacers in divalent systems led to significantly increased affinities. Making multimers influenced also kinetic aspects of surface competition. Additionally, the multivalent peptides were applied as surface functionalization components for a colloidal form of DLC. The work suggests the use of a set of linking systems to screen parameters for functional optimization of selected material-specific peptides.

Interhemispheric comparison of atmospheric circulation features as evaluated from Nimbus satellite data. A comparison of the structure and flow characteristics of the upper troposphere and stratosphere of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Ph.D. Thesis. Annual Report, 1 Nov. 1973 - 31 Oct. 1974

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reiter, E. R.; Adler, R.; Fields, A.

1974-01-01

The general circulations of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are compared with regard to the upper troposphere and stratosphere, using atmospheric structure obtained from multi-channel radiance data from the satellite infrared spectrometer instrument aboard the Nimbus 3 spacecraft. The inter-hemispheric comparisons are based on two months of data (one summer month and one winter month) in each hemisphere. Topics studied include: (1) mean meridional circulation in the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere; (2) magnitude and distribution of tropospheric eddy heat flux; (3) relative importance of standing and transient eddies in the two hemispheres; (4) magnitudes of energy cycle components; and (5) the relation of vortex structure to the breakdown climatology of the Antarctic stratospheric polar vortex.

Full-spectrum light management by pseudo-disordered moth-eye structures for thin film solar cells.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaojun; Da, Yun; Xuan, Yimin

2017-08-07

In this paper, the role of pseudo-disordered moth-eye structures on the optical features for application to thin-film solar cells is investigated to realize the superior light management for the full-spectrum solar energy utilization, compared with some ordered structures. Without loss of generality, the c-Si thin film solar cell is taken as the example. The results demonstrate that the fluctuations introduced into the geometry parameters of moth-eye elements can lead to the remarkable absorption enhancement in the wavelength region of 0.3-1.1 μm and high transmission in the wavelength range of 1.1-2.5 μm. Two mechanisms including the increasing spectral density of modes and the intensive forescattering intensity are identified to be responsible for the absorption enhancement. In addition, the optical characteristics of the moth-eye surface with both disordered height and disordered diameter are insensitive to the incident angle.

Programmable Bidirectional Folding of Metallic Thin Films for 3D Chiral Optical Antennas.

PubMed

Mao, Yifei; Zheng, Yun; Li, Can; Guo, Lin; Pan, Yini; Zhu, Rui; Xu, Jun; Zhang, Weihua; Wu, Wengang

2017-05-01

3D structures with characteristic lengths ranging from nanometer to micrometer scale often exhibit extraordinary optical properties, and have been becoming an extensively explored field for building new generation nanophotonic devices. Albeit a few methods have been developed for fabricating 3D optical structures, constructing 3D structures with nanometer accuracy, diversified materials, and perfect morphology is an extremely challenging task. This study presents a general 3D nanofabrication technique, the focused ion beam stress induced deformation process, which allows a programmable and accurate bidirectional folding (-70°-+90°) of various metal and dielectric thin films. Using this method, 3D helical optical antennas with different handedness, improved surface smoothness, and tunable geometries are fabricated, and the strong optical rotation effects of single helical antennas are demonstrated. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Far-Zone Resonant Energy Transfer in X-ray Photoemission as a Structure Determination Tool.

PubMed

Céolin, Denis; Rueff, Jean-Pascal; Zimin, Andrey; Morin, Paul; Kimberg, Victor; Polyutov, Sergey; Ågren, Hans; Gel'mukhanov, Faris

2017-06-15

Near-zone Förster resonant energy transfer is the main effect responsible for excitation energy flow in the optical region and is frequently used to obtain structural information. In the hard X-ray region, the Förster law is inadequate because the wavelength is generally shorter than the distance between donors and acceptors; hence, far-zone resonant energy transfer (FZRET) becomes dominant. We demonstrate the characteristics of X-ray FZRET and its fundamental differences with the ordinary near-zone resonant energy-transfer process in the optical region by recording and analyzing two qualitatively different systems: high-density CuO polycrystalline powder and SF 6 diluted gas. We suggest a method to estimate geometrical structure using X-ray FZRET employing as a ruler the distance-dependent shift of the acceptor core ionization potential induced by the Coulomb field of the core-ionized donor.

The applications of small-angle X-ray scattering in studying nano-scaled polyoxometalate clusters in solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mu; Zhang, Mingxin; Wang, Weiyu; Cheng, Stephen Z. D.; Yin, Panchao

2018-05-01

Nano-scaled polyoxometalates (POMs) clusters with sizes ranging from 1 to 10 nm attract tremendous attention and have been extensively studied due to POMs' fascinating structural characteristics and prospects for wide-ranging applications. As a unique class of nanoparticles with well-defined structural topologies and monodispersed masses, the structures and properties of POMs in both bulk state and solutions have been explored with several well-developed protocols. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique, as a powerful tool for studying polymers and nanoparticles, has been recently extended to the investigating of solution behaviors of POMs. In this mini-review, the general principle and typical experimental procedures of SAXS are illustrated first. The applications of SAXS in characterizing POMs' morphology, counterion distribution around POMs, and short-range interactions among POMs in solutions are highlighted. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

A finite element-boundary integral method for scattering and radiation by two- and three-dimensional structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Jian-Ming; Volakis, John L.; Collins, Jeffery D.

1991-01-01

A review of a hybrid finite element-boundary integral formulation for scattering and radiation by two- and three-dimensional composite structures is presented. In contrast to other hybrid techniques involving the finite element method, the proposed one is in principle exact and can be implemented using a low O(N) storage. This is of particular importance for large scale applications and is a characteristic of the boundary chosen to terminate the finite element mesh, usually as close to the structure as possible. A certain class of these boundaries lead to convolutional boundary integrals which can be evaluated via the fast Fourier transform (FFT) without a need to generate a matrix; thus, retaining the O(N) storage requirement. The paper begins with a general description of the method. A number of two- and three-dimensional applications are then given, including numerical computations which demonstrate the method's accuracy, efficiency, and capability.

Origin of three-armed rifts in volcanic islands: the case of El Hierro (Canary Islands)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galindo Jiménez, Inés; Becerril Carretero, Laura; Martí Molist, Joan; Gudmundsson, Agust

2015-04-01

Rifts zones in volcanic oceanic islands are common structures that have been explained through several theories/models. However, despite all these models it is as yet unclear whether it is the intense intrusive activity or the sector collapses that actually control the structural evolution and geometry of oceanic-island rift zones. Here we provide a new hypothesis to explain the origin and characteristics of the feeding system of oceanic-island rift zones based on the analysis of more than 1700 surface, subsurface (water galleries), and submarine structural data from El Hierro (Canary Islands). El Hierro's geological structure is primarily controlled by a three-armed rift-zone, the arms striking NE, WSW and S. Between the rift axes there are three valleys formed during huge landslides: El Golfo, El Julan, and Las Playas. Our results show: (1) a predominant NE-SW strike of structural elements, which coincides with the main regional trend of the Canary Archipelago as a whole; (2) a clear radial strike distribution of structural elements for the whole volcanic edifice (including submarine flanks) with respect to the centre of the island; (3) that the rift zones are mainly subaerial structures and do not propagate through the submarine edifice; (4) that it is only in the NE rift that structures have a general strike similar to that of the rift as a whole, and; (5) that in the W and S rifts there is not clear main direction, showing the structural elements in the W rift a fan distribution coinciding with the general radial pattern in the island as a whole. Based on these data, we suggest that the radial-striking structures reflect comparatively uniform stress fields that operated during the constructive episodes, mainly conditioned by the combination of overburden pressure, gravitational spreading, and magma-induced stresses. By contrast, in the shallower parts of the edifice, that is, the NE-SW, N-S and WNW-ESE-striking structures, reflect local stress fields related to the formation of mega-landslides and mask the general radial pattern. Thus, the rift zones on El Hierro are shallow structures that commonly capture and divert ascending magma towards different parts of the island but do not condition magma ascent at depth.

Generalized onset seizures with focal evolution (GOFE) - A unique seizure type in the setting of generalized epilepsy.

PubMed

Linane, Avriel; Lagrange, Andre H; Fu, Cary; Abou-Khalil, Bassel

2016-01-01

We report clinical and electrographic features of generalized onset seizures with focal evolution (GOFE) and present arguments for the inclusion of this seizure type in the seizure classification. The adult and pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit databases at Vanderbilt Medical Center and Children's Hospital were screened to identify generalized onset seizures with focal evolution. We reviewed medical records for epilepsy characteristics, epilepsy risk factors, MRI abnormalities, neurologic examination, antiepileptic medications before and after diagnosis, and response to medications. We also reviewed ictal and interictal EEG tracings, as well as video-recorded semiology. Ten patients were identified, 7 males and 3 females. All of the patients developed generalized epilepsy in childhood or adolescence (ages 3-15years). Generalized onset seizures with focal evolution developed years after onset in 9 patients, with a semiology concerning for focal seizures or nonepileptic events. Ictal discharges had a generalized onset on EEG, described as either generalized spike-and-wave and/or polyspike-and-wave discharges, or generalized fast activity. This electrographic activity then evolved to focal rhythmic activity most commonly localized to one temporal or frontal region; five patients had multiple seizures evolving to focal activity in different regions of both hemispheres. The predominant interictal epileptiform activity included generalized spike-and-wave and/or polyspike-and-wave discharges in all patients. Taking into consideration all clinical and EEG data, six patients were classified with genetic (idiopathic) generalized epilepsy, and four were classified with structural/metabolic (symptomatic) generalized epilepsy. All of the patients had modifications to their medications following discharge, with three becoming seizure-free and five responding with >50% reduction in seizure frequency. Generalized onset seizures may occasionally have focal evolution with semiology suggestive of focal seizures, leading to a misdiagnosis of focal onset. This unique seizure type may occur with genetic as well as structural/metabolic forms of epilepsy. The identification of this seizure type may help clinicians choose appropriate medications, avoiding narrow spectrum agents known to aggravate generalized onset seizures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The factor structure of generalized workplace harassment.

PubMed

Rospenda, Kathleen M; Richman, Judith A

2004-04-01

We describe the development and psychometric characteristics of the Generalized Workplace Harassment Questionnaire (GWHQ), a 29-item instrument developed to assess harassing experiences at work in five conceptual domains: verbal aggression, disrespect, isolation/exclusion, threats/bribes, and physical aggression. Over 1700 current and former university employees completed the GWHQ at three time points. Factor analytic results at each wave of data suggested a five-factor solution that did not correspond to the original five conceptual factors. We suggest a revised scoring scheme for the GWHQ utilizing four of the empirically extracted factors: covert hostility, verbal hostility, manipulation, and physical hostility. Covert hostility was the most frequently experienced type of harassment, followed by verbal hostility, manipulation, and physical hostility. Verbal hostility, covert hostility, and manipulation were found to be significant predictors of psychological distress.

A General Reliability Model for Ni-BaTiO3-Based Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Donhang

2014-01-01

The evaluation of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) with Ni electrode and BaTiO3 dielectric material for potential space project applications requires an in-depth understanding of their reliability. A general reliability model for Ni-BaTiO3 MLCC is developed and discussed. The model consists of three parts: a statistical distribution; an acceleration function that describes how a capacitor's reliability life responds to the external stresses, and an empirical function that defines contribution of the structural and constructional characteristics of a multilayer capacitor device, such as the number of dielectric layers N, dielectric thickness d, average grain size, and capacitor chip size A. Application examples are also discussed based on the proposed reliability model for Ni-BaTiO3 MLCCs.

A General Reliability Model for Ni-BaTiO3-Based Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Donhang

2014-01-01

The evaluation for potential space project applications of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) with Ni electrode and BaTiO3 dielectric material requires an in-depth understanding of the MLCCs reliability. A general reliability model for Ni-BaTiO3 MLCCs is developed and discussed in this paper. The model consists of three parts: a statistical distribution; an acceleration function that describes how a capacitors reliability life responds to external stresses; and an empirical function that defines the contribution of the structural and constructional characteristics of a multilayer capacitor device, such as the number of dielectric layers N, dielectric thickness d, average grain size r, and capacitor chip size A. Application examples are also discussed based on the proposed reliability model for Ni-BaTiO3 MLCCs.

Linking sleep and general anesthesia mechanisms: this is no walkover.

PubMed

Bonhomme, V; Boveroux, P; Vanhaudenhuyse, A; Hans, P; Brichant, J F; Jaquet, O; Boly, M; Laureys, S

2011-01-01

This review aims at defining the link between physiological sleep and general anesthesia. Despite common behavioral and electrophysiological characteristics between both states, current literature suggests that the transition process between waking and sleep or anesthesia-induced alteration of consciousness is not driven by the same sequence of events. On the one hand, sleep originates in sub-cortical structures with subsequent repercussions on thalamo-cortical interactions and cortical activity. On the other hand, anesthesia seems to primarily affect the cortex with subsequent repercussions on the activity of sub-cortical networks. This discrepancy has yet to be confirmed by further functional brain imaging and electrophysiological experiments. The relationship between the observed functional modifications of brain activity during anesthesia and the known biochemical targets of hypnotic anesthetic agents also remains to be determined.

Characteristics and career intentions of Scottish rural and urban GP registrars: cause for concern?

PubMed

Ross, S; Gillies, J C

1999-01-01

To investigate the differences between the characteristics and career intentions of GP registrars in urban and rural areas, and to make recommendations to reduce a potential work force crisis in rural practice. Postal survey. All general practices in Scotland. In February 1996, 40/196 (20%) of urban and 45/150 (30%) of rural GP registrar places available in Scotland, were vacant (chi 2 = 4.22, df = 1, p = 0.02). Postal questionnaires were sent to all 261 GP registrars in post. Of 235 respondents (90%), the majority wished to remain in general practice (63% of urban and 53% of rural registrars), but only 22% of urban and 18% of rural registrars intended to apply for principal posts immediately after training. Fewer urban (8%) than rural registrars (21%) stated an intention to go abroad to work after training. Rural registrars tended to want to work in rural areas, and vice versa. Part-time and job-sharing were attractive employment options for both groups, and more flexible career structures were favoured by over 80%. Though much more attention has been paid to recruitment in inner cities, the findings from this study suggest that in Scotland difficulties in finding principals may occur first in rural areas. As general practitioners have an extended role in rural areas, including that of emergency care, shortages could have a serious impact on patient care.

A bacterial hydrogen-dependent CO2 reductase forms filamentous structures.

PubMed

Schuchmann, Kai; Vonck, Janet; Müller, Volker

2016-04-01

Interconversion of CO2 and formic acid is an important reaction in bacteria. A novel enzyme complex that directly utilizes molecular hydrogen as electron donor for the reversible reduction of CO2 has recently been identified in the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway of an acetogenic bacterium. This pathway is utilized for carbon fixation as well as energy conservation. Here we describe the further characterization of the quaternary structure of this enzyme complex and the unexpected behavior of this enzyme in polymerizing into filamentous structures. Polymerization of metabolic enzymes into similar structures has been observed only in rare cases but the increasing number of examples point towards a more general characteristic of enzyme functioning. Polymerization of the purified enzyme into ordered filaments of more than 0.1 μm in length was only dependent on the presence of divalent cations. Polymerization was a reversible process and connected to the enzymatic activity of the oxygen-sensitive enzyme with the filamentous form being the most active state. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

On Ramachandran angles, closed strings and knots in protein structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Si; Niemi, Antti J.

2016-08-01

The Ramachandran angles (φ,\\psi ) of a protein backbone form the vertices of a piecewise geodesic curve on the surface of a torus. When the ends of the curve are connected to each other similarly, by a geodesic, the result is a closed string that in general wraps around the torus a number of times both in the meridional and the longitudinal directions. The two wrapping numbers are global characteristics of the protein structure. A statistical analysis of the wrapping numbers in terms of crystallographic x-ray structures in the protein data bank (PDB) reveals that proteins have no net chirality in the ϕ direction but in the ψ direction, proteins prefer to display chirality. A comparison between the wrapping numbers and the concept of folding index discloses a non-linearity in their relationship. Thus these three integer valued invariants can be used in tandem, to scrutinize and classify the global loop structure of individual PDB proteins, in terms of the overall fold topology.

Electrical and structural investigations, and ferroelectric domains in nanoscale structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexe, Marin

2005-03-01

Generally speaking material properties are expected to change as the characteristic dimension of a system approaches at the nanometer scale. In the case of ferroelectric materials fundamental problems such as the super-paraelectric limit, influence of the free surface and/or of the interface and bulk defects on ferroelectric switching, etc. arise when scaling the systems into the sub-100 nm range. In order to study these size effects, fabrication methods of high quality nanoscale ferroelectric crystals as well as AFM-based investigations methods have been developed in the last few years. The present talk will briefly review self-patterning and self- assembly fabrication methods, including chemical routes, morphological instability of ultrathin films, and self-assembly lift-off, employed up to the date to fabricate ferroelectric nanoscale structures with lateral size in the range of few tens of nanometers. Moreover, in depth structural and electrical investigations of interfaces performed to differentiate between intrinsic and extrinsic size effects will be also presented.

Comparison of private versus academic practice for general surgeons: a guide for medical students and residents.

PubMed

Schroen, Anneke T; Brownstein, Michelle R; Sheldon, George F

2003-12-01

Medical students and residents often make specialty and practice choices with limited exposure to aspects of professional and personal life in general surgery. The purpose of this study was to portray practice composition, career choices, professional experiences, job satisfaction, and personal life characteristics specific to practicing general surgeons in the United States. A 131-question survey was mailed to all female members (n = 1,076) and a random 2:1 sample of male members (n = 2,152) of the American College of Surgeons in three mailings between September 1998 and March 1999. Respondents who were not actively practicing general surgery in the United States and both trainees and surgeons who did not fit the definition of private or academic practice were excluded. Detailed questions regarding practice attributes, surgical training, professional choices, harassment, malpractice, career satisfaction, and personal life characteristics were included. Separate five-point Likert scales were designed to measure influences on career choices and satisfaction with professional and personal matters. Univariate analyses were used to analyze responses by surgeon age, gender, and practice type. A response rate of 57% resulted in 1,532 eligible responses. Significant differences between private and academic practice were noted in case composition, practice structure, and income potential; no major differences were seen in malpractice experience. Propensity for marriage and parenthood differed significantly between men and women surgeons. Overall career satisfaction was very high regardless of practice type. Some differences by surgeon gender in perceptions of equal career advancement opportunities and of professional isolation were noted. This study offers a comprehensive view of general surgery to enable more informed decisions among medical students and residents regarding specialty choice or practice opportunities.

Vibration-based structural health monitoring using adaptive statistical method under varying environmental condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Seung-Seop; Jung, Hyung-Jo

2014-03-01

It is well known that the dynamic properties of a structure such as natural frequencies depend not only on damage but also on environmental condition (e.g., temperature). The variation in dynamic characteristics of a structure due to environmental condition may mask damage of the structure. Without taking the change of environmental condition into account, false-positive or false-negative damage diagnosis may occur so that structural health monitoring becomes unreliable. In order to address this problem, an approach to construct a regression model based on structural responses considering environmental factors has been usually used by many researchers. The key to success of this approach is the formulation between the input and output variables of the regression model to take into account the environmental variations. However, it is quite challenging to determine proper environmental variables and measurement locations in advance for fully representing the relationship between the structural responses and the environmental variations. One alternative (i.e., novelty detection) is to remove the variations caused by environmental factors from the structural responses by using multivariate statistical analysis (e.g., principal component analysis (PCA), factor analysis, etc.). The success of this method is deeply depending on the accuracy of the description of normal condition. Generally, there is no prior information on normal condition during data acquisition, so that the normal condition is determined by subjective perspective with human-intervention. The proposed method is a novel adaptive multivariate statistical analysis for monitoring of structural damage detection under environmental change. One advantage of this method is the ability of a generative learning to capture the intrinsic characteristics of the normal condition. The proposed method is tested on numerically simulated data for a range of noise in measurement under environmental variation. A comparative study with conventional methods (i.e., fixed reference scheme) demonstrates the superior performance of the proposed method for structural damage detection.

Characteristics of Highly Rated Internal Medicine Attendings Before and After the 2004 Work-Hour Restrictions.

PubMed

Mallory, Renee; Jackson, Jeffrey L; Mondragon, Donald; Hatzigeorgiou, Christos; DeZee, Kent J; Greenburg, David; O'Malley, Patrick G

2016-01-01

To describe the characteristics of top-rated Internal Medicine attendings and whether they changed after implementation of the 2004 work-hour restrictions. Mixed methods study of resident ratings of medicine attendings (Period 1: 1994-1996, n = 250 and Period 2: 2007-2009, n = 152). Residents evaluated 17 attending characteristics. The top 25% of "overall" ratings were classified as "highly rated." Two free-text questions included "What was your attending's best characteristic?" and "How could your attending best improve?" and were coded in duplicate, using grounded qualitative methods. There were no differences in the characteristics of highly rated attendings in the two time periods. Characteristics associated with being a top-rated attending included enthusiasm (odds ratio [OR]: 5.69, 2.78-11.67), balanced teaching style (OR: 3.63, 1.64-8.02), promoting independent thinking (OR: 2.90, 0.96-8.74), fund of knowledge (OR: 2.73, 1.13-6.58), and time management (OR: 1.78, 1.14-2.80). Among the 1,410 utterances, valued attending attributes included helpfulness, promoting independent thinking, and having strong medical knowledge. The characteristics valued by residents in attendings did not change over time despite a major structural change in work hours and patterns of teaching. These valued characteristics continue to be a strong general fund of knowledge, enthusiasm for teaching, and balance between didactic and bedside approaches. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Implementation of selective prevention for cardiometabolic diseases; are Dutch general practices adequately prepared?

PubMed

Stol, Daphne M; Hollander, Monika; Nielen, Markus M J; Badenbroek, Ilse F; Schellevis, François G; de Wit, Niek J

2018-03-01

Current guidelines acknowledge the need for cardiometabolic disease (CMD) prevention and recommend five-yearly screening of a targeted population. In recent years programs for selective CMD-prevention have been developed, but implementation is challenging. The question arises if general practices are adequately prepared. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the organizational preparedness of Dutch general practices and the facilitators and barriers for performing CMD-prevention in practices currently implementing selective CMD-prevention. Observational study. Dutch primary care. General practices. Organizational characteristics. General practices implementing selective CMD-prevention are more often organized as a group practice (49% vs. 19%, p = .000) and are better organized regarding chronic disease management compared to reference practices. They are motivated for performing CMD-prevention and can be considered as 'frontrunners' of Dutch general practices with respect to their practice organization. The most important reported barriers are a limited availability of staff (59%) and inadequate funding (41%). The organizational infrastructure of Dutch general practices is considered adequate for performing most steps of selective CMD-prevention. Implementation of prevention programs including easily accessible lifestyle interventions needs attention. All stakeholders involved share the responsibility to realize structural funding for programmed CMD-prevention. Aforementioned conditions should be taken into account with respect to future implementation of selective CMD-prevention. Key Points   There is need for adequate CMD prevention. Little is known about the organization of selective CMD prevention in general practices.   • The organizational infrastructure of Dutch general practices is adequate for performing most steps of selective CMD prevention.   • Implementation of selective CMD prevention programs including easily accessible services for lifestyle support should be the focus of attention.   • Policy makers, health insurance companies and healthcare professionals share the responsibility to realize structural funding for selective CMD prevention.

Noise Transmission Characteristics of Damped Plexiglas Windows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibbs, Gary P.; Buehrle, Ralph D.; Klos, Jacob; Brown, Sherilyn A.

2002-01-01

Most general aviation aircraft utilize single layer plexiglas material for the windshield and side windows. Adding noise control treatments to transparent panels is a challenging problem. In this paper, damped plexiglas windows are evaluated for replacement of conventional windows in general aviation aircraft to reduce the structure-borne and airborne noise transmitted into the interior. In contrast to conventional solid windows, the damped plexiglas window panels are fabricated using two or three layers of plexiglas with transparent viscoelastic damping material sandwiched between the layers. Results from acoustic tests conducted in the NASA Langley Structural Acoustic Loads and Transmission (SALT) facility are used to compare different designs of the damped plexiglas panels with solid windows of the same nominal thickness. Comparisons of the solid and damped plexiglas panels show reductions in the radiated sound power of up to 8 dB at low frequency resonances and as large as 4.5 dB over a 4000 Hz bandwidth. The weight of the viscoelastic treatment was approximately 1% of the panel mass. Preliminary FEM/BEM modeling shows good agreement with experimental results for radiated sound power.

WestREN: a description of an Irish academic general practice research network

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Primary care research networks have been established internationally since the 1960s to enable diverse practitioners to engage in and develop research and education and implement research evidence. The newly established Western Research and Education Network (WestREN) is one such network consisting of a collaboration between the Discipline of General Practice at NUI Galway and 71 West of Ireland general practices. In September 2009 all member practices were issued with a questionnaire with two objectives: to describe the structure and characteristics of the member practices and to compare the results to the national profile of Irish general practice. Methods A postal survey was used followed by one written and one email reminder. Results A response rate of 73% (52/71) was achieved after two reminders. Half of practices were in a rural location, one quarter located in an urban setting and another quarter in a mixed location. Ninety-four per cent of general practitioners practice from purpose-built or adapted premises with under 6% of practices being attached to the general practitioner's residence. Over 96% of general practitioners use appointment systems with 58% using appointment only. All practices surveyed were computerised, with 80% describing their practices as 'fully computerised'. Almost 60% of general practitioners are coding chronic diagnoses with 20% coding individual consultations. Twenty-five per cent of general practitioners were single-handed with the majority of practices having at least two general practitioners, and a mean number of general practitioners of 2.4. Ninety-two per cent of practices employed a practice nurse with 30% employing more than one nurse. Compared to the national profile, WestREN practices appear somewhat larger, and more likely to be purpose-built and in rural areas. National trends apparent between 1982 and 1992, such as increasing computerisation and practice nurse availability, appear to be continuing. Conclusions WestREN is a new university-affiliated general practice research network in Ireland. Survey of its initial membership confirms WestREN practices to be broadly representative of the national profile and has provided us with valuable information on the current and changing structure of Irish general practice. PMID:20925958

Structural Analysis: Folds Classification of metasedimentary rock in the Peninsular Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamsuddin, A.

2017-10-01

Understanding shear zone characteristics of deformation are a crucial part in the oil and gas industry as it might increase the knowledge of the fracture characteristics and lead to the prediction of the location of fracture zones or fracture swarms. This zone might give high influence on reservoir performance. There are four general types of shear zones which are brittle, ductile, semibrittle and brittle-ductile transition zones. The objective of this study is to study and observe the structural geometry of the shear zones and its implication as there is a lack of understanding, especially in the subsurface area because of the limitation of seismic resolution. A field study was conducted on the metasedimentary rocks (shear zone) which are exposed along the coastal part of the Peninsular Malaysia as this type of rock resembles the types of rock in the subsurface. The analysis in this area shows three main types of rock which are non-foliated metaquartzite and foliated rock which can be divided into slate and phyllite. Two different fold classification can be determined in this study. Layer 1 with phyllite as the main type of rock can be classified in class 1C and layer 2 with slate as the main type of rock can be classified in class 1A. This study will benefit in predicting the characteristics of the fracture and fracture zones.

Operating Characteristics of Statistical Methods for Detecting Gene-by-Measured Environment Interaction in the Presence of Gene-Environment Correlation under Violations of Distributional Assumptions.

PubMed

Van Hulle, Carol A; Rathouz, Paul J

2015-02-01

Accurately identifying interactions between genetic vulnerabilities and environmental factors is of critical importance for genetic research on health and behavior. In the previous work of Van Hulle et al. (Behavior Genetics, Vol. 43, 2013, pp. 71-84), we explored the operating characteristics for a set of biometric (e.g., twin) models of Rathouz et al. (Behavior Genetics, Vol. 38, 2008, pp. 301-315), for testing gene-by-measured environment interaction (GxM) in the presence of gene-by-measured environment correlation (rGM) where data followed the assumed distributional structure. Here we explore the effects that violating distributional assumptions have on the operating characteristics of these same models even when structural model assumptions are correct. We simulated N = 2,000 replicates of n = 1,000 twin pairs under a number of conditions. Non-normality was imposed on either the putative moderator or on the ultimate outcome by ordinalizing or censoring the data. We examined the empirical Type I error rates and compared Bayesian information criterion (BIC) values. In general, non-normality in the putative moderator had little impact on the Type I error rates or BIC comparisons. In contrast, non-normality in the outcome was often mistaken for or masked GxM, especially when the outcome data were censored.

Acoustics of native-American ceremonial sites in prehispanic America (Acustica en los espacios escenios rituales prehispanicos)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Maria Isabel

2003-11-01

This thesis establishes a methodology that incorporates the latest procedures used in architectural acoustics for the study of open spaces of this general type, and definitions are given for the acoustic variables of interest. The ``Juego de Pelota'' (ball game) sites are the only ceremonial sites built specifically for the performance of a fertility ritual, and are ideal for the study of prehispanic architectural topographies. Analysis of the acoustic properties of such sites revealed that the topographical characteristics of the elevation profiles of these architectural structures determine the acoustic behavior of these spaces. Such profiles are classified into three basic types: (i) inclined profile, (ii) terraced profile, and (iii) mixed profile. The terraced profiles are the most efficient, and the mixed profiles are the least efficient, in regard to acoustics. The consideration of the acoustic behavior of architectural structures intended for the ``Ball Game,'' as the designs evolved over time, leads to the conclusion that acoustical sensations that contributed effectively to the characteristic mystical atmosphere of the ceremonial rituals were characteristic only of those sites constructed in the ``classical'' period. Thesis advisors: Jaime Navarro and Juan J. Sendra Copies of this thesis written in Spanish may be obtained by contacting the advisor, Jaime Navarro, E.T.S. de Arquitectura de Sevilla, Dpto. de Construcciones Arquitectonicas I, Av. Reina Mercedes, 2, 41012 Sevilla, Spain. E-mail address: jnavarro@us.es

Characteristics of complaints resulting in disciplinary actions against Danish GPs.

PubMed

Birkeland, Søren; Depont Christensen, Rene; Damsbo, Niels; Kragstrup, Jakob

2013-09-01

The risk of being disciplined in connection with a complaint case causes distress to most general practitioners. The present study examined the characteristics of complaint cases resulting in disciplinary action. The Danish Patients' Complaints Board's decisions concerning general practice in 2007 were examined. Information on the motives for complaining, as well as patient and general practitioner characteristics, was extracted and the association with case outcome (disciplinary or no disciplinary action) was analysed. Variables included complaint motives, patient gender and age, urgency of illness, cancer diagnosis, healthcare settings (daytime or out-of-hours services), and general practitioner gender and professional seniority. Cases where the complaint motives involved a wish for placement of responsibility (OR = 2.35, p = 0.01) or a wish for a review of the general practitioner's competence (OR = 1.95, p = 0.02) were associated with increased odds of the general practitioner being disciplined. The odds of discipline decreased when the complaint was motivated by a feeling of being devalued (OR = 0.39, p = 0.02) or a request for an explanation (OR = 0.46, p = 0.01). With regard to patient and general practitioner characteristics, higher general practitioner professional seniority was associated with increased odds of discipline (OR = 1.97 per 20 additional years of professional seniority, p = 0.01). None of the other characteristics was statistically significantly associated with discipline in the multiple logistic regression model. Complaint motives and professional seniority were associated with decision outcomes. Further research is needed on the impact of professional seniority on performance.

Evaluation on the Perception of the New Portable Set for Hajj Course (P.A.H.A.M) Based on Design Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahir Yahya, Mohd; Rahim, Abd Khalil Abd; Mohammad, Musli; Ibrahim, Mustaffa; Kadis, Ghazali

2017-08-01

This paper is about the perceptions of the pilgrims to the innovation of the portable training set for hajj course (P.A.H.A.M). The acronym P.A.H.A.M come from the Malay word “Praktikal Haji Mudahalih” as a tool in helping the hajj and umrah pilgrims to better understand the concept while doing the hajj and umrah practical. In Malaysia, one of the managing bodies of pilgrimage for Muslims in is Pilgrims Fund Board. It provides a series of courses every year to help in boosting the understanding of the pilgrims before leaving for the Holy Land. During the practical session, they will provide the replica model to help pilgrims to familiarise themselves with the actual situation in Mecca. However, the current replica model was built using an iron structure that is relatively heavy, not portable and embarks more cost of transportation and labour. Therefore, this paper discusses the perceptions of the pilgrims on the characteristics of Portable Training Set for Hajj Course (P.A.H.A.M) compared to the existing set in order to increase the understanding of pilgrims. A total of 53 samples of hajj and umrah pilgrims participated in this study consisted of the general public. From the data analysed using Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS v19), the results of the survey showed that more than 90% of respondents agreed that this portable training set meets the characteristics such as easy to handle, more safety in crowd, portable, stability, light weight, suitable in-door and out-door activity, easy to clean, and more structured with average score 4.00 (agreed) and above. In conclusion, it is expected that this Portable Training Set for Hajj Course (P.A.H.A.M) can be used by Muslim’s communities in Malaysia particularly and Muslim countries in general to better understand the hajj and umrah activities before leaving to the Holy Land.

Framing life and death on YouTube: the strategic communication of organ donation messages by organ procurement organizations.

PubMed

VanderKnyff, Jeremy; Friedman, Daniela B; Tanner, Andrea

2015-01-01

Using a sample of YouTube videos posted on the YouTube channels of organ procurement organizations, a content analysis was conducted to identify the frames used to strategically communicate prodonation messages. A total of 377 videos were coded for general characteristics, format, speaker characteristics, organs discussed, structure, problem definition, and treatment. Principal components analysis identified message frames, and k-means cluster analysis established distinct groupings of videos on the basis of the strength of their relationship to message frames. Analysis of these frames and clusters found that organ procurement organizations present multiple, and sometimes competing, video types and message frames on YouTube. This study serves as important formative research that will inform future studies to measure the effectiveness of the distinct message frames and clusters identified.

Evolutionary and ecological forces influencing population diversification in Bornean montane passerines.

PubMed

Chua, Vivien L; Smith, Brian Tilston; Burner, Ryan C; Rahman, Mustafa Abdul; Lakim, Maklarin; Prawiradilaga, Dewi M; Moyle, Robert G; Sheldon, Frederick H

2017-08-01

The mountains of Borneo are well known for their high endemicity and historical role in preserving Southeast Asian rainforest biodiversity, but the diversification of populations inhabiting these mountains is poorly studied. Here we examine the genetic structure of 12 Bornean montane passerines by comparing complete mtDNA ND2 gene sequences of populations spanning the island. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic trees and haplotype networks are examined for common patterns that might signal important historical events or boundaries to dispersal. Morphological and ecological characteristics of each species are also examined using phylogenetic generalized least-squares (PGLS) for correlation with population structure. Populations in only four of the 12 species are subdivided into distinct clades or haplotype groups. Although this subdivision occurred at about the same time in each species (ca. 0.6-0.7Ma), the spatial positioning of the genetic break differs among the species. In two species, northeastern populations are genetically divergent from populations elsewhere on the island. In the other two species, populations in the main Bornean mountain chain, including the northeast, are distinct from those on two isolated peaks in northwestern Borneo. We suggest different historical forces played a role in shaping these two distributions, despite commonality in timing. PGLS analysis showed that only a single characteristic-hand-wing index-is correlated with population structure. Birds with longer wings, and hence potentially more dispersal power, have less population structure. To understand historical forces influencing montane population structure on Borneo, future studies must compare populations across the entirety of Sundaland. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electride and superconductivity behaviors in Mn5Si3-type intermetallics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yaoqing; Wang, Bosen; Xiao, Zewen; Lu, Yangfan; Kamiya, Toshio; Uwatoko, Yoshiya; Kageyama, Hiroshi; Hosono, Hideo

2017-08-01

Electrides are unique in the sense that they contain localized anionic electrons in the interstitial regions. Yet they exist with a diversity of chemical compositions, especially under extreme conditions, implying generalized underlying principles for their existence. What is rarely observed is the combination of electride state and superconductivity within the same material, but such behavior would open up a new category of superconductors. Here, we report a hexagonal Nb5Ir3 phase of Mn5Si3-type structure that falls into this category and extends the electride concept into intermetallics. The confined electrons in the one-dimensional cavities are reflected by the characteristic channel bands in the electronic structure. Filling these free spaces with foreign oxygen atoms serves to engineer the band topology and increase the superconducting transition temperature to 10.5 K in Nb5Ir3O. Specific heat analysis indicates the appearance of low-lying phonons and two-gap s-wave superconductivity. Strong electron-phonon coupling is revealed to be the pairing glue with an anomalously large ratio between the superconducting gap Δ0 and Tc, 2Δ0/kBTc = 6.12. The general rule governing the formation of electrides concerns the structural stability against the cation filling/extraction in the channel site.

Sequential deformation of plains along Tessera boundaries on Venus: Evidence from Alpha Regio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilmore, M. S.; Head, James W., III

1992-01-01

Tesserae are regions of elevated terrain characterized by two or more sets of ridges and grooves that intersect orthogonally. Tesserae comprise 15-20 percent of the surface of Venus, but the nature of their formation and evolution is not well understood; processes proposed to account for their characteristics are many and varied. Two types of tessera boundaries have been described: type 1 are generally embayed by plains; and type 2 boundaries are characterized by being linear at the 100-km scale and often associated with steep scarps or tectonic features. Margins such as the western edge of Alpha have been described as type 2. Some of the tessera have boundaries that display deformation of both the edge of the tessera and the adjoining plains. This study focuses on the western edge of Alpha Regio in an effort to characterize on occurrence of this type of boundary and assess the implications of the style in general. Using Magellan SAR imagery, lineament lengths, orientations, and spacing were measured for ten 50 x 60 km areas spanning 500 km of the western boundary. Structural characteristics and orientations were compared to stratigraphic units in order to assess the sequence and style of deformation.

Do quality indicators for general practice teaching practices predict good outcomes for students?

PubMed

Bartlett, Maggie; Potts, Jessica; McKinley, Bob

2016-07-01

Keele medical students spend 113 days in general practices over our five-year programme. We collect practice data thought to indicate good quality teaching. We explored the relationships between these data and two outcomes for students; Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) scores and feedback regarding the placements. Though both are surrogate markers of good teaching, they are widely used. We collated practice and outcome data for one academic year. Two separate statistical analyses were carried out: (1) to determine how much of the variation seen in the OSCE scores was due to the effect of the practice and how much to the individual student. (2) to identify practice characteristics with a relationship to student feedback scores. (1) OSCE performance: 268 students in 90 practices: six quality indicators independently influenced the OSCE score, though without linear relationships and not to statistical significance. (2) Student satisfaction: 144 students in 69 practices: student feedback scores are not influenced by practice characteristics. The relationships between the quality indicators we collect for practices and outcomes for students are not clear. It may be that neither the quality indicators nor the outcome measures are reliable enough to inform decisions about practices' suitability for teaching.

SequenceCEROSENE: a computational method and web server to visualize spatial residue neighborhoods at the sequence level.

PubMed

Heinke, Florian; Bittrich, Sebastian; Kaiser, Florian; Labudde, Dirk

2016-01-01

To understand the molecular function of biopolymers, studying their structural characteristics is of central importance. Graphics programs are often utilized to conceive these properties, but with the increasing number of available structures in databases or structure models produced by automated modeling frameworks this process requires assistance from tools that allow automated structure visualization. In this paper a web server and its underlying method for generating graphical sequence representations of molecular structures is presented. The method, called SequenceCEROSENE (color encoding of residues obtained by spatial neighborhood embedding), retrieves the sequence of each amino acid or nucleotide chain in a given structure and produces a color coding for each residue based on three-dimensional structure information. From this, color-highlighted sequences are obtained, where residue coloring represent three-dimensional residue locations in the structure. This color encoding thus provides a one-dimensional representation, from which spatial interactions, proximity and relations between residues or entire chains can be deduced quickly and solely from color similarity. Furthermore, additional heteroatoms and chemical compounds bound to the structure, like ligands or coenzymes, are processed and reported as well. To provide free access to SequenceCEROSENE, a web server has been implemented that allows generating color codings for structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank or structure models uploaded by the user. Besides retrieving visualizations in popular graphic formats, underlying raw data can be downloaded as well. In addition, the server provides user interactivity with generated visualizations and the three-dimensional structure in question. Color encoded sequences generated by SequenceCEROSENE can aid to quickly perceive the general characteristics of a structure of interest (or entire sets of complexes), thus supporting the researcher in the initial phase of structure-based studies. In this respect, the web server can be a valuable tool, as users are allowed to process multiple structures, quickly switch between results, and interact with generated visualizations in an intuitive manner. The SequenceCEROSENE web server is available at https://biosciences.hs-mittweida.de/seqcerosene.

Insights into the structural characteristics and substrate binding analysis of chondroitin AC lyase (PsPL8A) from Pedobacter saltans.

PubMed

Rani, Aruna; Dhillon, Arun; Sharma, Kedar; Goyal, Arun

2018-04-01

The structure of chondroitin AC lyase (PsPL8A) of family 8 polysaccharide lyase was characterized. Modeled PsPL8A structure showed, it contains N-terminal (α/α) 6 incomplete toroidal fold and a layered β sandwich structure at C-terminal. Ramchandran plot displayed 98.5% residues in favoured and 1.2% in generously allowed region. Secondary structure of PsPL8A by CD revealed 27.31% α helices 22.7% β sheets and 49.9% random coils. Protein melting study showed, PsPL8A completely unfolds at 60°C. SAXS analysis showed, PsPL8A is fully folded in solution form. The ab initio derived dummy model of PsPL8A superposed well with its modeled structure excluding some α-helices and loop region. Structural superposition and docking analysis showed, N153, W105, H203, Y208, Y212, R266 and E349 were involved in catalysis. Mutants N153A, H203A, Y212F, R266A and E349A created by SDM revealed no residual activity. Isothermal titration calorimetry analysis of Y212F and H203A with C4S polysaccharide, showed moderate binding by Y212F (Ka=9.56±3.81×10 5 ) and no binding with H203A, showing active contribution of Y212 in substrate binding. Residues Y212 and H203 or R266 might act as general base and general acid respectively. Residues N153 and E349 are likely contributing in charge neutralization and stabilizing enolate anion intermediate during β-elimination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Probable Mid-Miocene Caldera in the Modoc Plateau, Northeast California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowens, T. E.; Grose, T. L.

2001-12-01

Regional geologic mapping within the Modoc Plateau has resulted in the discovery of a large volcanotectonic anomaly some 21-km in diameter approximately 50-km WSW of the city of Alturas in Modoc County, California. Centrally located within this anomaly lies a structural depression some 11-km in diameter which, based on structural, lithologic, and geophysical characteristics, is believed to represent a deeply eroded mid-Miocene caldera. The region extending outward some 5-km from the proposed caldera displays a sharp, localized structural deflection from a NNW to a WNW structural grain. Lying inboard of this deflection, a series of regionally discordant E-W to NE trending, generally down to the north, normal faults were discovered which are believed to represent rim faults to an ancient caldera. Bedding within the hanging wall of these discordant structures displays highly contorted and regionally anomalous dips. By stereographic removal of the regional northeast dip overprinting the area, the anomalous dips were found to display a radial, steeply inward dipping pattern in close proximity to the proposed rim structures while dips located further inboard are generally flat-lying. Lithologies within the proposed caldera are regionally anomalous and include abundant tuffaceous and flow dominated breccias, closed basin organic sedimentary facies, and an anomalous concentration of volcanic centers of both mafic and felsic compositions. One of these intrusives was age dated at 12.9 Ma indicating the anomaly formed during mid-Miocene time. The location of the proposed caldera is associated with a +20 mgal gravity high, which stands in contrast to a lesser high of +10 mgal associated with the Medicine Lake Caldera some 50-km to the northwest. This combination of structural, lithologic, and geophysical evidence leads to the interpretation of a caldera at this location, herein termed the Stone Coal Valley Caldera.

An improved EMD method for modal identification and a combined static-dynamic method for damage detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jinping; Li, Peizhen; Yang, Youfa; Xu, Dian

2018-04-01

Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is a highly adaptable signal processing method. However, the EMD approach has certain drawbacks, including distortions from end effects and mode mixing. In the present study, these two problems are addressed using an end extension method based on the support vector regression machine (SVRM) and a modal decomposition method based on the characteristics of the Hilbert transform. The algorithm includes two steps: using the SVRM, the time series data are extended at both endpoints to reduce the end effects, and then, a modified EMD method using the characteristics of the Hilbert transform is performed on the resulting signal to reduce mode mixing. A new combined static-dynamic method for identifying structural damage is presented. This method combines the static and dynamic information in an equilibrium equation that can be solved using the Moore-Penrose generalized matrix inverse. The combination method uses the differences in displacements of the structure with and without damage and variations in the modal force vector. Tests on a four-story, steel-frame structure were conducted to obtain static and dynamic responses of the structure. The modal parameters are identified using data from the dynamic tests and improved EMD method. The new method is shown to be more accurate and effective than the traditional EMD method. Through tests with a shear-type test frame, the higher performance of the proposed static-dynamic damage detection approach, which can detect both single and multiple damage locations and the degree of the damage, is demonstrated. For structures with multiple damage, the combined approach is more effective than either the static or dynamic method. The proposed EMD method and static-dynamic damage detection method offer improved modal identification and damage detection, respectively, in structures.

Global numerical simulations of the rise of vortex-mediated pulsar glitches in full general relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sourie, A.; Chamel, N.; Novak, J.; Oertel, M.

2017-02-01

In this paper, we study in detail the role of general relativity on the global dynamics of giant pulsar glitches as exemplified by Vela. For this purpose, we carry out numerical simulations of the spin up triggered by the sudden unpinning of superfluid vortices. In particular, we compute the exchange of angular momentum between the core neutron superfluid and the rest of the star within a two-fluid model including both (non-dissipative) entrainment effects and (dissipative) mutual friction forces. Our simulations are based on a quasi-stationary approach using realistic equations of state (EoSs). We show that the evolution of the angular velocities of both fluids can be accurately described by an exponential law. The associated characteristic rise time τr, which can be precisely computed from stationary configurations only, has a form similar to that obtained in the Newtonian limit. However, general relativity changes the structure of the star and leads to additional couplings between the fluids due to frame-dragging effects. As a consequence, general relativity can have a large impact on the actual value of τr: the errors incurred by using Newtonian gravity are thus found to be as large as ˜40 per cent for the models considered. Values of the rise time are calculated for Vela and compared with current observational limits. Finally, we study the amount of gravitational waves emitted during a glitch. Simple expressions are obtained for the corresponding characteristic amplitudes and frequencies. The detectability of glitches through gravitational wave observatories is briefly discussed.

Structurally Driven Enhancement of Resonant Tunneling and Nanomechanical Properties in Diamond-like Carbon Superlattices.

PubMed

Dwivedi, Neeraj; McIntosh, Ross; Dhand, Chetna; Kumar, Sushil; Malik, Hitendra K; Bhattacharyya, Somnath

2015-09-23

We report nitrogen-induced enhanced electron tunnel transport and improved nanomechanical properties in band gap-modulated nitrogen doped DLC (N-DLC) quantum superlattice (QSL) structures. The electrical characteristics of such superlattice devices revealed negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior. The interpretation of these measurements is supported by 1D tight binding calculations of disordered superlattice structures (chains), which include bond alternation in sp(3)-hybridized regions. Tandem theoretical and experimental analysis shows improved tunnel transport, which can be ascribed to nitrogen-driven structural modification of the N-DLC QSL structures, especially the increased sp(2) clustering that provides additional conduction paths throughout the network. The introduction of nitrogen also improved the nanomechanical properties, resulting in enhanced elastic recovery, hardness, and elastic modulus, which is unusual but is most likely due to the onset of cross-linking of the network. Moreover, the materials' stress of N-DLC QSL structures was reduced with the nitrogen doping. In general, the combination of enhanced electron tunnel transport and nanomechanical properties in N-DLC QSL structures/devices can open a platform for the development of a new class of cost-effective and mechanically robust advanced electronic devices for a wide range of applications.

Accelerating large-scale protein structure alignments with graphics processing units

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Large-scale protein structure alignment, an indispensable tool to structural bioinformatics, poses a tremendous challenge on computational resources. To ensure structure alignment accuracy and efficiency, efforts have been made to parallelize traditional alignment algorithms in grid environments. However, these solutions are costly and of limited accessibility. Others trade alignment quality for speedup by using high-level characteristics of structure fragments for structure comparisons. Findings We present ppsAlign, a parallel protein structure Alignment framework designed and optimized to exploit the parallelism of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). As a general-purpose GPU platform, ppsAlign could take many concurrent methods, such as TM-align and Fr-TM-align, into the parallelized algorithm design. We evaluated ppsAlign on an NVIDIA Tesla C2050 GPU card, and compared it with existing software solutions running on an AMD dual-core CPU. We observed a 36-fold speedup over TM-align, a 65-fold speedup over Fr-TM-align, and a 40-fold speedup over MAMMOTH. Conclusions ppsAlign is a high-performance protein structure alignment tool designed to tackle the computational complexity issues from protein structural data. The solution presented in this paper allows large-scale structure comparisons to be performed using massive parallel computing power of GPU. PMID:22357132

Understanding “revolving door” patients in general practice: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background ‘Revolving door’ patients in general practice are repeatedly removed from general practitioners’ (GP) lists. This paper reports a qualitative portion of the first mixed methods study of these marginalised patients. Methods We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with six practitioner services staff and six GPs in Scotland, utilizing Charmazian grounded theory to characterise ‘revolving door’ patients and their impact from professionals’ perspectives. Results ‘Revolving door’ patients were reported as having three necessary characteristics; they had unreasonable expectations, exhibited inappropriate behaviours and had unmet health needs. A range of boundary breaches were reported too when ‘revolving door’ patients interacted with NHS staff. Conclusions We utilise the ‘sensitising concepts’ of legitimacy by drawing on literature about ‘good and bad’ patients and ‘dirty work designations.’ We relate these to the core work of general practice and explore the role that medical and moral schemas have in how health service professionals understand and work with ‘revolving door’ patients. We suggest this may have wider relevance for the problem doctor patient relationship literature. PMID:24524363

Structure and dynamics of European sports science textual contents: Analysis of ECSS abstracts (1996-2014).

PubMed

Hristovski, Robert; Aceski, Aleksandar; Balague, Natalia; Seifert, Ludovic; Tufekcievski, Aleksandar; Cecilia, Aguirre

2017-02-01

The article discusses general structure and dynamics of the sports science research content as obtained from the analysis of 21998 European College of Sport Science abstracts belonging to 12 science topics. The structural analysis showed intertwined multidisciplinary and unifying tendencies structured along horizontal (scope) and vertical (level) axes. Methodological (instrumental and mode of inquiry) integrative tendencies are dominant. Theoretical integrative tendencies are much less detectable along both horizontal and vertical axes. The dynamic analysis of written abstracts text content over the 19 years reveals the contextualizing and guiding role of thematic skeletons of each sports science topic in forming more detailed contingent research ideas and the role of the latter in stabilizing and procreating the former. This circular causality between both hierarchical levels and functioning on separate characteristic time scales is crucial for understanding how stable research traditions self-maintain and self-procreate through innovative contingencies. The structure of sports science continuously rebuilds itself through use and re-use of contingent research ideas. The thematic skeleton ensures its identity and the contingent conceptual sets its flexibility and adaptability to different research or applicative problems.

Generation of Well-Relaxed All-Atom Models of Large Molecular Weight Polymer Melts: A Hybrid Particle-Continuum Approach Based on Particle-Field Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

PubMed

De Nicola, Antonio; Kawakatsu, Toshihiro; Milano, Giuseppe

2014-12-09

A procedure based on Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations employing soft potentials derived from self-consistent field (SCF) theory (named MD-SCF) able to generate well-relaxed all-atom structures of polymer melts is proposed. All-atom structures having structural correlations indistinguishable from ones obtained by long MD relaxations have been obtained for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) melts. The proposed procedure leads to computational costs mainly related on system size rather than to the chain length. Several advantages of the proposed procedure over current coarse-graining/reverse mapping strategies are apparent. No parametrization is needed to generate relaxed structures of different polymers at different scales or resolutions. There is no need for special algorithms or back-mapping schemes to change the resolution of the models. This characteristic makes the procedure general and its extension to other polymer architectures straightforward. A similar procedure can be easily extended to the generation of all-atom structures of block copolymer melts and polymer nanocomposites.

Computational Modeling of Piezoelectric Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Challagulla, K. S.; Venkatesh, T. A.

2013-02-01

Piezoelectric materials, by virtue of their unique electromechanical characteristics, have been recognized for their potential utility in many applications as sensors and actuators. However, the sensing or actuating functionality of monolithic piezoelectric materials is generally limited. The composite approach to piezoelectric materials provides a unique opportunity to access a new design space with optimal mechanical and coupled characteristics. The properties of monolithic piezoelectric materials can be enhanced via the additive approach by adding two or more constituents to create several types of piezoelectric composites or via the subtractive approach by introducing controlled porosity in the matrix materials to create porous piezoelectric materials. Such porous piezoelectrics can be tailored to demonstrate improved signal-to-noise ratio, impedance matching, and sensitivity, and thus, they can be optimized for applications such as hydrophone devices. This article captures key results from the recent developments in the field of computational modeling of novel piezoelectric foam structures. It is demonstrated that the fundamental elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of piezoelectric foam are strongly dependent on the internal structure of the foams and the material volume fraction. The highest piezoelectric coupling constants and the highest acoustic impedance are obtained in the [3-3] interconnect-free piezoelectric foam structures, while the corresponding figures of merit for the [3-1] type long-porous structure are marginally higher. Among the [3-3] type foam structures, the sparsely-packed foam structures (with longer and thicker interconnects) display higher coupling constants and acoustic impedance as compared to closepacked foam structures (with shorter and thinner interconnects). The piezoelectric charge coefficients ( d h), the hydrostatic voltage coefficients ( g h), and the hydrostatic figures of merit ( d hgh) are observed to be significantly higher for the [3-3] type piezoelectric foam structures as compared to the [3-1] type long-porous materials, and these can be enhanced significantly by modifying the aspect ratio of the porosity in the foam structures as well.

Inferring general relations between network characteristics from specific network ensembles.

PubMed

Cardanobile, Stefano; Pernice, Volker; Deger, Moritz; Rotter, Stefan

2012-01-01

Different network models have been suggested for the topology underlying complex interactions in natural systems. These models are aimed at replicating specific statistical features encountered in real-world networks. However, it is rarely considered to which degree the results obtained for one particular network class can be extrapolated to real-world networks. We address this issue by comparing different classical and more recently developed network models with respect to their ability to generate networks with large structural variability. In particular, we consider the statistical constraints which the respective construction scheme imposes on the generated networks. After having identified the most variable networks, we address the issue of which constraints are common to all network classes and are thus suitable candidates for being generic statistical laws of complex networks. In fact, we find that generic, not model-related dependencies between different network characteristics do exist. This makes it possible to infer global features from local ones using regression models trained on networks with high generalization power. Our results confirm and extend previous findings regarding the synchronization properties of neural networks. Our method seems especially relevant for large networks, which are difficult to map completely, like the neural networks in the brain. The structure of such large networks cannot be fully sampled with the present technology. Our approach provides a method to estimate global properties of under-sampled networks in good approximation. Finally, we demonstrate on three different data sets (C. elegans neuronal network, R. prowazekii metabolic network, and a network of synonyms extracted from Roget's Thesaurus) that real-world networks have statistical relations compatible with those obtained using regression models.

New approach to the design of Schottky barrier diodes for THz mixers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jelenski, A.; Grueb, A.; Krozer, V.; Hartnagel, H. L.

1992-01-01

Near-ideal GaAs Schottky barrier diodes especially designed for mixing applications in the THz frequency range are presented. A diode fabrication process for submicron diodes with near-ideal electrical and noise characteristics is described. This process is based on the electrolytic pulse etching of GaAs in combination with an in-situ platinum plating for the formation of the Schottky contacts. Schottky barrier diodes with a diameter of 1 micron fabricated by the process have already shown excellent results in a 650 GHz waveguide mixer at room temperature. A conversion loss of 7.5 dB and a mixer noise temperature of less than 2000 K have been obtained at an intermediate frequency of 4 GHz. The optimization of the diode structure and the technology was possible due to the development of a generalized Schottky barrier diode model which is valid also at high current densities. The common diode design and optimization is discussed on the basis of the classical theory. However, the conventional fomulas are valid only in a limited forward bias range corresponding to currents much smaller than the operating currents under submillimeter mixing conditions. The generalized new model takes into account not only the phenomena occurring at the junction such as current dependent recombination and drift/diffusion velocities, but also mobility and electron temperature variations in the undepleted epi-layer. Calculated diode I/V and noise characteristics are in excellent agreement with the measured values. Thus, the model offers the possibility of optimizing the diode structure and predicting the diode performance under mixing conditions at THz frequencies.

The evolution of nursing in Australian general practice: a comparative analysis of workforce surveys ten years on

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Nursing in Australian general practice has grown rapidly over the last decade in response to government initiatives to strengthen primary care. There are limited data about how this expansion has impacted on the nursing role, scope of practice and workforce characteristics. This study aimed to describe the current demographic and employment characteristics of Australian nurses working in general practice and explore trends in their role over time. Methods In the nascence of the expansion of the role of nurses in Australian general practice (2003–2004) a national survey was undertaken to describe nurse demographics, clinical roles and competencies. This survey was repeated in 2009–2010 and comparative analysis of the datasets undertaken to explore workforce changes over time. Results Two hundred eighty four nurses employed in general practice completed the first survey (2003/04) and 235 completed the second survey (2009/10). Significantly more participants in Study 2 were undertaking follow-up of pathology results, physical assessment and disease specific health education. There was also a statistically significant increase in the participants who felt that further education/training would augment their confidence in all clinical tasks (p < 0.001). Whilst the impact of legal implications as a barrier to the nurses’ role in general practice decreased between the two time points, more participants perceived lack of space, job descriptions, confidence to negotiate with general practitioners and personal desire to enhance their role as barriers. Access to education and training as a facilitator to nursing role expansion increased between the two studies. The level of optimism of participants for the future of the nurses’ role in general practice was slightly decreased over time. Conclusions This study has identified that some of the structural barriers to nursing in Australian general practice have been addressed over time. However, it also identifies continuing barriers that impact practice nurse role development. Understanding and addressing these issues is vital to optimise the effectiveness of the primary care nursing workforce. PMID:24666420

Linking Parameters Estimated with the Generalized Graded Unfolding Model: A Comparison of the Accuracy of Characteristic Curve Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson Koenig, Judith; Roberts, James S.

2007-01-01

Methods for linking item response theory (IRT) parameters are developed for attitude questionnaire responses calibrated with the generalized graded unfolding model (GGUM). One class of IRT linking methods derives the linking coefficients by comparing characteristic curves, and three of these methods---test characteristic curve (TCC), item…

Dimensions and profiles of the generalized health-related self-concept.

PubMed

Wiesmann, Ulrich; Niehörster, Gabriele; Hannich, Hans-Joachim; Hartmann, Ute

2008-11-01

We explore the significance of health as a potentially self-relevant category from the perspective of dynamic self-concept theory. Our intention was to describe the dimensional structure of the generalized health-related self-concept, to identify particular prototypes of health-related self-definition, and to see if these prototypes would differ with respect to appraisals of health behaviour and subjective health. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study involving 545 college students (23.3% male) at the mean age of 22 years. The self-administered questionnaire assessed a relevant spectrum of health-related cognitions denoting their generalized declarative knowledge about their health (the generalized health-related self-concept). Additionally, participants rated their multiple health behaviour, their perceived health, and their anticipated vulnerability. A principal components analysis of the health-related cognitions revealed the following five dimensions: health-protective dispositions, health-protective motivation, vulnerability, health-risky habits, and external, avoidant motivation. A two-step cluster analysis of the five components identified six profiles of health-related self-concept: careless/carefree, omnipotents, risk-takers, mentally affected, reluctant-avoidant, and medically fragile. These prototypes could be successfully reclassified (97.6%). The six profiles differed with respect to their health behaviour and subjective health appraisals. The dimensional structure represents both resources and deficits with respect to an individual's health-related self-concept. An individual's profile of these dimensions might correspond to a characteristic set of particular health needs and motivations. Successful health communications should follow a complementary strategy of affirming the self-concept.

Inducing Order from Disordered Copolymers: On Demand Generation of Triblock Morphologies Including Networks

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

Tureau, Maëva S.; Kuan, Wei-Fan; Rong, Lixia

Disordered block copolymers are generally impractical in nanopatterning applications due to their inability to self-assemble into well-defined nanostructures. However, inducing order in low molecular weight disordered systems permits the design of periodic structures with smaller characteristic sizes. Here, we have induced nanoscale phase separation from disordered triblock copolymer melts to form well-ordered lamellae, hexagonally packed cylinders, and a triply periodic gyroid network structure, using a copolymer/homopolymer blending approach, which incorporates constituent homopolymers into selective block domains. This versatile blending approach allows one to precisely target multiple nanostructures from a single disordered material and can be applied to a wide varietymore » of triblock copolymer systems for nanotemplating and nanoscale separation applications requiring nanoscale feature sizes and/or high areal feature densities.« less

Reconfigurable modified surface layers using plasma capillaries around the neutral inclusion regime

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

Varault, S.; Universite Paul Sabatier—CNRS-Laplace 118, Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9; Gabard, B.

We show both theoretically and experimentally reconfigurable properties achieved by plasma inclusions placed in modified surface layers generally used to tailor the transmission and beaming properties of electromagnetic bandgap based waveguiding structures. A proper parametrization of the plasma capillaries allows to reach the neutral inclusion regime, where the inclusions appear to be electromagnetically transparent, letting the surface mode characteristics unaltered. Varying the electron density of the plasma inclusions provoques small perturbations around this peculiar regime, and we observe significant modifications of the transmission/beaming properties. This offers a way to dynamically select the enhanced transmission frequency or to modify the radiationmore » pattern of the structure, depending on whether the modified surface layer is placed at the entrance/exit of the waveguide.« less

Direct imaging of isofrequency contours in photonic structures

DOE PAGES

Regan, E. C.; Igarashi, Y.; Zhen, B.; ...

2016-11-25

The isofrequency contours of a photonic crystal are important for predicting and understanding exotic optical phenomena that are not apparent from high-symmetry band structure visualizations. We demonstrate a method to directly visualize the isofrequency contours of high-quality photonic crystal slabs that show quantitatively good agreement with numerical results throughout the visible spectrum. Our technique relies on resonance-enhanced photon scattering from generic fabrication disorder and surface roughness, so it can be applied to general photonic and plasmonic crystals or even quasi-crystals. We also present an analytical model of the scattering process, which explains the observation of isofrequency contours in our technique.more » Furthermore, the isofrequency contours provide information about the characteristics of the disorder and therefore serve as a feedback tool to improve fabrication processes.« less

Stability of hydrated minerals on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cloutis, Edward A.; Craig, Michael A.; Mustard, John F.; Kruzelecky, Roman V.; Jamroz, Wes R.; Scott, Alan; Bish, David L.; Poulet, François; Bibring, Jean-Pierre; King, Penelope L.

2007-10-01

The validity of recent identification of various hydrated minerals (kieserite, gypsum, hexahydrite, nontronite, chamosite, and montmorillonite) on Mars was assessed by exposing these minerals to simulated Martian surface conditions of atmospheric composition and pressure, temperature, and ultraviolet light irradiation. When exposed to such conditions the hydrated minerals exhibit in general, greater losses of interlayer H2O than structural OH. Minerals such as gypsum that contain structural H2O are more resistant to H2O loss than phyllosilicates. The partial loss of OH in some of the phyllosilicates is not accompanied by a measurable and systematic change in the wavelength position or intensity of metal-OH absorption bands. The characteristic absorption features that allow for identification of these minerals on Mars may be reduced in intensity, but are nevertheless largely preserved.

Implementation of a partitioned algorithm for simulation of large CSI problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alvin, Kenneth F.; Park, K. C.

1991-01-01

The implementation of a partitioned numerical algorithm for determining the dynamic response of coupled structure/controller/estimator finite-dimensional systems is reviewed. The partitioned approach leads to a set of coupled first and second-order linear differential equations which are numerically integrated with extrapolation and implicit step methods. The present software implementation, ACSIS, utilizes parallel processing techniques at various levels to optimize performance on a shared-memory concurrent/vector processing system. A general procedure for the design of controller and filter gains is also implemented, which utilizes the vibration characteristics of the structure to be solved. Also presented are: example problems; a user's guide to the software; the procedures and algorithm scripts; a stability analysis for the algorithm; and the source code for the parallel implementation.

Water absorption characteristics of novel Cu/LDPE nanocomposite for use in intrauterine devices.

PubMed

Xia, Xianping; Cai, Shuizhou; Hu, Junhui; Xie, Changsheng

2006-11-01

Intrauterine devices (IUDs), especially the copper-containing IUDs (Cu-IUDs), are one of the worldwide used forms for birth control, owing to their advantages of long-lasting and high efficacy, economy, safety, and reversibility. However, it is not perfect for the existing Cu-IUDs; some shortcomings related to its side effects have not been overcome yet. For this reason, a new Cu-IUDs material, the copper/low-density polyethylene (Cu/LDPE) nanocomposite, has been developed in our research team. The structure and water uptake characteristics of this new Cu-IUDs material have been investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and gravimetric analysis in this paper. The results of XRD, SEM, EDS, and FT-IR show three important outcomes associated with the structure of the nanocomposite. First, the nanocomposite is hybrid of the polymer and the copper nanoparticles (nano-Cu). Second, porosities, nano-Cu aggregates, and primary alcohol (R--CH(2)--OH) are existed in the nanocomposite. Third, the nano-Cu aggregates are distributed uniformly in the polymer matrix in general. The results of Gravimetric analysis, which associated with the water uptake characteristics of the nanocomposite, exhibit that the water absorption behavior of the nanocomposite obeys the classical diffusion theory very well, the water uptake of the nanocomposite increases with the increasing of the nano-Cu loading, and that the water uptake ability of the nanocomposite with 15.0 wt % nano-Cu (50 nm in diameter) is about 150 times larger than that of the base resin and about 45 times higher than that of the Cu/LDPE microcomposite with 15.0 wt % copper microparticles (5 microm in diameter). These water uptake characteristics are mainly attributed to the structure of the Cu/LDPE composites and the size effect of the nano-Cu. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characteristics of Hyperacusis in the General Population

PubMed Central

Paulin, Johan; Andersson, Linus; Nordin, Steven

2016-01-01

There is a need for better understanding of various characteristics in hyperacusis in the general population. The objectives of the present study were to investigate individuals in the general population with hyperacusis regarding demographics, lifestyle, perceived general health and hearing ability, hyperacusis-specific characteristics and behavior, and comorbidity. Using data from a large-scale population-based questionnaire study, we investigated individuals with physician-diagnosed (n=66) and self-reported (n=313) hyperacusis in comparison to individuals without hyperacusis (n=2995). High age, female sex, and high education were associated with hyperacusis, and that trying to avoid sound sources, being able to affect the sound environment, and having sough medical attention were common reactions and behaviors. Posttraumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, exhaustion, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, hearing impairment, tinnitus, and back/joint/muscle disorders were comorbid with hyperacusis. The results provide ground for future study of these characteristic features being risk factors for development of hyperacusis and/or consequences of hyperacusis. PMID:27569405

Video Game Structural Characteristics: A New Psychological Taxonomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Daniel; Delfabbro, Paul; Griffiths, Mark

2010-01-01

Excessive video game playing behaviour may be influenced by a variety of factors including the structural characteristics of video games. Structural characteristics refer to those features inherent within the video game itself that may facilitate initiation, development and maintenance of video game playing over time. Numerous structural…

Social network and other correlates of HIV testing: findings from male sex workers and other MSM in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Huang, Z Jennifer; He, Na; Nehl, Eric J; Zheng, Tony; Smith, Brian D; Zhang, Jin; McNabb, Sarah; Wong, Frank Y

2012-05-01

Although the Chinese government provides free-of-charge voluntary HIV counseling and testing, HIV testing rates among men who have sex with men (MSM) are reported to be extremely low. This study examines the association of structural and psychosocial factors and social network characteristics with HIV testing behaviors among "money boys" and general MSM in Shanghai. Overall, 28.5% of "money boys" and 50.5% of general MSM had never tested for HIV despite high rates of reported HIV risk behaviors. Factors associated with not testing for HIV included: not knowing of a testing site, limited HIV knowledge, low perceived HIV risk, concern about HIV testing confidentiality, being a closeted gay, not using the Internet, and having a small social network or network with few members who had tested for HIV. Future efforts to promote HIV testing should focus on outreach to general MSM, confidentiality protection, decreasing the stigma of homosexuality, and encouraging peer education and support through the Internet and social networks.

Computation of turbulent reacting flow in a solid-propellant ducted rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Yei-Chin; Chou, Wen-Fuh; Liu, Sheng-Shyang

1995-05-01

A mathematical model for computation of turbulent reacting flows is developed under general curvilinear coordinate systems. An adaptive, streamline grid system is generated to deal with the complex flow structures in a multiple-inlet solid-propellant ducted rocket (SDR) combustor. General tensor representations of the k-epsilon and algebraic stress (ASM) turbulence models are derived in terms of contravariant velocity components, and modification caused by the effects of compressible turbulence is also included in the modeling. The clipped Gaussian probability density function is incorporated in the combustion model to account for fluctuations of properties. Validation of the above modeling is first examined by studying mixing and reacting characteristics in a confined coaxial-jet problem. This is followed by study of nonreacting and reacting SDR combustor flows. The results show that Gibson and Launder's ASM incorporated with Sarkar's modification for compressible turbulence effects based on the general curvilinear coordinate systems yields the most satisfactory prediction for this complicated SDR flowfield.

Computation of turbulent reacting flow in a solid-propellant ducted rocket

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

Chao, Y.; Chou, W.; Liu, S.

1995-05-01

A mathematical model for computation of turbulent reacting flows is developed under general curvilinear coordinate systems. An adaptive, streamline grid system is generated to deal with the complex flow structures in a multiple-inlet solid-propellant ducted rocket (SDR) combustor. General tensor representations of the k-epsilon and algebraic stress (ASM) turbulence models are derived in terms of contravariant velocity components, and modification caused by the effects of compressible turbulence is also included in the modeling. The clipped Gaussian probability density function is incorporated in the combustion model to account for fluctuations of properties. Validation of the above modeling is first examined bymore » studying mixing and reacting characteristics in a confined coaxial-jet problem. This is followed by study of nonreacting and reacting SDR combustor flows. The results show that Gibson and Launder`s ASM incorporated with Sarkar`s modification for compressible turbulence effects based on the general curvilinear coordinate systems yields the most satisfactory prediction for this complicated SDR flowfield. 36 refs.« less

The Six Fundamental Characteristics of Chaos and Their Clinical Relevance to Psychiatry: a New Hypothesis for the Origin of Psychosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmid, Gary Bruno

Underlying idea: A new hypothesis about how the mental state of psychosis may arise in the brain as a "linear" information processing pathology is briefly introduced. This hypothesis is proposed in the context of a complementary approach to psychiatry founded in the logical paradigm of chaos theory. To best understand the relation between chaos theory and psychiatry, the semantic structure of chaos theory is analyzed with the help of six general, and six specific, fundamental characteristics which can be directly inferred from empirical observations on chaotic systems. This enables a mathematically and physically stringent perspective on psychological phenomena which until now could only be grasped intuitively: Chaotic systems are in a general sense dynamic, intrinsically coherent, deterministic, recursive, reactive and structured: in a specific sense, self-organizing, unpredictable, nonreproducible, triadic, unstable and self-similar. To a great extent, certain concepts of chaos theory can be associated with corresponding concepts in psychiatry, psychology and psychotherapy, thus enabling an understanding of the human psyche in general as a (fractal) chaotic system and an explanation of certain mental developments, such as the course of schizophrenia, the course of psychosis and psychotherapy as chaotic processes. General overview: A short comparison and contrast of classical and chaotic physical theory leads to four postulates and one hypothesis motivating a new, dynamic, nonlinear approach to classical, causal psychiatry: Process-Oriented PSYchiatry or "POPSY", for short. Four aspects of the relationship between chaos theory and POPSY are discussed: (1) The first of these, namely, Identification of Chaos / Picture of Illness involves a definition of Chaos / Psychosis and a discussion of the 6 logical characteristics of each. This leads to the concept of dynamical disease (definition, characteristics and examples) and to the idea of "psychological disturbance as dynamical illness". On the one hand, it is argued that the developmental course of psychosis is chaotic. On the other hand, we propose the hypothesis that the mental state of psychosis may be a linear information processing pathology. (2) The second aspect under discussion is the Assessment of Chaos / Diagnosis of Illness. In order to better understand how POPSY research treats this aspect, we take a look at the 3 different classes of (non-quantum) motion as models of 3 different possible courses of illness and outline present-day methods available for the quantitative assessment of chaotic (fractal) motion. (3) The third aspect, namely. Prediction of Chaos / Prognosis of Illness considers how each of these 3 classes of motion implies a different way of looking into the future: linear-causal, statistical and nonlinear-fractal, respectively (4) The fourth aspect of the relationship between chaos theory and POPSY, Control of Chaos / Treatment of Illness, is shown to have certain implications to complementary medicine. This paper completes with a short summary, conclusion and a closing remark.

Tsunami sediments and their grain size characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulastya Putra, Purna

2018-02-01

Characteristics of tsunami deposits are very complex as the deposition by tsunami is very complex processes. The grain size characteristics of tsunami deposits are simply generalized no matter the local condition in which the deposition took place. The general characteristics are fining upward and landward, poor sorting, and the grain size distribution is not unimodal. Here I review the grain size characteristics of tsunami deposit in various environments: swale, coastal marsh and lagoon/lake. Review results show that although there are similar characters in some environments and cases, but in detail the characteristics in each environment can be distinguished; therefore, the tsunami deposit in each environment has its own characteristic. The local geological and geomorphological condition of the environment may greatly affect the grain size characteristics.

Characteristics of complaints resulting in disciplinary actions against Danish GPs

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Abstract Objective The risk of being disciplined in connection with a complaint case causes distress to most general practitioners. The present study examined the characteristics of complaint cases resulting in disciplinary action. Material and methods The Danish Patients’ Complaints Board's decisions concerning general practice in 2007 were examined. Information on the motives for complaining, as well as patient and general practitioner characteristics, was extracted and the association with case outcome (disciplinary or no disciplinary action) was analysed. Variables included complaint motives, patient gender and age, urgency of illness, cancer diagnosis, healthcare settings (daytime or out-of-hours services), and general practitioner gender and professional seniority. Results Cases where the complaint motives involved a wish for placement of responsibility (OR = 2.35, p = 0.01) or a wish for a review of the general practitioner's competence (OR = 1.95, p = 0.02) were associated with increased odds of the general practitioner being disciplined. The odds of discipline decreased when the complaint was motivated by a feeling of being devalued (OR = 0.39, p = 0.02) or a request for an explanation (OR = 0.46, p = 0.01). With regard to patient and general practitioner characteristics, higher general practitioner professional seniority was associated with increased odds of discipline (OR = 1.97 per 20 additional years of professional seniority, p = 0.01). None of the other characteristics was statistically significantly associated with discipline in the multiple logistic regression model. Conclusion Complaint motives and professional seniority were associated with decision outcomes. Further research is needed on the impact of professional seniority on performance. PMID:23906082

Educational levels of hospital nurses and surgical patient mortality.

PubMed

Aiken, Linda H; Clarke, Sean P; Cheung, Robyn B; Sloane, Douglas M; Silber, Jeffrey H

2003-09-24

Growing evidence suggests that nurse staffing affects the quality of care in hospitals, but little is known about whether the educational composition of registered nurses (RNs) in hospitals is related to patient outcomes. To examine whether the proportion of hospital RNs educated at the baccalaureate level or higher is associated with risk-adjusted mortality and failure to rescue (deaths in surgical patients with serious complications). Cross-sectional analyses of outcomes data for 232 342 general, orthopedic, and vascular surgery patients discharged from 168 nonfederal adult general Pennsylvania hospitals between April 1, 1998, and November 30, 1999, linked to administrative and survey data providing information on educational composition, staffing, and other characteristics. Risk-adjusted patient mortality and failure to rescue within 30 days of admission associated with nurse educational level. The proportion of hospital RNs holding a bachelor's degree or higher ranged from 0% to 77% across the hospitals. After adjusting for patient characteristics and hospital structural characteristics (size, teaching status, level of technology), as well as for nurse staffing, nurse experience, and whether the patient's surgeon was board certified, a 10% increase in the proportion of nurses holding a bachelor's degree was associated with a 5% decrease in both the likelihood of patients dying within 30 days of admission and the odds of failure to rescue (odds ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-0.99 in both cases). In hospitals with higher proportions of nurses educated at the baccalaureate level or higher, surgical patients experienced lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates.

Self-resilience as a protective factor against development of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in police officers.

PubMed

Lee, Jong-Ku; Choi, Hyeon-Gyeong; Kim, Jae-Yeop; Nam, Juhyun; Kang, Hee-Tae; Koh, Sang-Baek; Oh, Sung-Soo

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to check whether self-resilience, one of the characteristics known to affect the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after experiencing traumatic events, could serve as a protective factor for police officers whose occupational factors are corrected. We conducted a cross-sectional study in which 112 male police officers in Gangwon Province participated. They visited the Wonju Severance Christian Hospital Occupational Environment Center for medical check-ups from June to December 2015. Their general characteristics were identified using structured questionnaires, and they were asked to fill in the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF). Further, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-Korean (CD-RI-K), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised-Korean version (IES-R-K) were used to evaluate their job stress, depression, self-resilience, and PTSD symptoms. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to correct their personal, occupational, and psychological factors to analyze the relationship between self-resilience and PTSD symptoms. Among 112 respondents who experienced a traumatic event, those with low self-resilience had significantly higher rate of PTSD symptoms than those with high self-resilience even after correcting for the covariate of general, occupational, and psychological characteristics (odds ratio [OR] 3.51; 95 % CI: 1.06-19.23). Despite several limitations, these results suggest that a high degree of self-resilience may protect police officers from critical incident-related PTSD symptoms.

Relationship Between Large-Scale Functional and Structural Covariance Networks in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhiqiang; Mantini, Dante; Xu, Qiang; Wang, Zhengge; Chen, Guanghui; Jiao, Qing; Zang, Yu-Feng

2013-01-01

Abstract The human brain can be modeled as a network, whose structure can be revealed by either anatomical or functional connectivity analyses. Little is known, so far, about the topological features of the large-scale interregional functional covariance network (FCN) in the brain. Further, the relationship between the FCN and the structural covariance network (SCN) has not been characterized yet, in the intact as well as in the diseased brain. Here, we studied 59 patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy characterized by tonic–clonic seizures and 59 healthy controls. We estimated the FCN and the SCN by measuring amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and gray matter volume (GMV), respectively, and then we conducted graph theoretical analyses. Our ALFF-based FCN and GMV-based results revealed that the normal human brain is characterized by specific topological properties such as small worldness and highly-connected hub regions. The patients had an altered overall topology compared to the controls, suggesting that epilepsy is primarily a disorder of the cerebral network organization. Further, the patients had altered nodal characteristics in the subcortical and medial temporal regions and default-mode regions, for both the FCN and SCN. Importantly, the correspondence between the FCN and SCN was significantly larger in patients than in the controls. These results support the hypothesis that the SCN reflects shared long-term trophic mechanisms within functionally synchronous systems. They can also provide crucial information for understanding the interactions between the whole-brain network organization and pathology in generalized tonic–clonic seizures. PMID:23510272

Utilization of konjac glucomannan as a fat replacer in low-fat and skimmed yogurt.

PubMed

Dai, Shuhong; Corke, Harold; Shah, Nagendra P

2016-09-01

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) has been reported to be beneficial to human health, as well as having potential functional properties as a fat replacer in dairy products. In this study, 0.5% KGM solution was added to prepare low-fat (LFKGM) and skimmed (SKKGM) yogurts, and their physicochemical properties were compared with those of full-fat yogurt control (FFC), low-fat yogurt control (LFC), and skimmed yogurt control (SKC). Properties and composition were determined and the microscopic structures of all yogurts were observed during storage at 4°C for 21d. Generally, addition of KGM to yogurts had no significant effect on composition, pH, and titratable acidity at each storage day. The LFKGM and SKKGM had higher whiteness, greenness, and yellowness hues compared with those of the LFC and SKC. The proteolysis of LFKGM and SKKGM was similar to that of FFC, whereas it was lower than in LFC and SKC after 14d of storage. Addition of KGM had no positive effects on the water-holding capacity, but led to a decrease in syneresis and spontaneous whey separation in LFKGM and SKKGM compared with those of LFC and SKC. The spontaneous whey separation of LFKGM was similar to that of FFC. Presence of KGM in skimmed yogurt affected textural characteristics, while having little effect on texture of low-fat yogurt. Additionally, LFKGM and SKKGM showed stronger and more stable gel structures than those of FFC, LFC, and SKC. Overall, no substantial changes were found in the characteristics for each yogurt during storage, except for pH and gel structures. Results indicated that KGM may be a good fat replacer to develop reduced-fat yogurts with desired characteristics. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating rehabilitation needs of visually impaired young adults according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

PubMed

van Leeuwen, Lisette M; Rainey, Linda; Kef, Sabina; van Rens, Ger H M B; van Nispen, Ruth M A

2015-11-01

To gain qualitative insight into the rehabilitation needs of visually impaired young adults (18-25 years) and how these needs relate to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and patient characteristics. Rehabilitation needs and patient characteristics of young adults (N = 392) who applied for multidisciplinary services in 2012 and 2013 were obtained from structured and semi-structured intake records. Linking rules were used to assess how the needs related to Environmental Factors, Body Functions, Body Structures, and Activity and Participation (A&P) ICF components. The relationship between the type of rehabilitation goal and patient characteristics was assessed using multivariate logistic regression analyses. Most rehabilitation needs (67.6%; N = 510) were found on the A&P component of the ICF. Most prevalent needs were related to 'major life areas' (e.g. finding internship or job), followed by the chapters: 'mobility' (e.g. self-reliance in travelling), 'communication' (e.g. using communication devices and techniques), 'general tasks and demands' (e.g. psychological aspects of vision loss) and 'domestic life' (e.g. household tasks). Patients in one of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation centres (odds ratio (OR) = 7.07; 95% confidence interval (CI) [2.97-16.83]) and patients with comorbidity (OR = 3.82; 95% CI [1.62-9.02]) were more likely to report rehabilitation needs related to chapter E3 'support and relationships'. 'Major life areas' prevail in the content of rehabilitation needs, but tend to overshadow topics regarding peer interaction and social, community and civic life. A suitable survey method for young adults with visual impairments is required that contains rehabilitation domains and goals relevant to their lives and development. © 2015 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in same-sex parent families: A cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Crouch, Simon Robert; McNair, Ruth; Waters, Elizabeth

2016-05-01

Children with same-sex attracted parents develop well in terms of their health and wellbeing. There are many recognised factors that have an impact on child health, in general, including individual, family and wider social mediators. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in Australian same-sex parent families. A cross-sectional survey of self-identified same-sex attracted parents from across Australia was used to collect information on child health and wellbeing between May and December 2012. Mixed-effects multiple linear regression models were used to identify associations between family structure/socio-demographic characteristics and child wellbeing. Child health outcomes were measured using the Child Health Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. In same-sex parent families, biological relationships, parental gender and parental education were not significantly associated with health and wellbeing. Parental income, rurality and stable parental relationships were associated with health and wellbeing, and living in a single-parent household was associated with poorer wellbeing. Stable dual parent families offer good outcomes for children with same-sex attracted parents. Family processes are most important. This study does not support the assertion that children require both male and female parents, nor that biological relationships are essential to health and wellbeing. This study provides scientific data from a cross-sectional Australian-based study to describe and understand health determinants for children in family contexts that comprise same-sex parent and all family contexts. It recommends equitable, stigma-free family support. © 2016 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

First order coupled dynamic model of flexible space structures with time-varying configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jie; Li, Dongxu; Jiang, Jianping

2017-03-01

This paper proposes a first order coupled dynamic modeling method for flexible space structures with time-varying configurations for the purpose of deriving the characteristics of the system. The model considers the first time derivative of the coordinate transformation matrix between the platform's body frame and the appendage's floating frame. As a result it can accurately predict characteristics of the system even if flexible appendages rotate with complex trajectory relative to the rigid part. In general, flexible appendages are fixed on the rigid platform or forced to rotate with a slow angular velocity. So only the zero order of the transformation matrix is considered in conventional models. However, due to neglecting of time-varying terms of the transformation matrix, these models introduce severe error when appendages, like antennas, for example, rotate with a fast speed relative to the platform. The first order coupled dynamic model for flexible space structures proposed in this paper resolve this problem by introducing the first time derivative of the transformation matrix. As a numerical example, a central core with a rotating solar panel is considered and the results are compared with those given by the conventional model. It has been shown that the first order terms are of great importance on the attitude of the rigid body and dynamic response of the flexible appendage.

From basic physics to mechanisms of toxicity: the "liquid drop" approach applied to develop predictive classification models for toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Sizochenko, Natalia; Rasulev, Bakhtiyor; Gajewicz, Agnieszka; Kuz'min, Victor; Puzyn, Tomasz; Leszczynski, Jerzy

2014-11-21

Many metal oxide nanoparticles are able to cause persistent stress to live organisms, including humans, when discharged to the environment. To understand the mechanism of metal oxide nanoparticles' toxicity and reduce the number of experiments, the development of predictive toxicity models is important. In this study, performed on a series of nanoparticles, the comparative quantitative-structure activity relationship (nano-QSAR) analyses of their toxicity towards E. coli and HaCaT cells were established. A new approach for representation of nanoparticles' structure is presented. For description of the supramolecular structure of nanoparticles the "liquid drop" model was applied. It is expected that a novel, proposed approach could be of general use for predictions related to nanomaterials. In addition, in our study fragmental simplex descriptors and several ligand-metal binding characteristics were calculated. The developed nano-QSAR models were validated and reliably predict the toxicity of all studied metal oxide nanoparticles. Based on the comparative analysis of contributed properties in both models the LDM-based descriptors were revealed to have an almost similar level of contribution to toxicity in both cases, while other parameters (van der Waals interactions, electronegativity and metal-ligand binding characteristics) have unequal contribution levels. In addition, the models developed here suggest different mechanisms of nanotoxicity for these two types of cells.

Structural and Phylogenetic Analysis of Laccases from Trichoderma: A Bioinformatic Approach

PubMed Central

Cázares-García, Saila Viridiana; Vázquez-Garcidueñas, Ma. Soledad; Vázquez-Marrufo, Gerardo

2013-01-01

The genus Trichoderma includes species of great biotechnological value, both for their mycoparasitic activities and for their ability to produce extracellular hydrolytic enzymes. Although activity of extracellular laccase has previously been reported in Trichoderma spp., the possible number of isoenzymes is still unknown, as are the structural and functional characteristics of both the genes and the putative proteins. In this study, the system of laccases sensu stricto in the Trichoderma species, the genomes of which are publicly available, were analyzed using bioinformatic tools. The intron/exon structure of the genes and the identification of specific motifs in the sequence of amino acids of the proteins generated in silico allow for clear differentiation between extracellular and intracellular enzymes. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the common ancestor of the genus possessed a functional gene for each one of these enzymes, which is a characteristic preserved in T. atroviride and T. virens. This analysis also reveals that T. harzianum and T. reesei only retained the intracellular activity, whereas T. asperellum added an extracellular isoenzyme acquired through horizontal gene transfer during the mycoparasitic process. The evolutionary analysis shows that in general, extracellular laccases are subjected to purifying selection, and intracellular laccases show neutral evolution. The data provided by the present study will enable the generation of experimental approximations to better understand the physiological role of laccases in the genus Trichoderma and to increase their biotechnological potential. PMID:23383142

Gravity anomaly and crustal density structure in Jilantai rift zone and its adjacent region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Guiju; Shen, Chongyang; Tan, Hongbo; Yang, Guangliang

2016-08-01

This paper deals with the interpretation of Bouguer gravity anomalies measured along a 250 km long Suhaitu-Etuokeqi gravity profile located at the transitional zone of the Alxa and Ordos blocks where geophysical characteristics are very complex. The analysis is carried out in terms of the ratio of elevation and Bouguer gravity anomaly, the normalized full gradient of a section of the Bouguer gravity anomaly ( G h ) and the crustal density structure reveal that (1) the ratio of highs and lows of elevation and Bouguer gravity anomaly is large between Zhengyiguan fault (F4) and Helandonglu fault (F6), which can be explained due to crustal inhomogeneities related to the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet block in the northeast; (2) the main active faults correspond to the G h contour strip or cut the local region, and generally show strong deformation characteristics, for example the Bayanwulashan mountain front fault ( F1) or the southeast boundary of Alxa block is in accord with the western change belt of G h , a belt about 10 km wide that extends to about 30 km; (3) Yinchuan-Pingluo fault ( F8) is the seismogenic structure of the Pingluo M earthquake, and its focal depth is about 15 km; (4) the Moho depth trend and Bouguer gravity anomaly variation indicates that the regional gravity field is strongly correlated with the Moho discontinuity.

Anisotropy and the knee of the energy spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clay, R. W.

1985-01-01

The measured cosmic ray energy spectrum exhibits clear structure (the knee) at approx 3 x 10 to the 15th power eV (sea level shower size approx 3 x 10 to the 5th power particles). Additionally, at energies in this general region, there occur apparent changes in shower development such that the observed characteristics of showers at this energy appear different to those characteristics observed at somewhat higher energies. At energies just below this region, the cosmic ray anisotropy amplitude apparently begins a progressive increase with energy. The latter effect does not clearly fit with the first two since there appears to be no significant change exactly at the knee. However, the phase of the first harmonic of the anisotropy appears to show a substantial change just where the energy spectrum shows structure and in the middle of the shower development changes. The first harmonic phase appears to change from approx. 18 hours R.A. to approx. 5 hours R.A. as the energy of observation moves through the knee. In this paper the latter change is examined in some detail by taking into account information contained in the second harmonic of the anisotropy.

Joint US/Russia TU-144 Engine Ground Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acosta, Waldo A.; Balser, Jeffrey S.; McCartney, Timothy P.; Richter, Charles A.; Woike, Mark R.

1997-01-01

Two engine research experiments were recently completed in Moscow, Russia using an engine from the Tu-144 supersonic transport airplane. This was a joint project between the United States and Russia. Personnel from the NASA Lewis Research Center, General Electric Aircraft Engines, Pratt & Whitney, the Tupolev Design Bureau, and EBP Aircraft LTD worked together as a team to overcome the many technical and cultural challenges. The objective was to obtain large scale inlet data that could be used in the development of a supersonic inlet system for a future High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). The-first experiment studied the impact of typical inlet structures that have trailing edges in close proximity to the inlet/engine interface plane on the flow characteristics at that plane. The inlet structure simulated the subsonic diffuser of a supersonic inlet using a bifurcated splitter design. The centerbody maximum diameter was designed to permit choking and slightly supercritical operation. The second experiment measured the reflective characteristics of the engine face to incoming perturbations of pressure amplitude. The basic test rig from the first experiment was used with a longer spacer equipped with fast actuated doors. All the objectives set forth at the beginning of the project were met.

Influence of fractal substructures of the percolating cluster on transferring processes in macroscopically disordered environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesnikov, B. P.

2017-11-01

The presented work belongs to the issue of searching for the effective kinetic properties of macroscopically disordered environments (MDE). These properties characterize MDE in general on the sizes which significantly exceed the sizes of macro inhomogeneity. The structure of MDE is considered as a complex of interpenetrating percolating and finite clusters consolidated from homonymous components, topological characteristics of which influence on the properties of the whole environment. The influence of percolating clusters’ fractal substructures (backbone, skeleton of backbone, red bonds) on the transfer processes during crossover (a structure transition from fractal to homogeneous condition) is investigated based on the offered mathematical approach for finding the effective conductivity of MDEs and on the percolating cluster model. The nature of the change of the critical conductivity index t during crossover from the characteristic value for the area close to percolation threshold to the value corresponded to homogeneous condition is demonstrated. The offered model describes the transfer processes in MDE with the finite conductivity relation of «conductive» and «low conductive» phases above and below percolation threshold and in smearing area (an analogue of a blur area of the second-order phase transfer).

Refined gradient theory of scale-dependent superthin rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lurie, S. A.; Kuznetsova, E. L.; Rabinskii, L. N.; Popova, E. I.

2015-03-01

A version of the refined nonclassical theory of thin beams whose thickness is comparable with the scale characteristic of the material structure is constructed on the basis of the gradient theory of elasticity which, in contrast to the classical theory, contains some additional physical characteristics depending on the structure scale parameters and is therefore most appropriate for modeling the strains of scale-dependent systems. The fundamental conditions for the well-posedness of the gradient theories are obtained for the first time, and it is shown that some of the known applied gradient theories do not generally satisfy the well-posedness criterion. A version of the well-posed gradient strain theory which satisfies the symmetry condition is proposed. The well-posed gradient theory is then used to implement the method of kinematic hypotheses for constructing a refined theory of scale-dependent beams. The equilibrium equations of the refined theory of scale-dependent Timoshenko and Bernoulli beams are obtained. It is shown that the scale effects are localized near the beam ends, and therefore, taking the scale effects into account does not give any correction to the bending rigidity of long beams as noted in the previously published papers dealing with the scale-dependent beams.

Assessing Diversity of DNA Structure-Related Sequence Features in Prokaryotic Genomes

PubMed Central

Huang, Yongjie; Mrázek, Jan

2014-01-01

Prokaryotic genomes are diverse in terms of their nucleotide and oligonucleotide composition as well as presence of various sequence features that can affect physical properties of the DNA molecule. We present a survey of local sequence patterns which have a potential to promote non-canonical DNA conformations (i.e. different from standard B-DNA double helix) and interpret the results in terms of relationships with organisms' habitats, phylogenetic classifications, and other characteristics. Our present work differs from earlier similar surveys not only by investigating a wider range of sequence patterns in a large number of genomes but also by using a more realistic null model to assess significant deviations. Our results show that simple sequence repeats and Z-DNA-promoting patterns are generally suppressed in prokaryotic genomes, whereas palindromes and inverted repeats are over-represented. Representation of patterns that promote Z-DNA and intrinsic DNA curvature increases with increasing optimal growth temperature (OGT), and decreases with increasing oxygen requirement. Additionally, representations of close direct repeats, palindromes and inverted repeats exhibit clear negative trends with increasing OGT. The observed relationships with environmental characteristics, particularly OGT, suggest possible evolutionary scenarios of structural adaptation of DNA to particular environmental niches. PMID:24408877

Damage tolerance and arrest characteristics of pressurized graphite/epoxy tape cylinders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ranniger, Claudia U.; Lagace, Paul A.; Graves, Michael J.

1993-01-01

An investigation of the damage tolerance and damage arrest characteristics of internally-pressurized graphite/epoxy tape cylinders with axial notches was conducted. An existing failure prediction methodology, developed and verified for quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy fabric cylinders, was investigated for applicability to general tape layups. In addition, the effect of external circumferential stiffening bands on the direction of fracture path propagation and possible damage arrest was examined. Quasi-isotropic (90/0/plus or minus 45)s and structurally anisotropic (plus or minus 45/0)s and (plus or minus 45/90)s coupons and cylinders were constructed from AS4/3501-6 graphite/epoxy tape. Notched and unnotched coupons were tested in tension and the data correlated using the equation of Mar and Lin. Cylinders with through-thickness axial slits were pressurized to failure achieving a far-field two-to-one biaxial stress state. Experimental failure pressures of the (90/0/plus or minus 45)s cylinders agreed with predicted values for all cases but the specimen with the smallest slit. However, the failure pressures of the structurally anisotropic cylinders, (plus or minus 45/0)s and (plus or minus 45/90)s, were above the values predicted utilizing the predictive methodology in all cases. Possible factors neglected by the predictive methodology include structural coupling in the laminates and axial loading of the cylindrical specimens. Furthermore, applicability of the predictive methodology depends on the similarity of initial fracture modes in the coupon specimens and the cylinder specimens of the same laminate type. The existence of splitting which may be exacerbated by the axial loading in the cylinders, shows that this condition is not always met. The circumferential stiffeners were generally able to redirect fracture propagation from longitudinal to circumferential. A quantitative assessment for stiffener effectiveness in containing the fracture, based on cylinder radius, slit size, and bending stiffnesses of the laminates, is proposed.

Iii-V Compound Multiple Quantum Well Based Modulator and Switching Devices.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Songcheol

A general formalism to study the absorption and photocurrent in multiple quantum well is provided with detailed consideration of quantum confined Stark shift, exciton binding energy, line broadening, tunneling, polarization, and strain effects. Results on variation of exciton size, binding energies and transition energies as a function electric field and well size have been presented. Inhomogeneous line broadening of exciton lines due to interface roughness, alloy disorder and well to well size fluctuation is calculated. The potential of material tailoring by introducing strain for specific optical response is discussed. Theoretical and experimental results on excitonic and band-to-band absorption spectra in strained multi-quantum well structures are shown. I also report on polarization dependent optical absorption for excitonic and interband transitions in lattice matched and strained multiquantum well structures in presence of transverse electric field. Photocurrent in a p-i(MQW)-n diode with monochromatic light is examined with respect to different temperatures and intensities. The negative resistance of I-V characteristic of the p-i-n diode is based on the quantum confined Stark effect of the heavy hole excitonic transition in a multiquantum well. This exciton based photocurrent characteristic allows efficient switching. A general purpose low power optical logic device using the controller-modulator concept bas been proposed and realized. The controller is a heterojunction phototransistor with multiquantum wells in the base-collector depletion region. This allows an amplified photocurrent controlled voltage feedback with low light intensity levels. Detailed analysis of the sensitivity of this device in various modes of operation is studied. Studies are also presented on the cascadability of the device as well as its integrating -thresholding properties. A multiquantum well heterojunction bipolar transistor (MHBT), which has N^+ -p^+-i(MQW)-N structure has been fabricated to test the concept. Gain (>30) is obtained in the MBE grown devices and efficient switching occurs due to the amplification of the exciton based photocurrent. The level shift operation of the base contacted MHBT are demonstrated.

The Role of Structural Characteristics in Problematic Video Game Play: An Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Daniel L.; Delfabbro, Paul H.; Griffiths, Mark D.

2011-01-01

The research literature suggests that the structural characteristics of video games may play a considerable role in the initiation, development and maintenance of problematic video game playing. The present study investigated the role of structural characteristics in video game playing behaviour within a sample of 421 video game players aged…

Predictors of Global Quality in Family Child Care Homes: Structural and Belief Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes-Belding, Kere; Hegland, Susan; Stein, Amanda; Sideris, John; Bryant, Donna

2012-01-01

Research Findings: With a substantial number of young children receiving care in family child care settings, an examination of the characteristics, both structural and attitudinal, that predict program quality is warranted. The current study examines gaps in the research by examining both structural characteristics and provider beliefs that…

Environmental variables measured at multiple spatial scales exert uneven influence on fish assemblages of floodplain lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dembkowski, Daniel J.; Miranda, Leandro E.

2014-01-01

We examined the interaction between environmental variables measured at three different scales (i.e., landscape, lake, and in-lake) and fish assemblage descriptors across a range of over 50 floodplain lakes in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Mississippi and Arkansas. Our goal was to identify important local- and landscape-level determinants of fish assemblage structure. Relationships between fish assemblage structure and variables measured at broader scales (i.e., landscape-level and lake-level) were hypothesized to be stronger than relationships with variables measured at finer scales (i.e., in-lake variables). Results suggest that fish assemblage structure in floodplain lakes was influenced by variables operating on three different scales. However, and contrary to expectations, canonical correlations between in-lake environmental characteristics and fish assemblage structure were generally stronger than correlations between landscape-level and lake-level variables and fish assemblage structure, suggesting a hierarchy of influence. From a resource management perspective, our study suggests that landscape-level and lake-level variables may be manipulated for conservation or restoration purposes, and in-lake variables and fish assemblage structure may be used to monitor the success of such efforts.

Connectingthe puzzle pieces between cytoskeleton andsecretory pathway

PubMed Central

Gurel, Pinar S.; Hatch, Anna L.; Higgs, Henry N.

2014-01-01

A tendency in cell biology is to divide and conquer. For example, decades of painstaking work have led to an understanding of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi structure, dynamics, and transport. In parallel, cytoskeletal researchers have revealed a fantastic diversity of structure and cellular function in both actin and microtubules. Increasingly, these areas overlap, necessitating an understanding of both organelle and cytoskeletal biology. This review addressesconnections between the actin/microtubule cytoskeletons and organelles in animal cells, focusing on threetopics: ER structure/function, ER-to-Golgi transport; and Golgi structure/function. Making these connections has been challenging, due to 1) the small sizes and dynamic characteristics of some components, 2) the fact that organelle-specific cytoskeleton can easily be obscured by more abundant cytoskeletal structures, and 3) the difficulties in imaging membranes and cytoskeleton simultaneously, especially at the ultra-structural level. One major concept is that the cytoskeleton is frequently used to generate force for membrane movement, with two potential consequences: translocation of the organelle, or deformation of the organelle membrane. While initially discussing issues common to metazoan cells in general, we subsequently highlight specific features of neurons, since these highly polarized cells present unique challenges for organellar distribution and dynamics. PMID:25050967

Cultural sensitivity in public health: defined and demystified.

PubMed

Resnicow, K; Baranowski, T; Ahluwalia, J S; Braithwaite, R L

1999-01-01

There is consensus that health promotion programs should be culturally sensitive (CS). Yet, despite the ubiquitous nature of CS within public health research and practice, there has been surprisingly little attention given to defining CS or delineating a framework for developing culturally sensitive programs and practitioners. This paper describes a model for understanding CS from a public health perspective; describes a process for applying this model in the development of health promotion and disease prevention interventions; and highlights research priorities. Cultural sensitivity is defined by two dimensions: surface and deep structures. Surface structure involves matching intervention materials and messages to observable, "superficial" characteristics of a target population. This may involve using people, places, language, music, food, locations, and clothing familiar to, and preferred by, the target audience. Surface structure refers to how well interventions fit within a specific culture. Deep structure involves incorporating the cultural, social, historical, environmental and psychological forces that influence the target health behavior in the proposed target population. Whereas surface structure generally increases the "receptivity" or "acceptance" of messages, deep structure conveys salience. Techniques, borrowed from social marketing and health communication theory, for developing culturally sensitive interventions are described. Research is needed to determine the effectiveness of culturally sensitive programs.

Sensing site-specific structural characteristics and chirality using vibrational circular dichroism of isotope labeled peptides.

PubMed

Keiderling, Timothy A

2017-12-01

Isotope labeling has a long history in chemistry as a tool for probing structure, offering enhanced sensitivity, or enabling site selection with a wide range of spectroscopic tools. Chirality sensitive methods such as electronic circular dichroism are global structural tools and have intrinsically low resolution. Consequently, they are generally insensitive to modifications to enhance site selectivity. The use of isotope labeling to modify vibrational spectra with unique resolvable frequency shifts can provide useful site-specific sensitivity, and these methods have been recently more widely expanded in biopolymer studies. While the spectral shifts resulting from changes in isotopic mass can provide resolution of modes from specific parts of the molecule and can allow detection of local change in structure with perturbation, these shifts alone do not directly indicate structure or chirality. With vibrational circular dichroism (VCD), the shifted bands and their resultant sign patterns can be used to indicate local conformations in labeled biopolymers, particularly if multiple labels are used and if their coupling is theoretically modeled. This mini-review discusses selected examples of the use of labeling specific amides in peptides to develop local structural insight with VCD spectra. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstraction networks for terminologies: Supporting management of "big knowledge".

PubMed

Halper, Michael; Gu, Huanying; Perl, Yehoshua; Ochs, Christopher

2015-05-01

Terminologies and terminological systems have assumed important roles in many medical information processing environments, giving rise to the "big knowledge" challenge when terminological content comprises tens of thousands to millions of concepts arranged in a tangled web of relationships. Use and maintenance of knowledge structures on that scale can be daunting. The notion of abstraction network is presented as a means of facilitating the usability, comprehensibility, visualization, and quality assurance of terminologies. An abstraction network overlays a terminology's underlying network structure at a higher level of abstraction. In particular, it provides a more compact view of the terminology's content, avoiding the display of minutiae. General abstraction network characteristics are discussed. Moreover, the notion of meta-abstraction network, existing at an even higher level of abstraction than a typical abstraction network, is described for cases where even the abstraction network itself represents a case of "big knowledge." Various features in the design of abstraction networks are demonstrated in a methodological survey of some existing abstraction networks previously developed and deployed for a variety of terminologies. The applicability of the general abstraction-network framework is shown through use-cases of various terminologies, including the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT), the Medical Entities Dictionary (MED), and the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). Important characteristics of the surveyed abstraction networks are provided, e.g., the magnitude of the respective size reduction referred to as the abstraction ratio. Specific benefits of these alternative terminology-network views, particularly their use in terminology quality assurance, are discussed. Examples of meta-abstraction networks are presented. The "big knowledge" challenge constitutes the use and maintenance of terminological structures that comprise tens of thousands to millions of concepts and their attendant complexity. The notion of abstraction network has been introduced as a tool in helping to overcome this challenge, thus enhancing the usefulness of terminologies. Abstraction networks have been shown to be applicable to a variety of existing biomedical terminologies, and these alternative structural views hold promise for future expanded use with additional terminologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of magnetic clouds/magnetic-cloud-like structures during the years 1995-2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, C. C.; Lepping, R.

Using nine years of solar wind plasma and magnetic field data we investigated the characteristics of both magnetic clouds MCs and magnetic cloud like structures MCLs during 1995-2003 A MCL structure is an event which was identified by an automatic scheme Lepping et al 2005 with the same criteria as for a MC but is not identifiable as a flux rope by using the MC Burlaga 1981 fitting model developed by Lepping et al 1990 The average occurrence rate is sim 9 5 for MCs and sim 13 6 for MCLs per year for the overall period of interest and there were 82 MCs and 122 MCLs identified during this period The characteristics of MCs and MCL structures are as follows 1 The averaged duration Dt of MCs is 21 1 hour which is 40 longer than MCLs Dt 15 hrs 2 The averaged Bz min minimum Bz found in MC MCL is -10 2 nT for MCs and -6 nT for MCLs 3 The averaged Dst min minimum Dst caused by MC MCL is -82 nT for MCs and -37 nT for MCLs 4 The average of the solar wind velocity is 453 km s for MCs and 413 km s for MCLs 5 The average of the thermal speed is 24 6 km s for MCs and 27 7 km s for MCLs 6 The average of the magnetic field intensity is 12 7 nT for MCs and 9 8 nT for MCLs and 7 The average of the solar wind density is 9 4 cm -3 for MCs and 6 3 cm -3 for MCLs The longer duration more intense magnetic field and higher solar wind speed and denisty of MCs compared to those of the MCLs might be the major reason for generally causing geomagnetic storms with higher

Re-thinking barriers to organizational change in public hospitals.

PubMed

Edwards, Nigel; Saltman, Richard B

2017-01-01

Public hospitals are well known to be difficult to reform. This paper provides a comprehensive six-part analytic framework that can help policymakers and managers better shape their organizational and institutional behavior. The paper first describes three separate structural characteristics which, together, inhibit effective problem description and policy design for public hospitals. These three structural constraints are i) the dysfunctional characteristics found in most organizations, ii) the particular dysfunctions of professional health sector organizations, and iii) the additional dysfunctional dimensions of politically managed organizations. While the problems in each of these three dimensions of public hospital organization are well-known, and the first two dimensions clearly affect private as well as publicly run hospitals, insufficient attention has been paid to the combined impact of all three factors in making public hospitals particularly difficult to manage and steer. Further, these three structural dimensions interact in an institutional environment defined by three restrictive context limitations, again two of which also affect private hospitals but all three of which compound the management dilemmas in public hospitals. The first contextual limitation is the inherent complexity of delivering high quality, safe, and affordable modern inpatient care in a hospital setting. The second contextual limitation is a set of specific market failures in public hospitals, which limit the scope of the standard financial incentives and reform measures. The third and last contextual limitation is the unique problem of generalized and localized anxiety , which accompanies the delivery of medical services, and which suffuses decision-making on the part of patients, medical staff, hospital management, and political actors alike. This combination of six institutional characteristics - three structural dimensions and three contextual dimensions - can help explain why public hospitals are different in character from other parts of the public sector, and the scale of the challenge they present to political decision-makers.

Contextualizing immigrants' lived experience: story of Taiwanese immigrants in the United States.

PubMed

Tsai, Jenny Hsin-Chun

2003-01-01

Immigration involves extensive changes in living environments. Nonetheless, the predominant approach in the health science literature has been to utilize individual characteristics (including ethnic background) to explain and predict immigrants' lived experiences and health outcomes. Contexts, particularly the larger societal contexts by which immigrants are constituted, are generally ignored. Data from a critical ethnography regarding immigrants' experiences with language, occupation, and economic survival in the United States are utilized to illustrate that immigrants' lives are inseparable from the larger societal contexts, such as immigration policy, Western imperialism, and structural discrimination. The implications for practice, education, and research are discussed.

Experimental evaluation of two 36 inch by 47 inch graphite/epoxy sandwich shear webs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, H. G.

1975-01-01

The design is described and test of two large (36 in. x 47 in.) graphite/epoxy sandwich shear webs. One sandwich web was designed to exhibit strength failure of the facings at a shear load of 7638 lbs/in., which is a characteristic loading for the space shuttle orbiter main engine thrust beam structure. The second sandwich web was designed to exhibit general instability failure at a shear load of 5000 lbs/in., to identify problem areas of stability critical sandwich webs and to assess the adequacy of contemporary analysis techniques.

LDEF active optical system components experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blue, M. D.

1992-01-01

A preliminary report on the Active Optical System Components Experiment is presented. This experiment contained 136 components in a six inch deep tray including lasers, infrared detectors and arrays, ultraviolet light detectors, light-emitting diodes, a light modulator, flash lamps, optical filters, glasses, and samples of surface finishes. Thermal, mechanical, and structural considerations leading to the design of the tray hardware are discussed. In general, changes in the retested component characteristics appear as much related to the passage of time as to the effects of the space environment, but organic materials, multilayer optical interference filters, and extreme-infrared reflectivity of black paints show unexpected changes.